Chapter Text
Two weeks had passed since Cate had caught a particularly nasty case of the flu. Though to Cate, it had been rather nice. Beelzebub had been at her side almost the entire time.
When he wasn't in class or his clubs, he was in her room or acting like her escort when she needed to go somewhere in the House of Lamentation. He ate what seemed like every meal with her and it wasn't lost on Cate that he found every opportunity possible to snuggle up next to her or be draped over her like a lazy cat.
Not that she minded.
But it was after she finally recovered that she realized a rather interesting hurdle in maintaining her new status in relationship with Beel--his brothers. She always tried to get time with Beel during breakfast or after his club activity and sports, but after her self-imposed quarantine (and 'retreat' with Beel,) the others were all too eager to take back whatever time they lost with Cate.
She loved them, of course, but just not the way she loved Beel. And now she mostly wanted to spend all of her time with him. She felt like she could see disappointment in his eyes every time one of the others managed to steal her away, and to be fair, she was disappointed too. However, Beel was usually too polite to say anything otherwise to his brothers...and so was she.
It wasn’t until the third night after Cate was back to normal that her and Beel got a moment alone again.
Beel had been waiting for her by her room after dinner, holding a few take-away containers. He had actually left dinner earlier than usual, and Cate realized that he brought the rest of his dinner with him. She knew the others were suspicious when he left early though, so she quickly ushered him into her room and locked the door behind them. He sat down at the table, staring longingly at Cate.
“It’s only been a few days, but I really missed you…” he murmured sadly. His expression was not unlike a sad puppy, and Cate felt her heart begin to melt.
“We really spoiled ourselves while I was sick, didn’t we?” Cate laughed.
“I guess so,” Beel replied, his mouth already full of food. He still looked sad, but it was funny to watch him pout with his cheeks stuffed with whatever he was eating.
Cate smiled and slipped her jacket off as she sauntered over to her bed, flopping onto it face-first. She sighed as she pulled the rest of her body onto the bed and rolled over to her back. Her room had its improved warmth with Beel inside and she turned her head to glance at him. He was hunched over his food, but glanced back at her. His eyes widened and he quickly turned back to his food. Cate couldn’t exactly tell, but it seemed like he was eating faster.
All she could do was chuckle and roll to her side, still feeling some fatigue from being sick for so long. She closed her eyes and tried remembering the sensation of having Beel wrapped around her, silently hoping that he would finish eating soon.
As if on cue, she felt Beel’s weight push down on the bed and she turned her head to open her eyes. He sat by her feet, carefully watching her. His jacket and collared shirt was gone now, revealing his large arms.
“Did you get enough to eat?” Cate asked with a smile.
“Mmhmm.”
He stayed perched near her feet, expectantly looking at her, then looking down at his hands. His eyes slowly moved back up to meet hers, watching through the orange hair that framed his face and forehead.
It had become a part of their ritual, slowly sidling up to each other before they finally ended up in each other’s arms for the rest of the time they would spend together.
Cate found it so lovely and amusing to see the large Beel so docile and soft. She held her hand out toward him, beckoning him closer.
He eagerly took her invitation and worked his way up to Cate’s chest, resting his head near her neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and let out a contented sigh. Cate responded by gently embracing his head and running her fingers through his spiky hair. He was incredibly warm as always, and thinking about having him so close sent goosebumps racing across her skin. She let out an involuntary shiver and pulled him closer.
Their nights had usually consisted of them just laying together, occasionally talking, but mostly exchanging squeezes and sighs. Of course, they would also sneak out to the kitchen for a midnight snack when Beel’s stomach started growling.
Beel nuzzled his head against Cate’s chest. He inhaled like he was going to start speaking, but all that came after was an anticipatory silence.
“Beel…? Were you going to say something?” Cate peered down at his head and he looked back up at her. The look on his face was pensive, yet hesitant. He let out a hum and gave Cate a squeeze.
“Well, the more I think about it...the guiltier I feel for getting upset that my brothers spent so much time with you today. But at the same time,” Beel said, his deep voice resonating into her ribs. He paused again, but started before Cate could say anything. “I just...want you all to myself.”
Beel buried his face back into Cate’s chest and exhaled. Cate thought she felt a twinge of jealousy in Beel’s words, which stirred something warm and jittery in her stomach. She giggled quietly and nuzzled her nose in his hair.
“What’s so funny?” He asked, his voice slightly muffled. His breath was hot through her shirt, tickling her.
“Oh, just...it’s cute to hear you say something like that. That you want me all to yourself…” Cate said quietly, smiling into his hair. She felt Beel clutch the back of her shirt and pull himself further up, his nose now touching hers.
