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leviathans-watching · 2 years

Text

love thy neighbor

includes: beel x gn!reader (they/them pronouns used)

wc: 7.3k | rated t | m.list | read on ao3!

a/n: this fic is part of a trade i did with @mickeywabbit!! they did my new pfp so please give her some love!! and mika i hope you enjoy!!

warnings: some mild cursing, spiders

please reblog!!

Before the boxes can fully tip over, you feel the top one getting lifted, a tanned arm entering your vision.

“Whoah,” the stranger says, and you shift the boxes remaining, moving them out of your way. Without the box that had been on top, it’s much easier for you to get a handle on everything. “Careful there,” he continues once you’re finally able to see him, and you have to adjust where you’re looking because seriously, this guy is way taller than you expected.

Or, living next door to a demon.

Grimacing, you slow to a stop, trying to regain your hold on the boxes in your arms. Perhaps you’ve overestimated your strength. The boxes wobble precariously, and you wrack your brain, trying to remember what was in them. Was it anything breakable?

Before the boxes can fully tip over, you feel the top one getting lifted, a tanned arm entering your vision.

“Thank you,” you say gratefully, giving him a small smile. His face is delightfully open and warm and his odd purple eyes are inviting. “I thought I could get everything.”

“No worries,” your stranger says, genuinely seeming to mean it. “Are you moving in? I can help you take this where you need to go.”

Usually, you’d never give someone you didn’t know your address, but you don’t see another way to do things without making it super complicated. “I am,” you reply. “I’m in Apartment 5C.”

Your stranger’s eyes widen and he gives a little laugh, practically glowing. “No way! I’m in 5B. It’s nice to meet you, neighbor! I’m Beelzebub.”

It’s a quaint name, but it suits him, so you don’t hesitate to introduce yourself as well. Once you’ve both been properly introduced, the two of you head for the elevator.

“Do you like living here?” you ask once the doors slide shut and Beelzebub shrugs.

“It’s not the coolest place I’ve lived in, but it’s pretty nice. The city’s great, obviously, and the landlady is pleasant, so what more could you ask for?” Aside from his cheerfulness, Beelzebub seems refreshingly easy-going, a trait you’ve always admired. You continue to chat back and forth and before you know it, you’re at your door. You shift the boxes to push it open and Beelzebub sends you a reproving frown.

“Leaving your door unlocked? That’s not super safe.”

“I know,” you say, setting the boxes down with a small thud. “But since I’ve been so up and down while moving stuff in, it’s been easier for me to leave it unlocked. I promise I’ll lock it when I’m done.”

Nodding, Beelzebub sets his box down as well. “That’s good. This isn’t an unsafe complex or anything, but you can’t be too careful.” Normally, someone saying that would make you feel a little weirded out, but he just seems so genuine you can’t draw up the feeling.

“Well,” you say, “thank you so much for the save. I’d offer you a drink of something, but as you can tell, I’m not even sure where I’d find my cups.”

Beelzebub looks around at your stacks and piles of boxes and laughs. “I understand. Are you sure you don’t need any more help? I really wouldn’t mind.”

“No, but thank you. You’ve already been great.”

Beelzebub droops a little at this, almost like a puppy. It’s unbearably cute and you wonder what you’re getting yourself into. “Are you sure? I’ve got nothing else going on.”

His earnestness is unexpectedly sweet, but you remain strong, denying him once again.

“Okay,” Beelzebub finally relents, “but if you need my help, don’t hesitate to let me know. Knock on my door any time.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” you promise, an idea entering your mind. “Say, do you want to exchange numbers? That way we can get ahold of one another more easily?”

“Sure thing. Here, I’ll give you mine.”

The two of you spend another moment adding each other to your contacts before you sigh. “I’ve got to get back to work. Thanks again for the help!”

“Be careful,” Beelzebub advises. “Don’t want to drop anything.”

“Right,” you agree, a little chagrined. Beelzebub disappears back into his apartment and you wait for his door to click shut before you let yourself fall back against the doorframe. You hadn’t expected to meet someone so kind, especially paired with that handsomeness, but you definitely aren’t complaining. And even aside from all of that, he really does seem like a genuinely cool person. Hopefully, you’ll be able to get to know him better.

Shaking your head, you force yourself back to work, but your mind lingers on Beelzebub.

A few weeks go by, and before you know it, you’re mostly settled in. The majority of your boxes are unpacked and everything is pretty much put together. It had taken a few trips to the thrift for you to finish decorating and everything, but you’re pretty happy with how it all looks. You think pretty much anything is better than before when you just had a few necessities out and the rest still packed away in the corner.

