#mclance
Note: I was going to make this end sad, but I don’t like Barbatos being sad. :( So we have a happy ending.
Warnings: Attic incident mention, head injury, concussion (loosely based on my experience with a concussion - but that’s all blurry to me), incorrect medical stuff to fit the plot, amnesia, threat, pact use without permission
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff (in that order)
Word Count: 2869
–
Barbatos stormed through a portal and slammed Solomon into the wall. His hands gripped into tight fists on the fabric of the sorcerer’s shirt as the portal vanquished into thin air. The demon’s tail thrashed from side to side. “What did you do to him?” Barbatos growled.
Solomon winced at the stinging sensation in the back of his head. He wouldn’t be surprised if he was bleeding from where his head collided with the wall. “A potion we were working on blew up. It knocked him out. He’s being checked by a doctor right now.”
“Where is he?” Barbatos released the wizard. Solomon pointed through a door as he rubbed the back of his head. Without glancing back, Barbatos left with his demon form dissipated and threw the door open. A doctor looked up in alarm.
“You can’t be in this room, sir,” the doctor spoke quickly. Barbatos ignored him and made a beeline for Lance.
“Lance, Little Lamb, are you alright?” Barbatos went to cup the human’s face with his hands.
“Don’t touch me!” Lance yelped and shot out of bed. He tripped as the sheet caught on his ankle.
“Lance?” Barbatos asked in confusion. He immediately ceased his movements with his pact activated, unable to try a catch him. Fortunately, with how often he has fallen in the past, Lance was able to stabilize himself. “My apologies, I didn’t–. You’ve never minded in the past.”
“The past? I don’t know who you are. We’ve never met before.”
Barbatos stilled. His heart sank. Painfully. It felt like someone had just stabbed him in the gut and twisted the knife. “I beg your pardon?” Barbatos took a step forward to try and reason with him, but Lance scrambled backward.
“Sir, please, I must ask you to leave.” Barbatos gave the doctor a pleading look.
“Lance, we’re engaged. The ring on your finger is the ring I gave you.”
“Engaged?” Lance scoffed. “I’m never going to date, that’s impossible.” He glanced at the ring he had and froze. “Where did this come from?”
"It was a gift from me. You received it the same night I received a ring from you,” Barbatos spoke softly. He turned to the doctor. “Will he get his memories back?”
“I cannot give that information out without the consent of the patient. Sir, you really must leave.”
Barbatos looked away from both of them. He felt his bottom lip quiver before he nodded. “I understand. I will be waiting outside.” He risked a glance towards Lance who watched him with confusion. “I’m sorry I frightened you, Lance. That was never my intention. I would never do anything to harm you. If you’ll please excuse me.”
Barbatos slid the door open and then shut it behind him. His feet unconsciously carried him to a nearby bench. He sank down on it and stared blankly at the wall before him.
“How is he?” Barbatos barely registered Solomon’s words.
“He does not remember me. At all.”
“What?”
Barbatos’s hands formed into tight fists. “He does not remember me. I do not know if his memories will return to him.”
"You don’t? You didn’t see any of this?”
“No!” Barbatos snapped. “I did not look that far into the future. I was afraid to see how things between us may have ended if they ever did. This…” Barbatos’s voice began to crack. “What if this is how it ends?”
Just as Solomon was about to respond, the door opened. The doctor left the room before shutting the door behind him. Then, moments later, the door opened again. Barbatos glanced to see Lance standing there awkwardly. He shuffled over to the demon and sat down, a bit of a distance away from him. He eyed Solomon nervously. With an awkward laugh, the wizard excused himself and left the pair alone.
“How are you feel—” Barbatos’s question was interrupted.
“You called me Lance and used he/him pronouns.”
Barbatos’s eyebrows furrowed together. “Yes, I did. That, besides my nicknames for you, has been what I’ve always referred to you by.”
Lance slowly nodded his head. “No one calls me that. Not that I remember. But it’s what I wanted to be called by.”
Barbatos’s lips parted as he started to piece together where in his life Lance’s memories took him back to. It must have been just before the exchange program took place. “I see. Many people call you that now.”
“They do?”
"Yes. You have many people that truly care about you.”
“Even you?”
Barbatos looked down at the ring Lance gave him. “Yes, especially me.”
Lance frowned and played with the ring on his finger. “The ring’s beautiful. It’s exactly what I would want.”
Barbatos nodded. “I know. I picked it especially for you.”
Lance swallowed. “And I cared for you?”
Barbatos looked away from the human at feeling a stinging in his eyes. Lance’s feelings vanished in less than a day. “Yes, you did.”
