❝𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭?.❞
; A new exchange student is welcomed in the Devildom. After noticing that you already have made that place your home, he tries to steal everything you have for jealousy. Unluckily for him, that's not how things turn out.
; All the brothers, Diavolo and Barbatos, Solomon, Simeon and Luke.
After your success in the Devildom, Diavolo wisely decided to bring another ordinary human into his realm. You used to associate with demons, benevolent angels, grim reapers and cunning sorcerers. Now that you had spent several years in the Devildom, with no intention of returning home, Diavolo seemed determined to bring another ordinary human into the devildom, to have companions like you.
Since you were an extraordinarily curious and open-minded human who found yourself in a world inhabited by extraordinary creatures, you had acquired a vast knowledge and a great education thanks to the influence of so many different characters from various species. This had undoubtedly allowed you to be much more cultured and educated than normal.
When the new individual was brought into devildom and faced with demons, his reaction was to be extremely surprised, frightened and even incredulous, just as any average human would have done. He immediately noticed the clear difference between the human world and the demonic one, even if they didn't have wings or horns.
He began to scream and cry desperately, terrified by their presence, and also by the fact that he had awakened in an unknown place, looking tense.
While Diavolo and Barbatos didn't mind, as they considered the newcomer's behavior "quite human" and even found it amusing, Lucifer and Asmodeus were irritated.
During the meeting, in fact, Lucifer's irritation was clearly noticed, who seemed to be the most annoyed of all by the human's attitude. His patience had been tested, and his expression had become increasingly tense and impatient.
Asmodeus, on the other hand, looked at the human with a certain amount of confusion and disgust, while he followed all his movements with his eyes, while the mortal tried to leave the room, even if the door have been locked by Barbatos as soon as they had reunited.
Among those present there was also Satan, who observed the scene with a certain indifference, as if he didn't care too much about the human and his reaction. Mammon, on the other hand, had arrived punctually that time and had sat down, surprisingly, in silence.
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«HAH! I WIN! Again!» you yelled vigorously, throwing a triumphant fist in the air. Leviathan sighed in frustration, gripping the joystick hard in his hands while you were extremely excited about your surprising victory. «Ugh, I can't believe I lost. This is so embarrassing» he murmured to himself, scratching the back of his neck embarrassedly. Turning to look at him, you could see the blush building rapidly in his cheeks and just laughed, he was adorable. «Oh come on, Levi! we-» but your sentence was cut short by the sound of Leviathan's bedroom door being slammed as the white-haired figure entered the room.
«Yo, guys. The human is going to stay here!» Mammon didn't look very enthusiastic, in fact he looked irritated. You didn't know if it was because the human in question had to stay in the house with you, or because Lucifer had forced him to go and warn you.
Leviathan blinked slowly, as if he were trying to understand the words spoken by the avatar of greed. Then, making a soft "gasp," he suddenly leapt to his feet, making you jump at the unexpected gesture. «What? A normie is going to stay here?! No way!» he complained immediately, frowning and placing the joystick next to yours on the ground.
You sat up, placing a gentle hand on Leviathan's broad shoulder, looking into his large eyes. You looked at Mammon too, noting his bothered look before they both turned to you. «Come on, it won't be that bad! And I am a human too, do you know?» you chuckled softly, trying to instill some courage in the two demons. «It's different» Mammon murmured, looking a little skeptical, and Leviathan nodded to his words, gesturing lightly and a little carelessly.
«You are like.. like Solomon! He's a human, right? Still, he doesn't seem like it at all!» you blinked rapidly, staring intently at Leviathan. You then turned to deftly pick up the soft joysticks, turning off the addictive game you were facing. You felt the ominous scrutiny of the demons behind you. «Solomon and I aren't that different. We just hold a little power within us, that's it» you chuckled with a sly smile, turning towards them once everything was settled.
Mammon crossed his arms with a gesture of feigned nonchalance «Well, they are about to come back. let's hope he won't destroy anything at least here» you and Levi stopped from fixing the tub where you had slept together that night, turning abruptly towards Mammon. Leviathan raised an eyebrow, puzzled, while you gave Mammon a suspicious look.
«Destroy anything?» Leviathan asked, repeating his older brother's words, stepping back and lifting his head slightly to look into his eyes. «Pardon?» your nervous laugh indicated that you did not expect such situation to happen, and Leviathan's expression indicated that he did not expect it either.
Mammon was visibly intent on answering you, but before he could open his mouth Asmodeus' high, impetuous voice was heard as he flanked his white-haired brother. «Oh my, Mc! Lucifer sent me to deliver an urgent message. We're back, and he wants you to know that you're absolutely needed. So make sure you're ready, okay?» he announced firmly. The boy turned towards you, smiling with his usual sweetness and kindness, and you nodded, leaving the room while Leviathan followed you closely with a reserved and careful attitude.
Silently arriving in the living room, you noticed that all the many brothers were sitting around the soft sofa, forming a circle around the helpless figure of a human. The poor fellow, who had his head down, was helpless and frightened in the face of the presence of demons. You couldn't see his face, though, as it was lowered and covered in tousled black hair.
To his right stood imposing Lucifer, who scrutinized him, Beelzebub, who seemed more attentive to the cereal he had probably recovered as soon as he got home, and Belphegor, who was watching you as soon as you stepped inside the room.
To his left stood Satan, who as in the meeting was indifferent, Asmodeus, who seemed he couldn't wait to leave, and Leviathan would probably have sat down too, who instead remained behind you looking at the human with judging eyes.
