Eli returned home, his shoulders sagging slightly with fatigue after enduring yet another of Charlie's relentless attempts to bond with him. He still couldn't wrap his head around why the Princess of Hell was so determined to be his friend. What he didn't realize was that beneath her smiles and sunshine attitude, Charlie simply wanted him to drop the formalities.

Trailing behind him with an unsteady float was Mary, her cheeks flushed a rosy red, and her breath coming in soft, amused pants. Clearly tipsy.

Eli flopped down onto the sofa that doubled as his bed. The cramped apartment didn't offer much in the way of space or luxury, but he didn't mind. He wasn't the type to care about material comfort.

Above him, his great-grandmother hovered, stretching like a cat basking in the sun, her vintage dress slightly wrinkled and her expression blissfully content.

"Where have you been?" Eli asked, eyeing her disheveled state with mild suspicion.

"Oh, you know..." Mary began, voice laced with a teasing lilt, "Finally checking off a few things on my Lust Ring bucket list." She giggled, drifting down until she was eye level with her great-grandson, lounging as if the air itself was her chaise.

Eli's brows drew together. Before he could press further, a sharp, unfamiliar scent hit him like a slap, and he immediately recoiled, pinching his nose as he grimace slightly.

"Seriously, Grandmama." He muttered, fanning the air in front of him with his hand, "You reek of sex."

Mary burst into peals of laughter, clearly delighted. She wobbled closer, arms outstretched in an exaggerated attempt at a hug. "Come here, my little miracle~!"

Eli pushed her face away with a deadpan stare, keeping her at arm's length. "No. Absolutely not. You're gonna get the smell on me."

As Mary kept trying to advance, he glanced around the small apartment with growing dread. The scent was lingering—and worse, spreading. If Millie caught even a whiff of this, she'd jump to conclusions. His mother wasn't exactly the most... reasonable when it came to this kind of thing.

Eli shivered at the mental image of her, demanding answers, as she held him down using the boston crab.

"Please, just go take a bath." He pleaded, more desperate now.

Mary chuckled, floating backward with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. She could practically read his mind.

"Alright, alright. You're no fun sometimes, Eli." She said, gliding toward the bathroom in a slow, lazy arc.

Eli waited until she vanished behind the door, then sighed in relief and moved to crack open every window he could. He grabbed a nearby magazine and started fanning the air with it like his life depended on it.

Once satisfied that the worst of the scent was dissipating, he sank back onto the sofa and grabbed his phone. A new message lit up the screen—it was from Loona.

Loona: Hey El. Tex invited me to a party in Gluttony tomorrow, told me to drag you along. Wanna come?

Eli stared at the screen for a moment. Tomorrow was a rare day off. Normally, he'd use it to recharge—sit around, maybe read, maybe nap. But the idea of a party in Gluttony intrigued him. He wasn't much for crowds or chaos, but the curiosity was there. What kind of party would it even be? Excessive? Dangerous? Weirdly delicious?

After a beat, he typed out a reply:

Eli: Sure.

Simple and direct.

He placed the phone face-down on the table and stretched out his sore limbs with a small grunt.

Eli then leaned back against the sofa, turning the television on with the remote that was conveniently place next to him.

Beelzebub, the Queen Bee herself—the radiant Sin of Gluttony—was in the middle of party planning chaos. Streamers floated mid-air, music samples blared from enchanted speakers, and a clipboard hovered beside her, scribbling notes in glowing ink.

Just as she reached for her favorite Beelze-Berry Blast juice, her phone buzzed.

Asmodeus.

Raising a brow, she picked up the call and pressed the phone to her ear, checking a few stuff on the clipboard.

"Hey, Ozzie. Wasn't expecting you to call so suddenly." She said, taking a casual sip from her cup.

The next second, she spat it out in a dramatic spray across the room.

"WHAT?! Mary's back and you didn't tell me beforehand?!" She screeched, wings buzzing in disbelief.

A smooth chuckle floated through the receiver.

"Yes, yes. Mary's returned—but I haven't seen her yet." Asmodeus said, unbothered. "It's her great-grandson I met."

There was a soft shuffling sound on his end, and suddenly Beelzebub had a bad feeling curling in her gut.

"WHAAA—?! Where is he? Still at your place, right? I'm coming over right now." She declared, tossing her clipboard aside. She didn't care how far the Lust Ring was—if she had to fly there herself, so be it.