“That’s hard to believe,” Lance whispered. “I don’t let myself get attached.”
"It took a very long time,” Barbatos murmured quietly. “I was patient.”
Lance glanced at the person next to him who refused to look at him. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m hurting you, because of this.”
Barbatos shook his head. “Don’t apologize. I can be patient again if that is what you wish.”
Lance stilled as he stared at the stranger in front of him. “You’re a stranger to me. I don’t know if–.”
Barbatos nodded his head but paused so that his hair covered his eyes. “Yes, I’m aware.” Finally, he was able to look up at Lance. “How are you, asides from the amnesia?” That was more important.
Lance inhaled sharply as he caught sight of Barbatos’s eyes. He felt something in his chest and looked away quickly. “I have a mild concussion. Everything’s moving slowly in my head. I hate it. I’m used to my thoughts being faster, louder. It’s just molasses right now. I can only have one train of thought. I used to be able to think of multiple things at once.”
Barbatos stood from his seat and held out a hand to Lance. “You should get some rest, then.”
Lance looked at the hand. His eyes lingered on the engagement ring on the person’s hand. “What’s your name?”
“Barbatos. Though, you sometimes called me Little Bat or Tosie.”
“Tosie?” Lance’s nose wrinkled at the overly cutesy name.
“Yes,” Barbatos said with a sigh. “Only you are allowed to call me that.”
Lance tore his eyes from the ring and up at the butler. “You actually loved me?”
“I still do. Always and forever.”
Lance’s lip quivered. “I’m sorry, I wish I remembered. I might with some time.”
Barbatos lowered to his knees before him. “Don’t apologize. Right now, the most important thing is for your concussion to heal. The rest we will figure out. Would you like me to help you back to your room to rest?”
Lance nodded and took Barbatos’s hands. Barbatos sighed with relief as the pact’s command was released. He wrapped an arm around Lance’s shoulder and guided him back to the hospital bed. He tucked Lance in tightly with the blankets on the hospital bed and lingered for a moment – not wanting to leave just yet.
“You can stay,” Lance said softly. Barbatos nodded and took a seat near the bed. It was silent for a few moments before Lance spoke up, “You’re on my home screen on my phone.”
Barbatos glanced at Lance and nodded his head. “Yes, you rotate it frequently if you get another picture of me that you like.”
Lance was quiet as he rolled over to his side to face Barbatos. “That’s how I believed you. Believed that we’re engaged. I’ve kept the same home screen for years.”
“Yes, it was a very big deal for you to change it. You felt as though you were disrespecting the deceased. It took a lot for you to go through to change the picture.”
“I must have taken a lot of pictures of you.”
Barbatos chuckled. “You did, yes. I believe most of them are still on your phone.”
Lance’s eyes started to drift shut. “I’ll try to remember when I took those pictures, then.”
Barbatos gave him a sad smile. “Take your time.”
–
Lance’s head pounded when he woke up. He winced as he opened his eyes and sat up in alarm. The dull beeping of the machine grounded him to have him realize where he was. A nurse must have come back in and reconnected him while he was knocked out. He looked over and saw Barbatos asleep in his chair.
“Tosie?” Lance asked quietly. Instantly, the person woke up and looked at Lance. He hurried over to his bedside.
“What is it, Lance? What do you need?”
Lance’s eyebrows furrowed together. “You like tea and you bake, right?”
Barbatos sighed in relief as he sat on the side of Lance’s bed. “Yes, that is correct.”
“And I…Started a fan club for you?”
Barbatos laughed. “Yes, you did.”
Lance squirmed with embarrassment. Still, he watched him with caution. “Can I hug you?”
“Yes, of course you can.”
Lance quickly wrapped his arms around him. Barbatos immediately returned the embrace and held onto the human tightly. “This feels familiar. There’s something else,” Lance spoke quietly. “But it’s stupid.”
“Nothing is stupid. What is it?”
“Something’s telling me you’re not human?” Lance said with confusion in his voice. “I don’t know why. Is it an inside joke?”
Barbatos paused. “No, it’s not an inside joke. It’s a long story, though. I’ll tell you once you’re feeling better. However, it seems as though you’re starting to remember some things?”
Lance slowly nodded. “Just some tidbits. A couple of facts and a sort of feeling when I look at you.”
“What’s that feeling?” Barbatos asked as his fingers ran up and down Lance’s back, tracing small patterns. He felt some comfort in that Lance hadn’t pulled away yet. It took a while for him to let Barbatos touch him for more than just a few seconds.