You decided to approach them, advancing into the living room and immediately noticing the fireplace which was missing the fire that usually crackled happily and without problems. Your arrival in front of everyone brought a wide smile to Asmodeus' lips. «Mc, I trust we have already discussed the matter of the new exchange student with you. Allow me to introduce Simone, who as you can see, appears rather uneasy and hesitant to engage with us. It occurred to me that you might be better suited to approach him, since I believe he will respond more favorably to your company than he does to ours.» Lucifer spoke as he got up off the couch, after clearing his throat.
You understood perfectly what he wanted to tell you, so you nodded lightly, carefully observing the human. Realizing that to have a private conversation you needed to be alone, all the other brothers followed the Avatar of Pride and got off the couch, while Mammon loudly complained why he couldn't stay with you. He was dragged away by Leviathan, who seemed to understand the situation better than his older brother did, leaving you and the human in a relaxing and serene stillness.
«You can talk. How do you feel?» you asked as you carefully lit the fireplace, carefully bending over to observe how the flame slowly began to crackle, a smile lit up your face as the gentle warmth enveloped you in a delicate caress. But despite this, you heard no response to your words. So, with a slow but decisive movement, you turned towards Simone, approaching and going to sit next to him, observing him carefully.
He had his head raised, staring into the fire with an intense and concentrated gaze, while his green eyes sparkled with an intensity that vaguely reminded you of Satan.
«I feel.. I don't know how I feel. I felt so much strong emotions that now I feel empty» he whispered softly, turning slowly to meet your gaze. You nodded, pulling your gaze away from his. «Mhm… well. Would you mind if I explain to you how this year will be? Lord Diavolo must have told you the basic» smiling softly, you patted his shoulder «I'm Mc, by the way. Nice to meet you» you tenderly held out your hand smiling slightly, and he took it, squeezing it weakly.
After that, you began to explain to him how the year had gone for you; without going into detail about the brothers' private information, of course. You explained to him how at the beginning you too weren't so sure about how it was going and you didn't trust anyone, then proceeding by explaining how living in that house had made the brothers your second family, and how not everyone in the devildom was bad. A bit like the human world, after all.
Then you started talking about the brothers individually. Saying how cold Lucifer could be, but knowing deeply he loved the people he cared about, how it was best not to leave your wallet unattended in front of Mammon, how sensitive Leviathan was truly, how Satan was admirable for his self-control despite his avatar, how Asmodeus could be the best friend of the century, how reliable Beelzebub could be, just don't leave him alone with food, and how Belphegor was kind, and despite his laziness he always did something for you.
«You truly got nothing to fear. And plus, they can't hurt you. You are under the custody of Lord Diavolo. If they dare to hurt you, they will face strict consequences» you spoke softly again, as if you wanted to conclude your explanation in a reassuring way, squeezing his arm with a delicate and comforting grip. You hoped that gesture could somehow contribute to calming all the anxiety that probably tormented Simone, making him more serene in some way.
You looked up at the clock and noticed that it had been more than two hours since you'd started talking. You blinked, realizing that time flew faster than you planned. «I have to go out with Asmodeus in 15 minutes» you said, turning towards him.
He seemed visibly alarmed, suddenly panicked. His wide eyes showed his growing anxiety, while his hands trembled slightly. He probably didn't want to be there alone now that he just trusted someone.
But you just couldn't miss that exit. Asmodeus had been looking for the perfect date and moment for months, since you had always refused every time. If you'd said no to him that time too, he'd probably drag you along with a ruthless and inexorable determination.
«A-and what will I do?» was what the young man said in a deeply disconsolate and uncertain tone, while you sighed playing with your fingers, resting your elbows on your knees, sensing the tense atmosphere given the boy's negative emotions. With a sudden smile, as if the idea that had just occurred to you was absolutely brilliant, you proposed: «..you could stay in my room until I come back. Then, I will make you see the whole house!» He looked at you with that same sad, lost look, and proceeded to nod slowly. «I guess that could do..»
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«Oh, Mc! Like always, I had sooo much fun with you! We absolutely have to do it again!» Asmodeus exclaimed extremely excited, as he waved his hands briskly. His room was perfumed as always, full of flowers of all kinds and colors. His soft bed was completely covered with bags and purses fresh from his grueling shopping.
«Yeah, If only we wouldn't meet that demon during our path, I could have said the same thing» you snapped with a hint of anger evident in your voice. You crossed your arms across your chest, staring at Asmodeus with a sharp gaze, while he gave a guilty smile.
«Oh come on! Who could sell that trashy outfit so much money?! Not even Mammon could do that!» He clumsily tried to justify himself, and you let him be with a disinterested wave of your hand, almost defiantly, laughing softly with a smile on your lips.
«By the way, now It's better if I head back to my room. I left Simone there and I have to show him around» You slowly approached the heavy wooden door while talking to Asmodeus. behind you, his face twisted into a confused expression, raising a perfectly drawn eyebrow. «Who?» he asked, advancing towards you with determined steps.
«Simone. It's the new exchange student, did you already forget him?» you replied, looking up at the demon.
Asmodeus suddenly seemed to light up, but then grimaced in disappointment and folded his mighty arms across his chest. «Can't you do that later?» he asked in a pleading tone of voice «We can have fun here together now!» he tried to convince you, but you, with determination, managed to get out of his room in a few quick minutes; although you didn't mind spending time with Asmodeus, at that precise moment you felt the need to lend your help to Simone, who needed your support.
