Work Text:
When they ran out of the dining hall after reading something on their phone, head in their hands as they slammed the door at their backside, the brothers began to rush after them until a shouted, “Stop!” held them at bay.
Diavolo raised a hand to signify not to move. “Let them go,” he said firmly.
Though the others argued, loudly and obnoxiously, he turned toward Barbatos and nodded. Beneath his voice, he whispered, “Make sure they are well.”
Without hesitation, even as the brothers shouted over each other, Barbatos slipped quietly from the dining room and into the hallway where he thought he would find them. No such luck. Curious where they might have gone, he wandered further into the castle toward the guest bathroom. Surely that made more sense than wallowing in sight in the hall.
Sure enough, he found the door closed and locked tightly. The soft sound of sniffling and rustling fabrics could be heard through the door’s gap.
He listened for a few moments. Upon recognizing that they wouldn’t feel his presence, he lifted a gloved hand to knock three times on the wood. “Pardon me,” he called, knowing that those in the dining hall wouldn’t be able to hear him. “Might I assist you in any way?”
They didn’t respond. Instead, their crying grew quieter as though they hid further into the restroom.
“Please allow me to come inside,” he said gently. “I assure you that I will not judge.”
Still, nothing.
Thinking, Barbatos slid his fingertips down the molded frame and debated whether to press further or simply wait outside for them to exit. They would have to leave eventually, even if under the cover of night after the brothers returned to the House of Lamentation. Of course, if that were the case, Barbatos would accompany them for a matter of safety.
“If you would please join me in the tea room across the hall,” he said, pressing his face close to the door jamb so that his voice would carry. “I will ensure it is just us.”
Obedient to his own words, he stepped away and walked through the door of the tearoom. Taking a tray off of the wall, he flicked on a portable kettle to allow the water to heat as he prepared the leaves. A human world blend would do nicely to settle them, even if it were a bit homeopathic. While Devildom blends used spells that were almost guaranteed to settle bouts of nerves, human world tea generally tasted better. Though they often didn’t work quickly or at all, they would remind the exchange student of home. Perhaps that would be helpful.
Moments after the kettle beeped, the door squeaked open. Barbatos made a mental note to oil the hinges before bed.
There they were, eyes red and swollen, cheeks scrubbed clean with rough decorative towels, and clothes wrinkled around the collar. They stood in awkward fashion near the door, their shoulders drooped low and their face pointing toward the floor.
Barbatos poured two dainty cups of tea and allowed them to steep on a tray near the loveseat in the hidden corner of the room. “Please, sit,” he said, stepping aside to gather cookies from a jar on the server. “I will be with you momentarily.”
To his pleasure, they followed directions, making sure to shut the door behind them before entering completely. Without hesitation, Barbatos waved a hand to magically flip the lock so that no one else could enter. It was unlikely anyone knew where they were, aside from Lord Diavolo himself.
The main reason he had sent Barbatos to be the exchange student’s comfort was because they seemed most comfortable interacting with him. During classes at RAD, they chose to sit beside him, though they didn’t speak very much. Instead, they offered to compare notes and occasionally asked to borrow supplies. Though they lived with the brothers, their interactions appeared more subdued in a way that Barbatos and Lord Diavolo couldn’t quite pinpoint. It was simply a different feeling with the butler, so the Prince ensured that they would entertain each other a bit more often.
Not that Barbatos minded. After all, he appreciated their little conversations, as shallow as they appeared on the outside. He would bring them a treat once a week, often on Fridays, with a small note in kind. Usually, he would handwrite a simple, “Thank you,” or, “Work hard,” to encourage them.
He gathered a small plate of cookies and walked back to the loveseat, placing it and the tea on the coffee table in front of the human.
Then, without invitation, he sat delicately beside them.
And there was silence.
For a minute or two, nothing but silence.
Comfortable in the peace, Barbatos reached for his own cup of tea. “I don’t mind staying quiet if that will help you relax,” he said, sipping on the sweet taste of honey. “Though I will admit that seeing you leave the dining room in such a rush was worrisome.”
They shrugged, taking their own tea and sighing into the heat.
Barbatos chose to continue. “Was there something particular the matter?” he asked. “I couldn’t help but notice that you checked your phone prior to your exit.”
They bristled, their eyes widening slightly in surprise. “I didn’t mean to be rude,” they said, their voice soft. “It wouldn’t stop going off, so I…” They trailed off, sipping on their drink to silence themself.
“It’s quite all right,” he reassured. “I was simply worried that it was the cause.”
“Yeah. Sort of.”
“Would you like to talk about it?” he asked politely.
They sighed. “You should go back to dinner with everyone else,” they said. “I’ll follow in a few minutes.”
“Nonsense. I have nothing but time.”
But they didn’t seem convinced, rolling their eyes slightly and huffing a sharp breath from their nose.
Barbatos averted his eyes to a large scenic fresco on the opposing wall—a panoramic of Devildom’s uppermost layer. It was detailed down to each of the windows on the castle and every twig on the trees.
“I assure you,” he said, “that I have no other responsibilities at the moment. That, I am telling the truth.”
They took another, longer sip of tea. “I guess I’m just overwhelmed by classes,” they admitted, “and all the social gatherings. My alarm kept going off saying I have an exam tomorrow, then the dinner tonight, and some other demons were talking about me behind my back at lunch, and Lucifer scheduled me to work shifts at Hell’s Burger this weekend, and Levi got tickets for a convention that’s right after the job, and Satan wants to go to the new cat cafe after classes on Monday, and…“ They stopped and huffed. “I’m tired.”
