Number 13
One week has passed in the last chapter with the first time-skip, albeit a small one. Those will happen to get to Beacon faster, but I will make sure to make summaries of what has gone down during those skips. It is currently the early fall in the story, meaning that, to make things more clear, we are still one year away from Cannon. Any words, Nerdy?
Nerdy: something big is coming soon… just wait for it, everyone.
It is already lunch break?
A few weeks have passed since the girls had their...time. Jaune hid in his room the entire time until the next day when both he and Azazel, starving a bit from forgetting to stock up on food, came down to see the damage done to the house, confirming Jaune's worst fear; the place was partially thrashed. Furniture was thrown around, the TV was smashed, the wood was charred - the place that was once a beautiful mansion turned into a warzone, and as he walked into the kitchen he saw everyone there, a bit on edge and grumpy, but way better than yesterday. The talk he had with them was short, the girls not really being keen to apologize still being in that state, but some of them did, namely Modeus, Cerberus, and Beel. Beelzebub was especially stressed as she knew she would need to fix everything using Abyss matter, having stated that she herself forgot about the time when demon females get...rough.
Apparently, the Abyss messed with one's perception of time as well as their body's, so Beel's body never experienced it again in the Abyss...Until now. All in all, the house needed to be fixed, quickly. No one wanted to help, stating they had better things to do, which might be true. In the end, Beel at least convinced Judgement to let Jaune help with the cleaning until they went to train, but somehow the boy felt it was making things worse. He and Bell worked hard to clean the mess, noon arriving before they could say they were finished. Some pieces of furniture were destroyed beyond repair, so Bell created new ones, stating that the remains will be taken down into the basement. That reminded Jaune he never saw the basement, a fact which made him curious about the place, but Beel told him not to go down there yet as it was not finished. Apparently, that was what she was busy with most of the time.
After he was done cleaning Jaune went to Judgement for his training, and true to his earlier gut feeling, it was hellish. Judgement's kindness seemed almost shadowed by her attitude now during this period, but Jaune didn't blame her. This was more extreme than before, but his sisters did act ruder at that time because of the discomfort their own bodies provided. He simply decided to endure it, as he has for all his life. He finished the training with Judgement towards the evening, finishing his warm-up without a failure this time and ALMOST finishing the laps. It progressed, but he thinks he might have been able to finish them had Judgement not spent the time yelling at him and distracting him.
Several days later, the girls finally calmed down enough to apologize for the behavior they had during that time, especially Monica who actually went and broke two of his fingers! Thank God for Aura, else that would've been a great issue regarding him keeping up a steady training. Strangely, or rather by expectation, he knew she was not really sorry. All in all, everything calmed down again. He started to try and spend some quality time whenever Judgement gave him some free time with the girls, like playing with Cerberus in the yard - which Judgement allows even when training as Cerberus' energy makes Jaune work up a sweat to help his stamina; with Malina, enjoying some good games either in his or her room, which he got to check out.
Her room was painted all red with a bed situated next to the window with black draperies meant to block out light, a closet with only two outfits in - he should ask if the girls have anything else to wear apart from their professional-looking clothing once - and a smaller wooden drawer with a TV on it. Next to the door sat her PC, a professional-grade Gamer set-up, however, not as advanced as Jaune's. Explains her reaction when she saw his own. She also had a mini-fridge as well, making Jaune feel a bit less special, but overall he found it interesting due to its contents. Vodka and orange juice. When he asked Malina what the deal was with the orange juice she answered it is for her favorite mix, Screwdriver. Vodka mixed with orange juice and some ice. Now that he looked, he also noticed some ice cubes forming on the top shelf of the fridge.