«Hey, Simone, I'm back!» You entered your cozy bedroom as your host pounded the nightstand drawer closed hard, turning abruptly towards you. He jumped up onto your soft mattress, creating a slight jolt. Batting your eyelashes, you giggled, closing the door. «You must be bored, right?» you asked with a raised eyebrow, scanning his uncertain face. Simone sighed, shaking his head in disappointment and frustration.
«It's not that.. I just had to distract. I heard them walking around, always getting closer and I was scared they would come in» he admitted, sighing bitterly. You didn't understand why he was so afraid of them, they wouldn't hurt him. «Oh.. well» with a bright and wide smile, you put your hands on your hips.
«Let's bring you to a whole trip to the House of Lamentation, where you will stay!» you said excitedly, your hands frantically clapping against each other, before throwing your bedroom door open wide again. With a quick gesture, as if you were signaling someone to leave, you pointed to the outside of the room.
He followed your will, getting up from your bed and walking towards the exit, but then turned to you with an expectant expression, waiting for you too to exit your room to start the tour.
After probably an hour of exploration during which you met the brothers in the different rooms, you managed to show Simone every corner of the house.
In the spacious kitchen you had met Beelzebub, who greedily emptied the refrigerator, throwing open the door extracting every delicacy from the freezer. His nimble hands moved quickly, as if he was trying to steal the food undetected. It was evident that his insatiable appetite had brought him to that room.
In the library, you had met Satan, who seemed to have fallen asleep with a book on his chest. Beams from the moon filtered through the blinds, illuminating the room with a dim, soothing white light. His figure looked so peaceful and serene, as if nothing could disturb his sleep. However, your talking and moving around the room had woken him.
Finally, in the spacious living room, you had met Belphegor, who was lying fast asleep on the sofa. His figure was so still and peaceful that he almost looked like a statue. Even if you tried to talk to him, there was no waking him up. he was so sound asleep that nothing could disturb his sleep.
«And that's it! This is the whole house, you will sleep on my room, I might have some mattress, somewhere.. or I just ask Lucifer one, since you have to sleep somewhere and they doesn't seem to have bothered to give you a place to stay at yet» you huffed impatiently, shaking your head with a gesture of disapproval. He nodded slowly, his expression had eased, as if a weight had been lifted from his thoughts; he wasn't going to sleep alone.
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The month flew by quickly. For Simone, things weren't going the way they had with you, but he still was able to speak more freely with Mammon and Asmodeus than the other demons. Despite this, he continued to experience a strong fear that Beelzebub would devour him, while Belphegor gave him negative and disturbing sensations, as he told you.
But in the last busy week, your company wanted to spend more and more time with you and your friends; Sometimes you hang out with four demons in your class, and other times you had fun with the gang of radiant angels and the human with unusual behavior to say the least. But Simone, insistently, always wanted to be in your company, causing no small amount of stress. You weren't constantly free to please him, and you couldn't take him with you wherever you went. Moreover, your closest friends didn't take a like on him, which surprised you a lot, considering that Simeon and Luke usually liked everyone.
Solomon was known for his imperturbability in the face of even the most boring situations. Despite this, he could not hide his frustration at the fact that your magic lessons and practices were often disturbed by Simone's constant interruptions, which did not allow you to concentrate adequately. While you loved spending time with Solomon brewing magic potions, Simone's constant presence made it difficult to find a quiet moment. Solomon often made sarcastic remarks, complaining that he couldn't carry on his work in peace.
And one evening, while you were preparing to go out with Belphegor and Beelzebub, you stopped him firmly before he could utter the classic words "Can I come?". «I'm sorry, Simone. You have to stop incessantly sticking around me like this. Try to socialize with Mammon or Asmodeus instead. They will be delighted to spend some time with you, but for now, please leave me be», you looked at him, while you adjusted the shirt you had worn that evening, carefully checking that everything was perfect in the mirror.
The young man showed a disappointed pout on his face, as he let out a deep disconsolate sigh. «But..» he looked at you, crossing his arms on his chest «I appreciate you like to stay with me, you are friendly and I like you.. but you should also make your own friends, not only stick around with me. Also because we won't stay together forever, just this year»
Simone looked at you. You felt guilty, but it was also stressfull; You didn't mind hanging out with him, but not if he always started being clingy, getting in the way of your important activities.
«Alright, I get it. Sorry to pressure you» Simone nodded, and you smiled at him lightly, giving him a quick and reassuring hug, before gently pulling away and leaving the room with an affectionate greeting. After all, Belphegor and Beelzebub were waiting impatiently for you, and you didn't want to keep them waiting too long.
After changing his attitude towards you, Simone seemed to find comfort and security in acting like you. You didn't know if this situation was worse or better than the previous one. Surprisingly, he started talking and acting like you with the brothers, who at first didn't seem to find anything strangeness in this, in fact, they appreciated it.
Over time, Simone managed to bond with all the brothers by adopting your affable character. It was as if they had the opportunity to get to know the same person again. You wondered what pleasure or satisfaction Simone felt in imitating you so shamelessly.
Leviathan and Mammon often went out with him, sharing moments of fun and laughter, while Belphegor willingly allowed himself afternoon sleeps in his company. Beelzebub also tried to share food with him, at least when he managed to leave some.
It wouldn't have bothered you (since it was pretty evident how the brothers weren't replacing you at all but just spending time with another friend) if it weren't for the fact that he kept imitating you, seeming to do the opposite of what he used to do; he tried to shut you out, as if he wanted to see you isolated and alone. He had even tried to do it with other people outside of the brothers. You could not deny that his behavior deeply hurt and upset you.
- «Hey, Belphie, weren't we supposed to hang out together?»
