#omn messages

[yukis-tasks]

Solomon x MC Part 2

A series of messages full of domestic bliss 🥰 BUT mostly … showing off lol

[lichqueenlibrarian]

why is the fucking sheet Jim’s wearing fucking translucent what in the wide world of sports is going on here

[xmads-omensx]

ANYTHING > HUMAN - MASTERPOST

Noah Sebastian x Fem. OC (Vania) 18+ MDNI General content warnings: Violence, Swearing, Smut, angst, fluff, death, blood, weapons, enemies to lovers (each chapter will have specific warnings) Message or comment if you would like to be added to the taglist Vania (Van – ya) is just another low-life criminal working jobs to keep paying the bills. But since her last crew tragically fell apart right in front of her eyes, she has been riding solo. However, the jobs she is given by her boss Karius are not easy in the slightest and keep pushing her to her limits. A new job forces her to work with a crew with whom she already has bad blood with. Will sparks fly between OMNS leader, the feared Noah? Or will they short circuit and fall apart? Playlists Mood boards Pinterest Board

OC Face Claims

Chapters:

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5

[nerdyhistoryenjoyer]

In the spirit of the new year I'm sharing this letter TE wrote to Lady Astor exactly 91 years ago! (31st of December 1933) It's rather long but I thought it's interesting

From The Letters of TE Lawrence edited by David Garnett; pages 787-789

Yours, MI PIRESS, was the only Christmas greeting that I sent: and likewise this shall be my only conveyance for the New Year. O si sic omnes! Confess that my Christmas has been quieter than yours. As for warmth, my cottage (where I went, and by good fortune, for late one night an airman arrived ‘to spend the holiday with me’) depends for its degree of warmth upon the quantity of firewood its occupant cuts. That other airman and myself cut heaps of logs, and roasted and toasted — ourselves.

My cottage is lovely: but the drought has dried up all the other springs on the heath. So every neighbour draws, by bucket and cask and tub, from mine: and to satisfy their thirsts, I must forgo my bath. So it wasn’t, probably, as clean a Christmas as yours.

On Christmas day it was mild and grey: so we walked for fourteen miles and dinnered off a tinned chicken. The long walk made it taste good.

And talking of Christmas presents, those of last year, the two heating lamps, have been doing great service all this cold spell in my cottage. I cannot light the bath-heater, because of the lack of water. So they alone have combatted the chill and the damp, most successfully. My books are as dry and well-ofF as ever in their poor lives.

One day last week (Wednesday I think it must have been) I came to London and registered my motor-bike for 1934. Also I asked after Sir Herbert Baker, who is going on well, regaining himself: and then a memory of a half-deciphered sentence in your last letter caused me to ring up St. James’ Square. You were reported absent. I felt glad that you had better things to do.

I am sorry about the dark lady, and rather frightened. Where is safety, if I am rumoured to have lost my heart to a lady of sixty, upon once visiting her after lunch to apologise for not lunching.^ A lady whom I had met for the first time at Lympne in the summer? It is rather hard, I think. Probably it would be wholesome for me to lose my heart — if that monstrous piece of machinery is capable of losing itself: for till now it has never cared for anyone, though much for places and things. Indeed I doubt these words of ‘hearts’. People seem to my judgement to lose their heads rather than their hearts. Over the Christmas season two men and four women have sent me fervent messages of love. Love carnal, not love rarefied, you know: and I am* uncomfortable towards six more of the people I meet, therefore. It’s a form of lunacy, I believe, to fancy that all comers are one’s lovers : but what am I to make of it when they write it in black on white? If only one might never come nearer to people than in the street. Miss Garbo sounds a really sympathetic woman! The poor soul. I feel for her.

I would now like to turn to happier things, and be brisk for a last paragraph: but no use. Those two in China have been silent for a month, which means lost letters or uncivil unrest across their line of communications. They were wrong to court martyrdom thus inaccessibly.

