Archive of Our Own

Before sight, there was sound.

The first interaction Mammon had ever had with you was the phone call Lucifer had instructed you to make. And needless to say, he had not been impressed.

For some time, Mammon resented you. Your presence in the Devildom meant nothing more than an extra chore for the Avatar of Greed –  a living, breathing responsibility he’d never asked to deal with.

But things changed.

Again and again, you stood your ground; a mere human at the mercy of a dark and dangerous world full of sin.

His family changed, and he changed, too.

All for the better, and all thanks to you.

Somewhere along the line, Mammon had grown fond of you, though he could never exactly be sure why.

Had it been your character, perhaps? Your forthrightness? The way you never gave up on him or his brothers or anyone in need, no matter how difficult or dangerous things got?

Or maybe it was something much simpler than that.

The adorable way you tilted your head to the side when you were confused. How your eyes twinkled as you plotted something mischievous. The way you were so unrelentingly…

You.

Mammon was sure it was all those things and more, but words alone would never be enough to explain them completely. Though that, he supposed, was just as well. After all, what were words when actions were capable of so much more?

He sighed.

A long time ago, Mammon had been an angel.

He’d fought in a war, fallen from grace, and eventually ended up as one of the seven great rulers of the underworld. He’d borne witness to the rise and fall of empires, the beginning and end of lives, and, more than anything else, the passing of time.

Mammon thought he’d seen it all – until you showed up. A seemingly ordinary human from the realm above, whisked away to the Devildom because of some ambitious exchange programme cooked up by Lord Diavolo.

You quickly grew into so much more than just an extra resident of the House of Lamentation. To the brothers, you’d become a precious friend and loved one they could cry and laugh and talk about anything and everything with; an integral part of their lives.

But even after all that happened, the fact was that you’d only really stayed in the Devildom for a single year.

And what was a year to someone who’s lived for millennia?

A blink of an eye, a heartbeat; nothing more than another second that passes as quickly as it arrives.

Mammon had barely known you for a second.

And it was only during the final seconds of the exchange programme did Mammon finally realise what everyone else had been blatantly pointing out to him for ages. The reason he always wanted your attention, why he hated when Asmodeus or any of his brothers got too close to you, why he always wanted to be the one to protect you and keep you safe.

Truthfully, deep down, he’d probably already known the reason for some time. He’d just been too stubborn to admit it. Too afraid.

He thought he’d finally come to terms with the fact that you were leaving. But as he watched you disappear through the glowing white portal to the human world, his eyes widened. The nightmare where you would no longer be there by his side was suddenly becoming all too real.

No. Don’t go.

The portal began to close.

His body tensed. His breath got caught in his throat.

I don’t want to lose you!

Without thinking, Mammon lunged forward, grasping at the rapidly fading light as if it would bring you back to him. Back into his arms, where you belonged.

“Mammon! What are you doing?!”

The second-born barely registered the shouts of his brothers around him as his fist closed around thin air. With trembling lips, he stared at the ground, his feet where yours had been just a heartbeat ago.

His eyes fluttered shut.

Shakily, hesitantly, he opened his fist. He didn’t need to look to know that in his palm was absolutely nothing. He didn’t want to.

The portal had closed. You were gone.

As he stood there, tuning out the reprimands for his impulsive and potentially dangerous behaviour, Mammon couldn’t think of anything else but the revelation he’d made just a little too late.

He swallowed.

I’m in love with the human.

It wasn’t often that Mammon got to visit the human world. Thanks to the… Restrictions he’d unintentionally placed on both himself and the rest of the Devildom, it wasn’t exactly easy to get there. You either had to have authority, incredible willpower and resilience to get through the eight levels of Devildom on foot, or. most simply, have been personally summoned there yourself.

The latter method was the most familiar to Mammon. After all, most of his visits to the human world had been against his will, terrifyingly and yet unsurprisingly due to the cryptic blackmailing and threats of witches he owed debt to.

But this time was going to be different.

Mammon practically danced around the dining table, his steps sporting an obvious spring. He hummed as he grabbed a fork and spun it around, ignoring the looks of his brothers around him.

“Oh, my,” Asmo commented, his eyebrows raised. He twirled his hair with his fingers. “Looks like someone’s certainly having a good morning.”

“What’s his deal?” Levi groaned as he entered the dining room, Belphegor trudging along close behind.

The otaku dragged back his chair and slumped down in his seat, rubbing his eyes in a futile attempt to erase his fatigue. “Cut it out with the humming, Mammon. It’s way too early to be this happy. Kind of annoying, actually.”

“I’ll say,” Belphie yawned. He hugged his pillow close to his chest and gingerly took a seat next to Beelzebub, unsurprised to see that his twin was already scarfing down most of the food on the table. “So what happened? Did you pawn off someone’s possessions again or something?”

Mammon laughed. “Eh? Nah, don’t be silly, Belphie. That was last week.”

Belphie squinted. He immediately regretted having asked. “… Okay, then, what happened?”

Satan, who’d been quietly observing up till that point, shut the book he’d been reading and looked up. “He finally got approval from Lucifer to visit Y/N in the human world.”

Silence.

Levi’s mouth opened, then closed. Asmo stopped playing with his hair. Belphie’s head shot up from his pillow. The omelette Beelzebub had pierced with his fork ceased its journey to his mouth.

Slowly, all eyes turned to Mammon, who merely continued munching on his sandwich with blithe.

“… You what.”

In just a split second, the brothers were at Mammon’s throat, hounding him for details with overwhelming envy.

‘Why are you the only one who gets to see Y/N?! You’re not the only one who misses them, you know!”

“If you’re going, I’m going too!”

“I want to see Y/N too…”

“It’s not fair!”

“You don’t get to hog them all to yourself!”

“Ack—let go! I’m – I’m seriously gonna choke!”

Satan watched as the situation before him unfolded. As chaotic as his brothers were being, he easily shared their sentiment. He too wanted to visit the human who’d become so important and dear to them. The House of Lamentation just hadn’t been the same since they left.

