“You…got…this,” the nervous demon gripped the edge of the bathroom counter while staring at his reflection in the mirror. “I got this! So, what if I gotta work at an office…? So, what if I ain’t got experience? I’m Mammon the Great! I can do anythin’ I set my mind to! ‘Sides, I only need to talk to folks who call the company. That ain’t bad.” 

He moved his eyes from his reflection to his unlocked phone and set as the home screen was the reason he wanted the job in the first place. “Focus on the goal. This is my time to shine…and make (y/n) proud of me! If everythin’ goes as planned, my brothers’ll learn that I can make good bucks without needin’ to gamble or sell their stuff.” 

With an ear-to-ear grin on his face, Mammon marched out of his bathroom and casually gazed at this clock. “Dammit, I’m gonna be late! There’s gotta be somethin’ in my closet I can wear, right?” 

He eyed his butler costume for a few seconds and shrugged, “It’s better than wear somethin’ that doesn’t match the dress code.” Ripping the towel sitting on his hips, he tossed it on the staircase railing – you were most likely going to lecture him about not being organized, but he didn’t have the time to worry about that. Mammon fixed his cuffs before taking one last look in his full-length mirror and winking at himself, “Lookin’ good!”

As soon as he stepped into the dining room, his brothers grew quiet, and all eyes were on him. ‘I was expectin’ ‘em to stare at me shocked an’ all, but why’re they lookin’ at me like I’m a clown in a freakin’ circus?’

“My, oh my. Mammon, what’s with that outfit?” Asmo gasped.

“Looking good!” You chuckled, showing him a thumbs up. 

The second brother smiled ear-to-ear and knew that if anyone could make his morning bright, it was you — his dearest friend. “The great Mammon can rock any outfit! Or did ya forget I model too?” 

“So, what’s your inspiration for cosplaying?” Levi curiously asked, wanting to know why his non-anime-loving brother wanted to cosplay.

‘Cosplaying? Seriously?’ What else was he expecting from someone who watches too much anime and plays too many video games? “This ain’t cosplay! I got a job, all right? A part-time gig! They told me to come in a suit, so I’m wearin’ the closest thing I got.” 

“You? Working somewhere with a dress code?” Beel nearly dropped his burger on the floor. 

The youngest brother shook his head in disapproval, “You lost a bet. Just admit it.” 

Here we go again – his brothers doubting him for every little thing he does. ‘I know I ain’t the most honest guy, but do they’ve to doubt me all the time? Not ya too, Lucifer…y’know me better than ‘em, so why’re ya askin’ me about losing a bet? Man, sometimes I feel like my brothers see me as a criminal or somethin’.’

Mammon ignored all his brothers and shifted his attention to you. At least he had someone who believed him; in the end, that was all he needed. Today would be a great day, and he would work hard to reach his goal!

—-

“’Bout time the day is over.” The Avatar of Greed loosened his tie as he entered the comforts of the House of Lamentation. Tossing the tie on the floor, he peeled off his jacket and rolled up his shirt sleeves. How did his co-worker do this every day? It was only his first day, and he felt like he had taken part in a war. ‘Nah, fightin’ in a war is easier than doin’ office work.’ 

As soon as he stepped into the dining room, he saw his brothers and their expressions – great, it was time to target Mammon, wasn’t it? ‘Why can’t I’ve one freakin’ day without ‘em botherin’ me or pickin’ on me? I don’t have any energy to deal with this.’

“Whooa! Look at you! Loose tie? Rolled up sleeves?” Levi laughed while scanning Mammon’s disheveled state. 

“Buzz off.” 

“You’ve even got that glazed-over look in your eyes!” 

“I said I’m tired, didn’t I? That damn company is workin’ me to death…,” the second brother growled as he ran his fingers through his hair – Levi was enjoying this way too much. While arguing with his brothers and asking them to leave him alone, Mammon’s eyes desperately searched for you. ‘Where is (y/n)? I really need to talk to ‘em.’ 

—-

The scene at the office from the afternoon refused to leave your mind – Mammon working diligently and giving it his all without complaining. What was going on? He said he wanted to work to buy an expensive item, but for Mammon to work this hard and with honesty was indigestible, even for you. 

“Should I ask him?”

“Are ya done talkin’ to yourself?” Mammon took the first opportunity to escape his brothers and sprinted to your room. As soon as he entered, he expected you to greet him with a smile; instead, he found you staring off into space and mumbling to yourself. 

