Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the fandoms crossed in this fic/series.

Part of the Choice series.

REPOST. This was deleted, so I'm posting it back up for y'all.


"Your daughter is a killjoy."

Manny looked up from his cards and raised an eyebrow at Beelzebub. "How so?"

They were all congregated at the large table he'd had brought into one of the upper rooms of his new home, and all the usuals were at the table, with the contract to the souls they were willing to use as bets. When you were a demon, you didn't bet money, that was ridiculous. No, real demons bet souls-the souls they really didn't care for much, or need, or want.

"Well, you know how she doesn't let me inside the home with my flies buzzing all around." The demon still sulked at this, and to be truthful, he looked kinda weird and skinny when not surrounded by the huge mass of buzzing creatures. "And will she let me let them loose as a plague upon the neighborhood while I enjoy poker night with the boys? No. I try tell her: think of the realty value. If a plague occurs prices will drop, people will move...and I can get the neighbor's house at a discounted price! But will she listen to me? Will she have a heart? No." He huffed, looking at his cards. "That's one heartless demon."

"You're such a cheapskate, Beel." Armaros snickered, looking up from his cards. "You can afford a million of these houses if you wanted. Why do you want one at a discount price?"

"That smug satisfaction one feels when you get something after haggling?" Beelzebub replied as if this should be obvious. "Plus, I really like the house next to this one." He held his cards to his chest. "We should all buy a house on this road."

"There goes the neighborhood." A new voice snarked, and they turned in unison to see Chloe arrived with a tray of beer balanced on her hand. "Hey boys. Hows the cheating going?"

"Great."

"Fine."

"It's working."

Azazel just nodded.

Smiling, the blonde sent Manny an amused smile before passing out the cans of cooled beer to the demons, resting the tray against her tray. "If you all want more, they are cooling in the fridge. I'm not your serving wench, this was a one time deal." She then turned to her father. "I'm going upstairs to start that thing for Lilith."

He nodded. "Luck, duck."

She smirked. "Will need it."

And with that she left the room.

The men were silent until they heard her footsteps fade away, before turning to Manny.

"How's she doing?" Beelzebub wanted to know. "She's looking less depressed these days. Has she finally gotten over Azazel's spawn? Because my Penemue is-."

"Not halfthe demon my Gressil is." Armaros butted into the conversation.

Azazel snorted. "My son has embraced his demonhood. He is the demon hers has chosen, even before he accepted it." He smirked, looking at the two demons who'd been trying to line their spawn with his future daughter in law. "Once he is ready, it will be made official."

"If you're that sure, then why don't you want the girl knowing that Sam's accepted his demonhood?" Beelzebub wanted to know, sneering.

"Because, she'd go to see him if she did." Azazel replied in that superior way of his. "And what's driving him right now is Sam's desire to become demon enough for Chloe to consider him once more. If he realized the truth about whyshe left, he wouldn't be working as hard as he is right now."

"You're truly evil, Az." Manny shook his head.

"Thank you." Azazel grinned as they continued to play and talk.

"What do you have the brat doing again?" Beelzebub asked, curious.

"Crossroads." Azazel replied easily. "I wondered what sort of job would be best for him in his transition period. And those puppy eyes, they're perfect for a Crossroads. Plus. He's built. What mortal woman wouldn't want to kiss and seal the deal?"

Armaros had to nod his agreement to that.

Beelzebub snorted. "He isn't all that good looking. Sure, he's ripped, but he's a friggin mountain. That's abnormal."

"You just say that because Penemue is small in every aspect." Manny snorted in amusement. "One of my girls told me all about it."

The demons all around the table hollered in laughter.

Beelzebub narrowed his eyes at Manny. "I'll have you know it's not the size that matters, but how you use it!"

"Yes, my girl told me all about his problems in that area as well." Manny snickered.

Beelzebub threw down his cards. "Which of those succubi dared impugn my son's sexual abilities? That's the real reason you don't want to consider him for your daughter, isn't it? Because you think this one's son's is freakishly big somehow he'll be more potent and impregnate her? My Penemue would do a more than adequate job at it!"

Manny gazed at his cards, not paying Beelzebub any attention.

