DxD: Devil’s Advocate

I stepped out of the shadows into my penthouse, the remnants of demonic energy dissipating around me. The lights were dimmed, but I could make out Maria's silhouette on the couch. She sat perfectly still, her back straight as always, but something was off.

'Analysis of Maria's current state?' I thought.

『Elevated stress markers. Attempting to maintain professional composure despite emotional turmoil.』

"Welcome back," Maria said, her voice carefully neutral. "How was dinner?"

I shrugged off my jacket, tossing it over a chair. "Productive. Though it ended up including karaoke."

Her eyebrows rose slightly. "Karaoke?"

"Ai's idea." I watched her reaction carefully. The slight tightening around her eyes, the way her fingers curled into the fabric of her skirt.

"I see." She stood up, smoothing invisible wrinkles from her clothes. "Would you like me to prepare your evening tea?"

"Maria."

"Or perhaps something stronger? The Beleth vintage you brought from-"

"Maria," I said again, softer this time. "Stop."

She froze, her hand halfway to fixing her already-perfect hair. "I'm simply performing my duties as your attendant, young master."

I closed the distance between us in three steps. "Is that what we're doing right now? Playing master and servant?"

"What else would we be doing?"

I reached for her hand, but she pulled back.

"Your schedule for tomorrow," she said, pulling out her tablet. "The morning is clear until-"

"How would you feel about Tokyo Disney?"

She blinked. "I... what?"

"Tokyo Disney. Tomorrow. You and me."

"That's hardly appropriate for someone of your station."

"Since when have I cared about appropriate?"

She looked away. "The idol... Ai-san. Wouldn't she be better company for such an outing?"

"Maria." I caught her chin, turning her face back to mine. "Talk to me. The real you, not the perfect attendant."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, you do."

She held my gaze for a moment longer before her shoulders slumped. "These past weeks... they've been..."

"Good?"

A small smile. "Yes. Good." She pulled away, walking to the window. "But I'm not foolish enough to think they'll last forever."

"Why not?"

"Because I know my place." She pressed her hand against the glass. "And now that you've found someone more suitable-"

"Stop." I moved behind her, close enough to see our reflections overlaid on the Tokyo skyline. "We've had this conversation before."

"Things change."

"Not this." I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her back against my chest. "Not us."

She relaxed slightly, but I could still feel the tension in her body. "You can't promise that."

"I already did." I pressed my lips to her neck, right where her pulse jumped beneath the skin. "Or have you forgotten?"

"Amon..." She turned in my arms, her eyes searching mine. "I saw how you looked at her. In the surveillance feeds."

Of course she'd watched.

"Jealous?"

"Should I be?"

I smiled. "You tell me."

I brushed her hair back from her face. "What do you think of her? Honestly."

Maria considered for a moment. "She's... not what I expected."

"How so?"

"She has depth. Real talent, not just manufactured idol appeal." A pause. "And she affects you."

"Affects me?"

"Your energy signature shifts when you're around her. It's subtle, but..."

"But you notice everything."

She nodded. "It's my job to notice."

"Is that all it is? Your job?"

Maria's hands fisted in my shirt. "You know it's not."

I leaned down, resting my forehead against hers. "Then stop pretending it is."

"It's easier," she whispered. "Safer."

"Since when do we do easy?"

She laughed softly. "Never."

"Exactly." I pulled back enough to meet her gaze. "So. Tokyo Disney?"

"You're serious about that?"

"Dead serious. We'll get ridiculous hats, eat overpriced food, ride everything twice."

"The great Amon Beleth at a theme park." She shook her head. "What would your father say?"

"Who cares? I want to see you on Space Mountain."

"I don't scream on roller coasters."

"We'll see about that."

She studied my face. "This isn't just about the park, is it?"

"No."

"What is it about then?"

I ran my thumb over her bottom lip. "Showing you that some things don't change. No matter what else happens."

"Even with Ai?"

"Even with Ai." I kissed her softly. "Though I should warn you - she's not going away."

"I know." Maria sighed. "I've read the projections, seen the potential advantages of an alliance."

"This isn't just about advantages."

"I know that too." She touched my face. "You're drawn to her. To her power, yes, but also to her."

"Does that bother you?"

"Yes," she said honestly. "But not as much as losing you would."

"That's not happening."

"Promise?"

I kissed her again, deeper this time. "Already did."

She melted into the kiss, her body finally losing that careful tension. When we broke apart, her eyes were slightly unfocused.

"So," I said. "Disney?"

She laughed. "Yes, fine. Disney."

"Excellent. Wear something casual."

"I don't own casual clothes."

"Yes, you do. I bought them for you last week."

She raised an eyebrow. "Planning this for a while?"

"I like to be prepared."

"For spontaneous theme park visits?"

"For making you smile."

She rolled her eyes, but she was grinning. "There you go with the lines again."

"You've been talking to Ai."

"I make it my business to know everything that happens with you."

"Stalker."

"Professional hazard." She straightened my collar. "You should get some rest. Theme parks are exhausting."

