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***It's almost nostalgic to go back to the original timeline again. The last time I wrote a fic concerning it was There and Back Again, the first Obey Me fic I ever wrote. I've always been curious about what happened to the original brothers/what they felt after MC never came back to them. Throw the commonly used headcanon of "The brothers can feel MC's pain through the pact" and well, this is that. I hope you enjoy it! This one is long and painful, so please remember to take care of yourself and practice self-care before, during, and after reading. Love you guys! Read safely***
SPOILERS FOR LESSON 16
Summary: As MC is sent to go back in time and find answers for Diavolo, the brothers are left to wait for their return. Time ticks by and the pact holders grow more anxious until things go dreadfully wrong.
CW: Heavy Angst, descriptions of pain, injuries, and suffocation/choking, character death, GRIEF, Scratching at arms (Mammon)
Mammon had nearly dug a hole in the ground with how much he was pacing.
His hands twitched by his sides, longing to do rip at his hair or at the very least do something. There was a constant, uneasy, buzzing that itched under his skin like a never-ending current of electricity was running through him and his hammering heart was the jacked-up battery it was powering.
A distant part of him could make out the sound of his brothers bickering to one another, complaining about their own stress relief habits and you, but his head was too muddled with worry to make it out.
You had been sent to the past, alone. He knew that you were strong and capable, but he also knew how reckless and downright stupid you could be at any given moment. You were always willing to take the risk and dive in without a second thought, so long as it was for the betterment of others. Mammon knew this better than anyone else, it's why he wanted, no, he needed to be there with you and watch your back.
Instead, here he was, grumbling to himself like a pathetic moron while you were off doing Diavolo knows what.
He groaned, glancing over at his brothers for a moment, taking note of how they were all staring at a blushing Levi with perplexed expressions when he felt it.
An invisible, constricting, force wrapped around his body with a frightening grip.
Mammon's breath hitched as the others froze. "Do... Do you guys feel that?" He winced as it grew tighter.
Asmo whined and nodded as he shivered and shook out his limbs. "Yeah, it's so not comfy. It feels all kinds of wrong."
All of them gasped as what felt like razor-sharp claws dug into their necks, and yet there wasn't a single mark or bruise on any of them.
"What," Levi wheezed as he scratched at his throat, trying to alleviate the force constricting around it. "What is going on?"
Satan hissed, feeling the claws sink deeper into his skin and slice at his nerves. "I-I don't know. But, ugh, but if it's affecting all of us, it has to be something we have in common. Think. Wh-What's something we all share?"
Mammon paled as it hit him. "Fuck. MC," the others turned to him, eyes wide as they all came to their own realizations. Mammon shook his head, taking steps back towards the manor as something wrapped tightly around his middle. "We all have a pact with MC. It's the-the pacts. This is happening to MC!"
Without another word, Mammon sprinted towards Barbato's room, his shoes slipping on the polished marbled floor as he turned corners.
He found himself tumbling to the ground, crying out as pain exploded in the centre of his spine. He trembled as he rose back to his feet, gritting his teeth and pushing himself to keep moving towards Barbatos, towards you, even as he felt his back snap in two.
He slammed the bedroom door open, the others following closely behind him as he glared at Barbatos, Lucifer and Diavolo. "Bring them back. Now."
The three demons blinked at the panting brothers in shock. "I'm sorry, that's not possible." Barbatos stated, eyeing them all with a critical gaze. "They have to complete their task-"
"It wasn't a fucking question!" Mammon shouted, baring his teeth at the butler as he switched into his demon form. "Bring them back, or I swear-"
"Mammon." Lucifer scolded as he stepped between Mammon and Barbatos. "Enough. Calm yourself. What in seven rings is wrong with you?"
Mammon never got to answer as the door slammed open once more, and a pale Beelzebub marched in. "We have to get MC! They're hurt!"
Diavolo tensed at the words as the severity of situation made itself known. "What do you mean? How do you know that?"
"We don't have time for questions," Satan spat as he came to stand beside Mammon. "Barbatos either let us go to them or bring them back. No-" he was cut off as his eyes bulged and he let out a strained noise.
Levi whimpered as his legs wobbled beneath him. "They can't breath," Leviathan choked as tears welled up in his eyes. "W-We can feel it in their pact. They- They're-"
"They're dying," Asmo gasped, a hand resting securely at the base of his neck. "Oh god, Lucifer please. Do something."
Mammon growled as he went to charge past his brother, "Fuck that, I'm doing something now."
Lucifer grunted as he caught his lunging brother, quickly transforming into his own demon form to counter his strength. "Mammon, nothing will be able to get down if you don't calm down and think clearly."
"Think clearly?!" He roared as he continued fighting against Lucifer. "How do you want me to think clearly when I can feel the only person that actually fucking cares about me being murdered and I can't do a single damn thing?! Let me go, Lucifer! I'm getting them back!"
Barbatos forced his expression to remain neutral as he stood in front of the stairway leading to your door. "We can't do that. It's bad enough that I sent MC back without any training or studying. If all of you went back, as emotionally riled up as you are, you would undoubtedly be seen by your other-selves and create a paradox."
Satan seethed as he glared at the butler, "Did you not hear the part where we said MC is dying?!"
Diavolo placed his hands out in a pacifying manner out towards everyone. "We need to calm down. We won't be any use to MC if we're all fighting like this."
Beelzebub let out an animalistic growl at the man as he shifted into his own demon form. "We're no use to them just standing around either! You have no idea what they're going through! They're-"
Beel didn't get to finish as all the pact holders in the room suddenly cried out, each one moving to grasp a different location on their body, a different mark that had previously been branded into their very souls. Each of them froze as they felt something break and whither inside of them.
No one moved. No one spoke. The five bonded demons waited to feel something. Even if it was the agonizing pain that had been burning through them moments ago, it was better than this emptiness.
But nothing came.
A shuttering gasp came from Asmodeus as a shaking hand covered his mouth. He silently shook his head while ugly, fat tears flowed over his cheeks, yet he made no movement to wipe them away. "No," he breathed. "No, no, no, no, no," a hand tangled carelessly in his locks. He found himself struggling to breathe as his eyes darted around the room looking for the non-existent trace of you.
Asmo giggled as you all but ran into his room and threw yourself onto his bed. "Why hello there to you too~" he teased as he took a seat beside your groaning body.
You pouted and turned your head to look up at the demon. "School is hard."
Asmodeus felt his heart warm, realizing that you had come to him for comfort in your time of need and placed your head into his lap while he ran his fingers through your hair. "I can't say I'd be too much help with academics. Usually, people go to Satan for these kinds of things."
You melted into his touch as he began to massage the top of your skull. "I don't want to study right now though. I'm too stressed. I just need to relax," you opened your eyes to give him a positively adorable puppy dog expression. "Can we please have a spa night? Just the two of us?"
Asmo laughed and leaned forward to rub his nose against yours in a butterfly kiss. "You don't have to beg, MC." He smiled lovingly at you as he pulled back and basked in the flustered expression on your face. "You know that I'm happy give you all of me if you just say the word~"
"Asmo!" You both burst into joyous laughter as you swatted him with a pillow. Asmodeus couldn't remember the last time his heart felt so full.
A sob slipped past his lips despite his best efforts as Asmodeus stumbled towards the closest wall.
Lucifer looked at his brothers's states in concerned panic. "What happened? What's wrong?" He tried to ask, but nobody was in any condition to answer.
Beelzebub roared and forced his way past a protesting Lucifer as he shoved Barbatos aside and ripped the door open, only to be faced with a solid wall. He broke the door off its hinges and threw it across the room, letting it smash in smithereens against the wall. "MC!" He screamed as he moved to the next door. "Open the door! Come back! Please! MC! Come back!"
Diavolo barely managed to duck out of the way as another door went soaring over his head. "Barbatos!" He shouted over to the fallen butler.
The teal-haired demon nodded and waved his hand. Magical chains rose up and wrapped themselves around the rampaging Avatar of Gluttony. Beel howled and thrashed against the chains, screaming and fighting as he blindly tried to get to you.
Beel stumbled into your doorway, his eyes frantically searching the darkness for you. He froze as he saw your still body laying in your bed.
He cautiously moved closer to you, eyes fixating on the consistent rise and fall of your chest. "MC?" he whispered.
