Deja Vu

Chapter 6: A Powerful Charmer

"So, you've decided to help me?"

"I've decided to help Belphegor and Lucifer make amends. Whether you're Belphegor remains yet to be seen. But... Yes. I aim to help these emotionally stunted dumbasses. And Beelzebub. He's not a dumbass. He's a treasure, and he deserves to not have to worry about all of this."

The voice pauses, and you can almost feel the surprise. But once again, it starts up, this time, a little gentler. A little warmer. "... Thank you."

"Don't go thanking me. I still don't trust you, disembodied voice."

"You don't have to trust me. That's okay. If you're helping Beelzebub, then you're helping me."

You find it surprising that he didn't say 'If you're helping Belphegor then you're helping me.' - If he was a Land Siren, you'd almost expect that. But from a twin? His answers put you at ease.

You decide to talk to him about the things you talked about with Beelzebub. "Beel told me about Lilith. Is that the bloodied history that Diavolo is trying to cover up..? Is he trying to cover up what the Celestial Realm did to her?"

You don't know it, but you thinking that he blames the Celestial Realm for what happened to Lilith almost makes him laugh. Almost makes him lose face. Almost makes him drop his façade altogether. The idea that a human thinks this is a fight between angels and demons and that their kind didn't do anything..

Belphegor wishes he could lunge through the gate and clutch your neck right then and there.

You haven't been able to see him, but he's been able to see you the entire time, through the gate hidden by magic. Unseeable to anyone but demons.

"... It wasn't just the Celestial Realm." He can't help his voice. It's acidic. He tries to calm himself down, but the venom is building inside of him.

This hatred for your kind that's been bubbling underneath the surface.

"... I'm sorry about what happened. Your family.. You all deserved better. People don't fight that hard unless there's something worth dying for. So.. I'm sorry that you were put in that position. I think you're right, that it shouldn't be forgotten. None of that pain should be swept under the rug, even if it IS for the sake of peace. Your losses can't be erased with friendship."

"..." Belphegor doesn't really know what to say. In fact, hearing you, seeing the genuine look in your eyes as you speak.. He can't help but feel, frustrated. He needs you, so he can't lash out at you. But.. this. This is the one thing he just can't handle talking about. Especially with you.

After you're met with silence, you decide to get up. "I figured I'd let you know what was going on. Lest you come for me in my sleep again. I hope that you'll be able to get a good night's rest."

Belphegor silently watches you leave. For the first time since starting to work with you on his escape, he finds himself overwhelmed. He never really put it together that by getting closer to his brothers, you'd get closer to him. To his problems. To his pain.

He's relieved that you can't see him.

If you could, he wouldn't have been able to hide his malice.

---

"It seems that ___ is very popular!" Diavolo grins, waving to you as you enter into the student council meeting room. You blink, looking around, but the brothers all seem to be confused as well.

Looking back to Diavolo, you squint. "Did I do something..?"

"I've gotten a request from your school, the one you transferred from - They're looking to establish a pen pal system between you and your friends!" Diavolo is thrilled. "Maybe if that goes well, then we could establish a pen pal system between Demons, Humans and Angels!" His eyes are lit up just from the prospect of it. "So I've decided to greenlight it in hopes that, through your letters with your friends, we can better understand the pitfalls and problems that a program like that might encounter. If you should so accept it, I'd like for you to be the one reporting on all of the problems or obstacles that you encounter with such a program, and to iron out anything that needs it with the help of Barbatos."

You think on it for a moment. Having a connection to Night Raven College would put your mind at ease. After all, you still haven't entirely verified any of this 'exchange program' nonsense with Crowley.