It feels nice to finally be able to kick back and watch TV, so you do so with relish, putting on your favorite show. You already ate earlier so you’re just nursing a glass of water, too lazy to do anything fancier. You’re about halfway through the episode - and your water - when there’s a knock at your door, ringing through your apartment. You’re not expecting anyone, so confusion runs through you. washes over you, followed by excitement.

Could it be Beelzebub?

Pausing the show, you stand, a little nervous. You don’t even know if it’s him or not! There’s no reason to get all excited. You’d been so busy with everything that you hadn’t had a chance to text him, and by the time you remembered, it had been too late. Texting him at this point would just be awkward. While you feel silly for feeling so disproportionally disappointed that he hadn’t texted, you can’t help but wish he had.

Looking through the peephole, you frown, not seeing anyone there. Opening your door, you glance around, then down. There’s a food delivery service bag sitting innocuously on your welcome mat. Again, you hadn’t been expecting anyone, especially not anyone delivering food, so you lean down to pick the bag up, looking for the receipt. The bag is pretty big and heavy, so you wonder what all was ordered.

Finally finding the name on the delivery, your breath catches. It’s for Beelzebub. Giving it to him is the right thing to do, so you shore yourself up, stepping out of your room and fully into the hall, pulling your door closed behind you. Beelzebub’s door is right there, so you don’t let yourself hesitate, raising a hand and knocking firmly.

You could leave the food and go back to your apartment, like the delivery person did to you, or you could wait, use this as your chance to talk to Beelzebub.

Before you can fully commit to either option, the door swings open, revealing Beelzebub. He’s as attractive as the first time you saw him, so nope, your brain had not been making things up.

“This was accidentally delivered to me,” you say, holding out the bag, and Beelzebub brightens, taking it from you. Like the box, he handles the weight with ease, muscles flexing under his shirt.

“I’m so sorry about that,” he says. “I don’t even know how they get our apartments mixed up. The letters are clearly displayed.”

“Don’t worry about it,” you reply easily. “It happens. What um, what have you been up to?”

“Oh, same old same old,” Beelzebub says. “Work, school, et cetera. It’s just been pretty busy.”

“Believe me, I get it.” Your mind flashes back to how hectic your days have been as of late. “Where do you go to school?”

A funny look crosses his face and you hope you haven’t somehow misstepped. That was a pretty normal question to ask, right?

“I’m currently virtual,” Beelzebub explains. “It’s an Academy down, er, south. My brothers and I all go there, but the rest of them are on campus for the most part. Although, they do come to visit me. Speaking of,” he adds, eyes widening, “they can be a pretty crazy bunch so if you ever run into them just keep that in mind. Take anything they say with a grain of salt. They love teasing me.”

“I will,” you say, chucking a little. You can’t imagine what they’d be like and hope, even though it’s pretty improbable, that you’ll get to meet them. “Do you have a big family, then? And it sounds like you and your brothers are close.”

“Well, including me, there’s seven of us,” Beelzebub says, ducking his head a little at your noise of amazement. “And we have our issues like any family, but for the most part, it’s okay. I’m closest with my twin, Belphegor.”

“A twin!” you exclaim, delighted. “That must be nice! And that’s a lot of brothers. Are you guys like right in the middle, or…?”

“Youngest,” Beelzebub says. “Well, Belphie is, but he hates being reminded of that.” His smile is fond and soft, and you feel yourself melting a little. “And you’re correct, that is a lot. I love them all but being here is kind of nice.”

“I’d imagine so,” you agree before stepping back a little, not wanting to steal his attention for too long. “Anyway, it’s been nice talking to you, but I should probably let you get to dinner. Enjoy your food!”

“Oh!” Beelzebub looks surprised, like he’s completely forgotten about his delivery. “I will. Thanks again for bringing it over.”

“Yeah, because my journey was so far,” you joke, and Beelzebub’s laugh follows you all of the way back into your apartment. Once your door is closed and locked, you lean up against it, heart pounding.

You’ve only met him twice, and both times were so brief, but you feel inexplicably drawn to him. He’s just so polite and cool, and something is undeniably different about him, something you can't put your finger on. It drew you in all the same.

Shaking yourself, you go back to your couch, pressing play on your show. It’s easier going back to this than going back to moving in was, and so you fall back into watching, losing yourself in the familiar plot.

A few days later, your alarm goes off, and you open your eyes, wishing you didn’t have to get up. So distracted by your musing you almost miss the large spider right above your face, hanging from the ceiling. Almost.

You freeze, and it drops.

A scream escapes you as you scrub over your face, rolling right off of your bed and onto the floor. You frantically make sure it’s not on you before calming down slightly, though your heart is still racing. You become aware of knocking on the door, and Beelzebub calling to you through it.

