Chapter Text
Part three
Chapter 27
L
I found them studying in the library as they often do, Jetèa, Mammon, Belphie and Levi always studied together; they were the ones who had the most trouble with their grades and she took it upon herself to be their tutor. I watched her as she spoke to them; from the way her garnet hair fell as she tilted her head to the way she would cross and uncross her ankles. Damn that girl…she had me under such a spell. I approached the group clearing my throat as I kept my expression from showing anything but disdain.
“Jetèa, why have you not given me your report yet; it was supposed to be in my hand over an hour ago.” She turned with a snide smile and a raised eyebrow.
“I submitted your report on your desk this morning; you must have neglected to look for it.” My brothers looked at her surprised and back at me to gauge my reaction. I leaned over her, making her lean away a bit as I glowered at her.
“Do not blame your carelessness on me, there was no such report on my desk and you know it. I am to wonder if you even care about your position on the council.”
“Then maybe I shall print you a copy? It’s here on my drive.”
“Hurry up, I don’t have all day.” She rose and walked towards the back to the computers, my brothers averting their gaze as I watched over each of them before turning to follow. She pulled me into an empty isle with a devilish grin on her face.
“You are so mean! You come in here and make a scene like that when we were studying for a test, how wicked of you Luci…” She let that pet name roll off her tongue like a purr and I gently lifted her chin and put my mouth to hers. She ran her hands up my chest and pulled me closer; I obliged and gripped her waist nibbling her lip making her laugh.
“Wasn’t it you who said it was alright to be selfish once in a while? I haven’t seen you all day.” She leaned back from me with a sly smile.
“What is it?”
“I want to hear you say it.”
“I already told you.”
“You implied it, but you didn’t say it.” She ran her fingers into my hair, she seemed to like doing that.
“If I implied it, then I did say it.” I whispered in her ear and she stifled a laugh.
“But Luci...” she looked up at me with pathetic puppy dog eyes.
“Very well…I missed you.” I caressed her face and she smiled.
“I missed you too.” I leaned into her again and she flushed darkly.
“What’s the matter now?” she averted her eyes and stammered.
“My, my…are you so besotted that you are entirely lost for words?” she glared at me but still blushed before mumbling something.
“Tèa…?” She straightened and met my eyes with a cool expression.
“I wish for you to evaluate my performance; I feel that my Osculation is less than-“ I put my hand over her mouth to silence her.
“Calm down and speak plainly to me ‘Tèa, this isn’t a council meeting.” She blushed again and stammered.
“Y…you’re…my first boyfriend…I just want to know if I’m doing it right…” I had to say I loved her fire and ice, but I found this meekness especially endearing. I lifted her chin and took her pouty lips to my own.
“If you are asking about your kissing, like all subjects you are a very quick study. I could write you a letter of recommendation if you like.” She laughed and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I want to take you to dinner tonight, that’s why I came; how about Ristorante Six?”
“That’s a fancy place, what is the occasion?!”
“Our first date isn’t the perfect occasion? We have been sneaking around for a little over a week now, I think an actual outing with you is in order.” Her eyes lit up and her smile widened.
“I would love to go on a date with you.” I lifted her hand and kissed it tenderly which always made her blush.
“Then I shall see you there at eight tonight.” She left back to my brothers and I waited a few minutes before leaving the library. She still plagues my mind, but this time I welcome her. She still vexes me purposely, only now I see her game for what it is. In the past ten days since we became lovers I have certainly continued to feel my darkness and I managed to repair my wall around it, but in that wall was a small door that she was now granted access. It wasn’t often she entered but somehow knowing she didn’t run from it kept me from knowing it was there for a least a little bit of each day. She was right, she couldn’t fix me, but I surely didn’t feel alone, and right now it was all I needed.
J
“So what did Lemon-faced Lucifer want? Any longer and I woulda gave em a piece of my mind.” Mammon Scowled as I sat back down.
