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A year. A few months. The years to come. Your entire life. A dot on his timeline. Sixty years, give or take may as well be a singular moment. Blink and it's gone. You were human, but your sense of time was suddenly very celestial. How could it not be? The thought constantly plagued you.
After your first departure from the Devildom and then your sudden reappearance, you both knew that every second that went by without being in each other’s arms was wasted time. Luckily, Little D No. 2’s appearance gave you the push you needed to finally be together. From that point on, he decided that every fleeting moment with you was to be celebrated, momentous.
A ball was to be arranged in honor of your upcoming birthday. Usually, you were happy to join in the festivities, but this year felt like an added weight on your shoulders. You had tried to find ways leading up to it to remain optimistic, seeing as this was, of course, going to be an annual event.
Preparations for the evening with Asmo were particularly difficult. Not only was his consistently perky energy exhausting, but the party was all he had talked about. Even at breakfast before you were due to head to the shops, he continued to place different magazine clippings of dress inspirations in front of you. He may have meant well, he usually does, but with your current state of mind it only made your anxiety worse..
Last minute wasn’t usually Asmo’s style when it came to these types of things, but the ball was only decided upon a week ago and he had to find the perfect dress shop with just the right selections for you to try on.
“Delightful!”
“Simply ravishing!”
“Gorgeous!”
He worked so hard to try and put a smile on your face, complimenting you each time you stepped out in a new elegant gown. The clapping of his hands as you stepped onto the platform, surrounded by mirrors, almost seemed drowned out by your own thoughts.
“Still not quite it though, hm?” He questioned, eyeing your current selection. His eyes suddenly sparked, and he shot out of his plush chair. “Go back to the changing room and undress. I’ll be there in just a moment.” He purred, disappearing to the front of the store.
As you slid out the dress around your form, a hand slipped through the curtains holding out a new selection for you to try.
“Try this one!”
When you stepped out in a deep V-neck, golden dress, embellished with Swarovski crystals, you couldn’t help but finally give Asmo the smile he had been dying to see.
“Nobody’s ever looked so beautiful~ and that’s me saying that.” Asmo giggled as he perched a hand on your shoulder, looking over it to stare at the both of you in the mirror. “He’s going to die and go straight to- well- straight back here, I guess.”
You placed your hand over his, thanking him for forcing you to go out rather than having him pick something for you. The past couple days or so, you had been quite content laying in your room, pretending the new year of your life wasn’t quickly approaching.
“Let’s go find a lovely lip shade to match it, hm?”
He guided you through the busy streets of Devildom, an arm draped around your shoulders, making snide comments about the appearance of the lower level demons in your ear as you walked. You couldn’t help but laugh behind a carefully placed hand over your mouth. Being around Asmo always felt weightless, like you never had to pretend or be anyone else but yourself. It was that way with most of the brothers, but arguably, Asmo was the brother you were second closest to.
After you and Asmo returned to the house, he scurried off saying he had some beauty preparations to attend to, but he would call for you when the time came to get ready. He placed a kiss on both cheeks and hurried up the stairs with your dress and bags of makeup you insisted you didn’t need. Of course, this fell upon deaf ears. You decided to check in on what the other brothers were doing, opting to not be alone.
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“MC? Come taste this?” Beel attempted to call you over from the kitchen sink, as you stared out the window in front of it. You had a clear view of the garden from your spot and the beautiful flowers that had adorned it. But, recently, it seemed like your favorites, the purple roses, had matched your dreary mood. Petals laid upon the grass below and the stems nearly wilted in on themselves. “MC?” he called once more. You turned to face him this time, peeling your eyes from the disappointing sight, giving him a somber smile.
“Can you come taste this? I know you’ve said this is your favorite, but I’m having a hard time getting it close to this human realm recipe you gave me.” He held a freshly chilled cupcake up in his hands, trying to avoid directly looking at it as to not immediately consume it before letting you have at least a taste. You paced over, reaching to break off a small piece of the cake. You popped it into your mouth, savoring the flavor as you chewed. There were plenty Devildom specialty dishes you had grown to be accustomed to after your first year-long stay, but the familiar taste of human realm food was always a pleasant surprise. Beel examined the cake in his hands, turning it over to see the tiny chunk you had taken out of it to taste it. “Wha... how can you tell if it's good with that small of a bite, MC? Come on now!” You went to open your mouth to respond, but before you could you were met with the cupcake and familiar taste in your mouth yet again. You stifled a laugh, trying not to choke on the now, large mouthful that Beel had shoved into your mouth, placing a hand under your chin to catch any that may fall on the ground. Lucifer walking in to find crumbs all over the floor was not an option, even today.
