Summary:

Mephisto's got to rub shoulders and mingle with the upper-crust while the only crust Amaimon is interested in seeing is on Rin's pastries. Pieces begin to move in the background.

Notes:

I had a bunch of fun trying to figure out what, actually, the other kings would be doing in times of peace and how they'd interact without a central conflict. I do love those demon politics :D

Song(s) of the Chapter:

World in my Pocket by The Unlikely Candidates

Viva la Vida by Coldplay

"You what?" Bon snapped, fingers gripped in his hair as he, Shima, and Godaiin stared at the place the coffee machine used to be.

Rin waved his hands, rushing to soothe them before Bon got that pulsing vein in his forehead that meant a migraine was coming on. "It's cool! Izumo said the same thing to me, but he said he'd be back today to drop it off, so we just have to make cold drinks for one day!"

Groaning met his assurances.

"We already made it through the morning," Rin added. Their customers had been understanding so far, all too many regulars having witnessed The Beast going off before and some happy it was being repaired, not replaced, like it was some kind of shop pet.

"How do we even know this demon can fix it? Or that he'll be back when he says he will?" Bon spoke his point with his same exactness he did everything else with, making Rin's ears pin back.

"He said he would."

His grumbled defense got a good-natured sigh from Godaiin and Bon looking like he wanted to strangle Rin. So, not unusual.

"Eh-heh, you sure keep collecting demons, Rin," Shima's weak laugh had Rin turning a suspicious glare his way.

"I'm not collecting them, and besides, Shiemi's the one who found the place."

That stopped Shima, gaze going upwards as if calculating something before he spoke. "Er, what? What's this guy have to do with the shopping trip you went on with Shiemi?"

He might have forgotten to explain that point. Rin scratched at his cheek to the expectant looks he was getting, hurrying to explain.

"Well, so the shop turned out to be a demon shop and I kinda ran into him and broke something yesterday." The looks turned to mixtures of long-suffering and grief, which, Rin wasn't that bad!

"Anyway! I brought him here and was making him a drink to say sorry and-well you know."

Bon's mutter of "you know" left Rin hiding a wince. Was it maybe wrong to trust a complete stranger with fixing their machinery? But he'd kept thinking about the green stone in the shape of a leaf now sitting on his windowsill where he could see the morning light reflecting through it onto his wall when he woke. So, he couldn't bring himself to think of it as a mistake.

"He'll come today for sure," he said again.

Scoffing from behind him reminded Rin Izumo hadn't left yet, still gathering her things before she'd leave for the day.

"You're going to make your favorite regular jealous if he sees you doing your waiting dog imitation on another demon."

An affronted cry burst from Rin while Shima snickered.

Izumo's gaze flicked beyond them and her eyes widened. "Woah, speaking of."

She gestured to the small TV they had in the corner Rin had been tuning out like usual, and he stared, wondering why he should be looking at the random celebrity pop-culture thing Izumo had flicked it to that morning.

Purple caught his eye and Rin sucked in a breath.

There, moving on the screen amidst a sea of people dressed to the nines, was Mephisto.

He'd stepped from the familiar pink limo and was immediately swarmed by photographers, the same smirk he'd given Rin the times they'd interacted evident even from the overhead angle of the camera.

The angle switched to a close-up just as Mephisto approached a woman in a rich, red dress worth probably more than Rin's entire shop, stepping with that purposeful glide that made him look like he prowled. Hunted.

Mephisto's smile widened to match the woman's, Rin's heart fluttered. He watched as Mephisto leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth, letting it linger before taking her arm in his and continuing down the aisle.

His back disappeared from view with the changing camera to another arriving celebrity.

"Ouch," Shima muttered in the silence.

Bon scoffed under his breath, adding, "It's not like it's a surprise, I mean we all know who that woman-"

"-Ok, turning that," Izumo said as she changed the channel, breaking the spell.

Rin blinked from the screen, an automatic smile tugging at his lips to the winces he saw staring back.

"What?" he said when the silence dragged too long. His heart squeezed as he floundered for something to say, glad when the door opened on another customer so he had an excuse to not deal with thinking then. He went through the spiel for the day, letting them know about the limited menu until they got the new machine in and going to take their order.

It didn't mean anything, anyway. The thought burst from his subconscious before he could stop it, but now that it had entered his head it wouldn't leave. Rin had told them demons were just like that, so it wasn't his fault they were disappointed.

