Chapter Text
Chise added Simeon and Solomon to the chat.
Chise: I just need some time. Please.
Solomon: You’ll have it.
Simeon: Yes… I understand…
Chise: Don’t text or call again until I’m ready. Starting right now.
“Ugh! Really, Beel?!” Asmo scolded him, hands on his hips. “Just how long are you planning on sitting there eating breakfast?! Are you aware that we’re about to go out to eat?!”
“…Yeah, I know,” he replied between chews. “But I don’t want to get hungry on the way there, right.”
…Munchity, munchity, munchity.
I quirked a smile as I walked in on the Morning Breakfast Ritual. Featuring Asmo and Beel today to start with, it seemed.
Asmo brightened when he spotted me. “Chiseeee! Good morning! Listen, you HAVE to help me talk some sense into Beel here.”
I sighed as I took my place at the table. “Do I have to?”
“I mean, we’re about to head to an all-you-can-eat global sweets sampler, but he’s sitting there gorging himself.”
I shrugged. “Sweets, so early? Let him get his savoury in first, at least.”
Beel swallowed his mouthful, and then smiled warmly at me. “Thanks, Chise. Yeah, that’s exactly what I want to do.”
“Anyway,” I turned my attention back to Asmo before he could protest further, “what’s this about a global sweets sampler?”
Asmo gasped, scandalized. “You don’t know?! It’s a chance to try desserts from all over the human world! I was thinking I might do a DevilTube live broadcast while I’m there! Eeeeee, you should totally come with us, Chise! There are going to be all sorts of sweet treats! Sounds pretty good, right? Get you out of the house, maybeeeee…?”
“WHOA, NOT SO FAST! Mammon’s got a BETTER idea!” Mammon nearly launched himself out of his chair to grip me by my arm. “Who cares about a buncha sweets? Chise, you should come with me to see the horsies! I’m tellin’ ya, they’re real, real cute!”
My eyes went round, and I perked up with interest. “Horsies…? You wanna go see some horsies with me? Really…?” Now that would get me out of the house.
“See the horsies?” Levi gave him a dour look. “Whatever, Mammon. Just be honest and say you’re going to the horse races.”
My face fell immediately into a grumpy pout. Mammon gave me a sheepish smile.
“Forget that, Chise.” Levi leaned forward excitedly. “You should come with me to this special event that starts today. It’s a real-life TSL-themed escape room. Seriously, nothing beats a TSL-themed escape room!”
“Why even go out at all?” Satan met my eyes with a flirty little smile. “You should stay here, kick back, and enjoy a few movies in the theatre room with me. We should watch that sci-fi flick I mentioned earlier. You know, the one everyone’s been talking about. I’m sure you’d like it. I’ve actually seen it three times already, but yesterday went on this site where people analyze and theorize about it. I read everything everyone said, and now I want to watch it again to see if all the theories are right.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“SWEETS!” Asmo piped up again with a frown.
“HORSIES!”
“Escape room!”
“Movie.”
Beel shrugged as he shovelled a whole fried egg into his mouth.
“…All right.” I gave them all a flat look. “What’s this all about, huh? Trying to cheer me up or something? Who said what, huh? Out with it.”
“…We all literally saw you run through the whole manor crying yesterday, Chise,” Levi pointed out with a roll of his eyes. “Like, duh. No wonder we’re all fighting over you today?”
“Ugh…” I slumped in my seat a bit.
“Yeah, like…” Mammon narrowed his eyes. “Right after spendin’ a lot of time with Solomon. What’d he do to ya, huh? ‘Cause I’ll kill him if I gotta.”
“Shut up. Okay, fine, point taken. But I do not want to leave the house today, so, well, no to all of you.”
Satan leaned forward hopefully. “Movie?”
“…Maybe.”
“Awww.” Mammon slumped back too with a frown, arms crossed.
“YOURS was the worst idea!” I scolded him. “How could you get my hopes up by calling them horsies?! I thought you were taking me to a petting zoo or something! Or for a pony ride, dammit!”
“…I could take you to a petting zoo or for pony rides,” he grumbled.
“THEN PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND DO IT!”
“Pfffff.” Asmo rolled his eyes. "What money?”
“The money I’ll win from the horsies…” Mammon mumbled, sinking lower into his chair.
“Ohhh man…” Levi whispered under his breath. “Chise’s grumpy today.”
“I’ll show you the true meaning of grumpy, Levi.”
“Umm… N-No thanks…” He hunched with a sigh. “Man… Maybe I’ll text Solomon about the TSL–”
“BE MY GUEST!”
“Yikies!” Asmo grimaced. “Let’s NOT go there!”
"SO IT WAS SOLOMON."
I picked up my buzzing D.D.D. with a frown.
“Go where? To the TSL escape room?” Beel looked at Levi. “I’d probably go with you another time, Levi, after the sweets thing.”
Levi gave him a dour look this time. “No offense, Beel, but you’re not super cut out for escape rooms.”
Beel shrugged with a roll of his eyes. “Good luck escaping alone, then.”
“HAH.” Mammon smirked.
“Ouchhh…” Levi muttered under his breath as he returned to stabbing at his food. “Sniped by Beel. It’s a critical hit…! Leviathan takes 6000 points in damage…”
“Eh? Chise?” Mammon poked me with his dirty fork. “What’s that look for?”
I was staring at my D.D.D. in what probably looked like confused horror.
Diavolo: Hey there!
Diavolo: I heard you earned another star from Solomon. Congratulations!
Diavolo 🥳
Diavolo: Excellent job, Chise! I understand you only have two more left to get?
Diavolo: Well then, you’re almost there. Just a little farther to go. Hang in there!
Chise: I’ll do my best.
Diavolo: You can do it, Chise. I have faith in you.
Diavolo: By the way, what are you up to today? Are you free?
Diavolo: Because I was wondering if you’d be interested in going to the theme park out by the bay?
Diavolo: It’s called Bayside Bonanza Worlds of Wonder.
“HELLOOOOO, Earth to CHISEEEEE.” Mammon snatched my D.D.D. from me.
“MAMMON!” I threw myself from my chair over top of him to try and get it back before he saw–
“…The FUCK?!”
–Diavolo hitting me up in my DMs.
He gawked.
I winced.
Asmo was the next to snatch it. Scanning. Reading.
I bumped my forehead against Mammon’s shoulders with a groan.
“EXCUSE ME?!” Asmo nearly shrieked. “A THEME PARK… with LORD DIAVOLO?!”
“No… way…” Mammon whispered faintly.
“I-IT’S NOT…! Ugggghhhh…” I bumped my forehead again.
“…What?” Satan looked at Asmo with eyebrows raised. “Did you just say… A theme park, with Lord Diavolo?”
“Stooooop,” I groaned. “Stop repeating it.”
Levi, in true Levi fashion, had dropped his jaw to allow for his food to fall out of his mouth again.
“W-Well…” Asmo’s eyes darted back and forth between my D.D.D. and myself. “Ssssoooo…”
“I’m not sure what to do…” I bumped my forehead over and over against the bone of Mammon’s shoulder. It’s not like he seemed to mind, as stock-still as he’d become in his own shock.
Satan, eyes wide, shook his head. “Are you seriously considering turning down an invitation from Lord Diavolo?"
“Wh-What…?” I looked at him in despair. Noooo, encourage me to blow him offffff.