She never thought she'd hear Mary's name again, not after she vanished. And to find out she'd returned—with her 'Little Miracle' no less? Her heart was buzzing more than her wings.

"Nope. He left hours ago." Asmodeus replied with maddening calm.

Beelzebub stumbled mid-flight, nearly faceplanting.

"Ozzie... did you just admit to letting Mary's grandson loose in Hell, where he could be devoured or worse?!" She snapped, voice rising with every word as she clutched her phone like it had betrayed her.

"It's fine, Bee. He was with little Charlie." He assured her. "Smart kid, too. If he hadn't explained things, I wouldn't have let him go."

Beelzebub exhaled and flopped into her velvet armchair, dramatically throwing a leg over one side.

"Whew... okay. Okay, that's good. I almost had to fly over there and kick your sparkly ass. So—he at the hotel now? 'Cause I am going to visit."

Asmodeus laughed again. "Hmm, no. The boy said he's under the care of two married imps. Mary approved it or so her grandson had said."

Beelzebub blinked. That was... surprising. But if Mary trusted them, it must be legit.

"Do you... uh, know where?" She asked, trying to play it cool. "'Cause Mary's grandson hasn't met his favorite aunt yet."

She raised her chin with mock pride, twirling a strand of lava lamp-like hair.

"Hehehe, I do know. But I'm not telling." Asmodeus teased.

Beelzebub groaned and clicked her tongue in frustration.

"But." He added slyly, "He did visited the Lust Ring. And since you're throwing one of your legendary parties… who knows? He might show."

"Oh, he'd better." Beelzebub growled, already mentally upgrading her party plans. "If he doesn't, I'm dragging that info out of you—one feather at a time."

A soft chuckle came through once more.

"Before I hang up, Bee" Asmodeus said. She heard some shifting, and then—

"You are my favorite, Uncle Ozzie."
A young voice. That was, in her opinion sweet and honest.

Then the call dropped.

Beelzebub slowly pulled the phone away and stared at the screen in silence.

Her eye twitched.

Asmodeus leaned back in his plush armchair with a blissful sigh, the corners of his lips curling into a smug grin. He kicked his legs up onto his sleek office desk, one hand tucked lazily behind his head while the other began a slow, theatrical countdown.

"Three... two... one."

"OOOOZZZZIIIEEE!"

Beelzebub's furious scream echoed from the distance.

Asmodeus cackled, absolutely delighted, and folded his counting hand behind his head to match the other.

"Still got it." He hummed, basking in the rivalry he'd sparked.

Eli suddenly felt a shiver crawl up his spine. His eyes snapped toward the open window, narrowing in suspicion as if it had personally offended him.

"Eli?" Came Stolas's voice from the phone screen. They were currently in the middle of a FaceTime call.

Mary, now dressed in a flowing nightgown and sitting beside him on the bed, noticed his tension. She gently pulled him into a warm, comforting hug, wrapping his blanket around them both like a cocoon.

"Something wrong, little miracle?" She asked softly, resting her chin on his head.

Eli continued to glare at the open window for a few seconds longer before finally relaxing, turning his attention back to his mentor on the screen.

"Sorry. I just... felt something was off." He murmured, snuggling a bit closer into his grandmother's arms.

Stolas nodded sagely. "Yes... I can relate to that feeling. A sixth sense, perhaps. But—anyway, long story short—the pendant Asmodeus gave you? It's very special." He said, gesturing toward the necklace hanging around Eli's neck.

Eli glanced down. The crystal pendant caught the light and shimmered faintly.

"It usually only allows the bearer to travel into the human realm." Stolas continued, "But the one you have? It also amplifies and stores access magic. Quite rare."

"I see." Eli said, fingers brushing over the gem. "How useful."

Stolas chuckled. "And to think Asmodeus not only liked your grandmother—but sees you as a nephew. I never would have guessed."

Mary gave a proud huff, her arms tightening around Eli. "Of course the Sins are fond of me. I worked very hard to earn their respect—and more importantly, their trust."

It hadn't been easy. In the beginning, many of them only saw her as a tool—a walking source of potent magic. But after a few chaotic, possibly catastrophic misadventures, they began to see her as an equal. Even Satan, the Sin of Wrath, begrudgingly respected her... to a degree.

Stolas laughed joyfully. "Of course! I expected nothing less from you, Mary. Now then, I'll see you next Friday, my brilliant apprentice." He said, turning his attention to Eli.