“MC? Is everything okay in there? I heard you scream and there was a large crash.”

Before he can get any ideas, like to call the police, you wrench the door open, pasting on a wobbly smile. “Hey,” you manage, breathless.

“Are you alright?” he asks, looking you over. “Did something happen?”

“I’m okay,” you say reassuringly, “I’m sorry for the scare. I woke up to a spider in my face is all.”

Beelzebub’s face softens, some of the tension draining out of him. Had he really been so worried about you? “I’m sorry that happened,” he says seriously, “but I’ll admit I’m glad it’s not anything worse. You really freaked me out.”

You groan. “Yeah, I can imagine. Did I wake you?”

Beelzebub looks down at his sweats and a plain t-shirt, letting out a little chuckle. “Yeah, but don’t worry too much about it. I get up around this time anyway.” He looks around. “Hey, I like what you’ve done with the place, it looks great.”

Remembering he’d only seen your moving-in mess and not your actual, finished apartment, you step aside, inviting him in. “Thank you. Would you like some coffee or anything? I have cream and sugar and all that.”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ve got to get on with your day,” Beelzebub says reluctantly, and you shake your head.

“Nope, I’ve actually got nothing planned. I just get up early out of habit. But if you’ve got something, don’t let me keep you.”

“I don’t,” Beelzebub says, “so if you’re sure.”

“It’s the least I can do after waking you up and everything,” you say, beckoning him towards your kitchen island. You pour out two cups then pull out the creamer, milk, and sugar, offering them to Beelzebub. Once both of your coffees are made to your liking, you lean against the counter, cradling the cup in your hands.

“You’re also welcome to any fruit,” you offer, nodding at the fruit bowl on the counter, “and I’m pretty sure I have some croissants tucked away somewhere.”

“That would be great,” Beelzebub replies. You pull out the bakery bag, handing it to him. He takes one, and the next thing you know, it’s gone. You’ve never seen anyone eat that fast.

Speaking of fast, you think, how did he get over to my door so fast? It had only been a few seconds after you screamed that he had knocked on your door. And if you really woke him up as he claimed, it would have been practically impossible for him to make it all the way to you.

Shooting a suspicious glance over at him, you watch him devour an apple with ease, humming contentedly as he does. What are you thinking? It probably took longer for you to regain your senses than you thought it did. Yes, that must have been it.

“Hold the elevator please,” someone calls, and instinctively, you do as you’re asked, sticking your arm out. Two guys shuffle in, the one in front giving you a bright smile.

“Thank you so much,” he says, running a hand through his strawberry blond hair. “This elevator is so slow, and I’m not really in the mood to climb the stairs.”

The other one jostles the first, green eyes hard. “Shut up, idiot. People don’t just talk to each other randomly.”

Something about his phrasing seems weird, but honestly, the whole situation kind of is, so you just give them a vague smile, shifting your eyes down and away from them. Their conversation continues in hushed whispers that are, unfortunately, completely audible to you.

“Satan, they’re going to the fifth floor too! Do you think-”

“Shut up,” green-eyes, or Satan, you suppose, hisses. “You’re so annoying, Asmo. It’s like you forget how to act when you’re away for too long.”

Asmo pouts, but thankfully, the elevator chimes, signaling your floor before you’re forced to be in an enclosed space with them any longer. You walk to your door with purposeful strides, aware of them somewhat behind you. As you unlock your door, checking back over your shoulder to gauge their position every so often, Beelzebub’s swings open.

“MC, hey,” he says, clearly startled. He then looks around you. “Satan, Asmo, what are you two doing?”

You follow his gaze back to the pair, who look like they’ve been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

“Beel!” Asmo cheers, hastening forward to Beelzebub. “We’re here! Haven't you missed us?”

“Debatable,” Beelzebub says, though his ears are tinged red as he makes eye contact with you again. You realize you’re staring and look away, twisting your key the rest of the way.

“And is this your neighbor?” Asmo asks, and you look up again, realizing he’s talking to? about? you.

“Yes, and they look like they’re in a hurry, so let’s not bother them,” Beelzebub says, sending you an apologetic look. From behind you, Satan snorts.

“Oh,” Asmo says, drooping. “But surely a little introduction wouldn’t hurt?” He looks up at Beelzebub with pleading eyes and though they’re not even directed at you, you can feel himself bending under his will slightly.

“Um, I’m MC,” you venture as the silence stretches, and Asmo’s attention snaps to you.

“It’s so nice to meet you,” he enthuses, shaking your hand delicately. “I’m Asmodeus, and behind you is Satan. We’re Beel’s brothers.”

