#addin

As they were nearing the House, Mammon reached up and pressed the switch that controlled the garage door to his room. Once they were there, he went a head and clicked it again to shut it. Slowly, the demon gets out of the car before another nasty fit of mucsey coughs took a hold of him once again. It almost sounded like he was starting to choke on all the built up flem.

She looked at him with concern in her eyes. “Here, go lie down. Where do you keep your medicine at?”

“It’s in my bathroom in the cabinet behind the mirror. I’m gonna change outta my uniform so lemme know when yer comin’ down the stairs…” the demon mumbles as he makes his was down his stairs, swaying slightly as he walked.

In the bathroom, she was shocked to see what must’ve been seven or eight empty bottles of cough syrup lining the counter top. Either Mammon had been sick far longer than he let on or he was overdosing himself on the syrup.

When she opened the medicine cabinet, there had to have been another 10 bottles stored in there. The pink haired succubus grabbed a bottle and left the bathroom.

“Hey, I’m coming down the stairs now, are you decent?”

“I got pants on if that’s what yer askin’,” Mammon calls as he walks out of his giant walk-in closet.

“You’re morally decent for a demon too, you know…” she deadpanned, “but yes I meant were you changed out of your uniform?”

He’s dressed in at least three layers possibly more as he collapses down in his bed, pulling the heavy covers over his shivering body.

“I got your medicine…. Mams, how long have you been sick?”

“Don’t remember… a while…” he sits up, the covers still draped over shoulders as he took the cough syrup and popped off the cap, taking a large swig of the liquid straight from the bottle like it it was a water bottle instead.

“Mammon! Don’t take so much at one time. That’s not safe.”

“I’ll be fine,” the Greed demon dismisses her worries. “Gotta get over this as fast as possible.”

Addin only sighed, “do you want me to make you some soup or something?”

“No, no, I’m fine,” he says as he lays back down. “I jus’ need ta sleep it off. Plus all the soup was already spoken for by my brothers. I don’t wanna take from them anymore than I already do and I got my ramen anyway if I need somethin’ hot ta eat. If ya wanna go back ta school, I don’t mind. I’m used ta dealin’ with this type a thing on my own.”

“Not with me around you’re won’t be. I’m staying at least until one of your brothers gets home.”

“Ya really don’t have to. None of ‘em really believe that I’m as sick as I am so if they find the two a us alone like this, they’re gonna think we were up ta somethin’.”

“Then let them think that.” She huffs, “I couldn’t give a damn what they think and it doesn’t matter anyway because we know it’s not true.” She takes a seat beside the Avatar of Greed. “Just go to sleep and let me worry about them. You just focus on recovering, ‘kay?” She started to gently brushing her fingers through his hair.

“‘Kay,” the white haired demon mumbles as he started to fall into the clutches as sleep.

——————

Who would have known the Avatar of Greed could be so clingy in his sleep? So seemly touch-starved that almost as soon as he had fallen asleep he was clinging onto Addin’s waist.

In a way, the pink haired demoness isn’t so much as surprised as she is sorrowful. She knew Mammon’s home life wasn’t that great and his relationship with his brothers wasn’t the best- but to be so starved for affection- platonic or otherwise- was just horrible. She remembers back to when they first met a few years after he’d fallen from the Celestial Realm and had first transferred into RAD. How it hadn’t taken much to gain his favor and become his friend- only a few kind words and actions.

That was thousands of years ago at this point and Addin often wonders what their respective lives would be like had she not taken that seat next to him on the first day of that term but she’s glad she did.

As Mammon started to stir, he moved away while another horrible fit of coughing overtook him and she pat his back carefully. The way she could feel his skin burning through the three layers of shirts he had on, something that worried her.

Making up her mind, she was able to extricate herself from his grasp as she moved up his stairs quietly to his bathroom where she’s quickly able to locate a dry wash cloth. The succubus drenches it in ice cold water, wringing out the excess before returning to her ailing friend.

She somehow manages to flip him over onto his back and pushes back his bangs to place the cold washcloth over his feverish forehead. That’s when she heard a bang follows by:

“MAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMOOOOOONNNN!!! Where are you?!”

“Guess it must’ve got back to him that we cut class…” Addin mumbles under her breath.

“Addin, go.” Mammon groans as he sits up, “Lucifer sounds like he’s absolutely pissed and I don’t want ya getting’ hurt over a piece a scum like me.”

“No, I’m not scared of Lucifer and don’t you dare say that about yourself ever again. Just lay back down.”

Mammon looks like he wants to argue but before he can respond, his bedroom door is thrown open and there’s a very angry Avatar of Pride stomping down the stairs toward them.

“Mammon I thought I-” Lucifer starts to yell but cuts himself off after seeing the shape his brother is in and the glare he’s receiving from the female demon. “What’s going on here?”

“You’re brother is incredibly sick so I brought him home so he could rest.” She locks eyes with the black-to-red eyed demon. “Or are you too blind to see how pale his complexion has gotten and how flushed his face is? Or how he’s shivering from chills caused by a high-grade fever?”

“Who are you to even speak to me in that fashion?” The first-born asks pointedly.

“Someone who actually cares about Mammon’s well-being.” She growls as she holds Lucifer’s gaze. “When apparently none of you do.”

“I beg your pardon-“

“Then beg.” Both Avatars stare at her in shock, jaws slightly agape at the female’s boldness.

The silence is broken once more by Mammon’s violent coughing but this time he can’t even catch his breath, wheezing and coughing so hard both demons are worried he may collapse a lung.

“Get up, Mammon.” Lucifer says, holding a finger up to Addin as she opens her mouth to protest in fear he may Mammon to go back to school, “I’m taking you to see a doctor. And you,” he turns to Addin, “you had better be out of my house by time we get back.”

