#for being a mephisto enjoyer

[roseonne]

next time

Mephistopheles attempts to ask you out on White Day.

a mephisto x mc / reader for white day ! ( ao3 link )

︶︶︶︶︶︶︶༉‧₊˚

"Alright. Class dismissed."

Finally.

Mephistopheles lets out the mental groan he's been holding onto since the beginning of class, around three eons ago. (He's exaggerating, obviously, but three hours did feel an awful lot longer today, for some reason.) Normally, being stuck to his chair with his ears almost hurting from hearing the significance of magical potions and their hazards, not only to humans but to angels and demons as well, over and over again, is a tolerable occurrence for him. So now, seeing that he's seemingly over everything that's had happened to him within the span of just one day, irritates the life out of him.

Hastily, and with a hint of recklessness, the RAD Newspaper Club (former) president wastes not a moment in gathering up his things and taking his leave.

Oh, thus he realizes, whilst on his way out.

Maybe that's what's keeping him so preoccupied? The piled-up articles he still has to proofread and publish; the photos in his camera that he's to edit first, then upload to the official RAD Website; and a terrifyingly long list of all the other deadlines he ought to catch up to, academic and personal matters combined.

A sigh of distress escapes the noble demon's lips. Without much thought, he fetches his D.D.D. out of his pocket and the screen immediately comes to life.

03/14/XXXX 4:46 P.M. Today's Daily Reminder: "Don't forget to celebrate White Day in your own, special way!" -Lord Diavolo

Well. That explains it.

Troubled, Mephistopheles runs his fingers through his hair, tousling the locks he made sure to keep as neat and tidy as possible. As much as he desires to fulfill Lord Diavolo's honorable (although sometimes questionable) requests, just how in the Devildom is he to juggle all his tasks and duties at once? He has his work cut out for him today, and for the rest of the week. Such a poor demon he's become. And to make things even more complicated on his end, apparently, he isn't getting any of his listed items done right on schedule. Unfortunately so.

For as if in response to his already-raging psychological turmoil, the universe provides him with the biggest, most troublesome distraction he's yet to learn to ignore and conquer...

Mephistopheles sees you.

"MC!" he calls out from the top of his lungs suddenly, surprising both you and himself as his voice appears to have acted against his will. And the fact that he rushes to your side upon instinct truly isn't helping him in the slightest. "Fancy bumping into you now of all times."

"Mephisto!" You greet him with a smile, and right away, he feels the warmth of you emanating from the center of his chest. "Good work today!"

"Likewise." Mephistopheles places a hand over his heart and bows at you slightly. "Are you heading home now?"

Your polite nod in confirmation to his query earns a rather sharp click of the demon's tongue. 

"Isn't it too early for that?" Mephistopheles raises an eyebrow. "Why don't I do you the honor of inviting you out with me for dinner, perhaps? Of course, on behalf of Lord Diavolo and the rest of RAD, we're grateful for your efforts in keeping the exchange program alive!"

The noble demon senses you feeling a little taken aback; and he understands. He figures you're probably aware of how busy he is, considering how tedious it is being the main individual manning the RAD Newspaper Club. Again, even he is growing more and more perplexed at how his body's acting. Doesn't he have so many things to do? How is he able to make it seem like he's got so much time to spare while keeping a straight face? Oh, Diavolo. He no longer recognizes himself at all.

"Uhm..." you find yourself stuttering, evidently unsure as to the kind of answer you'll provide your current pursuer. 

"If you're wondering how we'll meet, I'll pick you up at the House of Lamentation by seven." But Mephistopheles is more than ready to hush each and every one of your possible concerns. 

Shifting a little of your weight over to your other foot, you hum quite a playful, "Well..." 

Crossing his arms, but raising his index finger in the air, the demon proudly declares, "It'll be my treat, MC. Don't worry. I got you."

And you've made up your mind; Mephistopheles recognizes the familiar light in your eyes the moment your gazes briefly met and locked. 

"MC, there you are!"

But what perfect timing. In the midst of his persuasion, here comes the residents of Purgatory Hall. And the brothers of the House of Lamentation. And well, basically everyone else you hold very close to your heart.

Clearing his throat in a slight panic, Mephistopheles tries to regain your attention, "MC, please. If you would justー"

He's too late.

"I'm so sorry, Mephisto." It's the sincerest, most bittersweet apology he's been told so far. "Maybe next time!" you add quickly, as you at last get dragged farther and farther away from him.

Down the drain, goes his infrequent chance with you, yet again. Mephistopheles squeezes his eyes closed and chews on his lower lip; his mind all blank, save for the resentfulness looming heavily over him. Forget about his deadlines; his tasks; his duties; his role in the future of Devildom. Is it too much for him to ask a mere moment of your time? Is he never really going to learn more about you at this point?

Mephistopheles doesn't see it as a fair game anymore. He's one of the first few demons who's heard of your name the very day you arrived at the Devildom; and yet at least a minute of decent, proper conversation between the two of you, alone, still remains beyond his reach. 

Seeing you share the smile that he is able to somehow find comfort in with everyone else, except him... He admits, it causes a twinge of pain to swell across his chest.

How many next time's have you promised him by now, anyway? He bets you won't remember, either.

But since he isn't the type to just sit in a corner and cry; maybe he just has to keep trying, then? Like the lessons in class, over and over. He must push forward, until hopefully one day, you'll learn to look at him from a perspective different from the one you have of him at present.

...Great.

Looks like he's added yet another questionable thing up his list; which he normally would've called a pain in the rear, but it's you he's thinking of so... You're the exception. His exception. You always are, and always have been. 

Guess I'll have to try something harder than initiating conversations, Mephistopheles brings his eyes to the sky and promises; to you and to himself. Next time. 

And once he succeeds in this mission of forever, only then can he say...

That he's indeed made the progress he so longs for. With you. 

