So, here's the last chapter!I'm sorry, but instead of doing the whole 'Ainz's perspective on the situation he's in', I'm staying with the topic of this fic. After giving you pining!Demiurge in the first chapter, Ainz knowing and not wanting to hurt him in the second, Ainz not knowing and pining back in the third you get...

Yes you guessed right: REQUITED!DEMAINZ!

I apologize for the delay, but this was so hard to write! How do you write a love confession between a sadistic devil and his undead Master while keeping them in character?

This is the way I used. I hope I managed to keep them close to their canon characterization, and if I didn't I'm sorry. I tried.

This is especially dedicated to RedWolfsHowl, who commented in AO3 back when 'Loyalty, With Love' was just a one-shot that they wanted a story ' where Demiurge and Ainz are actually together and the story isn't stupid'. Hope I delivered!

Calm. Cool. Collected. Serene. And very kind to those that belonged to Nazarik.

Those were the characteristics that described Demiurge to a tee. Of course, there were more: sadistic, cruel, enjoys seeing the despair in his victim's eyes... But those were the sides of himself he showed to those outside of Nazarik, and it was a particular rule of his to not show it to his comrades or SuprememRulers unless it was requested of him, considering it too 'unprofessional'. Even if they all already knew of that side of his.

But this... This could be considered the exception to that particular rule.

Demiurge grinned savagely as he used his claws to rip one of his foes in half, it widening in delight when the blood splattered all over him. Had this been any other fight he would have taken care to not stain the suit his Creator, Ulbert Alain Odle, had given him.

But as he retreated and felt himself pressing back-to-back with another one, and glanced at this person briefly before returning his gaze to the battlefield, the emotions he was feeling made his teeth sharpen. This was shown to his victims, making most of them stumble back in fear, in that sadistic grin he'd been sporting since he was given that order.

Fight with me, Demiurge.

The foe was too strong for minions, but not too strong for the two of them. Still, they were many which was why Ainz-sama had given that order. He normally preferred emotional torture to the messier, physical one but...

Fighting alongside Ainz-sama. Feeling and seeing his power from a front-row seat, defending him when needed, coordinating his movements with his Master's... it was intoxicating.

Ahh, my blood is boiling. And those lovely screams these insects make when I kill them makes the sensation stronger.

Now, no matter what his preferences may be, Demiurge was still a demon. He liked his usual work of strategist and information gatherer, and he may prefer to hurt with words, but at his core, he just loved it when he was required to cause chaos and death, when he could let his bloodlust out to be sated... like in this fight. If it wasn't because those insects dared to attack Ainz-sama he would have thanked them from the bottom of his heart for this opportunity to fight side-to-side with his beloved Master.

Demiurge used flames to roast another cockroach (only one of them, he could just use an ability to end up everyone in a millisecond but it wouldn't do to end the fun too soon) and blocked a blast of holy magic directed towards his Master's back with his claws (weak, so weak he didn't even feel it). His eyes then shifted to the fool that dared to attack a Supreme Being from behind, and blazed.

He had his next target.

Everything started when Ainz decided to take a break from the paperwork. A much needed one, at that, because his day until then was horrible: Albedo having a 'super tsundere' attack in the morning, meeting after meeting with several representatives of all sectors of the economy...

And as if that wasn't bad enough, there was the paperwork. He was drowning in it. He'd been at it for five hours without rest, and the stack in his desk seemed to increase instead of decrease.

I knew becoming a king would be administrative hell, but it seems I underestimated how bad it would be.

He needed to get out, get some fresh air. Without his usual guards, preferably, which was why he gave the excuse of 'needing to check Demiurge's progress in his mission'. This not only gave him a good excuse to step out, but because a Guardian would be there he could dismiss his bodyguards. And it wasn't like it was a lie, anyway, as he had been meaning to do so for some time now. Not because he didn't trust Demiurge or his reports, of course, but because he always liked to asses a situation in person whenever possible.