“Yes, Mammon you looked like quite the chivalric as you cowered in your seat.”
“Hey Shaddup, I ain’t cowerin’ for nobody!”
“Tèa what did he get so mad about? I watched you put that report on his desk before we went down to breakfast. Is he being an ass to you again?” they all looked at me concerned. We really need to come up with another code.
“He was just being a grouch; he probably hasn’t had his coffee this morning.”
“Well what did he say to you once you printed off the report?”
“He said next time to put it in his hand and we wouldn’t have an issue, I’m guessing I just need to take him more literally.”
“Or he needs to chill the hell out, he’s been commin’ down on ya like that all week it ain’t right!”
“I find that all a little odd though being he’s been so relaxed with everyone else; he hasn’t even yelled at Mammon much at all this week and he’s been coming down on you. Don’t you find that a bit strange?” Belphie glared in the direction he saw his brother last.
“I know, I think it all had to do with what happened at the party, you both disappeared and when you came back he was indifferent towards you.”
“Levi you only know all about that because you searched for her like a lost puppy, if you didn’t choke and run away you wouldn’t have lost her.” Belphie’s comment made Levi turn bright red.
“That’s enough boys, now no more of it there is a test coming and I expect you all to get no lower than B’s this time understand?”
“Whateva, look let’s say we get outa here and go out? We can all hit the club; and this time be back before curfew huh?” Mammon elbowed me and I began to panic.
“Oh no…I can’t, I have to gather more information for the D.E.V.I.L. plan and I have to write a very detailed report on the three students that have reoffended. I’m guessing it will be about twelve pages at least and it will be due tomorrow so don’t wait up for me.”
“Well that bites.”
“OMG…that’s insane.”
“Ain’t nobody mentioned that in the meetin’, why all of a sudden you had to do this? And if that’s the case, why ain’t Lucifer mentioned it when he was standin’ right here?”
“Diavolo asked me, he sent me a text.”
“Diavolo texted you and not Lucifer?”
“I mean… I can’t say if he did or not.” The three of them looked at me skeptically but shrugged anyway.
“It still ain’t right.”
“Someone should help you out.”
“Guys it’s fine, D.E.V.I.L. is my baby, so it should be me to take care of it. If I was worried I wouldn’t be here now would I?” They looked at me again with disappointment and I felt my heart drop. This wasn’t the first time I had ditched them this week, and the more work I made up the more saddened they became.
“Look, tomorrow we can see a movie together all of us snuggled up in our blankets eating popcorn and watching whatever you guys want to see. I will bring the snacks, does that sound fun?”
“I guess….”
“Sure, whatever I don’t care.” Mammon simply stood without a word and gathered his things.
“Mammon…please don’t be mad.”
“Mad? I ain’t mad, I just remembered I gotta lot of stuff to do; I didn’t want to hang witcha no way.” He began to walk away.
“Mammon don’t do this again, talk to me!” He stopped and fumed a minute.
“If ya didn’t want to be around me then jus say so.”
“That isn’t true and you know it.”
“Yeah, well I ain’t seen that to be false either. Maybe if ya write a report about hangin out wit ya friends you’ll believe it’s important.” He walked away from us.
“Mam-“
“Leave him alone ‘Tèa, he’ll get over it. Let’s just finish this lesson.” I sat back down fighting the urge to cry, I never wanted to push my friends away; I just couldn’t have them know about Lucifer and I. We had to keep things professional, and until we could figure out just what to do no one could know. But this makes the third time I told them I had plans when they wanted to do something with me and I was looking like a flake. I had to make the movie night happen, no matter how many tasks I have to do.
Later that night I shut and locked my door; I dressed in a navy blue sheath dress. I hiked up the dress so that I could put on my pajama pants and long t-shirt over it. I then unlocked the door and sat at my desk typing the actual report I needed done. Soon enough there was a knock at my door.