His time spent with Monica is mostly just talking over some coffee while trying to dodge and try not to show fear when her sadistic side came out. Justice and him mostly enjoyed some drinks while watching TV, with Jaune describing most of the events for her since she was blind. She liked to make jokes and puns, which Jaune found pretty funny. Modeus was, well, to be blunt, trying to get into his pants a lot. He usually went to the library where she and Azazel spent their time, Modeus reading her book while Azazel did her research. He'd often sit down with a book as well, but the first time he did it he felt soft skin rub against his leg. Modeus was giving him a look and he was quick to defuse her. Simply be nice and slightly romantic, even though he sounded a bit awkward at first, and she would often break out in a blush and move away in embarrassment. This was the norm for a little while until Modeus became more accustomed with the concept of romance. She actually asked to hold his hand as well...His chastity was in danger once again, wasn't it?
Azazel was easy enough, with her being his guardian angel and all of that. She'd often go to him after his work outs, offering to help him a bit and even use her magic to help the sore muscle. But he refused her kindly since he knew that would be cheating. No pain, no gain. She respected his decision, but Jaune did catch something curious. Once the sweaty Judgement came into the living room, wearing her prosecutor's outfit, with her bra open at the front, Azazel's eyes wandered to the grey mounts of Judgement. She had just worked out as well, that much Jaune knew, but he did find Azazel's interest in Judgement curious. He asked her a bit, and it seemed like she liked boys as well...Or at least she thinks she does. She was still exploring her sexuality from what Jaune could tell, but he did catch her staring at him when training, so maybe she was simply bisexual. He wasn't going to judge since one of his sisters, the oldest in fact, was a lesbian. Not even Bi, but a hard lesbian. Married to a woman and raising a child as well even whom Terra, Saph's wife, birthed.
Although, Jaune did find the relationship with his nephew a bit weird since he was the one to donate the genetic material. Sue him for being a good brother. Terra and Saphron didn't want it to be a stranger, and Terra refused to ask her Ex-boyfriend, so he was the last choice since...Well, let's just say his parents were not thrilled when they found out Saph was a lesbian, and to this day they think Terra's ex provided the material. A secret he was to take to his grave. Or should he? His parents no longer had a say in everything, so...No, better keep quiet about it. The girls know, he told them during dinner once, to which most were shocked to find out he had a nephew - technically a son, but that is not important - and even asked for pictures. He had some, of course he did!
They all acted as he thought they would, mosty like any normal woman when seeing a baby. However, his spine gave him chills when he heard that Cerberus would like puppies that were cute as well. He darted right out of that room before things got more awkward.
But back on the main subject, Zdrada was an interesting one to spend time with. Always acting like she cared little, and always provoking him. He even caught her leaning against the wall for a spanking once, which left him a blushing mess while she laughed at him. He was just not there...Yet. In rest it was them talking about various shit, but he noticed Zdrada actually getting more serious regarding topics related to her sister. Jaune could understand that, being a sibling himself. His talks with her seemed to reveal something in her, something different from her personality. But what?
Lucifer was, well, Lucy. She liked to spend most of her time either in the living room watching TV with some wine or cooking while wearing her 'Satan' apron. He always found it cute when she dressed up in it, forgetting her crown and putting her hair up in a messy bun. Forgetting er black suit top and remaining only in her red shirt with her sleeves rolled up as she cooked pancakes for herself, and occasionally others, to enjoy. But when Jaune was around? She simply sat back and watched with interest as he marveled her with his skills in the kitchen once again. Judgement even passed by a few times and commented that if his sword skills develop as well as his cooking skills then he'd be taking names in no time.
Lastly, there was Beelzebub. Jaune rarely got to spend time with the first demon girl he met and the last to join his harem, the Fly stating that she was busy with something and usually vanishing for the rest of the day until it was time for dinner in the evening, when she'd return looking the same as when she left, if a little tired. But during the rare times when he spends time with her? It was very interesting. Beel was very smart, and she was more than pleased to teach Jaune some stuff aside from the training. It won't help if his mind lacked behind his body now, so she took the role of a teacher for him, usually spending an afternoon in the library to expand his knowledge. She acted very motherly towards him and the rest, if a bit superior. But that attitude never showed towards him, as if she recognised him as an equal. He sometimes asked what happened between her and Lucifer, but she'd always dodge the question.
