||Devil's Advocate||Betelgeuse x Adam x Barbara

(𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐎𝐧𝐞) First Things First

The Deetzes couldn't have picked a better time to go on vacation. And they wouldn't be back until the middle of the following week, giving Adam, Barbara, and Betelgeuse some time to themselves so that the Maitlands could get to know Betelgeuse a little more. Lydia, her dad, and her stepmother stood over by the front door, suitcases in hand - waving goodbye to the Maitlands and Betelgeuse. Before turning and following her dad and Delia out the front door and to her dad's car, she walked over and gave the Maitlands a hug each.

"Are you still going to bring us back something each?" Adam asked, Lydia looking away for a split second then turning her attention back towards both ghosts.

She nodded, giving the Maitlands one more hug each before turning on her heel and leaving the house, closing the door behind her. The Maitlands, although knowing the next week and a half would fly by fast for them, began to ascend up the stairs - joining Betelgeuse on the second floor landing. Both of the ghosts and their demon friend made their way down the hallway and up the stairs to the attic.

Behind them, outside, morning turned to afternoon.

The Maitlands plopped down together on the couch, Barbara closing her eyes as she curled up against Adam and the latter combing his fingers through his wife's hair. The moment they felt Betelgeuse sit down on the couch beside them - snapping his fingers and turning it into a different bed from last time, the Maitlands were taken by surprise.

Barbara opened her eyes, sitting up and looking over towards Betelgeuse. She opened her mouth to say something, but, when words failed her, she closed it.

Betelgeuse tilted his head. "Do you not want to do this right now?"

"We do. But I figured that Adam and I would use the time we have to get to know you a little better. Okay?"

Betelgeuse's hair turned blue as he looked down, then went back to green with a little yellow mixed within it. He lay down on his side on the bed, facing the Maitlands. Adam and Barbara shared a brief glance, then Barbara lay on her side and faced Betelgeuse. Adam teleported from next to Barbara to behind Betelgeuse - facing the demon's back.

Barbara found her hand moving up and cupping Betelgeuse's cheek, her moving a little closer to Betelgeuse and curling up against him. She gently and carefully laced her other arm around Betelgeuse's neck. And soon, the hand that she was cupping Betelgeuse's cheek with also laced around the demon's neck. Betelgeuse closed his eyes and relaxed as his hair became a mix between blush pink and sunny yellow.

Adam curled up closer to Betelgeuse's back, arms moving around the demon's waist. He seemed calm for a while, then stopped - sitting upright and glancing over at his wife and at Betelgeuse.

Barbara removed her arms from around Betelgeuse's neck, sensing Adam's nervousness and uncertainty. A matching expression appeared on her face as she too sat upright and cocked her head to the side. "Ad, is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Everything's fine, Barbara. I just wanted to have some little time to talk with you and Betelgeuse. That's all." Adam glanced from Barbara to Betelgeuse before looking back at Barbara, who seemed to be nodding in response. Betelgeuse shifted, his hair turning purple as he sat up as well.

"Why'd you guys stop when it just got started?" Betelgeuse whined, pouting, looking from Adam to Barbara. "I'm willing to continue if you guys are."

"Why don't the three of us just talk for a bit? And then we can continue with this," Barbara propounded, Betelgeuse looking off to the side then looking back at Barbara and nodding in response, seeming to be completely fine with the idea.

Adam and Barbara stood up, Betelgeuse, still sat in the middle of the bed, snapping his fingers and turning the bed back into the couch it previously was. He was now sat in the middle of the couch, Adam and Barbara looking at one another for a brief few moments then they sat down on the couch and either side of the demon. Barbara off to his left and Adam off to his right.

For a while none of them knew exactly what to say, the three of them just sitting there in silence.

Outside, evening turned to night.

Barbara looked up, thinking quietly to herself. Then she turned to Betelgeuse. "Do you want to tell us more about the Netherworld or-?"

"I can. But I'd rather go back to all the smut in this story." Betelgeuse leaned backwards and rested his hands behind his head. Barbara, confused as heck, turned her head and glanced from Betelgeuse to Adam.

"What's he talking about? What story?"

"Let's not question it, Barb," Adam said patiently, trying and failing to hide an amused eye roll.

Barbara nodded silently, looking straight ahead now. But she still couldn't exactly get the topic of the Netherworld out of her head. No matter how much she tried. After a while, she turned her head and looked over at Betelgeuse.

"How does the Netherworld work, exactly?"

Betelgeuse sat up straight, looking over towards Barbara. He didn't say anything, instead summoning the Handbook and opening it to the chapter on the Netherworld.

Adam and Barbara had their eyes focused on the first page of said chapter, feelings of curiosity and interest washing over them.

Betelgeuse let out an unneeded, unnecessary sigh, beginning to read.

Though Adam and Barbara had to both help him out with certain words that he couldn't understand, as well as words he seemed to be misunderstanding. It amused them greatly when Betelgeuse happened to mispronounce a really easy word that both ghosts were sure he understood.

And, as the night turned to morning, Barbara and Adam, now both snoring away, their eyes closed, curled up against Betelgeuse with their hands resting on his chest.