The look on their faces showed that this was the perfect wedding dress.

But Hilda didn't care — or even paid attention, at least. Her mind was somewhere far, far away. The wedding wasn't her problem. Tatsumi wasn't her problem. The idiots weren't her problem. Yolda wasn't her problem. Creepichi wasn't her problem. Money wasn't her problem.

No. As a matter of fact, something that she hadn't thought of in such a long time was currently residing in her reeling brain.

"So, Hilda-chan, what do you think?" Tatsumi's mother inquired, clasped hands held against her chest. She had an elated expression upon her face, eyes wide with delight.

"Master … ," Hilda murmured.

At that, Lamia's expression fell slightly.

"Hilda, the dress is perfect on you. It hugs you at the right curves — you're damn curvy, girl — and the intricate designs on the train make it all the more better," Misaki was saying. "Oh my gosh, and this is only the third dress. Doesn't that say something?"

Lamia smiled for her friend. "Hilda-neesan, do you like it?" Hilda could see bits of concern in her green eyes.

"I want it black," Hilda declared out of nowhere.

"Black?" Tatsumi's mother's eyebrows furrowed. She faced Lamia. "Is that part of the Macanese culture?"

Lamia explained, "The colors of the academy Hilda-neesan once attended are dark. Some people assume the building was originally built for the Gothic churches, making it a legend of some sort. Lolita fashion is a trend there, as well. It was influenced by that legend."

"And I like black," Hilda inputted.

"Well, black it is. Black goes well with your skin anyways, right? I'll go inform the tailor to have it custom-made for you." Tatsumi's mother approached the woman waiting patiently behind a set of racks filled with bridesmaid dresses.

Hilda immediately got out of the dress with the help of Lamia and the employee. It was a pain in the ass getting into it, and now it was a pain in the ass getting out of it. What the hell was up with wedding dresses?

A shrill ringtone began coming out of Misaki's jeans pocket. She fished through it and took out her cellphone. She scowled at the caller and answered the phone with a brusque "What?!"

Hilda stared at Misaki, knowing fully well that was Tatsumi.

"We are in the middle of an extremely important errand, stupid! Do not bother any of — Hilda-chan? Why do you want to talk to her? She's in the middle of someth — quit interrupting me, fucker! Just tell me what you have to say to her, fast. What do you mean it's between you and her? I am your sis — oh my gosh, I am going to rip your dick off after this. You are so fuckin' annoying, I swear. WHY ARE YOU SO FREAKIN' STUPID AND FREAKIN' UGH?!" Misaki finished up with a yell, cheeks red. She motioned for Hilda to take the phone. "It's my idiotic brother. He wants to speak to you."

Hilda answered as soon as she claimed the phone, "What, peasant?"

"We got a naked problem."

"How many times have I told you to put your boxers in the hamper during laundry day?"

"Wha — that's not what I'm talking about, woman!" Pause. "And I do put my boxers in the hamper!"

Hilda rolled her eyes, unconvinced. "Elaborate," she demanded tiredly.

"There's a naked baby in our living room," Tatsumi informed her slowly. "This is not a joke — I'm being serious. Furuichi's here, Alaindelon's here, who, by the way, delivered him here. He literally delivered the damn baby with green hair. You didn't order one, did you?"

Everything Tatsumi was rambling on and on about went through from the left ear to the right. She couldn't believe her master was here. She couldn't believe the adorable baby she had once served for quite some time was here. She was only a few blocks away from him. She could reach him instantly.

" … his dick is just there, and it's freaking me out, Hilda," her fiancé was saying nonsensically. "He's also just starin' at me like he's amazed at — "

Hilda pressed the end button and wordlessly handed it back to Misaki.

"Something wrong, Hilda-chan?" Misaki asked worriedly, eyebrows wrinkled.

Hilda faced her in-laws. "Lamia and I have womanly duties to attend to."

"Period?"

"Yes, if that's what you'd like to believe."

"Oh, okay. My mom and I will handle this. I'll make sure the tailor alters the dress accurately, or I'll have his or her ass," Misaki said assuredly, a hint of threat in her tone.

Hilda nodded. Before Tatsumi's sister could say anything else, she pulled Lamia away with her. As soon as the door closed, she went at breakneck speed. She had one person in mind, and she was going to go to him. She didn't care if many duties needed to be done for the wedding. She just needed to see him. Knowing that he was here within her reach made her feel relief.

