achoo

“It felt selfish. I knew I was selfish. Seeing them shed the tears I used to work so hard in stopping. I’d save every drop in neverending bottles but what can one do when you become the cause of their heartache? 

I remember the starless nights spent under covers, the thunder rumbling slowly in some faraway corner of the land. My younger brothers all huddled and holding onto each other, their eyes shined in the red moonlight, fear reflecting in the small salty tears that slid down their cheeks. I felt frantic as I wiped away their doubts with a quickly dampening cloth. In the middle of the small huddle of tiny bodies laid an infant coddled in green velvet fabric. He whined softly, his lips forming a pout as he peaked up at me with his crystalline eyes. The corners of his eyes were like the seas, threatening to spill over during thunderous nights like these. Jostling gently, I managed to poke my head out of the covers that felt like lead threatening to crush my precious brothers.  

Lucifer was never around.

A quick glance to the ceiling was enough to soothe my own rapidly beating heart. As long as I’m here, no one could hurt them. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I would tear through the Heavens and the lands of Hell to keep them safe and happy.

I remember all the packs of chips I’d secretly open in hopes of enjoying something on my own to only be found out by the eldest between the twins. With a smile, I’d give the redhead everything left. Then, the tiny infant with little devil horns grew too heavy in my arms and he was quick to grow rebellious. Satan was by far the most troublesome of my baby brothers. A little rascal-turned-destructive tornado when he’s deprived of the attention he so needed. With a gentle shake of my head, I simply watched as he destroyed his tiny reading corner again.

Quite frankly, I can still feel the prickle of splinters at the tips of my fingers from all the times I rebuilt his torn up room. 

Levi was quite a bit the wildcard– always has been and always will be. Now, he barely looks at me and when he does, he sneers and pokes fun at me for some reason or another but I remember the days when he used to never go a moment without holding my hand. I remember when he had night terrors from… The Fall. I used to be the only one to run to his room to hold him as he struggled to breathe normally. 

I could feel my resolve crumbling. I fought for my family but when I struggle carrying the weight of my world on my shoulders, I have no one to turn to. It felt pointless but the minute– the split second moment– Asmo hugged me when I cooked dinner one terrible night, I just felt… It felt like I could, one day, have everything I wanted.

Speaking of Asmo though, he was the sweetest when he was younger. He’d praise me for everything and sometimes I felt like I was doing everything right. My hands were tied, I… I was limited but I did my best to continue being the best for him– for them. 

Even for my big brother.

Remember when I told you Levi had night terrors when he was younger? Well, Belphie, too, suffered a lot with things haunting him in his sleep. Maybe it was the worst for him because of his sin but he was closest to Lilith. I–

I can’t go into detail how far I went to comfort him. Your precious little human ears might not be able to handle it, really. When they were all old enough, I thought “maybe it’s my time!” I thought I deserved to be held the way I held them. The way I managed to balance that almost overflowing cup for them- maybe they could pour a bit into their own individual cups for me. Maybe I deserved a break but… they kept relying on me to keep the pieces of our family together. I was this indispensable piece of a chessboard but, like when the Queen is also at risk of being captured, she needs to be sacrificed for the safety of the King. I felt like I couldn’t rely on them. Does that make any sense?

I was the Queen on the chessboard, in a game where I was on the losing side. A single wrong move could end in a checkmate.

Lucifer has always loved Chess.

The thought of him makes my blood boil, honestly. He makes me sick to my stomach but… I can’t help but admire him as if he personally took time out of his day to hang the stars in the sky. I chase that same feeling of being able to depend on him. It… has been way too long since I’ve even thought of it.

As cocky as this may sound, it feels like they need me more than I need them. They rely on me like I was the air they breathe. Without me, there wouldn’t be a family anymore, whether they are willing to admit it to themselves or not. 

When they look at me, all they see is the money-grubbing, stupid brother who cares about riches over anything in all three realms. They don’t know of all the sleepless, terrifying nights I’ve spent to lull them into a sense of peace and security. They don’t know of the missed lunches or the way I sat on the speckless tiles in our bathroom as I… just felt the wind get knocked out of my lungs. The way the room shrank and shook as I heaved all on my own. I get the flashbacks too, you know? The pain I felt when I had my wings be practically torn out of my body. The gashes and the scabs that never truly healed.

It’s selfish though, for me to complain about the experience we shared.

I’ll just have to stay the stupid, greedy brother. The one too uncaring for others feelings, so reckless to the point I am driven to madness by even the smallest amount of money or gold. 

That way, they still sort of care about my actions and reprimand me for going too far. 

Lucifer finally shed tears, whether of sadness or frustration is beyond me, when I handed him the letter with nasty death threats I got from my old casino buddies. It was complex, the feeling I mean.

Even if it’s for just a moment, he looked at me with worry shining in his eyes. The way they used to.

I can hear my brothers clamor against the office door to eavesdrop.

Honestly, you were anything but a defenseless, little thing. They expected all possible personalities from a child but you never showed them an ounce of fear or apprehension– they were all, quite frankly, flustered.

Sure, when you walked in, a flash of terror fell upon your delicate features but when the introductions and explanations were done, they had expected a more explosive reaction. Screaming bloody murder, perhaps you’d even try running away but— no. You stood your ground and peered up at their tall frames. You shrug, flashed them the smile you were taught to do when you were presented to families looking to adopt before you turned on your heel to find some place more cozy.