The human was only a D.D.D. call away and yet an entire realm apart, so while verbal communication and video chats were very much possible, it was extremely rare for Y/N and the Demon brothers to physically be able to meet.

“How come you get to go?” Belphie growled, far more awake than he’d ever been at breakfast. “Y/N can’t use summoning magic on their own, so you know how rarely we get to see them. I don’t see why you should be the only one.”

“Yeah, I want to see Y/N’s cute smile in person, too!” whined Asmodeus, pouting. “I bet the manicure I gave them is all ruined by now… I need to go fix it, so I’m coming with!”

“And I have so many new games and anime to introduce to them,” Levi exhaled bitterly, burning with the very sin he symbolised. “All of us want to see them, Mammon. What makes you so special…? Is it ‘cause you’re their ‘first’ or whatever? You know that doesn’t mean anything, right?”

“… I promised to eat snacks with them. And I want to try all kinds of human food, too, so I’m coming,” insisted Beelzebub.

Wincing and struggling, Mammon shook his brothers off, gasping as he sought to catch his breath. With a shaky hand, he grasped at the dining table for support. “A-Are y’all tryin’ to kill me?!”

“Yes.”

“Oi!”

Satan sighed. Enough was enough.

“It’s because Mammon scored fairly decently on his finals. Lucifer made him promise not to take on any modelling jobs or attend any parties for a while, and to not fail a single subject,” he explained, though his voice sounded more akin to a scowl. “He told him that if he failed again, he’d hang him upside down in front of the RAD courtyard for a thousand years.”

He paused to glare at Mammon, who swallowed thickly and averted his gaze. “So being the kind, generous little brother I am, I tutored Mammon,” Satan continued, his words dripping with venom, “not knowing he’d left out one very important detail that Lucifer had told him: that if he scored in the top 30 overall, he’d permit him to visit Y/N in the human world for a day.”

Mammon laughed nervously. He stood up a little straighter, slowly inching away from the blonde. “Um, hey, uh… Look. Hear me out. Satan, we talked about this already, didn’t we, lil’ bro? I’m, um, I promise I didn’t actually lie or anything, I just… May have, well… Like you said, left out a few… Tiny…”

Satan smiled. Mammon gulped.

As the Avatar of Wrath unleashed his fury upon the scum of Devildom, the other brothers continued their discussion, completely used to this sort of scenario.

“Oh, so that’s why he suddenly did so well on the exams,” Asmo realised. “Just imagine how shocked I was when I looked at the bulletin board and saw ‘Mammon’ on the top scorers list…!”

“Yeah, I was so sure he’d cheated again,” agreed Beel.

“Still, to think he’d actually get into the top 30,” Levi mused, “even I have to say, that’s pretty impressive.”

Belphie hummed and rested his head on his pillow once more. “Rank 28, huh… Heh. He just barely made the cut.”

“Well, it’s not like I don’t understand. I would’ve been super motivated too if it meant I could see Y/N,” Asmo giggled.

“Yeah! Y-You get it, right?!” Mammon cried from behind them, practically fighting for his life. “I earned this, fair and square!”

“Maybe for you, but how about us? The rest of us normally do just fine on our exams, but that doesn’t mean we get to go see Y/N whenever we want.”

“… I suppose it’s a little different in this idiot’s case,” Satan muttered, reluctantly making the decision to wrap up Mammon’s morning torture. “I’m willing to bet Lucifer just said that so he’d be motivated to study for once. I doubt he expected him to actually succeed.”

The demons glanced at one another in silence. As much as they wanted to continue arguing over the unfairness of it all, if nothing else, they couldn’t deny how determined and sincere the otherwise scummy second-born could be when he put his mind to something – especially when Y/N was involved.

Finally, Asmo sighed. “I guess even you can be kind of sweet sometimes, huh?” He cupped his face in his hands. “Making such huge sacrifices… Working day and night for even the slightest chance that you’ll get to see your beloved… How romantic! I guess I underestimated you, Mammon.”

An image of you flashed across Mammon’s mind. “M-my beloved?!” He choked out, feeling his cheeks grow warm.

He rubbed his nose bashfully, suddenly finding the curvature of his glass extremely interesting. “Y-Yeah, well, um… You’d better believe that the Great Mammon can be romantic! Y… Y’know?” he blurted out, embarrassment bubbling up inside him with each word he spoke.

Months ago, Mammon was sure he would’ve denied Asmo’s statement, babbling on and on about how he was completely wrong and that there was no way he’d put in so much effort for a mere human, much less a weak and powerless one like you. He would’ve made up some grandiose lie about how he planned to use his trip to the human world on a shopping spree or a chance to rob people of their fortunes instead, and that you ought to be honoured by the mere fact that the Avatar of Greed, the Great Mammon himself, was even stepping foot on human world ground in the first place.

But for better or for worse, he was aware of his feelings now. And the truth was… Yeah. He had put in that much effort into studying for once, all for the sake of being able to see you. So what? It hadn’t been easy, but his desire to be with you again – even if only for a short while – had kept the fire inside him ablaze.

He’d missed his chance during the exchange programme, taking for granted each day you were right there beside him. But this time, he wanted to properly tell you how he felt.

This time, he wasn’t going to let you go.

“Oh, shoot, we’re going to be late for class!” Asmo gasped suddenly, shooting up from his chair. “C’mon, everyone, let’s go, let’s go!”

“I’m not done eating yet…”

“I haven’t even had anything!”

“Me neither.”

“Then grab something and move!”

“Hey, don’t push me!”

“It wasn’t me, that was Levi’s fault!”

“Shut up! Stop pushing me, damn it!”

“Aghhhh!”

“This is a serious matter, Mammon. Remember: twenty-four hours, and not a second more.”

The Avatar of Greed rubbed his hands with glee, bouncing up and down on his heels. Standing in front of the portal to the human world that Lucifer had opened up for him, he could hardly believe his wish was finally going to come true.

