Chapter Text
An incubus known as Boyfriend was heading towards a meeting with other demons in the underworld. He was wearing an open black vest with matching pants, and a white t-shirt. He also had curved horns edged like a blade along with a tail with a spade shaped tip. His horns had a line of faintly glowing blue light that went down the entire length, and this represented the current amount of energy he had.
Boyfriend didn’t want to be here, but he had no choice as a lesser demon. Especially as an incubus, a type of fiend incapable of gaining power through the consumption of souls. Weaker demons are forced to obey the stronger arch demons in order to survive. Not doing so would mean certain death, and he had no desire to die any time soon. It wasn’t that bad being a demon lord’s agent as long as he followed orders. He got the opportunity to be in the human world, and hiding amongst the people there was fun. It was incredibly easy to be full of the energy he needed to live as well. He didn’t even need to use magic to influence another’s thoughts into a certain direction. He was just that good.
“Boyfriend.”
“Huh?” He realized he blanked out during the entire meeting, and saw his master was glaring at him. Shit… He put on his usual façade with a sultry voice. “What do you desire, Lord Zarcorin?”
“If you were actually listening, you would already know.” He stood up to tower over the incubus. “You’re lucky to be the best infiltrator in my domain, or I would’ve tore your soul out, and fed it to Cerberus for your disrespect.”
Boyfriend’s tail swished with annoyance despite the overwhelming aura of power. “My deepest apologies, sire. It won’t happen again.”
“Hmph.” He sat down once more. “Your job is to attend a college in the overworld. It’s in a city called Bseurf, and this location has the strongest connection between my realm and the human one. Find a human with a soul strong enough to open a portal for my army. Have them trust you to the point where betrayal would turn their soul into a powerful catalyst, and take their life during the next red moon.”
“What? I’m not going to manipulate someone like that. That’s too-”
“Cruel? You’re a demon, Boyfriend. Cruelty is in your nature.”
“But I-”
“I don’t care about your pathetic human morals. Once the portal is open, I’ll no longer need your services.”
“You’re giving me freedom?”
Zarcorin laughed. “Freedom? No. An incubus is useless in battle, so you’ll be returning home. I’m not losing a valuable asset to those humans.” He interrupted Boyfriend before he could reply. “Now go. Don’t waste my time with your remarks.”
Holding himself back, Boyfriend left the ongoing meeting. He saw a painting of his lord, and glanced around to see no one was nearby. He snapped his fingers to summon a marker. After casting an illusion to make himself look like an imp, he doodled on the painting to let out some frustration. He was done by the time a guard rounded the corner, and he flew off before he could be caught. His illusion faded once he was certain he wasn’t followed. Then he sighed.
I wish I had the means to become an arch demon.
Before arriving at the college, Boyfriend made sure his demonic features were hidden by magic. He couldn’t just summon the things he needed out in the open later, so he made sure he had everything he needed on him. His trusty saxophone was in a case. It was his most prized possession, and allowed him to use magic subtly when needed. He also had a pocket knife in his back pocket just in case anyone dared to touch him. He may be an incubus, but he wasn’t going to just take it from anyone. Unlike other demons, he greatly valued consent.
Boyfriend walked onto campus before stopping. He just realized this was a place humans went to for education, and he always struggled to get passing grades in schools when he was younger. Considering this was a place where classes were typically harder, he dreaded the future. There was no way he'd be able to complete his mission with how dumb he was.
It’s okay, Boyfriend. You can just charm the teachers to give you a passing grade when you fail all your tests. Just find a human with a strong soul, and don’t fall in love with them in the process. Easy.
After arriving in a courtyard, Boyfriend decided to play his saxophone to attract a crowd. It would be easier for him to look at souls this way, and he couldn’t be bothered to attend classes right now. All he saw were average souls after playing for awhile. Then he spotted a flaming soul orb in the distance. Fully focusing on the man, he stopped playing after seeing how attractive he was.
Fuck. Why did it have to be a hot ginger?
After getting to know a man named Pico better, Boyfriend no longer wanted to do his mission. He quickly found himself forgetting his goals, and he dropped the mask to act like his true self around him. He didn’t care if he would get in trouble with his master later. Living his life freely in the human world was a breath of fresh air, and it was the first time he felt love. He even befriended the ginger’s two companions in the process. He never had genuine friends before, and he didn’t want to ruin what he had by telling them the truth.