Stepping through the [Gate] he was greeted by a surprised Demiurge, and he quickly stated the reason for his visit to assuage the slight anxiety he detected when the devil asked him if there was something that had displeased him from his reports.

"Ah, I see. Then, will it be okay to talk inside the base?" Ainz agreed, and they began to walk towards Demiurge's base (a wooden cabin located in the forest near the Holy Kingdom, where Demiurge was tasked to gather information and prepare everything for Jaldabaoth's arrival), but before they could step in, both of them sensed the the presence of quite a large number of intruders, though they feigned they hadn't. The intruders were also stronger than any other being they've encountered in this world, but still weaklings when compared to any of them.

"Ah, I see. So this was the real motive. As expected of Ainz-sama"

Ainz felt confused for a few seconds before he realized why Demiurge had said that. And he wanted to shout that no, the fact that his base was about to be attacked was just a coincidence, but instead, he remained calm.

"Who would you like me to contact in Nazarik in order to capture this fools?" Demiurge continued, assuming that their strength made them interesting enough for capture. If they didn't have worthy information, they would at least be useful for experiments; they'd surely last longer than the other specimens.

Ainz also thought of that, but instead of ordering Demiurge to contact the Pleiades or Eight Edge Assassins he signaled Demiurge to wait as he thought.

Truth was, Ainz was stressed. The managing of a kingdom, the plans for world domination, the act he constantly had to put in order to appear as the Ainz Ooal Gown everyone expected... it took its toll on him. As an undead, he didn't feel physical exhaustion, but he could still feel it mentally. And without the ability to sleep to relieve his poor mind, the result was a constant feeling of stress.

He tried to take some time off, bathing or doing other activities, in order to relieve it. But he had found there was a quicker and more efficient way to do it, completely by accident.

Maybe it was because he was undead, but that super-tier spell he cast at the Katze Plains felt like a release for all his stress. Killing all those humans, watching those cute lambs destroy even more... it felt as relaxing as taking a slime bath. This made Ainz fear that he was becoming someone who liked killing, but he had comforted himself that time by saying that it had been a necessity. It may relax him, but he only killed when he had something to gain from it, or when it was practical.

But right now, he wanted to battle the intruders simply to relieve some of his stress.

No, I must have more self-control than that. Still... let's see. They must be at least a hundred. While capturing them makes sense, not all of them will be useful. So just as long as we take care of letting the important ones alive, the rest shouldn't matter, right?

It was a practical reason. A hundred prisoners were too much, so unless he wanted to gift some of them to his more sadistic NPCs to have some fun he would have to weed out the most interesting ones and dispose of the rest. Also, Ainz could feel the hostility coming from the soon-to-be-corpses. They would be the ones attacking them; Ainz didn't make the first move, and he had a feeling that negotiating with them would just be a waste of air. So from that point of view, they were just defending themselves. That would justify the battle, wouldn't it?

"Hmm, I have another idea. Say, Demiurge" Ainz said in a casual tone, his decision made "You must have been very bored lately, haven't you? While you exceed in these kinds of missions, they are more tedious than anything. I apologize for that."

"Ah, do not worry about that, Ainz-sama" Demiurge hastened to say, confused about his Master's reasons in saying that but following his lead anyway "Serving you is a pleasure, and definitely something I will never get bored of doing"

"Still, this can't be very entertaining for you. At home you had your, ah, hobbies to amuse you, and during the Re-Estize business you were at least taking action and letting go slightly. But this period of inactiveness and information gathering must have you pretty bored, doesn't it?"

Demiurge was still confused, but he catiously replied, "Well, you are certainly not wrong in that, Ainz-sama." And he wasn't. While he knew that collecting information on the Holy Kingdom to know how to best use Jaldabaoth against them was important, it was a lengthy process that was both easy and tedious. And as his Master had correctly deduced, he missed his workshop in Nazarik and longed for this waiting period to end.

"Hmm, thank you for speaking honestly. Then, how would you like to cut loose, even if it's just a little bit?"