After what had felt like eternity, Mammon was going to get to see you again. He would make sure to memorise the colour of your beautiful, breathtaking eyes, the sound of your lovely little laugh… Oh, the moment he saw you, he was going to pull you close and hug you and spin you around and tell you that he –

“Mammon! Are you listening to me?”

The Avatar of Greed snapped out of his daydream, his eyes shifting back into focus. A little flustered, he did his best to meet his older brother’s gaze. “I-I am!” He lied. He wasn’t going to take his chances. Not when he was this close to being with you.

Lucifer raised an eyebrow with skepticism. “… Twenty-four hours,” he repeated flatly. “As I said, if you haven’t returned by then, I will personally drag you back here myself. I don’t care if any witches summon you. If you cause Y/N or other humans trouble in any way, Mammon, you’ll be banned from visiting the human world for the next six hundred and fifty years.”

He smiled, his glare intensifying tenfold. “…And I’m sure you wouldn’t want that, would you?”

“Ahaha… Nooo, sir.”

“I’m glad we have an understanding. One last thing. Are you certain you have everything you need?”

Mammon scrunched up his nose. He’d planned on travelling light, but his brothers had insisted that if they couldn’t go see you, he at least ought to act as their messenger boy. That was how he’d ended up having to lug around a massive khaki duffel bag with a Little D keychain attached to the zip, stuffed to the brim with everyone’s gifts to you.

Honestly, he wished you luck. He was fairly certain the contents of the bag were going to burst out everywhere the moment you opened it, and a sinking feeling in his stomach told him that the fragile glass jar of whatever Beelzebub had shoved into the bag without wrapping it first was not going to make the journey in one piece.

Shuddering at the thought, Mammon gripped the sling of the bag a little tighter and nodded. “Yep. Your gift’s already inside, right?”

“At the very top. I made sure of that.”

Mammon rolled his eyes. The corner of Lucifer’s mouth twitched.

“Well then,” Lucifer said, the gesture of his hand indicating that Mammon was free to go. “Remember to lay low and keep your D.D.D on you at all times.”

“Yeah, yeah. Bye, mom,” Mammon drawled, stepping into the portal just as you’d done all those months ago.

Lucifer watched as his little brother disappeared. He smiled.

“Send Y/N my regards.”

The first thing Mammon did upon entering the human world was fall.

There were a few things he wanted to get before meeting you, so he’d requested to be teleported to a shopping area near where you lived. It was nearly evening in your time zone and more people were starting to wander the streets, so while he understood why his elder brother had opted to drop him off in a deserted alleyway nearby…

“Dammit, Lucifer!” Mammon hissed into his torso, rubbing the back of his neck. “The ground was right there!”

Muttering a string of curses at the chain link fence that had rudely welcomed him to your world, the next three things Mammon did were look up, wince, and squeeze his eyes shut as tight as he possibly could.

His eyes were burning.

“Every. Damn. Time,” he grumbled, biting his lower lip. “It’s just too damn bright…”

The intensity of the human world sun never failed to catch him off guard. Sure, he’d have been lying if he said he didn’t enjoy its warmth at least a little bit, but living in the darkness of the Devildom for so long had made Mammon question how he’d ever survived life up in the ever-sparkling Celestial Realm in the first place.

Squinting uncomfortably until his eyes adjusted to his surroundings, Mammon sighed. He sat by the fence for a moment in the corner of the lonely alleyway.

A tiny, anxious part of him wondered if coming to the human world had been a bad idea after all. Was it really worth it? What if you were busy, or out of town, or… Or…

Though he’d chatted with you earlier, he hadn’t actually mentioned he was coming, what with wanting to surprise you and all, so it wasn’t too late to…

“No!” Mammon growled out loud, knocking his head with his fist. “What am I even thinking? Gettin’ all nervous, sproutin’ cold feet… This is no way for the Great Mammon to act!”

Taking a deep breath, he pulled out his D.D.D, instantly relaxing as the screen lit up. He smiled softly. All it took was a single glance at your laughing face on his lock screen, and he knew.

You would always be worth it.

With a slightly concerned pat on the duffel bag where Beel’s probably now broken jar used to be, Mammon picked himself off the ground and nodded. He straightened his sunglasses (which, he realised, served considerably more purpose in the human world than it did in the Devildom), dusted himself off and grinned.

Time to get to work.

Flowers.

Humans liked flowers, didn’t they?

Well, Mammon supposed, so did demons. All the ones he’d gone on dates with in the past had swooned upon being presented with some. It was just a simple gesture, but a supposedly romantic one nonetheless.

But… You weren’t just a human, you were you! Mammon didn’t want to lump you in with everyone else, regardless of species. He wasn’t going to just get you some measly bouquet.

He thought about the various gifts his brothers had packed inside the bag he’d been hauling around. Asmodeus had given a Majolish-exclusive skincare set; Levi, two rare figurines and a limited edition copy of TSL volume 9…

As the list went on, more than anything else, Mammon realised that each present practically screamed the person who’d gifted it.

He bit his lip.

He’d packed a gift for you in the bag as well, but it didn’t quite… Embody him as much as the others’ gifts did them.

His eyes fluttered shut. What represented him, he wondered. He supposed the obvious answer was ‘money’, but even then, it wasn’t like he usually had that much. And despite his personal feelings that a fat wad of cash would make for an absolutely fantastic gift, Mammon wasn’t just going to shove Grimm or whatever currency you humans used in your face.

No. This second gift had to be something that would set him apart from all his brothers, that could convey his deep affection for you at first glance. Something that would make you think of him and smile each time you looked at it.

But what…?

… Actually, come to think of it…

Did you even like flowers? Would you want them as a gift, or would you see them as a waste?

Mammon’s eyes shot back open.

And what about chocolate? He’d read that many humans liked to declare their love with an infamous pairing of flowers and chocolate, but again, did you actually like chocolate? And if so, what kind? There were far too many, and to ask would be too obvious. And what if you turned out to be allergic?