Overall, Jaune's relationship with the girls was going well, and the inner-harem relationships were also going well. The girls were getting along with each other well, the only major fights having been Zdrada and Malina, and even then they were easily stopped. Other forms of animosity within the household came from Beel and Lucy at times, but they were minor ones, not quite as bad as the sisters. But today was going to be a special day. It was currently sunday, the only day in which Jaune didn't have any training. His stamina improved over the past days to the point where he is capable of actually finishing the warm-up and laps until evening had to show itself and end his sessions, finishing the day with a shower and dinner with the girls.
But today? Jaune got a message from Ignium via, well, he popped up in Jaune's bathroom mirror which made the teen spit the toothpaste in his mouth onto the said mirror. Ignium didn't mind, having expected that reaction, and simply laughing it off. He told Jaune he and the boys will be paying a visit, having been a few months in Hell compared to the weeks in the human world. Jaune only ever spent a lot of time near females due to his sisters, but now he was going to spend time with some other people, of the same gender as him, with whom he can hold more pleasing conversations with that would only interest men.
As such, today, after telling the girls that he is waiting for visitors, and after calming down Lucy since Ignium was coming along with Judgement, he was in his room, preparing both food and his weapon, and some video games. Who knows what they might do to have some fun. Jaune looked over his set-up with pride, then he heard the hum of a portal opening, allowing for the demons to step into the house.
The first one to show himself was Ryan who was now wearing a few armor pieces on his arms and legs, his spear being strapped to his back. "Well, this is not as bad as I originally thought I'd be." He muttered, then he found himself being pushed on the side by Shade, the hellhound/werewolf that Jaune fought.
"Out of the way, pipsqueak! Let the Alpha through!" He shouted, exiting the portal and standing at full height, nearly reaching the ceiling of Jaune's room. Thank God Beel made it tall enough. He cracked his neck once, then he sniffed out the air, locking eyes on the snacks. "Nice reception, jaune." He said as he got out of the way to allow Behemoth to walk through, the larger, more human-like demon, wearing simple, casual clothing from what Jaune could see. His eyes locked onto him, seemingly scanning his body for any difference.
"I see you have been working out a bit." He noted. "And that you are yet to die from the time" He finished, making Jaune flinch.
"Well, it is not like it hasn't happened yet" Jaune replied with a nervous smile. "It was, to be honest, pretty scary. I have steel trap doors installed at the top of the stairs leading to my room in order to keep them out during that time, but they have sustained damage."
"Oh, I see…"
"At least you are alive, right? Not yet joining us down in the gutter" Then came the ringmaster of the group, walking out of the portal as it closed behind him, wearing a fancy crimson suit with a black tie around his neck and a black shirt with his hair done and golden eyes scanning around the room; Ignium, the new Emperor of Hell. "I must say you got a nice nest, Jaune. Got any of the girls on the sheets yet?"
"Hello to you too, Ignium" Jaune replied dryly, trying not to let the tease get to him. Zdrada and Modeus helped him develop this slight resistance. Ignium scoffed slightly, then he turned to Shade, just in time to stop him from snatching the snacks for himself. "Shade, those are for everyone!" Jaune said, making the canine demon snarl in reply and cross his arms.
"Hmm. I like this place. Has a good amount of space" Behemoth replied, then he went to Jaune's books, picking them up. "Workout books? Combat-related ones? I see. Training not just your body, but your mind as well. A wise choice."
"So, what do you guys would like to do?" Jaune asked, to which Ignium replied. Everyone agreed to his word since they were making this visit for that reason.
"Video Games. First-person shooters and combat ones." The Emperor replied. "Don't get me wrong, fighting for real has its thrills, but…"
"Someone always ends up 6 feet under." Ryan said, then Ignium snapped his fingers. "At least via video games we do not need to worry about actually killing someone. So, what do you have?"