- «Heh, don't worry, Mc, I haven't forgotten about our plans. Simone keeps trying to lure me away with promises of hanging out with just him and Beel, but I assured you that we'll be together tomorrow. I promise»
- «Mammon, shouldn't we hang out?»
- «Tch, I already told that human we're gonna be hangin' out in private, but don't get the wrong idea! You better show up when I call you to meet me at Majolish. We're just gonna be hangin' out and keep it casual, alright?»
- «Angel, weren't we supposed to..?»
- «I know, I know.. *sigh* Simone was adamant about spending time with me alone, so I couldn't refuse. the only thing we truly have in common is the name. We have to find another opportunity to hang out together. I promised you that»
It was clearly noticeable that Simone's behavior was starting to disturb everyone more and more, but you had decided to fight evil with evil. He also started to do the things they usually asked you to do, such as, for example, passing a specific sauce or a drink on the table, or helping them to do something, and the petty little mischief that he was starting to do to you (if you told the brothers it was his business). You would have acted cleverly. And that's exactly what you did.
You really started to be an annoying obstacle to him; you didn't give him time to talk, to dialogue with the brothers because you did. Even if they asked him, you did the requested favors. You were the one who started insisting on hanging out, and the brothers sure couldn't pick a human who'd been there a month over you.
It was a battle already won, but you liked playing it smart.
Like that evening; well, Mammon had, as usual, made a huge mess of debt. And so there you are, for the second time, working in adorable bunny outfits. The last time you went you were perfect.
As soon as the human saw how Asmodeus was rummaging from the sofa in a large suitcase full of colorful outfits and rabbit crowns, he became curious. It didn't take long for Lucifer to explain the situation to him. He repented soon after, of course.
«Can I come?» pleaded Simone while you were in difficulty, since the idea of going there meant that YOU would have to supervise their work and make sure that they didn't stop even for a moment, while they couldn't allow themselves a single instant of rest. In particular, Leviathan was very concerned, due to his known problem with interacting with people.
You were in the living room, Simone observed with curiosity how Asmodeus was looking for those clothes that he had jealously guarded, hoping to find them. «I always waited for this day!! Oh, Mc, you were so cute in that outfit, I can't wait for you to wear it again!» the avatar of Lust didn't seem to hear Simone's words, who cleared his throat and put a hand on his shoulder, while he turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.
«I asked if I can come too?» he repeated his question in a firm tone, and you looked at him with an air of disapproval and uncertainty. You knew exactly what he intended to do and, deep down, you were aware that he wouldn't take the job seriously. Your thoughts were stopped by the sharp words of Belphegor, who proved to be against the idea: «I think we are enough already» Even his twin, reasoning with the lazy boy, added: «Yeah, the others will work there too»
Raising a puzzled eyebrow, you and Simone quickly turned to look at the twins, while Asmodeus again began to carefully sort all the clothes, to prepare everything to be elegantly worn; you were to attend that very night, after all.
«Yeah, Solomon, Simeon and Luke will be there too!» Asmodeus spoke incredibly excitedly as he threw their respective masters' clothes, throwing yours as well. At the mere mention of Solomon's name, Simone seemed to be even more determined to go too, an aura of irrepressible enthusiasm enveloped him. He would have done everything, without any hesitation, to get to know him deeply, to spend time with him. The mystery around the sorcerer seemed irresistibly fascinating and magnetic for Simone, an enigma to be discovered at any cost.
«I want to come tho» He complained bitterly, and you smiled victorious and arrogantly, knowing that this time he wasn't going to win, while you would go. But your boastful victory was crushed by Mammon's enthusiastic words. «Yeah sure, why not?! C'mon, the more, the best! We will finish this job like nothin'!» You were pleased that despite the fault being his, he was so positive and bold, but why Simone? You really preferred that he not get in the way, but he always seemed to find a way to do it. It made you deeply angry.
Unexpectedly, your penetrating and fleeting gaze fell on Mammon's; this generated a sudden explosion of confused and disconnected babbling, before subsiding into an awkward silence. However, the avatar of Greed's words unleashed a wave of complaints from Leviathan as well, who, with his arms folded across his chest, began to speak vehemently against Mammon's words. «It's already hard this way, if another will be there to see ME act like a perfect moron and-- dance!» he bit his lip, frowning in an expression of pure shame as he clenched his fists hard. «I might just DIE!» he concluded his sentence, glaring at Mammon accusingly, while stamping his foot on the ground in a capricious and childish way.
«Calm down, Levi. I am sure everything will be fine. This time, it's just a day, alright?» you calmly tried to calm Leviathan's agitation, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. «I am sure that with me you will feel better!» Simone joined the scene, almost pushing you aside to wrap an arm around Leviathan's shoulders as he spoke in a reassuringly cheerful way. Your face darkened and you grit your teeth, turning decisively away. Leviathan, much to Simone's displeasure, didn't seem very comfortable with that sudden contact, emitting a nervous giggle. «I- I guess..» he murmured, scanning the other brothers for help.
«So... He's coming?» you spat acid after a few seconds of awkward silence, while you watched the brothers with your arms folded across your chest in defiance. Simone pulled away from Leviathan, showing a dazzling toothy smile, while Lucifer blinked with a certain disinterest, although he held his outfit in his arms with maniacal care. «I should ask-» Lucifer began to say, but was abruptly interrupted by Simone who began to pray, begging to be able to help at any cost, because "he was dying to be able to help."