A bolt of electricity traveled through the Devil's spine when he finally got what his Master was offering, and he unconsciously straightened while his usual serene smile widened slightly in eagerness.

"Would that really be okay?"

"Of course. To be honest, I'm quite frustrated right now and feel like exercising a bit. We will capture a few for questioning, obviously, so we can't really get lost in the exercise in order to locate the interesting ones... But as for the rest, why not?" He made a gesture towards the place the intruders were, big enough for Demiurge to see but not for their prey to realize they've been spotted "Well, what do you say? Up for it?"

"A bit of exercise sounds marvelous, if I may be honest."

"Umu. [Glass Cage]" Casted Ainz, making a transparent wall made of glass surround the area, trapping the two wolves with the sheep that were now aware of the situation "Then fight with me, Demiurge" He ordered.

"Ainz-sama, it will be a pleasure to obey."

And so the slaughter started. Unconscious bodies mixed with dead ones, and when all the interesting ones were put to sleep (with more or less violence, depending on how feisty they had been) Demiurge finally took Ainz's permission and let himself loose, slightly so he didn't kill everyone immediately and spoil his Master's exercise.

They made a marvelous team: vicious and efficient, one protecting the other when particularly effective magic was directed at one of them.

And in a moment when Ainz took a slight breather to watch Demiurge fight, even though he was undead and thus didn't breath, he felt his breath catch.

Majestic. That was how the devil looked, surrounded by blood and fire, a savage grin on his usually calm face, his tail lashing at the enemies that approached from behind while his claws and flames decimated the rest. Watching him fight was like poetry in motion, every move calculated to deal with the enemy in the most effective and vicious way.

Ainz knew for sure that if he were human, this sight would have instantly made him hard, no matter how twisted it sounded.

He continued to watch Demiurge fight as thoughts he'd had for a long time resurfaced in his mind.

He didn't know when these… affections… for the Guardian of the seventh floor started. He just knew that with his title of 'Sorcerer King' came many responsibilities and he often found himself planning and organizing this with Albedo and Demiurge. But since he gave Albedo permission to create her 'dream team' it tended to just be Demiurge and himself most days, occasions in which most often than not found Ainz and Demiurge talking about more things than the predetermined topics.

Bluntly put, the both of them took the opportunity to get to know the other better. Ainz, to see how he evolved from Ulbert's settings, and Demiurge so he could serve his Master better. But their chats had a small side effect: they became a bit more... relaxed with each other.

It wasn't obvious, and Demiurge didn't let himself show anything when it was a serious occasion or when surrounded by the other Guardians. But when it was the two of them, Demiurge made gestures or said things that he wouldn't have said or done before. Nothing too obvious or relaxed, he still wanted to pay his Master the respect he deserved, but still something Ainz noticed and was grateful for.

Maybe that was when it started. Maybe it was when Ainz caught glances of the kindness Demiurge showed to those belonging to Nazarik. Or the fact that he admired his amazing intelligence, something he could only wish to have.

Or perhaps, it was that now that he was his game avatar his sexuality had changed. He had previously been strictly heterosexual, but now that he was a character defined by 'extreme evil' and a very low sense of justice, he may be attracted to evilness. It may be the reason he didn't mind Shalltear or Demiurge's cruelness, or why he admired the latter's a little.

It didn't matter, in the end. These feelings simmered inside him, never reaching the peak that would forcibly smooth them to a lower level, and he couldn't seem to get rid of them. He didn't know how he was ever going to look at Ulbert-san in the eyes...

Not that he would ever say anything, though. Not first, not when doing so was akin to ordering him to feel the same, or at least that's how he would see it. Now, if the devil said something first though...

"Ainz-sama?" The rough, nearly demonic voice of Demiurge snapped Ainz out of his thoughts in time to see a single man, dressed as a ninja, run and disappear through the trees in front of him.

"Ah, I apologize for getting caught in my thoughts. I see you took care of everyone"

"Yes- ah, I apologize for not leaving anyone for you Ainz-sama!" Demiurge, who at first was calm and a little concerned, suddenly exclaimed.