Cate always marvelled at the demon brothers’ eyes when she got close enough to see them, and Beel’s eyes were no exception. The unearthly way they were a gradient of purple to a dark pink. No human eyes ever looked like that, and it was easy to get lost in them. She didn’t doubt that they probably helped when they used to go up to the human world and tempt any poor mortals that crossed their path.
Beel stared intently into Cate's eyes, his breathing slow. Cate caught the smell of warm spice coming from his skin and delicately traced the bottom of his jaw with her thumb. Beel placed his hand on hers and took a deep breath. He smiled and Cate's eyes went down to his lips. They hadn't yet kissed during their time together, and the thought excited and scared Cate. Their noses were still touching, and she became very aware of the small distance between their lips.
Her heart started to race as Beel's lips turned into a coy smile--something she hadn't really seen on him before.
"What are you looking at?" he whispered, his tone now as coy as his smile.
Cate was silent, only able to smile in response. Her eyes drew back up to Beel's gaze.
Her spine tingled as she started to lose herself in his eyes. Beel brushed his fingertips across Cate's cheek, cupping his hand around the side of her face. She could see him quietly lick his lips, perhaps having the same thoughts she was. Her heart pounded harder, as if it was trying to escape her chest. She placed a hand on his chest, hoping to steady her own pulse but only felt his heart pounding almost as hard as hers. He was so close to her. She closed her eyes, seeing the slight movement of his head toward hers.
They were so close.
"Caaaaate! CAAAAATE!"
Cate's and Beel's eyes flew open at the shouting suddenly coming from outside her door. Their warm trance dissolved into a fizzy afterglow as they looked at each other.
Loud knocking now accompanied the yelling, which Cate exasperatedly recognized as Mammon.
"Cate, I texted you like a billion times! I need your help!"
Beel's hand still rested on Cate's cheek, unwilling to move.
Cate's doorknob was now rattling impatiently.
Beel's eyes still looked directly into hers. Cate was unwilling to move.
"Cate, I can see your lights on! I know you're in there! If you don't come to the door in the next 5 seconds I'm just going to assume that you're hurt and bust the door down!"
That was the sentence that would change the warmth in Cate's stomach to an angry burn. She gently and sadly removed Beel's hand from her cheek.
"Oh for Pete's sake, Mammon!" Cate yelled louder than she had before in the Devildom. She angrily sat up and scowled at the door. She could feel Beel jump at her outburst. "Don't you dare break that door down!"
"Five!" Mammon yelled.
"Stop counting!!" Cate's voice warped slightly as she activated what little power she had from Mammon's pact.
"Fou--!" Mammon's voice caught in his throat and turned into a gurgle as the pact took hold of his vocal folds.
"That's the loudest I've ever heard you go before," Beel said with a chuckle as Cate got up from the bed.
Cate briefly looked behind her, seeing Beel lazily sitting on her bed with a mixture of amusement and disappointment on his face. She smiled at him, glad to see that he wasn't budging. Even if Mammon interrupted, she didn't want Beel to leave.
"Hey, is Beel in there?" Mammon's voice had returned to him, but he was significantly less loud than a moment ago. “I just heard his voice.”
Cate made it to the door and unlocked it, opening it with a sigh. Mammon stood in the doorway, his arms crossed. He was in his casual clothes and looked expectantly back at Cate.
"Yes, he is in here. We were studying and my D.D.D. was on silent--what do you need help with?" Cate's voice had a bit of an edge to it, despite her efforts to sound calm.
"Well," Mammon started, inviting himself into Cate's room. "That's what I was texting you about--you gotta help me with this next exam. Lucifer said he'd freeze Goldie again if I didn't do well enough on the next one--" he stopped as he saw Beel reclined on Cate's bed, his jacket and green uniform shirt missing. "You look awful comfortable for two people who were studying."
Cate resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Mammon's tone. She was too irritated to be embarrassed by any accusations he might be implying. She glanced at Beel, who was as nonplussed as he tended to be around his brothers.
"Yeah, Mammon, it helps to be comfortable if you're studying," Cate responded with a tone somewhere between matter-of-fact and frustration. "So if you want my help, get comfortable."
She saw a glint of something sad in Beel's face for a split second before he leaned against the wall and lazily watched Mammon kick his shoes across the room.
***
It didn't take long for Mammon to tire of studying and completely drop any suspicions he might have had against Cate and Beel.
Cate suggested that Mammon call it a night and that they would pick up again tomorrow after class. She was mad that he happened to intrude, but she still didn't want him to fail. She doubted that Lucifer would stop at freezing a card to teach Mammon a lesson. She remembered the pitiful way he sounded after she found him strung up in the portrait hall once.