The men around you eyed you as you sat in a vacant chair with a headrest painted hues of blue and purple. You were an odd child. As they went on with their meeting, you fell into deep slumber waiting patiently for further instruction. Your slumped figure curled up into a ball reminded the Avatar of Gluttony of a certain someone and the imagery sent a pang of… some emotion through the echoing caverns of his heart.

You had met Leviathan when you went home with the brothers. He was a blur– rambling on about how it was such an “uncool and normie” move on Diavolo’s part to leave a human child with some of the most feared demons in the entire realm… You stifled your giggling as you watched his tail swing to and fro– He was funny. You felt like braiding his shaggy bangs. For some reason, you also felt the urge to step on his tail. You’d never tell him that though. Diavolo and Barbatos offered to let you live with them in the castle but you shook your head and glanced at the only ravenette. For some strange reason, you liked him– you felt… safe. From that moment on, you were to be under the care of the Seven Avatars of Sin, all beings manifested from humanity’s most hellish behavior but here you were, being tucked into bed by the eldest.

“Um, Lucifer?” You whispered as he shut the table lamp off.

You heard him hum in acknowledgement as he looked around the room— Surely, it would suffice. The too-big bed swallowed you whole into its cushiony white surface, your arms neatly folded on top of the duvet, surprisingly proper and prim for a human child. You were hardly visible under the high quality feather-soft blankets they purchased for you. His long slender fingers danced up to tuck a piece of your hair away behind your ear. 

“I met all your other brothers. Where’s the last one?”

You noted the way his breath hitched in his throat, the way his hand hovered over the crown of your head as he looked down at you.

His smile was wry as he cleared his throat and pulled away from you. “He’s up in the human world on behalf of all demonkind as the exchange student there. Just like how you represent humans. Now… I expect that you will go to sleep as soon as I leave this room. Goodnight, (MC).” 

Before you could pipe up with another comment, he spins on his heel and exits your room, the door clicking softly behind him as he shuts it. He didn’t realize he was holding his breath until he walked a little ways away. 

He marched to his office and made an extremely lengthy call to Diavolo again to complain and to scold the prince. 

A part of him was starting to regret this.

The first weeks went by without much of a hitch. You acclimated pretty well but you only ever left your room to smuggle Devildom snacks to your room at the wee hours in the morning. You were like a ghost living with them for a while and Lucifer felt himself getting irked by the thought of the exchange program floundering on the human side because of some careless mistake they made whilst signing the paperwork.

That was until the dinner fiasco.

Lucifer had his hands full. His brothers were of no use to him– they only added to his problems by messing things up and by forgetting their duties in the first place. Satan was nowhere to be seen, Mammon had stolen his wallet, Beelzebub ate all the raw ingredients for dinner, Leviathan was holed up in his room like always and Asmodeus was off gossiping with his group of “succu-bitches”.

Which left you behind in a giant empty library filled with text you understood not a single word of. He had collected you a bit earlier in the day in hopes of rounding up his entire family to teach you more about their culture– it was an effort on his part to ensure the success of this program. With the way you were left alone for about 3 hours, it was pretty evident that was not happening. You felt your stomach grumble as the light of the moon crept through the bloodshot skies.

Lucifer ran through the empty hallways, of which their walls radiated with his rage. He was seething. No one was making dinner, no one had taken care of you and—

In the moment of his saturated rage, something broke him out of his trance. Wafting through the air, he smelt something unfamiliar but delicious– he could even feel his mouth start salivating. As a demon, he really had no use for food, he could live without eating if he really felt like it but he indulged in the activity. 

It made him feel like he was living.

Like a goofy character you’d see in old-timey cartoons, he somewhat floated off to where he smelled… your cooking? His surprise was only overshadowed by the hunger he felt. He hadn’t felt a hunger pang as strong as this in what felt like eons.

You were practically microscopic in the kitchen, the tall counters were your height so all he really saw was the top of your head, your hair messily combed up into a hairnet.

You looked like an adorable tiny server.

“(MC)? What is the meaning of… all this?” He questioned warily, hands motioning in the air as he eyed the plates of food haphazardly placed on the counters. You bend down to grab something with a huff, the visible crown of your head dipping beyond his line of sight before he sees you rounding the corner, waddling with a stepping stool in your arms.

You look up at him with wide doe eyes, sweat making your supple skin glisten in the light of the kitchen lights. You had managed to dig up Mammon’s old apron, from when he was smaller and scrawnier and even that was a tad too long on you. You had managed to dirty the ratty old thing after Diavolo knows how long and a part of him… Misses the ruckus his younger brothers used to make. 

“Hi, Lucifer. I kinda got hungry and Beelzebub wasn’t here so I.. I made some food for all of us.” You trailed off at the end, your voice growing quiet as though you felt embarrassed– He was surprised at that shift in emotion. He nodded and approached the plates. He found it almost innocently laughable how obvious it was that you tried to make the food look neat and presentable.

He discreetly wipes away the sauce that stained the white rim of the plate before you realized.

You hand him a spoon and with eyes full of anticipation and worry, you motion for him to take a bite. Lucifer bites his tongue as he looks down at you. Before he could even register his next actions, he places his hands on your side and lifts you up to sit on the countertop.