You groaned and threw an arm over your forehead as you turned onto your back and glanced over at Beel. "Beel?" You yawned as you spoke. "Wh-What's going on? It's like," you peered over at your alarm clock and gaped as you saw the time. "Beel! It's 3 in the morning! Why are you waking me up?"
Even though you were yelling at him, Beel couldn't help but slump in relief at the sound of your voice. "I had a nightmare," he admitted. The annoyance instantly fell from your face as concern took its place. You sat up and patted the bed beside you for him to join you.
Beel wasted no time and took his place beside you, sighing in content as you snuggled into his side. He wrapped an arm around you held you close. "Normally they're about Lilith or Belphie, but this time it was you," he pressed his lips tightly together as his grip tightened on you. "Some of the students at RAD attacked you, and all I could do was watch. I wasn't able to move or reach you no matter how hard I tried. They...They killed you and there was nothing I could do about it."
You softly shushed him as you traced comforting circles into his hands. "It wasn't real, Beel," he looked down at you with wide eyes, adrenaline still coursing through him at the memory of the dream. You smiled softly at him and moved his hand to cup your cheek. "I'm okay. I'm safe. How could I not be? I have one of the best demons in all of the Devildom looking out for me."
Beel scooped you up in his arms and held you close as he buried his face in your neck. He felt your arms wrap securely around him as you mimicked the action. "I'm here, Beel," you whispered gently. "I'm right, here."
Beel bellowed as he curled into himself, eyes squeezing shut at the memory.
Barbatos grunted at the effort it was taking to both maintain your doorway and restrain Beelzebub. He flickered his eyes over to Diavolo. "What's happening? I can't maintain this for long."
Diavolo desperately looked around the room, trying to find answers. His eyes met Lucifer's and he frowned. "You know them best. What do you think happened?"
Lucifer looked over at the screaming form of one of his youngest brothers and felt the blood drain from his face. "MC..." His eyes snapped over to the others as the reality of the situation finally sunk in. "Oh my God."
Satan swallowed down the lump in his throat as he senses thundered around him. It was too much. He could still feel the phantom pain of someone strangling you and mutilating your body. His ears were ringing with the sound of Beel's cries and the his own pounding heart. His mouth opened and shut as his chest heaved and hands trembled by his side.
It was too much. Too new. Satan knew anger. He knew wrath, but this was more than that. This was his heart sinking into the cold murky depths of the deepest trench and being torn into shreds by predators. This was a child being abandoned in a dark forest with not even the sound of beasts to keep him company. This was standing hopeless across the street, unable to do anything as his home and everything he loved burned to the ground.
It was grief. Regret. Sadness. Despair. Loneliness. Heartbreak.
He clenched a hand onto his shirt as he found himself struggling to breathe.
Satan glared over at you as his door creaked open and you peeked your head in. Rather than flinching away, you simply smiled softly and entered, revealing the tea tray you were carrying.
Satan growled in warning as you set down the tray beside him and took a seat across from him. "I'm not in the mood, MC," he snapped.
You nodded and picked up one of the teacups as you leaned against the chair. "I know. You just got done yelling at Lucifer. I thought you might want some tea and company to calm down a little,"
His lip curled as he snarled at you. "What I want is to be alone. I'm angry. You shouldn't be here right now. Did you learn nothing from the time I threatened you?"
You shrugged and took a sip of your tea, saying nothing more, but not moving. Satan glared at you, the traces of his rage towards his brother still swirling in his veins.
As he watched you drink your tea without a trace of fear on your face, he slowly felt himself cool down. He let out a shuttered sigh as he picked up his own teacup and took a sip. It was only when he went to go put the cup down did he notice his hands were shaking and something wet was trickling down his face.
"It's not fair," he whispered. You remained quiet, looking at him with your full and undivided attention. "Lucifer thinks he knows everything and because of that h-he just bosses us around with no regard for what we actually want and it's infuriating! And then when I snap, when I give in to my sin and yell at him, it just makes things worst. He looks at me like he was expecting it to happen! Like this- this being of wrath is all I am!"
He looked up as he felt your hands cup his cheeks, he hadn't even noticed you had moved closer to him. Your sincere eyes glittered at him affectionately as you tenderly wiped the tears from his face. "You're not your anger, Satan, and you're not Lucifer."
Satan felt his lip tremble as he placed his hand over top of yours. "Then who am I?"
You smiled softly and kissed his forehead. "You're Satan. The smartest demon in all the Devildom. Lover of cats and books," he felt his breath catch in his throat as you grinned at him. "You're my friend and a loving brother. That's who you are. Don't let your anger or Lucifer or anyone else ever change that. You're more than just your sin."
Satan found himself instinctively running through the breathing exercises that you had taught him. He whimpered and grasped at the spot where his pact mark should have laid. He barely had any time being yours compared to his brothers. He couldn't have lost you.
He looked up at Lucifer and reached out for him.
Lucifer's eyes widened at the gesture, but without hesitation, he rushed over to Satan and took the blond into his arms. Satan fell into his chest and let himself mourn.
Leviathan wasn't doing much better. His mouth opened and closed with words that just wouldn't come out. He wanted to scream. He wanted to call for you. He wanted to plead to an unlistening father to give you back to him, but no words left his lips.
He could distantly feel one of his hands repeatedly tapping his red, frowning pin as he choked on the tears lodged in his throat.
He silently shook his head, internally praying that this wasn't real. That maybe this was a dream. Maybe this would be like in the anime when there was a plot twist that brought the main character back to their sidekick — that brought Henry back to the Lord of Shadows.
"You don't stand a chance, foul villain!" Levi smirked as he pointed his sword at the mannequin standing in the middle of his room. "Even if you've taken down my brothers and slain my serpent, you will not win today. For I have something they didn't!"
Levi stood in proudly and waited, but nothing happened. He frowned and glanced over his shoulder. "I-I said, for I have something they didn't!"
"Oh shit!" You suddenly jumped out of the bathtub, decked out in the matching Henry costume to the Lord of Shadows one that Levi was wearing and awkwardly waved your sword. "That's right, for he has me! Henry, conqueror of... of..." Your eyes flickered over to Levi before you let out a loud groan and slumped your shoulders. "I'm so sorry, Levi. I keep messing this up."
Levi sighed and dropped his stance as he stepped out of character. "This is the third time, MC," he flushed as he fiddled with the handle of his sword. "I know this kind of Otaku stuff isn't for everyone. If you're bored or not into it, you can always leave. I wouldn't blame you if you-"
"Levi, no, no, no, no!" You quickly blurted out as you took him by the shoulders. "I love spending time with you and getting to take part in your passions. It means that I get to learn more about you and share something that you love! I promise you, it's nothing like that. I'm just not used to this kind of stuff, you know?" You lifted up your sword and held the blade out to him. "Do you think the Lord of Shadows can be patient for his Henry and help them not look like a fool?"
Levi blushed as he clanged the side of his sword against yours and smiled. "I'll always wait for you. Promise."
Leviathan sobbed as he looked desperately over to Mammon. He knew that if anyone knew what he was experiencing, it was him. The two of them had always been the ones closest to you. You were theirs long before you were anyone else's.
Mammon just stood there. Unmoving and unreacting to anything around him.
"Good morning, oh Great Mammon. How blessed I, a mere human, am to be blessed by your presence."
"Sh-Shaddup!"
Mammon was barely breathing. His fingernails dug into the skin over his heart, leaving indents on newly cleared skin where your mark once lay.
"Okay, okay I give!" laughter so beautiful none of the songs of the heavens could ever begin to compete "You're the best! The Great Mammon! You're my favourite and my one and only protector!"
"Damn right, I am! And don't you forget it!
It was like a void had swallowed his soul and spirit and left only a shell of the fiery, infuriated demon that had stood there just minutes earlier when... when...
"I can't believe Lucifer tied you up again and then just went to bed!" He couldn't remember the last time he saw someone so angry in his defence. "Doesn't he know how dangerous it is to leave someone hanging upside down for so long?! Come on, let's get you down from there."
"Th-Thanks, human. I guess you ain't so bad."
He could feel something pushing against his chest, begging to be let out, but he was still too shocked to acknowledge it. Too in denial of the truth. The truth that you had... you were...
"Hey, I'm real grateful for you, you know?" A smile so bright and sincere, he swore he'd never need to see the sun again. "If it wasn't for you, I don't know where I'd be right now. You really are amazing, Mammon. Don't let your brothers or anyone else ever tell you otherwise."
"...You're just sayin' that."