Eli nodded, his eyelids starting to droop.

"Goodnight." Stolas added warmly, before ending the call.

With a soft yawn, Eli nestled against Mary's side, exhaustion from the day's events finally catching up to him.

Mary smiled and eased him down gently, tucking him in. Then, without leaving his side, she lay down behind him and wrapped her arms protectively around his torso. With a simple flick of her fingers, her telekinetic magic swept through the room, quietly closing every open window and locking them tight—just in case.

The next day...

"Alright, you two. We're here—and I'm laying down some strict rules." Blitzo said, turning in his seat to glare at Loona and Eli who was in the back.

"Seriously, Dad?" Loona huffed, arms crossed, already annoyed.

Eli, on the other hand, sat upright and listened intently. He was in Hell, after all—best to take advice from a professional.

"Nope, nu-uh, not listening to that tone, young lady." Blitzo snapped, wagging a finger at her. "After what happened last time, you will follow these rules."

Loona blushed, keeping her arms folded as she grumbled something under her breath.

"Rule number one: no drinking until you're drunk. And you—" Blitzo pointed dramatically at Eli, "—absolutely no drinking, period. Satan help me, if Millie finds out her boy touched alcohol, she'll kick my gorgeous ass all the way till next year."

Eli nodded quickly, while Loona rolled her eyes and nodded more begrudgingly. She knew Blitzo had a point—not that she'd ever admit it.

"Rule number two: do not let your guard down. You both know how many creeps come crawling out of the woodwork at parties like this. Eli—no taking weird drinks, pills, gummies, sparkles, or mystery 'fun stuff' from strangers. I repeat: Millie. Will. Castrate me."

Loona groaned loudly, and Eli nodded so much Blitzo worried his head might pop off.

"We get it, Dad." Loona muttered. "I'll bite anyone who even thinks about giving Eli something sketchy."

"And I'm smart enough not to accept anything weird from strangers," Eli added, it was one of the basics when it comes to handling strangers.

"You can never be too careful." Blitzo said with a sigh. "And finally—rule number three!" He held up a finger, leaning forward dramatically. Loona and Eli both tensed as if bracing for impact.

Blitzo grinned. "Go have fun, kids."

The two let out a breath they didn't realize they'd been holding as they climbed out of the van.

Loona grabbed Eli's wrist and led the way toward the party. Before they disappeared, she turned around and gave Blitzo a pout.

"I'm not a kid, I'm twenty-two, Dad." She declared, nose held high as she turned back around.

Eli followed behind her without resistance, quietly amused.

Blitzo chuckled to himself and leaned back into the driver's seat. "To me, you still are." he murmured, pulling out a sleeping mask and settling in for a nap.

As they walked, Eli glanced around, taking in his surroundings with quiet curiosity. The area was surprisingly bright—brighter than he'd expected from a place named the Gluttony Ring. They appeared to be walking through a sort of lush, glowing forest—though the trees pulsed faintly with pinks, reds, and golds, and the air shimmered with the scent of sweet indulgence.

"Huh... this place is a lot more lively than I imagined." Eli murmured, tilting his head up. The sky above them was a soft yellow, crisscrossed with subtle hexagonal patterns like a massive honeycomb dome.

"Welcome to the Gluttony Ring, kid." Loona said with a smirk, coming to a stop in front of a massive, colorfully lit mansion. "Home to the Queen Bee herself."

Eli eyed the building with interest. It had a retro aesthetic—bright neons, sweeping curves, and candy-colored lights. He kind of liked it.

"Huh. This party looks way grander than the last one." Loona noted, glancing around at the ornate decorations. Glittering streamers, floating sweets, and glowing jellyfish-like lights bobbed through the air.

"Think someone important's showing up?" Eli asked, eyes scanning the upper balcony. A few demons were already mingling and drinking, laughter echoing softly through the open air. There wasn't a single negative vibe he could sense.

Loona shrugged and pulled out her phone to shoot off a quick text. A few moments later, the front doors burst open—and out walked Vortex, arms spread wide like a welcoming host.

"Loona! Eli! Glad you two made it." He called out with a big grin, swinging an arm down in greeting.

Loona chuckled, "Good to be here—even after what happened last time."

"Heh, no worries." Vortex laughed. "Bee doesn't really hold grudges."