“L-Lucifer?! You scared me!” You cried out as you readjusted yourself on the cool marble. He mumbles an apology coolly as he focuses his attention on your cooking once more– and a brilliant idea pops up in his head.

This would be a perfect time to introduce him as the demon he was.

“Now, (MC), I must warn you. I have never been a demon of patience and biased behavior. I represent Pride in its purest form. Pride can be beautiful but what I represent isn’t that. I am Lucifer Morningstar, I am the right hand man of Prince Diavolo. I do everything with practiced perfection and I expect that whatever is presented before me is also done with the level of intricacy I exude.” He lifted the plate up to his eyes and the smell was enthralling. 

Never has he smelled anything as heavenly before.

He eyes you and sees the crease between your eyebrows and the tense rise of your normally lax shoulders. He decides to tease a little further, “(MC), can you guarantee that you have done just that? Can you say with confidence that you’ll impress even a demon such as myself?” 

He takes his sweet time lifting the spoon and scraping a biteful into the shallow bowl. He finds amusement in the tense silence, nothing but the sound of you picking at your fingernails filling the air. He maintains eye contact with you till the last second before he simply closes his eyes and gently places the spoon in his mouth.

A beat of silence passes before it completely washes over the both of you, like a wave far out at sea. You refused to take your eyes off your guardian, fists now clenched as he chews with his eyes closed. How cruel of a grown man to put a child through such a tense situation.

You roll your eyes as you remember that he was evil in its physical form.

He finally swallows the food and cracks an eye open to look at you. His face was unreadable; his lips downturned in a stoic frown, his eyes weren’t carrying any essence of disgust or confusion.

He puts the plate down beside you, spoon still in his other hand before he takes a single step closer, your knees grazing the golden buttons on the lower pockets of his uniform top. “My, (MC)....” He trails off as his frown deepens into a scowl.

He saw the way you animatedly gulped and he bites his tongue.

“That dish was otherworldly. You must cook for Diavolo and Barbatos next time.” He says nonchalantly before he reaches back for the plate and goes on about eating his portion of food, like he didn’t just keep you in terrifying suspense for nothing.

You finally breathed a sigh of relief before you blinked and reached over the counter for the wooden handle of the ladle you used. You wordlessly stared at it before you smack Lucifer on the chest with it.

He was absolutely astonished.

The eldest stares at you in disbelief before his eyes drag down to his uniform where a very telling stain formed over the crest of the school was embroidered. You frowned at him, “You deserved that for making me worry about the food.”

Before he could respond, Mammon walks in with an obnoxious pair of bedazzled sunglasses on his face.

“Yo, Lucifer. What’s for dinner— Ow! What the he– Stop! Ow!”

You didn’t realize how quickly Lucifer actually moved– Honestly, you didn’t even notice nhim take the ladle from you.

As the two eldest ran out of the kitchen, you managed to hop off the counter and place the plates at the dinner table.

It has never been about you. 

The way your face just blends in with the rest of the student body so seamlessly like washed out watercolor on damp paper– you were a dime a dozen. You were dispensable, replaceable in his eyes but on stormy nights and under sheets of satin and fine silk, for just a millisecond he can feel her. He can see the unending pools of wonder that she had in her eyes… they shone just as brightly in yours but the second he blinks, it’s gone and you’re unidentifiable again.

Just another one to pass the time with.

Eons. He spent eons living in indulgence, his ego stroked with every girl that hung off his arms- drunk on his charm and his allure. The dutiful dog going through the motions, numb to the idea of feeling yet embodying the emotion most obnoxious and irritating. He found himself chasing that high.

He was never able to grieve properly. He was too frazzled to really understand, perhaps. Seeing her bleed out in his arms, all he could hear was a high pitch ringing reminiscent of a whine as he stared. All he could comprehend in that moment was how two figures loomed over him. The next thing he knew, he was making a deal with the devil and he...

Well, he managed to set her free from Death’s grasp.

On the nights he’s free, he sits with a bottle of expensive liquor and ponders on the possibilities. She had a soul, sure, but where on Earth would she go? The Gates of Heaven were eternally shut to him and his family, that much was obvious but she had the purest of souls.

If only Father wasn’t such a prick.

His smile would sour ever so slightly when he remembers how he wasn’t able to properly say goodbye. Surely she had to be dead at this point if Diavolo made true to his word. When they first fell, he’d spend hours upon hours just sitting by her makeshift grave and just think.

He never grieved, just thought and talked.

As the years went by, he spent less and less time on her and more and more time living the sin he embodied. The once daily visit turned into a weekly drop-by to just a quick sit down whenever he could. He swore, her soul never left him alone.

Maybe it was why he got so comfortable with leaving her be.

His brothers, once loving and concerned, slowly drifted yet for the life of him, he could never truly care how far from shore they went. He was Pride personified, he could reel them back in whenever he pleased. 

He let them be, ensuring they at least had enough food and had money to spare for their own wants and needs. He spent most of his days trapped behind a desk in between four walls that heard and saw every little thing he did. Silence and disdain grew in the household and it was practically crumbling before his very eyes until—

“Lucifer, I will be holding an exchange program.”

Damn this Prince and his never ending quest for peace and unity. He sounded like a deranged politician, really. The avatar forces himself to not roll his eyes as the prince waddles into his messy office one morning with a stack of files that was comically tall.