Aside from their unearthly beauty, they look nothing alike. Beelzebub towers over both of them and they all have varying eye and hair colors. Are they even blood-related?

It’s rude to speculate on something like that, so you push the thought away, giving Asmo - Asmodeus - a smile. “It’s nice to meet you too. Are you guys visiting Beelzebub?”

“Yes, but if I’d have known his new little neighbor was so cute, I’d have come a lot sooner,” Asmodeus says, and you blink. Wow, okay, you’re being flirted with, right? As he stares at you, his eyes almost seem to glow, but that’s definitely just a trick of the light.

“Stop it,” Satan says, moving around you to stand next to Asmodeus. “I’m sorry about him. He’s a charmer, but don’t pay him any mind.”

“Okay,” you say hesitantly, looking between the three of them. Asmodeus frowns a little, and you see Beelzebub and Satan exchanging looks. You were reminded of when Beelzebub had told you about his brothers- he was right, they are weird. “Well, I’ll leave you to it,” you say, “and again, it was nice meeting you.”

They let you go then, thankfully, and you’re left to your thoughts as you hear Beelzebub’s door close too. What an odd bunch, you think, kicking off your shoes. Really, you’d thought Beelzebub had been exaggerating, but after this… well, probably not. And this was only two of his six brothers! What were the rest of them like, and what had their childhood been like, to make them all so different?

Telling yourself it was none of your business, you decide to make lunch, setting your phone on the counter. You haven't been cooking long before it buzzes, so you lean over, checking the message.

It’s Beelzebub!

Beelzebub: Hey, I’m sorry if Asmo made you uncomfortable. He can be a lot when you first meet him :/

You: no worries! he seems like an eclectic character, but it works for him haha

Beelzebub: This may seem like a weird question, but did you feel anything when he was looking at you earlier?

You pause to consider the question. Is he jealous, asking if you were interested in his brother? The thought sends a tingle down your spine, but that doesn’t seem exactly right. Beelzebub’s never seemed like the jealous type, and he seems almost cautious.

You: no? should I have?

Beelzebub: No, nothing like that. I just wanted to make sure he didn't make you

Beelzebub: Uncomfortable, or something.

You: not at all lol

A few minutes go by and you assume Beelzebub’s finished with the conversation. Returning to your abandoned lunch, you finish up cooking, deciding to sit at the island and eat. You can hear muffled sounds from Beelzebub’s apartment, which is a rarity. Usually, he’s so silent you hardly know if he’s there or not. It must be his brothers’ influence, as most of it sounds like laughter.

Time flies by as you fall into a routine, settling fully into your new apartment. You run into Beelzebub here and there, along with some of your other neighbors, but really, there’s not another incident that forces you together like the ones in the past. You’re a little disappointed, but saying hello to him in the hall is pretty nice, especially since he always gives you this sweet, excited smile.

You haven’t met any more of his brothers, unfortunately, but the memory of Asmodeus and Satan never fails to bring a smile to your face. You wonder if Beelzebub had talked about you to them, if that’s why Asmodeus had been so insistent on talking to you. It’s an odd thought, especially paired with the general weirdness that had surrounded him, but definitely not an unwelcome one.

“Excuse me,” someone says, startling you from your thoughts. You apologize and move out of the way, realizing you had been blocking the produce. This isn’t the first time you’ve been distracted thinking about Beelzebub, but it never fails to embarrass you when it happens.

Finishing up your shopping, you carry the bags back to your apartment building, enjoying the walk. It’s a nice day, and the bustle of the city is comforting and lively. Your building isn’t far from the store, so it doesn't take you long at all to step into the lobby, heading right for the elevator.

There’s a guy in there when you step in, slouched against the wall, but he pays you no mind so you do the same, glad your floor is already pressed so you don't have to ask him to press it. The elevator begins moving upwards like normal, but somewhere around the third floor it jolts to a stop, and you catch yourself on the hand railing. You look over at the guy, just as the lights go out.

You swear they’re glowing a faint purple color, but before you can determine if your eyes are just playing tricks on you due to the sudden darkness, the backup lights kick on, illuminating everything dimly.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” you mutter, and the guy raises an eyebrow.

“Does this happen often?”

It doesn’t, actually, and you tell him as much. You’ve never had any problems with the elevator before this- sure, it was old, but you’d never got stuck or heard of anyone else getting stuck in it!

“Try the emergency phone,” you say, and the guy leans down, opening up the panel. He pulls the phone off of the receiver, but you’re dismayed to hear an odd, prolonged beep instead of the dial tone. “Crap, okay. I’m going to call my neighbor and tell him we’re stuck in here so he can let the landlady know.”

