Chapter Text
“I’ve told you now several times Mammon, MC can’t come back permanently, they belong in the human world.”
“That’s bullshit and you know it!” Mammon growls. “They belong here with us, with me! Even ya said that they’re part of the family!”
Lucifer sighs and shakes his head, “They ARE family, but that doesn’t change that they are human Mammon and this is the Devildom. They’re not safe. Diavolo covered their expenses for the year for the exchange program, but they would need to pay for themselves if they came back. And eventually they would graduate, you know it’s far more dangerous outside of R.A.D. They would need a job, which would either require one of us to work with them or for them to vastly improve their magic.”
“I will pay for everything they need and protect them!” Mammon insists, his arms crossing. “I will take care of them.”
“You can’t even pay for yourself Mammon,” Lucifer replies sounding exasperated. “You have hundreds of thousands of Grimm in debt to both banks and witches alike. I pay for the house, your school fees, and the food. What little money you have, you gamble away or spend on something frivolous.”
“I-I can work on that,” he insists.
“Do I have to remind you that due to your own schemes or negligence they’ve nearly been killed before? And that was within our own home, campus, or just shopping nearby. Or do you expect them to sit in your room and just wait for you to get home each day? They’re safer and will live a happier life in the human world,” Lucifer puts away some of his paperwork and pulls the next stack over to him.
“Do ya even talk to them? They said they miss us, that they wanna come back! They’re happier here and I can do a better job this time!”
Lucifer’s crimson eyes flicker up to his with a harsh glare behind them, “I do speak with them regularly. I care for them Mammon. I care for all of you. That’s why I’m saying no. I won’t allow them to come back here and either be like a human pet we just take out on walks, or we find their remains on the side of the road after a demon inevitably gets to them because they can’t defend themselves and we can’t be there 24/7 for their entire life. I’d rather see them rarely, but they live a happy and healthy safe life in the human world; than go through their death when I could have prevented it by saying no right now.”
“Oi so I if pay my debt, stop the gamblin’, and they keep improvin’ with Solomon, can they come back?” his hands slam down on the edge of Lucifer’s desk, causing his brother to sigh.
“I’ll agree to that, if you can tell me one thing Mammon,” he says, crossing his arms as he stares down his brother.
“Well spit it out, what?”
“For exactly what reason do you want them to come back?”
“I- what do ya mean by that? They want to come back so I’m helpin’ them out,” he responds hastily, also crossing his own arms.
“The real reason Mammon, say it, who do you love?” Lucifer insists.
“M-maybe I kinda care about them. Maybe,” he manages to choke out, his gaze immediately drifting away from his brother.
With a long sigh Lucifer stands up, “That just enforces my no. If you’re not even mature enough to state your feelings for them simply, after you’ve already been dating them for awhile, you’re not ready to step up like you said. And I will not allow MC to be the sacrificial lamb to your negligence Mammon.”
“No this is bullshit!” he exclaims, his fist slamming on the desk so hard a crack echoes through the room. “Just because I don’t say that kind of thing doesn’t mean I can’t take care of them!”
“You’ve done nothing to prove that you’re capable of doing any of those things, and not even remotely shown any type of behavior I’d even consider hinting that you’re going in the right direction.”
“You just hate me!” He hisses, blinking hard at the stinging sensation of tears in his eyes. “I never do anything right by your standards! And you can’t stand to see me happy, you just take it all away!”
“I’m doing this for both of your own good Mammon. You may not see that now, or ever. But I’m saving you from losing MC because of your own horrendous habits and lack of responsibility. Now get out. I’m done speaking about this.”
“I’m the second oldest, second most powerful, I can make my own decisions,” Mammon growls, his demon form slipping out as he squares up to Lucifer.
Lucifer stares him down, turning into his demon form as well before snatching the back of Mammon’s shirt as he swings for him. “And I’m the eldest. And the strongest. Until you can be your own adult out on your own, I make the decisions.”
And with that he carries a flailing Mammon out of his office and drops him onto the floor on the opposite side of the door before slamming it shut behind him.
