Chapter Text
You sighed, trying to ignore the thoughts bumping around in your head and instead focus on the conversation at hand.
"So anyway, I then saw this jacket and I just had to get it!" Mammon continued, trying to explain to Lucifer why Goldie had been maxed out already. "It's actually the jacket MC is wearing right now!"
When your name was said, you looked up, finding everyone's eyes on you. "What?" You asked, and Asmo poked your cheek, an amused expression sliding across his features.
"Have you even been paying attention?"
"Sorry," You looked around the table. "I zoned out."
"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" Asmo asked, and you felt your stomach turn slightly. "You've been off all week."
And you had. It had been hard to get yourself together lately.
"Nothing. Just have some homework still." Not hungry anymore, you pushed you food around on your plate until Beel finally took it off of your hands.
Thinly smiling at the brothers around you, you stood up. "I'm gonna go work on my stuff. Thanks for dinner. Anyone else done?" You offered, holding your hand out for dishes. After dropping a load in the kitchen, you made your way to your room and shut the door, sitting on your bed.
It's not like you meant to be negative, but living with seven perfect brothers in a realm full of other perfect beings, it sometimes felt like you were less than they were, and not just because you were human.
No one could deny, they were all attractive, and you had always struggled with your self image. It had gotten better, but then getting thrown down here with a bunch of seemingly flawless people with no good coping mechanism was sending reeling.
You felt like you did during puberty.
You had lied, actually finishing all of your homework earlier and all you wanted to do was go to sleep, so you kicked off your shoes and got under your covers, hoping to take a quick nap.
* * *
"MC seemed off today, right?" Satan asked, looking at his brothers.
"For sure." Belphie agreed, and it was quiet for a moment.
"I was going to ask why they were wearing your jacket, Mammon, but now I'm more worried about this," Leviathan remarked, and Mammon smirked a little, but it was overshadowed by concern for his human.
"To be honest," Asmo dabbed at his mouth daintily with a napkin. "I've been noticing it for a little while now, not just today."
"As have I." Lucifer seemed more serious than usual. "It is our duty as MC's hosts to make sure that their time in the Devildom is satisfactory, and if they're feeling down, it would be a good idea to know why."
"Because we're their hosts," Mammon mocked. "Lucifer, we're all worried about them, so ya can admit it too."
"But anyway," Satan ignored Mammon. "What do you guys mean?"
"Well," Asmo began. "I've been seeing a shift in their behavior. They don't really seem as lively, and they don't seem to be eating as much."
Beel looked at the napkin he held that had originally belonged to MC and nodded in agreement.
"Plus," He continued. "They won't take my compliments or let me get close to them anymore! It's weird!"
"Well not everyone is comfortable with that," Mammon defended, but Asmo shook his head.
"No, it's different. And something isn't right."
Lucifer cleared his throat. "Anyway, I believe it's Belphie and Beelzebub's turn to clean up, so I'm going to excuse myself."
They separated, but their thoughts were all on MC.
* * *
You were awoken by your door being thrown open. "Hey!" You protested, rolling over to see who had so rudely interrupted your nap.
Mammon stood in your doorway, thrown for a loop. "Were ya sleepin'?"
"I was," You said, throwing your covers off. "What's up?"
Mammon looked sheepish. "Sorry for wakin' ya."
You raised an eyebrow, walking over to the full length mirror Asmo had put in for you. "It's fine." Mammon came to stand by you as you tried to fix your hair, and you were struck by your differences.
He was in his human form but still looked way better than you. His glasses were perched perfectly on his nose like always, and his black shirt was just tight enough to outline a good body but not show it all off.
You were still wearing his jacket. He had let you borrow it when you had realized you had forgotten yours earlier in the day. He had told you he was only doing it so you wouldn't have to be cold or wear one of his brothers'. Whatever the reason, you were thankful.
Compared to him, you looked average, slightly below, if you were going to be honest.
Your fingers stilled from where they were combing out your hair and he noticed.