He simply nods so you pull up Beelzebub’s contact, pressing call. It only rings a few times before he thankfully picks up.

“MC? What’s up?”

“I’m stuck in the elevator,” you say, and hear him inhale sharply. “We seem stable enough, so I’m not super concerned about it, but I want to get out of here.”

“Tell him the phone doesn't work,” the guy says, and you nod.

“Who was that,” Beelzebub asks, apparently able to hear him.

"The guy who's also in here." You give the guy an awkward smile, feeling rude for talking about him when he can hear. “What’s your name,” you ask, and the guy yawns before answering.

“Belphegor.”

You repeat the name to Beelzebub, who makes a weird noise.

“Okay, weird coincidence, but I think you’re in there with my twin.” Beelzebub’s voice sounds a little strangled. You jerk your head over to Belphegor, who’s staring at the ground tiredly. He looks nothing like Beelzebub, but then again, neither did Asmodeus or Satan, and really, it’s not like he has a common name.

“No way,” you say, before raising your voice slightly. “Hey, are you related to Beelzebub?”

Belphegor’s eyes snap to yours, and again, you’re reminded of that eerie purple glow. Once is easy enough to pass off, but both his and Asmodeus’ eyes glowing? Weird.

Bigger problems, you remind yourself.

“Yeah, why?”

“I’m on the phone with him right now,” you say, putting Beelzebub on speakerphone. “Say hello.”

“Beel?” Belphegor asks. “This is your neighbor?”

“Uh, yes?” Beelzebub says. “Has Asmodeus been running his mouth again?”

“He always does.” Belphegor rolls his eyes. “Anyway, can you get us out of here? We’ve got to get to that meeting.”

Beelzebub chuckles. “Sure thing. I’ll call you back when I contact who I need to. Hang on.”

Beelzebub hands up then, leaving you and Belphegor in silence. “So, you’re his twin?” you venture and Belphegor flicks his bangs out of his eyes.

“I am. And you’re his neighbor. MC, right?”

Beelzebub must talk about you! Or Asmodeus, based on what Beelzebub had said on the phone. Either way, it was a thrilling thing to be aware of.

“That I am. It’s nice to meet you.”

You continue chatting for a few more minutes before you feel your phone buzz and eagerly answer it, putting Beelzebub on speakerphone once again.

“Bad news,” Beelzebub says, and your heart drops. What could he mean by that? “The landlady won’t answer. My next step is to call the fire department but I thought I should let you guys know first.”

“The fire department?” you echo, dismayed. The one time the landlady isn’t picking up…

“Beelzebub, we don’t have that kind of time,” Belphegor says. “We need to get to R.A.D. ASAP. Are we sure we can’t just tell them? There’s no other way.”

Tell you what?

“Lucifer’ll want to kill us,” Beelzebub says, and Belphegor shrugs, even though Beelzebub can’t see him.

“That’s nothing new. But really, you like them, don’t you? And they don’t seem like the type to blab.”

“I don’t appreciate being spoken about as if I’m not there,” you say, more firmly than you feel. “If one of you could please explain, that’d be great.”

“Sorry, MC,” Beelzebub apologizes, putting you a little bit at ease. “Belphie and I have an appointment we simply can not miss. It’s a matter of interworld diplomacy. What Belphie is about to do, you can’t tell anyone.”

Interworld diplomacy? “What’s he going to do?”

“Teleportation,” Belphegor answers, and your jaw drops.

“Okay, you guys are officially crazy,” you say, and Belphegor sighs. “Oh, god, I’m trapped in an elevator with an insane person.”

“We’re not crazy,” Beelzebub promises. “Look, just let Belphegor do his thing and you’ll be out of the elevator, safe and sound. Doesn’t that sound nice.”

Despite the ludicrousness of the entire situation, you can't help but trust Beelzebub, at least a little bit. “Fine,” you eventually say. “Please make this quick.”

You don’t believe you’re actually going to get teleported- after all, who would? - but it can't hurt to comply. You hang up the phone and Belphegor takes your hand, making you swallow nervously. What is he going to do?

Belphegor mutters something, too low for you to hear, and before you know it, you’re enveloped in that same glowing purple light you’d seen in his eyes earlier. You can’t describe how it feels to be displaced like that. It’s incredibly disorienting and when you get to your destination, you stumble. Beelzebub catches you as you look around wildly.

“You’re in my apartment,” Beelzebub soothes, and you realize that you are, in fact, where he says.

“Holy shit,” you say, “I just got teleported. What is wrong with you guys?”

“That’s not a very nice thing to say to someone who just got you out of a stuck elevator,” Belphegor says with another yawn. “But for your information, we’re demons.”