“Lucifer’d kill you for that,” Mammon finally spoke up, almost under his breath to himself.
“Noooo…”
“He’d kill YOU, Mammon,” Levi finally cut in, after he’d snapped his jaw shut. “But not Chise. Though there WOULD be lots of nagging.”
Lucifer would never hear the end of it from Lord Diavolo…
He’d probably… no, definitely make it my problem.
“Chise, can I say something?”
I looked up at Beel. He was looking at me with a serious expression. Which only made me frown. “Beel…?”
“If you’re going to Bayside Bonanza with Lord Diavolo, I want you to invite Belphie, too.”
I gawked at him. “…Belphie?!”
He shook his head. “He hasn’t been out of the house in almost a whole week. At this rate, he’ll end up like Levi.”
“Hey!” Levi sunk his head down until his chin bumped on the table as he glowered at his brother. “Like, thanks for another casual burn.”
Beel’s eyes had turned pleading. “So, could you ask Lord Diavolo if it’s okay for Belphie to come along?”
I hesitated. “Beel, I…” I didn’t even want to go.
“Please…?”
Beel’s puppy dog face was now in full-force.
Satan sighed. “Honestly, Chise? I don’t think you’re going to be able to get out of this, no matter what you do. Belphie or no Belphie. So… If you don’t want it to look like a date…”
"Fuuuuuuck,” I groaned again. This? Was NOT a good time for me.
Mammon sat up with a growl. “A DATE?!”
“Uh, yeah?” Asmo rolled his eyes. “That’s kind of why we’re all so shocked, Mammon! A little slow on the uptake! I’m sure that Lord Diavolo only wants to take CHISE to the theme park, right?”
Beel nodded. “Yeah, maybe so. Which is another reason I asked Chise to bring Belphie along, too.”
I swallowed. Held out my hand to Asmo. He slapped my D.D.D. in my hand with a pitying grimace.
Chise: Is it okay if I invite Belphie, too?
Diavolo: 🆗
Diavolo: Of course! Belphie is more than welcome to join us.
Diavolo: Theme parks are more fun with more people, after all.
Diavolo: So then, let’s meet at the entrance to Bayside Bonanza Worlds of Wonder.
Diavolo: How does 2 hours from now sound?
Diavolo: Looking forward to it!
Diavolo: 🥳
I stared at the screen.
Asmo took it from my hand again, humming with a frown as he assessed the damage. “…Neutral. Can’t tell.”
I sighed.
Asmo shook his head down at the screen. “Can you even imagine…”
"Don’t,” I begged him. “NOT gonna happen.”
“Well, it’s not like Lucifer can give him–"
“Asmo, STAY!”
“MMMFFFEEEEE…! Owwww…”
“Fuckin’ hells…” Mammon muttered.
Fucking hells indeed.
“…Belphie?”
Nope.
Nothing.
Beel sighed. “He’s in a deep one.”
I shook my head. “This is going to take something a little extra.”
He nodded. “It looks like it. What should we do this time?”
“I think we should make him jealous, Beel.”
Beel raised his eyebrows at me. “Jealous…? Jealous how?”
I smirked at Belphie’s sleeping huddle as I took Beel’s hand to pull him close. “I think we should make things a little steamy in here.”
“Oh, okay.” Beel looked down at me in confusion. “So, we need to make things steamy… What exactly should I do?”
“By getting closer.”
“Closer…?”
I pulled him closer to the bed. And closer.
He blinked at me, and then his eyes widened as I pulled him down. Down beside Belphie, on top of me, with a smile. He was blushing hard now, lips parting as he gazed at me in realization.
“Kiss me...?” I begged him softly.
He swallowed, eyes darting to the lump of Belphie beside us, before giving me a nod. Dipping his head down…
I moved my lips against his gently with a sigh. “Really, Beel… Really kiss me…”
“Chise…” he murmured, hands sliding down to my waist. A low rumble emanated from his chest as he pressed his mouth to mine more firmly.
“Beel…” I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him tighter, rolling our kisses deeper and deeper. “Love you…”
“…Mmmff…”
I giggled lightly against Beel’s mouth. He huffed a laugh too, grazing my nose gently against his, before kissing me again. A soft roll of his hips. Instinct…
Belphie sighed. “Come on… I’m trying to sleep…”
“I don’t think he’s quite there yet, Beel,” I whispered into his next kiss.
He nodded with a shaky breath, wrapping his arms fully around me to pull me up flush against his large chest, tilting his head to deepen with me as well. I slipped my tongue into his mouth, making him hitch a small breath in his throat, before he met mine with his. The best kisser. He might just be the best kisser I’ve ever had. I slowly wrapped my legs around his hips, dragging him down further, yeah, he wanted me, and he was the best kisser…
Belphie sighed again, finally turning over to peek at us from beneath his fringe. A flat look. “…What do you two want now?”
“Pfff…” I giggled against Beel again. “Clearly each other…?”
Belphie was watching us carefully as we returned to our kisses. How we were fuuuully and very enthusiastically making out now.
He narrowed his eyes with a huff. Squirmed a bit.
“…Okay, fine. I’m awake. Just tell me what this is about already. And before you go asking for any favours, I’d better be getting something that I want out of this in the end, so think carefully about what you’re about to ask for…”
Beel sighed as he pulled his face away. “Does this mean we have to stop kissing…?”
I rubbed at his arm, up and down. “We’ll kiss again later. Promise.”
“Yeah,” Belphie cut in, with a roll of his eyes. “You will be.”
“Listen…” Belphie muttered darkly as I pulled him along on the sidewalk by his hand. “I really don’t get why I have to do this. Why am I the one stuck going to Bayside Bonanza? My schedule is just as full as everyone else’s…”
“Come on,” I sighed. “All you were doing was sleeping.”
“That’s right,” he pouted. “Because sleep happens to be really important to me. I take nap time very seriously.”
“I’m a bit surprised that you don’t want to be around to keep Diavolo off of me, honestly.” I shook my head. “Since you’re a yandere and all.”
He sighed. “I’m starting to understand the definition of that word without having to look it up now. And anyway, you’re the one who agreed to go. You could have just said no.”
“Right,” I muttered. “Because a prince gives me so much choice. If you were all for me not going, I could have really used you at the breakfast table when everyone agreed that I needed to go.”
He looked down glumly at the sidewalk. “…I wish I could just turn around and go home right now. Of all the demons to be stuck with, why did it have to be Lord Diavolo…”
I stopped. “…Ah. I didn’t think of that.”
He gave me a surly look from under his fringe. “Yeah. I thought it’d be pretty obvious?” He tugged me a bit closer. “Lord Diavolo always thinks he’s right, you know? And he expects to get his way, about anything and everything. He’s completely unaware of his own privilege. Like, asking you out? How doesn’t he see that you couldn’t say no? Also, he never listens to anyone else’s opinion, which I hate.”
“Yeah, you… were opposed to the exchange program.”
He flicked his eyes away with a shrug. “He wasn’t interested in hearing anything I had to say about it. And then there’s his lapdog Lucifer, who wouldn’t even let me plead my case, which made it even harder… Lord Diavolo is surrounded by demons like Barbatos and Lucifer, who shield him from criticism. Pamper an already pampered prince, That’s why he always gets his way. No one gets to challenge him.”