“Oh, Mammon, when did you get here?” The corners of your lips started to curl up but dropped very quickly when you noticed his pale face, disheveled clothes, and zombie-like energy. ‘Looks like the company took a toll on him.’ 

“Forget ‘bout that…lemme crash…I’m dead tired.” 

With a chuckle, you got up and gracefully gestured your hand toward your bed. “The bed is all yours.” 

Mammon thanked you in a small voice, walked up to your bed, and plopped face-first on the mattress. The sheets smelled just like you, and the scent was enough to calm him down no matter how much stress he was in. You watched Mammon for a good minute, feeling bad for him. Maybe he deserves a reward for his hard work. “How about I give you a massage?” 

“Hell yeah! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” The demon melted into the bed as you dug your fingertips into his shoulders and began working the stress out of his tensed muscles. “I’m feelin’ a ton better now.” 

“That’s what friends are for!” 

“Friends…yeah…” He didn’t know why but hearing you call him a friend didn’t sit well with him. ‘The hell is wrong with me? We are friends…so why ain’t I likin’ the sound of it? Guess the day has taken a toll on me…’ 

—-

Setting the cup of coffee on the wooden table, you smiled in contentment as you examined the fruits of your hard work. Hell soy sauce-flavored ramen, not the healthiest of breakfasts, but check. Blackbelly newt legs and fried scorpion sandwiches, still not a healthy breakfast, but check. To top it all off, a cup of coffee with a slight dash of milk. 

You casually moved your gaze to the kitchen clock and wondered when Mammon was going to be up. On cue, you caught a flash of silver out of the corner of your left eye and felt Mammon rest his forehead on your shoulder from behind. “Someone is still sleepy. Weren’t you making fun of Lucifer for not being a morning demon?” 

“Why ya gotta bring up his name first thing in the mornin’?” 

A playful giggle escaped your lips as you gently patted his head with your left hand, “Now, hurry up and eat. I’m not going to let you walk out of this house without finishing everything I cooked. You know, I had to wake up very early to make breakfast for you.” 

The groggy demon lifted his head to see a neatly arranged row of plates with his favorite foods. You woke up early just to cook for him? A warm fuzzy feeling spread through his chest and an expected thought crossed his mind. Why did this feel like a spouse waking up early to cook for their husband to show their support? ‘What in the Devildom am I thinkin’?’ 

With a grin, Mammon brought his favorite “Devildom’s best demon” mug that you gifted him to his lips and tilted it. The second the dark liquid touched his lips, every hair on his head stood up, and a jolt ran through his body. 

“Mammon? Are you okay?” You questioned after seeing his right eye twitching. 

“Y’know I’m alive, don’tcha?” He asked, setting the cup down on the table while wincing. 

“Well…yeah…” 

“Then why in Devildom didja use so much coffee? This coffee is so strong that it could wake the dead!”

“Strong? But I just used a little…sorry, I will put less tomorrow.”

Mammon’s irritation deflated as he saw your smile fall. “Sorry…didn’t mean to get upset. Hey…don’t be sad. I will drink every last drop, ‘kay?”

“And you will finish everything I cooked?”

“I’ll eat every last bite.” He chuckled and ruffled your hair as you giggled in response.

—-

“Mammon, why are you making that face again? I put in even less coffee than yesterday.”

“The coffee is too strong.”

“No, it’s not!”

Lucifer dragged his feet into the kitchen but stopped at the entrance, exhaling loudly, “What possible reason could you two be arguing this early in the morning?”

“And here I thought Mammon looked like a zombie in the morning,” you giggled but quickly cleared your throat when he shot a glare in your direction. “Oh, Lucifer, perfect timing!”

You grabbed a plain black mug and filled it to the brim with the coffee you brewed. “Could you please try this and tell me what it tastes like?”

He graciously accepted the coffee and took a drawn sip, but unlike Mammon, his reactions were as expected. “I do not understand why you require me to describe the taste of coffee, but…the coffee tastes like…coffee.”

“Is it too strong?” 

“Quite the contrary. The brew is rather mild.”

“See! What did I tell you, Mammon? I don’t know why you keep telling me it’s too strong.”

While taking sips from the mug, Lucifer quietly watched you bantering with Mammon, his eyes darting from you to his brother and back to you as he wondered how the two of you had so much energy in the morning. As he was about to exit the kitchen to find a quiet place to continue his student council work from the previous night, he heard Mammon say, “I can’t help it if the coffee tastes bitter!”