As for my boats — do not credit all that you read in the daily papers, or even the weekly one. I ran that first boat two seasons ago, indeed, but only till I saw she worked. Mute inglorious airmen took my place and have carried on since. (Not so mute either !)

I enclose a fragment of some daily paper, sent me by Augustus John. It made me laugh.

Ave atque vale t.e.s.

O’Casey? Shawn? Indeed yes, I have just finished his new play. The second act of The Silver Tassie was my greatest theatre experience, and here is a whole play in that manner. It will play better than it reads.

[justforbooks]

Conclave: the Vatican’s secret process for choosing a new pope

Cardinals will soon gather under Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling to elect Francis’s successor

The next pope will be chosen by the College of Cardinals, the Catholic church’s most senior figures appointed by the pontiff, who will make their way to Rome in the next few days for the conclave. The name comes from the Latin cum clave, meaning “with key”, indicating the closed process of electing a pope.

There are more than 220 cardinals from more than 70 countries, but only about 120 are cardinal electors (those over the age of 80 are excluded). Two-thirds of the cardinal electors have been chosen by Francis in the past 10 years and largely reflect his vision of a more inclusive church.

Once the cardinals are assembled in Rome, usually 15-20 days after the pope’s death, they gather under Michelangelo’s magnificent painted ceiling in the Sistine Chapel to begin their deliberations. After the words extra omne – everyone out – are declared, referring to all but voting cardinals and a handful of officials and doctors, the doors are locked.

The cardinals swear an oath of absolute secrecy, and are permitted no contact with the outside world for the duration of the election process. Their phones are removed, and no newspapers, television, letters or messages are allowed. The chapel is also swept for listening devices before and during the conclave.

The cardinals sleep and eat in a purpose-built hostel, St Martha’s house, near the Sistine Chapel, where Pope Francis has lived for the past 12 years.

The conclave begins with a celebration of mass, after which deliberations and voting begins. Votes are taken each day, morning and afternoon, until a candidate wins a two-thirds majority. There is a day’s break for prayer and reflection after every seven ballots. If there is no conclusive result after 30 ballots, a candidate will be elected on a simple majority. The longest papal conclave in recent history was 1922, when the cardinals took five days to choose their new leader.

Any baptised male can be elected as pope, although a serving cardinal is invariably chosen. Each elector is given a ballot card with the words eligo in summum pontificem (I elect as supreme pontiff) printed at the top. They insert the name of their choice, fold the card and drop it into a chalice.

The ballot is secret, but that does not mean the process is immune from factionalising, intrigue and lobbying.

After each round of voting, the ballot cards are burned. Chemicals are added to make the smoke black or white. Black smoke emerging from the 60ft chimney indicates an inconclusive ballot; white smoke announces to the world that a new pope has been elected.

The successful candidate is asked if he accepts election and, if so, which name he chooses to take as pontiff. The cardinals pledge obedience to the new pope, who is led into the adjacent Room of Tears to be dressed in a white cassock and skull cap, and red slippers. Three sets of vestments in different sizes will have been made by Vatican tailors in advance.

The dean of the cardinals steps on to the main balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, in front of which thousands of Catholic devotees and tourists will be gathered. The dean will declare: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus papam” – “I announce to you with great joy: We have a pope.”

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[kylieswift31]

My. Space.

"Cooler in theory,

but not if you force it to be"

‘Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno’ is a phrase more commonly known as ‘all for one and one for all’. It has long been associated with the tale of the three musketeers and is the unofficial motto of Switzerland.

This concept epitomises the sense of solidarity that can be reached when the individual acts in favour of the group and the group acts in favour of the individuals.

While this sounds promising in theory for the majority, in reality it can create a trap of self enforced conformity for the minority.

Most of us in this minority inherently drift apart from the majority due to a deeply rooted feeling that we don’t belong in some way. Often times learning ways to hide the parts of ourselves that are frowned upon by the collective as we float around on the periphery.