"No, I mean it." Smooth hands that ignited fireworks under his skin in a way that he had never felt in his thousands of years as a demon. "You're kind. You're clever. You're so caring to those around you. You protect me and make sure that I'm safe." His heart had never skipped a beat like this before. "I'm so lucky to have you, Mammon."
"Mammon?" Levi barely managed to whisper as he lightly pulled on his older brother's jacket. He whined as Mammon didn't react, but continued staring into open space with dull, expressionless eyes. Things seemed to calm for a moment, as everyone finally noticed the vacant state of the second born. "M-Mammon?"
"Go back and undo it," Mammon croaked, his watery eyes were staring at Barbatos, but there was no sign that he was actually taking in anything around him. "Y-You can control time. You can go back, a-and we can grab them and stop them f-f-from whatever just happened and-" he stumbled over a choked sob as he finally looked, really looked, at the butler.
Barbatos couldn't help but gasp at the shattered expression before him.
"Please. I need them. Y-You have ta get them. Please. I-I have so much I never told them. You have to-"
"Mammon," Lucifer gently spoke. Mammon jolted back, bumping into Levi, as Lucifer placed a hand on his shoulder. The eldest brother frowned in concern. "If they're gone, you know there's nothing we can do. I'm sorry but, MC's gone. They're dead."
The little string of denial that was holding up the fragments of Mammon's heart together broke, and a wail of pure grief filled the air as Mammon collapsed to his knees.
Levi and Lucifer were by his side, holding their brother in an instant, Satan and tearful Asmodeus were quick to follow, and a newly freed Beelzebub hurried over the moment he was able.
As much as they teased and poked fun at Mammon for his obvious feelings for you, they couldn't deny that you and Mammon had a bond long before the rest of them did.
Mammon shuttered, his nails scratching down his arms as he screamed out all the agony that filled his very being. "I-I can't lose them!" He cried as Lucifer tightened his arms around him. "I need them! I love them! I-I love them and they're-"
Lucifer didn't say anything. There was nothing he could say that would provide even the slightest bit of comfort to his most treasured brother. He didn't have a pact with you like the rest of them. He had no idea what they had just went through. He never got to know you like they had and now, he realized, he never would.
Leviathan whimpered beside Mammon and curled himself against his side, embracing him as closely as he could. Mammon sobbed and latched onto him. "What do we do?" He asked no one in particular. "MC's g-gone. They're, they're d-dead," he choked on the words. "I don't know what to- What happens now?"
Tears flowed down Satan's cheeks as he gripped onto Asmo's hand and kept his other hand on Lucifer's shoulder. "I-I don't know. Everything's going to-to be different."
Beelzebub sniffled as he momentarily released one arm from its hold on a majority of his brother to wipe at his face. "We'll figure it out. We'll... We'll do what they w-would've wanted and figure it out t-together. No brooding alone, o-or hiding. W-We stay together."
Asmo nodded and pulled both Beel and Satan into a hug as he cried into Beel's shoulder.
The brothers weren't okay. They wouldn't be for a long time. You were dead, and your absence left a gaping hole that they weren't sure they could ever fill.
You had brought a sense of happiness, security, reassurance, friendship and, most of all, love into their lives that they had been starved of for so long. With you gone, they were forced to open up to one another and rely on their family.
In all the darkness that your death brought, it was a warm comfort knowing that your impact, your legacy, lingered with them in a way that they hoped would make you proud.
In the traces of the family that you had helped reforged, the brothers could smile and find peace knowing that even if their marks had long since faded, you were never truly gone.
***Please don't kill me. Also, please look after yourself, get some water, some comfy blankets, tissues needed, and make sure you're okay. Love you guys. I hope that despite all the angst, you enjoyed this fic. Thank you so much for all the love and support! -B***
***So this prompt was actually brought to my attention by @absolutepokemontrash (Thank you so much Scarlet). The moment she mentioned the repeated, underlying theme that has been hidden in some of my angst pieces, this fic instantly began to form in my mind. You all voted for angst, and I hope I can deliver. Love you guys -B***
Summary: It seems that every time MC gets caught into some form of trouble, they get berated until they apologize. The other exchange students pick up on the theme, and though they aren't ones to meddle, they decide this isn't something they can simply let pass.
Poly!MC
CW: Unconcious Bias/Racism (the racism is demon against human), Domestic Arguing
Luke, ever the guard dog, had been the first to notice.
Much to his displeasure, you had been in a romantic relationship with all of the brothers for a while now. You had found the good in those demons and had fallen in love with them; in turn, the brothers supposedly loved you. Luke, however, wasn't completely sold that was the case.
Where Luke believed that you were blinded by your affection for the boys, he could see clearly through a lens of Celestial righteousness.
He saw how for the smallest errors, you would be scolded for your actions.
He saw how they would belittle you for not knowing their cultural norms and getting into trouble as a result.
He saw how, when something went wrong, they were quick to push their own defence and your flaws up front for you to see, until you'd give in from guilt and apologize.
Demons were manipulative. Luke knew this. He had warned you of this. But to see the brothers walk all over you, and for you to not even be aware, infuriated him.
So Luke did what he always did when he had a problem; he went to Simeon.
"It's hurting them," Luke vented as Simeon sipped on his tea across from him. "They've become quieter and they're apologizing for everything! It doesn't even matter if it's actually their fault, they've started putting blame on themself for anything that goes wrong and it's all those cursed demons' fault!"
Simeon hummed in consideration as he set down his teacup. "I see. That is quite concerning. We'll keep an eye out for them and try to help where we can," Luke pouted at the lack of action involved in the answer. Simeon chuckled. "Don't get upset. MC is a smart person. If something really is happening, once we bring it to their attention, I'm positive that they are more than capable of addressing the issue themself. This is their relationship after all."
Luke whined and threw his head back against the couch he was sitting on. "But what if they don't listen?" He turns to Simeon with wide innocent eyes pooling with concern. "Those fiends have hurt them so much already. I don't want them to crush them emotionally as well."
Simeon smiled and moved to sit beside his charge and gently pulled him into his side. Luke accepted the embrace easily and snuggled up against him. "It'll be okay," Simeon whispered as he carded his fingers through Luke's hair. "Don't underestimate, MC. They are extremely strong and know their worth. They hold control over the seven lords and are more than capable of putting them into their place," he gave Luke a gentle squeeze as he felt the little angel tense. "I also know that they care about a certain young angel as though he is their brother," Luke's head snapped up to look at him. "If you bring your concerns to them, they'll listen Luke. Trust me. Trust MC."
Luke pursed his lips in thought for a moment before he nodded and hugged Simeon tightly. "Okay. I'll talk to them tomorrow. Will you come with me?"
Simeon grinned and hugged him back. "Of course. We can handle the matter together."
The next day the two of them managed to wrangle you away from your current watch-demon (today's brother of choice was Leviathan, so it wasn't entirely difficult considering he praised the ground Simeon walked on) and got you alone.
Luke fiddled with his hands as you looked down at him. "So, um, MC, we uh, we wanted to talk to you."
You glanced curiously between the two angels and offered Luke a gentle smile. "Sure. Whatever it is, you know you can talk to me, Luke. I'm all ears."
Luke slumped forward a little at words, letting out a heavy breath as he nodded. "Okay. Okay. Um, I-I've noticed a couple things about your relationship with the brothers and I-I'm worried about you."
At the mention of your lovers, you instinctively felt yourself frown. You glanced over at Simeon, hoping for some kind of context or help, but the older angel only looked at you with an expression of concern and comfort.
You felt a shiver of caution run down your spine as you turned back to Luke. "What are you talking about? I know that you're not a fan of demons, Luke, but everything's okay. I'm perfectly happy and safe."
"But your not!" Luke quickly cut off. You felt your eyes widen at the certainty in his tone. "You've been pulling away from us, from yourself! They're getting into your head and making you feel guilty about things that aren't even your fault, all while shaking off their own blame in things!"
Your breath hitched at Luke's judgement as you took a step back. Simeon placed a hand on Luke's shoulder. "Calm down, Luke. This isn't something you can just throw at someone. Take a deep breath."
Your mind was reeling at the words. Luke hated all things infernal, or at the very least pretended to, sure. But he had always been careful to watch his tongue when it came to matters concerning your relationship, seemingly understanding that your love-life wasn't his place to meddle. You tried to consider your recent behaviours and habits, but you just couldn't piece it together. You desperately let your eyes fall to Simeon. "What do you mean? I don't ... I don't understand."