She could finally have some peace in her life, the peace she had always wanted since she moved here.

She knew her master's purpose here: to be the ring bearer for the wedding. His purpose obviously entailed that he was going to stay here until the end of the wedding. It broke her heart being fully aware of that. However, she wasn't going to waste any amount of precious time. Although she was incredibly stressed out about the fake but not really fake wedding, her master was always, always number one in her list of priorities in life.

"Hil — " pant " — da — " pant " — n-n-nee — " pant " — san!"

Hilda kept running.

"You're — "

She grabbed the little girl and hoisted her on her back without hesitation. Lamia yelped at the sudden action and quickly wrapped her arms around Hilda's neck.

"Where are we going? What's going on?" Lamia yelled against the wind. "Hilda-neesan, you can't reach your location by running! We need to hail a cab!"

Hearing that, Hilda's reasonable side kicked in. Sometimes, she couldn't control her actions when it came to Beelzebub. It was one of her low points.

She spotted a fool riding his scooter like no tomorrow. He had long black hair tied into a low ponytail, a strand hanging over his face, and wore a purple pinstriped suit with matching trousers and a light purple undershirt. He was winking and saluting every girl he passed by, yelling out, "Good Night!" in a sing-song, flirtatious manner.

Hilda dug her heels into the pavement, stopping to a halt adjacent to the Scooter Fool. Lamia's face was an ill shade of green.

Scooter Fool stopped, as well. He winked at Hilda and smirked enticingly her way. "Good Night, my blonde beau — "

A fist connected with his face, knocking him off his scooter and sending him off flying into a nearby group of shady men. He landed in the middle of their discreet discussion about watermelons. They soon got irritated by the disruption and began beating him up, a couple "Good Nights" screamed here and there.

Hilda rode the scooter, Lamia holding onto her waist, still green.

As soon as the two girls arrived at the apartment building, Hilda abandoned the scooter and went straight for her apartment, Lamia barely trailing behind. The blonde-haired woman banged on her apartment door three times. She didn't wait for an answer and kicked the door open.

"SHIT!" someone yelled inside.

Hilda stormed inside the apartment, eyes whizzing around for her dear master.

Lamia collapsed as soon as she stepped into the apartment.

The engaged woman speed-walked to the living room and saw something she couldn't — wouldn't — ever in a million years believe.

Tatsumi was with a baby.

That baby happened to be Kaiser de Emperana Beelzebub IV, which she knew without a sure doubt.

Her disgusting fiancé happened to be having a glare-off with her master, who was sitting comfortably on the coffee table, nude for the world to see. Tatsumi was crouching to regard Beelzebub properly. Their faces were inches away from each other.

Furuichi began moaning from behind the door, which was slammed against the wall, which was caused by Hilda's impatience.

Lamia was still on the ground.

The glare-off continued on, unfazed.

Actually, it shouldn't be called a glare-off since Tatsumi was the only person doing the glaring. Hilda's master happened to be looking rather gleefully at him, admiration and glitter in his eyes. He looked like he was amazed at the fool crouching before him.

"Oga!" Hilda barked, annoyed by the anomalies in the abode.

Tatsumi broke contact with the baby and shouted out, "WHAT?!" before cursing, "DAMN IT!" and placing his hands in his head, growling to himself.

It started happening.

Everything was done dramatically. His head turned in slow-motion, green eyes meeting her awaiting ones. His eyes widened. A hint of smile appeared behind his pacifier. A low, shocked gasp escaped her mouth.

She let go of all restraints. She grabbed her master and snuggled him, holding him tightly against her chest. She heard a cry of happiness from him, and his pudgy hands gripped her neck. His powdery, baby-type smell welcomed her nostrils. He was here within her arms.

How long has it been? Hilda wondered. How long as it been since I've held this precious being in my arms?

Beelzebub greeted her, "Dabuu!"

She smiled. It doesn't matter. He's with me now …

Hilda had kicked out Furuichi and Lamia to their best man and maid-of-honor duties. She wanted time alone with her master. Unfortunately, Tatsumi was adamant on staying, thus pissing her off.

"Alaindelon didn't say much, 'cept that since I picked Beelzebub for the ring bearer or whatever, he's gonna stay with us for the time being. I tried shovin' him away, 'cause I sure as hell don't wanna take care of no damn baby," Tatsumi explained further, glowering the baby comfortable in her arms. "But the lil' fucker didn't wanna leave my arms, and the old guy ran off."