Eventually, he too received his own uniform; it was a black and white uniform. It deeply irritated you that he too would be present in the work field, creating further distractions and complications. And above all… you knew that he would spend the entire time chasing Solomon everywhere, unable to concentrate on his work. it seemed incredible to you that you had to follow him too to make him do his duty. At least Simeon and Luke, who you knew well, would have helped keep everyone on the line.
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«MAMMON.» The demon jumped suddenly. His circlet, once fixed on his head, crashed to the ground. He spun around, glancing at you with a bewildered expression painted on his face. It had already happened an innumerable number of times that evening: the demon seemed distracted by who knows what, and had been going on like that for hours.
Leviathan seemed to take the job he'd been given seriously, but his inability to do everything himself forced him to enlist the help of Solomon or Luke to deliver orders.
Lucifer was incredibly dexterous and was able to perform every task with mastery, without having to utter a single word. Satan, sadly, was a little too enthusiastic and in that area, infested with too many cats for your liking, he seemed almost overly joyful.
Asmodeus, on the other hand, was not very practical and often complained of sweating, having sore feet and dirty hands because of trays. Despite repeated scoldings to invite him to recover, he continued to be clumsy and inexperienced. You tried to console him, reminding him that it was only that night.
Beelzebub was constantly watched with a hawk's eye, otherwise he would greedily devour everything that was on the trays entrusted to him. Every now and then you pretended not to notice Belphegor going to sleep, because if anyone dared disturb him he became seriously nervous and work with a frown.
Simeon and Luke were extremely conscientious and took every task with an almost sacred seriousness, while Solomon… well, as you'd expect, Simone kept bothering him constantly, following him everywhere, doing his job and hindering the wizard's.
At the time, you had devoted yourself to examining the orders, a long list written by Belphegor. «How large is that family..» you muttered to yourself, before feeling someone hit your back violently. The blow was so strong and unexpected that you almost fell to the ground, while an annoying laugh echoed in your ear. You couldn't stand that obnoxious exchange student.
You were so incredibly close to yelling every insult you could think of in his face, but you couldn't afford to completely lose control like that. His amused and mocking smile made your blood boil in your veins. You turned on him, furious as ever, but then suddenly someone yelled his name, making him jump. Simeon approached you. «My apologies, but we must hurry.» his tone was cold and impatient as he stared at you. He turned his gaze towards the human next to you «Simone, please quicken your peace and refrain from distracting others. The order is awaiting us, stop wasting our time.»
Simeon indicated with his arm the place where Simone had to go, staring at him with furrowed eyebrows and tense face, pushing him decisively to make him move. Simone quickly ran towards the place, realizing that Simeon was very close to losing his temper.
«Ugh, I wish he didn't come» You murmured dejected, while Simeon looked at him with impatience and growing anger, before sighing and turning his gaze towards you. «I'm sorry, Mc...» he gave a slight smile, then extended his hand with a gentle gesture; you handed him the paper, which he took.
«Don't worry, just be patient. We are managing decently well, It will be over soon!»
«I am on the brink of consigning him to the abyss of oblivion.»
«Haha, that's funny..» Simeon slowly turned to look at Solomon, who meanwhile seemed quite annoyed and slightly impatient; he wasn't even too disheveled, while he absently ran a hand through his white tuft. However, he was certainly extremely stressed both for work and for Simone, who at that moment, with a slow and somewhat uncertain step, was approaching.
You had sincere empathy for Solomon, but sadly there wasn't much I could do to stop Simone from continuing with his behavior. Despite this, you had to admit that the boy did his job with some competence, delivering the things assigned to him with some efficiency. However, after the seventieth time you had to stop Simone from distracting himself, and even from trying to cast some curse spell on Solomon (who answered with a bitter smile at every word), you had sincerely had enough.
The situation had become increasingly frustrating, as Simone seemed unable to concentrate on his task anymore and kept getting in the way of Solomon's work. Despite your repeated reminders, the boy didn't seem to understand the importance of the thing you all were there for and kept behaving in an unprofessional manner.
Taking Simone's arm decisively, you also touched Simeon's from behind, who was immersed in the concentration of orders at a table. «I am going to have a talk with Simone. Can you handle everything for a few minutes?» you asked, noticing a slight understanding smile on Simeon's face. With that gesture, you pushed the other human away from other people's eyes. «Well?» asked Simone, confused by your unexpected action.
«....well?.» you repeated through clenched teeth, crossing your arms and moving your back down, slamming it hard against the wall and putting all your weight there. «Just what do you even think you are doing?! I knew you would come here just to bother», you spoke with fierce anger, and he too seemed to get angry, as if you were telling a lie. His presence annoyed you, even if it was you who brought him there.
«Me? What are you talking about? Until proven otherwise, I believe YOU brought me here, I was working!» You raised an eyebrow as you smirked, accentuating your defiant expression. «Do you call following Solomon around work? Do you call trying to obstruct my actions work?» you growled, while you visibly darkened, giving off a negative aura. You ran a hand through your hair, which was sweaty and messy from your frantic activity, and was surprised that you weren't out of breath despite your agitated and tense state.
«I wasn't--» «Don't even bother denying.» you placed a finger in front of his lips, staring at him intently. A sly smile crept onto your lips as your other hand rested on his shoulder. «You aren't playing nice, Simone. but I am really sick of seeing you trying to poorly replace me. So..» giggling mockingly, you pushed him back forcefully, making his balance falter and risking a disastrous fall. «I won't play nice either. have fun on this job.» and with that, you walked out the back of the club and left him alone.