Simeon nodded. "What Luke meant to say is that he's concerned about how the brothers have been dealing with conflicts within your relationship. From what we've seen, you're always the one to apologize and never them. Is that correct?"
You opened your mouth to argue when the realization hit you.
It was true. You were always the one to apologize, every single time. Even in the circumstances where you had started off defending yourself and arguing with them, it always ended with your overly-sympathetic heart giving in and apologizing for the concern, worry, or hurt that you had inadvertently inflicted upon the brothers.
You blinked as you felt ice settle in your veins. How long had this been happening? Were the brothers aware of the manipulation that they were doing? Were they trying to shape you into something more obedient and timid for them?
Your mouth clicked shut as you curled your hands into fists.
Simeon and Luke exchanged worried glances as they carefully approached you. "MC, we're sorry if we offended you-"
"Don't," you snapped, avoiding their gaze as you pinched the bridge of your nose. "Don't apologize. Please. I just..." you shakily exhaled as you ran a hand through your hair. "I need to process this."
Simeon nodded as Luke anxiously shifted from foot to foot. They let you run through your thoughts and watched carefully as you seemed to flicker between hurt, anger, and self-deprecation.
Eventually, you offered them both an unsteady smile. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention and looking out for me. I was...unaware that this was even happening. I'll keep an eye out for it," Luke opened his mouth to speak, his eyes pleading you to allow him to explain and comfort you, but you dismissed him with a small shake of your head. "If you'd excuse me, I need to gather myself before class begins again."
Without another word, you walked away, leaving the angels alone to ponder on their actions.
***
The lords of the Devildom were concerned to say the least.
Ever since lunch hour, you had been quiet and strangely distant from them. Mammon and Beelzebub had tried to pry you for more information, but you just gave them a fake smile and told them you needed space to think about some things.
That statement in itself was terrifying.
Mammon pouted to his brothers as they all sat in the lounge. "Did we do somethin'? Why are they actin' all cold and stuff?"
Satan sighed as he put down his book. "They said they needed space right? They might be going through a personal dilemma. They'll come to us in their own time," he frowned as he picked back up his copy of Human Psychology, "Or at least I think that's how these kinds of things are supposed to work."
Levi's mouth twitched as he picked at his hands. "I don't like it. They only started acting like this after Simeon and Luke pulled them away during lunch," all eyes in the room snapped over to him.
"They were with Luke and Simeon earlier today?" Mammon questioned, his eye narrowing in suspicion. "What did they talk about?"
Leviathan froze, only now realizing the tenseness lingering in the air. "Oh, um, I don't know. Simeon said he wanted to hang out with them a bit, a-and Simeon's good and able to look out for them in case any trouble sh-shows up and he promised to sign some of my books in return, later on, so I didn't think it was that big of a deal."
Belphegor scoffed, "Simeon isn't the problem. Luke is. The chihuahua hates us and with how MC is acting who knows what kind of celestial bullshit he fed them."
"Excuse you?"
The brothers all frowned at the sound of your hardened, stern voice. You stood in the doorway, glaring daggers at Belphegor.
Lucifer stood to intercept you, "MC, we were just discussing possibilities on why you were acting so strange today."
You crossed your arms as you met his glare. Lucifer zeroed in on the slight tremble in your hands and the deep hurt that barely revealed itself in the depths of your eyes. "I told you guys I just needed some time to think about some things. Since when did needing some alone time warrant you all being suspicious of me?"
There was a bite to your tone that told the boys that there was something bigger hiding behind your question. Asmo flashed you a soft smile as he moved to embrace you. "We aren't suspicious of you, lovebug. We're suspicious of the angels," you took a step back before he could wrap an arm around you. Asmo sighed and let his arms fall to his side. "You know how it is between angels and demons, and you know how Luke feels about us. Of course, we're going to be concerned if you were alone with them and then suddenly start acting so weird."
Your lips tightened into a thin line as stared into his worry-filled gaze. You shook your head as you looked away from him. "They're also my friends and just want what's best for me."
Mammon snapped his fingers as he pointed at you accusingly. "So they did say somethin' bad about us!" Your eyes widened as he narrowed his own eyes at you. "They told ya some lie about us to try and get ya away from us and back onto 'the path of righteousness' and ya fell for it!"
Your shocked expression quickly morphed into restrained anger as your hands curled into fists. "That's not what I said,"
Beel placed a hand on Mammon's shoulder. "Stop it," he commanded before turning to you. "We're just concerned about this. You have to admit that you have been acting off all day."
Levi nodded frantically, "You didn't even come back to me after you talked with them! You just went straight to class, and you've been avoiding the rest of us ever since!"
You groaned and ran a hand through your hair, "Because they did give me something to think about and I needed some space to think it over. They're looking out for me. They aren't trying to tear us apart."
"How would you know?" Belphie calmly brought up, his annoyingly neutral face not giving away the slightest hint of his true feelings. "What do you know about angels and their intentions? You're just a hu-"
The air was sucked out of the room as the unfinished statement lingered around them.
You gritted your teeth as you felt tears prick the corners of your eyes. "I'm just a what, Belphegor?" you spat as you moved closer to him. Belphegor went white as he silently shook his head, holding his hands up in defence and taking a step back. "Just a dumb, naive, little human who couldn't possibly protect themself or know anything at all about the big bad world and its dangers?"
Satan's breath hitched at the wrath pouring off you. "MC, he didn't mean it like that."
"No," your voice cracked as you glared at them. "That's exactly what he meant. It's how he sees me. It's how all of you see me, isn't it?"
Lucifer's eyes scanned you, looking desperately. "MC, no. We love you. You know this."
Your lip trembled as you shook your head. "I know you love me, but this isn't about that. This is about if you respect me," you let out a tired laugh as you ran a hand down your face. "Do you want to know what Luke and Simeon brought up to me today?" You looked at them with wet eyes filled with betrayal and heartbreak. "They had noticed that in every time we argue, in every incident we've had where we something bad happens, I'm always the one to apologize. I'm the one who takes the blame."
Leviathan narrowed his eyebrows at the statement. "That... That can't be true. We've apologized to you before."
Satan stiffened as he took in the situation. He let out a shaky breath and his hand moved to cover his mouth. "We have, but we also made sure that they apologized for their part as well."
You nodded and moved your arms to wrap around yourself. "I'm always in the wrong," you were struggling to keep your voice steady as it wobbled with suppressed sobs. "It's always my fault for not knowing about a certain cultural practice, or my fault because I was never informed, or my fault for just trying my best in a world that people have barely taught me about," you closed your eyes as you tried to regather yourself. "I needed space because I was trying to figure out if this was just some kind of subconscious thing from years of demons being against humans or if this was something you were doing on purpose t-to manipulate me-"
"What? Manipulate you? Treasure-"
"Mammon, please just let me speak," you croaked looking straight at the white-haired demon as tears finally began to spill down your cheeks. "I knew that this probably wasn't on purpose. But this, this whole discussion, this is exactly what they were talking about. Even if you don't realize it, deep down, you all still see me as a weak human who's stationed below you in power, intelligence and ability."
None of them dared to argue with you this time; not after everything that had been brought to light.
You bit your inner cheek, fighting desperately to remain calm in front of them, even though their silence was ringing loudly against the cracked pieces of your heart. "This can't stay like this. Not if we're going to work. You need to see me as an equal."
Lucifer tensed at your wording. Everyone in the room suddenly became aware of exactly what was at stake here. "How do you recommend we reconcile that? As you said, this is an unconscious behaviour, it's not something we can fix instantly."
You stood still for a moment, gaze fixed to the floor in thought before you let out a heavy sigh. "I need you all to think about everything that was said tonight, and really think deeply about how you see me and things that you have done that treated me as lesser than you. Once you know that, you can come up with ways to stop those habits or trains of thought," you lifted your chin as you finally met their eyes. "In the meantime, we'll take a break. I'll stay at Purgatory Hall. You can message when you feel you're ready to try this again on an equal playing field, but only then."
Levi let out a choked noise as he looked at you with wide eyes. "Y-You're breaking up with us?"
You shook your head carefully. "No. I said that we'd take a break. This is serious, and I need you all to prove that you're willing to take this matter seriously. If not, tell me now, because I-I will break up with you. I can't," you paused as your voice cracked, "I can't be in a relationship with people who think I'm beneath them."