Springing to his feet Mammon kicks the door with a string of curses. But none seem to anger his brother enough to bring him back out.
Backing away from the door he’s determined. He’s going to do this. He’s going to get it all together, and he’s going to be with MC. Whether Lucifer approves of it or not.
-
Over the next year, Mammon throws himself into his modeling gigs and picks up as many shifts at Majolish, Hell’s Kitchen, and Akuzon that he can handle between classes. He’d told MC he was working for their future, but left it vague as to why he was always so busy and exhausted when they finally had a chance to video call. And in that time he avoided Lucifer as much as he possibly could. Eating all his meals on the go or in his room on call with MC.
Slowly but surely he began to payoff all his debts. First the witches, to get them off his back. Then the banks. With the amount he worked, it became easier over time to not run to the store at every chance he got. Something about seeing the numbers in his new savings account slowly get higher and higher satisfied that itch he always had.
That and thoughts of all the time he’d have with MC once he achieved his goals. All their love to himself. Never having to part again. He’d found it was the one thing he was greedier about than money, the affection of his lover.
As a year soon rounded, he began looking at several options, before finally working up the nerve to call Solomon and ask him to come down to the Devildom to talk.
On the day of their arranged meeting, he was more anxious than he’d been in his entire life. His bag stuffed with all the scrolls and paperwork showing his paid off debts, his savings account, and possible homes; he wasn’t sure for a moment if he’d done enough.
Dressed in the most formal clothes he owned, he swung the door open to the cafe and immediately held his hand out to Solomon who looked him up and down suspiciously.
Shaking his hand apprehensively, Solomon gestures to their table in the back, “Are you sure you’re Mammon?”
Mammon huffs at the statement and drops his bag on the table as he sits down, “This is serious, so I’m gonna be serious.”
“Alright then, so what is it you need from me?”
“Well first, you’re still teachin’ MC spells and usin’ their magic and stuff right?”
“Of course, I work with them monthly. They’re vastly improving, I’m quite proud with their progress.”
A grin quickly crosses his features and Mammon pumps his arm, “That’s my babe, killin’ it like always.”
“And what does their progress have to do with why you’ve asked me here?”
“I want to move to the human world and run away with MC,” he states simply.
Solomon’s brow immediately raise, a look of disbelief on his face, “Excuse me?”
“Lucifer won’t let them come back yet, so I want to go there.”
“You know your reputation, if I heard correctly, you’re the reason everyone here has to get permission to leave.”
“I’ve been workin’ on that,” he says as he digs in his bag, pulling out a stack of paper.
“Scrolls showin’ I’ve paid off the witches. Paperwork sayin’ I’ve paid off the banks. Paperwork sayin’ Goldie has no charges. Letters from my model reps, Majolish, Hell’s Kitchen, and Akuzon bosses sayin’ I haven’t missed a single shift they gave me. Report card that I’ve passed the year,” several stacks of paper are laid on the table and shoved toward a surprised Solomon.
Flicking through the pages, Solomon nods approvingly, “Damn, I have to say, didn’t think you had it in you.”
“Neither did Lucifer,” Mammon says pointedly, crossing his arms.
“Lucifer knows about all this?”
“He knows that I’m angry with him because he won’t let them come here and for sayin’ I couldn’t do this. But about me talkin’ to ya, no. I’d rather keep it that way.”
“So what exactly are you wanting my help with?”
Pulling out another stack of papers with various apartment listings he takes a deep breath, “I want to get MC, and move to your kingdom. They can keep training more with ya if we live near ya. If ya have a job for me I’ll do it, or a suggestion for one. I’ll take anything. Then I need ya to get me out of here without Lucifer knowing.”
Looking over the print outs, Solomon strokes his chin. His gaze flickers up to Mammon, staring him down. “You’re really serious about this aren’t you?”
“For MC.”
“Did you just admit you care for MC? Straight forward for you,” Solomon chuckles.
“I’ll do anythin’ to make this work. They make me want to be the man they need,” his cheeks rapidly flush at his last words.
“Hmm… have you talked to MC about any of this yet?”