The demon groaned, his troubled glare boring holes into the stalks of roses before him. He really hadn’t thought this through, had he? Why did humans have to be so damn complicated? All he wanted to do was make you happy.

The florist tending the shop watched him anxiously, unsure whether to be enchanted by her customer’s devilish good looks or concerned by his behaviour. He’d been frozen on the spot for some time now, fighting an unspoken war with the roses, and she figured it was about time for her to step in.

Clearing her throat, she took a courageous step towards him. “E-Excuse me, sir – ”

“W… Which one’s the best?!”  Mammon blurted, fumbling over his words.

The florist blinked. The customer looked completely frazzled.

“I’m sorry?” She asked.

“Y’all like flowers, right? I’m askin’ ya, which ones are the best?”

The florist took a step back. “W-Well…”

“And what’s your return policy like?” Mammon sniffled, rambling uncontrollably. “’Cause I’m thinkin’, see, that maybe I should get everything. That way there’s bound to be at least one kind that they’ll like, right? But say they don’t want any at all, I wanna at least get my money back. Y’know what I’m saying?”

He paused.

“Do you know anythin’ about chocolates?”

The florist stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded. Now as flustered as the man before her, she retreated behind the counter. “… I… I’ll go get you a catalogue, sir!”

Mammon sighed. He buried his head in his hands.

“Why is this so hard…” He mumbled.

He knew you’d be happy to receive anything he gave you, but just anything wouldn’t suffice. This gift needed to be extra special! Because, well…!

… ‘Cause you were extra special.

 To him.

His face grew warm at the thought.

He wanted to be special to you, too.

“Gah… Just what do you think you’re doin’ to me, you dummy…”

The mere thought that he was now in your world, so close to seeing you… It felt like you were right beside him, yet just out of reach.

He swore he could even smell the familiar scent of your – wait.

Mammon’s head shot up.

That hadn’t just been his imagination.

For as much as you’d thought Mammon had been exaggerating about the strength of your bond due to him being your ‘first’, there was indeed some truth to his words. More so than his brothers, he was able to accurately pinpoint your location, determine whether you were injured or in danger, and sense any deep emotions you were feeling at any given time.

And at this given time, he’d picked up your scent.

His heart swelled. There was no doubt about it. You were nearby.

He wanted to run over and pull you into a tight hug, to savour your comforting familiar scent and never let go. But alas, he couldn’t. Mammon didn’t want you to see him just yet. Not until he was ready.

Allowing himself one last, indulgent moment to revel in your essence, Mammon sighed. Just the thought of you nearby made him feel like his heart was about to burst, but he would try to hold in his greed for you just this once.

Soon, he thought. Soon, I’ll get to be with you again.

… But for now, his main focus was not letting you spot him, so without wasting anymore time, the Avatar of Greed ducked round the corner and hurried away.

Just then, the florist returned.

“Sir, the catalo – sir? Where’d he go…?”

Okay, so.

No more flowers. No more chocolates.

Mammon was going to do this the Mammon way.

…

But what was the Mammon way?

He paced up and down the shopping street, making sure to be extra careful whenever he picked up your scent again.

It had been a little over an hour since he’d arrived in the human world, and Mammon still hadn’t seen anything you’d like for sure. Part of him had even contemplated calling Asmo for advice, but he had a feeling they’d have very different opinions on the matter, so he’d decided against it in the end.

Mammon scratched his head, frustrated. He didn’t have time to waste! Every minute spent dallying in the shopping street thinking of what to get meant one less minute he’d get to spend with you. He didn’t want to go someplace else to search, either, because travelling only meant he’d be losing even more time.

He chewed on his lip, unknowingly digging into his palms with his nails as he balled his fists.

He’d survived being chased by humongous serpents and monsters, hadn’t he? He’d fought in a war against angels and gods, and emerged as one of the seven great rulers of the Devildom, hadn’t he…?!?

And yet the biggest challenge in his life thus far was looking for a gift for some human.

Mammon smacked his head, ignoring the weird looks he received from passers-by as he continued down the street.

There had to be something he could give you. Sure, he wasn’t the most experienced in this romantic stuff – that was Asmo’s whole deal, after all – but there at least had to be at something, right?

Turning his head to the side, Mammon’s eyes widened. He stopped in his tracks.

There, in the glass window of a stationery shop, stood the reflection of a demon, hopelessly in love with a human. His cheeks, flushed and hopeful; his eyes, determined and sincere.

Mammon stood there for a while, silent, never breaking eye contact with the parallel him.

“…Oh,” he whispered finally, softly, as the tips of his ears turned red.

A tiny, amused smile formed on his lips.

He should’ve realised it sooner.

“… I’m givin’ you me.”

Fueled by his newfound realisation, Mammon pulled out his phone and began tapping away, not caring that the message he was composing was littered with typos.

None of that was important. All that mattered was that he was finally going to see you, and nothing would ever be able to stop him.

He pressed ‘Send’ and began bolting towards the direction of your scent, his little black demon heart fuller than ever. 

He’d been such a fool. You didn’t need gifts or anything fancy like that. It was cheesy, sure… But Mammon wanted you to know that if nothing else, he would always be yours, and that he had been since the very beginning.

He had to tell you he loved you, that he missed you, that he wanted to make you the happiest person in the world. And that… If you allowed him to be selfish, he wanted all of you as well. Would you go back to the Devildom with him? He’d come up with an excuse so that you could stay there forever. You’d never have to worry about a thing. He wouldn’t let you.

Fortunately for Mammon, you’d settled down somewhere, making it easier to trace your scent. He clung to it like a lifeline, a red string of fate; whatever you wanted to call it. All he knew was that it connected you two, and that he would never even dream of letting it go.

Unable to stop the goofy smile from spreading across his face, he began thinking of all the things you could do together. Maybe you could watch a movie? It had been a while since you’d had a movie night, and plus, it would give him an excuse to cuddle with you. Or perhaps you could show him around some places you liked! And maybe, tomorrow, a picnic… What would you like?