"It's fine. Frankly, watching you fight is a pleasure, so I don't mind it." Ainz said, noticing how the devil's spiked tail lashed suddenly and wildly at the praise. Ainz chuckled slightly, finding the uncharacteristically open and savage state the devil was in almost... cute.

Better not let him know I find him cute, ever. He might just kill me for it. Still, it's another proof for the 'I'm attracted to evil' theory...

He should have felt unnerved about this discovery, but he found he couldn't care less.

There's still at least one left... let's enjoy this for now and leave thinking about the impossible possibility of Demiurge feeling something similar for later.

"Still, it seems there's one little rat left, and in hiding" Demiurge informed his Master. He knew his voice was rough in a mix of his normal voice and his demonic one. It had been so long since he'd been permitted to slaughter like that that he his emotions had gotten a little carried away, and he was now a bit drunk on battle and bloodlust. A state that was augmented by the praise his Ruler had given him.

"Indeed" Ainz agreed, and even though he didn't have any lips Demiurge could feel the savage grin that matched his on his voice "Thank you for going along my selfish idea."

"It has been my pleasure, Ainz-sama!" Demiurge laughed "And no order of yours will be considered selfish by any resident of Nazarik, much less myself, but a privilege you are giving us by giving us a chance to obey! Why, just give the word and I will personally ensure that this world will burn to ashes just for you!" A [Fireball] flew in the direction of their missing rat to illustrate the point.

"Is that so? I'm pleased with your loyalty," Ainz shot while running after the fleeing ninja that had managed to dodge the ball of fire.

"Loyalty? What I feel goes further than that!" Cackled Demiurge as he followed after his Master, dodging the feeble attacks and traps the human was hurling as he ran, his bloodlust and excitement making his words as honest as they could be "My body, my soul... Even my whole heart belongs to you, Ainz-sama! Yours to do as you please with!"

The Overlord's steps faltered slightly at this, as if surprised ―

It should be impossible! But that sounds... do I dare to hope...?

― but not enough to impede him reaching the human first, and as he used his magic to make the screaming man float in the air he asked, "Your heart? You make it sound as if..."

"Exactly, Ainz-sama! As expected of you, you divine my feelings easily!" Demiurge exclaimed and he used his spiked tail to open the man in half, thus finally ending the hunt "Indeed, this servant loves you with the whole of his being!" He continued, facing his Master and kneeling at his feet with a fiercely worshipful expression "That is why I beg of you to permit me to serve you forever, in any way you deem me worthy of!" He then lowered his head and silence fell over them, only interrupted by the slight pants of Demiurge's prostrated and slightly trembling body.

It seems I can dare to hope!

...gah, damn that emotional override. Still, now that I'm calm I can see it's strange for Demiurge to be this open, no matter how much he's affected by bloodlust... but what could be the reason for it-

Ah. I see.

I almost don't want to do it. To take advantage. But I couldn't do that to someone I care about.

I knew this was too good to be true.

At least, until Ainz spoke.

"[Emotional Balance]"

It was as if a jar of cold water had been poured over the imp's feelings, returning the missing calmness to his mind. Though once Demiurge was back to his normal self, he wished for a brief moment to return to his addled state where he wasn't conscious of his actions before he was drowned in horror.

What have I done?

With his mind back to normal, Demiurge immediately deduced what had happened to him. While he had used the word 'intoxicating' to describe how fighting alongside his master made him feel, it had been used in the metaphorical sense. But witnessing his overwhelming power, so mighty and dark he could feel it in his bones and even taste it, and being enveloped in that aura every being in Nazarik could feel... It made that word turn from metaphorical into literal.

Simply put, he had been drunk in his Master's power, drugged into a state where stating his feelings felt completely natural. Sensible. Because how could anyone witnessing Ainz-sama's fighting not express their worship for him?

How could anyone not love him?

