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Now Barbatos loved his job. It was a great source of Pride and duty to be the faithful butler of the future Demon King and the seven Avatars of Sin. However it certainly had its….addition downsides Barbatos never expected to handle by himself.
Barbatos dragged a drunk Asmodeus on his shoulders. Tears and drool marred the shoulders of his suit as he heaved the Avatar of Lust on his back, like a stack of hay. Of course he wasn’t nearly as heavy as Beelzub or the young master, but he wasn’t exactly feather-light either. It wasn’t a difficult task however carrying him. Rather it was just...exasperating.
This wasn’t the first nor last time he would carry back a drunk Asmodeus back to the castle of Lamentation. At this point, Barbatos had probably man-handled all the Avatars of Sin, including Diavolo. All for various reasons. At times, he literally had to prop Lucifer on his shoulder and lay him down on the bed. Certainly it had hurt Lucifer’s Pride, but it was necessary. The poor fellow slept immediately the moment he dropped on the bed.
“Barbie~Am’ is my makeup still okayyy?” Asmodeus slurred as Barbatos placed him on a chair.
His black eyeliner ran down his eyelids. The glittery, coral eyeshadow faded to a dull pink. Tears smudged his highlighter.
“Of course.”Barbatos nodded while he retrieved a glass of water.
He took a seat. This would certainly take some time. It took an hour, a call from the human exchange student, and a bouncer to coax him from under the club’s bar table.
Later on, when Asmodeus stabilised he would bring some tea and treats. Before leaving, he already prepared some light biscuits and his signature tea.
Asmodeus hunched down, sobbing into his palms. For a while, Barbatos stroked his back, while his sobs rattled his chest. Miserable cries that strung at Barbatos’ own heart. He never could stay mad at Asmodeus when he was like this.
“No no it’s finee.”Asmodeus shook his head,”Am I still sexy?”
“Yes you are,”Barbatos sighed while handing him the glass of water, “Now drink this.”
“Noooo!”Asmodeus pushed away the glass, “I drank a toooon of Demonus!..aaaah I’m dizzy! ”
Patience was key in these situations.
“Water will help elevate your dizziness .” Barbatos sighed while setting it down on the table.
“Will it?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t poison it?”
“Why would I?”
“Because...because no one likes me…”Asmodeus whimpered into his palms, “Everyone loves my body..but that’s the thing, no one like...likes me!”
“That’s not true. Your brothers love you Asmodeus, as does the exchange program student. And the young master enjoys your company...Solomon and I deeply care about you as well.” Barbatos patted his head.
If he still had his wits, Asmodeus would have swatted his hand away or claim that he was ruining his hair. Instead, he just melted into the touch. He leaned into him, whimpering into his chest, with all the despondency of a hopeless worshipping clinging onto the statue of his God. Barbatos let him crumble on his lap. Perhaps Barbatos was a bit too lenient, but that was one habit he never could outgrow.
“Really?” He sniffled.
Barbatos nodded.
“They love me! Why do you all love me? What’s there to love?” Asmodeus howled, “Aaaa I want to be loved. I want to love….I’m scared...I’m so scared.”
“Even if you’re scared...You still love everyone in the House of Lamentation. And it's scarier to be without love in your life…”
He was all too aware of that.
Barbatos stroked his back. He hummed a tune he sometimes sang to himself while baking. During his Dame days, his singing was sought out from all corners of the Devildom. Demons claimed his singing could put an Angel to shame. Honestly, Barbatos doubted that. The underworld tended to exaggerate. But he was glad that his voice never failed in soothing others. Sometimes when Luke had nightmares and couldn’t sleep, he went to him for a lullaby to lull him to a dreamless slumber. Diavolo requested a nighttime lullaby as well.
Eventually, his sobs slowly fizzled out.
He sat up when the sobs subdued to a mere tremor and ruddy red eyes.
Wordlessly, Barbatos brought the glass of water to Asmodeus' lips. Obediently, he gulped the drink. Water trickled down his chin, wetting his tight leather jeans. He choked on his water and Barbatos patted his back.
“I feel so terrible Barbie…”Asmodeus puffed, defeated.
“A bath would help.” Barbatos said matter-of-factly, “Should I help strip your clothes off?”
“No no! I’m not a kiiid! I caan do it myself!” Asmodeus defensively stood up.
To prove his point, he pulled up his tight, netted sparkling top. He whined as it stopped at his head. His toned torso was out for all of Devildom to see. He wiggled and twisted about, with all the impatience of a toddler who still wasn’t taught to dress himself. For a while, Barbatos tried and failed to keep his giggles in check.