Jaune smiled with confidence, then he went to drawers under his TV, bringing out multiple video games which, in all honesty, interested all the demons. "Pick your poison, my demonic friends!" He said, then the day began.
The guys enjoyed the day playing video games, having closed the steel gates to allow their gaming session to go without interruptions. Jaune found a great first-person team-based shooter for the to try, but Shade had to stay on the side as he couldn't really use the controllers with his claws. They went for a few rounds, losing badly until the others got the hang of the game, then they began to climb the ranks. Jaune gave them tips and whatnot in order to get their team through each round with as many kills as possible; Ignium being the MVP of their squad. His reflexes were fast and he was a good learner like Jaune, but did get a bit too cocky at times. Ryan would often curse when he got killed while Behemoth retained his calm.
Shade watched closely, eating the snacks as he did so. He had a big appetite, that was for sure. The guys eventually switched games as they finished one last round on the previous one, this time switching to something Shade can enjoy too. The controllers this time were different, meaning he didn't need to watch out for his claws; A VR fighting game. And he dominated once he learned the commands. The game was advanced, using a special tracking camera to reflect the movies in-game, activating special skills by using the commands on the controllers as well, everyone, sans Ryan who was not good with CQC, joined the game. Jaune had to learn a bit more about it, and even if it was a game, he could pick up some moves. And he immediately noticed how each of them fought; Shade was quick, delivering crushing punches, but he preferred kicks over his fist from what it seemed, but he was fighting wildly and, in all honesty, his moves didn't carry any complex fighting behind them.
Behemoth on the other side? Polar opposite. He waited until his opponent tried to strike, then he'd counter with heavy strikes using his arms. He didn't use his legs to kick as much as Shade did, but one look at the physical difference showed that Behemoth must have been the type to train a lot while Shade preferred a more lean figure and allowed his natural strength to do the work in rest. Not a good idea in hindsight, but Jaune remembered that Shade had a crazy regeneration-type power. That alone made him a pain to fight as he could get up countless times before he finally gets put down for good.
Ignium? Well, he had good moves, that much Jaune could not ignore, but he seemed to abuse his skills a lot, using them when his opponent revealed an opening. Shaded and Behemoth used their skills like that too, but Ignium took advantage of the skill and opening as soon as the cooldown reached zero. And there was Jaune who was the least impressive one of them all, getting his ass handed to him often. When the game finished and the scores were shown the guys couldn't help but laugh and tease him, with Behemoth simply stating that he should keep improving.
Then the boys decided to look around the house, and Jaune gave them all tour, meeting several of the girls along the way. Then they reached the yard. "I must say, Beelzebub outdid herself when building this place. The matter of the Abyss, was it? I had no idea it had advanced creation properties." Ignium said as they walked outside, then his eyes, as well as everyone's eyes, set themselves on the grill. "As soon as spring comes in the human realm, Jaune, we are holding a barbeque. Emperor's orders."
"No need to order me, Ignium. We WILL have a barbeque" Jaune stated, to which everyone nodded. If there was one thing a man cannot deny, that was a good barbeque held in the open. It was like calling, a duty to fulfil to perfection. No one messed with a man's work at the grill.
However, Shade's nose began to twitch as he sniffed the air, his ears moving around. "Hey, kid, you got a dog around? Smells awfully familiar." he said, walking out in the yard a bit more, just in time for Cerberus to come out of her separate room/house in the yard and lock eyes with him. Shade widened his eyes seeing her, his jaw hanging a bit open. "C-Cerberus?!"
"Big Bro Shade?!" The triple demon shouted in surprise, then bright smiles appeared on them and began to run to him. "You visited!" They shouted as they jumped on him, knocking the bigger wolf to the ground as they snuggled into his fur, smiling as the alpha returned the affection with his own.