And it can take years to discover the correct language to use that accurately describes our experiences. What comes next is often not within our control as we’re forced to coexist with those who disapprove of our truth and lack of conformity.

“Maybe I'm losing my mind, but it feels like the whole world revolves around me somehow.” -Truman

In the Truman show ‘unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno’ is proudly displayed as the motto for the town of Seahaven, but it’s really just an ever-present subliminal message to reinforce Truman’s contribution to benefit the collective.

The director of the show was clouded by his desire to create something good to share with the world. Yet this inspirational message was never supposed to be used as a threat or an excuse for one person to carry the weight of the collective all alone.

That turns into ‘one for all’. Full stop. It was the realisation that the pressure to conform by giving more and more of himself to entertain the masses was a never ending cycle that ultimately became Truman’s tipping point and what finally motivated him to leave.

“So tell me everything is not about me. Butwhat if it is?” -Taylor

This experience is not unique to Truman’s fictional character. It’s actually a fine line that many of us face in our own ways. And it’s this prior experience that allows so many of us to see the same type of pain in Taylor being reflected back at us.

The key to overcoming this imbalance between the ‘all for one and one for all’ is rediscovering community. We often begin with a jumble of stories collected along the way that morph into a label. And it’s this label that allows us to find our people, to find where we belong.

The evolution of the internet and social media created online spaces that allowed many of us to coexist in communities where the minority suddenly became the majority. MySpace in particular encouraged everyone to personalise their page to create a reflection of themselves.

With the rise of other platforms, conformity gradually took over and individuality was slowly left behind. Regardless of how big or small a group becomes, uniformity amongst the majority seems to be the goal.

The Taylor Swift fandom isn’t immune to this either. We’ve all centred Taylor in our own versions of ‘all for one and one for all’ but have branched out to create varying subsections that fall under the swiftie or gaylor umbrella.

When all of these variations overlap and mingle together it creates a never ending Venn diagram, and it’s that same overlap that feels both communal and isolating all at once. The sweet spot lies with finding a balance between valuing unity and individuality.

I myself fall into the gaylor, idgaflor, performanceartlor and thetrumanshowlor communities. I also view Taylor’s story through a female, queer, neurodivergent and chronic illness lens. The combination of these facets is what makes my interpretations unique.

I’d love to invite you to consider where you fit into the community. What makes your point of view unique? The more we can recognise and celebrate the diversity within the gaylor community, the more united we will all feel in preparation for the turbulent times ahead.

When Taylor invited us to go down the rabbit hole with her I never expected to discover, let alone join in with, this amazing community. I love each and every one of you for being here. Wether you’ve inspired thoughtful conversations, made me laugh or just liked my posts, thank you 🫶🏼

‘Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno’

A tortured poet,

Kylie x

[lyranova]

Omnes Sumus Peccatores: Love is Rich with Both Honey and Venom

Chapter 3: Secretive Friends and Tactless Foes

Hiya guys! I’m sorry this chapter has taken a while, I’ve had a lot going on IRL that’s kind of pulled me away from this and my other works, but hopefully I’ll be able to post more regularly! Not much happens in this chapter, it’s more of a set up for the next one. But I hope you all still enjoy~!

Word Count: 3,682

Warnings: Language, Mention of Weapons, Canon Typical violence, typical Mafia AU Tropes!

————

The Next Day

William looked up from his desk as he heard a quick knock on his office door, he muttered a quick “come in” and glanced up to see Langris walking through the door.

“ Good morning Langris,” William began as he looked back down at his papers. “ To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“ Good morning sir,” Langris greeted back as he walked up to the desk. “ I just got an important message from one of our clubs.”

William stopped what he was doing, set his pen down, and leaned back in his chair.

“ An important message? From whom?” He asked with a slightly raised brow, and he watched as Langris pulled out a piece of paper from the inside of his suit jacket and handed it to him.

“ Apparently…it’s from a member of the Equinox Exchange Network named Theia.”

William paused, this note was from the Equinox Exchange Network? The multi-billion yul company? That Equinox Exchange Network?