“I’m sorry that this is bringing this all back up…”
He took me by the shoulders. "That doesn't mean I don't regret meeting you, and falling in love with you. Or that the whole thing was a mistake, or that I still think that way about the exchange program. Got it? I just wish that, like, speaking up wasn't literally treason that got me locked up in a small attic for whole months..."
"As long as that's the case..."
“It is.” He shook his head. “He doesn’t understand his privilege at all, and I hate that about him. When I think that I’m going to have to spend the entire day with him…”
I didn’t want to talk about this anymore. To think about it. To think about if… if Diavolo really had heard his petition out, but had still ruled that he would be going ahead with his decree, if… if that really would have changed anything.
No. Him and I were different now. Bonded. That’s what mattered.
Things were allowed to be complex.
“…I’m sorry.” I looked down at the sidewalk this time. “If you’d like to go home, I’d understand.”
But he hesitated. “…What else is wrong.”
“Hm...?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t ‘hm’ me. Wait…” He stared at me, putting two-and-two together. “…After you got back from being with Solomon. Right… So did they tell you, then?”
I stared back at him. “…Tell me?”
“Ah…” He shrugged. “Nevermind–"
“You knew?”
“So they did…” He sighed in relief. “Well, good–"
My eyes widened as I shook my head vigorously. "Not good, Belphie!”
He frowned. “What? What do you… You don’t…?”
“BELPHIE! They didn’t tell me shit! I walked in on them fucking in my house!”
He froze for a second, eyes wide.
“…Oh.”
“And you knew?! …For how long?!”
He shook his head. “Not for long, I swear. I noticed something was off when we were spying on them. But I wanted to give them the chance to tell you, so I confronted them later. Simeon swore up and down that they were already just about to tell you. I wanted you to…” He paused, and then sighed. “…Hear it from them. So you didn’t find out–”
“Accidentally,” I finished for him flatly.
He shook his head again. “Idiots… Man, Chise… I’m sorry.”
I looked down again, heart sinking. “So I guess they really were going to tell me that night… But then…”
Ugh… Idiots…
I looked up again at Belphie’s sudden silence.
He was looking over my shoulder intently, a look of confusion on his face as he squinted against the sunlight.
“Belphie…?” I tilted my head. “Something wrong?”
“…Nothing. Someone over there just looked really familiar, with… but I’ve gotta be imagining…” He squinted a little harder, until he blinked in surprise, and his eyes darted abruptly to mine.
“Belph...?”
But just as I was turning around to look, he grabbed my hand to pull me back along the path again. “Come on. Let’s just get today over with. We can be miserable together or whatever…” He sighed. “Guess we’re both in bad moods. Man, what a drag…”
“Ugghhh…” Belphie groaned at my side. “Why’s it so crowded here? No one told me there were going to be this many people. Ugh, I already hate this place. I just want to go home, get in my bed, and sleep.”
“I’d quite frankly like to be doing that too, but now you’re stuck.” I pulled him closer. “Stop your whinging. You’re starting to sound like Levi when he goes outside.”
“Ugh… That was mean…”
I looked around with a frustrated sigh.
“What, looking for Lord Diavolo?” He pointed with a shrug. “Because he’s right over there. See that throng of people?”
I glared at him. “You could have told me that.”
“Meh. Just did.”
“Man, you really are grumpy today…”
He shrugged again. “So are you. So makes sense.”
I frowned. “What do you mean…?”
“Our connection. You don’t know?”
“Back to being mister know-it-all-and-therefore-everyone-else-should-too, huh?” I narrowed my eyes. “What, do, you, mean, you, little, shit, stop, being, vague.”
He smirked, and then inclined his head over to the side. “You might want to ’save’ your little princeling date over there, you know.”
“Huh?” I turned my frown back to Lord Diavolo, who had a gaggle of human girls bouncing on their heels in front of him now. I sighed. “Dammit. Better get to him before he says something about being a demon and makes some sort of weird PR mess for Corvo or whatever.”
Not that I really cared, but. Seemed like a lot of paperwork for Barbatos to go through if that happened.
Belphie snorted as he followed along. “That’s sooo something he would do.”
”...I knew it!” one of the girls gasped. I looked her up and down as I approached. “We were actually just saying that we thought we’d seen you on TV!”
“I never thought I’d run into the owner of the Corvo chain in a place like this!” The other girl laughed in delight, eyes sparkling while she smiled up at him. “Oh wow, this is just amazing!”
Star-struck, and with greed in their eyes. Tsk, tsk, Chise. Don’t give into internalized misogyny, now. And the strange possessiveness, too? What’s that about, huh? Maybe he’ll choose one of them for his next student exchange. That’s just fine!
Hmph…
Diavolo was chuckling, smiling at them kindly with his arms crossed. “Well, that’s very kind of you to say. I’m glad you stopped to say hello.”
“…He’s even more handsome in person than on TV,” the third girl whispered under her breath as she hung back from her friends a bit more shyly. I assessed her. Well, this one wasn’t so bad. I’d only caught that little comment because of my proximity.
I flicked my eyes up to Diavolo. He was very handsome. Darker tanned skin, with dark red hair, it was a very pretty mix that you didn’t often. His eyes were striking, unlike any human eye colour, which I’m sure only added to his draw. The charcoal grey suit with the dark-red tie and matching jacket that he had draped over his shoulders suited him.
Barbatos had done an awesome job on that.
And he always had a kindly, engaging expression on his face. Very personable and charming. Approachable, and friendly.
…Naive.
I sighed. The man really was handsome. Stuck out like a sore thumb, too, for a guy that struggled with discretion, to put it mildly.
“Ooh, umm…” The first girl shifted slightly from foot to foot with a pretty bite of her lip. “Would you by chance be interested in walking around the park with us?”
“…Lord Diavolo,” Belphie addressed him dryly once we were within his peripherals. “What’re you doing?”
He brightened immediately. “Ah, Belphegor! Good afternoon!"
“L-Lord…?” The second girl, who had turned her head at Belphie’s distraction, turned her focus back on Diavolo.
Diavolo smiled prettily at them. “I apologize, ladies, but I already made plans to spend the day with my friends here, you see.”
“Oh, um, of course,” the shy girl piped up in a softer voice, with a touch of disappointment. “We completely understand.”
She took the hands of her friends, seemingly knowing them well enough to realize that they might stick around past the gentle rejection to keep trying to re-roll on their chances.
The first girl sighed in defeat as she gave me a brief glance, with envy in her eyes. “It was nice meeting you…”
“Aww, too bad, Lord Diavolo,” Belphie said flatly, after they were out of earshot. “I hate to interrupt just as they were hitting on you…”
Diavolo chuckled good naturally. “Ahhh, it wasn’t like that.”
Oh, the naivety. Barbatos, why have you lengthened your leash.
Ugh, I realized… because he trusted me to shorten it again. Fuckkkkk! I’d been extended the same trust as Lucifer…! Holy shit–
“I’m pretty sure it was, actually,” Belphie sighed impatiently. “Those women were clearly hitting on you.”
Diavolo blinked in surprise, catching my eye. “Do you think so too, Chise? You’re familiar with human women, surely.”
I choked a bit. “…Yeah. Belphie’s definitely right.”
"Huh. Interesting.” He frowned, before shrugging. “Well, in any event. Belphegor! I have to say, I can’t believe you actually came.”
