[He relaxes into that touch, letting his weight settle against Beelzebub's hands.]
I love you too.
[He hates every single reminder of the dawn, though.]
You will come back to it. I won't allow for any other outcome.
[He knows he can't actually promise that, nor would he resort to an extreme measure to make it happen. Beel would likely never forgive him otherwise. But if there was anything he could finally believe in, it's this.]
[He strokes the side of Temenos's face, a brief moment to settle in the quiet. It's not a quiet he likes. But at least he isn't alone in it.
With a gentle press of his fingers, he tries to coax Temenos to lean forward. The kiss that he meets him with from past the bars is a lot less desperate than before, a lot less driven by hunger - something simple and loving, like their first kiss removed of its delicacy and hesitancy.]
[It takes little effort to move him, and even less for him to return that loving kiss. His hands reach through the bars to rest on Beelzebub's shoulders. He may be prevented from embracing Beelzebub fully, but at least he's still afforded this much.]
My sweet Beel.
[He whispers as they part, happy and full in spite of what awaits.]
[One hand drops to fish up where that cookie half has been discarded. Is it on his lap? Still in his fingers? Doesn't matter. Beel's finding it and holding it up for Temenos.]
[Greatly affected?? He isn't sure where to start with that, but... Temenos looks happy.. Temenos sounds happy, even though this is a bittersweet night they share. Maybe knowing that was more important than the details. Beel never was much good at those.
He chuckles at the sensation, letting the snack slip from his grip and relishing in the muted sound of Temenos chewing. Maybe the ghost of Lobelia is here, who knows.]
Your mouth is so soft. Even when you're eating things.
Oh? The Avatar of Wrath, is it? [After some thoughtful chewing and recalling what he remembers about Satan...yeah, he can take that as a good comparison.] Is he a lover of mysteries as well?
Yeah. It's one of his favorite things. Besides cats, that is.
[He's helping himself to another cookie.]
He can get really mean - [munch munch] - mn, and he's got his bad temper, b-- [munch munch munch] -- but he's really smart. He loves to read and use what he learns. And he knows a lot of famous people in the devildom because he likes to learn.
He also wouldn't be against blowing something up in his face if he could solve a mystery for it. But he'd probably also tear down a whole building after getting startled like that. Maybe.
[That gets a good laugh out of him. They really do have a lot in common...]
He sounds like the brother I'd need to get to know if I wanted to establish myself. [munch munch] After all, I highly doubt my services as a cleric would be needed there.
Lord Diavolo's mission is to keep peace between the three worlds. The Devildom, the Celestial Realm, and the human world. So... he might like to talk to a human like you.
Just don't cause trouble for him or his people with what you can do. Lucifer would kill you.
That's good. Just make sure to take care. A lot of demons will try to take the soul of someone they thing might be an easy target. [CHIPS don't mind if he does, thanks. Is he taking half the bag in two handfuls? Maybe.] You know magic already, though. That will help.
Don't worry about being let in. Asmo sneaks witches and wizards in all the time. And you'll have me on your side. If Diavolo or Lucifer has a problem... they can take it up with me.
Diavolo still has Belphie right now for treason. I know he's usually fair for a ruler. But...
...I'm just worried that you'll end up like Belphie, if I... don't get involved somehow. [He slowly licks the salt off his fingers.] I know it's not true. You're strong. I trust you. But...
I don't know what I'd do if Diavolo took you, too.
[He brings a hand up to his chin to consider that.]
You're not wrong to be concerned. If the situation is already tense, my arrival and subsequent connection to you could very well make things even more volatile. Quite the conundrum, indeed...
[Maybe he can start with something that he found peculiar the last time Beelzebub mentioned this.]
What did Belphegor do to be accused of treason, exactly? Do you know?
He did. It used to be his favorite place, and humans used to be his favorite creatures of Father's. He'd sneak down there all the time, and Lilith would follow.
It changed as soon as we fell.
[It was jarring. He remembers how much Belphegor had wrestled with who to throw his anger at, who deserved it the most. For a while... it was everyone.]