“BEEL! I THINK I FINALLY GOT IT!” Belphie yelled, bursting in through the swinging kitchen door, deep, tired circles under his eyes. He carried a piece of yellow lined notebook paper in one hand, his pillow in the other and a large bowl in the crook of his arm. You both jumped, looking to face him.
“Oh hey, MC… hey, you’ve got a little-” he paused, tapping on the tip of his nose, trying to show you where Beel had made a mess of the cupcake on your face. You faintly pressed a finger to where he was referencing to, feeling a large dab of uncooked cake batter there. You laughed softly, reaching to grab the rag on the counter behind Beel. His hand found it first though, snatching it up and walking over to the sink you had been standing in front of moments before. He ran it under the faucet, soaking it, before wringing it out and coming to stand in front of you. He smiled big as he gently wiped the residue off your face.
“The cake is perfect, Beel, but keep the next batch in for a while longer, ‘kay? While you guys may not have to worry about getting salmonella, it wouldn’t be a pretty sight if I got it.” He gave a hearty laugh, wiping away the last of the crumbs off from around your mouth. He set the towel down next to the last bite of the cupcake on the counter, which he took into his hands instead and popped into his mouth. You both moved to look at Belphie again who was reading over the tattered paper and mouthing the words on the page to himself.
“So, what ya got, Belph?”
“Well since Beel and I were put on cake duty for the party and Beel got the actual cake part, I got the frosting part.” He said, waving between the items before him. You now recognized the paper as the one you had used a few weeks ago to write out a frosting recipe for them to follow as well. “It took a few days to perfect it, ya know, using unfamiliar ingredients and such, but I think I got it.” It was endearing that the twins had tried their damndest to make your cake homemade, even though it seemed quite clear Beel liked the excuse to be in the kitchen and Belphie knew that meant he could put most of the work on him. He picked up the bowl and held it out towards you, almost pleading with his tired eyes for you to come take it from him.
“Ya know, actually, Belph, I think I’m pretty sweet-ed out after your brother over here forced a cupcake down my throat, but I’m sure it's wonderful and I can’t wait to try it tonight when it's all together.” Suddenly feeling that familiar swell in your throat, you began to walk out of the kitchen, but not before giving Belphie a sweet smile and light arm rub. You finally paused when you reached the dining room, grabbing one of the chairs for support and taking a deep breath. You pressed your forehead to the cool wood of the backing, collecting your thoughts and mentally preparing yourself for the rest of the day’s preparations.
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You had no idea what right mind Lucifer must have been in to place Levi and Satan in charge of decorating together, but stepping into Lord Diavolo’s castle, you were blown away. Satan’s sophistication and Levi’s knowledge of modern human realm trends from his many animes and games had made one hell of a perfect storm. There were only bits and pieces set up in different corners of the room, but the regal decorations in place already were jaw dropping. The sheer beauty of your surroundings was enough to stop the constant flow of your saddening thoughts for a moment. Satan was, adorably, holding a clipboard close to his chest as he consulted with two demons carrying a table as to where to place it. On the other side of the room, Levi was seated in a more secluded area, holding what seemed to be glue and some sort of fabric, a confused look on his face. His eyes swiftly diverted from his materials, looking nervously around the room to make sure nobody noticed his state of distress and tried to help him. That’s when he met your dazed eyes, still looking around in wonder. Even across the large room, you could have sworn you heard a high-pitched yelp as he came rushing over to you.
“MC! You- you aren’t supposed to be here!! Lucifer gave us clear instructions that you aren’t to see any of this until tonight!!” He placed his hands on both of your shoulders, looking down at your feet in reaction to his sudden proximity with you, but still trying to usher you back out the front doors.
“Wait! Levi, wait!” You cried, trying to force yourself back into the center of the room against his hold. He may not be the most ripped or buff of the brothers, but he’s still a demon with demon strength. With another gentle, but forceful push, your back hit against someone’s chest. You turned to apologize, but instead found yourself face to face with Satan. He cocked his eyebrow at you, a slightly annoyed look on his face.
“What are you doing here, MC? Trying to spoil the surprise for tonight?”
“Well, in my defense, you guys have never been the best secret keepers,” you said with a grin, thinking back to all the times the boys have tried to surprise you in the past. They opted to let you know about the birthday ball only because, after their previous attempts, they knew they were terrible at trying to keep secrets from you.
“Nevertheless, Lucifer’s, albeit ridiculous, rules were clear and while I’d love your guidance and opinions on how your own celebration should be thrown, you should probably go. We’ll see you tonight.” He finally flashed you a grin of his own, winking and stepping around you to head back over to the preparations. You watched for a moment, enjoying seeing him in his almost natural commanding position, similar to another demon you knew, before a hand came waving over your eyes.
“H-hey! Normie! You heard Satan! Shoo!” Levi bashfully looked at you while making a shooing motion with his hands at you towards the door.