Lucifer placed a hand on Levi's shoulder, silencing him before he could speak any further. "Then we'll do it. We'll give you space and do as you ask. Just," he swallowed thickly as he looked down at you, "please give us the chance to repair this. I think I speak for everyone when I say that we treasure you, beloved, and we don't want to lose you."
A strangled sob slipped from your lips, "I don't want to lose you guys either, b-but-" you couldn't bring yourself to finish the sentence as your emotions began to overwhelm you.
"But you need to set boundaries to protect yourself," Satan finished smiling softly. "It's alright, MC. We'll do our best to prove that we can respect you and your boundaries. You'll see."
Belphie sighed and nodded. "Yeah. Maybe we do have some things to think about," he looked at you with a remorseful expression. "I'll start by apologizing for my words earlier. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that or called you a human in such a-a," his nose scrunched up as he tried to find his words, "a demeaning way. I truly am sorry. I'll work hard to become worthy of you, Angel."
Beel hummed in agreement beside his twin. "We all will. I just want you safe and happy."
Asmodeus tilted his head as he tapped his chin. "Speaking of safe, if you really are gonna be staying at the Purgatory Hall for a little while and plan on heading out to tonight, you should probably let one of us go with you," he held his hands up defensively as everyone narrowed their eyes at him. "Hey! I'm not saying that I think they're weak. But our dearest MC is an entire meal and there are all kinds of demons lurking around at night that would love to take advantage of that. If anything, this is for my own sanity to know that they make it there safe," Asmo blushed at the admission.
You sent him a watery smile, "Thank you, Asmo. I definitely wouldn't say no to an escort this late at night."
Levi narrowed his eyes at Asmodeus before scoffing. "Fine. But we're all escorting you together. That way we can all get to say goodbye."
Mammon looked over at you anxiously. "But just clarify, this ain't goodbye, right? I-It's just a see ya later? Once we all stop bein' morons?"
Your face softened at the words, "I don't think you're morons. I just think that the Devildom society raised you to think a certain way and that you haven't quite unlearned those things yet. I know this isn't easy, but it is necessary."
Lucifer, to everyone's surprise, bowed his head to you. "And we will work, educate ourselves, and wait as long as we need to until we have shown that we can do just that," he glanced up at you from where he remained bowed. "I truly am sorry for our treatment of you, MC."
You watched with tear-filled eyes as your lovers, one by one, bowed before you, and with the one simple action, sparked hope into your weeping heart.
You knew this wouldn't be easy, and that there would be trial and error along the way. But you could see that your lovers were genuinely sorry and even disgusted by their past actions. You knew your boys were a determined lot, and that when they made these promises to you, they meant them.
This would not be the end of your relationship. This would just be a bump along the way, and you had no doubt that in end, you would all come out with a deeper understanding of one another.
***I hope you all enjoyed that! Thank you so much for reading and taking in this with me. This is honestly kind of therapeutic to write 😅 Thanks for the love and support. Love you guys!***
What are the brothers' main love languages? Like which one means the most to them/do they prefer?
Lucifer : The love languages that mean the most to Lucifer are acts of service and quality time. They tie into each other quite a bit. He greatly values being able to spend long periods of time alone with his partner, but he's so busy on a daily basis that it's hard to find the time for it. Having his partner offer to help him, either by lightening his workload or just bringing him a cup of coffee and a snack shows him that they value the time they spend together, even if they're not doing anything special together, just as much as he does.
Mammon : While mutual gift giving is a very important thing for Mammon, his favorite way to receive love is through words of affirmation. He doesn't receive praise very often, and he can be surprisingly insecure at times, so his partner being vocal with their affection means a lot to him. There's nothing that makes him melt as much as them just being honest and open with their emotions and love. Having them do it first makes it easier for him to be vulnerable around them, too.
Leviathan : Words of affirmation are a very big thing for Levi, but his favorite love language is quality time. While praise is important to him, and is often needed to help him overcome his insecurities, nothing can beat the joy he feels when he just spends time close to his partner. He especially loves sharing hobbies with them, having them watch anime with him or fill in the role of his player 2, and also having them introduce him to their hobbies in turn.
Satan : Satan's main love language is quality time through and through. He craves and values being close to his partner, just sitting side by side and indulging in each others' presence. What they're doing doesn't really matter to him, as long as they're nearby. He's perfectly content for both of them to do their own thing while spending time together. He values his space and his privacy quite a bit, so letting them be a part if his regular activities is a huge show of affection in and of itself.
Asmodeus : There truly isn't a love language that Asmo doesn't appreciate, but physical touch and words of affirmation are definitely his favorite. He thrives off of genuine affection, and nothing means more to him than a gentle touch and a heartfelt "I love you" from his partner. Casual intimacy is a very important part of relationships for him and verbal affection is always a nice way to remind him that they love him for who he is, that they see past his sin and his status and value his personality instead.
Beelzebub : Beel really enjoys any and all affection his partner shows him, but quality time is his favorite love language. He just really enjoys spending time with his partner one on one, even if they're not doing anything special. In fact, the moments where the two of them are just indulging in each others' presence, talking about whatever comes to mind without any outside distraction, are the ones he remembers the most fondly. Add in some loving words or gentle affection, and Beel truly couldn't be happier.
Belphegor : Belphie’s preferred love languages are physical touch and quality time. He has a hard time with verbal affection, especially at first, so he relies on his actions to communicate his feelings. He craves his partner's attention, wanting to spend time with them in private, away from prying eyes and distractions. Of course, he wants to spend the whole time as close to them as humanly possible. In his eyes, nothing says love more than taking time out of both of their schedules to just bask in each others' touch and attention.
Including the Angels, Royals and a few demon brothers <3 for the pics I used this picrew
Asmodeus enjoys flower teas, subtly sweet flavours with pleasant scents. His favorite would be cherry blossom tea, imported from the human world, if he had to choose.
Barbatos prefers the tart taste of green tea, rounded out by a natural sweetener like devilbee honey, though you need to be careful not to add too much. He prefers green tea leaves from the devildom, the plant had been brought from the human world and cultivated in this realm so long ago, that it became another species altogether.
Lucifer's go to is poison blackberry tea, a bitter sort that leaves your mouth just a bit dry afterwards. Any sweetener would make him internally gag, as it never fully mixes with the flavors of the tea and confuses the senses of the drinker.
Satan has taken a liking to Apple tea, especially ones spiced with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Though he also enjoys poison apple tea, it often reminds him just a bit too much of Lucifer's love for the fruit and ruins the taste for him. A slight sweetness through brown sugar lightens his mood, however.
Luke loves the bloodberry tea he found in the devildom, even if the name makes him uneasy. Its surprisingly sweet, almost too much and leaves you wanting just a sip more to chase it.
Simeon's favorite is a type of white tea made from leaves that were cultivated in the celestial realm, much like the ones in the devildom. It split off into another species, which if you process it into white tea leaves, makes a drink that tastes like the fleeting lightness of clouds. It's best in a blend with human world chamomile, which Barbatos showed the Angel, who fell in love with it instantly.
Diavolo often asks for black milk tea. The soothing taste always let's him take a moment to relax and stretch his shoulders after sitting at the desk for hours on end. His favorite days are when Barbatos adds a caramel treat on the side, a reward for doing so well.
Belphegor likes to drink a blend including the blossoms of nightshade starlets - a species much similar to the human world deadly nightshade - and lavender, which is actually imported from the human realm. It knocks you out effectively with a subtly sweet aftertaste and gives you incredibly vivid dreams, which Belphie likes to wander through. The little sparks of light in the hot liquid look almost like star constellations.
Hello, I love your writing, and the marriage proposal idea is really sweet! I would like to request one from Lucifer if I may?
My MC’s name is Layla. Her hair is long in the front and short in the back, and naturally golden blonde. She has previously dyed her hair black and purple. Her eyes are sea foam green, and she has a height of about 5’6. Her personality is generally stubborn, aloof, and a little sassy. She dials back on these attributes when Lucifer is added to the mix. She tends to have a knack for brutal honesty and witty sarcasm. However, she’s actually insecure and quite hard on herself. She does show a sweet-side to those she’s fond of or respects. That side is gentle and selfless to those she’s fond of, and she gets flustered surprisingly easily. For hobbies, she likes to sing and play guitar in private as she gets embarrassed doing so in front of others.