He took the note from Langris and opened it, but what was on it made his eyes narrow; it was an address to a luxury hotel and the number of a conference room.

“ From what the club manager said, the person from the Equinox Exchange Network said that they would like to make a deal with us and that they’ll be waiting at this hotel’s conference room until 1 p.m. this afternoon.” Langris explained.

William stared at the note intently, his eyes looking over it multiple times with a degree of suspicion and hesitancy.

It was very well known that the Equinox Exchange Network was very…selective about who they worked with; after all, that’s how they’ve been able to fly under the radar for so long, they worked with very few people, and it was extremely difficult to contact them to make a deal.

So if they come to you asking for a deal, you don't say no.

William’s hands traced the paper; if this was truly a letter from the Equinox Exchange Network, then there would be a raised yet invisible seal somewhere…

And just like that, on the bottom right corner of the paper, was the distinctive Equinox seal.

This note was legitimate.

“ Sir, what do you want to do?” Langris asked after a moment, his body still as he waited for ‘the King’ to tell him what to do.

A soft sigh escaped him as he placed a thoughtful hand under his chin; while he was still hesitant and suspicious of the person behind this letter, he couldn’t help but also be intrigued and curious at the same time…

“ Well, we’re going to meet them of course,” William said as he leaned forward and rested his arms on top of his desk.

“ But sir, you have a meeting with the Blue Roses and the Black Bulls this afternoon,” Langris pointed out. “ So how are you going to meet them and the Equinox Exchange member?”

An irritated sigh escaped William as he suddenly remembered his previous plans; there was no way he was going to be able to attend both meetings, which meant that he was going to have to send someone in his place.

“ I’m going to have to send someone else to the hotel,” William eventually said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“ I can go to the hotel while you and Alecdora meet with the Blue Roses and the Black Bulls?” Langris offered, but William shook his head.

“ No, I’ll need the two of you with me,” He quickly said as he began to lightly drum his fingers against his desk in thought.

Langris hummed as he began to think.

“ What about Neva? Wouldn’t it be best to have a high ranking member of the family go to the meeting?” He suggested even though he and Neva didn’t get along.

William frowned a bit.

“ Neva and Yuno are on patrol for the next couple of weeks, so they won’t be going. However,” He began as he placed his hand under his chin again. “ You have a point, it would be best to send a high ranking member of the family to meet them.”

Now it was Langris’s turn to frown.

“ But, if you’re not sending Neva, then-?” He began to ask, but as if right on cue, a knock on the office door echoed through the room and it slowly opened to reveal Zera, William’s fiancé, on the other side.

“ Good morning,” She began as she walked into the room. “ Is something wrong?” She added with a worried frown as the two stared at her.

“ We’ll send her,” William said as he slowly stood up with a warm smile on his face.

Langris’s head snapped in William’s direction, his eyes wide in shock, as Zera stared at her fiancé with a confused expression.

“ What?!”

“ Huh? Send me where?” Zera asked in confusion as she looked from William, to Langris, and back again.

“ Sir,” Langris began, completely ignoring Zera’s question. “ We can’t send her! This meeting is too important to be sending a novice to!”

“ Uh-.”

“ Zera isn’t a novice, Langris, she was born and raised in this world. She knows how it works even if she hasn’t done any of it herself.” William pointed out as he crossed his arms.

“ Um-.”

“ But, sir, she knows how it works in theory, not how it works in practice! That would be like saying I was born knowing how to drive because I’ve been around people who know how to drive my entire life!” Langris said with a slightly narrowed gaze.

“ Hey-!”

“ Are you saying that she isn’t capable of doing it?” William asked, his own gaze narrowing sharply.

“ No, sir, I’m sure she is capable of it…but I also think we should send someone with more experience-.” Langris began, but was quickly cut off by ‘the King’.

“ Zera does have experience talking people into things, don’t you dear?” William asked as his purple eyes looked away from Langris and towards his fiancé.