“Not yet…” he admits after a moment. “I told them I was workin’ for our future. But I didn’t want to disappoint them if ya said no.”
Solomon carefully stacks all the papers back up and slides them back across the table to him, “I’ll help you. Because I see how much you mean to MC, and how much you’ve done to do this for them. You’ll be working for me. There’s a house you can rent nearby the castle, it would be safest there. We will sign a contract that you will work for me for at least three years, in exchange for a predetermined wage, the rental lease, and MC’s continued studies.”
“I’d also like them to officially take the position of my apprentice. It won’t be easy on them, but they have the ability. I can see their potential, and I don’t want it to waste. And I know they’re also interested in some particular aspects of being a sorcerer/sorceress themselves. Something I’ll only teach if they are my apprentice and do several more years of learning.”
“They have a specific reason for wantin’ to do that?”
“The two of you are more alike than you know,” he smirks at Mammon. “It’s better if you find out from them when you propose this. Speaking of which, how do you plan to do that?”
“Show up at their apartment and ask them to run away with me,” he shrugs.
“You don’t think MC would like more notice than that?”
“Can’t, Lucifer finds out before I can leave it’s ruined. As long as ya got the place and jobs waitin’ for us and they say yes we’re fine.”
“Do you think they’ll say yes?”
Mammon sits up straighter, running a hand through his hair, his thoughts going back to their bright smile on their last video call, the way they talked about wanting to see him. He nods slowly at first but more assuredly after a moment, “I think so.”
“Well then, when are you looking at doing this?”
“As soon as we can, the sooner the better.”
“Alright. This Saturday night. Meet me at the Purgatory Hall, Lord Diavolo let me keep my room there for when I visit. Least suspicious place to take you through with me. You can’t take a whole lot, so be picky with your belongings you bring.”
Nodding, Mammon stands up and reaches to shake Solomon’s hand again, “It’s a deal.”
-
Nearly drifting off into sleep, MC snuggles in closer to their pillow and breathes in deeply. While the scent of Mammon’s cologne may have long faded from the t-shirt wrapped around the pillow, just the presence of it was still comforting.
BANG.
MC shoots up from their bed immediately, looking around the room frantically as they turn their lamp on.
Silence.
BANG.
This time from the window. Jumping from their bed, they ready their best spell and cautiously cross the room toward the offending sound. Solomon had warned them any manner of being could come for them. It was only a matter of time as their power surfaced, that someone would challenge it.
Their eyes narrow, heartbeat in their head as the window slowly slides up the frame.
Then a hand appears on the window sill. And another. With white nail polish.
Dropping their readied spell, MC races to the window sill to see their boyfriend Mammon clinging to it with a smile on his face and a giant bag on his back.
“What in the hell are you doing!?” they ask incredulously, unable to fight the smile forcing itself across their lips.
“I thought comin’ to your window in the middle of the night would be romantic,” he teases, pulling himself up closer to them. “Isn’t that how it goes in those movies ya made me watch with ya?”
Grasping the sides of his face, they pull him in closer for a searing kiss before whispering breathlessly against his lips, “That’s how that scene goes. Now get in here.”
“Gladly,” he smiles and hoists himself up and through the window frame, tossing his bag to the side as MC races into his arms.
“What in the world are you doing here? And how?” they ask, their chin on his chest as they gaze up into his eyes happily.
“MC… run away with me,” he says before he can stop himself.
Their eyes immediately widen and their grip loosens on him as they try to gauge his expression.
“Shit! I mean- uhg. That wasn’t how I was gonna say it. I know I sound crazy, but don’t ya see what ya do to me? Get me all flustered!” he claims, his cheeks flushing.
“Maybe you should… explain.”
Taking a deep breath, Mammon lets go of MC and takes a step back, “I want ya to run away with me, just ya and The Great Mammon. So we can be together without anyone tellin’ us that we can’t. Neither of us have to go back. I’ve got it all taken care of, ya just gotta say yes.”
“What do you mean you have it all taken care of? Where are we going if I do?”
“MC, do ya wanna be with me?”
“Of course I do, don’t be stupid.”
“Do ya trust me?”
