#fireflowermaiden

This was it.

He couldn’t believe that it was finally here...finally happening. After so many years of pain, anger, and loneliness...it was over. It was beginning. 

…It was terrifying. 

Lucifer bit his lip carefully, adjusting his lapels and gloves in a nervous gesture that he'd somehow picked up since leaving the Celestial Realm. Of course, RAD looked quite different than it had only days ago - he hardly recognized it at all now that it was decorated with ivy and orchids, and LOTS of white tulle. Asmodeus, Barbatos, and MC had spared no amount of energy to make the school shine like a true wedding hall. It might not be how he would have decorated things himself, but he could hardly deny his brother the opportunity to go all out for the occasion. 

He let out a shaky breath and glanced back into the mirror. His hair had started out styled as usual – bangs framing his cheeks and parted to the side.  Asmo nearly had a fit. Now, Lucifer’s raven locks were swept back from his forehead and a gel that miraculously made the styling seem natural held it in place. The Avatar of Lust was busying himself by rushing around the room, making sure that everything - the bouquet, the ring, and whatever else was in place; Lucifer had long since stopped trying to watch him. The knowledge of what was soon to happen was rushing over him all at once. A tear slipped from the corner of his eye and he heard a gasp before he had the chance to wipe it away. His brother was by his side instantly, dabbing at it with a baby blue handkerchief. 

"What did I tell you? I thought we got all the wild emotions out last night at the bachelor party. What’s wrong now? Don’t make me have to whip out the demonus to get you through this. You need to be sober to say those lines." The man's attitude, while feisty, held notes of love and respect for his eldest brother. "No more tears till you get to the altar, got it? Because otherwise, you'll get me crying. If my make up smudges, there will be the Devildom to pay." 

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lucifer muttered. 

Asmodeus hummed, ignoring the blatant attempt to change the subject. His fingers plucked open one of the buttons on Lucifer's vest and he tucked the handkerchief inside so that the small square rested against the white dress shirt. "MC told me that this is something some humans do for weddings. It's borrowed and blue. I think you're old enough." 

Despite the glare leveled at him, Asmo laughed merrily. "You even have something new. The rock." 

Lucifer fidgeted. He wore the engagement ring over his gloves typically...but since Diavolo would be removing them during the ceremony, he had forgone the ring for the day. Diavolo knew his tastes well - it was modest and more importantly, the best thing he had ever been given. 

"Ya need something else!" 

Lucifer's lips pursed but he let out a slow and even breath as he looked at his white-haired brother in the doorway. Mammon was grinning and holding up a single Grimm. Probably his only Grimm, currently. Crimson eyes tracked his brother's movements as Mammon crossed the room to him and slipped the coin into his hand. "That goes in your shoe."

He squinted his eyes at the coin and then cut his gaze to Mammon. "...Why. That sounds asinine."

Mammon opened his mouth and then after a second's hesitation, closed it with a shrug. "Hell if I know."

Bending down, Lucifer slid the grimm down the inside of his leather shoe, wiggling his slender index finger till the coin was tucked and snug against his arch. Straightening, he reached to rake his hand through his hair but paused, remembering at the last second that it was styled. His red eyes met his brothers. "Anything else?" Mammon turned a chair backwards and sat, resting his arms on the curved wood. "Ya look fine to me. Stuffy as usual, but fine.

"Asmodeus stepped back and lifted a hand to tap his finger against his cheek as his golden eyes evaluated the groom from head to toe. Just as he was about to confirm that Lucifer looked perfect, his eyes widened and a strangled gasp escaped him - startling the hell out of Mammon who jumped out of his chair and stumbled back against the table beside it. Lucifer's only reaction was to raise his eyebrows.

"What's wrong?! Did ya hafta nearly faint? We're right here!"

"YOUR CUFFLINKS! We forgot them in your room! SHIT!" The tone of Asmo's voice made it seem like the world was ending over that little oversight.