“Alright, alright!” You said, placing one of your hands up defensively while using the other to open the front door. Stepping out onto the front porch, you glanced over your shoulder at him.
“Hey, if you can get away early enough from whatever Satan has you doing, let’s play a few rounds of that new game you got in from Akuzon, okay?” He blushed and did a quick nod before gingerly closing the front door. Standing alone again, you weren’t sure if you were relieved to not have to force a smile or wishing you still had the company. The walk back to The House of Lamentation forced you to face your own thoughts yet again.
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You hadn’t seen Lucifer since dinner the previous night. His work apparently had piled on so high that he had opted out of even eating breakfast with everyone this morning, something he found important. Usually, bothering him wasn’t an option, but whether it be your own gloom or stupidity, you made the decision to knock on his door. There was no answer, even as you began to open it. You look around to see the room completely empty but make the decision to step inside anyway. It was pristine and perfectly tidy, as always. You walked over to his desk, tracing your finger over the hardwood as you walked past. You stopped before a small shelf against the wall, glancing up at the framed photo that sat upon it before picking it up. Inside the small metal frame was a picture of the seven brothers, Diavolo and yourself. It was taken at Diavolo’s birthday party slash your going away party at the end of your first stay here. Everyone, even Lucifer, wore a large smile on their face. During one of the brother’s trips to the human realm your last few months, you had requested they pick you up a camera, knowing your short stay would be coming to an end soon.
“Barbatos! Can you please take a photo of all of us together?” You asked, handing him the camera.
“What’re ya doin’, MC?” A certain white-haired demon questioned.
“Making sure there’s proof of my happiest night ever.”
After you had returned home, you got the pictures developed and made sure to make a copy not only for yourself, but each of them. As they visited you in the following months, you made sure to give them each their copies. You thought that they would find it trivial considering they had magic in Devildom to see their pictures as moving images, but you were usually met with misty eyes or even full-on tears. Now, it was your turn to tear up realizing that Lucifer had taken the time to frame and put up the picture in his private quarters. You wondered if one day this would be the only way he’d be able to look back and remember you. Looking it over once more, you lovingly swiped your thumb over another particularly goofy demon in the photo before carefully placing it back in its spot, opting to leave before Lucifer would notice that anything else was moved in his room.
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You hadn’t even noticed the time until you were quietly closing the door to Lucifer’s room and glancing at your D.D.D. to see 8 missed calls and 22 texts from Asmo. He was looking for you, exclaiming that it was way past time for you to start getting ready. The house was unusually quiet as you stepped up the stairs to Asmo’s room, making you think you and he were probably the only ones here. As you went to knock on the door, it flew open with a frantic looking Asmo now in front of you.
“Asmo I’m so sorry. I totally lost track of time and-”
“Ugh! Darling, you know how bad stress is for my skin. Do you want this beautiful work of art covered in disgusting blotches? I don’t think so!” He stepped to the side to allow you in while furiously pressing on his D.D.D. and bring it up to his ear.
“Yes, she’s here- Yes, she’s fine, yes, I’ll talk to her… Yes… Mhm…. Satan, if you don’t let me get off the phone, then she will never be ready!” With a dramatic roll of his eyes, he pressed the end call button and set his phone down on the other side of the room. He guided your shoulders to sit down in front of his humongous vanity, running a hand through your tousled hair.
“Was Satan pissed?” You frowned, hoping you didn’t get him in trouble.
“Yes, of course, but not at you.” He smiled, gently tapping the tip of your nose.
“Sorry, Mo, I really did lose track of time.” You smiled at his reflection, apologetically.
“Not to worry, darling! Nothing will be getting me down tonight. Speaking of Satan, he wanted me to talk to you about something. Apparently, my dear brothers have noticed that you’ve been particularly down the past couple days, especially today. Are you not excited for tonight? Is it too much?” He asked, a tinge of sadness in his voice, as he played around with your hair, trying to figure out how he wanted to style it for tonight.
“Oh god, no, Asmo! I swear, everything for the party is literally perfect. I haven’t even been to it yet, but I already know it’s going to be the most beautiful, elegant party I’ve ever been to.”
“Well, with me in attendance, of course! But, dearie, it’s obvious something is getting you down. Your skin doesn’t have the same vibrant glow and your eyes don’t have that wonderful, playful gleam.” He paused, looking you over with kind eyes. “I’d like to think I’m your best friend, please tell me.” He whimpered, guiding your hair from your shoulder to place a somber kiss to the soft skin. You met his gaze in the mirror, his eyes all but begging you for an answer.
You sighed. You could tell Asmodeus anything, but you knew he’d never understand this one particular thing. And telling him would ultimately bring down his party mood. You flipped around in your seat and held his hands in your own.