Lance rested more of his weight into Barbatos. “I don’t really know. Comfort? Safety? A sense of belonging? It’s a nice feeling.” Lance hesitated before he pulled away. Though, his hands still lingered on Barbatos’s arms. He looked up at the person in front of him with exhaustion. “I should sleep more. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.” Barbatos pressed a kiss to the top of Lance’s head without thinking. When he realized what he did, he pulled away quickly. “My apologies. I shouldn’t have.”
"Don’t apologize,” Lance repeated. “It was nice. I’ll hopefully remember more soon.”
“You’re already remembering plenty, I’ll be patient.” He helped Lance lay back down and ensure that the blankets were covering him. “Do you want a warm blanket brought in?”
Lance silently nodded as he quickly drifted off to sleep.
–
Lance startled as he clawed at his neck. There was nothing there. “Barbatos!” he gasped out and looked around frantically. Barbatos quickly grabbed a hold of his hands. “I died. What happened?! Why did I die?!”
“Breathe,” Barbatos whispered to him. “Just breathe.”
“I couldn’t!” Lance sobbed out as he desperately held onto him. Fat tears rolled down his cheeks. “I couldn’t breathe! I tried calling for you, but–!”
“I know, I know,” Barbatos hushed him. “I’m so sorry.”
“It was the only way,” Lance hiccupped. “Why was it the only way? I don’t understand. How did I come back from that?” Barbatos was quiet, his grip on Lance tightened. Lance seemed to have no memories that involved magic or anything related to demons. “But you were there. You stayed with me.” Lance’s breathing started to calm down. “Just like you are now.” He cringed at the fogginess in his mind. “Even though you have an important job.”
“My job can wait,” Barbatos reassured Lance. He ran his fingers over Lance’s hair and paused at the small welt. “Goodness, Solomon will definitely be punished for what he did to you.”
“Solomon?” Lance repeated the name. “You warned me not to trust him, but I do anyway, right?”
“Yes,” Barbatos said with a sigh. “Although, I’m certain he warned you not to trust me, too.”
Lance nodded. “Possibly. I think I got mad at him when he suggested that. Should I be mad at him for this?”
Barbatos hummed. “I am. I’m furious with him. You, however, would probably insist that it was your fault.”
“Then, you’d be mad at me?”
“No.”
Lance snorted. “Why not? If it was my fault this happened, then—”
“You’re too cute to be mad at.”
Lance stiffened in Barbatos’s arms. “No, I’m not.”
“Oya. Are you calling me a liar, Little Lamb?” Barbatos teased. He pulled away so he could look down at the reddening of his face. “I thought you had more trust in me. Don’t tell me you actually listened to Solomon? Or perhaps I just need to shower you with more compliments until you believe them?”
Lance whined and quickly moved to bury his face in Barbatos’s chest. “I’m still concussed, you can’t overwhelm me.”
Barbatos clicked his tongue. “You’re just using that as an excuse. But very well, I’ll stop teasing you. No matter how much I know you like it.”
“You dem—” Lance froze in his words. “Demon?” He repeated it again quietly as he tried to have his slowly moving thoughts catch up with the idea that was forming a mile away. “Are you a demon?” Lance withdrew his face from Barbatos’s chest. “An actual demon? You have horns and a tail.”
Barbatos watched Lance carefully to gauche just how he would react. “Yes. I am a demon.”
“Can I see them?”
“It won’t overwhelm you?”
Lance thought it over before he shook his head back and forth. “I don’t think so.”
Barbatos glanced at the door leading into the hospital room. His horns and tail appeared. Lance stared at them in awe. Slowly, his fingers reached up to caress the horns. “They’re actually antlers, aren’t they?”
“Yes,” Barbatos confirmed. “You kept one that I shed.”
Lance giggled. “That’s right. You only had one for a while. It was cute.”
Barbatos’s tail slapped against the floor at being called cute. Still, he kept his mouth shut. Even if it did form a small pout.
Lance grinned at him. “You don’t like being called cute. Even though I call you cute all the time.”
"You do,” Barbatos grunted out, much unlike his more articulate self.
Lance tilted his head to the side. “You actually like it when I call you cute, though. Don’t you?”
Barbatos eyed Lance suspiciously. “I will not confirm or deny that.”
Lance laughed, drawing a smile from the demon. “You’re confirming it then.” Lance leaned up and pressed a kiss to his cheek, causing Barbatos’s skin to become painted a fair pink. “It’s no wonder I fell in love with you.”
Barbatos’s smile softened. “It’s still a wonder to me.”
Lance melted into Barbatos’s arms at the soft smile. He whispered just so Barbatos could barely hear him, “I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with you all over again.” Barbatos immediately pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “Can I fall asleep in your arms, Tosie?”