"There, there, sis." Shade said as he noticed tears from one of the Cerberus'. He picked himself up, looking down at the triple demon. "What is it with you here?" He asked, then the three smiled widely again, their ears and tails perking up.
"We are here to corrupt the human realm!" The first one replied. "Jaune got us through! We are here, Big Bro Shade!" The second one chimed. "We are also part of his harem!" The final one said, Shade nodding after each one talked.
"I see - WHAT?! The blonde is mating with my sister?!" In an instant, Shade turned towards Jaune, his razor-sharp claws coming into view as he growled and looked at him. "You have some explaining to do, boy!"
"Wait, Shade, please let me explain!" Jaune pleased, and luckily for him, Behemoth was able to keep Shade at bay. "Look, this is a surprise for me too! I didn't know you were Cerberus' brother! If I did, then I would've told you about her."
The wolf growled again, then calmed himself. "Fair. I can also smell that neither of them had been turned to women yet, so you are safe. For now." He finished, sending a shiver down Jaune's spine. He saw the resemblance now, at least. But that being said…
"Wait, how exactly are the two of you-" His mouth was covered up by Ignium, the Emperor shaking his head slightly. Was there an issue with asking? Slowly, Ignium removed his hand, allowing Jaune to talk. "So...Cerberus, would you like to play? Shade can join us."
"Yes!" They all shouted in unison. "We haven't played with Big Bro since forever!"
With that being said the boy and the canine demons set themselves to some fooling around in the yard, Monica having been nice enough to bring the others some drinks as they watched Jaune and Shade handle Cerberus' energy. This was new to them as well since they have never seen Shade act like that before. Ignium in particular never saw Shade be so...playful before. He was more happy here, spending time with his sister. Ignium knew the issue, of course he did. When he got Shade for his little group he was told of the situation with his sister. Shade was a one-of-a-kind brother, having done the extreme to take care of Cerberus. The werewolf was actually smiling as well! Behemoth arched an eyebrow at the sight since he never smiled like that before.
Eventually the evening came, and Cerberus was already fast asleep, one resting their head on Jaune's lap while two of them rested on Shade's. Jaune knew Cerberus like pats, so he was striking her hair gently as she slept. Shade saw this. He was looking at Jaune this whole time, seeing how he treated his sister. But now came the answers. "Cerberus and I are half-siblings." Shade said, catching Jaune's attention. He knew Cerberus was asleep, so she wouldn't get affected by him telling the tale. "In our pack the strongest can achieve the form you see me having along with human-like speech. We become werewolves, in a way. Some are born like this, others are not. Both my parents, the Alpha pair, were like this, resulting in me being born as such as well. Black fur and blood-red eyes are a trait of ours."
"Then why is Cerberus so different? I mean, her hair is white, not black." He pointed out, to which Shade sighed as he patted the head of Cerberus.
"Because our mother was unfaithful to my father." He said, shocking Jaune. "She was the strongest female in the pack at the time, so by law she was promised to the strongest male, the Alpha. I came to be from that union, but she never loved him. Love was a foreign concept and rare to Hell. No, she didn't love him, and thus, when she found a demon she deemed strong enough, she let herself be mounted and Cerberus came to be." His tail swagged a bit. "But when she was born, and my father saw how she looked; with three bodies that looked more humane and bright, white-hair...He wanted to kill her at birth."
Jaune flinched hearing that, unable to believe Cerberus was rejected by the Alpha in that way. If she was only to be abandoned then that would've been bad, but expected of animals. But killed at birth? "But I was already in my teens at the time. When she was pregnant, my mother and I spent a lot of time together. I felt how Cerberus kicked in her womb, and I was even the one to propose her name after birth. But my father? I did not allow him to even touch her...I attacked him first. She was not his daughter, yes, but she was still MY sister. If he thought I would stand aside, an obedient mudd, then he was stupid. Me and him fought, but he was superior to me still...Until I pushed him over the edge in one last desperate assault, resulting in the both of both falling down into the 3rd level of Hell. We landed in the lava, our bodies being naturally immune to fire so we were alright. But the fight didn't stop even there. I must have had to regenerate my entire body as he ripped it to pieces, but did I give up? No...We fought until the night arrived, and the ghouls showed themselves. The pack had followed us to witness the fight as well, and just in time because I was about to turn the ties."