He was fine with anything, so long as he could be with you.

Darting across the street, Mammon wondered if you’d seen his message yet. A playful part of him hoped you hadn’t. That way you’d really be surprised, he thought, even though he’d been the one to send the message in the first place.

Following your scent, Mammon burst into a charming little restaurant, pushing past customers and ignoring staff members who were alarmed by his loud, abrupt entrance. 

He hopped up the staircase, skipping two, three steps at a time, never bothering to slow down even when he tripped.

Almost… There…

Wait for me, Y/N. I’m here. I’m here!

You were so close. So close to him. He couldn’t take it anymore.

Mammon was going insane. Up close, your scent was so much stronger. Intoxicating, even. It felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest.

Taking a moment to compose himself, he tried his best to fix his hair and clothes in the stairway, his chest heaving as he caught his breath.

“C’mon, Mammon, you can do this,” he told himself, clutching tightly onto the duffel bag. “You’re THE Great Mammon, remember? The Avatar of Greed. There’s nothing you can’t do.”

It amused him to no end that he, of all people, was giving himself a pep talk over the same human he’d once been so awful to all that time ago. It frustrated him, amazed him, and everything in between. But he couldn’t say he was entirely surprised, either. After all, ever since the first time he’d met you – heard you – you’d caused him to experience a whole myriad of emotions he’d never even thought were possible for a demon like him to feel.

Mammon let out a nervous little laugh.

“I love you,” he whispered, rehearsing his lines to himself. It felt strange to say it out loud. “I love you so much I can’t take it. Won’t you come back to the Devildom with me? I swear I’ll never make ya cry, ever. You’ll always be smilin’. Promise. Just… Leave everything to me.”

Mammon closed his eyes, trying to drown out the pounding of his heart.

“I was your first, but… You were my first, too, y’know?”

It was strange how fluttery he felt, but he had to admit, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

“My first love. Even Goldie can’t compete, and that’s sayin’ something.”

He giggled.

“I’m the Avatar of Greed, after all… Can ya really blame me for wanting you all to myself?”

He didn’t care how silly or cheesy he sounded. He was sure that if any of his brothers had heard him, they’d be making fun of him for ages. But Mammon didn’t mind. So long as his message got across to you, that was all that mattered. 

“Damn it, Y/N… You’re drivin’ me insane here!”

Taking one last moment to breathe and smoothe his clothes yet again, he nodded to himself and exited the stairway, entering the dining area where you were.

With each step he took, Mammon’s chest grew tighter and tighter. Each step forward meant one step less to being with you again.

Go straight, then right. Past the fake potted plants, past the folding screen; past the nice little family seated at table thirty-six.

Just round the corner. The seat by the window.

Mammon’s eyes lit up.

There you were.

Your back was facing him, but it didn’t matter. Even if all the humans in the world gathered in one place, he’d still know where to find you. You would always stand out to him.

His expression softened. He moved closer, opening his mouth to call out to you, but as he turned the corner Mammon realised something.

You weren’t alone.

Mammon froze.

There was someone else at the table with you. Sitting next to you, just a little bit too close.

Someone who had their arm around your waist, whose hands were intertwined with yours; someone who was gazing into your eyes and leaning in close.

Someone whose advances you weren’t rejecting, whose affections you giggled at and readily accepted with mirth.

Mammon swallowed as hard as he could, a painful lump forming in his throat.

He hated this. He hated this. He couldn’t bear to watch, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away, either, because…

That… Someone was kissing you, and you were kissing them back.

Mammon’s heart dropped.

It only took a second.

He watched as you laughed and swatted playfully at your partner, blushing brightly as they rested their head on your shoulder.

He watched as you pressed a gentle kiss atop their head, how you hid your face in both amusement and embarrassment when they boldly returned the favour by kissing you directly on the lips.

He watched as your partner filled the very position he wanted to be in.

Mammon didn’t know what do. He felt guilty for intruding on such a private, intimate moment, but his body wasn’t letting him move. His feet were frozen on the spot, and his eyes refused to leave your smiling face.

He couldn’t breathe. Any semblance of an inhale was caught in his throat, and no matter how he tried, the air wouldn’t reach his lungs.

So instead he just stood there, unmoving. Suffocating.

What… What was wrong with him?

Mammon had seen you being affectionate with his brothers and the other exchange students back in the Devildom. This wasn’t the first time. Far from it, even. So why was this time so different? Why was his heart aching so much?

He’d never given it a second thought back in the Devildom. With his brothers and friends, he’d always been able to step in and pull you away, boldly proclaiming that since he was your first, he ought to have priority.

“Hey, quit touching Y/N!” He’d yelled, time and time again. “Back off! I’m their first, y’know? Don’t do this sort of thing in front of me. Better yet, don’t do it at all, y’hear?!”

True to his title, he’d consistently acted upon his greed, confidently telling everyone off, yet selfishly pulling you away whenever he wanted more time with you for himself.

…But not here. Somehow, he… He couldn’t bring himself to do it here. Couldn’t bring himself to move forward.

Why…?

Mammon bit his lip. He squeezed his eyes shut.

No. He knew why.

It was 'cause you looked so… So…

Happy.

Lips quivering, he lifted a shaky hand to try and wipe away the stubborn tears that threatened to roll down his cheeks.

“W-Wh…a… Why am I…”

The pounding of his heart was deafening. Every second he spent gazing at you meant another eternity of watching his world come crashing down around him.

“Y/N, I…”

His throat ran dry.

“I…”

Amidst the overwhelming pain screaming in his head and heart, Mammon’s mind was silenced for just a single moment when you spoke.

“I’m going to the restroom,” you told your partner. “Text me when the food comes, okay?”

Mammon’s breath hitched. The moment he heard you push back your chair to stand up, he turned on his heel and ran, not caring how much his legs were shaking. How numb they were. He dashed back round the corner, down the stairs, out the restaurant. As far and fast as his legs could carry him.