Izumo leaving on his peripherals had him waving her way, ignoring the pity he could see in the gaze she wore. At some point he handed the deliveries for Shima and didn't let his "Cheer up, man, it'll work out" faze him, the attempts at comfort about something he wasn't even bothered by.

Something itched on the edges of his senses. Rin shifted, kicking at his ankle to jolt his mind back to the newest lady trying to make her mind up. The slow customers always irritated Bon the most and Rin could feel him getting impatient the longer she went back on her decision.

Prickling nerves joined the awareness in Rin, and he frowned, scanning his shop.

Green shifted at the entrance, Rin's heart stuttered and his lips cracked into a wide grin.

"Amaimon!" He'd been practicing the name, determined not to forget it. His greeting drew Bon away from getting the drink the lady had finally settled on, scowl freezing on his face.

Amaimon's gaze lit on Rin, prowling steps taking him towards the counter while Behemoth tumbled its way after.

"You're here," Rin chirped out to the intent bearing down on him, beaming, and his mood entirely reversed from the morning.

"Do you want to try something new today? Everything's fresh."

"Yes," the immediate answer came along with Amaimon ducking to examine the selection. His clawed thumb went to his mouth, fangs chewing it in absent clicks.

"Er, Rin?" Bon's call of his name pulled Rin from watching the interest flash through Amaimon, getting pinned with a clear request for an explanation in Bon's expression and raised hands gesturing towards Amaimon.

Oh, right. Rin laughed, cocking a thumb over at Amaimon as he made the introductions. "Bon, this is the demon I was telling you about. See? I told you he'd be back."

Instead of looking reassured, Bon looked like he wanted to strangle Rin, only interrupted by Amaimon grunting and tapping a claw to the glass. "I want this one."

"The strawberry cream cake?" Rin said for confirmation, already reaching to pull it out for Amaimon and watching the unmasked delight on his face as he grabbed it to inhale the same way he'd done the day before.

"Do you like that one or the almond croissant better?" he asked, though he wondered how Amaimon even tasted the pastries when they lasted half-a-second in his mouth.

"Both!" Amaimon answered, licking at his fingers and tongue coming out to get the traces of strawberry jam over his lips. He already looked back at the display as if searching for his next.

"Take one for Behemoth, too," Rin waved his hand at the patiently waiting Behemoth. It was too bad Kuro wasn't there to play.

One Behemoth happily slobbering on his floor, Rin continued with Amaimon. "I'll get your drink started, same or different this time?"

Amaimon's head tilting bird-like into a sharp nod and his short response of "you choose" had Rin deciding on a drink version of the strawberry cake to go with it.

"I forgot," he said in between mixing the syrups, "this is Bon! And Godaiin is over there in the corner, cleaning. I'm glad you came in so I could introduce you guys."

Gold eyes flicked a short glance between Bon and Godaiin, Amaimon getting a brusk nod from Bon and Godaiin tossing him a wave of his hand that screamed nervous to Rin. Which, he'd have to figure out why they were acting so weird once Amaimon left because they should know not to act so tense around demons.

"Also, sorry, it's a cold drink until we get the machine back." He'd realized it midway through but shrugged, figuring Amaimon might like to try a cold drink next.

"Here!" Rin spoke just as Amaimon snapped his fingers and the machine reappeared back in its spot on the counter like it had never been gone. The difference being that it wasn't beat to hell and vaguely menacing to look at. Even the metal on the outside gleamed in a new light.

"Oh man, it looks brand new," Rin whispered, forgetting he was holding the finished drink in his hands until a warm touch startled him from staring. Amaimon's hands wrapped around the drink, pressing against Rin's as he tugged it free and into his grasp with a happy hum.

"Is that-" Godaiin started, shock rattling the words free- "is that 'The Beast'?"

It was!

Rin whirled back to Amaimon, the grin on his face wide enough to hurt as he thanked him and got a nod in return. The simple reaction didn't deter Rin like it had before. He reached to grab one of the pastries, leaning to let Behemoth wrap a long tongue around his hand and steal the pastry from it to leave slobber behind as Rin laughed.

"That's still gross, Behemoth," Rin said as he went to wash his hands, walking past a gaping Bon, who still hadn't pulled himself together.