[hachiane]

things that are not talked about enough in Love and Deepspace pt. 2

thanks to comments on part one and perusing LADS Reddit and Youtube, here are more ttantaeilads part 2 Wanderer Bugaloo: a reminder that these are canon in the LADS universe:

Despite being big eaters, Sylus and Xavier don’t like wasabi

Zayne is a kaomoji enjoyer

According to Sylus, Mephisto is not 100% waterproof

Sea God Rafayel kicks MC off a cliff

Glowing singing toy handcuffs exist in Linkon

Xavier once waited for rice to grow

In addition to sleeping sitting up, Sylus is also a stomach sleeper, or he became one after meeting MC

MC has also said she sleeps on her stomach when she's tired after missions

Rafayel stepped out of the bathtub, slipped on a paintbrush, sprained his ankle and checked himself into the highest ward in the hospital

According to Zayne, if you wear a black tie and white shirt, you will resemble 85% of him

Sylus got a money tree stolen from him

Zayne accidentally buys a water tank instead of a cup

Sylus, the type of person to hold anything you give him while he’s on a call

Hotpot flavoured desserts exist in Linkon

Xavier owns a star-shaped wand seasoning shaker

Rabbits were once set loose in a hospital

MC gets stalked on two occasions

"okay but like we can just stand there and look smoking hot" is a line Rafayel commented once

MC turns a warped vinyl record into a fruit plate

Xavier will fight your boss

Zayne is good at snowboarding

MC once caught a lobster while surfing

Sylus almost dies in the desert

Xavier leaves a plant unattended that it grew roots to cover his floor

MC is good at origami and sometimes teaches it to the kids at Akso Hospital

Artsy Birb is a second grader

Zayne's nickname at a restaurant "Two Seasonal Specials Dine-in"

A version of Monopoly exists in Linkon

Xavier’s status “After slaying the Wanderers, the bread in the microwave is straight fire”

Rafayel and the way he names his fish friends: 001, 002 and 886

Lil S Pet Store almost came to be

A steakhouse in Linkon serves steak that has one-third of it cooked and calls it medium-rare

Sylus uses an ammo box as a grill – it failed

The two squirrels that frequently visit Akso Hospital are named after medication

Sylus prefers sour salad dressings

Or he likes sour things in general; he made a salad with green apples

Xavier accidentally gets hired for handing out flyers and selling flowers on the street

MC cannot handle horror movies or horror-themed escape rooms

Immersive experiences as part of marketing efforts are so immersive that it puts users into day-long walking expeditions, causes breathing problems and real body injuries, but are okayed in Linkon

Xavier and MC snoop on people near their apartment block and text each other about it

Despite being a doctor, Zayne will dodge medicine for hot cocoa when he has a flu

Rafayel replying to MC's comment: "okie dokie artichokie"

Dragon Sylus's torn pants stay up despite not having a waistband or belt

Bunbun has legs

Xavier and his too many diplomas

Sylus uses the word "fugly"

Zayne uses the word "angsty"

Rafayel has a bathtub next to a couch in his living room

Zayne is some level of bilingual

Sylus recommends a series of hard spirits as a dinner option

Despite being a doctor, Zayne (attempts to) dodge a dentist's medical advice

Wasabi Octopus's legs smell like mustard

edited on 25.12.24 for accuracy

[kykyonthemoon]

Comforting

When he comforts a reader who is so stressed and upset that she bursts into tears.

── .✦ Character x Female Reader (MC)

Included parts in order: Sylus, Caleb

This is the second part of the same prompt, for the two said characters, after my first one - "Soothing" for Rafayel, Xavier and Zayne.

── .✦ Tags: fluff, hurt/comfort, comfort, long-distance relationship (Caleb's)

── .✦ Word count: 1k3

── .✦ Requested by Lightbook Aki

── .✦ Masterlist ♡ Request a fic - closed for the time being.

Sylus

"Let's go." Sylus tossed you the key to one of the two motorcycles parking in front of the flat. You were puzzled:

“To where?”

“Anywhere you want. Just ride.”

After he finished speaking, he started his motorcycle. Its scream seemed like both an invitation and an urging to you. 

You put on the helmet. Even though you constantly mentioned that you wished to ride about the city with him at night, Sylus's arrival at your door so late at night seemed odd. Particularly since you were in such a bad mood. And was it Luke and Kieran that you had just seen earlier nearby?

The motorbike that Sylus chose for you was a bit smaller than his, and matched your physique well. You did not object anymore. And so your night out began. 

A cool night wind blew. You kept on riding, not knowing where you were heading. Sylus rode safely away from you while keeping you in sight. He would sometimes approach you, as if to remind you that he had always been by your side on this journey.

Away from the noise of the city, you chose to stop on a hill on the outskirts. Sylus pulled up behind you when you got off the motorcycle and removed your helmet.

Nobody uttered a thing. Sylus waited close, watching you go around, your feet stepping on the dirt and rocks below in discomfort. After a while, when he realized he had no way of keeping you like that, Sylus approached you and gently seized your elbow, drawing you back to look at him.

"If the ride wasn't so enjoyable, we can go further."

"No... I just..." You halted because you were unsure if you should tell him or not. Was it appropriate to share such private emotions given that the two of you had just recently met?

"How do you know that I need a change of scenery? Was it Mephisto again?"

Sylus grinned. His index finger curled, and he swiped it over your nose. "Your thoughts are all reflected on your face like that. You haven't left your flat in days. Even without Mephisto, I suspect that something is wrong with you. Say it out. I am here to listen to you."

You took a brief glance at Sylus. The wind blew, ruffling the curls of hair on his forehead. You paused for a moment before telling him about how you ended up ending someone's life before they turned completely into a Wanderer on the last mission. That tormented you to no end.

When you finished the story, Sylus said: "You did what needed to be done. It wasn't your fault." He gently inclined his chin towards the gracefully illuminated city of Linkon on the horizon and continued, "This place is calm, thanks to you. You did very well."

That alone was enough to make you cry. You attempted to fight back your burning tears, but just as you were going to wipe them away and turn everywhere, Sylus grasped your hand tightly. His other hand caressed your cheek in a tender gesture, but did not wipe away your tears. He told you:

"Just let it all out."

And so you wept. You failed to recall the last time you ever sobbed like this. You had always believed that you were capable and powerful enough to battle Wanderers and defend others. But, in the end, you sought someone to tell you that you did the right thing by eliminating a soul's suffering, or that you did not have to bear it all on your own.

Sylus, resting on his motorcycle, softly raised your hand. His lips almost brushed it as he muttered, "Sometimes we have no option. Sometimes we have to deal with worse things than Wanderers. You just need to choose what is most important to you and do your best to protect it..."

Sylus halted and softly stroked your hand. His crimson eyes fixed on you, giving you an odd sense of reliability.

"Just like what I'm doing right now, protecting the most important person who is right in front of me."

Caleb

With a pleasant box of ice cream in hand, you sat on the porch of a closed business. It was dark, yet you refused to go home. You had been strolling the streets of Linkon all evening.

You did not have dinner yet. Both eyes were swollen. Your hair was a disaster. Everyone knew you had a rough day based on your look, and it was best for them to stay away from you. You searched for the phone in your coat pocket. A name displayed on the screen; it was Caleb's account.