Boyfriend joined their small band after discovering that they also loved music. Pico played guitar, Nene played the drums, and Darnell played the piano. With the addition of the saxophone, the band became more popular on campus. Word quickly found its way to the underworld however. The night of the crimson moon was nearing, and Zarcorin still hadn’t received any news from the incubus.
“Cassandra, head to the overworld to check on Boyfriend. You know what to do if he wasn’t able to complete his task.”
The night before the red moon, Boyfriend was confronted by Cassandra. He told her everything was going according to plan. He was just having fun like usual, and forgot to report his progress to his master. He even showed her the human he found from afar to prove he was doing his job.
The moment Cassandra left, Boyfriend’s façade fell. He needed to tell Pico the truth, but he was afraid of losing him. He didn’t want him jumping to the conclusion that charm magic was used on him. Even if he did tell him the truth, what would he do next? He didn’t have the power to defend him from Cassandra. He was only an incubus after all, but an idea popped into his head. Pico and his friends were studying to join a specialized police force for demon activities. All the incubus had to do was provide them the means to defend themselves. Then he could take Cassandra out, and figure out how to remain with the ginger later.
In the morning, Boyfriend rushed into Pico’s dorm room. He saw Darnell was eating breakfast, but the ginger wasn’t with him. The pyromaniac raised an eyebrow after seeing him open the door in such a hurry.
“Relax, BF. You can make out with him or whatever once he’s done showering.”
“Oh, I didn’t want to… Well, I do actually, but not right now. I just wanted to give him a special gift.”
“Sure.”
“I swear it’s just a gun, and nothing more.”
“Knowing you, it’s probably more than that.”
“I- Okay, fair.” He took a seat while taking a box out of his bag. “In all seriousness though, it’s a magic gun.”
Seeing how serious Boyfriend’s face was, Darnell decided to stop messing with him. “Like a gun that can actually hurt fiends?”
“Yeah. You have no idea how hard it was to get this thing. I had to… Actually, probably better if you didn’t know.”
“Well, if you went through that much effort to get him something that powerful, you must really love him. It’s great that he’s finally able to find someone who cares like you.”
Boyfriend laughed nervously. “Yeah…”
“Is something wrong?”
“Nope.” He quickly took out a pair of gloves to change the topic. “Here. I got these magically enchanted gloves for you too.”
“Really, BF? You expect me to punch demons while Pico can just shoot them.”
“He is the better shot.”
“Wow, okay. I see how it is.” He took the gloves despite that. “Thanks though. I appreciate it.”
“No problem. I got a runic knife for Nene as well.”
“Damn, man. Now I want to know how you got your hands on this shit. Getting more stuff like this for the force would be good.”
“Uh… Sorry, Darnell. I didn’t exactly get these legally, so…”
“Oh. I understand, man. Don’t sweat it.”
Pico entered the room. “Oh, babe. You’re here early. Couldn’t wait to see me today?”
Boyfriend smiled upon seeing him. “Yup. I got you a present. You always wanted a runic pistol, right? I got you an ivory one just for you.”
“Really? Thanks, babe.”
Seeing the ginger’s smile made Boyfriend’s guilt grow. He knew what was going to happen tonight if he didn’t open the portal, but he still couldn’t bring himself to say anything. He went through the whole day hoping Cassandra wouldn’t do anything. Knowing how Zarcorin was like though, he knew his master would resort to using the souls of many to complete the ritual instead. He hoped his preparations would be enough to stop the oncoming massacre. Pico and his friends were the top of their class after all. With his magic on the trio’s side, he was sure that they could at least prevent the portal from opening. That’s assuming the trio would still trust him to help at that point.
As soon as the moon was at its highest point, Cassandra and her minions set the campus ablaze. The fire alarm woke Pico up, and he noticed the tight grip Boyfriend had on him.
“Are you alright, babe?”
“Sorry, I just… Nevermind. We should leave. I can see the fire from here.”
“Right.” He saw the flames weren’t normal. “Wait. Those flames are demonic in nature. My friends and I can’t leave. We need to get the other students to safety, and keep the fiend occupied while the Special Crime Forces get here.”