“Ah,” Barbatos said, nodding in understanding. “That does sound like very much socialization. I wonder how you find time for yourself in all the hustle and bustle of exchange student life.”
They shrugged their shoulders. “I guess I don’t.”
“What about nighttime?”
“I hardly sleep. I have too much on my mind. It’s the only time I get alone anymore.”
He nodded again, taking in the new information. Perhaps rooming the human with the House of Lamentation was a bit of a sudden decision, especially not taking into account how little stamina they had compared to demons. Not to mention, their struggle with not knowing Devildom’s customs and layout in itself must have been difficult to overcome. They likely still didn’t know where certain common locations were, let alone their unwritten rules of conduct.
No wonder they appeared so overwhelmed with life in Devildom lately.
Barbatos set down his half-empty tea, and so did they.
“Pardon my intrusion,” he said, “but I would like to offer respite for a weekend at the palace.”
“Respite?” they asked with a scoff. “I don’t think Lucifer would agree to that. He has me working shifts, remember? I think I even owe him for something of his I ate a while ago.”
“Then allow me the opportunity to comfort you in another way that you would enjoy,” he offered, hoping that they took the hint.
If it would help, then he would do anything, especially once spotting the way tears began to well into their eyes once more. Though he wouldn’t call them close intimately by any stretch of the word, he found himself wishing to soothe them, if only for a moment or two. After all, Lord Diavolo would manage the brothers for quite some time on his own.
They shifted on the loveseat and wiped their eyes.
Using his intuition and taking the risk, Barbatos confidently scooted closer on the cushions and, with a gentle touch, placed his hand on their knee.
The waterworks began almost as soon as his fingers rubbed into the skin.
They sniffled and scrubbed at their reddening face, struggling not to sob or gasp for air. Embarrassed, they growled and turned away from him.
But he knew just what to do. Calmly, he slid his arms around their shoulders and pulled them against his collarbone, tucking their head into the crook of his neck. No matter whether they dirtied his clothing. He would be able to clean it with a flick of the wrist, or switch into another tuxedo jacket before returning to the Prince.
Almost as if the embrace were painful, they began to shudder beneath his touch. For a moment, he thought to release them, but the grasp on the back of his coat stopped him. They needed this, and so did he.
What else could he do but run his hands over their back and mumble words of affirmation.
“Everything will be all right,” he reassured. “I will ensure you receive what you need from us all.”
They shook their head, swallowing down a sob.
“Shh…It will be okay. I’m here with you,” he mumbled, pulling them more tightly into his body. “I’ll remain here until you’re ready to let go. Allow me this indulgence.”
Again, they shook their head, their body convulsing as they tried to hold back their tears.
Barbatos placed a gloved hand on the back of their neck. Oh, dear. What emotions he had managed to release, and what a situation he started. They struggled to regain composure, and he began to feel terrible for allowing such a breakdown to occur.
At the same time, he felt a sense of relief. For how long had they held in their frustrations? Had they slept more than a few hours each night in the House of Lamentation? Were they eating proper healthy foods, or rather dehydrated ramen and whatever crumbs Beelzebub left in the pantry?
How could the nobles allow the prized exchange student to live in such a stressful environment?
He would have to ensure that the Prince knew of the situation, though he was sure that the human wouldn’t want to cause trouble. A decree was going to be placed to allow them full access to the palace, with a permanent evening scheduled each week to spend the night in a guest room beside Barbatos’ bedroom.
So that he could keep close watch on them, of course.
Nothing more, naturally, would develop.
…Or so he believed, but for a split second, a vision of the future simmered into the forefront of his mind. Embracing in the guest room, resting together on the bed, serving them tea at the small round table near the window…
A wonderful vision indeed, and one he welcomed with open arms.
They were a wonderful being, too sensitive and lovely for the world of Devildom. But, if the choice was his, he would bundle them into the palace to protect them as long as necessary.
“Shh,” he repeated, massaging his fingertips into their back. “Everything will be okay.”
Until the tears began to fade into little more than an occasional sniffle, he held them tightly. His back ached. The muscles in his arms grew tired. Discomfort of the damp collar against his neck bothered him, just a tiny amount.
But he held them.
And he would hold them forever, if that is what they wished him to do.
As minutes flickered by, eventually they pulled away and rubbed their—once again—swollen eyes. “I’m sorry,” they mumbled.
He reached a hand to their cheek, wiping away the remnants of the ocean of tears. “There is no reason to be,” he said with a polite smile. “As much as you’ve suffered, I’ve enjoyed our time together. I only hope it brings you relief as well.”
They nodded, looking down toward the little amount of space between their bodies. “I appreciate your comfort,” they said quietly. “I know you didn’t expect anything like this when you invited me into the tea room.”
“Perhaps not,” he admitted, “though I feel rather flattered to be the only one to see this side of you. I am honored to comfort you anytime.”
“It’s okay,” they laughed lightly. “I won’t do it again. I’ll…I’ll be strong…from now on.”
He frowned. Then, with the tips of his fingers, he tilted their chin upward to force eye contact with their compassionate, shy gaze. “Don’t worry about that at all,” he said firmly. “I will be here anytime you need a listening ear. Please take advantage of the service I’m offering, especially when you feel similar to this. Understood?”
Eyes widening, they nodded, stunned.
“Very good.” He patted their cheek, watching as a small smile graced their features. “I will speak to Lord Diavolo about a change of schedule for you. Please accept that much from me.”
Again, they nodded.
It was the least he could do for such a nice being.
And he would feel pleasure in doing so.
Yes. He would take care of them to the best of his ability. It was all he wanted—to serve and love.
What a wonderful life.