Mammon left after they came to an agreement and Cate let out a loud sigh as she closed the door behind him.
Beel was now sitting on the floor, books and papers mildly scattered around him. He looked a little perturbed as Cate walked away from the door and back to him.
"Cate, can I ask you a question?"
Cate was glad to hear his voice after Mammon monopolized the impromptu study session with complaints.
"Sure," she said with a relieved sigh, gathering papers into a pile beside him.
"What are my brothers to you?" His head was tilted to the side, staring at Cate.
"Right now? A bother." Cate grumbled, shutting a book for emphasis.
Beel laughed and shook his head.
"No, I figured that, but I mean...like really--when they don't bang on your door and demand you to help them study."
His deep laugh was infectious and brought a smile to Cate's face. She had an idea of what Beel might mean by asking, and stopped gathering papers to look at him.
"They're like...well, brothers. Especially Mammon. He reminds me of my own brother back home."
Beel nodded pensively and stroked his chin with his knuckles.
"Then…"
Cate sensed a small bit of hesitation in his pause.
"What am I to you? I...I think I know, but I want to hear it from you."
The look on his face made Cate wilt. He looked worried and sad...she understood that they hadn't really defined in words what they were now after the past two weeks, but that he had any doubt about how she felt made her ache.
"You're so much more to me. So much more than a brother or a friend."
Cate knew what she felt for him, but still struggled to get the words out. In the back of her mind, she considered the fleeting nature of her connection to not just Beel, but everyone in the Devildom. They had lived several of her lifetimes over… and she wouldn't even come close to scratching the length of their lives. Not the way she was, anyway.
She quickly snuffed out that train of thought and looked at Beel, who still looked sad. Cate reached out and grabbed his hand, gripping it tightly.
His sad expression lightened ever-so-slightly as he looked from Cate's hand to her face.
"I always want to be by your side. I want to be the one to hold your hand as you fall asleep and I want you to be the one who holds me when I'm sick." Cate rubbed her thumb across Beel's fingers. "I want to be yours, if you'll have me."
Beel was quiet, causing a pit to form in Cate's stomach. He held tight to her hand, his gaze falling back down to the ground.
"I'm glad," he finally responded, a warm smile spreading across his face. He looked back up at Cate again. She could have sworn that his eyes seemed to be sparkling.
"But...this means we've got to deal with the others." Beel's expression turned worried again and he lifted Cate's hand to his lips. His purple stare turned slightly dark as he looked away.
"What do you mean 'deal with them?' Can't we just...tell them, or whatever?" The pit in Cate's stomach started to return. She should have figured that it wouldn't be easy with these brothers. Nothing ever was , she thought sarcastically.
"I just...I don't want any of them to get jealous. I know that they all like you...I just don't know exactly... how. " Beel's lips brushed against Cate's fingers as he spoke. Despite the pit in her stomach, feeling his lips sparked the warm fire from earlier, before Mammon interrupted.
To be honest, Cate didn't care if the brothers knew about how she felt about Beel. Lucifer already knew, and he was fine. If the strongest of them wasn't bothered, the other five should be a walk in the park...right?
Cate stifled a groan. The more she thought about it, the more she realized Beel's concerns were valid.
"I think I get what you mean now…" Cate sighed, inching closer to him. "So, what do we do? Are we just going to...keep it a secret?"
Beel pulled Cate into his lap, holding her tight against his chest. He placed his chin on the top of her head and let out a long hum.
“I guess so.” He nuzzled Cate’s ear until she laughed and wiggled against him. His huge arms kept her locked in place against his body. “For now, anyway.”
“Not fair…” Cate said at the end of her laugh. “Even if you were just human, you’d still be stronger than me.”
“You can start lifting weights with me more often if you want to be stronger,” Beel said, placing his chin on the top of her head again.
“Hmm, maybe."
"I think I really like you the way you are now, though." Beel pressed his forehead to Cate's head and hummed a confirmation. "Yeah, I like you the way you are now."
Cate smiled and leaned her head further into Beel's.
"You should probably get back to your room before Belphie gets worried," she murmured.
Beel merely grunted and pressed his face into Cate's neck.
"Mammon took away my time with you…it's not fair."
"We'll do this again tomorrow, okay? And I'll be right here if you need company for your midnight snack." Cate ran her fingers through Beel's hair, trailing her fingers down the back of his neck. He shivered, letting out a long breath as she reached the base of his neck.
"...Okay," Beel finally responded, his face still buried in Cate's neck.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah? I’ll come to breakfast early.”
Beel let out one more long sigh.
“Okay.”