But you sighed and put your phone away. These insignificant concerns were not worth his attention. You could manage it entirely on your own. You hoped that the next day, despite your current situation, you would return to your cheerful, active self. 

Opening the ice cream box, you began eating little spoonfuls. If Caleb was here, would it not be great? You would tell you about how you were bullied at work, unfairly accused, and how people turned their backs on you without knowing the whole story. But in the end, nothing was important anymore. Everything you could do to salvage the situation had been done. What you needed at that moment was a little consolation from someone, but that person was a long way from here.

You had learnt to handle challenges on your own when Caleb enrolled at the Academy in Skyhaven. You had always proven that you were mature and responsible enough not to disturb him. When you started this long-distance relationship, you knew he could not always come racing to you when you needed him, and there would be moments when you were entirely alone like this.

The ice cream box was about half-empty. The lightly inhabited street became even quieter. Perhaps you should go home. Still, tears went on falling. As the world faded away in weeping, you noticed that person's silhouette growing more and more apparent. Then a large hand rested on your head.

"You're all grown up, yet you're sobbing while eating ice cream here. Aren't you worried that others will laugh at you, pip-squeak?"

That voice belonged to Caleb. You rubbed your eyes. He instantly squatted in front of you, his mouth beaming and his hand aiding you in wiping away the tears.

"Caleb?"

He replied, "I'm here. Tell me. Who bullied my pipsqueak?"

You sniffled. Seeing him like that was a genuinely unexpected blessing. Of course, your spirit was also much lifted. You said:

"Who would dare to bully me? I just... wanted to eat ice cream. But how did you find me?"

"I received a call from Tara. She updated me on what occurred at work and then mentioned she could no longer contact you. She was concerned about something happening to you and asked me to reach out to you."

"Then… why did you come here instead of giving me a call?"

Caleb lightly squeezed your cheek. "If I called, you'd act as if nothing happened, right? You always go here for a box of ice cream when you're feeling low. That habit has not changed."

You had to confess that Caleb knew you too well. When you were depressed and didn't want to do anything else, he went out and bought you a box of ice cream from this store. He also said that as long as you had it, you would become happier. Since then, the ice cream here had served as your spiritual comfort whenever you started to feel down.

Caleb closed the ice cream box and held it in his free hand. He stood up and extended another hand towards you, saying: 

"Let's go home."

You felt instantly at ease. When Caleb helped you up, you grabbed his hand and leaped into his arms, hugging him by the neck hard. Perhaps as long as you had him, it did not matter anymore if the entire world turned against you.

Banner photos from Ghibli and screenshots by LittleBunnyCC

[deepspacenova]

LESS THAN ENEMIES

1100 words || mild hurt/comfort. injured sylus. pre-relationship. minor blood.

Note: trying out something new and joining a fandom instead of obsessing in silence for once. Please accept some Sylus whump as my humblest offering xx

Sylus’ favorite thing is to watch you on the battlefield.

It started with Mephisto, of course. The mechanical corvid kept tabs on so many of Sylus’ subjects of interest that he’d thought nothing of programming the so-called “special” new Hunter’s likeness into its tracking rounds.

When he saw your evol, he became determined to take her. When he saw you bound in front of him, no recognition in your eyes, he became intrigued. But when you put a bullet through his chest point blank, no hesitation, he became captivated. Enraptured. Obsessed.

After the auction — and when Mephisto’s wing maintenance went from biweekly to twice a week — Sylus decided to spare himself the trouble and started going himself.

He doesn’t get too close, can’t get too close, but he’ll never get enough of your ferocity, your determination, your grace when he watches you fight for your people. For your cause.

Even if it’s in direct opposition to his plans.

Actually, his men could stand to learn a thing or two from you. In wit, in strategy, in combat.

The thought almost manages to pull a smile from him.

As much enjoyment as he takes in seeing you dominate the battlefield, to hear you calling out orders to other Hunters, to witness the shimmering waves of your evol, he can’t ignore the tension he feels when he does. The apprehension.

The worry.

Picturing your beautiful body cut down, wounded, bleeding… it isn’t something he likes to think about.

And that’s why Sylus watches the battlefield.

It’s a chaotic dance of guns and swords. Your Hunters and the rogue faction that ceded from Onychinus months ago clashing on the blood-stained streets.

The rest of the neighborhood is dark but calm, filled with the high-pitched buzz of the street lamps on the periphery of N109. If he wasn’t scrutinizing you with such focus, it would’ve felt like he was heading out to join you for one of your midnight meet ups.

You're close to the building that’s casting Sylus into the shadows, your singular focus centered on the four men surrounding you. No other Hunters are nearby.

Sylus watches you weave a web of power around two, freezing them in place, swords locked into a swinging motion. At the same time you turn around and trap a third, his arms getting more frantic the higher you raise your gun, before he drops like a stone to the ground.

You’ll will win this one, Sylus muses, as the men he’d so generously chosen to oust from the organization rather than kill dwindle in numbers. Most of them are being tracked down by other Hunters, those that remain look like they might flee in a desperate attempt at self-preservation like the roaches they are.

Who knew the Hunter’s Association would become his pest control.

Sylus heightens the rush of power in his veins as one of the men takes advantage of your divided focus, shakes himself free of your power’s hold, and stumbles backwards, running toward the alleyway Sylus occupied in hopes of escape.

You recklessly release him without a care, letting him get as far as the curbside. He gasps when he spots Sylus, taking an instinctive shot with what looks like a pilfered Hunter’s gun just as Sylus unleashes his evol, let’s it hum from within him, through his veins to his palms as he snuffs the breath out of the man in front of him, as well as the two next to her.

The bodies topple onto the dirty asphalt in perfect harmony, joining the other vermin she’d taken care of.

An outraged gaze whips toward Sylus. You’d known he was there.

Before he can wonder at what he’d done to give himself away you're already marching toward him. Too irritated to make sure other Hunters aren’t following — they aren’t, Sylus has made sure — when you step in front of him. That magnificent power isn’t quite contained yet, casting a glow around you that makes him want to reach out and…

He crosses his arms in case they make any movements he doesn’t approve of.

“They had information I needed, you overbearing—”

He narrows his eyes, ignoring a twinge in his bicep as he leans it against the building. “They’re your enemies, sweetie. Do you think they would’ve had the same mercy with you?”

“They might’ve,” you bite out. “Now, thanks to you, we’ll never know.”

He hardens his jaw. Your naiveté would get you hurt one day. “Trust me, they weren’t about to help you, they wanted to hurt you. To cut all your little Hunters down and take you with them.” Tendrils of his power wrap around your waist like a vine, yanking you toward him on a gasped breath, and your hands feel like brands on his chest.