You stagger away from Beelzebub, sitting heavily on his couch. “Demons,” you echo reedily. “Of course.”

“I know this is a big shock,” Beelzebub says, “but it’s the truth. I’m Beelzebub, Avatar of Gluttony, and Belphie is the Avatar of Sloth. Satan and Asmo are Wrath and Lust, respectively.”

“Demons,” you say again. “Okay. Um, do you guys like, eat people?”

Beelzebub winces. “Um, only their souls. And only every once in a while. But!” he continues, seeing your expression, “I swear they’re bad people. And there’s a lot of paperwork involved. It’s definitely not my favorite activity.”

You put a hand to your forehead. “Wow. This is a lot.”

Beelzebub nods seriously. “I get that. If you don’t want to ever talk to me I understand.”

You look at him, meeting those now familiar eyes. His face is as open and sincere as always, and you're reminded of just how good he is. You don’t really know anything about demons, but none of them had seemed like agents of the underworld. He, and his brothers, had all been pretty cool.

“I don’t want that,” you admit. “But no more teleporting, got that?”

Relief breaks out across Beelzebub’s face. “Got it. Thank you for not running out of here screaming. Very few humans know about us.”

“So is there like a whole community of you or something?” you ask, but before Beelzebub can respond, Belphegor clears his throat.

“Beel, we’ve got to get to that meeting.”

“You’re right.” Beelzebub sighs. “MC, I promise I’ll answer any questions you have once we get back. You’re welcome to wait here if you wish, but of course, you can go back to your apartment too. It may take some time for us to return since I’ll have to file an incident report with Lucifer, my oldest brother, but I’ll text you when I’m almost done.”

“Okay,” you agree warily, and before you know it, Beelzebub and Belphegor are stepping through another purple portal. You’ve seen and experienced it, but you’re still having a hard time believing that people can freaking teleport.

Deciding you really need your bed, you make the trek back to your apartment, putting the almost forgotten about grocery bags on the counter. You let out a muffled yell into your blankets before rolling over onto your back. Fact: Beelzebub was a demon. Fact: Beelzebub was one of the sweetest, kindest people you’d ever met.

Okay, so what if they’re demons? you rationalize. It’s weird, yes, and unbelievable, but real, as proven by you getting freaking teleported. You’d always prided yourself on your ability to just roll with things so you could just add this to the list. Magic and demons and soul-eating we’re all things you could come to terms with.

Really, you almost think something’s wrong with you. You’re freaked, but not nearly as much as you should be. You’d already been picking up on weird things, like the fast, unexplainable movements, or the glowing eyes crap. You had been fine hanging with him when you had known that Beelzebub was a little strange, but now that you had a name for it you were being a chicken? Absolutely not.

The reveal hadn’t made a dent in the attraction you felt for Beelzebub. Really, your emotions were the same, it was just your mind that was struggling to come to terms with everything. You definitely still wanted to interact with Beelzebub, and really, it seemed like he wanted that too, so the only thing you could do - you would do - is get over it.

Mind made up, you rolled back out of bed. Beelzebub had said he was the Avatar of Gluttony, right? That surely applied to food, you think, remembering how you’d seen him eat. Maybe you could make him something.

When Beelzebub came back, Belphegor in tow, you were ready for them. You spent a long time discussing things, but in the end, you all agreed that this was okay, and it didn’t really change anything. You and Beelzebub were still friends, and now you were cool with Belphegor too, so everything was just fine.

(“Belphie,” Belphegore had said. “Call me Belphie.”

“Oh, if you’re doing that then call me Beel,” Beelzebub added, and you beamed at the both of them.)

They explained everything that was happening between the and Lucifer who was, apparently, pretty pissed that they had revealed themselves to you. According to Belphie, he’d been ready to punish them both when the prince of the entire realm had pardoned them. And oh yeah, the prince wanted to meet you, so that was something you’d be doing.

But really, everything was fine and you went to bed that night happy, a new contact for Belphie on your phone.

Which has led you to this: Asmodeus blowing up your phone, because, somehow, he’d gotten your number from Belphie.

“Who’s texting you so much?” Beel asks you, and you flip your screen to show him.

“Your brother. He sure is funny.” You’re not being serious, exactly, but Beelzebub’s eyes still snap to yours.

“He is? Not annoying? MC, I can get him to stop texting you if you want.”

His weird tone catches your attention and you frown. “No, it’s fine. Beel,” you say slowly, almost disbelieving, “are you jealous?”

Beel shrugs, looking down. “So what if I am? You were my, uh, friend first and I don’t want your attention to be monopolized.”