Thank you so much for doing these! Good luck with your new job! ❤️
@ofguitarsanddemons
I’m so sorry this took forever @ofguitarsanddemons 💀 i had so much going on that I had to put these on the back burner, but I never forgot about them. I hope you like it 💕
“Don’t worry Layla. It’s a surprise. I hope it’s to your liking. I had trouble finding it so I had Diavolo help me.
Yes, I know it’s a brand new guitar. It’s actually the one you’ve been eyeing for a while.
Hmmm? You want to know why I got it? I don’t need to have a reason to give a gift, but I do have a reason this time.
Layla, you’re so incredible. I know how strong of a person you are, and it’s something I’ve always admired about you. Even though you were a little cold to me at the beginning, I’ve grown fond of our time together. You keep my brothers in line, and it’s another reason for the million things I love about you.
Now I’m sure you don’t want to be here for hours listening to them, but I do have something very important to ask of you.
***Oh boy this has been a long road to get here. Thank you to everyone that has joined me in this series! It's been amazing to see the amount of support you guys have given me and I just love you all so much!***
Summary: MC catches the eye of Lady Harlow, a higher demoness who has had a small feud with the brothers for centuries. She’s determined to steal MC from them and keep MC under her wing. The brothers, however, are determined not to let that happen.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Previously on The Facade of the Suitor…
Taking a breath to regather himself, Lucifer sat up and started the car. “Alright. We have a human to get home to. Good work, Mammon.”
Mammon glanced over at Lucifer and raised an eyebrow. “You gonna tell them the truth about everythin’?”
Lucifer paused for a moment, his eyes falling on his bare ring finger, as images of the past flickered through his mind.
“Yes,” he responded, “I think I will. They’ve earned it.”
***
Lucifer and the others didn't know what to expect when they got home.
Maybe complete silence and you ignoring them for disobeying your request. Potentially you waiting at the door to scold them or force them to tell you everything. Perhaps you'd be shut inside your room and they wouldn't see you for days.
In the end, they found something entirely unexpected.
They found you in the lounge with Asmodeus and eight cups of steaming hot tea sitting on the coffee table. You didn't say anything as you saw them enter; you simply smiled softly at them and gestured for them to sit down.
Slowly each of the brothers took a seat and nervously eyed you and the mugs of tea that were now clutched in their hands.
You let out a heavy breath as you leaned against the arm of the chair Asmodeus was sitting in. "I want to start off by saying I'm sorry."
In an instant, seven sets of eyes were fixed on you as their jaws dropped.
"Wh-What?" Levi breathed. "You're apologizing t-to us? But we're the ones that went behind your back!"
You nodded in agreement. "You did, but only because you were deeply and genuinely concerned about my safety and I wasn't listening to you," your eyes gleamed with guilt. "You were all clearly distressed by the idea of me seeing Lady Harlow, but rather than taking that into consideration or even asking you why I dismissed you fear and went anyway. I'm sorry."
Lucifer let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding as his shoulders dropped ever-so-slightly forwards. "Thank you. I'm just glad that you came out unharmed."
Asmodeus huffed and shifted his gaze to the tea in his hands. "They almost weren't."
Satan narrowed his eyebrows at the comment and glared over at Mammon. "What does that mean? Mammon, you never mentioned anything about Harlow trying to attack MC!"
Mammon sputtered for words as he paled. "Sh-She didn't! I mean I don't think she did. I-I didn't see anythin'!"
You elbowed Asmodeus in the ribs and gave him a sharp look. "She didn't. Asmo is probably referring to how she attempted to charm me," you sighed and ran a hand through your hair as you slumped back against the couch. "It almost worked too. It was like I couldn't help but sympathize for her and I wanted nothing more than to comfort her," you vaguely gestured over to Mammon. "It was actually Mammon's cawing that pulled me out of it."
Tension filled the air more and more with every word you spoke. A shaking Levi looked over at Lucifer with panicking eyes. "T-Too close. She almost had them. I-If she had- If the charm had-"
Lucifer nodded solemnly, wincing slightly as he rubbed his forehead. "That was exactly what I was afraid she would pull if you two met," Lucifer let out a breath filled with the weight of nightmares and days past. As he raised his gaze to meet yours, you felt your entire body stop short at the utter regret and pain that flooded his eyes. "I think it's time we told you everything."
You gulped and nervously fiddled with the mug in your grasp. "Only if you want to. This is obviously a painful memory for all of you. I'm sorry I put you all through this."
Satan huffed and gently tugged on you so that you squished against his side. His hands lingered around your waist. His grip tightened and loosened with his breaths. "You didn't know, and that's on us. We want to tell you. If anything, it might be nice to get this off our chests. Especially after tonight."
Mammon nodded, much to your surprise, rather than sitting beside you, he securely placed himself beside a still trembling Levi and placed a hand on his shoulder. Beel was in a similar position on the opposing side, while Belphie sat on the floor between Levi's knees as he gently played with his brother's hands. Levi gave them all a weak smile.
You couldn't help but be on edge at the sight as Asmo snuggled into your other side, sandwiching you between him and Satan. It was rare for the brothers to show such care and affection, especially for each other. You grabbed onto Satan's hand and squeezed it as your thumb ran over his knuckles.
Satan relaxed against you as he placed his head on your shoulder. "Where do we begin?"
Lucifer took a drink of his tea as he kept his eyes fixed on the fireplace. "I was the first to meet Harlow. She used to be a lower demon but had made a name for herself as she quickly climbed her way up the ranks and grew more and more powerful. Her beauty and confidence were not something one could overlook, and she admittedly caught my eye. I was curious how she had managed to make such a name for herself in the Devildom in just a century, so when I saw her at the Blood Moon festival one year, naturally I approached her."
Mammon let out a bitter laugh as he played with picked lint off of Levi's hoodie sleeve. "The two hit off real well. Lucifer spent the whole night by Harlow's side, chattin' it up as though they knew each other all their lives. It was weird, but not impossible, so we didn't think anythin' of it."
Lucifer nodded. "I don't know how to explain it, other than I was drawn to her. I found myself hanging off her every word and not questioning it for a second," he shook his head at he ran a hand through his hair. "I'm a strong demon. One of the strongest. I have never once worried about the abilities of other demons, as my own strength would naturally overpower it. But Harlow ... she's different."
You narrowed your eyebrows at his phrasing as you felt Asmodeus stiffen beside you. "Different how?" You breathed as ran your free hand through Asmo's hair. He relaxed into your touch, shifting to curl himself up onto your lap.
"Most demon's abilities rely on our infernal energies and power," Satan explained with a scowl on his face. "But not Harlow. She is the daughter of a lower envy demon and a noble lust demon. So as a result Harlow's abilities feed off the emotions of others, much like most demons of lust, wrath, and envy. She has trained and worked her magic and powers in a way that rather than combating with another's infernal power, she simply uses their strongest emotions as her weapon against them."
You blinked in thought, trying to piece together the new information. Satan chuckled ruffled your hair. "For example, you are one of the most caring and sympathetic people I know. Your emotional intelligence is extraordinary and unlike anything I've ever seen before," you blushed under his praise. "Harlow knew this, and, based on your description of the evening, pulled on your feelings of sympathy and your need to care for and help others to have you favour her over us."
You froze at the idea of your own kindness being used against you. Your eyes squeezed shut and cursed yourself. How could you be so naive and stupid? Why did you have to let your own curiosity get the better of you once again?
A pinch on your thigh pulled you out of your thoughts as Asmo looked up at you. "Don't do that to yourself, dear. Harlow is powerful, and you are far from the only one to fall for her tricks. Several of the demons in this room have as well. She's clever, and by degrading yourself you're only giving her what she wants."
"Exactly," Lucifer softly reassured. "This all began because I, myself, became one of her victims. She used my sin, my pride, against me as well as my..." he hesitated. His cheeks reddened as he added, "my protectiveness of others to make me feel that by having her as a friend, a partner, and eventually a fiancé, I would be more respected by other nobility. She slowly and subtly made me become fiercely protective of her," he snarled at the memory. "How I could be so blind, I don't know. But after a few months of us being friends and then eventually dating, she had fashioned me into her own little guard dog," he spat the words with malicious force as he gripped onto his mug.
