Ethan

Pip sat there unspeaking. He gently combed his fingers through his husband’s hair, before moving his hand to rub his back gently. He waited until Damien quieted a bit to ask, “What’s troubling you?” That was a loaded question. There was a lot. But Damien decided to finally suck it up, admit the truth, and accept the loss of the only person he loved. The demon sat up straight, tail and horns appearing as he focused all his energy onto forcing himself through what he was about to say. “Pip, Pip, Pip I..” He started. “Pip, you’re gonna be really mad at me.” He slurred. The Brit quirked an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side like a confused dog. “Seriously! I- I did something really bad. I fucked up *really* bad,” he sighed, rubbing the tears from his own eyes. “How so…?” The Brit asked, tone showing his clear fear and worry. Damien started to shake again. He went to move his bangs away from his face, and instead began to grip and pull his hair. “Pip, I- I messed with you getting into heaven,” He admitted, eyes squeezed shut. “And…?” “And? I ruined you getting into paradise? I made you have to come to *hell*.” “Oh Damien,” Pip laughed gently, “Why would I want to be there?” Damien was confused now. He stared at his husband, eyes raking over the blondes face, trying to register if this was some odd joke or sarcasm. “It’s.. It’s heaven- it’s supposed to be the perfect place, the good afterlife?” “My dear,” Pip began, cupping Damien’s cheek in his hand. “I have no need for heaven! The only people I’ve truly cared about are here in hell. You’re the only person whose ever truly cared for me, whose shown me any kind of compassion or love, why would I want to be without you for the rest of my existence?” Damien broke down into tears again. “I couldn’t live without you,” He admitted. “I went there as a kid and told them you couldn’t get into heaven. I wouldn’t let them. I didn’t want them to take you from me, I know I’m selfish, I couldn’t lose you,” He dumped, pulling Pip into a tight embrace as he cried. “I like when you’re selfish, my dear,” Pip kissed one of his tears away, “I wouldn’t want to live without you, either!”

The apartment intercom kicked in. "Beelzebub? Are you there?" Shit, Gabriel was here already. The demon stumbled out from the kitchen and slammed the door open, the handle breaking the drywall. Shit, ze thought, I'll miracle that later. "Hello, my zweet." Beelzebub buzzed, giving a- to anyone else, gross- grin. Gabriel's mouth turned into a small smile as he walked in, scoping out the apartment. The walls were painted almost black, someone with knowledge of colors might've called it 'crow', but Gabriel didn't know colors well, so to him it was simply black. There were a few satanic paintings on the walls, but primarily pictures of the couple. There was also a picture from their last date, a picnic, of the couple with Aziraphale and Crowley. There was a black leather couch, a coffee table, an oddly large TV, and then it branched out to the kitchen and a hallway. "Hi, gnat," Gabriel said sweetly, kissing the knuckle of Beelzebub's left hand. Beelzebub's face grew warm and, still not used to affection, ze turned zir head harshly and motioned for Gabriel to follow zem inside. He did. They sat down on the couch together. Just from this alone, a stranger could tell the dynamic they had. Beelzebub had one leg propped up on the couch, leaning back on the arm, scratching zir slightly exposed stomach. Gabriel, on the other hand, was sitting straight up with nothing but his buttocks touching the couch, hands folded neatly in his lap. One, two, three seconds of silence passed. Then, Beelzebub decided to take action on the painful quiet ringing through the room. "Y'know what I fucking hate?” Ze said, turning to look at their boyfriend. Gabriel sighed, a sound that between them, just them, they knew was loving. “What, prince?” Gabriel tried to frown, tried to pretend to be disinterested, but he broke into a small smile, a smirk, and glanced over at his dear partner. “I hate… I hate fucking-” Ze snarled, finally thinking of something. “Oh my zatan I fucking hate Michael!” ze shouted. Gabriel nodded, and he listened. Truthfully, and quietly, he agreed with almost everything Beelzebub ever had to say- as an angel, he most likely shouldn’t agree with a demon- but he shouldn’t be dating a demon either. He’s sinned so many times that at this point, he’s surprised he hasn’t followed Aziraphale’s tail. His primary sins are greed and gluttony- not for food, money, or any material object. But for Beelzebub. His love for the short demon was so intense that Angels in different galaxies could feel it. He constantly wanted, craved, and needed more of Beelzebub. He wanted Beelzebub to just be his, too, oh how he wished the two of them could just spend every day together, on this couch. How he wished to hold Beelzebub because he wanted the prince to feel all of the love that bloomed in the angel's heart. Beelzebub, although ze would never admit it to anyone, not even Gabriel, felt similarly. Ze was greedy about Gabriel, which almost everyone knew. Ze’d call him during work, spend every inch of zir spare time with him, and even trusted him enough to entirely let go around him. He’s seen zir wings, he’s seen zir cry, he’s seen practically everything - Including the private intimate times that they’ve had together. There was nothing that Beelzebub didn’t trust the angel with- which, as a demon, was dangerous- ze knew that; but that was okay. Ze was okay with that. Ze wanted to let Gabriel into every part of zir life, no matter how dangerous or scary or private it could be. Not to mention, Beelzebub was a talker. Ze ranted and ranted and ranted, letting Gabriel know every single thought that popped into Bee’s head. He knew everyone ze liked, everyone ze didn’t like, every single one of zir pet peeves, amongst many other things. Everything there was to know about either of them, the other had it memorized. Beelzebub, without saying a word about it, shuffled to lean zir head on Gabriel’s shoulder. Ze was only like that for a few minutes, before moving to lay zir head in his lap. Knowing what zey wanted without zem saying it, Gabriel began running his fingers through zir messy hair. He carefully got the knots out, tugging gently. Beelzebub had started ranting about a current interest of zirs - Gabriel nodded, showed interest, and continued petting zem. He slowly got all of the knots out, one by one, with just his fingers. Beelzebub seemed to relax more and more with each run of his fingers. Ze became akin to a puddle in zir boyfriend’s lap. Slowly, Beelzebub ran out of things to talk about. Neither of them seemed to mind, though. This time the quiet wasn’t painful; it wasn’t awkward, it wasn’t waiting for a move. It was safe, it was calm. It was a silence shared between two lovers. Shared between two people who, on the street, could look like total strangers. But in this apartment, in this room, it was calm and secure. Gabriel gently pulled Beelzebub’s head up to give zem a gentle, off-centered kiss. Time stopped for the two of them at that moment.