Lucifer let his breath out. "Language, As. Are they really so important? We should be fine without -" 

"DEVILDOM NO! You stay here! I'm going back to the House of Lamentation."

Before Lucifer could utter a reply, Asmodeus was out the door with a whirl of his woven gold scarf. Red eyes drifted from his younger brother's departing figure back to the mirror - gazing at himself in the finery of the tuxedo that had been tailor made for him. He reached a hand forward to touch the glass as if he didn't recognize himself. 

"Oh no, don't ya go second guessing yourself." Mammon came over and rested a hand on his older brother's shoulder as they both looked at their reflections. Mammon's eyes were soft - a rarity for him when the two of them were together. Over the last few centuries, Mammon had been at the brunt of Lucifer's irritation but that still didn't lessen their affection for one another. Lucifer trusted him more than anyone and was still Mammon's favorite brother. No more words needed to be said. Mammon was his best man for a reason.

There was a knock on the door and both men turned. Asmodeus was fast when he wanted to be but that was a bit ridiculous. He wouldn't risk perspiration for the sake of a few accessories nobody would miss. 

Maybe it's one of the others. He sighed. As much as he was looking forward to what would come after the wedding, his nerves were raw and his meter for dealing with others, even his own family, was nearing empty. "Come in?" 

His visitor was most certainly not one of his brothers. At least...not anymore. 

"...I'll admit, you're the last person I expected to see." 

Standing in the doorway was a man who was radiance incarnate. His robes were no different from usual but Simeon always looked perfect - he was an angel after all. Blinding beauty was expected of the divine. Lucifer didn't hate him. Far from it. ...still, Simeon represented something, someone, inside Lucifer that he had left behind. There was nothing to mar the soft smile on the angel's lips. His tranquility reflected like pools in his eyes. 

"I hadn't planned on seeing you before the ceremony." Simeon admitted. Lucifer resisted the urge to cross his arms. Instead, he moved away from both the mirror and Mammon to pour a cup of water from the pitcher sitting on the table.

"...then why are you here?" Of course Simeon would be in attendance. Luke as well. Someone cleared their throat and Simeon looked over his shoulder before stepping aside to show the human in the doorway. They were far better dressed than their usual RAD uniform and it seemed his busybody brother had gotten their hair tamed as well. There was an apology in their eyes.

"I'm the one who dragged him here." MC's voice had a soothing effect on Lucifer and he felt his muscles loosen as he looked at his closest friend. There was an apology in their eyes and they looped an arm through Simeon's. "I brought him here because..."

At the complicated look on MC's face, Lucifer supplied the end of the sentence for them. "...you're each other's date?"

"No." The two replied simultaneously (and Lucifer could swear he heard Mammon let out a sigh of relief), both managing to sound completely entertained and confused at the prospect. 

"Then...what's going on ten minutes before my wedding?" 

"It's silly," Simeon replied, looking sheepish. MC's eyes rolled so far back in their sockets, Lucifer could imagine they could see their own thoughts to wonder exactly what choices they had made to land them here in the first place.

"It’s not." MC pinched the inside of the angel's arm and he gave a startled yelp. Letting the man go, MC pushed Simeon slightly and stepped back towards the door, ignoring his look of betrayal. They reached out and snagged Mammon's hand, pulling him after them. "I'm going to find Beel and Belphie. See you at the aisle."

Lucifer stiffened, staring at Simeon and his bewildered expression. "...I'll be the one in white." 

MC's laugh could be heard as the door shut, leaving the two men in an awkward silence.

"You look very handsome, Lucy." As usual, Simeon was the first one to break. Lucifer wanted to snap at him to knock it off with the nickname. Once upon a time, though, he would have smiled at the compliment instead of feeling uncomfortable. Marriage had never even been a prospect when he lived in the Celestial realm. Simeon looked so forlorn, though, that even with the negative emotions churning inside him from the recollection the nickname brought him, he felt no ill will towards the angel. Lucifer took a breath and spoke clearly, despite his hesitation on the matter.

"Would you mind walking me down the aisle, since you're here?" 