"So," Amaimon perked up when Rin returned to lean on the counter, "what'd you think of that drink?"

The cup met the counter in a solid clack in front of Rin, and the lips that seemed like they were stuck in a perpetual blank mask tugged upwards in what could be called a smile.

"It's good," Amaimon said, a firm statement repeating his first reaction he'd had the day before, except this time like he'd made up his mind about something.

Again, he seemed to decide that he'd accomplished what he'd come for, and Amaimon turned for the exit after another nod to Rin.

"Bye, Amaimon!" Rin called, waving him out the door and getting a glance over the shoulder along with a flick of his fingers.

He should probably wipe the floor down where Behemoth had been. A warmth filled Rin as he hummed, gathering the mop from the back. Two pairs of stunned eyes met him when he returned.

"Uh," he started to say.

"Are you kidding me, Rin?" Bon shrieked, making Rin wince as he scrambled to figure out what he'd done this time.

Also, "Bon, you're gonna scare the customers," Rin said after he'd gotten the ringing from his ears.

A couple in the corner must have heard him, because they quickly looked like they were busy and not listening in when Rin shot a glance over.

Bon just rubbed at his forehead, and the vein there said he definitely had a migraine.

"Seriously? Do you know who that was?"

"No? Should I?" A sinking feeling started up in Rin, making itself known as deja vu.

"Rin, you're really living under a rock, huh," Godaiin said as he came up to the counter, what Rin would call bafflement evident in his expression and drooping shoulders.

"This place isn't on any ley lines, I checked," Bon began muttering instead as he entered what Rin thought of as his "detective mode" whenever it happened. "There's no way we get two of these guys here in one week. Is it a curse? Are we cursed?"

"Two?" Rin said, trying to parse an explanation from the continued stream of conscious Bon kept up.

"Rin," Godaiin said like he was putting it as delicately as possible, "that wasn't just a random demon. Don't you recognize the name?"

At Rin's negative, Bon heaved a weary sigh, head dropping back as if asking for patience.

"That's Amaimon, demon king of earth, seventh in Gehenna, and he just came in and let his familiar slobber all over our tile while you fed them-and he fixed our crappy coffee machine!"

Hands flung up as Bon gestured at Rin, "I can't believe you asked him to fix the machine! What the hell, Rin?"

Another demon king. Rin's mouth parted, eyes widening as he tuned out the rest of Bon's rant. He should have been thinking about the way Amaimon's power had sparked on the edges of his senses the same as Mephisto's did, but all Rin could remember was the way he'd brushed a thumb across his nose to catch the milk foam that had gotten there.

Maybe he was cursed. Would it make his parents worried if he asked them to check? Yukio might be better, but then Rin could already imagine the reaction when he pulled the reason for him asking out. Actually, it would probably look something like Bon's.

Still, next time they saw each other he would ask. Just to be sure.

"He offered about the machine," Rin grumbled as he finally answered Bon's complaint, "and anyway, Shiemi's the one who took me to his shop!"

"Don't pin this on Shiemi," Bon's finger wound up stuck in Rin's face as he fumed, "she's as oblivious as you. You're both gonna get eaten one day and it's a miracle it hasn't happened yet."

Where was Shima to tell Bon he was sounding like his mother, as he so often did when Bon got like this? Rin settled in to deal with the run-down until Bon tired himself out.

"-And that's why you're going to pay for my therapy when this is all over," Bon finished his rant, leaving Rin windblown in the wake of the category five hurricane lecture.

Seeing he was free, Rin laughed and patted Bon's shoulder. "Hey, I promise to make you tea for the stress headaches. Shiemi might even share her stash of chamomile when she finds out!"

"Um, excuse me," a voice paused whatever Bon's response might have been and they turned to see the customer Bon had been dealing with before Amaimon came in.

"Er, yes? Anything wrong, ma'am?" Rin said as he broke from the conversation.

She shook the drink in her hand to indicate it. "Well, now that you've got the latte maker back, I think I'd like to change my order."

Bon's teeth-grinding could be heard from behind Rin as he swept aside the rest of the revelations he'd had that day to deal with their indecisive customer.

Besides, Bon was over-reacting the same as he did over every upcoming exam, and just like he always came out of those with straight A's despite his panic, Rin was confident they'd survive two demon kings hanging out at the shop.