“Anything you need or want, it’s yours.”
–
“Little Bat,” Lance whispered as he looked up at the snoozing Barbatos. His arms held him protectively from the rest of the world. Lance leaned up and pressed small kisses to his face. “Tosie.” His fingers lightly brushed over his eyelids. “Barbatos.”
Slowly, Barbatos’s eyes opened. He hummed and pulled Lance closer to him to try and keep him warm. “Yes, Little Lamb?”
“I remember,” he whispered and pressed a small kiss to the side of his neck. “I remember just about everything. I’m so sorry I put you through this.”
Barbatos pulled away from Lance with his once groggy eyes now fully awake. “You remember? What all do you remember?”
“I remember you tricking me into making Hell Coffee so you knew how I felt for you before I officially confessed.”
Barbatos chuckled. “It was the most bitter thing I have ever tasted.”
“I’m sure it’d be even more bitter now. I remember you gambling on where I would stay for a week. I remember you telling me about your past. I remember you getting upset over wanting to ask me to become immortal to stay with you. You were out in a rainstorm and I came out to fetch you.”
Barbatos was quiet. “You even went out in the wind for me.”
Lance nodded. “I remember you catching me ordering a custom body pillow with you on it. You catching me wearing your coat and making me wear it to dinner. I remember writing you those sticky notes after you were having a difficult time.”
“It turned into one of the best times I’ve ever had.”
“I remember you showing me our house for the first time. I remember proposing to you. I remember how much I love you.”
“Let me kiss you?” Barbatos nearly pleaded the human. Lance responded by pressing his lips against Barbatos’s.
MC! MONDAY PROMPT #9
“MC? What’s this?” MC looks to see their fanfiction/fan art/journal entry that features the very one holding it out to them.
Lance stared at Barbatos in horror as he realized he left open a window on his laptop that contained a love letter to the butler. His mouth went dry as he tried to think of a lie. His mind was empty, why was it empty when it’s usually screams at him until he wrote it all out? He felt the stinging of tears build up in his eyes for the humiliation.
“Is this a drawing of me?”
Lance paused as he tried to realize exactly what window as open. He had too many open. Let alone if Barbatos browses through his folders out of curiosity. Carefully, Lance trailed over to peer to see what Barbatos was looking at.
“Thank goodness,” Lance sighed with relief at seeing which drawing he had pulled up. It was just Barbatos sitting on a throne.
Barbatos quirked an eyebrow at the human. “Thank goodness? Are there other drawings of me that I should see?”
“No!” Lance spoke quickly and took away the laptop from Barbatos as he worked to close all of his files.
“Despite me not being Lord Diavolo, that was most clearly a lie,” Barbatos mused with his lips widening into a smirk. “What all are you hiding from me, Lance?”
“Nothing major.” Lance finally closed out of the last window.
Barbatos hummed thoughtfully. “If you say so.” He eyed Lance and smiled, though the smile was anything but innocent. “I must say, the way you write is heart touching.”
“The way I write?” Lance asked with confusion. Then it donned on him. He felt like he had frozen as a coldness washed over him, yet his face was burning hotter than any Hell fire. The love letter was indeed up on the screen.
“Yes,” Barbatos said with a small giggle and he held up a piece of paper. “I hope you don’t mind, I printed it off so that I could read it whenever I please.”
“I still need to edit it!” Lance whined and hid his face behind his hands – though he was glad that Barbatos wasn’t rejecting it.
“Ah, so these are your thoughts unfiltered? Even better.” Barbatos moved closer to Lance and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “That and the painting are the only things I saw. Both of which were an accident, I promise.”
Lance poked his face from his hands with a small pout. He debated on whether or not he should act angry. He just managed to hide a grin. “An accident?” he said with a low voice.
Barbatos caught on immediately and took his hands, prying them further form the human’s face. He pressed kisses to his knuckles. “Yes, I went to browse for a recipe as I had originally asked, but then I saw my name on the document. I admit, I could have stopped and ignored it, but my curiosity got the better of me and I read every word. After I had printed it, I minimized the window when I then saw the painting. Will you ever forgive me?”
“I don’t know,” Lance grumbled as his lips starts to twitch up into a smile.
“What can I do to make up for it?” Barbatos asked and nuzzled his nose against Lance’s, causing the human to burst out into a fit of giggles. He grinned at the sound.
“Let me cook with you?”
“If that is what you truly need in order to forgive me, I suppose that will be acceptable.”
In case you missed it, here’s a list of the fics/headcanons I posted last week!
Fics
Wishing Board [Barbatos/Lance]
Headcanons
MC’s Immortality is Wrong (Minus Luke)