He wasn't half as threatening as he usually was when surrounded by his flies anyway.

And, well, Manny didn't want to think about the chaos that'd erupted when Lilith had announced that Chloe didn't seem to be experiencing the drying of her ovaries and such that the pureblood demonesses experienced. In other words, his daughter might be the first pureblooded demoness to be able to give birth naturally, and that meant that suddenly demons who'd never broke breath to Manny before were sending him gift baskets, all trying to win favor, especially since his daughter was currently single, working under Lilith herself. Chloe had become a much desired commodity.

Still, despite everything, Manny preferred Sam for her.

"I have no problem with her seeing any of your sons." Azazel surprised them by saying. "But she won't choose them in the end. It will always be my son for her. Because he's her groom and she's his bride." He smirked, finally looking up from his cards. "And if he found out she was dating any demon, his murderous rage would increase and now that I have his soul in my possession, he'd probably kill whoever touched her." The thought made Azazel's face brighten as he turned to Manny. "You should encourage her to date."

Manny shook his head at his friend. "How's his brother taking this?"

"Who cares?" Azazel grumbled.

"That bad?" Manny guessed. "Dean really means a lot to Sam."

"He's just some human. His opinion shouldn't matter." Azazel downed his can of beer in one gulp.

Armaros and Beelzebub exchanged amused looks at his tortured appearance.

"Can you believe the bastard had the nerve to get in my face and blame it all on me?" Azazel sneered. "I would have eviscerated him if I hadn't known that soul or not, Sam wouldn't be happy with his annoying half brother's painful, horrific death."

Manny put down his cards. "Read them and weep, boys."

"How the fuck-?"

"What?"

"How are your cheating methods beating mine?"

Manny just grinned, receiving the contracts to the souls he'd just won, looking them over. "Hmmm. So Armaros, you were the one who owned Lionel Luthor's soul. I was wondering who had gotten to him before me."

Armaros shrugged. "Got him when he was younger. He's old and dried up now. And I got his son's. His doesn't matter anymore."

"Who did the renovations to this place?" Beelzebub changed the subject drastically, looking around the room. "I remember this house before the movie. It wasn't this nice."

"Ah, yes, the movie." Armaros nodded. "I wasn't too sold on the special effects or how the humans were so terrified by mere parlor tricks, but Ryan Reynolds did a great job."

"Yes, he did." Azazel agreed distractedly as he started to deal the cards. "Very realistic."

"I wonder if his soul is up for the grabbing." Manny paused, considering that.

The demons at the table were silent, deep in thought.

Armaros looked down at his body. "It's about time to change my host." He petted his chest. "I wouldn't mind being in a body like that."

Beelzebub frowned, sniffing. "Is that...rotten eggs?"

Manny's eyes widened. "Sulfer."

Armaros winced. "Someone teleported in."

Azazel chuckled evilly, knowing what that meant.

"WHAT THE FUCK HAVE I TOLD EVERYONE ABOUT TELEPORTING INTO MY GODDAMNED HOME?"Chloe could be heard screaming from somewhere in the house.

Someone cried out in pain.

Beelzebub flinched, remembering the first and last time he'd teleported into the Amityville home.

"USE THE FUCKING DOOR LIKE EVERYONE ELSE YOU ASSHOLE!"

Another scream.

Armaros lowered himself slightly in the seat. "She can be so scary sometimes."

"DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO GET THE SMELL OF SULFER OUT OF THE FURNITURE? EVEN THE WALLS REEK OF ROTTEN EGGS FOR WEEKS!"
Something broke loudly. "COME BACK YOU BASTARD!" Something else broke. "DON'T TELEPORT AWAY YOU FUCKING COWARD!"

Azazel grinned. "I love that girl."

Manny smirked, having to agree with that. "Never a dull day with her."

"I wonder who that was." Armaros snickered.

"I take it back, Sam can have her." Beelzebub decided. "She's just too scary sometimes."

Armaros nodded. "Brave man, Sam."

Azazel and Manny shared a look before they began the new game, and continued to gossip about the houses on the area, future progeny, and Ryan Reynold's abs.

And thus passed another regular night of poker with the boys.