“I’ll make you a deal. I promise to try to be my normal, upbeat self for tonight and the second the party is over, I’ll tell you everything. Everyone worked so hard to make tonight special for me and even though I’ve been doing a shitty job up until now, I don’t want to bring down anyone’s mood. I promise, I’ll be fine for tonight.”
You could have sworn you could see the conflict flash across his face for a minute, but he quickly flashed you a bright smile and swung your hands side to side together.
“Alright! But the second the party ends, it's you, me, my bathtub and all the soaps and salts you could imagine. We are going to talk out whatever's bothering you in complete relaxation. Even when my idiot brother sees you looking absolutely delectable at the party, you remind him that you’re all mine tonight.” He purred the last part into your ear, causing you to shift and giggle as his breath hit your ear.
You hadn’t even seen said idiot brother since breakfast. After rapidly clearing his plate, he pressed a brisk kiss to your lips and promised you he’d be back for the party. Before you even had time to ask him where he was going, you could hear the front door to the house slam shut. Perhaps it was for the best. You weren’t sure you would be keeping it together as well as you were now if he had been around for the day.
Asmo got to work styling your hair, running his fingers over each strand like they were precious spools of gold. You shared your predictions for the evening while he expertly worked next on your makeup. Who would be the first to piss off Lucifer? Who would wreck something of Diavolo’s? Who would get drunk off their ass and need to be carried home? Finally, he helped you into the gown you had chosen earlier in the day together. You had felt like Devildom royalty trying it on the first time, in no way done up, but now? It felt like Diavolo himself would drop to his knees and offer you his crown. Asmo twirled you around to get a full 360 view of you, squealing in delight and praising himself on a spectacular job well done. He grabbed another garment bag off the back of one of his vanity chairs and assured you he would be dressed to the nines as well, but wouldn’t change until they got there, so as to not ruin the surprise of seeing him for you. You looked into the mirror once more, silently giving yourself a pep talk before walking out the door with Asmo.
For the second time that day, you made your way over to the Demon Lord’s castle, arm in arm with Asmo as he droned on about all the fabulous, extravagant parties he had been invited to in the past by his many lovers. As you reached the steps, you took one final deep breath, steadying yourself on it. Asmo disconnected your arms suddenly and turned to face you.
“Alright I’m going to run in and make sure everything’s perfect. You just wait your pretty little head right here and someone will be right out to fetch you~”
And with that, he disappeared inside, leaving you on the porch. You leaned against the wall for a moment, almost grateful to have an extra moment before the circus of glamour began. You closed your eyes, allowing yourself to get into the right headspace. The peace didn’t last long before you felt a pair of lips press against your cheek and an arm snake around your waist. You jumped at the sudden contact but opened your eyes to meet a set of familiar, crystal blue ones. No matter the amount of times he kissed you, or even met your gaze, your heart never ceased to jump out of your chest. No matter how much you wanted to tell him your sorrows about today or the future, you could never stop the instant smile that appeared on your face from just being around him. He pressed another kiss, to your lips this time, after seeing you smile, only drawing back to take a moment to admire your face. He stroked the back of his hand to your cheek where he had pressed his lips, dragging his knuckles slowly down your chin and your neck, glancing down to admire the dress as well. He said a silent thank you to not only Asmo, but the Demon King himself.
“Ya miss me today, angel?” He looked back into your eyes with a beaming smile. You nodded, moving one of your hands from his forearm to the back of his neck, causing your foreheads to lean against either other. Neither of you ever complained about the physical closeness. In fact, before you were even officially together, he would practically beg for it. Or find ways to snuggle up close to you or put his head in your lap or grab your hand. While it never failed to completely fluster him, he had gotten somewhat used to the attention.
“Where’ve you been all day?” You asked, pulling back slightly to look at his face, but leaving your hands in their place.
“Makin’ some last-minute preparations. How was it slummin’ it with the brothers that didn’t win ya love and affection?”
You snorted at his snide remark. “It was fine, but they’ve been running around all day and I haven’t been the most fun person to be around lately.” He gave you a confused glance before Asmo popped his head out the door.
“MC~ We’re ready for youuuu~” He stops when he notices his brother. “Oh, Mammon. Lucifer said he’s been trying to call you for an hour. You’d better have a good excuse for showing up late and ignoring him or you’ll be strung up next to our gorgeous decorations for the rest of the night.” Mammon huffed in annoyance, releasing you from his grasp and taking a step back. You finally got a good look at him. Whatever was waiting for you inside couldn’t nearly have been as beautiful a sight as the one in front of you. Mammon usually opted for his casual look or demon form attire, even for fancy events. But now, he stood in front of you adorning the most gorgeous, sophisticated suit. A black jacket with a golden vest and tie, a perfect match to the flowing dress on your body.