“And, kitten?” You purse your lips, looking past his shoulder to ignore him, taking the comfort of that gaze from him. Growling low in his throat, he tilts your chin back up, tracing his thumb over the silky edge of your jaw. “I won’t let anyone do that.”

The frosty glare in your eyes melts, taking the last of your anger with it.

“I won’t either,” you murmurs. Stepping back, you take your face from his grasp. “Alright, let’s get out of here. I don’t need any of the other Hunters catching you.”

Sylus sighs, turning his back to the bodies when lightning pierces through his arm, causing him to cover it up with an annoyed hiss.

“Sylus? Sylus. What’s going on? What’s happened?”

Trying to calm the frantic words that match your frantic hands, he grits out, “I’m fine. Must’ve happened right before I took care of those last three. It’s nothing.”

You're grasping at his fingers to peel them away, revealing a decently sized chunk of flesh removed from his bleeding bicep.

It’s not the most severe wound he’s ever sustained, by far. Still, he’s mildly impressed that a Hunter’s bullet could pack such a punch. He’ll need to look into those.

“It’s not nothing, there’s no way that’s going to heal on its own. You need… stitches or something. I’m taking you to the base.” Wrapping one palm around his arm and the other around his wrist, you steer him by the arm in the opposite direction of Linkon. “And before you say anything, every Hunter goes through field medic training.”

It’s the same tone you use with other Hunters, those you call friends. The sound of determination coated in the steel of care and concern -for him.

You're treating him like he’s… yours.

He ignores the sudden balloon expanding in his chest at the thought. “You know you never need an excuse to put your hands on me, kitten,” he drawls with a smirk, deciding to give himself into it, into her.

And despite the most serious injury he’s had in a while tearing into the space between his missing skin and your palm, all he can feel is a fluttering, healing warmth when your cheeks flush and your pace quickens.

[luciens-one-and-only-sea-otter]

What would that LADS lads react if mc got drunk and sang creep at an open mic karaoke?

Hi omg I’ve never gotten an ask before. But how fun!!! I would like to try my best to answer even though I may not know the lads (outside of Sylus and Zayne) well enough.

If what I think you’re saying is what would the LaDS guys do if MC gets drunk and starts singing Creep by Radiohead….

Zayne ☃️

I think he would be quietly enjoying you sing while staying in his seat for the majority of the time. If the crowd is getting rowdy and MC is looking like she’s getting too intoxicated to continue he would he there swiftly to princess style carry you off the stage. I do not think he would join in haha. But maybe if we had drunk Zayne tho!!

Sylus 🐦‍⬛

Honestly I would assume that Sylus is fully enjoying this. If Mephisto is with him he would definitely have Mephi record this to have it for his personal enjoyment later, and to show her if she denies it happens. Teasing and cute about it I think he would join in and sing too. Sylus would probably want her to sing for him more often too after this because he adores everything about her and the comfort he feels simply existing beside her.

Rafayel🪼

1000% speed increases in whipping out his phone to record MC because this is gonna be so good rewatching this with her in the morning when shes sober. I don’t think he would let her forget about her performance. Making it his ring tone and wallpaper. Setting it as her contact photo. But most of all I think Rafayel would want her to sing to him more often now that he knows she has the pipes.

Xavier🪐

(I’m going to have to apologize for this one because Xavier is the LI I interact with the least. :c so this may very well be ooc)

Going out to the karaoke bar doesn’t seem like something Xavier would do. The only reason he would is because he’s with MC tbh so I can see him beginning dozing off due to the long day. But this time he’s pretending to doze off because of the second hand embarrassment he’s feeling from being dragged onto stage (because MC is an excitable drunk) and because he has no idea how to sing this song because time traveller nonsense.

Caleb🍎

The same amount of swiftness if not more than Rafayel in getting his phone out to record because this is going into his stalker/obsession photo and video collection of MC. Honestly he would be hollering and cheering that “that’s my girl!!!!! Look at my rockstar!!!”. If anyone got rude or tried to get you to stop singing I can see him slamming them into the walls or floor of the karaoke bar only to continue cheering you on like this

[rus-vy]

Hello🤗 can I request a headcanon with Mephisto and an so? Like how a relationship with him would be? I just love this guy😍

Hello Hello!! Wowowow thank you so much for the ask dearest anon, I did not expect any near at all so this is greatly appreciated 🫶 yaay

I haven’t written anything for him in a while so I apologise in advance!! (I tried to make the Reader as Gender-Neutral as possible btw hehehe)

♱ ♱ ♱

Warnings! Very mild nsfw topics, mentions of dirty talk, groping, etc. Slightly ooc.

“How would a relationship be with Mephisto?”

Where to even begin…

For starters, a relationship with this man would be, in short, nothing you have ever experienced before.

This man is extravagant in his ways, everyday undoubtedly an event each in their own special way.

I mean— this man literally fights children on the internet in his free time, so good luck!

Daily life is made rather easy however, as you have the countless maids and butlers in his mansion at your disposal, and of course Belial.

Mephisto himself is rather busy most days, dealing with documents and papers regarding many miscellaneous exorcist and academy affairs.

However, when he’s not busy and has time to spare, be prepared for dinner dates or many small outings.

A new ice cream parlour opened up? That’s great! You’re heading there that very second.

The fact that he probably owns the place is a whole other thing, but whatever!

He would no doubt love taking you places not just for your enjoyment but to also simply show you off. You’re his darling and the most ethereal being he’s ever seen, why would he not want the world to know what a catch you were?

In other words he wants to see you in the newspaper.

Speaking of pictures, there’s one of you hanging in his office, a little reminder for him and also again potentially others. Prick

Nights and mornings are oddly the same, which is most unfortunate for you, but that’s what you get for being with a man who binge watches anime all night and sleeps for only an hour before getting up again.

However, your mornings aren’t always the worst, with breakfast in bed brought to you by none other than Belial (Because of course, you are Mephisto’s darling after all… And he probably ordered it or something.)

Baths are usually spent with him though, he enjoys the time spent with you, that and he gets to see your body more clearly… Solo baths are rarely a thing when he has that to motivate him.

He does enjoy playing games with you as well, be it mentally or physically… like video games not the— other things. But that too.

Most times you end up sat between his legs in one of his yukatas while he plays video games with you, his head resting on the top of yours while you play. So cutesy! (He usually does this just off of work to relax.)

He has definitely stopped time once or twice genuinely just to watch over you, not for too long though, it gets slightly taxing on his physical form if he holds it for an extended period. He still does it though on occasions.