"I clawed out my father's eyes, blinding him until he regenerated, then I used every ounce of my strength left to deal the final strike. I ripped a rock pike from the ground and used it to impale him into the ground, right through the earth. I didn't let him escape, I kept him there until he stopped moving...Until he died and I was made Alpha" He finished, his solemn voice harboring no regret for his deed. He and his father never liked each other. His father believed in winning at any cost, no matter what must be done; no honor. Shade never agreed with that. "But even after that the rest of the pack, except me and my mother, did not accept Cerberus. Her condition, having three bodies that shared their senses, made her different from the pack and unique. At first we thought mother had triples! But we could feel the difference. We knew that was not the case. She was raised mostly by me and mother until she reached fourteen in human years, and at that time the pack couldn't accept her presence anymore. The elders were demanding me to either kill or exile her, and the entire pack was against me. An Alpha is nothing without a pack, so I had to make a deal...With Lucifer."
"Wait, but you said you never bowed down to her. Did you lie back then?" Jaune pointed out.
"No, I did not. The Hellhounds do not listen to Lucifer, but I had to strike a deal regardless. It was a long bargain, but I was the one to get Cerberus her position and her own level of Hell. In exchange, my pack was to live in the 3rd circle, living off by hunting the ghouls that came out at night. Do not get me wrong, they were always on the menu. But after that? I tried to visit Cerberus as much as I could. Even before she was exiled, she always talked about wanting to prove herself...That thing she says about corrupting the human realm? Yeah, don't believe it, Jaune. She is trying to prove herself, even today."
"But why?" Jaune asked. "Does she want to prove herself to return to the pack?"
"Got it in one, Jaune." Shade confirmed. "Cerberus was never like us; Hellhounds are not like her, so...weak. Don't get me wrong, she is more dangerous than the average demon girl due to her Hellhound heritage, but compared to a true hellhound? She is lacking the bloodlust and love for carnage and violence of our kin. That, boy, is why I care about her so. She is different from us, but she is better. Mother died a few centuries ago and it was a hard time for both me and especially Cerberus. I promised her I will never go away, that I will always be close by when she needs it. But as Alpha, that was a weak promise to make. She is not worse than us, but better. I never found out who her father was, and frankly I do not give a fuck. If I ever find that guy, I will rip him to shreds."
"I don't blame you, Shade for doing that to your father." Jaune said, but he seemed somewhat tense. "A while ago, I also had a bad falling out with mine and nearly ended up killing him with my semblance and Crocea Mors"
"Did you?"
"No, Beel managed to stop me in time before I did." He said, then he sighed, watching as the Cerberus in his lap yawned. "But I can see why you care so much about her. For all her energy, I always had a feeling she didn't really mean all that stuff regarding the corruption of the human realm. I mean, can she even do that?"
Shade chuckled hearing his statement about her ability to corrupt. "Yeah, she can, but not alone. We demons can corrupt the realm effectively only when we are in a big number. The amount of girls you have here wouldn't be enough, no matter how powerful, is simply not enough for such a task."
"So humanity is safe?" Jaune asked, receiving a nod from Shade. "Good."
"However, on another note, I cannot overlook the fact my sister is in your harem, Jaune." And alas, Jaune's blood froze as the presence of Shade made him shiver. For all the fun they had, the wolf now radiated a savage power Jaune had not felt before but he was familiar with. The wrath of a brother. He himself used it before against some boys who tried to get lovey-dovey with his sisters, so he was aware of it. But never had he been able to do it like that. "Hurt her once, make her cry once, and I will break down the very gates of Hell as I charge into the human realm to hunt you down and break your feeble human body to pieces, you understand that, you sorry excuse for a bag of meat-"
"Big Bro Shade!" His words were interrupted, causing him to look down at one of the Cerberuses, watching as she had slight tears in her eyes. "Please be nice to Jaune! He is a good guy!"