He blinked, staring at the door with a blank, unfocused expression. He shouldn't worry too much, you were both human beings, in a world populated by demons. But the situation made him feel vulnerable. Why were you so cheeky, just because you had a pact with all the brothers? He clenched his fists hard and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He wouldn't let you win, he told himself determinedly.
But you warned him explicitly; in addition to the fact that every time Simone had something in his hand you took it from him with a quick and precise gesture, and that when he went to assist a table, you took his place with disarming ease and took the orderin before him, without hesitation. You weren't sticky with the sorcerer, you simply stayed close to him, until Simone walked away.
«Is this better?» You asked in a calm voice, after noticing that the room had been empty for a few minutes and that there was no other customer waiting. Solomon absently ran a hand through his hair, involuntarily dropping the headband to the ground. You promptly bent down to pick it up for him, noticing how his ears shone in the soft light of the room. «Oh... i guess it is, thank you Mc», said the boy with a slight laugh, as he took the headband back in his fingers and enjoyed playing with one of the bunny ears that adorned it.
Mammon approached rapidly, placing his hands on your shoulders, while his bright and curious gaze scrutinized your face. «Yo Mc!!» he exclaimed enthusiastically, «You should come check this!» he invited you, showing you his phone. it was one of those games as popular as they were deceptive, from which they promised to earn easy and free money. You had already tried to convince him that most of them were scams or otherwise unreliable, but he didn't seem to care in the least, and kept hammering on his point of view.
Smiling smugly and rolling your eyes, you put an arm around his shoulders, causing him to wince slightly and stop to your humble height, since he was up while you were sitting. «Great Mammon, didn't I already tell you to not trust these things? they could probably be more fake than real» you tried to reason with the greedy brother, who meanwhile was sulking slightly; his cheeks were still red from the previous action.
Solomon was called by Asmodeus and Leviathan, who seemed eager to do something and needed his help and skills. You didn't see Simone around you, and you began to wonder anxiously where he had gone; you didn't want to lose sight of him, fearing that he might do something troublesome.
«Hey Mammon, have you seen Simone?» the boy seemed so focused on the phone (his fingers were so fast on the screen that you thought he could be a robot sometimes) that surely he hadn't heard your words, because he didn't even give you a look.
Removing your arm from his shoulders and rising from the stool where you were sitting, you cracked your back aching from the uncomfortable posture, emitting a soft moan of relief. Then, looking around carefully, you noticed Simone going out of the room with two girls, whose long tails of hair flowed sinuous to the rhythm of their slow steps; something was wrong. You squint, raising an eyebrow in perplexity and suspicion, and decides to walk over to see what was happening. You stopped behind the corner of the wall, hidden in the shade, and you could distinctly hear their whispered words, crossing your arms and standing still waiting to understand what their intent was.
«We don't understand how the brothers prefer Mc over you» a female voice was heard, and you raised an eyebrow. "What a bitch, talking bad about me?"
«I know, that's why I am trying to take their place. As you can see, tho, it's not easy. They are so attached to them» he groaned sighing.
«You don't have much time either. The year is about to end, and you will go back home. Plus, Mc stays here more and they come back a lot of times during the year, despite the program that end» the other demon-- the female voice lower than the previous, spoke.
«Yeah, I am aware. Why do you think I'm trying to befriend that man of a sorcerer? He's the hardest over everyone, he literally doesn't want to even talk» Simone snorted, the demons seemed to laugh
«With Mc It's been different; perhaps it was because they both were humans and Solomon wanted another mortal friend?» there was at least 2 minutes of silence after that, before Simone opened his mouth again. «Solomon is human?»
At this you had to do as much as possible not to burst out laughing. He wasn't the first--human or demon, who thought Solomon wasn't mortal, and he made you laugh at the tone of absolute shock he used.
You continued to listen to the conversation in silence, with a very unhappy look, until you heard your name being called by a quiet and reassuring voice. At this, the three voices ceased speaking and silence filled the air.
«Mc, are you out here? Me and Beel were searching for you..» the youngest brother pronounced, throwing his arms around your waist in a gesture of pure affection and squeezing you tightly against him. His chin rested gently on your shoulder while he left out a deep, tired sigh.
Simone walked out of the corner, locking eyes with you. Your softened gaze quickly turned into one brimming with slyness, while a mischievous grin appeared on your lips, giving you an air of defiance. You had heard every word of the conversation and couldn't resist wanting to have some fun at Simone's expense.
He seemed pissed immediately, narrowing his eyes and furrowing his eyebrows in annoyance. His expression darkened.
«Well.. me and Belphie go back in, if you want to come, that's the door. See you later, Simone» you said arrogantly as Belphegor pulled away from the embrace, only to walk back in with you yawning. He had probably just woken up.
«What was all that about?» asked the Avatar of Sloth, turning to you with a raised eyebrow, having felt that agitated energy radiating from Simone. You decided not to say anything and just laugh, shrugging it off. «Nothing too revelant, Belphie, don't worry» you patted his head as you went to join Beel; Simeon smiled as he handed him a bowl of biscuits, to help him a bit to control the hunger he was feeling; the angel knew it wouldn't truly help, but at least Beel was happy.
You decided to drop the matter, as you knew time was too tight for Simone to befriend Solomon, especially considering the fact that the latter doggedly avoided him. It was clear that Solomon wanted nothing to do with Simone, and there wasn't much he could do to change that.
Thankfully, that night was drawing to a close and customers were now few and far between. Those who were present were slowly leaving, the room was almost empty and silent. The atmosphere was almost surreal, as if time had stopped, and only the faint music were heard, among your breaths and voices.
At least, you managed to not dance that night, much to Levi's joy.