By the by he lets you borrow his yukatas quite often, a comfier alternative for sleepwear, though he does also love seeing you in them everyday. Feeds his ego a little.

Times when he’s still busy in his office, you sometimes come to see him, spending it either on one of the couches or even on his lap when he’s not too busy, reading? Talking? Doing really whatever? He doesn’t mind as long as you’re comfortable.

Nicknames are also a whole other thing, with him being rather fluent in German, it’s no doubt he’d call you something to show his love in one of his favourite languages.

A few of his favourites include Mein(e) Lieber/Liebe, Liebling, Schatz/Schatzi, Liebchen, and so on.

Speaking German also leads him to tease you with it, as of course he would, speaking in a lewd tone all up close and personal to gain a reaction. Depending on your background you may or may not understand, which in turn affects his choice of speech.

He could be speaking complete gibberish! But you’re none the wiser, unless you are in which he instead says it at such random times, whether you two are alone or not doesn’t matter as he works to catch you completely off guard.

It works, for your information. Which is why he keeps doing it.

Your body is also just as equally targeted by his teasing as your feelings are, which could include really anything! Groping, squeezing, tracing a hand up your leg, hell even staring— all to illicit some sort of reaction.

Work while in a relationship with him could change depending on what you were doing beforehand. He would give you a recommendation of jobs, all of which position you closer to him in the workplace, just so he can ‘keep an eye on you’.

In other words he just wants to be a little more in control of you in an area he may or may not have been before.

—That or you just don’t work? That could happen, he’s already a billionaire it’s not like you’re struggling for money in any way.

The Cram school students are fairly aware of you and Mephisto’s relationship, all except Rin… Of course.

Again, it’s probably common knowledge to the True Cross students as from how often you’re seen with him, as well as school newspapers and generalised gossiping. Rin of course is just a fucking dolt.

He’d definitely enjoy taking you to the many events he hosts at the Academy each year, like the festivals and such. He usually gets you to help plan them out a little as well.

Then he plays ‘tests out’ some of the carnival games, ending up with prizes he ends up giving to you. Most of which are questionable in taste, but seeing him so happy to gift you his hard earned prizes, you give in.

They’ll be going in his room anyway so it’s not really an issue.

Over the span of being together he has absolutely taken you to Mepphyland on one or more occasion, for a date of course, all his idea.

He claims it’s to check up on everything up close, as he can’t be too sure without a ‘proper inspection’, but you know deep down he just wants to go somewhere fun with you. Plus his mascot is like— everywhere which just boosts his ego even more, especially if you enjoy it.

Has probably planned to or already has introduced you to Beelzebub along the lines of your relationship. Amaimon you had met back when Mephisto summoned him, that he either remembers nor cares for you is another story.

Amaimon pretty much just sees you as another bag of flesh. He questions his brother as to why he would even conceive the idea of falling in love, much less to a human. Mephisto was not amused hearing this.

In general, being with this man is chaos. Utter chaos. But he loves you 🫶

[pact-in-progress]

No, the idea Lucifer is only a gentleman to woman giving you the idea he’s heterosexual is NOT true and all in your head.

No, the idea that Mephisto wouldn’t like or be disgusted by lgbtq because he’s “high class” and “rich type” IS the disgusting thought that it’s canon. And again, all in your head.

No, “Asmo is the only brother—” stop right there. All of the brothers, actually scrap that. All of the characters love MC regardless of gender and don’t give an f about gender.

No, just because the writers are stupid at times doesn’t mean the MC isn’t canonically GN. MC was never written well from any aspect. Regardless they’ve confirmed over and over the MC is GN for inclusivity, so they are whoever you want them to be.

Every time someone says “but they look like they’d be straight- ” ALL IN YOUR HEAD. Get out of that mindset. Being paranoid over something that isn’t true is really unnecessary.

Remember: The MC is whoever YOU want to be, and the characters love them regardless of their gender!! The dev and writers even went frick gender and humans because they made a sheep the canon manga MC.

They have literally stated “our aim is to keep Obey Me! inclusive and enjoyable for all people, regardless of gender or preference.”

By saying the characters aren’t pan or they’re straight, excludes so many who play this game for the inclusivity. This is what the game is for, so at the very least, don’t say it’s canon. Because the canon is MC is whoever you want them to be. And any character will love them for whoever they are.

[azathothweirdo]

Like Rin said, Yuri is a lot like Shiemi (another character that is heavily disliked by the fandom). She’s optimistic, naive, unabashed, pacifistic, and somewhat out of touch with socialization. She also probably views herself as sacrificial in the grand scheme of things at some point.

Being sent to Asylum, which is a horrible place, and being happy about it seems foolish. Especially soon after your adopted family died. The schedule is strict, you are essential trapped there, and Jenny said most kids cry on their first night there. But Yuri stays positive, latches onto her enjoyment of studying demons and getting education (which her adopted family hoped for her). Like Rin said, he didn’t know what thoughts or fears his mother had as she was sent to there.

Also, I think it’s her near-unwavering positivity when it comes to the coexistence of demons and humans that people perceive as dislike-able. We don’t know the nuances of her mindset when it comes to labeling demons good and bad, other than she personally prefers not to fight any of them. That type of absolute-pacifism can be seen as unreasonable and frustrating, especially when directed towards beings who prey on weakness to possess bodies as vessels.

Yuri having this mindset while the audience is exposed to the horrors of Section 13 done by and for the Demon Kings so they can have human vessels can make you feel skeptical of her vision. There are people who would definitely feel hateful for Yuri’s opinions, thinking them callous. Her being “unfazed” and “happy” about working at Section 13 is something I think readers can interpret very shallowly.

It’s the same when Rinka realizes his Ego, and Yuri immediately attempts to rationalize his murderous actions. The thing is her rationalization could be valid, since she’s an adept, learned tamer. But Satan is an unprecedented, unpredictable specimen. Also, she admits to being biased since she’s known him since childhood. 

As we see her interact with Satan, we see that her hopes of teaching him things like compassion and socialization (with others beyond her) are futile. Which is frustrating, as she still tries to affect change in him and the audience, who knows how the story is going to go, wants her to quit while she’s ahead.

Her continued “niceness” towards Satan is probably another thing viewers look at quite shallowly, though you should remain calm with an unidentified, volatile demon; Yuri had moments where she was vehemently against Satan, and that resulted in very big outbursts (escaping Section 13, trying to kill her in his “Castle”, and trying to kill her with blue flames while in Shiro’s body). Even the DEMON KINGS are extremely appeasing to Satan, and that’s because he’s powerful and temperamental.