He was tasked to go through each and every eligible candidate and to dwindle them down slowly. The sun rose as he did and set without him, he stayed glued to his lush leather chair with the intent of appeasing the man he was forever indebted to.

Sleep was a curse that he still had to deal with and as it sweetly called for his name, he flips through a folder and all the lethargy leaves his body as he stiffens like a pole; it was as if he was doused with a bucket of freezing cold water. He drops the file and stares blankly at the photo attached.

It was as though his Father garnered starlight and put them in your eyes... just the way he did with her. His breath hitches in his throat as he sees that mischievous, toothy grin. He rubs his eyes, his mind was definitely pulling tricks and just as he expected-

You were nothing like his dear Lilith.

Your eyes shone like the sun, not the stars. You were much too different from her, no. He would never let himself compare a mere mortal to his beloved sister. You weren’t her and you could never be half of a fraction of the person she was.

So why did he find himself bringing your file to Diavolo’s office, the rest of the candidates trashed and stored somewhere in his home office?

What proof did he have to even assume that he saw her in you?

Without much as a second thought, you get approved and all he has to wait for is your arrival. He felt himself lose his composure as the days went by. He’d walk past a room covered in plastic. Its clean, bright image is the complete contrast to the dark and gloom of the rest of the house. 

He sat on the speckless sofa couch clad in cellophane the day before your arrival. 

You walk into the meeting room like a dream and he fell right into you. He was enamored, completely and wholly and you were none the wiser.

“My name is Lucifer.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name’s...“

He zoned out as he stared down at your frame. You were dangerous.

And you didn’t even know it.

Your first few nights in the Devildom were normal…ish? You got along swell with Beelzebub, the gentle giant was easy to soothe on his rampages. Lucifer noted how skilled you were in the kitchen and he decides that that’s one of the points that got him to pick you. As an avatar of Sin, deceit was his second nature.

Mammon quickly grew attached to you, regardless of your lineage. He loved how wild yet grounding you were. Lucifer decides that you were chosen because you were a good role model for the wild child of the family. 

He didn’t realize that included deceiving himself.

You weren’t able to make a breakthrough with the other brothers and a part of Lucifer, some sick part of his heart was happy. Only he knew this little detail of you, something that made you so indescribably special and important and his brothers were living their lives in the sweet bliss of ignorance.

He had Lilith all to himself.

He kept his distance at first but you were like this magnet that kept pulling him closer and closer. On sleepless nights, drunken secrets are shared between two souls in a room of plastic. The way he stared at your lips. The way his gaze would dart up to meet yours before he turns away.

He left you confused.

Your relationship grew tumultuous as the days passed by. He’d sneak into your room in the wee hours in the morning and wake you with a gentle kiss. His vision was blurry enough that if he didn’t think about it, he'd see her again.

Clothed in all white, in all her innocent glory. He’d stare at you and blink and... she’d be there but before he could reach out to hold her, he’d look down and see you in his arms.

He’d bite his lip till it bled, the rich flavor of his blood a stark contrast to the sweet gloss that you wore on your soft lips. He’d close his eyes and hold you tightly in his arms. He’d forget the stolen kisses and focus on the beating of your heart.

The beating of her heart.

Yours.

Hers.

The memories he shared with her blending and combining with whatever little moment you two would share in the privacy of your room.

If he holds onto her memory, it’s like she was never gone. If he tries hard enough, you’d look like her in the light at midday.

He’d look deep into your eyes, eyes swirling with wonder and awe, and he’d see her dancing in flower fields.

He’d smile at you fondly and when you smile back he feels a pang in his chest.

Because you will never be her.

But...

He’d do anything just so he could find a glimpse of her again.

---

“Lucifer?”

He snapped out of his daydream as quickly as he entered it. You sat across from him, drowning in your adorable turtleneck sweater, with a cup of hot chocolate in your dainty hands. Your brows furrowed in concern as you reached out cautiously.

“Is everything all right?”

His smile was wry. He takes your hand in his, your pretty promise ring shining in the dim light of the patio. Your hair was longer than when you first came. Your face etched with new wrinkles that held memories and adventures that were now in your past.

Every passing day, you looked more and more like her.

“Everything will be alright as long as I have you by my side.”

That same lopsided grin.

The same shine in your eyes.

“Do you promise to visit?”

“We’ll never be too far, sweetheart.”

Figures out of focus dance around in your memories; Shadows– mere wisps of the essence of someone you used to hold dear in your heart. They plague every dream and soothe every nightmare but you could never make out a face.

Seven faces you used to caress in hopes of burning the very image of them into your mind. You’d memorize every curve and sharp angle on their faces, every curl in their hair, every crinkle by their eyes when they smiled. It’s a shame, really.

They were your hearth and home.

The locket around your neck was the only thing you had left of them, whoever they were. It felt like they were merely just a part of a grand fever dream you desperately tried revisiting every single night..

It started 6 years ago.

A tall building was lit up by corridor torches that each held an ethereal fire. The night sky seemed painted on; the stars gleamed silently, their light peering down on the people below curiously. You’d expect silence yet the buzz of demonic cicadas filled the otherwise dead quiet of the night. These stars were special, for they gleamed white one moment, then blood red the next. An enchanting sight, it looked like a scene you’d rip straight out of a fairytale. Every column lit the walls up, shadows of people that weren’t there painted in contrast to the old cobblestone, they told of the tales that have long occurred since. Rumors went that if you stayed in the gardens at the Devil’s Hour, you’d be lulled into a sense of peace so otherworldly, you’d be turned to stone by day break.