“Ya only took her dress shopping this morning! Ya didn’t give me a lotta time to find something to match!” He turned back to you, ready to escort you inside, but noticed that you were staring at him with a dazed, almost mystical look in your eyes. Another perfect, but fleeting moment. He made one of his signature smug smiles before dramatically straightening his suit jacket.
“The Great Mammon can clean up pretty well, huh! It’s no surprise ya can’t take your eyes off me. Just remember you’re the only one who I’d do this for!” The excitement in his voice snapped you out of your trance, causing you to place another kiss to his lips.
Asmo smiled at the sight but rolled his eyes. “Alright, come on you adorably delicious pairing. We can’t deprive everyone else of seeing you.”
Mammon sweetly smiled, holding out the crook of his arm for you to hold. You grasped his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze to let him know you were ready. Asmo hurried inside to alert the others of your entrance, leaving the door open for you two to walk in. Before entering the threshold, Mammon suddenly stopped in his tracks and shifted to look at you.
“Actually, I’d like to give you your present before we go in.”
“Mam, you didn’t have to get me anything.”
“Of course I did. It’s your first birthday since you chose me and I want to make sure to remind you, always, that you made the right choice.”
“You know that just being with me is everything I could ever ask for.”
“Well obviously,” he laughed, “but still, my treasure deserves all of life’s material pleasures.”
He reached into his suit jacket pocket, pulling out a long slender box. He opened it to reveal a shimmering gold locket and chain. The front of the locket had a pattern identical to the mark that had shown up on your body after making your first pact with the second oldest brother. You reached down to lightly run your finger over the intricate swirls, Mammon holding his breath, waiting for your reaction.
“Would you help me put it on?”
He nodded quickly, moving in fast, nervous motions to remove it from its satin box. He stepped behind you, bringing the necklace in front of your face and gently swiping your hair to the side. As he clasped it, you felt it softly fall to your chest, reaching up your hand to place it over the locket. You spun around to face him, not even noticing that a tear had fallen from your eyes.
“O-oh! Do ya not like it? I knew I should have just gotten ya some book or something like Satan said.”
“No, no, Mam, it’s gorgeous. I’m happy. I’m so, so happy.”
He let out a loud sigh of relief before giving you a half smile and reaching up to wipe your tear away.
“I’m glad ya like it, but no crying, ‘kay? If ya ruin your makeup before we even step inside, it’ll be Asmo hangin’ me from the chandelier.” He placed a kiss to your cheek where your tear was before once again holding out his arm for you to grab. You sniffed, letting out a small laugh at his comment before wrapping your hand around his arm.
By now you had been to a few parties at the Demon Lord’s castle, but none of them were even in the same category as this one. It was decked out from a stage with what might as well be a full orchestra to an array of Devildom’s finest eats, including a gorgeous four tier cake provided by Hell’s favorite twins. And, as you had hoped for, time stood still for a moment.
The cursive banner written Happy Birthday MC! no doubt done by Asmo. The twinkling string lights hung from the ceiling to look like stars. You spotted your favorite previous residents of Purgatory Hall and a few familiar faces from RAD, whom you had made friends with while attending. But front in center, stood your six other favorite people in the world. Dressed similar to Mammon, they each wore their own suits with their matching colored corresponded ties. As you stepped further inside, the band began playing one of your favorite slow songs.
Mammon moved off to the side as the brothers each approached you. “You better save ya last dance for me, hm?” He teased, a smile on his lips as he stepped aside.
Lucifer stepped forward first.
“MC?” He held his hand out to you, bending forward faintly. You delicately placed your hand on his and he set one of his hands on your waist as you both began dancing in time to the song.
“Happy Birthday, MC. You look lovely.”
“Thank you, Lucifer.” You say with an embarrassed chuckle. “Where have you been? I tried your office earlier. Been avoiding me?” You said teasingly.
“On the contrary. Thinking only of you.” You looked up at him, vaguely raising your brow.
“Who do you think found the orchestra? And made sure they could perform your favorites?”
“I’m sure that wasn’t an easy task. I’m not sure, I’m worthy of the effort. I-”
“You are.” He cut you off. He gave you one of his rare, genuine smiles before giving you a twirl. You closed your eyes at the weightless sensation of your dress flowing around you, only to open them to find yourself in the arms of another.
“H-hey just know I’m only doing this because Lucifer made me! Even though this situation is fairly similar to this anime I’m watching: It’s my birthday, but I fell in love with a demon and his family and now I worry for our future and question his love for me.”
You let out a deep laugh. “Only you could never realize how on the nose you always are, Levi.”
He allowed himself to blush slightly and chuckle. “Happy birthday, MC.”
You felt yourself being spun into the arms of another again, this time just a little more awkward. Although, the second you met the new partner, the dancing picked up the pace and was more graceful.