To invest hope in the Big Bad that is Satan. To still love Rin, trying to defend him after he came out of the womb killing exorcists, and then to still cradle him so lovingly. After all that, she still had enough… attachment to name Rin after Rinka (early, flame wisp version I think).

I don’t think people realize that Yuri hates killing, and that she is probably putting on a calm facade (like a certain younger twin), while she has to keep so many people from dying. She hates fighting demons, and she hates fighting humans.

We also don’t know a lot of Yuri’s inner thoughts and turmoils during this, as Mephisto said. Mephisto saying that “Yuri Egin failed” indicates that she either had a plan or that she was Mephisto’s plan. He’s also right in that saying that people will just label her a “witch”, regardless of Shiro saying that she “tried more than any of us”. Guess that must apply somewhat to the readers as well.

Most of what I read here is that people aren't paying attention to the overall story, and hate her for that. Same with Sheimi. I'm perfectly fine with people disliking a character, lord knows I've got plenty under my wing. But I feel like when it comes to Yuri, it's more people just not engaging with the story on the level Kato wants them to and they ignore it and make up some bs in their heads.

[rinseveryday]

It would be very interesting to know if you have any alternative universes for aoex?

Oh of course I do, thank you for asking >:)

These AUs are mostly just for my own enjoyment, but maybe if time permits, I'll do something with them but for now they just chill in my notes.

RinShi mermaid AU where Satan is some local demonic sea god and after 15 years he crawls out of the pit where he's sealed to collect Rin. Rin gets unsealed in the process, turns into a really angry and emo mermaid sea monster, and then washes ashore Shiemi's beach garden where they realize they know each other and Rin reconnects with his humanity. Shiro goes missing, and some other stuff happens where Rin unravels what happened between Satan and Yuri and there's lots of secrets and angst that I really wish was already written so I can read it for myself smh.

Rizumo fantasy royalty AU where Rin is a secret prince and Izumo (who fully intends on unleashing the Nine-Tails on everyone to find her sister) is secretly wedded to him as a sick joke i mean as part of a very sophisticated plan by Mephisto! I mentioned this in the demon king ask. It's actually more of an Izumo story though because I wrote it thinking, what if Rin and Izumo never met each other? What if Izumo was never there to encourage and teach Rin about being part-demon? What if Rin was never there to help Izumo save her family and herself from Gedouin's experiments?

AU where Instead of Astaroth, Amaimon is the one who gets to be the one to finally push Rin into breaking his seal. It's very PWP, Punching Without Plot.

AU where in the future timeskip, the Illuminati takes over True Cross, but Rin and his friends fight back while pretending to be "Demon King" and it's not at all as depressing as Kato had it TToTT I drew it as a comic here

Kyoto Saga AU where Sheimi didn't get to go inside the impenetrable jail and Rin busted himself out after Losing It™. Demon Rin gets to have some screen time <3 He does end up getting rid of the Impure King but at what cost hm...

Hope some of these sound fun to y'all! I don't mind if someone steals an idea or two since what I have for these AUs is bound to be completely different than whatever someone comes up with, so feel free to be inspired! Or not. Just don't tell me if you didn't like it. Thanks.

[wiredwrites]

Dear Marvel - Less is More

Think back to a time where Comic book movies weren't a thing.

Actually no, think back to a time where they weren't oversaturating the market.

Think of a time where they meant something.

Think back to the idea of sitting in a theatre and discovering Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark...When no one knew of Post Credit Scenes. Where you were REWARDED for staying after.

Remember how you felt seeing Samuel L Jackson wanting to talk to US about the "Avenger Initiative"....

Where has that charm gone? That immersion?

When CBM's came out maybe 3 times a year and it were JUST movies. No interconnected TV shows. No "You have to watch THIS season of Daredevil to even BEGIN season 1 of Punisher" or "You have to watch ANT MAN to understand who he is in Captain America Civil War"

Where there was absolutely no roadmap to enjoyment. You could just buy a ticket and enjoy what was to come for the next 2-3 hours.

Marvel had the roadmap. Marvel set the standard. Marvel did something no one else could do. Granted, the only competitor had the achilles heel of terrible management and the opportunity of a God but I digress.

Did Marvel get ahead of itself?

After legitimizing the genre and making Comics cool again, It seems they jumped the gun with the content POST Endgame. The MCU from 2008 to 2019 was AMAZING storytelling. You understood the mission all while learning more and more about lesser known characters (Guardians of The Galaxy, Ant Man and Wasp, etc) all while uplifting characters to the masses (Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, etc) because lets face it. To the general audience? These core characters were B-C grade characters AT BEST. At least compared to the competitor DC and their host of known heroes. They uplifted these characters WITHOUT the help of Wolverine and the X-Men and WITHOUT the help of Spider Man who may be their biggest asset. They shined a light on each individual character and gave them a purpose for almost 15 years.

Then Endgame happened and they either died or went their own ways. At first, i felt they should have ended the entire film run at arguably their peak moment with Endgame. Tony snapped his fingers and all was right in the world. The end, right?

No. Corporate greed became the focus as well as money. Post Endgame began the stories of Wanda Maximoff and Loki. Both going down seperate plot holes. Loki becoming the God of Time and Wanda creating her false family after losing Vision and...some how fighting Doctor Strange trying to chase a girl? AND THESE ARE JUST THE MOVIES.

Marvel attempted to begin the multiversal path with no real foundation. Instead they put out tv shows what seem to be every 6 months and THOSE shows leading to different things. Here is my breakdown of what each endgame could have been (huehuehuehue)

LOKI - KANG (MULTIVERSAL)

SCARLET WITCH/DOCTOR STRANGE - DORMAMMU/NIGHTMARE

FALCON AND WINTER SOLDIER- THUNDERBOLTS

AGATHA ALL ALONG - MEPHISTO

...and now for the movies released during this time....

SHANG CHI - THE TEN RINGS

WAKANDA FOREVER - WHO KNOWS

SPIDERMAN NO WAY HOME - NOSTALGIA

BLACK WIDOW - THUNDERBOLTS

ETERNALS - Dont even get me started on how fantastic this film was - NOTHING

THOR LOVE AND THUNDER - EW

With Kang supposedly becoming the big overarching baddie a la Thanos...why are we doing other major villains? Why not build towards Kang and DEVELOP the Multiversal story and explain it? Albeit a court case and some redirection, we now have Doctor Doom being shoehorned in a Fantastic Four film...again with no real Multiversal foundation explained. How are the Thunderbolts connected? Captain America and Falcon? NAMOR??? There is STILL no direction within the content.