"Do not refer to my master as that horrid word, shit-face," Hilda spat. She switched moods, smiling lovingly towards Beelzebub. "Right, Master?"

Said master giggled. "Da! Dabuu!"

"I have no idea on what he just said."

"Oga, you're an idiot, remember?"

"The divorce will be the honeymoon, 'kay, bitch? And anyways, we can't let him stay here. I've got you to deal with already. I don't need another freeloader."

"Me, a freeloader? Says the boy who doesn't buy groceries and leaves his filthy clothing everywhere." She rolled her eyes at his absurdity.

"It's still my own damn apartment — remember that," he shot back, crossing his arms over his chest.

All of a sudden, Baby Beelzebub began inching towards Tatsumi. His arms were shot out, fingers reaching out for him. He attempted to get out of Hilda's arms.

"Master," Hilda said, confused. "What is it?"

Tatsumi groaned loudly. "He wants to go to me," he informed bitterly. He held out his arms. "Just give him to me. He'll cry like a maniac. Trust me, he did that earlier when I tried stuffing him — never mind." He pretended to look innocent.

She narrowed her eyes at him but handed the baby to him nonetheless. She knew exactly what he was talking about. Master's cries were deafening, and it could very well be heard throughout the neighborhood. It also had the potential to destroy your eardrums, but that could be a hyperbole.

Hilda observed the two. Tatsumi looked entirely uncomfortable, but Master was the opposite. He immediately nestled into his built arms, content. He was … happy.

"What did you do?" she demanded, wary. "Why is he acting like that?"

"Hell if I know! That's what I wanted to ask you! The dude is obsessed with me, I swear."

"He's not obsessed; he's — " She didn't dare finish her statement. "Stop whatever you're doing. You probably hypnotized him with your stupidity. Give him to me."

"The dude doesn't want to fuck off," Tatsumi grunted. "Look!" He tried prying the baby's hands off of his arm, but he began whimpering and tightened his hold on him.

"Master, what are you seeing in him?" A rush of déjà vu fluttered in her, but she overlooked it. "He's a sewer rat; you'll get contaminated, Master. Come here."

Beelzebub shook his head and snuggled comfortably into Tatsumi. He raised his head up, directing his sparkly eyes filled with admiration up at him.

Tatsumi raised his eyebrows. Then, gradually, he slid his smug eyes towards the blonde bombshell. "It seems as if … he likes me more than you," he said tauntingly. He was restraining a bark of laughter.

Hilda scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh please, don't be so sure about such an absurd assumption." She knew way more about her master than the Lord Beelzebub III himself.

"He doesn't wanna go to you, though. Doesn't that say something?"

"Perhaps you ate a snack to Master's liking, and he smells it lingering in your putrid breath." Her stoic demeanor quickly morphed into gentle, cajoling eyes. "Now, Master, the bastard holding you is a monster. He'll suck the intelligence out of you."

"Hey!" Tatsumi barked.

"It's true," she snapped. "The minute I stepped into our apartment, I started feeling like a baboon."

"That's 'cause you are one."

Hilda made a motion to strangle the fool before her, but Tatsumi brought the green-haired (naked as hell) baby in front of him, using him as a human shield.

"I've got a baby, and I'm not afraid to use him," he said gravely. "He's naked. I'll make him piss on you."

"He's done that before."

"Yuck."

"Shut up, you infantile waste of space. Hand me Master." She stepped forward, holding out her hands.

"'Kay, first off, stop calling him 'Master.' I know you baby-sat him — "

"Served him," she interrupted.

"Wench, does that even matter right now? I know you baby-sat or served — " he rolled his eyes at that " — him, but it's creepy hearing you call him that. You don't serve him anymore. Second off — "

"I will remain loyal to my master till the end of time," Hilda said automatically. It was true, though. She would serve and protect Beelzebub no matter what, even at the cost of her life. Just because she wasn't serving his family anymore didn't mean that she would stop protecting him.

"Uh, good for you. Now could you stop interruptin' me? Second off, I told you that the dude won't get off of me, all right? You need pliers or something."

Hilda had no choice but to start blaming Tatsumi. It was always his fault anyways. "You always cause problems. What's wrong with you?"

"Pointing fingers now, huh? Like you're any better, Hilda." He sneered at her.

"Oh, don't go putting this on me."