It was really a tragedy, Mephisto thought as he stared down at the latte in his hand, that a little shop tucked in the corner of his territory would have better coffee than the purportedly five-star dining his private jet was supposed to provide.

He'd have to look into a replacement chef. A smile tugged at his mouth as he considered just stealing that nephilim. It was only fair, given he'd taken his attention so neatly, effortless, almost.

Something told him he'd be denied, the pride Rin took in his shop and the way he watched over his collection of humans made it clear to Mephisto he'd have to be satisfied with things as they were. At least for now.

Mephisto had time on his hands, after all. Speaking of, he snapped and brought out the newest handheld system the humans had come out with, happy to ignore the paperwork he'd been intending to work on during the flight.

Time drifted on his peripherals, passing in a continuous stream of music from the game he'd chosen until they began the descent. He could have just appeared at the event, but the extended uninterrupted time to ignore the rest of the world the long way gave him was too nice to set aside. There was also the fact that it was good to shake things up when he made his grand entrances. One couldn't be predictable and he'd already shown up through his doors at enough events this year.

Though he wouldn't be taking customs or dealing with the drudgery of an airport. Mephisto sighed and vanished his game along with the paperwork he'd get around to later when there wasn't anything else to do.

Now, time to make his debut. He had a show to steal.

A thought took him from the plane, leaving the pilot to handle stowing it as he appeared where he'd directed Belial to wait with the car he'd brought over too. Unnecessary? Very. But so many of life's little pleasures were, and he liked to indulge.

The world was slower without the threat of extinction via a childish god.

Slipping into the car and a new suit he'd picked out for the event gave him more time to think about other avenues of entertainment as Belial began driving. It may be time to pick up a new hobby or two. Business could only keep him entertained for so long, although he did enjoy the empire he'd grown and all the little pawns he moved around it.

There were so few of them that caught his eye nowadays, though. So many were fascinating in their own right but lacked the certain spark that drew him in the ways his favorite pawns always did. Not like his newest fixation, and he hadn't spent enough time picking that one apart yet to say if it would flare into a bonfire or fizzle into an ember to be snuffed out.

Blue eyes and a sharp grin flashed through his mind and he wanted it to be the former.

For the moment, however, he had other things to focus on. They'd arrived.

Outside the car came the loud chatter of the various humans, demons, and everything in between that had made their ways into the upper echelons of the current world's society.

Mephisto flipped a switch and put on a smile he knew would draw eyes as surely as his very presence did. The stiff half-cape he'd chosen to go over his black suit with the gold olive branches embroidered in twisting patterns flared around him as he stepped from the car. Controlled chaos swallowed him followed by an immediate blinding effect from the camera flashes.

His ears twitched, deafened by the eruption of sound barraging him as he smiled wider.

Calls of his name-the current one he went by-passed as he ignored them to head towards his target.

Red shone amongst a sea of other colors, the shapes of various humans circling like sparks around a bonfire. An ash-gray stare bore down into him as power swelled, a wash of heat that caressed over his aspect in a daring greeting.

He would expect nothing less from the one he'd come to see.

"Samael," his true name came in the dark crackle of a voice that could go from warm to burning pyre in an instant.

"Iblis, dear," Mephisto said to her arched brow expression, watching it break into a smile to match his as he leant down. Her aspect receded, allowing his presence in her space as he pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

"The red suits you," he said as he pulled back and took her arm in his to lead her from the entry. "Which of your humans created it? I may steal them for myself."

Hips knocked into his and Iblis scoffed, though she didn't lose her smile, clearly amused as she responded, "They're mine, you'll have to pay for their services like everyone else if you want their work on your vessel."

Ever the possessive demon. Mephisto had expected it from her, but he wouldn't be much of a demon himself if he didn't make the occasional testing jab.

"You've built yourself quite the empire," he noted as they passed more of Iblis' humans, each person at the gala wearing something with her mark on it-or her claim she handed out to any creature that caught her fickle eye.

Several humans parted for them in a flurry of extravagant colors and fabrics as they made their way to one of the tables set apart for Iblis' use, a servant arriving in silence to offer them the particular brand of champagne Iblis preferred.

"Yes, it's different to the wars I used to wage," Iblis said after they'd settled, watching the crowds the same way a queen overlooking her court would. "The humans fight in new ways but worship the same."