But instead of answering, she just stared at the pair…and she stared…and stared…before she slowly opened her mouth.

“ I’m not sure whether I should confirm or deny those facts considering I have no idea what we’re even talking about!” Zera pointed out, her voice raising more and more as the sentence went on.

Both Langris and William winced, glanced at each other, before William took a breath.

“ We just got word that a member of the Equinox Exchange Network wants to meet with us, but unfortunately I won’t be able to make it, so we’ve decided to send you to meet with them in my place.” William told her, his warm smile returning to his face.

“ What?” She exclaimed in surprise, but before she could say anything else Langris chimed in.

“ But sir-!” He tried to argue, but he instantly closed his mouth as he saw the serious look in William’s eyes.

“ I’ve made my decision, Langris.” He stated firmly, his voice leaving no more room for discussion or arguments.

Langris’s eyes widened, but he slowly nodded in agreement.

“ Yes, sir, then…I’ll leave you to it.” He said before he gave him a small bow and walked out of the office, quietly closing the door behind him.

William walked around his desk and up to her.

“ Sorry about that,” He apologized softly as he stood beside her. “ Langris is just being extra…cautious since it’s a very important meeting.”

Zera nodded hesitantly.

“ I get it. But to be honest, I can’t blame him,” She admitted with a small laugh. “ If this meeting is so important then why don’t you send him or someone else? Why are you sending me?”

“ Because I think this would be a good opportunity for you to get your foot in the door on the ‘business’ side of The Family, instead of just the medical side.” He told her as he reached out and took her hand in his.

“ And, I’m also sending you because I trust you, and my gut is telling me that you’ll be able to make this deal out of everyone else.”

Zera blinked in surprise.

“ Don’t you think you’re putting a little too much trust and faith in my charm and abilities?” She asked with a small laugh, but William shook his head.

“ I don’t think so. I mean, you were able to charm me and convince Dante and the other Families that you and I were a couple when we weren’t, so I’m confident that you’ll be able to pull this off as well.” He told her confidently as he leaned forward to kiss her cheek.

A slightly forced smile appeared on her face as she nodded again.

“ At least one of us is.” She muttered under her breath, which made him tilt his head.

“ What did you say?” He asked, but she quickly shook her head and waved her hands in front of her.

“ Oh, nothing, nothing! I just said I’ll be going now, since I have to get ready to meet this person,” She told him with a sheepish laugh and began to back out of the office. “ I’ll see you later!”

As soon as Zera was out of the office she quickly closed the door behind her, walked up to the opposite wall, and gently hit her head against it.

How the hell was she going to pull this off?!

Meanwhile, back in William’s office, as soon as he sat down he pulled out his cell phone and called Langris.

“ I’ve already begun printing up all the information we have on Theia, sir,” Langris said as soon as he answered the phone. “ And so far…it’s not looking too good sir.”

A worried hum escaped William.

“ Okay, bring it to me as soon as you can.”

————

Meanwhile, driving around Clover City

Yuno looked out the window as he and his new partner, Neva, drove slowly through what was commonly referred to as the “Party District” of Clover City.

There were various clubs, bars, restaurants, and other establishments in the area; some businesses were honest, some were just fronts for the various Mafia families that controlled them.

The ones in this particular neighborhood were controlled, or protected, by the Golden Dawn Family.

“ I’m assuming you’ve already done this before?” Neva suddenly asked as she drove slowly through the slightly empty street, dodging people that were either on their way to work or on their way home from a long night of partying.

Yuno glanced over at her before looking back out the passenger window.

“ Patrolled? Yeah, I’ve done it before.” He replied simply as he rested his chin against the top of his hand.

“ I see..so that means you’ve also collected due’s as well?” Neva asked curiously as she turned the car down a side street and towards an empty parking lot.

A small frown worked its way onto his face as he glanced back over towards her.

“ ‘Dues’?” He repeated in slight confusion as the platinum blonde haired girl nodded.