Seeing his brother's state, Beel decided to take over. "Lucifer wasn't the only one, though he was her main target. We had all noticed Lucifer was acting strange and was leaving the house more frequently. When we questioned him about it, he was his usual vague self and we all knew better than to push it. I thought that Diavolo had him working extra hard on a project or something like that. It wasn't until half a year after the festival that he introduced us to her," Beel tightened the grip he had on Levi and pulled his older brother closer to him. "We were all shocked at first. Lucifer, as you know, doesn't have, um, " he nervously side-eyed Lucifer, " doesn't have many friends," Lucifer huffed at the statement, but said nothing. "So for us to find out that the reason behind his behaviour and running about was because he had a partner, we were all skeptical."
Belphie groaned and leaned his head back against the couch. "She knew this. Obviously, I mean, she can read people's emotions like they're a book. It didn't matter that we were the strongest demons in the Devildom. The moment she stepped into our manor, we became her game pieces. She acted nice to all of us at first and scoped out what our positions in the house were, our relationships with one another, and how we reacted to her presence. After a month or so, she began to change when she was alone with certain people. If you were nice to her, fell for her tricks, and accepted her, then she would praise you and make you feel as though you were on top of the world. But..." He trailed and momentarily stopped playing with Levi's hands.
Levi's jaw tightened as he leaned into Mammon. "But if you picked up on the oddities of everyone's behaviour and her little game," he shivered. "Then you became her enemy."
Mammon growled lowly. "Beel and I were the main ones to give in to her, with Belphie falling closely behind after Beel gave in. Satan and Asmo were onto her but were clever about it. Satan did all his scheming and planning in secret but played along whenever Harlow was around. He left books about manipulation and charms in Lucifer's office, hoping to help him break out of whatever Harlow had done to him. Asmo, on the other hand, was able to get away with a lot more brashness in public, as most of us just brushed it off as Asmo being Asmo and thought nothing of it. Still, Harlow didn't want to take risks and began to plant seeds of doubt about us in our brothers' heads."
Your eyes flickered between the guilt-ridden brothers and notably sombre Leviathan. "And Levi?"
The otaku scoffed and met your gaze with a hardened mournful stare. "I'm the Avatar of Envy and an otaku. On my best days, my prominent character traits are jealousy and self-loathing. In short, she played me like a video game," your breath hitched at the implications of what those words could mean.
Asmodeus sighed, "Satan, Levi and I tried to get everyone to see her web of lies and manipulation, but it was no use. Anytime we mentioned anything remotely bad about her to the others, they'd snap at us. She had them exactly where she wanted them and for a while, it seemed like nothing would change that."
You felt your stomach twist in knots as you thought of it. You could imagine that it must have felt like walking on eggshells for Satan, Leviathan and Asmodeus. Knowing that there was something actively hurting and affecting your loved ones, but not being able to do anything about it. "But something did, right?" You asked desperately. "What changed?"
Everyone turned to Lucifer.
The eldest refused to meet their stares, looking smaller than you had ever seen him before. "I...I proposed to her," he slowly looked up to you, "And everything shifted," he closed his eyes tight as he held his head in his hands. "To me, and I assume Beel, Belphie and Mammon, it was great. By marrying Harlow, I would be raising her position of status and power once more and could better protect her. In turn, she would continue to be the reliable source of joy and comfort that she had made herself out to be. Satan and Asmo stopped being subtle about their hatred towards Harlow, and we all began arguing day and night. I felt disgusted by them and believed that they were either jealous or wanted to stop me from being happy. I was blind to everything but Harlow until," he took a deep breath, sitting taller as though to own his mistakes. "Until one day we woke up and Levi was gone and I had no choice but to see the damage that had been done to those around me."
You snapped your head over to Leviathan, gripping tightly onto Asmo and Satan in fear. "Gone? What does he mean gone?"
Levi gave you a shaky smile and scratched the back of his neck. "She um, she singled me out. She made me doubt my position in the family and my brothers. I thought I was hurting them more than anything and that I was a burden on them. Originally I was just isolating myself, but when things got worse, I knew that wasn't enough. So I ran away."
Your hands curled into fists. Leviathan was always anxious and second-guessing himself. It was something that you had been working hard to help him overcome. To think that a person would take advantage of that filled you with an overwhelming amount of rage.
Satan softly shushed you and pulled you against his chest. "I know. We all reacted the same way when we pieced everything together. Citizens of the Devildom often underestimate our bond as a family, since we argue and fight a lot. But we would do anything to keep one another safe. Levi's disappearance was enough to snap the others out of Harlow's spell and make them face reality."
Mammon snorted. "I don't think I've seen Lucifer that angry since the birth of Satan."
Belphie hummed in agreement and presumed his fidgeting with Levi's fingers. "He nearly killed her on the spot. Didn't, obviously, due to her noble status, but he came close. It truly is a shame he didn't end her miserable existence."
"I dream about it sometimes," Lucifer mumbled into his cup. "It makes for good entertainment in particularly dry meetings."
Leviathan chuckled, soaking in his brothers' protectiveness over him. "They threw her unconscious body out of the house and instantly went searching for me. It didn't take too long, since I was, uh, struggling to carry all my bags of merch and hadn't gotten very far," the image brought a small smile to your face. "After that, we reported the incident to Diavolo. In all honesty, there wasn't much that could be done as many on the board saw Harlow's deeds as proof of her strength and capabilities as a demon and actually wanted to promote her. Diavolo was quick to shut that down though. Instead, he banned her from any noble events and the House of Lamentation and had her on a probation period for a while."
Satan rolled his eyes and growled at the reminder. "It's ridiculous, but in the Devildom power is praised. I still don't know how she made it into that ball. Knowing her, she probably charmed a guard or some poor noble into letting her be their plus one."
"I'll talk to Diavolo about having tighter security on guests lists," Lucifer noted with a heavy sigh.
You sat there, soaking in the story that you had just been told. Everything made so much more sense. Their desperation to keep you away from her, Levi's anxiety on the matter, the way the brothers seemed to cling on closer to another whenever the subject is mentioned. But there was still one question in your mind.
"Why?" All eyes turned to you. You stared at the floor. Your face fixed into a frown as you tried to juggle your thoughts. "Why would she go through all that work? All of that trouble just to get close to Lucifer and tear you all apart?"
The room fell quiet under the weight of the question.
Lucifer downed the rest of his tea before answering. "Harlow, as I said, was raised as a lower demon. Lower demons don't have the best life here in the Devildom. They're liabilities and are often killed without anyone even blinking an eye. Everything she's done, she's done with the intent to gain power and security. She wants to be stronger than all of those around her. She wants to know that no one can touch her. If she had succeeded and married me while simultaneously splitting my brothers and me apart, she would arguably be one of the most influential and strongest nobles in the Devildom," you shivered at the thought. "As for her intentions with charming you, I can only assume it was to have a pawn to use against us. It's no secret that you have pacts with my brothers and I. If she had power over you, she would also gain some semblance of power over us."
You felt nauseous.
You stood and turned to meet everyone's eyes as your heart pounded in your chest. "I am so sorry-"
"MC,"
"No, Beel," you interrupted. "I am sorry. I didn't think, and I almost ... I could've put you all in danger." you gasped as you whipped around to face Lucifer. "This was why you were so cautious of me trying to get close to everyone and forming pacts with your brother. You didn't know if I was like her and you were just trying to protect them," guilt gripped your heart as tears lined your eyes. "I'm so sorry and I promise I will do everything I can to be a better friend and listen to you all."
Lucifer smiled and walked over to you before affectionately patting your head. You blinked in bewilderment as you turned your confusion to the demon in question. Lucifer merely chuckled and pulled you into his embrace. "We know you will, MC. We know you're not Harlow. You're family."
Tears finally fell from your eyes as you buried your face in Lucifer's shoulder and clung to him.
The others quickly made their way over to the two of you and held on tightly onto the human that wormed their way into their hearts and made them better. Where Harlow had broken them apart, you brought them closer than ever before and had done what she never could.
You loved them, and in turn, they came to love you.
***Aaahhhhhhhhh it's finally done! Thank you everyone for joining me on this crazy crazy ride. I hope you enjoyed the finale and Harlow. Thank you for your support and love of this series. You guys are incredible. -B***
Synopsis: He could never accept death, it was a curse or at least that’s what he thought until you came along.
Word Count: 2k
It all happened too fast. The thump his back made on the ground as Beel tackled him, the scream that echoed seconds after, and the way she fell still reaching out for him. The image of the arrow hitting her burned into his memory as he yelled for her.
“Lilith!”