"Cerberus? Wait, you were not asleep?" Shade asked, receiving his answer as the others shifted awake, the one next to Jaune leaning on him and snuggling into his chest with tears in her eyes. "You heard everything…?"
"Yes" She replied. "We...We know we are not much, but we never knew you did so much for us, Big Bro." They said, the other two hugging him tightly. "You saved us!" One of them said. "You risked dying not to let Dad kill us!" The second one said. "We just wanted to prove we can be part of the pack, we wanted to be with you!" The first one said again. "You were always strong and brave, always laughing in the face of other creatures as you fought and slaughtered them with your bare hands…"
"Of course they admire that…" Jaune muttered under his breath, but then he felt the third Cerberus hug him tightly.
"And Jaune is nice and brave too! He is strong too!" The third one said, adding to the words of the other bodies. "He climbed out of Tartarus to save us! He fought Lucifer for us!"
"Cerberus…" Shade couldn't believe it as he heard his sister defend the kid. If anything he was proud, but that didn't help to ease the other feeling growing inside him. "Are you sure this is what you want? This is a harem, meaning you need to share him."
"How is it different from a pack?" Jaune asked, making all of the Cerberus' bodies turn to look at him, Shade looking at him with a curious gaze as well. "Sorry, that was a stupid question, I realize that now-"
"Actually, that made a bit of sense. Multiple members, all close together with a leading figure to command them - you. Now that I think about it, this does sound like a pack" Shade said, then Cerberus began to smile. "Heh. That means one thing Cerbi"
"We...have a pack?" They asked, to which Shade nodded.
"And an Alpha. This noodle here."
"Hey! I have been working out like crazy in the last month!" Jaune countered, only to be shut up as Shade put his arm up, flexing in front of him. "Ok, point taken, you demons are ripped." Suddenly, the other Cerberus bodies jumped on Jaune, knocking him on the ground. "Woah!"
"Jaune,what Big Bro is saying is true?" One of them asked. "This is our pack?" The second asked. "And you our Alpha?" The last one asked, making the boy stutter in his worlds at the situation. He saw the expressions on their faces, eager for a reply and hoping for a positive one as well. But he had his reservations; he never saw himself as an Alpha male or anything, the kind to lead and fight for the pack he was the head of. But then again, that sounded no different than being a man in charge of his own family, did it? He looked behind Cerberus, watching Shade gaze at him with judgemental eyes.
"Yes?" He answered with a bit of nervousness, but then all three cheered in happiness, snuggling into Jaune and hugging him tightly, nearly leaving him without air. Shade laughed hard watching this, same with the other demons who had been spectating, even Behemoth showing a smile.
"Does this mean we will now make puppies?" And just like that, Shade's laugh died in his throat, followed by him lifting Jaune up from between his sister's bodies.
"One second, Cerbi, I need to exchange some words with him." He then leaped up into the tree, landing with Jaune on a solid branch and putting the boy down, letting him grab on so he didn't fall. "You heard that, right?"
"Yeah…" He answered with a blush. "And I do know what they mean by puppies…"
"Then you know that if I wake up an uncle any time soon me and you will have to talk, understand? I recognise you as a good opponent and person, even allowing my own sister to be with you. But as I said, you better be nice to her." Shade said, finishing his previous point before Cerberus interrupted him. "Also, Jaune?"
"Yes?"
"Stop acting like a wuss. You are supposed to be the Alpha in this Harem, so act like it!" Shade said. "I get you do not have experience with this and whatnot, but believe me; you need to act more like a man and less like a boy"
"What does that even mean?!" He asked, holding onto the branch for dear life.