IF YOU THOUGHT YOU NEEDED TO READ THE COMICS TO UNDERSTAND IT BEFORE?? mannnnn listen.

Marvel is now developing Avengers Doomsday and Avengers Secret Wars. Secret Wars being one of the biggest Marvel stories to date. A story that includes Doctor Doom creating a alternate world called "Battleworld" after two universes collide. He uses remnants from all different universes to create said world. If you were a casual viewer or maybe even someone who FOLLOWED the MCU timeline but never read any comics, you're probably thinking "How do we even get there?" Don't worry, we have no idea how they are going to get there. Genuinely. It's infuriating. All we have is an upcoming Fantastic Four movie that is going to make a baby the biggest priority (yes, a baby) which again, non comic book readers will be like "wait, why is she fighting a whole ass giant villain pregnant?". We literally just have to trust them but the last 5 years...its hard to. No movie has been the caliber of "Pre Endgame" MCU. No movie has glued us to our seat wanting more. Could it be MCU burnout or just...bad film? Marvel's biggest roadblock with all of this is...

THE GENERAL AUDIENCE DOESNT KNOW OR CARE ABOUT MULTIVERSES

Audiences were ALREADY saying "ugh another ____" or "why are they remaking this?". Then you have to go into this whole entire SEPERATE plotline of WHY they can and you begin to look like that guy from "Its Always Sunny" pointing at his chart with the lines.

As soon as Deadpool and Wolverine dropped - "Oh, didnt Logan die?"

As soon as the F4 trailer hit, comments were flooded with "oh this again?"

It almost comes off as desperate and i almost have no hope for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe! It's hard for me to keep the faith! I really only have hope for something to be salvagable because the Russo Brothers just can NOT seem to miss but...

It's all still so scrambled and the abrupt shift and casting of RDJ/Massive Nostalgia bait coming up has me worried that there is just no creativity left.

If you made it this far, let me know what youre looking forward to and how you're feeling about the MCU! Let's talk about it!

[madraleen]

blue exorcist: shimane illuminati saga - season 3, eps 1-12 general thoughts on the season. but first: 1) YAY, THE ANIME'S BEEN RENEWED FOR ANOTHER SEASON, YAY YAY YAY

2) blue exorcist is pretty much the reason i dropped solo leveling mid-watch of ep8. i'd watch them on the same day, and my enjoyment of blue exorcist was so in contrast with my non-enjoyment of solo leveling that it just became cumbersome to try to keep up.

3) i haven't read the manga

-i loved the gang's interactions. i loved their dynamics and i loved their personalities.

-i thought izumo's arc was very interesting and very well-executed. it took time to bring her to a point that she could accept change, and it all felt so earned and delicate and grounded.

-i found some parts of the overall story a bit rushed, but not enough to deter my enjoyment. it was just a bit like "oh, we're past this already?"

-i screamed when shima turned out to be a spy and i kept hoping that he'd turn out to be on our side, and, well, he is, so yay, but also is he? XD can we trust him, truly? i trust konekomaru's view on shima more than i trust shima himself, you know? and it goes past the "is shima actually betraying us as we speak?" issue, it's the matter of shima's character. NOW he might not be betraying us, but can we actually trust that he won't betray us for one reason or another? idk idk like yeah sure, we can't fully trust mephisto because he's mephisto yada yada, but at least we know we share the same ultimate goal with mephisto, whereas shima is just. a complete wild card.

-i loved seeing the girlies come closer

-i wish yukio would talk to rin, man, i wish he would -.-

-i teared up during the credits of the last ep, that's how much i was enjoying being with the gang

[trans-mephisto]

time for me to yet again crawl into your ask box. Thoughts and theories on the new chapter ?

Okay so, this ask actually made me aware that a new chapter released so thanks for that lmao

As far as theories, I don't have many since there wasn't too much for information other than planning this chapter, so I'll have to wait for later chapters

But thoughts? I have many

First of all, RINSHI (sort of) CANON HELL YEAH!!!

I find it really cute how they act towards each other has sort of flipped from the beginning, with Shiemi being more hopeful about a relationship and being all flustered while Rin is now the one worrying over it. I love it when writing turns around like that

Secondly, Lightning off-handedly worrying about Arthur stuck out to me a lot

Honestly him being brought up this late in game makes me worry about him, that he's gonna come back into play soonish and it's not gonna be good. Regardless I'd be happy to see more Arthur content, but I still worry about what might happen in the story regarding him

This chapter was a lot of talking and planning but the small interactions with characters was very cute and silly, I found it overall enjoyable and I can't wait for the action to start. The story keeps unraveling in very interesting ways

(And as a last note, poor Mephisto. Man is hanging on by a thread at this point)

Thank you for crawling into my askbox once again :]

[goldlightwriting]

So I've gotten myself thinking about the MCU again. Ramble under the cut.

Okay, to clarify here: I have not actually watched anything in the MCU since Thor: Love and Thunder. I liked some of the Disney+ shows they put out like Moon Knight and Hawkeye, and I did find Shang Chi fairly enjoyable. Hell I even liked Wanda-Vision despite its messy ending.

But of course, the MCU as a whole has kind of fallen apart from lacking a clear direction; too many projects going all at once, not enough cohesion, etc. I don't think I could levy any criticisms that haven't already been made. The only point that I don't see brought up that often is that I think choosing to make the vague concept of the Multiverse the next big 'arc' was a massive mistake, since not only do almost none of the properties deal with that, it's also just a really vague topic to begin with. I know that was partially because Kang was supposed to be the next big bad to replace Thanos, but... I mean they apparently just killed him off in Ant-Man so that went nowhere.

But of course, that raises the question: if the MCU HAD to continue after Endgame (because of course the megacorp Disney isn't going to let their cashcow die just because the story's over), what SHOULD have been the next step? Doctor Doom? Galactus? The Beyonder? Knull? All valid answers, and none necessarily wrong. Honestly there are a lot of good options for what the next arc could have been if set up correctly.

However, for my money, I honestly think there was a lot of potential to focus in more on the mystical aspect of the MCU post-Endgame. They kind of already started down that direction by having Wanda awaken as the Scarlet Witch and, of course, giving Doctor Strange a sequel that just wound up being a botched Multiverse setup.

However, Multiverse of Madness did introduce what I think would have been a perfect macguffin for a more magic-focused arc of the franchise: the Darkhold. While they do kind of delve into it within the MCU, its significance is MASSIVELY underplayed.