“Beelzebub wanted to get him out of the house for a bit. He hadn’t left in a week. Right, Belphie?”
Belphie glowered at me.
Diavolo chuckled. “A whole week? Well, I don’t blame Beelzebub for worrying!”
Belphie sighed. “You were actually hoping it would be just you and Chise here today, weren’t you?”
I glowered at him as I tried to step on his foot. He moved it just in time.
“Sorry,” he continued, “now you have to deal with me third-wheeling.”
Diavolo boomed with laughter. “Don’t be ridiculous! Why would you say something like that? I’m happy you came, Belphegor!”
Dammit, Belphie. It’s not like I want to hurt the guy’s feelings.
“…Anyway,” Belphie changed the subject, put-out by the easy deflection. He was looking for an outright quarrel, I realized.
This was going to be a long day.
“It might be a bad idea to go around calling you ‘Lord Diavolo’ in the middle of these people. I mean, you saw how those girls reacted earlier. Their jaws nearly hit the floor.”
He tilted his head. “Hmm, you think?”
“I do,” Belphie said dryly. “But even so, I can’t very well call you just ‘Diavolo’.”
Diavolo tilted his head the other way. “Why not? I don’t mind, personally…”
"You might not have a problem with it, but I do.”
I laid my hand on his arm to stop him. “We should probably just make use more of a human nickname for you while we’re out here. Something inconspicuous.”
Diavolo brightened. “A human nickname! Ooh, I like that! What do you suggest, Chise?”
“Umm. We could go with John?” I shrugged. “It’s about as generic as you can get. As an English-speaking name, anyway.”
“John…!” He gasped softly. “John… John… yes, I love it! It’s very… how do I put it… human!”
“…Yyyyes.”
“I almost feel as if I’m an honest-to-goodness human being right now!”
I was suddenly very interested in his father’s personality. Because like, ’The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree’ and all that, but… How did the Devildom manage before Barbatos’ pledge to this man, if that was the case? Surely not.
“Well, Lord Dia…” Belphie stopped himself. “…I mean, John. If you’re okay with it, then I guess that’s all that matters.”
I looked up at him with a little smile. “Do you want a nickname too, Belph?”
“…No.”
Diavolo grinned happily. “Well, now that we’ve got a nickname for me, it’s time to let our hair down and enjoy the human world theme park experience! But ah, I almost forgot!” He pulled out his D.D.D. “Barbatos prepared a wonderful itinerary for us. It ensures that we’ll make the most efficient use of our time in the park!”
I smiled privately to myself with a small shake of my head. Typical. Well, our own dates had been wonderfully crafted, so maybe the horror of having an itinerary for a simple theme park wasn’t quite warranted?
“The itinerary tells us everything we’re supposed to do in fixed, one-minute increments!”
…Nevermind.
“Now then, no time to waste!” He gestured us forward. “Come on, let’s head inside! I’ve already purchased our tickets. Well, Barbatos did…”
“Hah…”
“I want to go hooooome…” Belphie moaned under his breath as I grabbed him by his wrist. He only shuffled along, forcing me to pull.
Two children again. Dammit.
“No,” Belphie said flatly, hands loose at his sides. “I don’t want to.”
“Now now, don’t say that!” Diavolo grinned at him. “After all, this is a special occasion, and we want it to be memorable.”
“No.”
Diavolo had a bit of a pleading to his eyes now. “You know, you might find that you enjoy it more than you think–“
“N-O. No.”
“Oooh, I know!” Diavolo pulled out his D.D.D. again to flip through it. “Let me show you something that might make you change your mind. Look here. This is the human world version of Devilgram. See…?” He leaned closer to Belphie for him to take a look. Belphie reluctantly lowered his eyes, expression blank. “When humans visit theme parks, they like to wear matching character-themed headbands! They take pictures of themselves to post online, apparently. So we should really–"
“Um, are you having trouble hearing me?” Belphie raised his eyes back up with a glower. “I’ll say it one more time… N-O. NO.”
“…B-Belph…” Fuck. I tugged on Belphie’s sleeve with a small noise in my throat. I’d take a one-on-one date with Diavolo over this mortifying display.
“But you could at least–"
Belphie took a step to the side, pulling away from my tugging. “No I couldn’t.”
I felt mute with my anxiety. I felt myself freezing up.
Diavolo abruptly nodded with a nervous smile. “There are plenty of other things I want to do as well! Like take a boat out onto the lake in the nature-themed area, and ride the ferris wheel!”
“…I guess.”
“…With all three of us sporting our character-themed headbands, of course!”
Belphie flattened his lips into a thin line as he took in a sharp breath through his nose.
Diavolo turned his pleading eyes over to mine. “Chise…? Could you maybe talk to him…?”
I swallowed. This was stupid! This insistence was stupid. I shrank against Belphie, looking up at him hesitantly. He was the only one that I felt comfortable reasoning with. “Belphie…?”
“No,” he sighed. “Really, how many times do I have to say it?”
I looked at Diavolo, pleading with my eyes now. “I’m happy to wear one with you, Dia– um. John.”
“Yeah, I’m not stopping either one of you from wearing on,” Belphie pointed out. “So just do your thing, and leave me out of it.”
Diavolo shook his head. “Well, that’s no good at all. The three of us are here as a group. All of us have to do it, or–"
Belphie openly glared as he wrapped an arm around me, pulling me to him by my arm. “Lord Dia… I mean, John. You still don’t get it? Look at how you’re using Chise as a tool to bend me to your will. I don’t like it.” He shook his head as he turned his face to look down at me. “You know what? I’m going home.”
I nodded slowly, shoulders slumping.
Diavolo blinked in shock. “Belphe–"
He dropped his arm from around me. “Don’t try and follow me.”
“Belphegor, wait!” Diavolo called after him. He sighed as he watched Belphie melt into the dense crowd. He turned to me. “We have to go after him, Chise.”
“I don’t know…”
It was in front of Barbatos that I felt comfortable teasing him and rebuffing him, I realized. Like… Barbatos was a buffer for me, who also wasn’t afraid to stand up to him. That he had my back, in a way. It gave me confidence.
“Di-Diavolo, we could just… th-the two of… us… together.”
But without Barbatos, I guess I really was a coward. Cowed by his position, by how much power he had, to stand in the way of being with my family anytime he chose.
And I should have just left Belphie alone. I should have just listened to him. He’d been triggered. I didn’t realize. I should have realized. I should have just done this on my own. I probably could have brow-beaten Mammon away from his horsies, if I had really pressed it. At least Diavolo found the dynamic between Mammon and I amusing. Or I could have implied that I believed Barbatos would already be joining us, earlier, when Diavolo had first invited me. Maybe if I had made a huge assumption and pressed that instead. Maybe Barbatos would have gotten the hint and would have made it happen for me? Fuck. This was a nightmare…
Should I text Barbatos? Lucifer…?
“Oh, it’s not a problem. We’ll smooth this out, Chise.”
I blinked back tears as Diavolo took my hand in his to lead me along. I just wanted to curl up in bed and be sad about Simeon and Solomon. Or watch that movie in the dark with Satan, under his arm, to distract myself from it all.
“Belphegor!”
“What the… ow!” Belphie shrugged his shoulder with a growl. “Let go of my arm!”
“J-John…” I tried to pull Diavolo back, squeezing his hand with a tug.