You squint at him. You’re pretty sure he likes you, and you don't exactly hide how you feel about him, but you hadn’t yet found the need to directly address it, liking the current relationship you have just fine.

There had been a shift, after your big talk about the demon thing, like he felt like he could finally be completely open with you. You’ve just been doing your best to take it in stride, something you hope he’s appreciated.

“Well, don’t worry about that,” you promise him. “You’re always going to be my favorite.”

Beel blushes then, and you hide your smile as you return to your phone, continuing the conversation with Asmodeus. You feel his eyes on you every once in a while, so you look up, smiling gently. You never could have thought that buying this apartment would have led to this whole new world and a guy like you’ve never found before. It’s amazing, really, and you don’t regret it for one second.

“What are you thinking about?” Beel asks, and you turn towards him.

“Why?”

“You’ve just got this look on your face. It’s really… I can’t explain it, but it's good.”

You laugh. “I’m thinking about how lucky I am to have met you. I can hardly imagine life without you and your brothers.”

“My time with you has been some of my best time on this earth,” Beel says, and the admission shocks you. You’ve been learning more and more about his history, so you know he’s had a lot of time. “And speaking of, some of my other brothers want to meet you. And Diavolo’s been asking about you.”

“As in, me to go down to the Devildom?”

Beel nods. “If you want. They don’t want to make you uncomfortable, though, so if you’d prefer to meet up here that’s viable too.”

“I’d love to go done there and meet everyone. Plus, I’d like to see your home and see you in your home element.” You stretch, cracking your back. “I’ve heard so much about this demon form that I’ve found I’m quite curious.”

“It’s not that cool,” Beel says, and you lean over to jab at him, lightly. You don’t want to break your fingers on his muscles, after all.

“Don’t say that! I’m sure it’s very cool!”

“Alright, alright,” Beel acquiesces, laughing. “I’ll start planning a visit then. It’s been too long since I’ve been down there for anything but business.”

“Good.”

Weekend bag packed, you knock on the door to Beel’s apartment, nervously gripping the strap. You’re reminded of the first time you had done this, when the food delivery service had gone to the wrong address. It feels like so long ago!

“You ready?” Beel asks, opening the door. “I’ve got everything set up.”

“Let’s do this,” you say, with a little more confidence than you feel. You’re still not that comfortable with magic, and the idea of meeting everyone is a little nerve-wracking. But you’re excited, too.

“Awesome,” Beel says, leading you to the living room. He performs the same incantation (you think that’s what it’s called?) as Belphie had, and a portal opens up. It’s red, this time, and you wonder if that has to do with the fact that it was Beel who made it. You’ll have to ask at some point.

Beel takes your hand, and you warm at the touch. His palm is rough and his hand almost dwarves yours, reminding you of just how large Beel is, something you’d grown used to in your time spent with him. He gives you another one of those earnest, sweet grins and waits for you to step through, letting you go at your own pace.

It’s less disorienting, this time, maybe because you’ve teleported once before, but it’s still a shock to look around and see a place so odd-looking. The sky is dark and red-tinges, and a large manor stands in front of you, dead trees ringed around it. A crow, or something like it, caws in the distance, and involuntarily, you shiver.

“All right?” Beel asks, and you nod.

“So this is the Devildom, huh? It’s really cool!”

“I’m glad you think so.” Beel makes no move to pull his hand from yours so you keep yours there as well. “This is my brothers and I’s home, the House of Lamentation.”

“Sick name,” you murmur as Beel leads you through the thick, wrought iron gate. Brown grass covers the ground, and bushes and other plants edge the house, but they’re nothing like you’ve ever seen before. it’s absolutely amazing. As you get up closer to the house, someone opens the door and welcomes you in.

“Hello,” he says, “I am Lucifer, eldest and Avatar of Pride. It is an honor to meet you.” His sharp red eyes flick down to your joined hands and you sheepishly pull away to shake his hand.

“It’s very nice to meet you too,” you say. “I’m MC. You have a beautiful home.”

“Thank you,” Lucifer says. “Everyone is in the sitting room if you’d like to proceed there.”

He’s much more old-fashioned than his brothers, but it suits him well. He leads you through the twisting halls with ease, pace measured. You trail behind, looking at everything with wide eyes. Only Beel’s hand on your back keeps you from slowing to a stop to examine anything further.

Everyone stands when you walk in, and you notice Asmodeus sending you a fluttering wave. You return it, making him beam. You go through introductions and it’s nice to finally be able to put a face to some of the names. You feel like you know them all already, at least a little bit, from Beel’s stories and anecdotes.

“And this is Lord Diavolo,” Lucifer says, gesturing to a red-headed man. He grins at you, canines sharp in the light.