"Stay."

She hesitated. "Amon..."

"Stay," I said again. "We both know you want to."

"Want isn't always enough."

"It is tonight."

She searched my face for a moment longer, then nodded. "Alright."

I took her hand, leading her toward the bedroom. "For the record, you're wrong about one thing."

"Oh?"

"Want is always enough. We just have to be brave enough to admit it."

She squeezed my hand. "When did you get so wise?"

"Probably around my third life."

"Smartass."

"You love it."

She stopped, tugging me back to face her. "I love you."

I pulled her close, kissing her forehead. "I know."

She laughed. "Did you just Jin Sato me?"

"Maybe." I grinned. "Did it work?"

"You're ridiculous."

"And yet you love me anyway."

"Against my better judgment."

I lifted her chin. "I love you too."

Her eyes widened slightly. "You don't have to-"

"I know I don't have to." I traced her jawline. "I want to."

She blinked rapidly. "Oh."

"Yeah." I kissed her softly. "Oh."

She buried her face in my chest. "This doesn't change anything about tomorrow's plans."

"Wouldn't think so." I stroked her hair. "Though we might need to add some extra rides to work through all these emotions."

She pinched my side. "I hate you."

"No, you don't."

"No," she sighed. "I really don't."

We stood there for a moment longer, just holding each other in the dim light of the penthouse. Outside, Tokyo sparkled like a sea of stars, but I only had eyes for the woman in my arms.

'Analysis?' I thought.

『Subject's emotional state stabilized. Bonding reinforced. Relationship parameters updated.』

'And Ai?'

『Potential complications noted but manageable. Both relationships viable with current trajectory.』

I smiled into Maria's hair. The Advisor wasn't wrong - it would be complicated, messy even. But then again, the best things usually were.

"What are you thinking about?" Maria murmured.

"Tomorrow. You. Us." I pulled back to look at her. "The future."

"And what does that future look like?"

"Complicated." I grinned. "But worth it."

She shook her head, but she was smiling. "As long as you're sure."

"About you? Always."

"And Ai?"

"That's... evolving."

She nodded. "I can work with evolving."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She straightened my tie, a familiar gesture. "Just... keep me in the loop?"

"Always." I caught her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. "No secrets between us."

"Good." She yawned suddenly, covering her mouth with her free hand. "Sorry."

"Bed?"

She nodded. "Bed."

As we walked to the bedroom, I couldn't help but marvel at how things had changed. When I first arrived in this world, Maria had been just another piece on the board. Now...

Now she was essential. Not just to my plans, but to me.

'Final analysis?' I thought.

『Relationship stability at 94%. Emotional synchronization optimal. Recommend maintaining current course.』

For once, I agreed completely with the Advisor. Sometimes the best strategy was simply to hold onto what you had, while remaining open to what might come.

I adjusted my mouse ears in the reflection of a shop window, the ridiculous black circles perched atop my head like some kind of demonic crown. Maria stood beside me, trying and failing to suppress her laughter.

"Not. One. Word." I warned.

"I wouldn't dream of it, young master Mickey." She snapped a photo with her phone before I could stop her.

"Delete that."

"No chance." She smiled, a real one that reached her eyes. "Aria needs to see this."

I sighed, but couldn't argue. My little sister would love it. "Fine. But we're getting her something better than just blackmail material."

We wandered into the nearest gift shop, a explosion of Disney merchandise that would make Walt himself proud. Maria gravitated toward the practical - a nice jacket, some school supplies. I had other ideas.

"This." I held up a massive Stitch plush that was nearly as big as Aria herself.

Maria raised an eyebrow. "How exactly do you plan to transport that?"

"Magic exists for a reason." I tucked it under my arm and grabbed a handful of smaller plushies. "And these."

"She can't possibly need all of those."

"Need? No. But deserve? Absolutely."

The cashier's eyes widened as I piled our haul on the counter. I slipped her my black card before Maria could protest.

"You spoil her," Maria said as we left.

"Someone has to."

We made our way through the park, trying every ride that caught our eye. Maria, true to her word, didn't scream once on Space Mountain. Though I did catch her grinning like a child when she thought I wasn't looking.

"It's a Small World?" I suggested after lunch, pointing to the cheerful facade.

Maria wrinkled her nose. "That song will be stuck in my head for days."

"Exactly. Shared suffering builds character."

She rolled her eyes but followed me into the line. We were just settling into our boat when I felt it - a ripple of wrongness in the magical atmosphere.

'Analysis?' I thought.

『Detecting two hostile signatures. One stray devil, class C. One human, likely hunter. Collision course in approximately 45 seconds.』

"Amon?" Maria tensed beside me, her training kicking in.

"We've got company coming. Stay close."

The boat drifted into the tunnel of singing dolls. Under different circumstances, it might have been creepy. Now it was just inconvenient.

The first explosion rocked the ride just as we entered Holland. Screams mixed with the endless loop of "It's a Small World," creating a surreal soundtrack to the chaos.