“So, what do you think? It’s just like that story we read, huh?”
A couple weeks earlier, Satan had recommended an old Devildom story to you. You ended up loving it considerably more than you’d imagined, and he ended up gifting you his copy. The castle looked like it was straight out of the ballroom dance chapter where the main characters meet for the first time. You look around again at the scenery, keeping in time with his tempo.
“I can’t believe I didn’t recognize it at first.”
“It’s nice to have this sort of inside secret with you. I don’t have many of those.”
“Thank you so much for creating this.”
“No, thank you, MC. Happy Birthday.”
He smiled down at you gratefully before spinning you to the next. The familiar, soft skin and light giggle was a dead giveaway before you opened your eyes. And the fact that your bodies were pressed together far closer than with your other partners.
“Usually people can’t take their eyes off me, but tonight it's all you, my dear.” He said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I’d love to be jealous, but they are right to stare.”
“Oh, come on, Asmo, you don’t mean that. You’re still the most beautiful one in the room.”
“No.” He said, his tone turning serious only for a moment. “You are.” A smile being placed on his lips again. “Happy Birthday, darling.” He placed a kiss to your cheek. You could feel his eyelashes against your skin for only a moment before you were spun again. This time you were met with a towering figure and large hand against your waist. The first few steps were relatively okay until one of his feet caught your dress, and you stumbled forward. You fell against his chest, both of you pausing for a moment. You looked up to see his face ridden with worry and concern.
You gave him a reassuring laugh. “It’s okay, Beel. Just hold me like this and we can sway to the music.”
“Sorry, MC. Lucifer knows I’m probably the worst dancer of all of us.” You laughed again into his chest, raising your arms to place your hands on the back of his neck, swaying with him.
“I think you’re better than you think you are. By the way, the cake looks amazing.” His stomach rumbled at the thought.
“It tastes amazing, too. It’s the third one Belphie and I have made today. I couldn’t help myself.”
You playfully hit his chest and hugged him closer to you. “I can’t wait to try it. Thank you again for making it. I know Lucifer kinda put you up to an impossible task.”
“For you? Anything. Happy Birthday.” He pulled back, smiling down at you. Instead of twirling you, hoping to keep another accident from happening in his short dance with you, he opted to hand you off to his twin brother. You delicately placed your hand in his outreached one, coming together with him.
“Trying to save the best for last?” He questioned, taking to the pace of the song.
“Well, actually, Mammon asked for the last dance, so unless that’s what you meant…”
“No, definitely not.” He chuckled.
“I was just telling Beel, the cake looks amazing. How’d you know about the flowers though?”
The tiered cake was an elegant black but had gorgeous purple petals waterfalling from the top. The petals identical sugar copies of your favorite flower in the garden.
“Whenever we’d have kitchen duty together, I’d see you looking out the window. I always wondered what you were looking at. Once, when I was trying to find Beel, I happened to look out the window and see you were sitting in the grass, smelling them. You’d never looked so radiant… except now of course.” You sighed happily, smiling down at the ground. “I’m glad you like it. You deserve the best, especially on your birthday.” He glanced behind you, watching a figure approaching the two of you. “It seems that Mammon will still have to wait his turn.” You glanced over your shoulder to see Diavolo heading your way.
“Belphegor, mind if I cut in?”
Belphie gave you a sad smile but let his hand fall from your waist. As he paced over to his brothers, you turned into Diavolo’s wide, waiting arms. It was no surprise to you that he was a fantastic dancer, as you had assumed there was truly nothing he couldn’t do. Except control Lucifer’s brothers.
“Enjoying yourself, MC?”
“Very much so. I am surprised the brothers were able to put together such a lovely event.”
“I’m not. They adore you.” He nodded his head to reference behind you, where they all stood, watching you with loving, but protective eyes. A bright blush danced upon your cheeks, not realizing that they had all been staring. “No need to be flustered. I’m sure if you sprouted eight legs right now, they’d look at you the same.” You laughed at the mental image, but he got close to your ear and whispered, “Even if you were old and grey, they’d always see you this way. As you are, right now.”
You took in a sharp breath, tears pricking at the corner of your eyes. If it wasn’t for your repetitive blinking away of them, you would have fallen apart right there. He pulled back, giving you one of his biggest, warm smiles, before bringing your hand to his lips, leaving a kiss on the back.
“Thank you for the dance. You’d best rejoin your admirers.” He stepped back and out of sight into the crowd. With your back still facing away from the group, you took a moment to hold on to Diavolo’s words. Could they possibly be true? You felt a hand on your shoulder, making you jump.
“MC?”
You took a deep breath before facing him, putting on your brightest, albeit fake, smile. Asmo gave you a sympathetic look, but didn’t push it, knowing the two of you would talk after the party.