“That’s fine by me,” she huffs, “I was only staying to make sure my friend was okay.” Addin then turns to Mammon, “Feel better, okay? I’ll text you later to see how you’re doing and I’ll bring your coursework by so you don’t fall too far behind. Love you..” She gives him a hug goodbye as she gets up and leaves.

“Love ya too.” Mammon says as he crawls out of bed and goes to retrieve a heavy hoodie, his winter coat, and some shoes while Lucifer waits.

Once Mammon’s all bundled up and ready to go, Lucifer escorts him to the top of the stairs.

——————

The car ride to the urgent care clinic is filled with silence. Lucifer keeps giving Mammon the side eye while also keeping his eyes on the road ahead.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t believe you, Mammon. I thought you were just lying to get out of school so you could pull off another one of your money-making schemes. How long have you been sick like this?”

“I dunno… a month, maybe two? It wasn’t all that bad when it started- thought I just had a cold…”

“Why did you hide it? Had you shown me how truly sick you were this morning, I would have let you stay home no questions asked- in fact you’re always doing this when you get sick however infrequently that may be.”

“I dunno, guess I didn’t want ta worry ya guys or somethin’…”

“I don’t want you hiding sickness from me ever again. If you had let this go on any longer, you could’ve died. We can’t have that.”

“Why? Cuz its an embarrassment?”

“No, it’s because, despite how we may pick on you, we really do care. But when you cry wolf all the time about feeling sick to skip your classes, it makes it harder for me or any of us to know when you’re actually ill.” He says as the car comes to a stop. “We’re here now. Promise me no more of this hiding things from me nonsense.”

“Fine,” the Avatar of Greed opens the door and gets out and the pair walk inside together.

——————

“Lucifer, please. I’m really not feelin’ up ta it today,”

It’s been this way the last couple of weeks but this week in particular has been the most trying. Every morning this week, it was something: ‘My body’s achin’’, ‘I’m really tired,’ ‘I think I got a fever.’ Lucifer was honestly tired of all the excuses he was hearing from Mammon. He’d missed so much school this month alone, Lucifer couldn’t justify letting him lose another day- the second-born was already far behind their class in terms of meeting the requisitions for advancing to the next school year and they weren’t even halfway being close to done with the second semester yet. If Mammon missed any more class time, there would be no hopes of him passing the year and Lucifer wouldn’t suffer the humiliation of having the second oldest of them repeat a year.

“Enough, Mammon,” the Avatar of Pride commands, “you’re fine. You just have a small cold. You act like you’re dying when you’re not. You’re going to school whether you like it or not. Now get dressed in your uniform and get to school. You can’t afford to miss any more days.”

“But ya let the others miss class when they-“

“I said enough! You’re going to school and that’s final! If you’re well enough to argue with me, you’re well enough to go to RAD. End of conversation. We have a student council meeting after school. I expect to see you there.” Before Mammon can respond, Lucifer walks off.

The white-haired demon only sighs as he slinks off to his room to get dressed.

————————————

Laying his head down on the cool surface of his desk, the Avatar of Greed lets out a tired sigh. He thinks its unfair how his younger brothers get special treatment and get everything handed to then on a silver platter when they’re sick, but when he asks to stay home just to rest because he’s been fighting off one of the worst colds he’s had since he was a young angel, Lucifer forces him to come to school and sit through eight plus hours of classes.

“This fuckin’ sucks,” the demon grumbles. “I wanna go home…”

“Then go home,” a female’s voice sounds as she takes a seat next to him, “If you’re that sick, who gives a fuck what your brother says.”

“It ain’t that simple, Addin,” Mammon turns his head to look at the succubus, “If I go home ‘n it gets back ta Lucifer, he’ll string me up from the ceiling until who knows when.”

“Yeah, but look at you,” she frowns, “you’re shivering like a wet dog. It can’t be very good for you to be out like this considering it’s the dead of winter.”

“No its not,” he agrees with her, “But I really don’t wanna deal with my brother right now so not much else to do. I’m jus’ gonna hafta suck it up.”

Addin only purses her lips as she takes in his appearance, gold eyes studying him with a concerned expression.

“If that’s what you want to do then, I guess I can’t change your mind. But if you get worse then I’ll take you back to my house after class so you can at least rest up a bit. Sound like a deal?”

The white-haired demon goes to reply but quickly covers his mouth as he lets out a nasty, mucus-filled cough in a fit that lasts for maybe a good five minutes that makes her think maybe he doesn’t have just a simple Devildom cold but maybe an entire upper respiratory infection instead. Their classmates were starting to stare. Whatever it was, he sounded like school was be the last place he should be right now.

“You know, on second thought, maybe it isn’t the best idea to wait until after class… Let’s get you out of here, my guy.”

Mammon can only nod as Addin helps him up and drags him out of the class room as she lets him lean against her, ignoring the fact that some of their classmates had their phones out and were snapping picture- likely for the school’s rumor mill.

“I know this is probably a stupid question, but did you drive here today?”

“Yeah, I did.” He says as he clears his throat. “Didn’t wanna walk here in the cold like usual.”

“Gimme your keys. You shouldn’t be driving in this condition.” She holds out her hand and the demon fishes them out of his blazer pocket.

The pair stops by their lockers to grab their coats before heading outside where she was able to get him in the passenger seat of his car.

“Alright, next stop, my house,”

“Actually, Addin…” Mammon croaks as he leans his head against the window, “can ya just take me home instead? I just wanna sleep in my own bed.”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” She smiles as she takes off for the house of Lamentation.

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