He didn’t stop until he was back at the alleyway, the dull grey stillness of the area greeting him coldly once again.

“Ah… Ahaha… Ha…” Mammon choked out, leaning back against the chain link fence.

Hot, salty tears streamed down his face. No matter how he wiped them away, they refused to stop flowing. They just wouldn’t stop. His laughter grew louder and louder. Wilder. Crazier.

He didn’t care if anyone saw him. He felt like something was tearing him from the inside out, clenching his heart and twisting it; crushing his lungs so tightly that he didn’t dare breathe any deeper than shallow, piercing gasps.

Mammon slumped down to the ground, laughing manically as he bawled.

“I’m so fucking stupid!” he hiccuped. “I’m so, so fucking stupid. Idiot. Idiot. Why the fuck did you do that?!”

What was wrong with him? Why had he run away?

“S-Stop crying, damn it!” Mammon hissed, biting his lip until it drew blood. But his frustration only made him cry even harder. “Stupid, stupid…!”

Mammon curled his hand into a shaky fist, amused and broken at the irony of it all. Why was he laughing in the first place? There wasn’t anything funny about the whole situation, except maybe how much of a fool he’d been.

Inhaling slowly, shakily, as best as he could, Mammon hugged his knees to his chest, setting the duffel bag on top and resting his chin on it as he cried.

He should’ve known better. He really should’ve known.

Descendant of an angel or not, at the root of it all, you were still a human.

You had your own life here in the human world.

You had family and friends, and unless Mammon had severely misunderstood, a lover, too. You had ambitions to reach for. Dreams to make come true. Responsibilities to fulfill.

And so little time.

So, so little time.

While Mammon and his brothers would continue to live for thousands of years, it was unlikely you’d even make it past a hundred. As sad as it made him to think about it, Mammon couldn’t deny that that was the truth.

You’d enjoyed one precious year of your short human life in the Devildom. You’d made wonderful friends and even a home for yourself among the demon brothers in the House of Lamentation.

But no matter how much you loved the world below, the fact remained that you belonged in the human world.

Not in the Devildom, not in the Celestial Realm, and certainly not in Mammon’s arms.

Nowhere else but the human world.

You had a life you had to move on with. A life that only vaguely included the Avatar of Greed.

After all, you had barely known Mammon for one year of your existence, and Mammon had only known you for a second of his.

The Avatar of Greed squeezed his eyes shut, begging for his tears to just stop already. To leave him alone.

“I got it already, alright?” He wept, messily wiping his tears on his jacket sleeve. “I g-got it, so… Ngh… Why won’t these stupid tears just… S-Stop… Already…”

Mammon knew the truth. He was well aware of it, and probably had been since the beginning, but he’d still pretended for his own selfish sake that as long as he kept denying it, it didn’t exist.

But he knew.

Seeing you here, so… Radiant and genuinely happy with your human partner – a partner you could live out your life and grow old together with –  up here in the human world had only served to remind him of that fact.

And how do you pretend something doesn’t exist when you’ve seen it with your own two eyes?

The Avatar of Greed gasped for breath, his body shaking as he sobbed. He felt exhausted.

He wondered how pathetic he must’ve looked. One of the seven great rulers of the Devildom, crying in the corner of a dingy old alleyway over a human who didn’t love him back.

“I must be a real glutton for punishment,” he whispered. “Why’d I have to go and fall in love with you…?”

He sat there for some time, sniffling, then took off his sunglasses and rubbed his eyes. He figured they must be awfully red after all that crying, but he didn’t care. He doubted they could get much worse.

Taking a deep breath, he pulled out his D.D.D. This time, though, he unlocked his phone without looking at the lock screen. He… He couldn’t face you. Not just yet.

He needed some time, and if nothing else, as a demon of the world below, time was the one thing of which he would never run out.

Mammon dialed Lucifer’s number and lifted his phone to his ear, his blue-gold eyes fluttering shut. He tried to ignore the way they stung from all the crying.

“Lucifer?”

The Avatar of Greed cleared his throat, hoping his brother wouldn’t notice the trembling in his voice.

“Hey, um… I’m almost ready to come back. Open the portal for me in ‘bout an hour, will ya?” He pleaded. “N-No, I didn’t steal anything. C’mon, I’m being serious here! Jeez! One hour, okay?”

He glanced down at the duffel bag. “… I just have one more stop to make.”

As you approached your apartment, you couldn’t help but notice the massive duffel bag sitting comfortably atop your welcome mat.

You stared at it for a moment, confused, before bending down to get a better look. It was already night time and the dimly lit entrance of your home only offered so much visibility, but a single glance at the Little D keychain hanging from the zip and that was all you needed to know.

Elated, you unlocked your door and heaved the bag into your entrance way, grinning too widely to care how heavy it was.

The demon brothers had sent you stuff!

You’d been missing them so much! This was wonderful, but… Did that mean one of them had come to the human world? Why hadn’t they told you? You would’ve definitely freed up some time to meet them!

With that train of thought, you wandered over to your D.D.D. You’d fallen asleep with it in your hand while chatting with Mammon last night and woken up to find that the battery was completely drained, so you’d left it charging at home for the day. Your eyes lit up when you noticed you’d received an abundance of new messages.

Lucifer: I hope you enjoy the tea. Barbatos helped me choose this blend just for you. The biscuits were Diavolo’s idea.

Lucifer: Whenever you are free, you should come back to the Devildom. I’ll have Solomon open a portal for you. Or perhaps you’d prefer I escort you myself?

Lucifer: Did our gifts reach you safely?

Lucifer: I trust Mammon kept his word. 

You giggled. Even over text, Lucifer was so formal.

Though… He’d mentioned tea and gifts, hadn’t he?

You unplugged your D.D.D. and brought it with you to where the duffel bag was. You knelt down and unzipped it, jerking back in surprise when its contents immediately spilled out around you.