He crouched slightly to Eli's level, offering him a casual high-five. "Hey there, lil' bud. Never really got the chance to thank you for saving me and the boss last time."

Eli returned the high-five with a bright glow. "No problem. From what I've seen, you're a pretty cool hellhound."

Vortex smirked, ruffling Eli's hair lightly. "Heh, thanks, lil' man. Alright—come on in. Party's just getting started."

He turned and led them through the grand entrance.

Eli instinctively made himself smaller as the music pounded from every direction—deep, booming beats that rattled in his chest and echoed through the floor. Lights pulsed in sync with the rhythm, and the air was thick with heat, motion, and the buzz of demonic energy.

He was definitely out of his comfort zone.

From what he could tell, this place was crawling with hellhounds. They vastly outnumbered the imps, succubi, and incubi mingling throughout the space. The crowd was wild—howling, laughing, dancing like there was no tomorrow.

Loona glanced down at Eli and chuckled, clearly noticing his discomfort. She looped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him in close, offering him some grounded familiarity in the chaos.

"It's alright, Eli. Just stick with me, 'kay?" She said, rubbing his shoulder playfully.

"Sure…" Eli replied, clinging to her side like a shadow.

He'd kind of forgotten just how much of an introvert he really was—and he definitely hadn't expected the party to be this big. Loud. Chaotic. Alive.

Vortex turned around near the center of the crowd, already vibing with the music. He flashed them a grin and called out over the noise, "What are you two waiting for? Let's get down!"

Beelzebub hovered above the crowd, her wings buzzing as she scanned the lively party below. Her eyes flicked from one face to the next, searching intently for a certain someone—Mary's little miracle.

Then, without warning, she felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around her midriff, followed by a soft whisper in her ear.

"Guess who?" Came the sultry tease, followed by a warm breath tickling her ear.

Beelzebub's eyes widened in recognition, and a massive grin spread across her face. "Well, it's certainly not my boyfriend—but it is my favorite sinner!"

With a delighted laugh, she grabbed the wrists around her waist and spun around, pulling Mary into a joyful embrace. The two burst out laughing as they hugged tightly in midair.

"I missed you so much, girl." Beelzebub said, nuzzling into Mary's soft, blonde hair.

"I missed you too, Queen." Mary cooed, giggling as she nuzzled back into Beelzebub's chest. I missed these pair of babies as well.

Though they pulled back slightly, their arms remained wrapped around one another, unwilling to break the hug just yet.

"I heard you came back from Ozzie, but I didn't believe it." Beelzebub buzzed, her energy vibrating with excitement. "But here you are! And that means... your grandson is here too, right?!"

Mary smiled fondly, turning slightly to gesture toward the crowd. "Oh, I didn't bring my little miracle—he came with his friend."

She pointed toward a teenager half-hidden behind a familiar hellhound, practically glued to her side. "There he is."

Beelzebub gasped, her multiple arms twitching in anticipation. "Oh my stars—look at that! Now I finally get to show Ozzie who the real favorite Sin is!"

She rubbed two of her hands together gleefully, already plotting her dramatic entrance.

Mary laughed, eyes gleaming. "Ozzie must've really sparked something in you, huh?"

"Oh-ho, he's going down." Beelzebub declared, wings flaring with excitement as she broke the hug and rose a bit higher in the air. "Now watch, Queen—Bee's about to make an entrance!"

Mary cupped her hands around her mouth like a cheerleader. "Go get him, Foxy!"

With that, Beelzebub zeroed in on Eli—ready to swoop in and stake her claim as the ultimate favorite.

A/N: Here's Queen bee! I am still one tired boy. Fun fact, I never had a nightmare before, I did have a few dreams before but that is very rare it almost never happens.

To Samejake: Thanks, I really appreciate your encouragement.

Anonymous, I am once again unable to respond. It was an interesting read though, and I'm sure most who read this work is more likely to open the review just to read what you have wrote. Heck I enjoy reading your ideas and about who you are... I think? As for Eli, he's a straight, look I tend to stay away from LGBTQ stuff, mostly to avoid being beaten up online. I'm not really knowledgeable about those stuff and I am very afraid that I will get... a lot wrong, and considering how sensitive the subject is I rather not take my chances. My knowledge on the LGBTQ stuff is so bad that most of what you have written felt like an alien language to me. Still though I like reading what you have written, please do go on, I don't mind :)