“I’m sorry,” Diavolo pleaded. “Please, give me the chance to apologize.”
“I’m not interested in any apologies. Now let go of me!”
Diavolo shook his head. “Sorry, but I’m not about to do that.”
“Diavolo,” I whispered under my breath. “He doesn’t like to be touched. Please–"
“Belphie, listen to me. I should have heard you out and considered your point of view just now. And…” He blew through his nose a bit as he kept his eyes locked onto Belphie’s. “…In the past, as well.”
Belphie stopped his struggling, slumping his shoulders as his eyes slid away from Diavolo’s.
“Please let go of Belphie,” I insisted in a small, wavering voice. Belphie glanced at me.
Diavolo’s eyes were still on Belphie. “As soon as I let go of you, you’re going to run off, aren’t you?”
He gave him another defiant look. “That’s right.”
Diavolo sighed. “I thought so.”
“…Diavolo, please let him go… You and I can just go have fun instead…”
He shook his head.
Belphie darted another glance at me again. “…Fine. At least relax your grip some. I’ll listen to what you have to say.”
Diavolo followed his glance towards me as well, and then hesitated.
Not sure what they both find there, but…
“I don’t like the headband idea. There’s no what I’m about to wear one.”
Diavolo nodded. “Understood.”
I shifted anxiously.
But that was all. Nothing else.
“And I don’t want to take a picture together, either.”
“All right.”
Belphie sighed. “…And I’m only riding things I actually want to ride.”
“Right.” Diavolo nodded again. “That’s fine, Belphegor. So would you reconsider spending the day with us now?”
My eyes darted between the two of them.
“…Well, in that case…” Belphie shifted to his other foot, before reaching for my hand. “…Okay.”
“Really?! Wonderful!” Diavolo immediately switched into a delighted, beaming smile. He was nearly wiggling puppyishly, as though barely containing himself from jumping up and down in excitement. He snatched Belphie’s other hand, hanging onto his opposite side from me.“So, what do you say the three of us go have some fun! What do you want to ride first?”
Belphie’s cheeks went pink as he glared again. “Would you PLEASE let go of my hand? This is really embarrassing!”
–
“…Um, Belphegor? Are you telling me that you’d like to ride THIS?”
Diavolo and I both looked up, wide-eyed, at the ride that, well, seemed to be eliciting the most of the screaming. In the entire park.
Belphie nodded. “Yep. The Twisting Freefall of Death II. It’s a thrill ride.”
“I can see that…” I whispered in horror.
“It was designed to be 'the single most terrifying experience in the world where you’ll scream for mercy but receive none’.”
Diavolo swallowed. “Did you say scream for mercy…?”
“And receive none…” I whispered in horror again.
“Yep.” Belphie cocked a smile. “It’s that exciting.”
“Chise…?” Diavolo flashed me a please-save-us-both smile. “Are you okay with riding something like this?”
It was my turn to swallow this time. “H-How about you, um, John? Are you okay with it?”
Turn it riiiiight back around.
He winced. “Hmm, I-I don’t know… I’ve never been on this sort of ride, so I can’t really… imagine what it’s like…”
Belphie rolled his eyes with a smile. “All right, enough standing around talking! Let’s go!”
I whined as I was dragged forward by him, snatching Diavolo’s hand along the way so he couldn’t get out of it, either.
–
“AHAHAHAHA, WHOOOOOO!” Belphie spun himself and I with a grin, stumbling me while I groaned with nausea. “That was AMAZING! That one part with the series of twists one after the other was pretty awesome, huh?! That sense of weightlessness. It’s like nothing else you’ll ever experience!”
“Belphie… urrrk…” I stuffed my fist into my mouth. “L-Leggo of my hand…”
“And when we were heading down that first drop, I looked over at Lord Dia… Sorry, I mean, pfff…” He burst out laughing, finally dropping my hand to double over. “I looked over at John, and oh wow… the look on his face! Did you see it?! Hehehehe!”
I swallowed air, bent over with my hands on my knees. “…I thought I was going to die.”
“Aww, don’t worry, Chise!” He ruffled my hair, still with a grin. “You’re still alive and well!”
“Urrkk…”
He turned his grin to the side. “Hey, John, you totally enjoyed that– Wait. Where’d…?”
I looked around. “…Oh no.”
“I don’t see him anywhere.” Belphie stood on the tips of his toes to peer over the crowd, squinting his eyes. Better him than me. “Where’d he go…?”
“Come on, Belphie,” I pleaded. “Dark red hair, dark red hair…”
He sighed with a shake of his head, dropping down to the flats of his feet.
“C-C’mon! I’ll– I’ll get up on your shoulders and…!”
Belphie grimaced. “…He’s not around, Chise.”
“Ffffffffuuuuuuck! No no no no no no noooo.”
How was I going to fucking explain this to Barbatos?!
Luke turned in surprise at the sound of the bell on the front door of the Angel’s Café.
“Oh…!”
“Hello.”
“Ah, B-Barbatos!” Luke straightened. “Good to see you!” His eyes darted between his other mentor and the equipment that was cool to the touch. “…I’d like to take your order, but I’m afraid we’re closed today.”
He didn’t bother asking how Barbatos had managed to get the door open in the first place. He kind of seemed to have a thing with ‘locked doors’ that just opened at his touch, probably without him realizing that they weren’t even locked to begin with?
…It’d happened before.
“Ah…” Barbatos turned his head back and forth to survey the empty room. “No wonder there’s no one here. I thought that was a bit odd. Is today your regular closing day?”
Luke shook his head. “No. Simeon just had some urgent business come up, so we decided to close shop as a one-time thing. Errr, incidentally, Solomon offered to fill in, but I politely declined…”
Barbatos dipped his head in agreement. “That was wise of you. You wouldn’t want any of your human customers leaving here in body bags, after all."
Luke smiled shyly.
“Ah, but still…” He looked around again thoughtfully. “If you’re closed, that does complicate things a bit for me. I was hoping to get a bag of freshly ground coffee to take to Serenity Manor as a gift.”
“Oh!” Luke brightened. That didn’t require a heated machine. “Well, we may be closed, but I’m happy to grind some coffee for you.”
“That is very kind of you, Luke. Thank you.”
Luke hesitated as he gazed at his demon mentor.
Listen up, Luke. Simeon’s secret lover is Barbatos, okay? Barbatos.
Simeon… With a human, and a demon…
What would Michael say…?
He wasn’t sure about that, or maybe just didn’t want to think about it, but… it was Chise’s words who came to mind.
We can’t help how we feel sometimes.
He swallowed, cheeks turning pink, his expression turned shy. “A-Also… It just so happens that I’m baking cupcakes. Do you think you could sample some and tell me what you think?”
Barbatos smiled dotingly. “I would be honoured.”
–
Barbatos nodded his approval. “So, you’re studying human world confections. Always eager to learn more, aren’t you Luke?”
“Yeah. And I borrowed this book from the library to use as a reference.” Luke held it up proudly. “I’m telling you, human world pastries really are amazing! There are a wide variety of different flavours, but what’s really impressive is the work they put into the design and presentation. I mean, look at this…”
He gestured, and Barbatos leaned down to take it in.
Luke smiled. “It’s called a swan. Just like the name says, it’s actually shaped like a swan! Isn’t that amazing?”
“I see…” Barbatos nodded again, fingers on his chin as he considered. “So they fashion desserts into the shapes of animals?”