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«The year is about to end» You carefully observed his behavior. He'd never gotten a room of his own, so he'd spent the whole year in yours, and you'd generously divided your closet to allow him to put something of his into it. However, in all honesty, you couldn't wait for him to go. You could finally enjoy your privacy and solitude, which you had longed for. And as soon as Simone would leave, you were willing to spend a little more time there after the school year was over.
«Yeah. I am sad I won't be seeing them again anymore. Are you?» A small laugh escaped your lips at his words. «What do you mean? I don't stop seeing them», you admitted, turning to observe him. He stared at you with obvious confusion, but also with a tinge of envy he couldn't hide. It was clear that your close relationship with the brothers made him feel left out and jealous, but you continued to enjoy your life without worrying too much about his feelings; he didn't worry about yours, after all.
«Why not?» he asked in a voice suddenly cold and flat, as he turned to comb his hair in the mirror of your room. His expression had become more withdrawn and distant, as if he were preparing for an argument. You, on the other hand, remained impassive, determined not to give him too much space. «Because I am important here in the Devildom», you explained without adding further details. You didn't see the point in explaining everything to him, you just wanted him to leave.
«I mean, I don't get why. you aren't like Solomon, he has something special; pacts, powers» you slowly turned towards him, staring at him intensely, as if he had said some stratospheric bullshit.
«I literally have a pact with the 7 most powerful demons in the devildom. And plus, I am his apprentice. He's helping me» you explained, and again that spark of jealousy showed itself on his face, as he frowned.
«I will manage to get them too, Mc. They also seem to love me now, getting to have a pact with them won't be that hard» he said as if it were child's play, smiling defiantly. But you only laughed heartily; surely that attitude of his would never lead to such a thing. «Why are you laughing?» he growled, crossing his arms in an irritated manner.
«Nothing, you just look so silly!» you spoke giggling, and he slapped your hands; you were intent on helping him pack, but he no longer seemed so happy to receive a hand. «Stop, don't touch my things, I hate you» you made a sarcastic "gasp"; It didn't even hurt, by now he had destroyed all friendship.
«I can't wait to go away, but I will miss Asmodeus and Mammon» you rolled your eyes as you walked away from him and went to sit on your bed. «They just began being nice to you because you started acting like me. They just liked you because you seemed me, haha!» you held your belly, giggling.
«Stop, shut up, I want to hear no word from you. It's a shame this beautiful room is yours» he snorted, closing the now packed suitcase. Nodding and rolling your eyes, you got out of bed and walked out of your room, leaving the door open not bothering to close it. Meanwhile, you caught your D.D.D. that was tucked into one of your jeans pockets.
Turning it on, you immediately entered the messages chats; Satan, Luke, Mammon, Belphegor. As you scrolled for Luke's chat, you received a message from someone else.
«...» you remained silent, smiling as your gaze was fixed on the phone screen. After a few moments, you turned off the display and tossed the device back into your trouser pockets, determined to visit Luke personally later instead of texting him. Looking up, you noticed Mammon moving frantically, almost agitated. He was scanning around him with some anxiety, looking for something important, or.....
...looking for a place to hide as soon as possible. «Okay. What did you do?» you asked approaching him with determined steps, crossing your arms with determination. He stopped abruptly to look at you, his face twisting into a nervous smile as he tried to compose himself. He took your shoulders with a frantic gesture «Mc, Thank Lord you are here! You have to help me!»
You stared at him apathetically, noting his agitated gaze and trembling hands. With a slow movement of your eyebrow, you showed your perplexity at his request.
«You stole something from someone?» you asked, and he seemed to want to answer but you opened your mouth again. «And that someone is Levi, right?» he remained silent staring at you and you nearly burst out laughing at his face. Oh yeah, that guilty face of a cat that had just been caught in the sack.
«Ya know me way too well, ya know?! Well, will you help me? Come on! I have to hide, if Levi finds m-» Levi's scream was heard from the end of the corridor; he shouted Mammon's name. The avatar of Greed seemed to panic and ran off with you, trying to escape from his really pissed off younger brother.
It was always the same story with those two, but you had fun with them every time.
And while you were trying to help Mammon find a hiding place in the living room (he couldn't find an effective one according to him), Lucifer entered the room, interrupting your activity and distracting you. «Mc, a guest is here. I was surprised to find him outside.. after all, It's raining heavily» commented the older brother, glancing at the human; he was completely soaked and with a wide smile on his lips as he waved his hand proudly in the air.
You were pleased that he wanted to see you, but that badly? «Are you crazy? You could have gotten a fever» you approached him, while Mammon stopped and turned to look at you, raising an eyebrow. He had forgotten why he was hiding.
After a few minutes, Simone made himself heard with the suitcase in his hand. He dropped it onto the couch taking a deep breath, and then looked up. «. . .Oh! Hello Solomon» he gave a sweet smile that got on your nerves, and the boy simply returned the greeting, before turning back to you. «I'll be fine. Look, I brought what I meant to make you see» ah, the sparkle in his eyes appeared again..
Every time he spoke of magic, that new extra sparkle appeared in his eyes, he was so adorable that you couldn't help but smile looking at him. «And- ...what are you smiling like that for?» he asked raising an eyebrow. Simone threw a thick blanket over Solomon's shoulders, almost making him jump as she turned to face him. «...thanks?» he raised an eyebrow, grinning confused.
Simone was trying to be nice to solomon, you knew he was trying to bond, as he failed the first time. But Solomon wasn't exactly the type to give him attention out of pity, like the brothers had done in the beginning.