Of course, no one but the younglings believed such a tale. Why, in the land of the demonic, would you believe something so silly?

The otherwise peaceful building shook as hushed figures held their late meeting in one of the many, many offices.

It was an awkward meeting; the crowned demon Prince had plans. Great plans, honestly. He was to bring in a human to live in their realm for a year. To solidify relations between the three realms— it was quite ironic to see that the one regarded as the highest form of evil personified, was also the one to suggest something so… kind.

Diavolo was used to pushing the boundaries, though.

Now, you see, he was supposed to find an older exchange student but for some reason, paperwork got mixed up, his contacts were an absolute mess on Earth, scrambling around to collect as much information on eligible exchange students but nothing went his way and now, he was stuck in a three-hour argument with Lucifer about the fact that the originally 19-year-old exchange student had been replaced with a 12-year-old child.

In truth, the issue wasn’t difficult to remedy; He could’ve postponed the exchange program by a week or two, he could’ve found a new human to bring down to the Devildom… had he not found out that you were an orphan.

Your profile was bleak and contained but a single page that could be summarized in about 7 sentences. Your parents left you on the doorstep of a church, a note attached to your tiny bonnet that basically said that your young mother was not yet ready to take care of a child and your father was still in school. They left you in a small wicker basket and you’d been a child in the foster system since.

You were nothing short of a troublemaker. An angel in the light, sure, but your shadow had little devil horns. You never meant any harm, obviously, but you were deemed the “handful” and you were passed around on an almost monthly basis. House after house, family after family, their faces blurred and blended and they soon all just became familiar strangers when they got fed up.

You had nothing to your name, you lived for the day but there was something about you– perhaps it was the defiant light that shone in your eyes, perhaps it was the simple fact that Diavolo wanted to give you a taste of love–

He couldn’t stand in the sidelines when your file fell on his desk.

After bargaining with the devil himself, Diavolo and Lucifer finally came to an agreement. You had 1 year in the Devildom. No more, no less. The fallen Morningstar was sure that you’d be nothing but another mess he had to clean up after and he didn’t want to deal with you for longer than he had to.

If it isn’t obvious, he’s a man who loves to talk big and act like if not obeyed, the world would be obliterated with a single flick of his wrist. When you peel back the layers of faux intimidation though, he’s more like a clingy little house cat who adores his family.

That fateful night was like every other night; Your foster parents at the time hugged you and patted your back, albeit a tad forced and pretentiously, before they made you march off to your room by the back of the house. Your pajamas were worn out old things; you donned on a once nice pair of blue and white striped bottoms, what once was silky smooth had small tears and the stitching was stretched out due to years of usage. Your top was a ratty old baseball tee, there were stains of unidentifiable condiments at the bottom but you never complained.

You were just glad that they still fit after 4 years.

The night swallowed your tiny room whole, leaving no corner or spot lit up and for some strange reason, you couldn’t fall asleep. Your heart beat wildly against your ribcage as you felt the room grow smaller and smaller and smaller.

You screwed your eyes shut tight, your knuckles ghostly white as you fisted the thin blanket that covered your body.

“Little one… Breathe.”

Fear, anxiety, absolute dread filled you to the brim, your eyes watering with tears like salty sea brine and you held your breath. A beat passes, then two, then your body is lifted ever so casually. You couldn’t remember a time before then when you felt comfort so pure; In the arms of… someone… A blank slate of a face that was being drawn in with watercolor of the highest quality as each feature is touched by a magnificent light. He coddles you in your flimsy blanket as he walks through an arched doorway.

He looked so pretty.

Dual colored hair, an ombre of black to green and a calm smile that made you feel secure. You crack an eye open wider, your hands still balled up in defense as you look around secretly. Who was this man and where did he take you? A gloved hand holds you from under your knees while another hand gently holds you by the small of your back. You felt like a newborn— so delicately held.

His eyes were like sharp emeralds; they held a power beyond your own comprehension. They fluttered close every so often but upon closer inspection, he looked to have small dark circles under his pretty gem-like eyes. He was tired.

His eyes dart down to stare at your petite frame and before you could even react, you two make eye contact. It was too late to go back to pretending. He stops walking for a moment, standing in the middle of an open, well-lit corridor.

“I see that you’re finally awake, Miss.”

You slowly blink and look up at him— he was mighty pretty. A strong jaw, sharp features and cat-like eyes. Was he your guardian angel? This all is definitely just some sort of stupid dream, right?

“Who are you?” Your voice was hoarse, crying has never been your favorite activity. You coughed awkwardly into your blanket before you eyed him ,”Why did you bring me here?”

The strange man simply smiled and shook his head, “I’m afraid I’m not the one you must ask this question to. I am just here to take you to my Master.”

You nod and squirm a little against his chest. “I’d much rather meet him on my feet than in your arms.”

He shot you a serene smile before crouching down to let you place your feet on the speckless marble floor. Squinting, you glare at the bright light fixture before waddling off after the primly dressed man.