You laughed. The brothers had really filled the thing to the absolute brim, hadn’t they?  It was just like them to do this sort of thing. For powerful, supposedly evil demons who ruled over the underworld, they really were just so sweet. You wondered who had managed to eventually zip the bag shut, and how.

You looked around until you spotted the tea and biscuits Lucifer had been talking about. The boxes were slightly dented from being squashed so tightly in the bag, but they looked lovely nonetheless.

What else had your favourite demon brothers given you?

Satan: Have you been brushing up on your Devildom history, Y/N? I’ve sent you some textbooks, so be prepared. I’m going to test you when you get back!

Satan: … Just kidding.

Satan: You mentioned last time I called that you were interested in reading this series, so I’ve packed the entire collection for you. All thirteen books.

Satan: I know it’s a little heavy. Sorry, Mammon.

Satan: Make sure you return them next time you come to the Devildom. These books are extremely old, so they don’t print these anymore.

Satan: I’d love it if you brought over some of your human world books as well. Oh, and any dramas you think I might like. Let’s watch them together.

Satan had, unsurprisingly but very welcomingly, sent you an entire collection of books.

You peered closely at one of the books. A bookmark with an adorable cat design was sticking out from it.

Satan: P.S. Enjoy the bookmark. It’s one of my favourites. I’m giving it to you.

You ran your thumb across the bookmark, smiling softly, before stacking the books together and setting them aside, thinking of what books and shows to recommend the Avatar of Wrath.

You glanced back at your D.D.D.

Leviathan: Y/N!!!

Leviathan: Did you get them??

Leviathan: The super cute, super rare, hand-painted 3^rd Anniversary Cutie Devil OVA Ver. Seraphina figures!!!

Leviathan: Only sixty were made in the ENTIRE Devildom, and I sent you two. TWO! Be grateful!

Leviathan: The Seraphina in the box with a green sticker has a single hair streak that’s painted a few shades darker than all the others, and the pink sticker box’s Seraphina has a stand that’s 0.001mm taller.

Leviathan: Isn’t that amazing?! I thought you might like them. I’ve got another two myself. I wanted to get three, but… Seraphina deserves to be shared with the world! As tempting as it is, Y/N, we can’t hog her all to ourselves!

Leviathan: Send me pics when you’ve got them all set up, okay?

Leviathan: And don’t forget the limited edition of TSL Volume 9! It was real difficult to get it, but I know you’ll treat it well!

Leviathan: It comes with special creators’ notes and a whole bunch of extras! Oh, but I won’t spoil, don’t worry. See for yourself!!! Mammon and I had a marathon the other day and it was AMAZING, so watch it and let me know what you think! I’ll be waiting!

You continued this pattern of reading the brothers’ messages, looking for the corresponding gifts, and replying appropriately.

Belphegor: Have you been sleeping properly, Y/N?

Belphegor: I heard you were up late last night talking to Mammon. Be careful, or you might catch a cold.

Belphegor: He’s probably fine, though. I heard somewhere that idiots can’t catch colds.

You snorted. Oh, Belphie.

Belphegor: Do you still sleep with the pillow I gave you before?

Belphegor: I’ve sent you some essential oils. They’re supposed to help you sleep better.

Belphegor: I guess it’s like aromatherapy.  I don’t really use them myself because I always fall asleep so easily, but Beel says they smell (and taste…?) good.

Belphegor: If you use those and the pillow I gave you, you’ll surely sleep well.

Belphegor: Let me know how it goes.

You glanced around, but couldn’t quite find any obvious bottles of essential oils lying around. You scrolled down to read Belphie’s later messages.

Belphegor: Oh, I forgot to mention: in case you were wondering, it’s the one wrapped in several layers.

Belphegor: I was worried the jar of batberry jam Beel sent would break, and that stuff stains real bad. It was a necessary precaution.

You furrowed your eyebrows, concerned, but sighed with relief upon finding a jar of what you assumed was batberry jam amidst the pile of gifts on the floor – thankfully unscathed. You didn’t know what you’d do if you got jam all over Satan’s precious antique books or Levi’s limited edition figurines.

Picking up the jar of preserves, you opened the older twin’s conversation next.

Beelzebub: Y/N. Sorry. Mammon was rushing us to pack our gifts inside the bag, so I completely forgot to wrap the jar.

Beelzebub: I hope it made it in one piece.

Beelzebub: I’ve sent a whole bunch of tasty snacks that go well with batberry jam, so I hope you enjoy them.

Beelzebub: Next time, show me around the human world, okay?

Beelzebub: I want to try all sorts of food with you.

You hummed as you sifted through the packages of snacks Beel had sent you, giggling whenever you noticed a pack missing here and there. You noted with fond amusement that the ones he’d mentioned were his favourites had the most packs missing from the boxes.

Right next to Beel’s snacks was a delicate pink box with ribbons, boasting all sorts of beauty products from its glossy, semi-transparent front. It didn’t take much guessing to figure out who this gift was from.

Asmodeus: Have you tried it yet?

Asmodeus: I got it just for you! It’s a new Majolish-exclusive, and it’s absolutely perfect for your type of skin.

Asmodeus: It’ll leave you feeling sooo refreshed  ♥

Asmodeus: I’m using it too, myself! That’s how you know it’s good.

Asmodeus: See!

You gasped in delight as you opened the attachment Asmo had sent you: an image of him, sprawled out on his bed in his bathrobe, face positively glowing while holding one of the bottles from the Majolish set. The Avatar of Lust was gorgeous as always, and with the way he was posing in the photo, you’d think he was a model advertising the product.

You scrolled down some more.

Asmodeus: I just hope none of the precious bottles got damaged. If that Mammon managed to break them somehow… Just tell me, Y/N, and I’ll make sure he buys you a new one!

As you typed out your reply, you realised something.

In every one of your conversations with the brothers so far, Mammon’s name had come up in one way or another. You rolled your eyes, beaming. Your greedy ‘first’ really was all over the place, wasn’t he?