“ Yeah, today’s collection day; it’s where we go to the various clubs and pick up the money they’ve made for the last month, as well as a portion of what the other businesses made too.” She explained as she pulled into the empty parking lot.

Yuno’s frown deepened.

“ So, we’re not only collecting from the businesses we own, but from the ones we don’t own as well?” He asked as he turned to fully look at her.

Neva simply nodded as she began to park the car.

“ Yep. We even collect dues from the ones we don’t own as well.” She confirmed without looking at him as she put the car in park.

A quiet scoff escaped Yuno as he rolled his eyes slightly; of course they took ‘dues’ from honest, hard working people…they were a Mafia Family, and their protection didn’t come for free…

Taking from the rich who had more than enough money to spare was fine by him, but taking from people who were just trying to make a living and were only just managing to scrape by? That didn’t sit well with him at all…

“ I can’t wait until I find my father’s killer so I can leave this place,” Yuno thought with annoyance as he heard Neva turn the car engine off.

He just had to hang on a little longer…

“ Ready?” Neva suddenly asked, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Yuno quickly nodded and followed her out of the car.

The pair began to make their way down the street and to the various businesses owned by the Golden Dawn.

First on their list were the various luxury clubs they owned, their most famous one was called “Doré Lounge” or “The Golden Lounge”. It was one many celebrities, rich businessmen, and politicians partied at.

It was the Golden Dawn’s most profitable business. Well, second most profitable business; their most profitable one was the business they ran in the shadows behind all the glitz and glamor of the luxurious nightclubs:

Their high end weapons business.

Yuno didn’t know much about the weapons business that the Golden Dawn ran since he was still pretty new, but from what the other members of The Family told him the weapons they bought and sold weren’t your average weapons that just anyone could buy…

The weapons they bought and sold were military grade weapons that only the richest of groups, Families, and individuals could afford.

“ Here’s this month's earnings, Diamond,” The manager suddenly said as he came from the back room of the “Doré Lounge”.

Yuno blinked as he was suddenly pulled out of his thoughts, and his amber eyes focused on a large, black duffle bag in the other man’s hand.

“ That’s it? It looks pretty light.” Neva said skeptically as she took the bag from the manager.

The man shrugged.

“ Eh, business has been a little slow lately,” He replied as he rubbed the back of his neck. “ But don’t worry, you can tell King that there’ll be more in it next month since I’ve got reservations for lots of big parties!”

Neva nodded slowly as she weighed the bag in her hand, and after a moment of deliberation she slung the bag over her shoulder.

“ Alright, but don’t let it be this light again, otherwise…we just might have to hire a new manager.” She told him seriously as she turned around and began to walk out of the club with Yuno following silently behind her.

The man behind them suddenly began to laugh.

“ It’s good to have you back Diamond,” He said as he continued to laugh. “ We love having you around here, so why don’t you try to not beat up your new partner like you did the last one, yeah?”

Neva waved her hand to signal to the man that she had heard him, but Yuno paused and a frown appeared on his face.

Her last partner, she beat him up? Why? And was that really the reason that William sent her overseas?

“ Hey, newbie, are you coming?” Neva called over her shoulder, pulling Yuno out of his thoughts.

He quickly caught up to her, and the pair walked out of the club and down the street.

They walked quietly side by side for a while, neither one really saying a word as they dodged and maneuvered around the various signs and people that were on the street.

Neva sighed under her breath as she could feel Yuno’s eyes steadily glancing over at her, why on earth did that manager have to open his big freaking mouth?!

“ Is there something you want to ask, newbie?” She asked as she came to a stop and turned to the side slightly.

Yuno stopped and turned to look at her.

“ No.”

Neva’s eyes narrowed in disbelief.

“ Really? So you’re not at all curious as to why he said I beat up my last partner?” She asked as she placed a hand on her hip.

Yuno shook his head.

“ No; because I assume if it was something I needed to know, you would tell me, right?” He asked before he began to walk back down the street.