You found yourself winding through corridors and ancient looking hallways, it looked like that one school in the popular teen novel series that revolved around wizards and witches. You shiver as your feet beat against the flooring, you knew you should’ve worn socks to bed. Not to worry though, you’d wake up from your dream soon enough.

A door or two later, the stranger stops in front of a gorgeous double doorway, the wood had etchings in a language you had no understanding of and the handle seemed to have been made from pure gold. His fist raps against the door, the sound crisp yet gentle, before he reaches for the handle and twists it.

“If you ever need me, I’ll be around to aid you in your journey here.”

He pushes the door open and motions for you to walk in. The air in the room was different, previously humid like dewy petrichor now felt like soft, newly pressed linen on your nose. It was fresh and invigorating but the shift in the air wasn’t what had you stopping mid-step through the door.

Your small toes curl as the marble flooring is replaced with plush carpet. From where you stood, you got a good look of the space and to your left there was a platform, a small rise in the flooring more like, and on it were seven throne-like chairs lined up side by side. Banners hung from the roof with intricate paintings detailing different creatures and you couldn’t help but gawk. Too caught up in marveling, you fail to notice the small group stood a little ways beyond the chairs.

“Welcome to the Devildom!”

The voice was loud, bellowing yet in some ways held this charisma that had you tense up in anticipation. Your eyes dart towards the source of the noise and they grow wide at the sight of a man in all red, posed in a way a politician would stand for photo ops. Hands raised high, palms facing outwards with a bright, confident smile plastered on his face.

Stood behind the loud redhead were a group of 5 other males.

Introductions were exchanged, obviously, and that was when you realized that this was, in fact, not a dream. You were told that the man who brought you here was Barbatos, the Devil Prince’s butler. You timidly shook hands with Lord Diavolo, the aforementioned Prince of all Hell, and for a moment, you cowered in fear as Lucifer eyed you down.

Lucifer Morningstar, what an aura he held.

When you stare at him, you’re reminded of your current foster father. You purse your lips as you recall how he managed the house with an iron fist and how he’d always smell of coffee and your backyard garden. The man that stood before you was kind of scary but you couldn’t even focus on his intimidation.

You had just been taken from your foster home. By a bunch of strange… creatures.

A part of you felt that it would only be logical to start crying and screaming, demanding that they take you back home, but as they introduced themselves one by one, you couldn’t help but feel intrigued. Their names were a little heavy on the tongue, perhaps it was the fact that it sounded like you were reciting an incantation when you mentioned them, but your head spun when you were told that the 5 brothers were still incomplete.

The eldest of the Avatars told you that you were only to stay with them for a year for a program they had implemented.

You had a small scowl on your lips for a moment and Diavolo, being ever the keen one, noted how you’d nod and furrow your brows whenever Lucifer asked you to recite their names one by one to ensure that you could remember.

You’d glance at them slowly and say back what they told you. Lucifer, Mammon, Satan, Asmodeus, Beelzebub. Five out of the seven. A miniscule part of you was already upset that you’d have to forget them one day… You were only there for their own little experiment.

You put your feelings aside and blinked up at the Prince,

Lucifer:

He normally never gets jealous (that’s a lie, he’s probably the easiest to get jealous, he just rarely ever shows it).

He’d rather sit in Cerberus’ potty corner for an entire decade straight than let his brothers catch him slipping.

When you start favoring Luke over him and all his brothers though… He starts losing himself to the emotions.

He has never not been a favorite; Sure, many may favor Asmodeus or Beelzebub or even Satan over him but he’s still well loved and well respected in the Devildom.

Mf went from being God’s favorite sim to being Lord Diavolo’s, ultimate highest power in all of the Devildom, right hand man.

He’s not used to being straight up ignored.

He didn’t even really threaten to kill you or anything! Why did you just not like him?!

You literally fawned over Luke’s baking whilst he stood beside the seven course dinner he made for you! While you were all in the same kitchen!

What in his Father’s name was going on!?

Needless to say, it’ll be hard to deal with Lucifer when Luke’s in the room.

He’d sit and act all suave, he’d flip through the book in his hand or maybe scroll through his D.D.D. and he’d pretend to be bored.

What you don’t notice is the intricate hand movements he does to cast a spell on himself to make it look like his eyes are trained on whatever he’s messing with but in reality his eyes would be glaring daggers through the tiny angel who gets the honor of sitting in your lap as you two play around.

Killthechihuahuakillthechihuahuakillthechihuahuaki–

Anyways, he’d grumble to himself whenever Luke walks into a room, especially when he starts making progress with you and he’d sit in a corner where he could freely glower to himself.

Jealous Lucifer would be the grumpiest cat in the world.

Mammon:

If you think dealing with a jealous Lucifer is tough, you must have not met Mammon yet.

He’s a whiny, loud brat on his good days and a straight up manchild (I say this with love in my heart for this demon) on his worst days.

He’s aware of your… disdain for demonkind? No, that’s not it… It’s impossible to hate someone like The Great Mammon… he knows you simply like Luke better because Luke’s a cute angel child.

He tries his best to win you over; He treats you nicely, he calls you sweet nicknames, he even lends you Goldie when you forget to bring your wallet!