A massive shape crashed through the wall, sending animatronic children flying. The stray devil was ugly even by stray devil standards - all tentacles and teeth, with too many eyes in all the wrong places.

"Really?" I muttered. "In Disney?"

A figure in red followed through the hole, wielding a massive sword. He moved like lightning, cutting through tentacles with practiced ease.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced to the panicking tourists, "the show's about to get crazy! Let's rock!"

'Analysis on the hunter?' I thought.

『Dante. S-rank devil hunter. Known for property damage and terrible one-liners.』

Perfect.

I stood up in our boat, ignoring Maria's warning grab at my sleeve. "Hey!"

Both devil and hunter turned to look at me. I gathered my power, letting it flow through my circuits.

"You're ruining my date."

I didn't bother with anything fancy. Just pure destructive force, channeled through my darkness magic. The stray devil's multiple heads exploded like overripe melons.

Dante whistled. "Nice trick, kid. Though you might want to work on the mess factor."

I shrugged, sitting back down. "Send me the cleaning bill."

He laughed, shouldering his sword. "You must be apart of the 72 pillars. Got that whole 'aristocratic badass' vibe going."

"Amon. And this is Maria."

Maria nodded politely, though I could feel her calculating how many ways she could kill him if necessary.

"Dante." He gave a theatrical bow. "Sorry about crashing your date. This guy's been leading me on a merry chase all morning."

"In a Disney park?"

"Hey, evil has no taste." He looked around at the destruction. "Though I guess I'm not helping the ambiance much either."

Sirens wailed in the distance. Dante grimaced.

"That's my cue to exit stage left. Nice meeting you, kids. Try the churros - they're killer."

He vanished through the hole he'd made, leaving us alone with the wreckage and the still-singing dolls.

"Well," I said. "That was different."

Maria pinched the bridge of her nose. "Only you could turn Disney into a combat zone."

"Me? I was a perfect gentleman. It was the stray devil who started it."

"Mmhmm." She pulled out her phone. "I'll call cleanup. They can handle the cover story."

I caught her wrist. "Later. We still have half the park to explore."

"Amon, we can't just-"

"Yes, we can." I stood, offering her my hand. "Come on. I heard the churros are killer."

She stared at me for a moment before laughing. "You're impossible."

"Thank you."

We climbed out of the boat, carefully avoiding the debris. As we walked away, I could still hear the eternal chorus of "It's a Small World" echoing behind us.

"Your mouse ears are crooked," Maria said.

I adjusted them with as much dignity as I could muster. "How's that?"

"Perfect." She smiled, taking my hand. "Though you might want to clean off the devil blood first."

I looked at our reflection in a nearby window. The ears were indeed spattered with gore.

"Think the gift shop sells replacements?"

"Probably not in your size."

"Shame." I pulled her closer as we walked. "Want to try the teacups next?"

"After watching you demolish a stray devil? I think I can handle a little spinning."

We spent the rest of the day being aggressively normal. Rides, snacks, terrible tourist photos. By sunset, even Maria had given in and gotten her own set of ears - Minnie-style, with a red bow.

"Aria's going to love all of this," she said as we headed for the exit.

"The gifts or the photos of her terrifying older brother in mouse ears?"

"Both." She showed me her phone. "Though I think this one's my favorite."

It was us on Splash Mountain, caught mid-drop. I was laughing, real and unguarded, while Maria clung to my arm with a look of pure joy.

"Send me that one."

She did, then tucked her phone away. "Thank you for today."

"Even with the interruption?"

"Especially with the interruption." She squeezed my hand. "It was very... us."

I knew what she meant. The mix of normal and absolutely insane, of public facade and private moments. It was who we were, who we'd always be.

"Next time we'll try Universal," I said. "Less singing dolls."

"More dinosaurs though."

"I can handle dinosaurs."

She laughed. "You just want to recreate that James Pratt scene."

"I would look amazing in a leather vest."

"You're ridiculous."

"You love it."

She stopped walking, turning to face me. The setting sun painted her in shades of gold and shadow, making her look almost ethereal.

"Yes," she said simply. "I do."

I kissed her there, in front of the castle, not caring who saw.

"Home?" Maria asked.

I nodded, adjusting her mouse ears. "Home. We've got a lot of presents to wrap."

"And reports to file about the stray devil."

"Tomorrow."

"Amon..."

"Tomorrow," I insisted. "Tonight is still ours."

She smiled. "Alright. Tomorrow."

We left the park hand in hand, my mouse ears still slightly crooked, her bow catching the last rays of sun. Behind us, the castle glowed like something out of a fairy tale.

But we weren't fairy tale people. We were devils and attendants, killers and lovers, players in a game far darker than anything Disney could imagine.

And somehow, that made days like this even more precious.

"Next time," Maria said as we walked, "let's try to avoid property damage."

I grinned. "No promises."

She sighed, but she was smiling. "I know. That's why I love you."

"Because I'm a walking disaster?"

"Because you're you." She squeezed my hand. "Mouse ears and all."