He says he blames humanity for what happened to Lilith, but... I worry that he really blames himself. He's never said much about acting on it. That's not like him.
[Yeah, that sounds like a logical conclusion to wind up on. The human world was all fun and games until it inadvertently caused their downfall.]
Whether he intended to act on it or not, perhaps his harboring of such rage against the human world was enough for Lucifer to not want to take any chances.
[But they were guesses. And he wasn't like Satan or Lucifer. Those guesses didn't gain much traction.]
But that's why I want to talk to Lucifer. Barbatos said he's under house arrest, which might mean Lucifer hiding Belphie could have been as much of a crime as whatever Belphie did or said.
Lucifer is really close to Diavolo. Really, really close. Enough that I think he might choose the crown over us sometimes.
So... I want to know what his reasoning was for everything. Even if I have to beg for it.
[Temenos nods along, feeling around for another snack without taking his eyes off of Beelzebub.]
What information he's withholding must be the crux to understanding the situation in its entirety. For everyone's sake, I hope you are successful in getting it from him.
[Ah... Even Beelzebub can find some topics appetite-ruining. Looking back on it, Temenos can think of a few moments that may have been similar and he simply hadn't known Beelzebub well enough to realize it at the time.
He sets the unopened snack on his lap and reaches out to touch Beelzebub's hand.]
I'm looking forward to it.
[He wants this to be another hope to hold onto, given the situation.]
And I'll do my part to make sure you have a fighting chance. One hurdle at a time, hm?
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I love you too.
[He hates every single reminder of the dawn, though.]
You will come back to it. I won't allow for any other outcome.
[He knows he can't actually promise that, nor would he resort to an extreme measure to make it happen. Beel would likely never forgive him otherwise. But if there was anything he could finally believe in, it's this.]
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With a gentle press of his fingers, he tries to coax Temenos to lean forward. The kiss that he meets him with from past the bars is a lot less desperate than before, a lot less driven by hunger - something simple and loving, like their first kiss removed of its delicacy and hesitancy.]
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My sweet Beel.
[He whispers as they part, happy and full in spite of what awaits.]
Thank you.
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[One hand drops to fish up where that cookie half has been discarded. Is it on his lap? Still in his fingers? Doesn't matter. Beel's finding it and holding it up for Temenos.]
Just enjoy things with me.
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You've greatly affected me. I'd say that deserves some gratitude. [There's a playful lilt to it, though.] But I'll relent.
[He tips his head to take the cookie half from Beel's hand with his mouth, pressing a kiss to his fingertips in the process.]
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He chuckles at the sensation, letting the snack slip from his grip and relishing in the muted sound of Temenos chewing. Maybe the ghost of Lobelia is here, who knows.]
Your mouth is so soft. Even when you're eating things.
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Now that's a compliment I've never heard before. I've often been told I have a gentle demeanor about me...until I open my mouth, haha.
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[He clocks his head to the side as he leans forward to grab the whole cookie for himself. Sorry babe he's hungry. ]
'R g'rrs 'r c'rd-- [Oh whoops... swallowing.] Sorry. I guess I could see it. You remind me a lot of Satan, sometimes.
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Oh? The Avatar of Wrath, is it? [After some thoughtful chewing and recalling what he remembers about Satan...yeah, he can take that as a good comparison.] Is he a lover of mysteries as well?
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[He's helping himself to another cookie.]
He can get really mean - [munch munch] - mn, and he's got his bad temper, b-- [munch munch munch] -- but he's really smart. He loves to read and use what he learns. And he knows a lot of famous people in the devildom because he likes to learn.
He also wouldn't be against blowing something up in his face if he could solve a mystery for it. But he'd probably also tear down a whole building after getting startled like that. Maybe.
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He sounds like the brother I'd need to get to know if I wanted to establish myself. [munch munch] After all, I highly doubt my services as a cleric would be needed there.