“Ready to try the cake? I hear it’s simply to die for~” You laughed at his theatrics, pushing your thoughts to the side, before walking over with him to the buffet table.
The rest of the night was fairly normal. Well, as normal as an upscale ball in Hell could be. You had been asked to dance a few more times, the cake ended up truly being as delectable as it looked, and the orchestra played all your favorites. And, for once, pretty much everyone got along - besides Asmo reaming Beel out for almost ripping your dress. The boys were usually ones to party until the break of dawn, but for you, the end of the night was coming promptly. There was still one more thing you had to do, but you weren’t sure you’d have the strength to do it.
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As you saw him approaching from across the room, your heart filled with not only love, but dread. You stepped away from the conversation you were having with Satan and Levi, heading towards the doors to the balcony. The cool, but humid summer Devildom wind hit your skin as you stepped towards the white stone railing. You placed both of your hands on it, looking up at the stars and constellations above you, hearing the song changing inside.
I've seen the world, done it all
Had my cake now
Diamonds, brilliant, in Bel-Air now
It was at a place much like this where you had shared your first kiss with Mammon while you were running hand in hand from Levi. He had confessed how happy he was when he was with you and asked you to stay. You wanted nothing more than to say yes and if you had known how easily you’d been accepted back, you would have. Time was never on your side. Not those few months you were apart and not now.
Hot summer nights, mid July
When you and I were forever wild
The crazy days, city lights
The way you'd play with me like a child
You could hear his footsteps approach and eventually, his quiet breaths next to you. Neither of you said anything for a few moments, both staring up at the serene sky above. You could feel his eyes on you, but you didn’t dare meet them. Not even when he stepped behind you and placed his arms around your waist and his head on your shoulder. You closed your eyes and bit your lip, trying so hard not to ruin a perfect night.
“Oi,” he whispered softly into your ear. “What’s wrong, angel? Too much champagne or is Levi’s social awkwardness finally rubbing off on ya?”
You somberly shook your head, placing your hands on his wrists for support, before finally giving into the sob in the back of your throat. He held on tight as you leant forward into the cry before pulling you to his chest.
“H-hey it’s okay, it’s okay. Whatever it is you can tell me. You’re alright.” He shook in fear that he had said or done the wrong thing, but, still, used a shaky hand to stroke your hair. Every possible scenario ran through his head. Were you unhappy here? Did you regret coming back? Did you regret him? After a moment, you pulled back from him, looking into his eyes for the first time since you walked in. You donned red eyes and tear stained cheeks, while his face displayed nothing but fear and worry.
“Will you still love me when I’m no longer young and beautiful like tonight?”
Will you still love me
When I've got nothing but my aching soul?
I know you will, I know you will
I know that you will
Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?
He immediately recoiled at the question, like it was the stupidest thing anyone’s ever asked. He stared at you, confused. “What?” was all he could manage to choke out.
“Mammon, I’m getting older every day. This is just one birthday, but what about fifty birthdays from now? It won’t be grand balls and drinking the night away. It’ll be trying to help me stand out of my chair and thanking the man upstairs that I’m still alive to see another year with you. You really think you could love some old, wrinkly lady? How is that fair to you? I can’t be what you deserve.” You choke out the last word, pulling away from him, attempting to retreat inside.
“How could ya say that?” It was small and you barely heard it, but it was there. You stopped in your tracks. He shifted on his heel to face your back, tears now streaming down his face. You had no idea what to say to him.
“How could ya say that?” He repeated, louder this time with a hint of anger behind it. “How could ya say that like my love for ya means nothing but your appearance. Ya think I’m just in this for a good lay? Just to wake up next to a pretty face? Do ya really think I’m so greedy that I’d keep ya all to myself just to leave ya as ya get older? Do you think that it has never crossed my mind that our love has an expiration date? And on top of that, to say that I deserve better? You’re the best I’ve ever had. The best thing my long life has ever touched. The closest I’ve been to the celestial realm since I fell. Why the hell do ya think I call ya angel? Why do ya- why would ya-” His words cut off by his now heaving chest and strained voice. His sobs getting louder as he tried to catch his breath. You quickly ran to him and placed a secure hand around his waist to his back and the other to his chest. He sunk slowly to his knees, moving one of his hands on top of the hand on his chest.
I've seen the world, lit it up
As my stage now
Channeling angels in a new age now
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m just so scared.” Your own sobs resumed as you gripped each other for dear life, now on your knees with him. You pressed the top of your head against his, reassuringly. He took the chance to hide his face into your neck. You were wearing the perfume he had gotten after you smelt it at a shop during one of your many shopping trips together. You were the first person who made him endlessly unfrugal, wanting to spend every ounce of Grimm he earned on you. Every desire you had was to be met, he’d boasted once, while handing over Goldie to a cashier.