“Um, I’m afraid I don’t know the rules here, so should I bow or something?" you ask, and he laughs.

“Not it all. It’s so nice to finally meet you! When the twins told me they revealed themselves to you, I was so surprised. They tend to stick to themselves and are pretty fastidious in their efforts to remain concealed.”

“As I said, it was an emergency,” Belphie intones, and Diavolo laughs again.

“I know, I know. I’m merely teasing. I think it’s nice Beelzebub’s made a friend. Or maybe more,” he amends, raising an eyebrow, and your cheeks heat.

You spend the next few minutes getting to know them all better before Diavolo sighs, lacing his fingers together. “MC, I’ll admit I had a special reason for wanting to meet you. I think it’s time Beelzebub comes back to the Devildom.”

Your stomach drops. Never in a million years could you have imagined that this is what he wanted to talk with you about!

“Wha-” Beel begins, but you cut him off.

“Of course. I understand. Beel is very important to you all and does important work for the Devildom. I totally get it.” Your hands are clenched into fists and you have to choke the words out.

“No, please, you didn't let me finish,” Diavolo says concernedly. “I wanted to invite you to take part in an exchange program. You’d join us down here for a year, attending our school. It’s part of my diplomacy plan to bring this, the human realm, and the angel realm closer together.”

The relief you feel is heady; you can barely hear him over your heartbeat, elation soaring through you.

“Now, I’d understand if you needed some time to think about it,” Diavolo continues. “A year is a long time and you have a life up in the human realm.”

“No,” you blurt out. “I’d love it.”

Diavolo grins again, clapping his hands. “Great! I’m glad we got that out of the way. I’ll have Barbatos draw up the paperwork and get you all of the official information and everything, but for now, we should continue to talk!”

Conversation flows easily and freely among you all. All of the brothers are so different and fun and you can easily see yourself falling into place among them. It almost feels as if you were meant for this, meant to be with them. But no, you’re just being silly.

Beel seems so happy with them. Even when he’s not talking, he’s got a little smile on your face, paying attention to whoever's speaking. It’s cute, and he definitely catches you looking at him more than once.

Eventually, real life catches up with them all, and you break apart so everyone can take care of their business. For you that's getting settled into your room, making yourself at home. It’s the first time you and Beel have been alone since you’d arrived, and you can’t help but wonder what he thought of your decision to join the exchange program.

“This is wonderful!” you gush, looking at the tree in the middle of the room. “Everything is so cool.”

“I’m glad you think so,” Beel says, rubbing the back of his head. “You know, since you’ll be here for a whole year and all.”

“Are you okay with that?” you ask seriously. “I said yes but if you’d rather me not come down here then I’d totally respect that too.”

“Of course I am!” Beel exclaims. “Why would you think that! I’d love having you down here, I love y-” He cuts off suddenly, snapping his mouth shut, eyes wide. You gape at him. There’s only one thing that that sentence could have finished with, and though you’ve known he’s liked you, you had no idea his feelings ran that deep.

Not that you’re complaining, though.

“What was that?’ you ask sweetly, drawing up closer to him. His ears are red again.

“I, um, like you a lot,” Beel says, and you can’t stop a smile from spreading across your face.

“I like you a lot too.” You’re almost in his space then, but he doesn’t look like he particularly minds. “I’m glad we’re on the same page, then. Otherwise, this would be a bit awkward.”

Pulling him down to your level is a bit awkward, but Beel complies easily enough. His lips are warm, like the rest of him, and slightly chapped. All in all, it’s the best kiss you’ve ever had and you don’t hesitate to take a second, then a third, continuing until you lose count.

“Was that okay?” you ask, looking up at him. “I probably should have asked or something.”

“More than okay,” Beel replies, cupping your jaw with his hand. It makes your heart race like the first time you’d seen him and you hope that feeling never goes away. “MC, I-”

Whatever he’s going to say gets cut off again, this time, by someone else.

“Whoah!” Mammon says from the doorway. “Ya should've shut the door if you were going to do that. Wait a damn minute, you two are doing that! I won the bet!” He cackles. “I’m rich.”

“Go away, Mammon,” Beel says, pushing the door shut. Vaguely, you can still hear him crowing about his victory, but soon enough you’re distracted by Beel kissing you again.

As he pulls you into him, wrapping those strong arms around you, you think Ah, life is good . You’re about to spend a year in the coolest place ever, with the coolest people ever, and you’re kissing your boyfriend? partner? (whatever, you’ll figure that out later) who’s the hottest guy you’d ever laid your eyes on. You’ve never felt more thankful for your dumb decision to carry more than you were able to.

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