Since during the job, Simone hadn't been able to do anything to bond with Solomon, he was trying even now. But Solomon, as already mentioned, would not have helped him in his attempt. After all, even with you, if it wasn't the sorcerer who wanted to have contact you probably wouldn't have had anything other than a relationship at school as classmates.
Finally, leading Solomon to the bathroom, you made him remove his cloak, squeezing it in the tub then looking at him. «You alright?» you asked, as he nodded and touched his hair, chuckling and knowing how wet it was. «Yeah. Are you interested?» shaking your head, you giggled, leaving the cloak at the edge of the tub. «Now we can go try it out,» you said as he nodded. Leaving the cloak there, you left the bathroom with him, heading towards your room.
«Now..»
Finally, while you were seeing his potion, you ended up talking about Simone. Apparently, Solomon didn't give a damn about the boy; he considered him only a human passenger for the project that Diavolo wanted.
«I think what Simone is interested in is take my place to have you all as his friends. I am okay with him having friends, but not copying me» laughing, the boy watched the liquid move in a mixed and strange way through the glass. «Seems like he's desperate, haha» he said smiling broadly, looking up at you and then standing up straight.
«I mean; with Luke he acted all kind and even defended him when Mammon called him a chihuahua, and still Luke said something is off about him and that he doesn't like him. It's sure that Simone is not trustworthy at all» Nodding at your words, Solomon crossed his arms.
After a few seconds, Simone entered the room, glancing at both of you.
«...you forgot to lock the door?» Solomon blinked, not even bothering to whisper. Staring at him, you shook your head slowly, lowering your head to the potion on the table. You two just wanted a bit of a moment between yourselves.
«..You don't want me here, right?» snapping your hand into Solomon's mouth to prevent him from answering with sarcastic truth, you smiled nervously; he made a bored face, looking at you.
«We just were busy» gritting your teeth you pronounced those words, and Simone entered the room, observing how you were holding Solomon. «You two seem really close..» he whispered, tilting his head. Removing your hand from the sorcerer's mouth, you observed Simone. «...and you don't seem scared even though he's one of the most powerful sorcerers in the three realms» he added while his eyes shone with fascination; fascinated by the power that Solomon held.
Solomon smiled superiorly as you threw your arm around him. «Yep, we are veeery close! We are like best friends basically, aren't we?» Solomon, though surprised by your gesture, showed no sign of discomfort. After all, he was used to interacting with other demons, and he knew how to handle unexpected situations.
«...haha, we are?» the white-haired boy answered, raising an eyebrow and showing a smile, but he put his arm around your back, accepting your friendly gesture.
«Can I stay here?» Simone asked, while Solomon watched the human, while you lifted your arm from his shoulders, going towards Simone «No, we have to work on this by ourselves and you wouldn't be helping us at all» smiling, you pushed him gently out and closed the door quickly, turning the key; you turned to Solomon with a satisfied grin. «Good» Solomon chuckled at your sudden action.
And fortunately, that day passed quickly; the next morning, you were all assembled.
«It's time to say goodbye. I hope you enjoyed your year here, Simone» Lord Diavolo smiled, talking politely, while everyone stood around the exchange student; on his right, Simeon and Luke were settled, and on the other side Solomon and you.
«Yeah, It's been fun.. it's just sad that I have to leave all of you» you rolled your eyes, looking at him «Don't worry, they will forget quickly» you whispered in his ear, receiving a light elbow in the belly. «Ow,» you chuckled, stepping back and standing upright.
Oh but if he thought this was the end it wasn't at all; you still had to do one last thing…just before he could leave in the human world. While he greeted all the brothers, you exchanged a look with the angels.
Only you three knew what you had to do.
Simeon smiled softly, tilting his head and acting as if he knew nothing, while Luke adjusted the cap on his head. Solomon raised an eyebrow. «..ok. What are you planning?» the blue-eyed human whispered, leaning on your ear with a suspicious look, raising an eyebrow and looking at you with a curious smile.
«Nothing..» was your vague reply. As Simone was done greeting the brothers, he returned between you and Simeon, and Barbatos raised his arms to open the glowing portal that would take the boy with the silky black hair straight home. But before he could pass through the glittering portal, Simeon placed his pleasantly cold hands and delicate in his hot, sweaty brow; no one stopped him and Lord Diavolo raised a curious and questioning eyebrow, since Simeon had never acted in that inexplicable way out of nowhere. But from your sly, knowing grin, he knew it was something you'd already planned to do, as if it were part of a carefully orchestrated plan.
They didn't hear what the angel told the dark-haired human, but there was noticed that he had stopped moving completely, almost paralyzed by the unexpected angelic touch.
Next, Luke placed his hands on his arched and tense back, and as Simeon lifted his hands from his forehead in a fluid gesture, the short angel pushed him into the enveloping portal.
«A…curse?» Solomon whispered, his eyes widening. At those words, you burst into a big laugh, while Simeon smiled, adjusting his black gloves in his slim arms.
«You could say that...» you chuckled.
Simone fell to the ground on the sidewalk, getting up and rubbing his sore nose. he did not remember what had happened; he had a total emptiness. He only remembered when he had fallen asleep in his own bed the night before... wait, did he ever got up from his bed? Why was he in the middle of the street? And how was he hurt, as if he just fell from a certain height? To add to his confusion, around him, anyone in the street saw him, tried to stay away from him and looked at him with disgust.
He looked down at his own body; he was dressed casually, he didn't seem to smell bad. He didn't understand why people were avoiding him?
Meanwhile, you were still laughing.
«You gave him a repulsion curse?! No way!»
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