Hot summer days, rock and roll
The way you play for me at your show
And all the ways, I got to know
Your pretty face and electric soul
You stroked the back of his smooth, white hair, remembering every peaceful moment you two had together where you got to do this. Every peaceful, beautiful moment.
“Mammon... I’m sorry. I just can’t imagine a life without you. Without all of you. You all are frozen in time, perfect, beautiful beings. How could I compare to that? I can’t be that for you,” you whispered to him, your tears still flowing, but silently now.
Will you still love me
When I'm no longer young and beautiful?
Will you still love me
When I've got nothing but my aching soul?
I know you will, I know you will
I know that you will
Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?
He took in a shaky breath, trying to stabilize himself and his words before he spoke. “MC, you’re better than that. You’re real. You’re nothing but good and pure and whole. Ya fix broken things. Ya fixed my brothers. Ya fixed me. I will never do anything but thank ya for the rest of my life. And if I can thank ya by loving ya everyday ya breathing, then I will. There is and will never be anyone else for me. You’re mine, every second, every minute, every year and every birthday.” He finally looked up to meet your soft gaze, considering his words. “Plus, if ya think Asmo is gonna let ya get wrinkly, you’ve got another thing coming.” He finally let you see his timid half-smile. Even with his puffy under-eyes and pinkened cheeks, he was still the most gorgeous being you had ever seen, joking like he hadn’t been nearly screaming to the Heavens minutes ago.
You let out a small laugh, which quickly turned into you laughing like a maniac, overwhelmed with your current emotions. He gave you a confused look at first, but soon joined into your laughter. After a few moments, the laughter had settled down and you sat quietly, listening to the distant music playing inside. He moved a stray hair from your eyes, rubbing his thumb lovingly over your skin.
“Ya have nothing to worry about. Ever. The Great Mammon will always take care of ya.” He said, eliciting another small laugh from you. He stood, putting out both of his hands for you to use as support to stand as well. You grabbed them, but stumbled as you stood, having a faint headache from all the crying. He placed both his hands on your waist to steady you, eyes searching your face for any signs of distress.
“Are ya okay? Do ya wanna just go home?”
You shook your head.
“No, it’s okay. Let’s just get inside and thank everyone for the party first, then we can head home.” He nodded, but kept one hand around your waist, for support, as you both headed back inside.
“Ya know,” he whispered lightly in your ear, “ya still owe me a dance. Up to it?”
You nodded, making your way out to the place you had danced with his brothers at the beginning of the night. He stepped a couple feet away from you before placing one arm behind his back and one in front of his waist, bowing to you. You giggled, grabbing your dress to raise it and bowing back to him. His hand was quick to find your waist again while the other grabbed your hand.
Dear lord, when I get to heaven
Please let me bring my man
When he comes tell me that you'll let him in
Father tell me if you can
You moved closer to place your head against his chest, wanting nothing more than closeness to him in this moment.
All that grace, all that body
All that face, makes me wanna party
He's my sun, he makes me shine like diamonds
You had been like that for a while, a couple songs worth at least, it wasn’t until you heard Diavolo cut the band and tap one of his long claws against a champagne glass that you faced the stage.
“My apologies, friends. But, while the night may be young for us, it hardly is for our guest of honor. And so, I’d like to call for a toast and present her birthday gift to conclude this ceremonious event.” His eyes locked onto yours from across the room as he raised his glass. “MC, I couldn’t think of a more deserving person for a beautiful celebration as this one. I must admit, I was quite worried the first time you had joined us in our glorious realm. If only I could have seen the way you are tonight, back then. You made the best out of a situation you didn’t ask for and dare I say, I think you’ve blossomed because of it. And to see our three realms coming together so beautifully, especially to celebrate and rejoice in your birth. You truly belong and have found love and family here. I hope my gift is but a small token of my appreciation for your compassion and work.”
He waved his hand to Barbatos, who walked gracefully across the stage with a small, ancient-looking wooden box in one of his hands. He held it out to the demon lord, who took it with a small thank you to his trusty servant.
“My gift to you, my dear MC, is… forever.” He opened the small cushioned box for you to see a vial of some unknown liquid inside. You met his glance once again, with a confused one of your own, until you heard Mammon gasp. You peered at him, his eyes locked on the vial, slowly filling, once again, with tears. He turned to look at you, giving you one of the biggest smiles he had since asking you to be his. Except that time, he’d ask you to be his for your entire human life. This time… it was forever.
Will you still love me
When I'm no longer young and beautiful?
Will you still love me
When I've got nothing but my aching soul?
I know you will, I know you will
I know that you will
Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?
Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?
Will you still love me when I'm not young and beautiful?