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[he is using his brain cell hold on]
Lord Diavolo's mission is to keep peace between the three worlds. The Devildom, the Celestial Realm, and the human world. So... he might like to talk to a human like you.
Just don't cause trouble for him or his people with what you can do. Lucifer would kill you.
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[Being killed by Lucifer, that is.
With a nod,]
I might like to push the envelope from time to time, but I'd be far more careful in the Devildom. I understand my place well enough.
[The fuck around and find out threshold is a lot narrower.
He shrugs as he pops open a bag of chips and holds it out for Beel to grab from.]
This is just frivolous daydreaming, anyway. Who's to say I'd even be allowed in?
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Don't worry about being let in. Asmo sneaks witches and wizards in all the time. And you'll have me on your side. If Diavolo or Lucifer has a problem... they can take it up with me.
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Hah. I don't intend to bait such things, but I'd certainly like to see them try.
[Also, like. Another demon has first dibs if he actually wanted it.]
Well, I'd hardly want you to get in trouble either... Regardless, I won't hide my presence. I'll make a case for myself if need be.
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Diavolo still has Belphie right now for treason. I know he's usually fair for a ruler. But...
...I'm just worried that you'll end up like Belphie, if I... don't get involved somehow. [He slowly licks the salt off his fingers.] I know it's not true. You're strong. I trust you. But...
I don't know what I'd do if Diavolo took you, too.
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You're not wrong to be concerned. If the situation is already tense, my arrival and subsequent connection to you could very well make things even more volatile. Quite the conundrum, indeed...
[Maybe he can start with something that he found peculiar the last time Beelzebub mentioned this.]
What did Belphegor do to be accused of treason, exactly? Do you know?
spoilers for OM chapter 13 like whoa
[What was it that Diavolo had mentioned? It feels like an eternity ago now, but...
...]
I don't know. Belphie wouldn't talk about it.
But... from what they said when they took him away, Diavolo thought he was a threat to the human world. A really big one.
He kept saying that Belphie going "missing" wasn't just Lucifer trapping him or punishing him. It was Lucifer sheltering him. [From Diavolo.
There's too much missing, though, for Beel to know how to feel about it in depth. And worry wouldn't help Belphie or provide answers.]
whispers: I see.
[He repeats, lifting a stray chip to chew on as he considers this. Judging from how deeply his brow furrows, things just aren’t adding up for him.]
Belphegor had a love for the human world, did he not? Did that change over the years?
yeah................... yeah
It changed as soon as we fell.
[It was jarring. He remembers how much Belphegor had wrestled with who to throw his anger at, who deserved it the most. For a while... it was everyone.]
He says he blames humanity for what happened to Lilith, but... I worry that he really blames himself. He's never said much about acting on it. That's not like him.
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[Yeah, that sounds like a logical conclusion to wind up on. The human world was all fun and games until it inadvertently caused their downfall.]
Whether he intended to act on it or not, perhaps his harboring of such rage against the human world was enough for Lucifer to not want to take any chances.
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[But they were guesses. And he wasn't like Satan or Lucifer. Those guesses didn't gain much traction.]
But that's why I want to talk to Lucifer. Barbatos said he's under house arrest, which might mean Lucifer hiding Belphie could have been as much of a crime as whatever Belphie did or said.
Lucifer is really close to Diavolo. Really, really close. Enough that I think he might choose the crown over us sometimes.
So... I want to know what his reasoning was for everything. Even if I have to beg for it.
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What information he's withholding must be the crux to understanding the situation in its entirety. For everyone's sake, I hope you are successful in getting it from him.
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[He doesn't realize he's stopped the flow of his own share of chips to his mouth until he looks down at what's been left half-eaten.]
I want to introduce you to all of them someday. When we're all together again.
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He sets the unopened snack on his lap and reaches out to touch Beelzebub's hand.]
I'm looking forward to it.
[He wants this to be another hope to hold onto, given the situation.]
And I'll do my part to make sure you have a fighting chance. One hurdle at a time, hm?
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returns to this five hundred years later to rewrite half the tag