“You guys are only trainees though. You can’t just go fight an archdemon.”
“Huh? How do you know an archdemon did this?”
Fuck. “I saw her through the window before the fire started. I wasn’t sure if I was seeing things, so I didn’t wake you up.”
Knowing Boyfriend well, Pico knew his partner was lying. The worry and fear in his eyes made him concerned, and he was going to ask what was wrong when he was suddenly shoved aside. He saw his lover flick his blade out as his eyes glowed blue. With a stab towards nothing at first, an invisible imp was revealed as the knife pierced its chest. It fell to the floor after the blade was pulled free. Then several more that Pico couldn’t see flew down both ends of the hallway. With no other choice, the incubus imbued his voice with arcane energy.
“Reveal yourself.”
Anyone nearby who heard him was compelled to obey except for Pico. The small fiends’ invisibility faded, and the ginger open fired as his friends rounded the corner behind him. After quickly taking the enemies out, the trio looked at Boyfriend who no longer hid his demonic features. He was about to say something, but the look of Pico’s face made the words he wanted to say die in his throat. His guilt grew as his partner started speaking.
“You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you? That’s why you know an archdemon is here.”
“I… Yes, but I want to stop her. I can explain everything afterwards. We don’t have the time to talk about this right now. You wanted to save the other students, right? So let’s go.”
“And how do we know you’re not leading us into a trap?”
“I gave you those weapons, didn’t I? Why would I give you the means to kill me more easily? You know demons can’t be harm easily without magic. I even helped you kill these minions.”
“Your kind are known for their deceit, Boyfriend. You’re probably doing all these things to keep our trust.”
“I swear to all the gods that I’m not a manipulative bastard. You can trust me, Pico. I won’t use any charm spells unless you order me to. Once everything is over, I’ll tell you what you want to know. Then you’ll never see me again if that’s what you want afterwards…”
Pico was uncertain about Boyfriend, but he knew having a demon as an ally would make the fight ahead easier. Hoping his partner wasn’t concealing his lies better, he decided to work together with him despite his gut telling him otherwise. He needed the incubus’s true sight to counter any other invisible entities. He also knew fiends like him are capable of empowering others, and they could cause the enemy to turn on each other with their voice alone. The latter is what worries the ginger though. Boyfriend could charm them instead once they reach their destination.
The incubus said, “Please, Pico. You have to trust me. You don’t stand a chance against her unless you have my magic to protect you.”
Pico looked at Darnell who shrugged, and then at Nene who nodded. “Fine. Lead the way.”
Boyfriend was relieved that he was given a chance. He summoned his saxophone, and played a short tune that made the others feel stronger. Then he led the way to a football field. Spotting a red skinned fiend perched on a field goal, the group stopped. She had wings, and claws lit by embers. Her reptilian gaze landed on Boyfriend as she spoke.
“Aw. How cute. The slut thinks he can defeat me with the help of three lowly humans.”
“I’m not a-”
“I didn’t give you permission to speak, incubus.” She jumped off her perch. “If I was Zarcorin, I wouldn’t have trusted a lesser demon that’s nothing but a body to be used to complete this ritual.” Her form grew larger as a whiplike tail coiled behind her. “Oh, look at your beloved ginger. He’s so angry.”
Boyfriend turned his back towards her to do so, but all he saw was hateful glare directed at Cassandra. In his confusion, he didn’t notice her taking that opportunity to rush towards him. He saw the ginger take aim at him. He thought he was going to shoot him, but the bullets flew past him, causing Cassandra to take flight to avoid getting hit. Then Pico’s gaze shifted to him.
“You’re a lying piece of shit.”
The trio barged past him to fight Cassandra, and Boyfriend turned to call out to the ginger. “Pico, I swear I’m not on her side!”
“Then start playing.”
Just as Pico shot their foe’s wing, Boyfriend saw several other demons running to join in. He started playing a song to suit the current situation, and two fiends of the incoming group fell under his control. He made them fight the other demons so the trio could fully focus Cassandra.