Simeon's eyes widened at his suggestion and then glanced down at his clothes. Oh yeah. After all his careful planning, the stylish Asmodeus was going to have a hernia when he saw Simeon walking down the aisle in the same clothes he wore on a daily basis. Something about the normalcy of it made something tight in Lucifer's gut release its hold. Simeon's voice was astonished. "...you actually want me to?" 

"You are my brother, too. ...were." 

Simeon opened his mouth to say something but was cut off.

"Lucifer, I'm assuming you're decent since As sent me down to come and get you. I'm ignoring decorum just coming in." Without even knocking, Satan walked into the room, a pair of cufflinks gripped in his hands. "He asked me to bring these to you. And by asked I mean commanded. And what the Devildom are you doing here?" 

Satan's gaze had fallen to the unexpected guest. Simeon just gave a blithe smile as if he hadn't just had the wind knocked out of him by Lucifer's unexpected offer. He reached out and adjusted Satan's tie and pocket handkerchief. The blonde stepped away, confusion still etched on his face. "Asmodeus has been a fiend today. Is there anyone he hasn't dressed?" 

His tone was teasing but the words missed Lucifer entirely. Satan and Simeon didn't interact often - they were two completely separate parts of his life. Satan wasn't exactly his brother, but that had never been much of an issue in Lucifer's eyes. Usually, Satan wanted to antagonize him more than anything else. He took the cufflinks from Satan's proffered hand and adjusted them to the ends of his jacket sleeves. "Was there something you needed, Satan? The ceremony is just about to start." 

The blonde's face reddened and he gruffly cleared his throat, choosing to look anywhere other than at Lucifer. "I was just... It had crossed my mind... Can I...walk you down the aisle?" 

The question seemed to be more shocking than Lucifer's offer to Simeon. Despite not having any real emotion behind the word, it came out anyway. 

"Why?" 

Satan's ruddy cheeks darkened and he cleared his throat. "Well. You...brought me into existence. It seems, I suppose, appropriate? Also, obviously, a one time deal."

"...to take me out of it? I don't exactly see marriage as the end of the world." Lucifer's words were wry but he was, in all honesty, humbled by the offer. Satan out of all of his brothers...

"That's not what I meant," The Avatar of Wrath huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. The petulant look made much more sense than the previously bashful one. "I just meant that you gave me the start of a new life, I should give you away to the start of yours."

Lucifer was speechless. Simeon smiled softly and placed a hand on Lucifer's elbow. Naturally, it made sense for Lucifer to be given away by one of the six demon brothers rather than the angel himself. "There you have it. I think you should probably take him up on the offer."

"...of course." Lucifer blinked and stood taller, taking a deep breath. Simeon moved away from him but the taller man dropped a hand on his shoulder. "I have to thank you. At least now, nobody will be looking specifically at me when the three of us go down the aisle."

The processional music began to play and every nerve in his body shot to attention at the sound. He was again the shell shocked groom that he had been before his two escorts had arrived. Simeon immediately saw his reaction to the organ's tones and he recovered from the shock of not being turned aside in favor of Satan. "You'll be ok, Lucy...I won't let you trip. Though I'm sure nobody would laugh if you did."

"I would," Satan interjected. Lucifer gave him a look that said that he didn't appreciate the joke but when Satan held his elbow out to him, he wove his arm through it. "Looks like that music means it's our cue." 

Simeon didn't take Lucifer's other arm but stood close by his shoulder - staying right at his side, where he would have been anyway before the Fall. It felt right to have him there.

The men stepped into the hallway, adjacent to the grand room where the ceremony was being held. The doors opened wide, seemingly on their own and Lucifer was faintly aware of the students and friends and family in attendance - rising from their seats and staring at him. His ruby eyes instantly traveled straight down the flower petal covered aisle to a tall man with a shock of red hair and sparkling mischievous eyes. He stared at him with his mouth slightly agape and a tinge of red on his dark cheeks. Diavolo...