“Hey ‘Tèa, you coming down to dinner?”
“No thank you Beel, I have work to do.” I heard the door shut and at first I thought he has left, but I still felt his presence. I turned to see him leaning against the closed door, his eyes downcast.
“Beel…what is it?”
“I am your best friend aren’t I?”
“Yes, of course you are.”
“What does that mean exactly? What does that mean to you?” I stood and looked at him, he seemed sad.
“It means that I trust you, that I cherish your opinion and advice above anyone else.”
“And you mean this; this title wasn’t some attempt to just make me feel better because you rejected me?” I felt like he jabbed a knife right into my heart, of course I didn’t want him to hurt but I would never lie and use him like that.
“You have proven to me time and again that you are not like anyone else I’ve met. You are very close to my heart Beel; I would never patronize you in such away. What is bothering you?” He looked up, his orange hair nearly covering empty purple eyes.
“Hold me close to your heart…but I can never have it.” I approached him and he raised a hand to stop me. He had been there for every down moment I had while I was here and I felt myself floundering now that it was his turn.
“I’m not stupid…I do think about things other than food, I may not be as smart or as funny or as responsible as the others but I’m not some dumb lump who only eats sleeps and works out. Dammit Jetèa, I may be a demon, but i am a man too and I deserve to be respected like one!”
“Of course I respect you, there was never a time I didn’t; please talk to me, tell me what’s wrong.”
“I would go into it, but I don’t want you to be late; you are going to spend time with Lucifer tonight right?” He looked me right in my eyes, and I have never lied to him yet.
“Yes…it is true, we are seeing each other.” He let out a heavy sigh and covered his face with his hand.
“I knew it, I saw that dance and every time you had work to do that made you skip dinner so did he and then the second time I spotted you leaving his room late at night. How long has this gone on?”
“Just since the party.” He looked at me thoughtfully and nodded before sliding to the floor with another sigh.
“I am a demon ‘Tèa….I can handle the fact that you chose my brother; what I don’t understand is that you would call me your best friend and still keep things from me. Did you think I would fly into a rage or something, or did you not consider my feelings at all?” I was so stunned; I was lost for words as he looked up at me with angry eyes.
“Beel…I….I never….”
“The way I see it, You either don’t see me as a man and figured I would blindly follow whatever you did without question, or you didn’t see me as the best friend you claimed me to be and couldn’t trust me with your secret.” I knelt in front of him crying and as I sobbed I pressed my forehead to the floor groveling before him.
“You’re right…I assumed that because you were my best friend that I would never have to explain anything to you.…the truth is…I knew from the moment we met that you were nothing like other guys i had known before. I mean all of you were different but it was you most of all. You appreciated me, you respected me and when everyone got into a fight over me you cared about my safety… but in all of this, I never saw you as a man in the sense that I only know most guys to be selfish and mean.” I crawled closer to him and looked in his eyes.
“Even after you expressed your feelings for me…I just couldn’t see you that way; it wasn’t that I didn’t respect you…you’re just…Beel. You are so sweet and kind….i care about you so much but I took that for granted. I thought you would be okay if I had told you later on. But I’m a horrible best friend…” He reached over and wiped the tears from my cheek.
“Please don’t cry, I guess I think too much; I just feel like….i feel overlooked. I don’t stand apart like the others do; it’s like all I’m good for is eating.” I hugged him as I sniffled for the last time.
“You are so much more than your sin Beel, that’s true for all of you. I should have regarded your feelings I’ve been such a crummy friend to you, I hope you can let me make I up to you.” He Smiled and pulled me in for another hug.
“I already said, you and Lucifer don’t bother me; and I guess deep down…I knew he would want this hidden for now regardless, but I expected you to tell me…because it’s me? I think no matter what I still would have felt jealous. I don’t know how to wrap my head around it all.” He sounded so conflicted; I think he was trying to understand his own confused feelings.