"You will have to find out by yourself! Anyway, let's get down and finish everything" Shade jumped down. "Just start glowing and fall!"
"It will hurt…" Jaune muttered as he activated his semblance and allowed himself to fall, landing on the ground and raising some dust in the process. Cerberus went to him quickly to make sure he was not hurt, him assuring her that he was alright and nothing was broken, only bruised at best. Shortly after the demons had to leave, everyone bidding him goodbye as they went through the portal, with Shade being the last one. Ignium had handed him a way to contact him at any time, Behemoth offered some advice for training, and even Ryan recommended some stuff. But Shade? He gave Jaune a bone necklace. "Thanks?"
"Those bones are actually made from what you broke last time." Shade revealed, making Jaune understand the nature of the necklace better. Those were bones he had damaged when he last fought with Shade! Those were Shade's bones! "Don't worry, new ones grew in place. It is a symbol of acceptance. From now on, you are officially part of my pack, boy! Hell! You are my sister's mate!"
"I haven't-"
"But you WILL, won't you?" Shade interrupted. "Do not lie to me boy, I know you will one day mate with her. Frankly, she might accept you right now as well. But do not rush things, you hear me? Let Cerberus be Cerberus."
"I got it. I promise to take care of her. Same with Judgement, Ignium!" Jaune replied, shouting the last part so Ignium heard him.
"You better!" Both Ignium and Shade replied.
"See you later, kid." Shade said as he left the human realm, returning to Hell. The portal closed, leaving Jaune alone in the yard with Cerberus, who wasted no time jumping on him again, asking for some more play-time. He couldn't say no to her now, so he spent more time with her in the yard until it got dark, unaware of the eyes watching them.
Beel and Lucy had been watching the whole ordeal since it started, both having a smirk on their faces. "He earned the brother's favor from what it seems." Beel commented, whipping away some sweat. "To be honest, I thought Shade was going to rip him into pieces there for a moment"
"The mutt is not like his father, that much is certain." Lucifer commented as well, holding her wine glass in hand. "His father was more unforgiving, but him? He is softer, yet stronger and more brutal. A strange mix, Beel."
"Yet, it allowed him to spare Jaune, did it not? That sounds like a big positive" Beel added. "Besides, you heard what he said; The Alpha of the Harem."
Lucy scoffed at that. "As if. Jaune is a bit far from getting us all in his sheets, don't you think?"
"Oh my, but did I mention him bedding us? Are you starting to have urges, Lucifer?" Beelzebub asked, warning a furious blush from Lucifer who turned around from the fly. "It's ok if that is the case. Scrawny as he might still be, he is kind and good natured, if a bit clumsy and dorkish. Overall, a cutie"
"Ha! Sure, he might have fought my troops and me to some extent, but he was aided by Ignium back then. That proves only how helpless he is without the aid of others to pick up his slack?" Lucy stated.
"Isn't that why he is training? Look, Lucy, if you are starting to like him-"
"Another word, fly, and I will squash you. Buzz off"
"Fine, fine, no need to get pissed off about it" Beel left the room, leaving Lucifer to her thoughts again. It has been barely a month since she and the other girls had been living in this house and she had to admit the boy was a nice change of scenery and offered good company. But she still felt as if he lacked a certain something, a stronger drive to really take charge. Something to make him change; right now she still saw him as a feeble mortal, a slave - good only for his skills in the kitchen.
But then again, she is not blind to how he has been treating them all. He has been very kind to them all, even when they proved difficult. He was not even mad when Monica broke his fingers, something that hurt in spite of Aura fixing them in mere minutes with the aid of his semblance. She felt strange sharing this house with them all, but it felt - and she wouldn't dare admit it to any of them - nice. It felt wholesome...She hated to admit that he was right back in Hell. It is lonely at the top, but now that she was no longer at the top, she felt how it is to be with others on equal ground. Question was…
Does Jaune realize he is no longer lonely at the bottom?