Neva stared at him in surprise as he walked away; he wasn’t curious at all? Not even a little bit? That was a little…strange, in her opinion.

She began to walk a little faster to catch up with him.

“ So, you’re not even a little bit worried that the same thing could happen to you?”

Yuno suddenly stopped walking and turned to face her; it was an honest and fair question to ask, but it still took him by surprise.

He stood there and looked at her for a moment, his mind going back and forth as he tried to settle on an answer, and once he finally did he opened his mouth to reply.

But as he did, the sound of items crashing to the ground along with a loud shout echoed down the street.

Yuno and Neva turned towards the commotion and saw an elderly man lying on the ground, and a group of younger men wearing dark suits standing around him.

Neva’s eyes narrowed sharply and she quickly handed the duffle bag to Yuno before rushing over to the group.

“ Hey assholes, over here!” She suddenly shouted, drawing the group's attention away from the older man and instead to her.

As she grew closer she jumped up, landed a flying kick to one of the men's faces, and landed firmly in front of the old man.

“ Well look who it is, it’s the Golden Dawn’s troubled child, the Diamond Princess!” One of the men laughed, causing the others around him to chuckle.

Neva rolled her eyes before placing a hand on her hip.

“ And look what we have here; a group of bottom feeders thinking it’s okay to encroach on the Golden Dawn’s territory and harass the local businesses that are under their protection.” She spat back at them before she turned around and crouched down to help the elderly man stand up.

“ Are you okay?” She asked softly, ignoring the man’s angry shouting behind her.

The old man nodded.

“ I’m fine,” He began before he softly gasped. “ Diamond, look out!”

Neva quickly looked over her shoulder and saw the angry man from earlier standing over her with a metal rod in his hand that he was swinging with the intent to hit her on the head.

“ Dammit, there isn’t time for me to dodge…and even if there was, the old man would end up getting hit instead!” Her mind shouted as the world seemed to go in slow motion.

She quickly closed her eyes and threw herself in front of the old man so that he wouldn’t get hit, but as she waited for the impact of the metal rod, she frowned when she heard it hit something else instead.

Neva slowly opened her eyes and they widened when she saw the black duffle bag situated between her and the metal rod. Her gaze shifted to her left, and she saw Yuno standing there using the duffle bag as a makeshift shield.

Using his weight, Yuno swung the bag forward, which caused the other man with the metal rod to fly backwards and into the others.

“ What the hell?!”

“ Attacking an old man and a young woman just because she called you a bottom feeder is only proving her right, y’know.” Yuno said as he stood in front of Neva and the old man as though he were protecting them.

“ You should go back to whatever hole you crawled out of, unless you really want a fight that you’ll certainly lose.” He told them as he dropped the duffle bag onto the ground beside him.

The group of men looked at each other for a moment before they began to laugh hysterically.

“ You think you can beat us in a fight? You must be crazy!” One of the men shouted before he began to laugh again.

“ Hey kid, you’re either dumber than you look or you’ve got balls of steel to be going against us by yourself!” The man with the metal rod laughed. “ Why don’t you join us instead? We could use someone crazy and fearless in our group!”

Yuno stared at him blankly.

“ Not a chance.” He replied immediately, causing the group's laughter to die as quickly as it started.

The men looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Yuno.

“ Then, it looks like we don’t have a choice but to show you why no one refuses to join our group and live to tell about it!”

But before the men could even take a step forward, Yuno rushed towards them and swiftly began to take them out one by one.

Neva and the old man watched in surprise as he landed quick yet precise punches to the men's bodies that knocked them all out cold.

“ No wonder William gave him the name ‘Ace’, because he truly is one.” She thought as she watched him knock one last man out with a direct punch to the jaw.

Yuno quickly fixed his suit jacket as the men on the ground groaned in pain; he hadn’t meant to hit them that hard, but he really hated it when people picked on others that were weaker than them, and when they tried to fight dirty.