He had been dealing with the former since he found out Ainz-sama had been merciful enough to stay with them, and with the latter since... He honestly couldn't pinpoint the exact moment. He just kept quiet and tried to deal with them, because even though no Guardian would condemn him for having them, he still felt they would be... bothersome to Ainz-sama. And bothering him was the last thing Demiurge wanted, especially as he got to know his Master better during those talks that made both feelings bigger and more difficult to hide.

And now here they were. In the open.

But Ainz-sama probed his merciful nature for the millionth time by realizing what happened and saying "I acknowledge you weren't in your right mind, Demiurge. I am willing to ignore your words and pretend this didn't happen."

Even though it will be difficult for me to do so...

He should have agreed. Taken the out his Lord had so mercifully given him.

But now that they were finally out of his chest, Demiurge couldn't make himself deny them anymore.

He honestly didn't regret stating them. It was how he truly felt, and he never had a problem in stating the truth. What he regretted was not being able to deal with them better... to have inconvenienced his Master like that.

"Please Ainz-sama, I beg you to hear me out" He pleaded, his head bowing even deeper than before "I realize it's... wrong of me to harbour these feelings towards you, and I will end my life immediately on your order if that pleases you, but drugged or not, what I said... Was the truth. Please, forgive me"

Demiurge felt drops of sweat falling down his face, and he could physically feel his ruler's eyes on him, like flames licking at his soul.

Forgive you? For being honest, and feeling what I never dared to hope you would?

Ahh, I feel like I'm going to do something embarrassing... But I can't seem to help myself...

"Raise, Demiurge"

The devil obeyed, getting gracefully to his feet without raising his head. He was ready for whatever his Lord did to him.

He started slightly when he felt the hard, skeletal hand in his chin, but submitted to the push and let it guide his head up. His eyes met the burning lights of his Master's, and he was entranced. So much, that he didn't register Ainz's face getting closer until he felt the brush on his lips before the face retreated.

His body froze. His brain stopped. His Master observed him, as if Demiurge was an experiment he was eager to see the results of.

"...Demiurge? Are you okay?" Asked Ainz after a few minutes of silence.

Damn that emotional suppression! Couldn't it have worked just a few seconds earlier?!

This finally pulled a reaction from the shocked devil. His face turned red, his tail which had been still and lowered in submission first, and then raised and in parallel with his body, now started to move madly.

"A-Ainz-sama, d-did you just-?!" He sputtered, hand touching his lips.

"...I did. W-was that too weird?"

"NO!" He exclaimed, "No, absolutely not, it's just- wait, does that mean...?"

"Ahh, well... I guess that was a… 'me too'... I suppose..." Hearing those hesitant words made Demiurge finally stop focusing on himself and his feelings and look at his Master. He had always been unable to read him, but right now... His averted eyes, his posture, everything was screaming 'bashfulness'. If he had flesh, he would surely be sporting a blush that matched his.

It was so unlike how his ruler usually portrayed himself. Ainz Ooal Gown projected an aura of regal majesty and self-assuredness, and an attitude that said 'everything dances in the palm of my hand'. Confident, wise and strong: that was the Master Demiurge knew.

Could it be that he's... allowing me to see him like this? To see a part of him he normally keeps hidden?

Demiurge's eyes widened slightly at that revelation. He felt... humbled. Privileged.

It is said that strength is the ability to have no weaknesses... But allowing your feelings to show in front of someone you trust, even if to any other they would make you seem 'weak'... That's the real strength.

And he said 'me too'...

This attitude of his was what made Demiurge fully believe that what had just happened had been real. And with the exception of the tender and joyful smile he couldn't get rid of, it finally let him regain his usual serene attitude (as showed by his tail when it finally stilled).

"Ahem. Well." Ainz cleared his throat and tried again "I need to return back to Nazarik and send someone to retrieve the prisoners. Oh, and to clean everything."

"I understand. You have many responsibilities after all" Demiurge said promptly, hiding a small stab of disappointment.

I wish you could stay for just a little longer...