“This all happened suddenly, I think all of us are up in the air; but I would never purposefully hurt you Beel, and I hope this doesn’t change our friendship.”
“I have a feeling it will, but it will be okay, maybe it’s for the better. You know, I still really like you, but Lucifer needs you. I think that’s why it doesn’t bother me as much as it would have if it were any of the others.”
“Needs me?”
“Mm-hmm. You are a good person; fearless and smart, and you had to have done something for him to like you the way he does, he doesn’t show affection to anyone really. He seems…less angry, less stressed; to be honest that was how I really knew.” I remember Asmo had said the same thing, that I would be good for him, but I never took it to be anything more than just fanciful thinking. I knew he had darkness, but just how dark was it? The silence was broken by the loud growling of his stomach.
“I should go, you enjoy your evening.” He stood and opened the door to leave.
“Beel…” I held up my pinkie and he looked at me like I was insane.
“Just humor me please; I used to do this with my siblings.” He sighed and linked his pinkie with mine.
“You are my best friend, and I will not forget it or take you for granted again, I pinkie promise.” He smirked at that and shook his head.
“Just make sure you bring plenty of snacks to the movie night; that will be a start.” He began to walk down the hall.
“I’ll even bring the chocolate covered bat wings and the hellfire fudge.” He stopped in his tracks for a moment before walking again and I knew he was drooling. So Belphie and Levi told him about the movie night, which means they believe me when I say I’ll be there. I had to make sure I didn’t lose my friends in the midst of this. This new connection with Lucifer was exciting and I wanted to see what being in a relationship was all about, but I had to find the balance between my relationship, school and my friends. But how can I do that, I could schedule and reschedule all I want but nothing denies the fact that all I want is-
(tap….tap….)
My heart stopped….my cheeks heated and my palms began to sweat. I looked to the clock, it was a quarter past seven. I went to my window, opening it quickly.
“Good evening, I am looking for a fair maiden with hair like a garnet river and eyes like mossy pools, and lips soft as rose petals.” Lucifer stood on the ground below my window. He wore a deep blue turtleneck sweater and black slacks and his coat. It was the most casual thing he had ever been in….and it and the smile he wore was adorable.
“So have you seen her? I wish to accompany her to dinner tonight.” He….actually threw pebbles at my window…I couldn’t stop smiling. I locked my door again and removed my outer clothing and smoothed out my dress, who would have thought we would both choose blue. I climbed out to the roof and jumped knowing he would catch me in his arms.
“There you are….w..why are you laughing?” I wrapped my arms around his neck as I tried to catch my breath.
“Look at us…the mighty and prideful firstborn and the meticulous shrew is sneaking out together like a couple of rebellious teenagers. Don’t you find it just a bit hilarious? We are the epitome of structure and standards!” He set me on my feet and looked into my eyes, I saw nothing but adoration.
“As long as we are back by curfew then we still will be, but I don’t know…you seem to make me feel like a rebel and that’s an excitement I haven’t felt in many years.” he kissed me so tenderly I felt myself swoon in his embrace. This side of him, this feeling, I had never seen him act this way and now I craved it more than anything. He acted so youthful and carefree in this moment, I hadn’t done anything but join our darkness together and yet it was like it wasn’t there. I thought on Beel’s and Belphie’s words; he had actually relaxed a great deal and just my caring for him did that. I really like you, but Lucifer needs you, and that’s why it doesn’t bother me as much. Were you in that much pain? Could I make you forget it while you make me forget mine, could this be what we have needed all along?
“Shall we go then?”
“And miss out on kissing you under the moonlight? I don’t know how I will be able to cope.”
“I will make it up to you; I have a special surprise for you.”
“Lucifer you don’t have to give me anything!” he muffled my protest with another kiss.
“How can I not when you have given me so much?” I suppose it is possible. Even if it is for a short time a day, I can make you forget that darkness behind your wall; I can make you forget the pain…and that is exactly what we need.