Luke’s smile turned into a grin of delight. “Yep, and it’s adorable! The book says it’s a cream puff. I bet you could do the same sort of thing, but with a Celestial Realm or Devildom theme, huh?”
Barbatos chuckled as he straightened again. “A Celestial Realm theme, perhaps. But I’m afraid a Devildom theme might not work out so well.”
Luke blinked. “You don’t think so?”
“Well, try picturing a pastry fashioned to look like a Roc.“
Luke wrinkled his nose. “That wouldn’t be adorable at all. It’s like the opposite of a swan! Even the name is unpleasant!”
“Ah, yes, speaking of names, there was something I meant to tell you.” Barbatos smiled. “There’s a bakery nearby that sells a cake they call the ’Saint Michel’.
Luke gasped. “‘Saint Michel’… so it’s a cake named after Michael?! Have you tried one?”
Barbatos nodded. “Yes. They use a chocolate cake base, but it’s very light and fluffy, and it has a raspberry jam mixed in. Chise said it was not unlike what they call a ‘Black Forest’ cake, originating in a country they call Germany.”
Luke’s eyes went round with excitement. “Oh wow… OH WOW! I HAVE to stop by and try that sometime with…”
He abruptly paused in his exuberance.
Barbatos tilted his head. “Is something the matter, Luke?”
“O-Oh, um, well…” Luke wilted a bit. “Speaking of Michael reminded me of something. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but… Lately I’ve been getting the feeling that Simeon’s trying to avoid talking to Michael…” Luke’s eyes went a bit shiny. A bit reflective. “A-Also, he’s been spending a lot of time alone, just staring off into space. I’m a little worried about him, you know?”
“…I see,” Barbatos replied in a quiet voice. He was silent for a couple heartbeats. “…This may be a bit off subject, but did you and Simeon come here to the human world on Michael’s orders? …Did Michael make the request in person?”
Luke swallowed. Paused. Considered the demon before him.
Took a breath. “…N-No. Raphael let me know that… O-Oh.” They both turned to the beeping noise that sounded out nearby. “The cupcakes are done. Hey, if you’re stopping by Serenity Manor, would you like to take them some cupcakes, too?”
Barbatos’s face softened. “As long as you’re offering, yes. I’d love to do that.” He gazed at the little angel for a moment, watching him don oven mitts to retrieve his way of coping. Alone. “…Luke, would you like to come with me?”
“M-Me?” Luke looked at him in surprise as he set his tray down. “Go to Serenity Manor? I…” He paused. “…Nah, that’s okay. Simeon might be back soon, after all.”
“Ah…”
“And you know, I’m sort of worried about him. So I’m going to wait here until he gets back.”
Barbatos chuckled softly under his breath.
“H-Hey, Barbatos!” Luke narrowed his eyes. “What’s so funny?”
“Pardon me.” Barbatos tilted his head with fondness in his gaze again. “I just couldn’t help but find that very sweet…”
“Uggghhh…” Belphie threw his head back with a groan. “I don’t believe this. I’ve tried messaging him, but he hasn’t read anything I’ve sent.”
“Fuck…” I swore under my breath. “How could he actually get lost at a theme park?”
Belphie sighed. “What is he, five years old? …Is that it? Is he actually just a five-year-old?”
“I’m fucking beginning to think so…”
“Hm.” Belphie frowned in thought. “That reminds me. Mammon got himself lost once too, didn’t he?”
I raised my eyebrows. “Well, speaking of five year olds…”
He snorted. “I guess that’s one way in which they’re similar… they’re both essentially children.”
"Ah, look who it is. Hello.”
I turned with a little jump, eyes widening. “…Mister butcher?!”
Mister butcher abruptly laughed. “You can call me Todd.”
“Todd the butcher…”
“I have to say, I’m surprised to run into the two of you here.” He looked around, evidently trying to figure out if there were more brothers, hands on his hips. It was really weird to see mister butcher without his apron and hair net.
“Are you here by yourself?” Belphie asked.
“Oh, not at all!” Butcher smiled. “I came with my family. My wife and daughter just went off to buy some ice cream.”
“Awwww.” I smiled back at him. “Wife and daughter, huh?”
He nodded genially. “What about you two? Are you alone today? No, er, others…?”
I blushed at his pointed look.
Belphie sighed. “I wish… but no. There was one more person with us, but we got separated, and now we’re trying to track him down.”
“Really?” Todd the butcher frowned in thought. “Hmm. I see. Well, what’s he like?”
“H-He…” I swallowed as Belphie glanced at me with a narrowing of his eyes. “W-Well, he’s quite tall, you see, maybe about your height or more, and, errr, ahh, I mean, h-he’s got. He’s qu-Quite… built. And he’s got. Dark auburn hair, tanned skin, uh, really light hazel eyes, that could be described as, uh, quite golden in a way, wearing a suit…”
“Oh my. Taller than even myself, you say.” Butcher blinked. “I’m sure he’d stand out in a crowd. He sounds like a show-stopper.”
…He said the last part meaningfully, while peering closely at me.
Along with Belphie.
“Heeee… is… quite… could be described as… quite handsome… by others…”
“Sure are saying ‘quite’ quite a lot, Chise,” Belphie muttered from the corner of his mouth.
“Sh-Shut up…”
My face was straight-up red now.
“Ah, in that case, even with all of these people here, it sounds like he’d stand out in the crowd.” He sighed. “I’m afraid I haven’t seen a man like that, but maybe you should let the information desk know?”
“OH!” My eyes widened, and then I looked at Belphie. “Why didn’t I think about that?!”
Butcher Todd nodded. “They’d probably be willing to page him over the park’s loudspeaker system.”
“Right, the information desk…” Belphie smiled at him gratefully. “Thanks for the advice. I’ll make sure to stop by along with Beel and pick up a few cuts of meat sometime.”
“Oh-hoh, is that the big fella? Ah, right, your, uh, twin.” He glanced at me again. “Well, of course! I’m happy to help. Well, I look forward to seeing you at the shop. Take care.”
I gave him my most beaming, most innocent, please-stop-thinking-I’m-a-harem-building-slut smile. “Thank you butcher Todd. For… everything, actually. You’ve got a lucky wife and daughter.”
He chuckled with a nod. “Anytime, little lady. You folks sure stand out, too. In a good way.”
“Aha…” I dipped my head with a blush. “See you soon, Todd.”
Belphie led me by my hand. “I’m pretty sure I saw the information desk this way…”
I stopped with a tug, thrusting my other hand in my pocket. “Belphie, my D.D.D. Maybe it’s Diavolo.”
Barbatos: Hello, Chise.
Barbatos: I hope you’re enjoying Bayside Bonanza Worlds of Wonder.
Barbatos: As you know, I created more than one itinerary. If you chose plan A, I assume you’re in a boat on the lake right now.
Barbatos: Whereas plan B would place you in the area of the haunted village.
I went white.
Barbatos: I do hope you’re having a good time. However…
Barbatos: Please take care of the Young Master for me. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to him.
Barbatos: It is good to have another to trust. A relief, really.
“Wow…” Belphie sighed in exasperation over my shoulder. “Talk about overprotective…”
“If Barbatos finds out he’s missing,” I whispered. “I’ll… oh gosh… another…”
Belphie winced. “…Uh-oh.”