Tatsumi advanced towards her. "Every day you say something that'll make me want to fuck this wedding. And honestly? I'm getting close to it." His proximity was dangerously close. His neck was craned down to regard her.

"I have no part in you being a sewer rat."

"And I have no part in you being a demonic bitch."

Her fists trembled hazardously. "I slaughter you up into pieces, asshole."

"You're all talk, honey."

A screeching wail snapped at Hilda's eardrums. She cringed at the sound, goose bumps crawling up her skin. It was like a fork scratching a plate. She covered her ears, the screech worsening.

This was her master's infamous, uncontrollable crying.

"Shut him up!" Tatsumi yelled over the noise, holding the crying baby out to her.

"You aggravated him, that's why! Come here, Master — get away from the goblin." She gathered him in his arms, but he didn't stop crying. "Get him some milk! I bought milk boxes, the ones with the straws, yesterday."

"But — But we only got one left!"

"You selfish little prick, get me some milk, dammit!"

"UGH!" Like a sixteen-year-old teenage girl, Tatsumi stomped over to the kitchen, mumbling complaints underneath his breath.

Master isn't the only baby in this house, she thought.

As soon as Tatsumi gave her the milk box, looking terribly infantile, she might add, she handed it to Baby Beelzebub, who happily took it and quieted down.

"I was gonna drink that," Tatsumi complained.

"Fuck off."

"Bitch."

"Oga, I will shove tampons down your throat and up your ass. I am not kidding."

" … Ew."

Hilda bounced up and down in the middle of the bedroom. Her master was already deep asleep, but she just wanted to have him in her arms for a few more minutes. She needed to make up for lost time, and she needed to embrace her little time with as much as possible.

Tatsumi announced his presence by yawning loudly. He received a glare from Hilda and closed the door behind him quietly. He sat down on his bed and watched her.

His stares were already unnerving her — remember: he looked at her as if he could see right through her — and so she whispered a sharp "Stop it."

He raised an eyebrow. "What am I doing?" he inquired in a normal tone.

"Shut it!" she snapped. Master whined a little in his sleep and moved his face around. Hilda cursed mentally and bounced even more. "Stop staring at me," she explained in a softer though still serious tone.

"I'm not staring; I'm observing."

"In my view, it's staring. Stop it."

"Why?"

Something about this situation made Hilda feel … weak. She didn't like it when she wasn't in control of what was occurring. It made her feel safe. But the way he questioned her and the way his eyes were staring so intensely at her made her want to use Baby Beel as a shield, like what Tatsumi had done previously.

"You're … good with him," he commented conversationally. "Like a mother or something."

How can he do that? Hilda thought, bewildered. How can he say something so nonchalantly yet what he says manages to sneak inside me and affect me so greatly?

Hilda cleared her throat. It was starting to get dry. Was the air getting warm? "I was trained to do so."

He continued on, "Lamia was right, then."

She stopped bouncing Beel to sleep. She walked over to her bed and gently placed him down, his precious head nestled on her pillow. She pulled the blanket over his exposed form and put another pillow on the edge so he would be warm, comfortable, and wouldn't fall.

"Right about what — me being trained to do so?" Hilda questioned, refusing to meet his eyes. She carefully joined Beelzebub under the covers. Her left arm supported her body as she brushed the hair out of his eyes, her eyes and touch tender.

"No, about you being a great mother." He sounded as if he wasn't finished with his sentence.

And with that, her eyes flashed towards Tatsumi instantaneously. He wasn't staring at her anymore, though. His eyes were now focused on the adorable baby slumbering next to her. He had an unreadable emotion planted on.

Tatsumi looked away and reached for the lamplight, shutting it off, and got into his covers, mumbling out a brief, "'Night."

Her throat got even drier.

— I hope you think it's not getting off-track. I just wanted to introduce Beel into the story.

Finally!

After this chapter, I will start focusing more on preparations for the wedding. It might be the wedding rehearsal. But another conflict has made its appearance! Tatsumi doesn't seem particularly happy that Beelzebub is here …

Eh, but with Hilda here, he ain't gon' get what he wants. Haha.

(Sometimes, I think Hilda wears the pants in the relationship — and now that I think about it, she does.)

I am extremely, painfully busy with school since I'm involved in clubs and I have a crap-load of assignments, projects, and stress. So, updates are … rare, I guess?

But, uh, review! & thanks for sticking with my story!