Nothing works! >:((

He sees your tense smile when you talk to him melt away when you catch a glimpse of the tiny blonde clad in pearlescent white. The way your shoulders relax, the way your eyes light up when you talk to the child you practically adopted as your own…

“Recent searches on Mammon’s D.D.D: How to turn urself into a tiny blonde angel”

He gets desperate for love and affection from you because *whispers* he loves you alot!

He’s been seen by his many groupies and fans at RAD trail behind you as you walk around the school with Luke and Simeon.

There’s a picture of him circulating on Devilgram of him peeking behind a pillar as he glares at the blonde child holding your hand. (It was captioned: “That should be me holding your hand </3)

If you were to confront him about it, he would deny it to the ends of the Earth.

Like, come on. Why would someone as awesome as him be desperate for love from some puny human?

Only desperate, touch-starved idiots would crave your attention. (That’s him. He’s desperate, touch starved idiot.)

He’s simply dramatic and whiny but he tries his best to get close to you. He promises not to send Luke back to the Celestial Realm (he’s willing to do it the normal way or the… I’m a really bad demon way… if you catch my drift…) if you start paying attention to him.

Pls MC,, just a taste of ur love </3 (Also, Mammon is 1/2 of the “Good Demon Bois'' club because only he and Asmo did not try to kill/threaten you. Hurrah!)

Leviathan:

Please show this boy at least a little kindness and a little love, he will literally dig his head into a hole if he starts thinking you hate him.

He understands jealousy; He embodies it (literally and figuratively)

He tries to keep it at bay but it's just not fair </33 :(

Oh– you like Luke, a tiny angel child, and you won’t even talk to him, The literal Avatar of Envy? “Lotan please drag me to the deepest depths of the Devildom seas”.

He’s clumsy and awkward and he tends to say sentences wrong when he talks to you because his heart beats way too fast when you’re around and–

He ends up saying stuff like, “Oh wow, MC. Your hair smells nicer today. I’m glad you showered.” or “Oh, Mc. You look clean today.”

Once, he wanted to describe you as cute and sweet, because you are, and he ended up saying, “MC’s squeet.”

He wallows in self pity as Lucifer hangs him by the toes to the ceiling (Lucifer needs this exchange program to work and whenever Levi says shit like that to a human– *he sighs and uncorks his Demonus*)

Levi doesn’t act whiny or pushy like his older brother Mammon and he doesn’t pretend to be cold like Lucifer but he does bring the awkward into it.

He understands your reluctance, though he feels it’s a tad biased because demons and angels really aren’t that different from one another.

You’re just allowed to swear more as a demon and you’re given more freedom.

He feels bad whenever he sees you purposefully avoid him and his brothers, even whilst you’re at the House of Lamentation.

Yeah, sure. Him and his brothers have threatened you in the past but they weren’t always so bad!

You still choose to hang around the other exchange students… Specifically, Luke.

Great.

He’s got quite the jealous streak in him though so whenever he starts making progress with you, he’s steering you away from seeing Luke at all.

He literally goes into demon form to block the image of the tiny angel walking down the steps as he talked to you about walking home together.

Luke will not ruin this for him >:(

Satan:

He’s definitely very salty about your obvious bias towards little Luke.

Jealousy is kind of like... a tamer version of unadulterated wrath. He's familiar with it but not so.

He's Lucifer's brother-son so he's used to being favored or at the very least, trusted.

In a way, he feels as though he’s at an unfair disadvantage; He has never experienced being an angel, he’s the only full fledged demon in his family and at times, it upsets him more than he’d like to admit.

He’d never have winning qualities for you; At least his brothers were once angels, he was born from wrath so pure that it was almost capable of destroying the heavens.

You’re so tense and cautious around them, him especially, and he feels that your prejudice against demonkind “isn’t good for the program happening”– ever the brainy one, he says that you’re too close-minded to help with strengthening the bonds between the different realms.

It’s his way of protecting his heart from hurting at the possible disdain you may have for him.

He’s vying for your affection, he’s trying his best to prove to you that he’s more than just his sin but you always choose Luke.

He knows for a fact that there isn’t any malicious intention to your favor for the angel child but he can’t help the jealousy and the wrath that comes with not being at the receiving end of your affection.

He avoids being in the same room as you if Luke’s ever around. His wrath was never something he showed off with pride; He’s quite embarrassed of it in all honesty but it’s who he was.

He’d just rather not scare you away.

What does he do then? He walks away and waits for the right moment for him to try and weasel his way into your heart.

You will never see him when you’re hanging with Luke.

But there was that one time when he… may or may not have perfected a teleportation spell.

He may or may not have teleported Luke back to Purgatory Hall and he may or may not have spent the rest of the day trailing after you like a lost little puppy.

He was making progress, alright? You agreed to a library date (read: you agreed to study with him that afternoon), and that chihuahua child will not ruin it for him >:((

Asmodeus:

He would go through the stages of grief every single time he sees you with Luke.

Like… Diavolo’s sake, he’s everyone’s favorite. You had no say in it– Oh? You’re hanging out at Purgatory Hall to bake with Luke again after you declined going to the spa with him?

*angy asmo noises*

Asmo has unresolved issues from the Fall; All the brothers do but in a way, I feel like it hits Asmo a lot harder as he was once the Jewel of the Heavens.

Even in the Devildom, he’s regarded as the most beautiful creature to ever exist.

He isn't used to being jealous of someone for having something he believes he could snag in a heartbeat.