Lucifer: Satan told me where you two are today.
Lucifer: I understand you’ve gone to Bayside Bonanza Worlds of Wonder with Diavolo?
Lucifer: Considering the two of you are with him, I doubt I have anything to worry about, but still…
Lucifer: I assume everything is OK over there?
Lucifer: Just make sure nothing happens to Diavolo.
“Ugh.” Belphie rolled his eyes. “He’s just as overprotective as Barbatos.”
“…We’re sooo fucked.”
“Hey, is it just me, or are we in a really bad situation here?”
I looked up at him worriedly. “You think?! We should get to the info–"
“Wait.” He took my hand again. “Think about it. If we tell the park Lord Diavolo’s lost, and they page him over the loudspeaker… And then Barbatos or Lucifer catch wind of it–"
“I’ll be strung uuuup…” I moaned.
He snorted. “You and me both. For a week, at best.”
“A week?! I’ll diiiiiiie.”
“Yeah probably.” He sighed. “And if we’re not lucky, a month.”
“Stooooop.”
“Okay, well. So that rules out paging him over the loudspeaker. We’ll have to track him down on our own. We need to find him, and fast.” He chewed on his lip as he thought. “Ugh, this is so annoying. This place is huge. Where are we supposed to start looking?”
“Th-The itinerary.” I flicked back to Barbatos’ message. “Plan A: boat by the lake.”
Belphie nodded. “Perfect, yeah. He actually mentioned that earlier, right? Let’s start there.”
As Belphie led me forward again, back into the throng, my D.D.D. buzzed in my hand once more.
Barbatos: IS everything all right, Chise?
Barbatos: Are you having fun with him?
My breath hitched. Having fun with him.
Had that been… a slip? Either a hidden request for the truth, or…
…Jealousy? Insecurity?
Chise: It would have been even more fun if you’d had come along with us.
Please don’t leave him alone with me again if you can help it.
Barbatos: Thank you for saying so. I apologize for my absence.
Barbatos: As very tempting as spending time with you sounds, I had some pressing errands to run. Regretfully, I had to stay behind this time.
Barbatos: I will do my best to be present in future.
I’m sorry. I will try.
But.
He wanted to be alone with you. Without me.
Diavolo is his Lord. And he is his servant… in all things.
Including planning an itinerary… for a date.
Between his Master and me...
I swallowed, looking up from my D.D.D. as Belphie weaved us through the crowd.
“Hmm…” Belphie looked around doubtfully. “Still no sign of him. Seriously, where could he have gone?”
“Well, if he’s not on the plan, maybe we should switch tactics.” I frowned. “He mentioned that he wanted to go on the ferris wheel too, right?”
Belphie sighed. “Man… It’s going to be faster to cross the lake than walk all the way around it.” He squeezed my hand. “What do you say we take a boat?”
I nodded. I could use a boat ride on the water.
My fingers trailing through the waters of Lake Talon, dark and bottomless, my kayak slicing through the surface; slowing as I laid my paddle across my lap. Slowing through the reeds.
Dad…
Memories of being spun, his large hands in mine, laughing.
The lily pads grazing my fingertips, whispering against the body of my kayak.
Petals of a white water lily. So soft.
Why didn’t you just… talk to me.
“…Yeah,” I said softly. “Water calms me down when I’m overwhelmed anyway.”
“Huh. Levi says the same, you know?” He nodded. “Sounds doubly-good, then. Let’s go, Chise.”
Sympathy in his voice as he led me forward again, gently.
–
“Ahhh… The weather’s amazing today.” Belphie smiled. His small one. But my favourite. His happiest one, really. “That breeze feels so nice.”
I nodded as I trailed my fingers in the water, lost in thought.
I had been so mad. And then I'd lost it all.
So many regrets. Too late now.
Why DO you keep giving me more chances?
Because… I only have one life. One lifetime, to spend with you.
“It’s too bad,” Belphie chuckled, breaking me out of my thoughts. “This would be a perfect day to take a nice little nap out here in the boat.”
I rolled my eyes. My cat-napper…
He sighed heavily. “If only we didn’t have to look for Lord Diavolo, I could spend some nice quality time out here with you…”
I bumped his foot with my own. “I’m glad… that you’re here.”
“Mmm.” He glanced at me slyly. “Hey, it wouldn’t hurt if we kept Lord Diavolo waiting for just a bit, would it? I mean, here we are, just the two of us sharing a boat out on the lake. It would be a real shame to waste a moment like this.”
I snorted. “It probably would literally hurt, considering what Lucifer would do to us. But, well, still…” I bit my lip as I looked past his shoulder towards the far shore. “It’ll be a bit before we reach landing again.”
“Hehehehe.” He gave me his fond smile again. “I take it you’ve been hoping for some alone time as much as I have? Mind if I scoot in a little closer…?”
“You be careful, I warned him as I shifted to the side a little bit, resulting in a listing of the boat.
He nodded as he crouched to carefully toe his way over, before thumping his ass down with a sigh, causing me to squeak as we were abruptly rocked the other way.
He chuckled. “Not enough space for you now? Well, from my standpoint, that’s sort of a good thing, honestly. You’d better not squirm around.”
I gasped a bit as I clung to him while the boat righted a bit.
“Come on, try to keep still… Here.” He put his arm around me. “Better?”
I looked up at his face, and smiled at his blush.
“Hah…” He darted his eyes away. “Shut up.”
I smirked. My opening, to get under his skin. “You’ve really been a handful today, you know?”
“Maybe being a handful is what you need.”
“Oh, come on.” I rolled my eyes. “You’re saying you’re being annoying just to take my mind off things?”
“Well, is it working?”
I glared at him.
He chuckled in amusement. “Incidentally, no. I’m in a genuinely shitty mood. But it’s also distracting you, so.”
“Which seems to be bringing you a bit out of your shitty mood.”
He flashed me his shit-eating grin. “Mmm. So, you’re saying 'two birds' and all that.”
“If you think this is in any way putting me in the mood for ‘you’ later, you’re very much incorrect.”
His next chuckle was deeper in his chest. “But it’s putting me in the mood. Which is really what matters… isn’t it? You’ll take it anyway.”
I scoffed with a blush. “Ass…”
His eyes sparkled at the word.
“Do not.” I rolled my eyes again.
“You brought it up.”
“Ass ass ass ass ass ass.”
He snorted in amusement, grin widening. “Come on, now you’re just making me straight-up hard.”
“…You’re impossible.”
“You’re the one putting ideas into my head.”
“I hardly have to help to do that.”
His expression softened, and he reached to take my hand. “I love you.”
I fought down a small smile. “Uh-huh…”
“Bickering like an old married couple…”
“Until I grow so weary that I kill us both.”
He smirked again. "That’s the only way to end a marriage. Going out together, through an act of passion-driven violence.”
I took his hand in both of mine. “…Belphie.”
“Mmm?”
“I’m sorry that I dragged you out today. I’m sorry that I didn’t listen to you.”
“Well…” He pulled me to him a little tighter. “I’m glad to be here with you now.”
I shook my head. “I could’ve convinced Mammon. Probably.”
He made a noise of disgust in his throat, before sighing. “…Well. I didn’t really make my true feelings about it known until we were halfway here, really. It was too late to turn back by then.”
I shook my head again.