You searched through the timestamps on the chat application of your D.D.D.

The messages you’d received from Mammon were the earliest, yet also the only ones you hadn’t opened yet. Perhaps, subconsciously, you’d been saving his for last?

You’d never tell, but the Avatar of Greed did hold a special place in your heart, ever so slightly above the rest. Maybe, you supposed – once again – it was because he was your ‘first’.

You glanced around, trying to guess from the items lying around you what gifts Mammon had given.

… Strangely, though, there wasn’t anything left. Everything had already been identified and matched with their senders. You frowned and checked once more, but to no avail.

Unsure, you opened your chatroom with him, but your confusion only grew upon seeing the message at the very top.

Mammon: [deleted message]

For some reason, he’d deleted the message that he’d sent around dinner time in your time zone. That was unlike him – usually even when he’d sent something to the wrong person or group by accident he’d left the message there, merely offering a simple explanation before shrugging it off and continuing. This was the first time you’d seen Mammon delete a message he’d sent.

Well, you supposed, if he’d deleted the message then he must really not have wanted you to see it. Perhaps it was something private or confidential? Either way, you figured you ought not to mention it. It probably wasn’t that big of a deal.

You scrolled down to see the rest of his messages, which had been sent considerably later than the first.

Mammon: Heya!

Mammon: I had some business in the human world today, so my bros made me drop off some stuff for ya.

He sent a crying sticker. You laughed.

So, he was the one who had delivered your gifts, huh? You wished you could’ve seen him, but you knew how busy the Avatar of Greed was. Or well, rather, it was more like he’d never let you forget.

Mammon: Man, it was real tough convincin’ those witches to let me swing by your place real quick.

Mammon: Oh, but listen here, okay? It’s just this once! I ain’t your personal mailman!!!

You smiled.

Mammon: Hope ya like the gifts, Y/N.

Mammon: Too bad you weren’t home. You missed out on the rare chance to see the Great Mammon himself! Shame.

Mammon: …I wanted to see you, too.

Mammon: Truthfully, I wasn’t really sure what to get ya.

Mammon: Gifts aren’t really my thing, y’know?

You knew.

Mammon: … I hope ya like ‘em, though.

You tilted your head to the side. So he’d given you something after all?

You searched the pile on the floor one last time before realising there might still be items in the bag. You fumbled with it for a moment, bewildered, before noticing a tiny bulge on the side.

You unzipped the small side pocket and retrieved its contents, laying them down on the floor.

Your eyes widened.

Mammon had given you several small trinkets, along with a crumpled note explaining what each one was. Intrigued, you unfolded the note, squinting to read the demon’s endearingly messy handwriting.

#1., it read, one of those scales from that snake of Levi’s. Y’know, the one that was chasin’ us during that exchange party at Diavolo’s? I doubt you could ever forget something like that.

You ran your fingers over the bluish-green scale, enjoying the unfamiliar texture beneath your fingertips.

I picked one up when it wasn’t, y’know, threatening to eat us alive. It was shiny so I thought I could sell it at the time, but it’s just another serpent after all, so. Yeah. And you seemed to like the colour.

#2. One of my black feather keychains. It’s the same kind that’s always hanging from my belt.

… Don’t worry, I’ve got more. I’m giving you this ‘cos you kept playin’ with it all the time, whacking it around and saying it was some kind of tail. But it’s not, dammit!

Still, it was kind of… Cute that you liked playing with it, so… Here you go.

#3. A cut-out from a magazine I was in. Remember? The one with the whole ‘secret crushes’ theme.

You came with me for the photoshoot that day and said you wanted to see how the photos turned out. But the issue only came out after you left, so… Here you go. Now you can look at the Great Mammon as much as you want! Heh.

… Y’know, after I’d cut this page out, all excited an’ stuff, Belphie told me I could’ve just sent you a digital copy. (Couldn’t he have said something sooner?!)

Which I guess I still can, and I will, after you see this. But isn’t that great? Now you get the physical version too! Huhu. Feel free to paste my picture on my wall or sum’n.

You smiled fondly, your chest growing warmer and warmer with each line Mammon had written.

He’d taken the time to collect little things he thought you’d like or that would remind you of the Devildom, paying attention to even the smallest of details most other people would miss.

Putting down the note, you couldn’t help but sigh. Greed and general scumminess aside, Mammon really could be such a sweetheart sometimes.

After spamming him with grateful messages of gushes and thanks, you gathered up all the gifts you’d received from the demon brothers and positioned them against a wall, trying to arrange them as neatly as you could for a photo.

You sent the photo to them in the group chat, giggling as they fought over who had given you the best presents.

Afterwards, you ended up spending the entire night in a video call with them, talking and laughing, savouring each precious moment you had with your loved ones in the realm down below. You had a wonderful time, and made Mammon promise to tell you in advance next time he came to the human world. You would make time for him, you assured him. Always.

He’d grinned and told you that duh, of course he would, and later sent you a private message making sure you knew that his present was the best among all you’d received.

In return, you’d rolled your eyes and replied that yes, yes, you most definitely knew. No need to worry.

You texted back and forth for a while, as per your usual routine, but you'd had a long day and soon found the comforting warmth of your blankets slowly lulling you to sleep.

It was a good thing your lack of consciousness ended the conversation where it did, because otherwise you would have noticed that Mammon stopped replying after you mentioned that your favourite part of his gift was the note that he’d written.

And then you would've noticed something else.

You’d missed the last part of it.

.

.

.

I have one more present for you, Y/N.

I know, I know. How generous, right? That’s the Great Mammon for ya. You can thank me later.

But well, anyway, y'see… This gift is special. It sorta goes with something I’ve been wanting to tell ya, so I have to give it to you in person.

Just trust me. It's gonna be the best gift ever. It'll knock your lil' human socks right off!

Though I guess by the time you read this, you’ll already know what it is, won’tcha?

…

I love you, Y/N.

Forever Yours,

Mammon