"Hey, MC, wanna get out of here?"
You looked at him in the mirror. "Yeah, that sounds great, actually."
You Lucifer wouldn't approve so you went out the back, managing to get away without alerting any of the others.
Smiling at Mammon, you breathed in the spring air, stretching.
"Oh, tomorrow morning I have to leave early, so feel free to walk with Beel and Belphie, okay?" Mammon told you, so you made a mental reminder.
"Is everything alright?"
"Oh yeah, fine, I just got to talk to one of the Profs." Mammon reassured you.
It was still light, but you only had an hour or so before the Devildom sun went down. Mammon led you downtown, and the two of you just chilled, finding a park bench to watch the sunset on.
As the sun started to dip below the horizon, your DDD rang. Answering it without checking caller ID, you didn't expect to hear Lucifer through the line.
"MC, where are you and Mammon?" he all but growled, and Mammon looked up, hearing him even though you didn't have speaker on.
"Lucifer, relax. I needed this. We'll be back before it gets fully dark." You hung up before he could get a word in, feeling bold. Mammon whistled.
"He's gonna skin us alive when we get back."
You chuckled, a little nervous. "Yeah, but I told the truth. I did need this. Thanks, by the way." You leaned up against him, and Mammon seemed taken aback.
"Uh, I mean, somethin' was clearly botherin' ya, and I'm not the best with words, but I hoped this would help," He put his arm around you, and you looked up at him, blue eyes meeting yours.
"It did. My emotions are all over the place today, so sorry about that."
Mammon hesitated. "Do ya, maybe like, wanna talk about it?"
"I don't want to put you in an awkward spot or overshare," You were reluctant, but Mammon really seemed like he wanted to listen.
"You can tell me anything. After all, I am your fist man!" He puffed, and you laughed.
"Alright, you do have a point there." You tried to get your thoughts in order. "I don't know, it's just hard living with perfect people all the time. I've always struggled with my self-esteem, and it's, oh God, this sounds so dumb, but it's so obvious how much lower than you guys I am."
Mammon rubbed your arm encouragingly.
You started to get a little worked up, the words coming out more freely. "And it's like wow, I'm just readily telling you this, I must be some slut for attention, but it's like I just don't know how to deal with my emotions and-"
Mammon cut you off. "MC, it's okay. I don't think ya want attention for tellin' me this or are fishin' for compliments or whatever, so get that thought out of your head. You're my friend and I'm glad you're telllin' me this."
You nodded, and he tilted your face up towards his.
"We all have our days when we feel low. We just got to push through 'em! And MC, I'm the avatar of Greed! I know how it feels to want to things, to want more, to want to be more! It's okay to want that but we can't let those thoughts control us."
You nodded again.
"Not for nothin' but ya are my favorite human," Mammon whispered like he was telling you a secret and you couldn't help but smile.
"I'm glad," You pulled him up. "Now let's get back before Lucifer gets any more pissed off."
While you were walking back, you impulsively grabbed Mammon's hand. He blushed, but let it happen.
* * *
Mammon < The Demon Brothers (New) (7): I found out what was wrong with MC
Leviathan < The Demon Brothers (New) (7): What? Already?
Mammon < The Demon Brothers (New) (7): Talk later I'm with them right now
* * *
Figuring Lucifer would be waiting for you, you just went in the front, and sure enough, there he was, sitting in a chair by the door.
He didn't look mad, which was odd, considering you had hung up on him and disobeyed the rules, so you decided to wait for him to make the first move.
"Ah, you're back. I take it you are feeling better?" His tone was light but also careful, nothing like you were expecting.
You nodded, and he seemed almost pleased. Turning to Mammon, you expected him to be as weirded out by his brother's behavior as you were, but he seemed to be engaging in a nonverbal conversation instead.
"If that's all," You said cautiously "I'm going to take a shower."
Lucifer gave you the go ahead and thoroughly confused you made your way to your room.