“Quit laughing!” Asmodeus shouted.
“Need assistance?”
“No”
After a few more minutes of struggling, Asmodeus finally yielded.
“Yeah…”
Barbatos stood up and unzipped his top. Next he smoothly pulled away the skin-tight off jeans and stilettos. Next he unclasped his collar with a dangling heart locket and matching golden bangles. Without a word of complaint or resistance, like a son sulkily allowing his mother to remove his uniform after his first day of school, Asmodeus silently let Barbatos move his limbs.
After that, he led the drunk demon to his lavished bathroom.
Lavish was an understatement.
Soft, dusky wide walls were ornamented with rustic lanterns. Ash, rose and jasmine, charged the air as a fresh breeze flew through the open windows. Baskets of flowers dangled from the ceiling and held by marble pillars. Wooden bowls of chocolate and other candies sat on a few pillars as well. Crystal oil bottles littered the shelves along with…’personal comfort tools’. Lush, white cushions perfect for lazing and lying scattered about the area. A water bed was situated around a pillar in case any of his guests were in an especially…’frisky’ mood and couldn’t wait to reach the bedroom. Scented rose water dribbled down into the walls’ expansive enclosures.
A bathroom fit for Asmodeus’ frequent guests.
Barbatos twisted the knob of a nearby bathtub after he sprawled Asmodeus onto a love seat. Warm water rushed out as Barbatos helped him out of his silk undergarments. Honestly, Barbatos was surprised he wore underwear at all. That too to a party.
“Ah where are we? It smells so nice here…”
“Your bathroom.”
Barbatos clipped his hair so that it didn't get wet. There were plenty of hairclips, bands, shower caps. Hastily, he rolled up his sleeves.
“Really? I have a bathroom this big and nice? I thought it was smaller...”Asmodeus scanned the room, “ I can’t believe I have a bathroom this nice.”
“Me neither.”
With how he kept it and the state of it during the morning….It was a miracle how it stayed clean at all.
Then he gingerly hoisted him into the tub.
Asmodeus curled into himself, while Barbatos took off his gloves.
“Are you going to-” Asmodeus started
“No I’m not.”
He didn’t need to complete his sentence. It was obvious enough.
“Just relax...And let me clean you.”
“Wait did we already have-”
“No.”Barbatos shook his head while he grabbed a bottle of lilac shower gel.
The liquid soap was cold under his exposed fingers as he began to diligently scrub Asmodeus’ skin. He certainly kept his skin in impressive condition: supple and soft. If only he put in one-tenth of his passion for image in his grades.
“Your fingers are so nice and warm Barbie…”Asmodeus trailed his fingers on his palm,”They smell like sugar..”
“Well I do bake quite a bit.”
“Aaaa I'm jealous, you know,”Asmodues’ pouted, “You have sooo many talents...You can bake, make tea ice skate, be a butler...And I...I don’t have anything..All I have is this pretty face and if that’s gone...I’m nothing, Barbie. I’m absolutely nothing!.”
The sobs once again began to vibrate his core. This dormant loneliness and insecurity always reared its ugly head when Asmodeus was drunk.
“Asmodeus...There’s more to an individual than their talents and anyways you’re certainly capable in your own ways.”
“Really? What am I capable of, huh?”
"Well you you have a lot of energy and quite sporting. Whenever the castle's spirits are low, you're always there to rise them back up. You're passionate about your modeling jobs and nail-painting. You're always looking for ways to improve yourself...in things you like that is. You know how to sway a crowd..."
Silence. Then Tears. More tears.
"Ooooh Barbie..,You're makin' me cry."
"You were already crying before I said anything," Barbatos washed his face with a facial cleanser.
"I'm touched. I'm really soo touched, aaa," He rubbed his eyes.
A mess. Asmodeus was an absolute mess. And sometimes letting a mess be a mess was the best option. Once he was sober, he would (painfully) return to his senses.
Barbatos quickly scrubbed out most of the filth and make-up on his face.
Asmodeus smiled to himself while Barbatos wiped him with a clean towel.
"Yeah are we going to-"
"It's too late for that, get some sleep, would you like some tea in bed?"
"Okay..."
Barbatos dressed him into a worn cotton pajamas. He led him to his bed and tucked him under his pillowy soft covers. Asmodeus nuzzled his exposed palm.
"Hey..instead of tea...can you sing to me?" Asmodeus blushed.
"Gladly."
Barbatos sang to him and patted his back, with an endearment of a master indulging his cat. His voice seemed to resonate with the gentle rustle of a wind chime. Eventually Asmodeus' eyes began to close.
He was going to have one Hell of hangover once he woke up.