“Yes, but you didn’t even know rent was a thing that existed a year and a half ago Mammon. How can I just-” Mammon stops their words by pressing a finger to their lips.
“I told ya I was doing stuff for our future. If ya wanna be with me, then just trust me and say yes. Please trust me,” his blue-yellow eyes pleading with them. “I need ya to be the person who trusts I can do this. I promise if you’re with me we’ll find a way. Please.”
Staring back into his eyes, MC grabs his hand and nods, “I’ll do it. Where and when?”
A bright smiles breaks over Mammon’s features, and he snatches MC up in his arms and spins them around, “I knew ya trusted me! We got this!”
Setting them back down on their bed he walks to his bag and pulls out the contract he’d signed earlier. Dropping it into their waiting hands, he plops onto the bed next to them, his chin going to immediately rest on their shoulder.
“And this is…?”
“Contract I signed with Solomon.”
“Solomon’s helping us?”
“That basically says we’re movin’ into a house in his kingdom. I’m workin’ for him for three years, you’re gonna be his official apprentice to keep learnin’ and I’ll pay for the house and what we need while you do that. Ya just gotta focus on your magic.”
“I- when are we leaving?”
Pressing a kiss to their cheek he smiles widely, “We’re runnin’ in the mornin’, Solomon’s gonna be here to pick us up.”
“Off to Neverland in the morning huh?” MC chuckles, looking around their room that now needs to be packed.
“Neverland?”
“Mhm,” they hum happily. “Fictional island where you run away to escape growing up. Ceasing to age, just eternal childhood bliss surrounded by magic.”
“Then it’s gonna be our Neverland.”
-
“How did you even get Solomon to agree to this?” MC asks as they both collapse onto their double bed in their new home in Solomon’s kingdom.
“I proved that I took care of all my stuff in the Devildom with the banks and witches, and saved up money. And he said he was doin’ it for ya.”
MC smiles at that and takes Mammon’s hand in theirs, “Well, you beat me to it.”
“Whaddaya mean by that?”
“I’ve been practicing as hard as I can to get my magic to a level where I could ask Diavolo to come back. But it was hard only getting to work with Solomon once a month. And my job and apartment were back there… didn’t seem feasible to move here and get a new job or ask Solomon to support me or something.”
“Well I can support ya now! So ya can be that magical strong wizard or what not. It’s the job of your number one man, not the shady wizard,” he proclaims, chest puffed proudly. “We’re gonna have a good life, just the two of us! No one can tell us we can’t.”
“What about your brothers though? Do they know where you are?”
“Nope. And they’re not gonna. I’m going to stop messagin’ them, and ya are gonna act normal. They don’t need to know. Solomon promised to not mention it.”
“But… you’re close with them. You aren’t going to miss them? You’ve been together for how many millennia, just suddenly cutting off from them is fine?”
Mammon pulls MC to his chest and stares up at the ceiling, “Lucifer said ya couldn’t come back. And I spent weeks starin’ at my own ceilin’ tryin’ to figure out how to do it. I couldn’t go back to ya broken, I had to get my shit together. I promised myself I’d do everythin’ in my power to get us here.”
Looking at the ceiling themselves, MC flicks their wrist to make an array of stars gently glow across the black paint, a few stars forming the shape of a heart right above their bed. “And here we are. In the home you made happen.”
“Now there’s just one more thing I gotta do,” he says, struggling to fish something out of his pocket.
Grasping their hand on his chest, he slips a glittering gold ring on their fourth finger, a blush across his cheeks as he looks up into their eyes.
“I- Mammon does this mean- is this what I think it is?” MC stumbles over their words, their own cheeks heating up, their jaw dropping at the sight of the ring.
Nodding quickly he looks at them nervously, “…Is that ok? Uh- like do you want to?”
“Of course you idiot!” they all but shout, throwing their arms around his neck.
Mammon leans up to capture their lips with his, a happy noise coming from MC as he presses his forehead to theirs. “Now I’m definitely your number one man,” he teases with an embarrassed smile as his head hits the pillow behind him.
“That was never in question babe.”