Her lips twisted into a smile that verged on cruel, sharp at the edges as she traced a red-painted claw to the glass in her hand. "They still throw themselves at my feet and wait for me to determine if it's my mercy or judgement they receive."

A familiar dance he played with his own web of humans and demons. Mephisto nodded, leaning back to lounge, enjoying the smaller flame beside his and the constant flow of movement circling their position.

"Samael," a flick of her ashen gaze, Mephisto hid a smile behind his glass, "why did you come here?"

She always did hate surprises. He'd been kind this time, giving her heads up as he'd boarded the plane that morning instead of arriving through one of his doors without a word at all in warning. Something had put him in a good mood. Well, and he'd also wanted to get off on the right foot with Iblis for this occasion.

"You know I love a good party, and your events are always the talk of the town, dear Iblis," he answered, knowing she'd be rolling her eyes at the needless flattery.

"Yes, and? What else, you trickster?" Iblis said, sighing at his guileless expression.

Truthfully, that was something he needed to pin down for himself. The timelines were blurred, too many possible routes he wouldn't be able to narrow down until the threads converged onto a pivotal string of events.

To reach that point, he would need to prod at places that needed prodding, causing the ripples to see where they ended up.

"Ah, nothing else, nothing else," he soothed, not that it convinced her, "I was just catching up with our Lucifer and thought I'd do the same with the rest of my beloved family."

Iblis hummed, tapping her claws to the arm of the cushioned chair. Her thick black hair fell over her shoulder when she turned to face him fully, the eternal fire that flared at the tip of the intricate braid casting a warm light. It matched the one flickering above her eyes at her crown, glinting in the three of them as they narrowed.

"Fine then, don't tell me, Samael," she said finally. "You do liven things up around yourself, so I'll accept your company."

Very gracious of her, but it was what he was after, so Mephisto allowed her the illusion of control. It was only polite.

"Speaking of family," he began the play, tugging at one of the threads, "I'm surprised your shadow isn't here too, I was hoping to speak with him. Where is that little moth to your flame?"

He snagged several of the hors d'oeuvres from the tray a passing staff member brought by, enjoying the explosion of flavor he once would have only been able to experience a portion of while he waited on Iblis.

"Beelzebub," Iblis said in confirmation. Always so literal. "Don't know. The last of us I've seen has been Astaroth."

Astaroth? Mephisto smiled wider and relaxed, careful to keep the surprise from his body language.

"He's elusive, that one, how did it go?" he asked idly, releasing a mock sniff of affront next. "He never visits me, I'm beginning to feel slighted."

Pleasure mingled with irritation in Iblis' narrowed gaze, a sharp slash of a grin stretching her lips over needle-tip fangs. Her aspect flickered and sparked with the remnants of a challenge stoked from the embers.

"You're right, Samael, it's rude of him," she said in a purr that spoke of satisfaction. "He's been in a shoddy mood lately. And after the visit he paid me, I think it's only fair to set you two on each other."

Truly, he got no respect from his charming brethren. Mephisto hid a roll of his eyes and said, "Is my presence a punishment now?"

"It would help him lighten up, if anything," Iblis said, waving her hand to brush off his pique. "I had to put him in his place when he got too snippy with me. He's off licking his wounds somewhere."

Spats happened between the best of them, though some were more prone to in-fighting than others-Amaimon and Egyn being key examples whenever they broke the peace for their squabbles. Likely, it was unimportant, but speaking to Astaroth would paint a clearer picture, if he could apply the right pressure.

"Hm, well, you may as well send him my way when he crawls out of whatever moldy crevasse he's sulking in now."

Mephisto thought he'd gleaned what he could, slipping into other conversations and delighted when Iblis deigned to introduce him to the one who'd designed her dress. He made his rounds amongst the guests, searching for the ones who might spark his interest, might make the next century something more.

He didn't find it.

But…

His eyes lit on the party favors Iblis or one of her humans had chosen for the event. Crystalline figurines a shade of blue he'd discovered in another set of eyes.

It would make a nice souvenir from his trip, really.

A souvenir, or a gift.

Notes:

Mephisto's making an oopsie he's gonna regret when it comes back to bite him in the ass later :D It's just one of many oopsies he makes this fic tbh rip him XD This is what happens when there isn't a threat to sharpen his claws on, they get blunt~