When the archdemon was on her last legs, she couldn’t believe mere humans were able to corner her like this. She refused to acknowledge such a fact, and looked at Boyfriend’s horns to see the light line was only a few inches long. She also heard earlier that the ginger only had one bullet left. Seeing the other two humans were starting to feel the effects of exhaustion, she decided to take them out after clouding Pico’s judgment with the anger he’s holding back. She returned her gaze to Boyfriend before saying,
“All you had to do was make this ginger trust you so you could use his soul to open a gate to the underworld, but no. You had to be stupid, and protect one life over the dozens that have died today.” A magic circle glowed beneath everyone as the souls of the fallen floated around them. “I hope you had fun playing with his feelings like that.”
“I’d never do something like that!”
Darnell said as the demons talked, “She’s going to complete the ritual. Stop her!”
Nene and Darnell rushed towards Cassandra, and the archdemon took the opportunity to knock them aside. Unable to get back up, those two watched as she flew past Boyfriend.
The incubus saw a blade of eldritch energy behind Pico who was about to shoot her. He realized that if the ginger didn’t move, he would die along with Cassandra. He used the last bit of his energy to do something he swore to himself that he’d never do. Charm him.
“Move!”
Due to the desperate command, Pico was unable to resist the magical effect. He rolled out of the way, and saw the blade hit Cassandra instead. She fell onto her back before smiling at Boyfriend.
“I thought you said you’d never charm him. You’re nothing but a traitorous liar after all.”
“What? No, I did that to-”
A gunshot rang out. Seeing Cassandra dead, Boyfriend faced Pico who had nothing but hatred in his eyes. He backed up a couple of steps as the ginger’s friends got up. Those two saw how angry Pico was, and decided to stay away as he started shouting.
“You knew this was going to happen, and you didn’t bother to tell me?! Do you have any idea how many people died because of you?”
“Pico, I-”
“Not only that, you had the fucking audacity to play with my feelings. Is love nothing but a game to you?”
“No! I genuinely love you, Pico. I betrayed my kind the moment we became friends, and I never used magic on you until today. I swear!”
“So you did intend to manipulate me in the beginning.”
“What? No! I’m not like the others. I’d never do such a thing.”
“…You’re lying.”
“I’m not lying, Pico! Just let me expla-” He saw him clutch his chest in pain, and looked at his soul orb to see a small crack in it. “Are you alright?”
“Don’t touch me.”
“But your soul is-”
“Leave.”
“But I can-”
“I never want to see or hear from you again, Boyfriend. LEAVE!”
Pico turned around, and walked away a few feet. Boyfriend was going to reach out to stop him when Darnell and Nene blocked his path. The taller man said,
“You heard the man, go.” He gestures towards the authorities in the distance. “Don’t waste the only chance he’ll give you.”
Without energy to conceal his demonic features, Boyfriend had no choice but to leave. He looked at Pico one final time. Then he disappeared into the shadows before he could be spotted by anyone.
Pico’s friends walked up to the ginger who had a cigarette in his mouth. His lighter refused to be lit, so Darnell offered his own. After one drag, his friends glanced at each other before Nene spoke.
“Um… Do you want a hug?”
There was a pause before Pico sighed. He silently faced them, and the trio had a group hug. Once they parted, the SCF finally arrived. The ginger said,
“Can either of you report for me? I’m in no mood to talk.”
Darnell asked, “Are we leaving that bastard out of it?”
“…Yeah.”
Boyfriend was watching in the distance just in case something happened. Once he saw the SCF was there, he turned away to come face to face with a man. He was slammed into a nearby wall, and he had no idea how a human had that much strength. Then he heard his master’s voice from him. The man was possessed.
“You made a grave mistake, incubus.”
“No shit, Sherlock. Skip your fucking monologue, and drag me back to the underworld alrea-”
Boyfriend felt the last sliver of energy he needed to live was being drained away. At the same time, he felt a hunger he never had before. A growing urge to consume the soul of the man before him.
Zarcorin stopped taking the incubus’s energy before death would take him. “From now on, you’ll never be able to regain energy unless you eat souls. You can try, but doing so will only painfully drain you. Even a mere dirty thought from another will harm you unless you block it out.” He dropped him. “You’ll lose control of yourself when you’re dangerously low on energy, and lash out at the nearest person.” He crouched down. “Don’t resist your hunger, Boyfriend. Give into it. Rip this husk’s soul out, and pray that beloved ginger of yours don’t see you as the monster you truly are.”