His good looks get him 90% of the way through situations but… but with you? You see his face and still, you turn away with fear thrumming in your heart.

He wasn’t scary! >:(

He’ll admit it with his whole chest that your reluctance around him and his brothers makes his jealousy flare up but that’s alright! Leave Luke at Purgatory Hall and spend time with him!

You can even pick the itinerary! You can go shopping, or maybe get your nails painted or… even more adult activities. ;) (like crocheting socks <3)

Asmo would run up to you in the hallway and do his absolute best trying to win you over; If Mammon seemed desperate, Asmo was downright obsessed with getting you to finally see him as someone worthy of your time and affection.

Luke would shyly ask to hold your hand and this dude, no joke, would push him away (sometimes almost pushing him down a flight of stairs) and offer to carry your things for you to your next class.

He would get his hundreds of groupies to spam post a bunch of perfect pictures of him with captions detailing how amazing he is.

It was almost endearing, really… How far he went for you. BUT— it was also quite creepy?

Maybe just this once… You’ll give this demon a shot :)

Asmo gets bonus points because only he and Mammon did not attempt to kill you or even threaten you when you first moved!

Beelzebub:

He’s vaguely aware that people are capable of having biased opinions about certain species.

He thinks it’s unfair, sure, but he didn’t really think he was in any position to try and change your mind.

He should simply continue trying to make you comfortable during your stay!

That was until… The pastries and dinners started going to Luke.

You’d been a busy little worker bee since the moment you stepped foot in the Devildom. You’d always make the best treats from the human world and the only reason he knew this was because he’d sneak out of his room at the crack of dawn to binge eat a bunch of the “failed” batches.

Overcooked dishes, underbaked treats– if you were able to make them all taste like Michelin star dishes, he could only dream of what the good dishes tasted like.

He’d always scrounge around the kitchen for the “perfected” meals but for the life of him, he could never ever find out where you hid them until he saw you one day…

You had left the House a little early after you cleaned up from a successful day of cooking and you had a white picnic basket in your arms.

He decided to go against his morals for a little while and he managed to trail (read: stalked) after you without being spotted.

You had gone to Purgatory Hall… to give away the perfect treats?!

He was absolutely outraged and his anger could rival that of Satan’s and well… It is not good for anyone in a 50-mile radius.

He stomped up to you as you handed the basket to Luke with a frown etched on his face as he glowered at the angel.

“Luke. Give me some.” He stated, hand outstretched as he tried to nab the handwoven basket.

He frowned as the little angel pulled back and hid your treats behind is back.

"No! (MC) gave them to me!" He retorted as he scampered off towards the direction of the kitchen in Purgatory Hall.

Never has Beel ever felt like Luke was a threat… Until now.

He felt this bubbling anger rise up his throat, burning his insides like some form of toxic bile and he mistook it as a different version of hunger.

He only really felt that kind of "hunger" whenever he saw you so obviously picking Luke over him and his brothers. He doesn’t realize until a lot later that it wasn’t hunger, it was actually just plain ole’ jealousy.

His tactic at exacting revenge? Pouting.

He’s the cuddliest brother so he honestly has you caving in a matter of days.

Soft spot for Beel goes brr.

Belphegor:

He has always been the most… expressive brother when it came to these things.

He already had a disdain for humans and the first human he decides to give a chance (read: fell madly in love with, just like his brothers) favors angels over him?

Not just any random angel, no, we’re talking about the literal embodiment of child-like innocence and sweetness wrapped up in little white garb and an adorable fucking beret.

Just his luck.

He doesn’t hide his jealousy; If anything, he gets more vocal about your “cruelty” and “unfair judgment”.

You two once had an argument about how ironic that was coming from the demon that killed you once for being a human;

Talk about unfair judgment.

Deep down, he understands (begrudgingly, of course) why you’re wary of him– and all demonkind.

He felt the same way long ago about your kind too.

Seeing you not give him a chance made him feel a little strange; Was this how it was like for humans when he turned his nose up at them?

Sure, no human in the past was able to get close enough to him to ever get hurt by his wariness of them but… He didn’t like the feeling. He didn’t ponder on the thought too long.

He was too busy trying to cling onto you because he wanted to try you out as a cuddle buddy.

You were walking around RAD with Solomon and the two angels. You were all in a debate about which Devildom fruit would work best in desserts and smoothies when–

“Hey. (MC). Are you busy? Come with me and Beel, we need to show you something.” Belphie said, seemingly popping out of thin air. He starts tugging on your arm as he tries to separate you away from the group of other exchange students.

You squeaked in surprise before pulling your arm out of his grip. You hid behind Simeon, right beside Luke as the tiny blonde tensed up.

Silly little angel tried puffing his chest trying to intimidate the seventh-born as his knees buckled in silent fear.

“G-Go away, Belphegor! (MC)’s going to come with me and Simeon and Solomon!”

Belphie stifled an uncharismatic snort; The pipsqueak thinks he can face him head to head?

“Alright, Luke. Calm down. (MC), you’re being a little unfair today…” He says sullenly as he glances at you. You smile sheepishly at him, averting your gaze before scampering off with Luke in tow.

Belphie huffs and crosses his arms before walking off to look for Levi or Asmo.

No point in turning the angel into an actual chihuahua at RAD.

He can corner you at home anyways.