The Devil's Playmate

TWENTY-FIVE

   He expected to be tortured for all eternity when Belphegor took him to his realm, but Benjamin didn't think the demon would simply plop him down on a massive bed full of fluffy pillows and messily arranged blankets.

His home isn't what Benjamin is used to. It's not something livable. This "home" he's in is old and decrepit, and it seems to be on the verge of collapse which makes Benjamin cringe, wondering just how sturdy this whole place is. It's not as decorated as the other palaces he's seen since there's obscene colors and strange items littered all around, though he doesn't say anything.

The room he's in is a lot darker than Lucifer's since there seemed to be no light at all except a few candles that flickered dimly, so Benjamin couldn't get a good read on Belphegor's expression until he sat down next to the frightened human, all smiles with a questioning gaze.

"What's wrong? Go to sleep, go to sleep! I'll even sing you a lullaby! I'm very good at it."

Benjamin backs away to the opposite end of the back, shaking his head and stuttering out how he needs to go home. He doesn't feel safe here. Not when he can hear so many demons outside hissing and calling out to each other to slaughter. He cups his hands over his ears, making himself smaller into the form of a ball. Benjamin can't stay here.

He jolts when he feels Belphegor pat him lightly on the back. "There, there! There's no monsters here! It's just me, sugar."

"Don't touch me!" He shoves his hand away.

Belphegor's smile turns cold. Benjamin realizes he made a mistake.

"Hey, hey, hey... what's with all the hostility? You like the others, don't you? Why can't you like me too? I took the time to make my home comfier just for you in case you ever wanted to come and visit the other sins!" Belphegor presses a hand down on Benjamin's shoulder. "Sugar, you should be more scared of the others than me. I'm one of the only sane ones around, you know."

What a lie. Everything about Belphegor was crazy. This whole realm of his thrived on nothing but chaos and Belphegor demands it, he lives off on it. Benjamin just can't understand why he was named as the Sin of Sloth when he's the very opposite.

"Please let me go back home," he tries pleading. "I don't want to stay here-"

"If you're worried about those demons outside, I can expel all of them down a level."

"What?"

Belphegor leans in closer to him, still smiling but with a strange sense of intimidation. "I mean it. If you truly can't stand them, I can make them quiet. Just tell me, I'll deal with every problem you have."

"Aren't they your people? Why would you do that?"

"Because you're scared." He says it like it's the most obvious thing which takes Benjamin by surprise.

He doesn't know whether or not he should actually be fearful of Belphegor since he literally kidnapped him from Beelzebub's palace, but Belphegor looked actually sincere when he said that. Maybe the demon was just tricking him to get Benjamin to lower his guard, but the human grows doubtful when Belphegor fusses over his messy sheets, apologizing to Benjamin how it's not as presentable as he wanted.

"I didn't know which pillows you'd like, so I brought in every single one that was fluffy. I also got some of the blankets I stole from Lucifer once. He wanted them back, but I just ran away instead. I think he ended up crying or something," Belphegor chirped.

Benjamin found it hard to try and pity Lucifer since he's used to this. He was always seen as someone to be bullied, huh? Lucifer can't win against anyone at all.