The Avatar of Pride stopped in his tracks and twisted his body slightly to glance at Mammon. ‘Did I hear that correctly? He finds this coffee…bitter?’ Lucifer quickly scanned the kitchen counter, only to find a glass jar with capital red letters “COFFEE.” He glanced at you and Mammon once more before exiting the kitchen with a knowing smile.

“I wonder…how long will it take them to realize…”

—-

For weeks, your routine with Mammon repeated on loop. You woke up every morning to make him breakfast, and he complained about the coffee being too strong. Eventually, the second brother got tired of complaining and dealt with the bitter taste—at least it woke him up. 

“Good morning, (y/n)~! Ah, did you make breakfast today? If you don’t mind, I will help myself.” Asmo skipped into the kitchen with a half-asleep Satan following him. As the fifth brother filled his empty plate, the fourth brother poured himself a cup of coffee. Mammon silently watched Satan, knowing he was not going to be pleased with the bitterness of the brew, but much to his shock, his brother showed no such reaction. 

“Satan, thank you for not making faces while drinking the coffee I made.” 

“What do you mean, (y/n)?” Asmo asked. 

“Mammon keeps telling me the coffee is too bitter and makes faces while drinking it,” you pouted, glaring cutely at your closest friend. 

Out of curiosity, Asmo took a teensy tiny sip out of Satan’s cup and raised his eyebrow. “It’s not bitter. Mammon, what are you-”

The Avatar of Lust’s muscles tensed up as he snapped his head toward Satan, who was already looking at him with wide eyes. Asmo’s lips grew into a wide smile, and right as he was going to blurt the truth about the coffee, Satan covered his mouth and dragged him out of the kitchen. 

‘Why did Asmo have that reaction? It’s not bitter…the coffee is not bitter.’ Mammon’s eyes gradually widened, and his breath got caught in his throat. That coffee jar with the red words! The prank Asmo played on the brothers before you came to Devildom – no way! Does this mean you…?

—-

The whole night, he was tossing and turning as he tried to sort out his own feelings, so when morning came, he hopped out of bed, hurriedly got ready, and rushed to the kitchen. Mammon never got an answer to the question that roamed his mind – do I like them too – but he was going to find out one way or another. 

“Mammon? You are up early…and you don’t look like you got much sleep. Everything okay?” 

“Y-Yeah, I was havin’ a hard time sleepin’.” He gripped your mug in his right hand, still not sure if he should be ‘tricking’ you. Though he felt bad for not telling you the entire truth, Mammon handed you the coffee cup with a faltering smile, “I wanted to do somethin’ nice for ya as a thank you for wakin’ up early every day to cook for me.” 

“That’s so sweet!” 

As you brought the mug closer to your mouth, Mammon watched you intensely, his heart pounding out of control. He gulped loudly when the rim of the mug made contact with your lips. How was he going to react if you thought the coffee was not bitter? How was he going to react if you said the coffee was bitter? Most of all, how did he want you to react? His head began to spin, but upon noticing your tensed shoulders, Mammon held onto his breath. ‘What are your feelings, (y/n)?’

Turning your head to the side, you spit out the liquid, but the bitter residue lingered in your mouth. “Ew. Ew. Ew! Mammon, you were right! The coffee is too bitter! I’m sorry for not believing you. Wait, but why did Lucifer, Asmo, and Satan say the coffee was not bitter? Mammon…why are you blushing?”

“H-Huh? Oh, um…I’m gettin’ late for work!” With those words, Mammon dashed out of the kitchen at full speed. 

“Mammon…?” Amidst the white dust trail your friend left behind, you stopped in a mute stupor. 

—-

A week had passed since the incident with Mammon, but you still couldn’t stop thinking about it. Why did he run away? Why did he wake up early that day to make breakfast for you? Was it only meant for a ‘thank you for your support?’ What was Asmo going to say that day Satan dragged him away? 

Initially, you considered approaching Mammon directly, but you knew he wouldn’t answer. Heck, he had not spoken to you since the day you said the coffee was bitter. Why were you and Mammon the only ones who found the coffee bitter? The long list of questions had kept you out every night, and you were desperate for answers. 

You poked into Asmo’s room, and the strong fragrance of the roses on his bedframe tickled your nose. The beautiful demon was busy painting his nails, and though you felt bad disturbing him, you stepped into the room and asked, “Asmo, do you have time to talk?”