Like, the Darkhold is the source of basically all evil magic created by a Lovecraftian god. In the comics, the Necronomicon was inspired by a SINGLE passage in the Darkhold. This thing CREATED vampires, contains powerful demons within its pages (as in the demons themselves actually reside IN the book), and can even allow access to unholy realms like Limbo.

Beyond Wanda and Doctor Strange, quite a few magic or magic-adjacent characters were introduced into the MCU: Moon Knight, Shang Chi (with his rings), Black Panther (with the heart-shaped herb), Loki, and they've also apparently been working on Blade for ages now. Oh and let us not forget that Ghost Rider was in Agents of SHIELD, and supposedly took the Darkhold (or a copy of it?) to Hell. But... What if that wasn't the end of it?

Basically, I think Mephisto should have been the antagonist of the MCU after Endgame, and his goal could have been acquiring the Darkhold. This would have worked wonderfully if they actually made him the true villain behind Wanda-Vision as so many people theorized, and from there we could have gotten the likes of Khonshu and Strange sensing the demon's growing threat. From there you could somehow rope in Black Panther (Shuri), Shang Chi, Loki and maybe a couple others like Blade.

To summarize: Magic-based MCU could have gone hard and the Multiverse Saga was a mistake. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[booksandwords]

Void Black Shadow by Corey J. White

Series: Voidwitch Saga, #2 Read time: 3 Days Rating: 4/5 Stars

The Quote: That's right I'm not afraid of your guns or your prison; I chose this. You think I'm your prisoner? You're all dead fucks walking, and I'm a monster in human skin.

Warnings: murder, torture and erm... genocide... 😶 yeah it's a lot.

Mariam "Mars" Xi is back. While kicking ass destroying the MEPHISTO fleet at the end of Killing Gravity she lost a friend, Mookie. Now she's off to track him down and bring him home to Trix and Squid on the Nova. She did also gain a potential ally if she can train him, help him and get him healthy, the boy she saved from Briggs's ship, known only as Pale. She is teaching him control but they have a long way to go.

While in Killing Gravity our antagonist was a known quantity, Briggs and MEPHISTO the antagonist/s for Void Black Shadow is more of an unknown, it's still MEPHISTO but there are new players as well. While looking for information on where MEPHISTO sent Mookie the crew of the Nova run into the Legionnaires. The Legionnaires are augmented MEPHISTO soldiers. They are highly reminiscent of the Borg, heavily augmented, with a hive mind and no access to individual thought. I can't remember all my Trek lore but I'm pretty sure the Borg are the inspiration for the Legionnaires. They are an effective villain or the pawns to the villain, in the same way that the void witches were for Briggs. The face of MEPHISTO in Void Black Shadow is Doctor Ratham. The man who runs the prison moon that Mookie has been sent to, Homan. Ratham is an intelligent man when it comes to psychological and physical manipulation and torture. He knows exactly what is most likely to hold a prisoner in line. As a villain, he's the right choice, intelligence over the force of Briggs.

I like the ending which I'm actually going to write thoughts about. Void Black Shadow set up Static Ruin well, encourages the reader to finish the series. Void Black Shadow is an almost unexpectedly intelligent title. The phrase itself appears multiple times with different meanings, the most obvious being space. 

This moment lead me to another thought. Mars is a protagonist you don't want to think too hard about. Honestly, she is probably closer to an antihero. There is just so much death and danger around her. Those closest to her risk their lives, sanity and bodies. She can also play a bit fast and loose with the innocents in play. I really hope Mars finds her way back to Squid, they are good for her. She is different around them. Almost like they remind her a little of Sera. I've decided Pale is interesting, I didn't expect him to be so important. But I can see him becoming a real wild card.

Before I jump into my quote dump I will write what would usually be a conclusion. The plot of Mars saving a friend and getting vengeance the only way knows how is enjoyable but highly violent. That said I do recommend this but If you are going to read it I advise reading Killing Gravity first. While this may standalone reading as part of the sago you will get so much more out of it. The characters are complicated and you will start thinking about the morals of action, means and ends. But that doesn't make the characters any less likeable.

Some quotes

"Did she really destroy a whole fleet single-handed? Shit is crazy." "Yes, Miguel, I really did. And since you've brought me all the way out to the ass-end of nowhere, the least you could do is talk to me, not about me." "Eh, sorry, chica." — Stackhead Miguel is back. This is his "inside" voice, Mars and then Miguel's outside voice. He's now terrified of her, I mean fair she's freaking terrifying, but still willing to give her info. (Miguel and Mars, p.15-6)

"How do you feel, Mariam?" I try to think of the best words to describe my particular mix of brain-fog and sluggish limbs. The best I can come up with is, "Drug-fucked." — Oh God this is a perfect definition for that feeling. I know all about that. I can't believe I never thought of that phrasing before. (Ratham and Mars, p. 81)

[anotherhumanpet]

Jaden hums quietly, thoughtfully, while he internally shudders at the described workload hefted onto Dennis' shoulders. Nothing that's just been described sounds even remotely enjoyable, nor does it ease the sense of worry sitting at the bottom of Jaden's stomach like a pit whenever he thinks about the mental gymnastics Dennis is putting himself through just to get through this random scholarship program. But that is also precisely why Jaden wants to visit his nephew. Between his own personal anxieties around M.E.C.H., Dennis' proximity to the Illuminati's now publicly sworn enemy, and the excessive homework load the kid is dealing with, he feels responsible as to at least check in on him. If all is well, then Jaden will just focus his energy on his own life and let Dennis be.

Mephisto's invite does get a brow raising with both curiosity and suspicion though. Thrice over now when Jaden has come to visit the demon lord has hovered over him, redirected him to elsewhere, and been all but subtle with his cloak'n'dagger routine around and with Jaden. It's odd. More than that though it's unsettling and has Jaden hesitant to do anything. So, he remains rooted where he stands, leaving Mephisto to wait by the door all by himself for the time being.

"Can I ask what it's about before going anywhere?" Because he'd much rather not walk into a trap if he can avoid it. "We got plenty of privacy out here, don't we?"

"Jesus Christ!" Jaden is hissing under his breath as he turns to glare at Mephisto. He knows how the bastard snuck up on him, but still partially questions the why of it before remembering: he's a bastard.

"Just visiting." He half grumbles, half sighs. "He says he's got too much study work to leave behind but I wanted to check in on him. See how he was doing."

[prosepeare]

Just watched ‘Loki’ episode 3, and having read a few post-episode 2 analyses...

...Why do I strongly suspect that, by the time this series/season (?) is over, “It was Kang all along” is going to become the new “It was Mephisto all along?”