“I’m sorry Belphie, I couldn’t save both of you…”
Belphie woke up in a cold sweat, scrambling back until his head hit the headboard. He looked around, images of his nightmare flashing through his mind, making him feel dizzy. His gaze fell onto you—still fast asleep next to him and he sighed. He needed air, to get out of the attic before he had the chance to dwell on his thoughts and break in front of you.
He got out of bed as quickly and quietly as possible, doing his best not to disturb you. You needed your sleep, after all there was no point in consoling him for a nightmare he’d had far too many times before. Beel already tried that. It never worked as well on his twin as it did on him.
He bolted towards the underground tombs, his mind running rampant while his lungs reflected his exertion. Why was he running? There wasn’t a rush to get there, it wasn’t like anything would change. Perhaps, it was the need to let everything out in a private place that made his legs work faster than they usually did or the embarrassment of having one of his brothers find him, but he ran.
The doors greeted him with an unwavering strength as he pushed them open, struggling against the resistance. He managed to get in, letting his breathe catch up to him as he walked to the back of the room. There it was, a pristine coffin with flowers on top of it, a complete and utter contrast to it’s bleak and dusty surroundings. He slide down till his butt hit the floor, his back lightly resting against the wall while his eyes scanned the entire room. He was forever grateful for the peacefulness of the tomb, relieved that Cerberus had been moved to reside over the mausoleum.
He let his back slip further onto the wall, as he curled his knees to his chest, watching the coffin like it would move. He finally let the nightmare sink back into his thoughts whispering out a plea of her name, which in turn only made matters worse. The tears welled up fast, overflowing while her scream repeated itself in his mind. He covered his face, muffling his sobs with his hands as if anyone could hear his cries echoing off the walls.
Thousands of years had passed since he’d fallen from grace and lost the only sister he ever had, but yet he mourned her like it was a fresh wound sliced deep into his skin. He barely made any progress, the confines of his mind keeping him trapped in a never ending loop. The nightmare only a testament to that with how vivid and apparent it was.
His cries became strangled as he gritted his teeth, trying to calm his overactive tear ducts. He knew there wasn’t a use in crying, it wouldn’t change the past or the guilt he harbored but he couldn’t stop them as tears rolled down his cheeks getting smudged on the way by his palms. His hands held a vice grip, leaving red marks along his forehead in a feeble attempt to let out all the emotions he felt he could drown in.
A silent scream forged it’s way out of his mouth, as he finally let his hands go limp at his sides. Belphie turned his attention back to her coffin, a mix of anger and desperation settling into his features. He hated that even now, his mind tortured him about what could’ve been. How it would’ve been if he was the one in her place, if Beel had saved her instead and sometimes he wished he did. He was still so resentful, so desperate to blame someone that it became exhausting just dealing with himself. He first blamed humans for taking her, finding the control of having someone to push the burden onto relieving, but he could no longer bring himself to because of you.
There truly was no one to blame anymore, other than himself. He held an unfocused gaze as he allowed himself to succumb to the horrors that plagued his mind, disregarding everything else. He spaced out, not even noticing that you had somehow made your way into the room until he felt a hand on his shoulder and someone kneeling in front of him. He snapped his head to look at you, not trying to provide an excuse or deflection.
“Belphie…” You spoke in barely a whisper but that was enough for him to finally wrap himself around you.
He held you so tight it would be suffocating if you weren’t so concerned. His head found itself a place on your shoulder as he let himself sob into your pajamas. No words were needed to know exactly why he was there, the location alone giving it away. You held him in your arms as you swayed your bodies back and forth, trying to refocus his attention onto you.
“I-I’m sorry, I feel like I’m drowning.” He croaked out, his voice muffled by the fabric of your shirt.
“I can’t move from here. I-I’m trapped it’s like a never ending cycle and all I do is make it worse! I keep blaming everyone else even you when it’s my fault. I could’ve done something! I—“ He trailed off, falling limp against you.
You pulled him off of your shoulder, his eyes finding yours in a desperate plea. You began wiping the tears off his cheeks, letting your thumb linger over his skin, “There’s no one to blame for it, there doesn’t need to be and she wouldn’t dare blame you for it. You did all you could, Belphie.” Your words filled his ears like a mantra, something he let himself sink in.
“But I—“
“She became a mortal and got her happy ending, she’s at peace. You can’t spend your entire life mourning her, she wouldn’t want that.” You whispered, moving to embrace him once more. His sobs slowly turned to whimpers as he allowed himself to bask in your presence, his hands shaky as they rested on your back.
“She would want you to live, truly live.”
Belphie froze, knitting his eyebrows together, wasn’t he already living?
“I mean the Belphie that gets a sparkle in his eye every time he tells me about the constellations, the Belphie that cheers his twin brother on at every Fangol game, the one that stares at me with so much love in his eyes I feel like I’m floating, the one that enjoys living and lives it to the fullest.” You spoke once more, easily putting his question to rest like you could read his mind.
He turned his head, his half-lidded eyes scanning yours for any falsehoods that couldn’t be hidden behind your soft expression, but yet he found none. There wasn’t any doubt in your eyes, even when they captured his, still with that loving gaze. You always knew what to say, no matter what. His mouth gaped trying to find the words to speak, his eyes threatening to tear up again. So that’s what you meant, the times where the thoughts so heavy on his mind were pushed all the way back, the moments where he felt like him.
“That’s when you truly live, not the you that lets his thoughts torment him and control him or the one that’s scared to share them even if it’s with me.”
“I’m not scared, I just don’t want you to see me as weak or way too stuck in the past.” He whispered, trying to shake the quiver in his voice.
“I could never see you as weak and I’d do anything to make you believe that.” You responded, burying your head in the crook of his neck. Your hands lingered on his waist holding him tight as you listened to his pulse.
He melted in your touch, the tears in his eyes getting harder to hold. “Then stay. Stay with me for the rest of my life and teach me how to believe it, how to truly live without feeling like this…”
“You know I can’t do that, as much as I want to, I’m only a human Belphie. I can’t promise you the forever you want.” You muttered falling into a mumble of your own tears as you finished talking. You couldn’t give him what he was asking for. As much as you wanted to show him all his worth and help him mourn Lilith properly without the need to blame or guilt himself, you could only do so in your lifespan—not his.
He clung to you like you’d disappear, his tears finally falling for a much different reason than before. He sobbed into your clothes, clawing at your back to keep you close. Why couldn’t you just give him that? Why couldn’t you just stay? You healed everything in your path but yet you were cursed with mortality, something he couldn’t change or fix. He couldn’t lose you like he did Lilith. He needed you to stay, to do what you did best and heal him—love him till his time was up but you couldn’t, you wouldn’t.
—
Belphie smiled, finally making his way up the hill and onto a small plateau of land. He planted the flowers he brought with him along side the other ones he’d planted before, slowly making a meadow around a large tree that shaded a concrete block at it’s base. He sat under the tree next to the headstone, letting his back hit the tree trunk as he looked over.
“Hi Y/N, I missed you.” He whispered, wiping off the newly collected dirt from the concrete, where your name was engraved. He stared at your headstone letting his eyes tears up as he traced the writing. It wasn’t the gut wrenching tears he’d shed in the past, no these ones were peaceful almost serene even as they clouded his vision, and rendered him blind.
“I was thinking about you.”—He paused, closing his eyes and leaning his head against the tree.—“Of everything.” He croaked, letting images of your life flash in and out of his mind. The first time you met and the look of determination you had as you planned to get him out of the attic to the way your hand held his as you smiled one last time. The peacefulness as he held you in the planetarium to the serene look on your face as your soul left, your mortal body no longer able to keep it. How his cries that day were silent as he smiled reliving your entire life while he watched you finally rest, completely different than the way he had the day you found him in the underground tombs.
“You kept the promise, you know? I know you said you couldn’t give me the forever I wanted but I think you did.” He shook, biting his lip to stop them from quivering. You had given him something no one else could’ve, the drowning feeling he’d felt for millennia no where to be found, replaced by the insatiable warmth you left him with.
“You gave me your forever and I’ll give you mine even if you can’t live it.” He didn’t bother to wipe the tears that passed his chin, letting them travel as much as they wished to.
He finally opened his eyes swearing he could see you smiling to him amongst the flowers, twirling around before disappearing in the breeze. He chuckled and shook his head, dropping his eyes back to your headstone.
“You taught me how to live and that although it ends, death is beautiful.”
—
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