The Devil's Playmate

SEVEN

Benjamin would've spent the weekend with his sister, but Lucy had gotten a call and needed to leave. He was disappointed when she left, but he remembered he had other plans with a certain demon.

Right now, Benjamin was back in Lucifer's palace. Eligos was busy dressing him up and tending to the mortal as he ranted more about Hell and the demons who lived here. Benjamin looked at himself in the mirror from where he came, not really recognizing his appearance.

The clothes Eligos gave him weren't his style at all. He wore a simple suit with an extravagant coat that's hanging around one of his shoulders, and the demon was focused on combing his hair neatly. He looked better than before, but not a whole lot. He still looked sickly pale. Eligos noticed that as well.

"You were a bit of a mess when we first met. Even now you don't seem like you gave any effort to dress yourself up for today," Eligos commented. "Your hair is kind of all over the place. It's been cut weird. Is this how humans style their hairs nowadays?"

Unlike Eligos' silky black locks that was always styled, Benjamin's charcoal-like hair was still matted and unkempt. Benjamin tiredly answered, "No. It's just how it is." He didn't want to talk about Emma always cutting his hair.

"You don't look too good. Are you sick? Have you been getting enough sleep?"

"I have." A lie, of course. He was scared of sleeping sometimes.

Eligos could tell straightaway that was a lie, but he didn't say anything and continued to give Benjamin a smile. He pushed some of Benjamin's hair up and looked directly at his face.

"If you take care of yourself, you'd be looking better in no time. I'm sure you'll be handsome just like me," he said arrogantly.

Benjamin moved his hands away and patted his hair down. "Don't joke around... I've never looked good in my life."

Emma always told him he looked like utter shit. Doesn't matter how many times he tried fixing himself or letting her dress him, he never looked good. It didn't help there would always be bruise marks on his neck back in middle school. It made him seem weirder than he wanted to.

Eligos could tell the atmosphere was turning sour rapidly. Benjamin looked incredibly depressed. The demon didn't really understand why since they had so much fun yesterday, and he thought Benjamin would also enjoy being dressed up.

He quickly finished what he was doing and patted Benjamin on the shoulders. "I think you look pretty good."

Benjamin barely looked at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a matching set with Eligos. All white with silver patterns. He guessed he didn't look as bad as he thought. Except the demon was much more handsome and exquisite.

"Ready to go to work with me?" Eligos asked, helping Benjamin up.

"I-Is it okay?"

"Sure, it is! I have my own personal seat in Beelzebub's palace. There's a spot in the back for you. We'll just hide you there and let you eavesdrop."

"It's kind of scary going to another place," Benjamin confessed. He's never left the devil's palace. Not that he was here all that much. He was only ever in this bedroom Lucifer gave him.

"Do you want to hold my hand?" Eligos offered it up.

Benjamin looked at it oddly. It's what children do. He doesn't think it'd be normal to take it, but Eligos answers for him anyways and grabs his hand.

"Feel better?"

"Not really..." He gripped his hand tighter to deal with his nerves. "How will we get there exactly?"