“Hmph.” He shook his head too. “And, well, turns out you did need some backup here. Because man… Lord Diavolo sure does like to run away from his responsibilities, huh? And asking you out on what definitely looks like a date? Pff! I guess you did need an escort after all. Though I still think you should have told the others to stuff it and just said no in the first place.”
“…Um. Speaking of… saying no. There was another reason, too. I mean, it’s not like I’m trying to excuse forcing you to come along or anything…”
He raised his eyebrows. “All right.”
I sighed. “…In the human world. Human society. I mean… I guess the society I grew up in, I’m sure that there are others out there where it’s not as… I don’t know…”
He frowned. “You have my attention. You don’t have to be nervous. I’m listening, Chise.”
“Here in the human world…” I sighed again. “Women have been expected to say ‘yes’ to men no matter what for a very long time. And if they didn’t, if they said no, they would probably face some bad consequences to that.”
“Ah…” He nodded his slow understanding. “Okay.”
“Like, violence. Potentially. Actually… often. Often enough, anyway, where women are raised to be careful about what they say and do, how to behave.”
He frowned. “Right. Wait. But I mean, we’re not human, we’re demons. …Er, wow, really bad example of non-violence actually, forget I said that.”
I snorted. “A bit of a sausage fest in your society too, though.”
“Heh. Well. They do say that demons and humans reflect each other.”
I rolled my eyes. “No comment.”
“Anyway, Chise, you know Lord Diavolo himself wouldn’t–"
I shook my head. “That’s not really the point. What I’m saying is that I was raised in a world like this. So even though, you know, I try to unlearn that and stuff, it still feels like I can’t say no sometimes. I mean, the world here is sort of changing…? But since men, well, have held all the power for so long, they’re having a preeeetty difficult time letting that go still. Some way more than others... So it’s still very much around, and women still have to be careful, especially around… well…” I looked down at my lap. “Men who are pushy, keep demonstrating that they won’t take no for an answer, and, most especially, are in a position of power to make things… difficult.”
“Ah, man…” He sighed.
"If a man is really really insistent in front of me, especially one who is also in a position of authority, it’s really hard, actually. Suddenly I just go quiet and can’t talk… Can’t say no."
"I didn't realize..."
“It’s not like I don’t feel unsafe with Diavolo–"
“That’s not true,” he cut in. “You don’t have to try and sugar-coat it for me. You did feel unsafe.
I shifted uncomfortably. “…He confessed that he has feelings for me not too long ago.”
Belphie whipped his head to look at me directly. “He what?! Lord Diavolo?! The prince of…!”
“Yeahhh… And then we were interrupted, so I didn’t get a chance to reject him right there and then, so he might still think it’s up in the air?” I twisted my hands nervously on my lap. “I was really afraid that… he’d try to make a move today. And that I… would… freeze up. If I were alone with him.”
“So you were pressed not to say no to going, and then felt like you would be in another position… where you couldn’t say no…” He groaned. “Aww, Chise, no wonder you didn’t listen to me, you were desperate.”
“It’s really not that I couldn’t listen. I just wouldn’t. I was thinking of myself and chose the path of least resistance because I was panicking instead of just talking about it a bit more with your brothers, or you. I really really want you to know that I’m sorry about that. I just… not to excuse any of it… but I wanted to explain? It’s just that… in my world… men are most likely to listen to other men, not women. Still, I could have chosen different. I could have insisted someone else come along or something. Pff. If I had really pressed, it’s not like Mammon or Satan were really doing all that much, and–”
“But you chose me to protect you…” He squeezed my shoulder, with a touch of… awe in his voice. “You chose… me… You really chose me.”
“I mean… um…” I chewed on my lip. “Y… Yeah…?”
He sighed. “And I made you feel like you had to get in the middle, and then I just… left you with him. The look on your face… Man… I really failed you on that front, huh?”
“No, please… I don’t think that. I didn’t communicate properly. And I mean, I really have to give you credit for standing up to him and saying no, because he wasn't listening to YOUR no's either, so like, I just... I just wanted to let you know, um, exactly why I wanted someone with me. I just didn't know it would be this bad, honestly, where he wouldn't even listen to you. The whole 'take a man to challenge a man' certainly backfired, huh? Because I forgot... I shouldn't have forgotten... Your history with him... That it's not just about... my own..." I sighed. "What a disaster..."
"I still left you alone..."
"It... You were pushed to your limit. I saw that..."
"I should have read you better."
"That's another point. Reading me is not exclusively your responsibility, Belphie. I should be speaking up, too. That's not a failsafe, however powerful you might be in doing that."
He opened his mouth to speak, a pouty expression on his face on the call-out.
I tsked to silence him. "Yeah, yeah, I know you're using your trickster little demon power all the time on me, don't deny it. Don't worry... I know you're using it to be protect me. Most of the time. So it's fine. But you can't know everything. I see your limits. I've come to know them. To know you. You don't literally read minds. You feel them, but you can't read them outright."
"Pfff.... I wish..."
"Heh... The world would fall at your feet if you did, so thank the stars you can't, you little shit." I shook my head. "But you... you definitely sensed my anxiety, I could tell you did, but you didn't have the entire context... You were left to make assumptions without the whole picture. I was letting you put together a puzzle without all of the pieces... That was on me. We shouldn't be relying on you to read me all the time. I shouldn't be relying on that, to lure you into get me to talk. You shouldn't have to be prying how I feel out of me. I should be... letting you in... before it even gets to that point..."
I trailed off of my scrambling ramble, face red.
And we were quiet for a little while.
“…Thank you,” he murmured near my ear, nose grazing through my hair. “I understand better.”
“I understand you better, too.” I turned to face him with a gentle smile. Faces so close. “I think that… we’re in a better position to talk about–”
He nodded. “Our point of views, in the future, and weigh them together.”
I nodded too, with a sigh of relief. “Yeah, that’s what I was thinking as well.”
“…Chise.” He blinked. “Our sex…”
My smile widened. “Is freeing, and feels very safe. A way to feel vulnerable, while still being protected. Cared for, feeling cared for, and deeply, at that. I trust you implicitly.”
"Fuck. Thank you." He sighed with his own relief as he bumped his forehead against mine. “I want to protect you. Thank you for choosing me to do that. Now I really am happy to be here with you. I feel really… um…” A blush spread over his cheeks. “…Touched. S-Special… right now… ugh.”
“You are. I love you, Belphie… My safety net.”
“I’ll do a better job of being one.” He ran his fingers along my jawline. “I love you, Chise… I love you so much it’s crazy. My moon. My guiding light. Bright hope in the dark."
"My blanket of stars. Warmth in the cold. My compass, pointing North."
"Both of us, leading the way home. To each other."
"...Cheeseball..."
"You started it..."
"You're going to give me a toothache with all this sweet shit."
"We're sooo gross..."
I met his gentle kiss with my own.
"…Your attention please…"
We both frowned as we pulled our faces away from each other, looking around for the source of the voice that echoed around the lake.
"Paging Chise and Snoozy from Serenity Manor. Chise and Snoozy from Serenity Manor. John is waiting for you. Please come to the Guest Services Center."
“Wait, WHAT…? Snoozy?! Are they talking about me?”
He scowled immediately when I burst out laughing.
Renewed strength in my heart.
A fluttering in my chest.
Supported.
…Along with a great deal of relief that this whole missing prince ordeal was about to be over.