#bravefire

“Excellent shot my Lord,” Barbatos smiled as the small piece of paper flew between his fingers.

Diavolo was grinning from ear to ear as he started to make another one out of a piece of notepaper. Truthfully, Lucifer wasn’t sure why he thought they’d get any work done. Perhaps he believed that his efforts combined with that of Barbatos would help keep Diavolo on task,  and that all three of them would be able to have a productive time. However, Lucifer was quickly realizing that this wouldn’t be the case.

“Maybe you could move the goal a little to the right Barbatos? That way I can really test my aim,” Diavolo said. He closed one of his eyes and started lining up the paper triangle for his shot. Barbatos nodded and moved his fingers ever so slightly to the right.

Lucifer sighed and put down his pen, watching as the folded piece of paper flew towards the goal. It was short, just like his patience.

The firstborn closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose, “Lord Diavolo, perhaps this little activity of yours would be best saved for later? After you have finished your work?” It wasn’t a question despite being phrased as such. Diavolo wasn’t one of his brothers, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t chastise him like one of them. 

Diavolo laughed and went back to folding yet another paper triangle, “You should really learn to relax a bit. This could count as work you know, the humans taught me how to play. I find it rather entertaining and a great way to learn about them.”

The triangle hit Lucifer square on the nose, making him scrunch up. He swore he heard Barbatos snort, but there wasn’t a way to prove it. He made a mental note to hunt down both Solomon and the other human after his work was completed.  Picking up the little paper triangle, he raised it until he was at eye level with it. It didn’t unfold easily. Honestly, humans were such odd creatures amused by the simplest of things. It astounded him sometimes, the things their own human had been drawn too. Lucifer wondered if he’d ever understand any or it, or if it would simply remain a mystery to him forever. His brothers also often became enamoured by human things often, and Lucifer tried to understand, he really did, but the meaning escaped him frequently. 

Yet it didn’t make sense for such to be the case, because on the surface it was all so…

Simple. 

Diavolo’s smile started to falter so slightly as he watched Lucifer stare at the little paper triangle. “Come now Lucifer,” he huffed, “Paperwork will always be here! Humans come up with such fascinating little games to entertain themselves with! Surely playing one or two couldn’t hurt, besides we may miss one if we’re late on experiencing another-”

He was cut short as the paper hit his chest and then landed on his desk. 

“Ah, so I suppose I haven’t lost my aim,” Lucifer chuckled, “One game, then we get back to work.”

**********

With some begging and pestering, one round quickly became two, and then three, and then another game entirely. Lucifer would tell anyone who asked that he’d been annoyed and that he wanted to do nothing more than to get back to his work, but in reality he was having a rather fun time. He didn’t even remember when they broke the demonus out, he just knew that he had a refilled glass in his hand as he was being dragged along in Diavolo’s fun. He wasn’t drunk per say, only the slightest bit tipsy. 

Currently, a little red balloon was being passed from one demon to the other.

“The last time Solomon wanted to cook with me, I gave him clay and told him it was dough, when he discovered my rouse, I apologized and said I made a mistake and that he could help next time,” Barbatos sighed, using his tail to smack the balloon towards Lucifer.

“But of course you didn’t mean that.” 

“Oh heavens no. I wouldn’t willingly let him into my kitchen, not even if he twisted our pact in order to get his way.”

“Don’t you think you’re being a little harsh? He does have a passion for it,” Diavolo’s brow furrowed as he pushed the balloon back.

“My Lord, with all due respect-”

Lucifer cut in, “His monstrosities could take out all three realms with little trouble. I’m not exaggerating.”

Diavolo caught the balloon and walked closer to Lucifer, “While that may be true, it wouldn’t hurt you to be a little kinder to the exchange students no?” 

Before Lucifer could question anything, Diavolo furiously runned the balloon onto his head, leaving the firstborn looking rather bewildered. This time Barbatos didn’t snort. A laugh escaped him before he managed to cover his mouth. It took a while for Lucifer to even notice that Diavolo no longer had the balloon in his hands. 

“Oh Lucifer! Look at you! You know you just look so adorable like that!” Diavolo’s boisterous laughter filled the room.

“I do say, I have to agree with you young Master.”

Lucifer closed his eyes for a moment before reaching up between his horns. Oh this. This was a thing human children did to amuse themselves right?  It shouldn’t surprise him that It amused Diavolo too, many things amused him. 

Before Lucifer could even utter his next words, the door opened. 

“Hey Lucifer? You here? I was wondering if I could… borrow… some…”

Mammon and Lucifer locked eyes for a moment. Raven black hair a mess, small paper triangles all over the floor, and a mountain of paperwork surrounding them. The air between the two brothers was tense, and neither one dared to move a muscle.

Mammon’s eyes wandered up to the balloon sitting atop his brother's head before slowly lifting his phone.

Click.

There was only a brief pause before Mammon took off down the hallway, Lucifer hot on his heels yelling all sorts of obscene threats towards his cackling brother. 

“Ah, well that was nice while it lasted,” Diavolo sighed, “You did get a picture of him though, didn’t you Barbatos?”

“Of course my Lord.”