“Of course, sweetie! I always have time for you~.” He flashed a warm smile and motioned you to sit next to him. “What would you like to talk about?” 

“What were you going to say the day? Why did Mammon and I think the coffee was bitter, but the rest of you thought it was fine?” You spoke without taking a breath and added in a few more questions. 

“Sweetie! Breathe! I am sorry to say this, but you should ask Mammon these questions. It’s better you learn from him than me,” his voice was soft with a hint of sympathy. 

“Asmo, there is no way Mammon is going to answer. He hasn’t talked to me since I tasted the coffee he made and said it was bitter.” 

His jaw dropped, and for a moment, the fifth brother stared at you without moving a muscle. Seeing your concerned look, Asmo gathered himself and attempted to smile, but you could see a hint of sadness in his eyes. “I cannot believe I am admitting this openly, but I am jealous of Mammon. Sweetie, are you familiar with Hell’s coffee?” 

“Yes! I remember Solomon talking about it. He said something along the lines of the coffee tasting bitter if brewed by-” 

Asmo watched your eyes slowly grow twice the normal size as you brought your hand over your mouth. You brewed the coffee for Mammon, and he thought it was bitter; moreover, he brewed it for you, and it tasted equally bitter. ‘Does this mean Mammon figured out it was Hell’s coffee? Is that why he is avoiding me? But…this means…I have feelings for…him.’ 

“Talk to him, sweetie. You two need to sort this out as soon as possible. I have been waiting to tell you this for a while, but not all men are alike. I understand the trauma you faced in your past, but I can assure you that Mammon is not like that. Remember, this statement is coming from someone who is not that fond of him.” 

Asmo was right; you had to talk to him like a mature adult, whether you liked it or not, or whether he liked it or not. Taking out your phone, you messaged your friend to meet you in your room once he was free. After thanking Asmo for his help, you returned to your room and took time to mentally prepare for your conversation with Mammon. 

As you waited for him, each ticking second felt like an hour, but eventually, Mammon showed up at your doorstep with a red shopping bag with gold letters in his hand. “(Y/n), you wanted to talk to me?” 

Without beating around the bush, you looked him in the eyes and asked in a neutral voice, “Mammon, I know about the Hell’s coffee. Why didn’t you tell me you like me?”

The Avatar of Greed sat next to you, and with his eyes on the floor, he replied, “I could ask you the same. Why didn’t ya tell me ya like me?”

“A few years back, I started dating a man who I was incredibly fond of. Our relationship was fine, and he took care of me…I imagined a future together, planned everything out, and…,” you let out a self-deprecating chuckle, “and I found out he was cheating on me with my friend. The entire time, they were…behind my back…and I…felt like an idiot.” 

Mammon remained silent but rested a slightly damp, shaking hand on top of yours. His thoughtful gesture made you smile a bit, “I figured out my feelings for you a long time ago, but I was afraid of telling you.” 

“Lemme ask you this. Do you think I would cheat on ya?” 

“No, but…” 

Getting up from his seat, your dear friend kneeled in front, reached for the shopping bag, and fished out two boxes with gold writing on top of a designer you recognized. He opened one of the boxes before handing it to you, after which he gently parted the second box to reveal a matching watch. 

“I worked my butt off for these, but I really wanted to get ya one too. Y’know, like a couples watch kinda thing. (Y/n), I know gettin’ cheated on can leave a scar, but would ya give me a chance?” He set aside the two watches, enclosed your hands in his, and poured out the feelings he had been shielding in his heart. “Ever since ya came to live with us, I’ve liked ya. I didn’t want to lose your friendship, so I never said anythin’, but after learnin’, you liked me too…I can’t hold back anymore. Please, give me one chance. I’ll stay loyal to you and only you. I promise! Ya can’t say no to this handsome face, can ya?” 

The corners of your lips firmly tugged up, “No, I can’t say no to your handsome face, but…can we ease into the relationship? I don’t want to jump straight into dating.” 

“You don’t need to ask me. I’ll follow your lead.” 

“Hey, Mammon…” 

“Ya?” 

You rested your forehead against his and closed your eyes, freeing some of the tears that were collecting in your eyes. “Thank you. I look forward to starting a new journey with you.” 

A shade of red crossed his cheeks as he replied in the gentlest voice, “Me too, (y/n). Let’s smile together…forever.”