"Do not think I will forget what happened here" Said his perceptive ruler "We will talk more about this when you return home, be sure of it" As if just realizing he still had his hand cupping the devil's ching, a bony thumb rubbed his cheek slightly before the hand retreated and Ainz took a step back.

Demiurge smiled. This was the second time Ainz-sama referred to Nazarik as 'home', which pleased him as much as the promise to talk did.

"Of course, Ainz-sama, I will look forward to it. Then, let me see you to the [Gate]-"

"Momonga"

Demiurge blinked and looked at the Undead King with confusion.

"Call me Momonga" Ainz clarified "When we are alone at least. Ainz Ooal Gown is the Sorcerer King and your superior. Momonga is just a man who... wants to see where this goes"

And maybe this will help you to separate Ainz Ooal own from just Momonga when I SHOW YOU WHO I really am... Hopefully, this will help you to not feel too disappointed...

Hopefully, Suzuki Satoru will get to keep you, too.

And with that, the recently regained calm disappeared again.

"I- t-thank you M-Momonga-sama!" Demiurge stammered, the blush again on his face while his tail regained its previous uncontrollable movements.

"-sama, huh? Well, I guess that until you feel comfortable to just call me Momonga, without any honorifics, that will have to do"

I'm allowed to do that?!

A tree fell nearby, slashed by the wild movements of Demiurge's tail, but none of them paid it any heed.

"Th-then... M-Momonga-s-, no I mean, M-Momonga...?" He didn't know what he wanted to say, he just wanted to try and see how he felt being so familiar with the man he worshipped.

The result was that his tail became practically invisible, and a whole row of trees fell down.

"Please don't force yourself" Ainz chuckled "You have a lot of time to get used to it after all."

Seriously, so cute...!

The implication of him being like that with A- Momonga-sama for a long time made the tail reach supersonic levels. The number of trees around them was diminishing quickly; thankfully, they were quite a distance from Demiurge's base.

"I will be going then" Ainz decided, calling for a [Gate] "I am confident you will fulfill your mission with your usual speed and efficiency, and when everything's over we will have that talk. I will be waiting" With that, Ainz disappeared and the [Gate] vanished, leaving the devil alone.

With a supreme force of will, Demiurge took a deep breath and stilled his tail. He wanted to be done with his duties already, but his pride and his beloved Master's words wouldn't let him do a sloppy job.

"Then I will have to devise a method that is both quick and up to my usual standards" He decided, an aura like that of a man on a life-or-death mission surrounding him as he walked back to the base.

Only to freeze after taking a few steps.

"No, no, let's put that aside from now. There's a more dangerous and urgent problem to solve first" Cold sweat covered his temples as his genius mind worked at the speed of light while he continued his march at a lower pace "Hiding it won't work" He muttered "She seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to things like this... Then what will be the best way to break the news? A way that won't get me or Momonga-sama attacked by a jealous succubus..."

Suddenly returning to Nazarik as fast as possible didn't seem so appealing.

After dispatching a group of Eight Edge assassins to take care of his and Demiurge's mess, Ainz told his servants he had a very important thing to do before closing his room's door and letting himself fall into the bed. His mind was buzzing with what had just happened, and the concerns that came with it: Demiurge's reaction when he met Suzuki Satoru, what he would say to Ulbert-san, Albedo...

He then forcefully shoved all of them aside.

I can't submerge myself in what-ifs, it will just make me miserable. I will just face the difficulties as they come.

Just this once, I will allow myself to be selfish.

And with that, he smiled and closed his eyes. He would allow himself a brief rest before returning to his duties, and the ever-increasing pile of paperwork in his desk.

It may have not started well, but this day turned out to be a truly wonderful one.

So, that was the method I used. I felt that unless Demiurge was out of his mind, he wouldn't be able to say anything lol. And of course, if he didn't talk first Ainz wouldn't say anything, because of the reasons stated both here and in the previous chapter.

I really hope you enjoyed it. I will start now to work on your prompts (yes, I didn't forget them!), so please stay tuned!