“ Not bad, Ace,” Neva said as she walked up to him with one hand on her hip and the other behind her back. “ There’s just one thing you forgot…”

Yuno watched as she pulled what appeared to be a gun from behind her back, and when she pulled the trigger he watched as a pair of wires shot out from the end, flew past him, and hit something behind him.

He slowly turned around to see one of the men he thought he had knocked out earlier standing above him with a wooden plank in his hand. The man stiffened up before quickly falling to the ground as Neva hit the trigger on her taser.

“ Never turn your back on the enemy.”

————

Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you all have a good day~!

[mariacallous]

Last week, as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a provisional ruling in South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel, it sent an authoritative message to the world: Allegations of genocide against Israel are not meritless. Notwithstanding Hamas’s unlawful conduct that started the war last October, the court clearly indicated an overwhelming disapproval of the way that Israel has been fighting the war—stating, notably, that Palestinians face a “real and imminent risk” to their right to be protected from acts of genocide.

Even though the court did not rule on the merits of the genocide allegations, which may take years, it evoked strong reactions from around the globe. While human rights experts and groups welcomed the ruling, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decried the court’s decision, protesting the court’s willingness to hear the case at all.

In any case, the ICJ decision offers an opportunity for lasting peace that should not be missed. For that, credit must go to South Africa for bringing the case.

Pretoria’s “moral leadership,” as some have called it, has garnered support from many countries throughout the global south. However, other countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States have opposed the lawsuit. Not only has Antony Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, declared South Africa’s case “meritless,” he’s also argued that the case “distracts the world” from efforts to find a lasting solution to the conflict.

While both sides are entitled to their own views, it is wrong to suggest that a case that seeks to stem the bloodbath is an attempt to distract the world from more durable paths to peace at a time when the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is threatening to provoke a wider regional war. Since lasting solutions cannot be found within the chambers of the political organs of the United Nations, including the Security Council, which has become hopelessly dysfunctional, solutions must be sought elsewhere.

Rather than criticize South Africa for daring to launch the lawsuit that asks whether the Genocide Convention has been violated, a more constructive criticism would be to argue that Pretoria limited its case too narrowly with regard to the parties involved and the scope of its litigation—namely, by not initiating proceedings against Hamas and failing to examine crimes other than genocide, such as war crimes and crimes against humanity, which are often committed under the cover of war.

South Africa’s case mainly rests on the principle that international lawyers call obligation erga omnes. According to that doctrine, the obligation to protect human rights and humanity from acts of violence is an obligation owed to the whole world—even if they are not direct victims of said violations. Therefore, any country is entitled to bring legal action to ensure continued protection of the concerned rights , as  Gambia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Ukraine have done in the past.

However, South Africa oddly limited the parties to the proceedings by omitting to initiate proceedings against Hamas, which it could have done by including Palestine as a nominal party in the case. This limitation likely results from the argument that Hamas is not a state actor, and therefore its actions cannot be adjudicated at the ICJ. That argument is flawed.

Considering that Hamas is the organization that performs the functions of government in Gaza, a geographic entity forming part of Palestine—which is recognized as a U.N. observer state—it is mistaken to argue that it is not a state actor which could trigger the international responsibility of Palestine. According to the U.N.’s Draft Articles on Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts, the conduct of Hamas, as the acting governmental authority in Gaza, is justiciable at the ICJ (just as the conduct of Arizona, a U.S. state, was justiciable at the ICJ in a 2001 case between Germany and the United States).

Another reason for the limitation likely results from the political debate about Palestine as a state. Given that 139 countries have recognized Palestine as a state and the U.N. General Assembly has voted to recognize Palestine as a nonmember observer state, the obstacle to initiating proceedings against Palestine at the ICJ depends on the practices of the ICJ. Indeed, Palestine is listed among the states that may be parties to proceedings before the ICJ. Notably, in 2018, the same year it was admitted as a state party to the ICJ statute, Palestine challenged the U.S. relocation of its embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

All this is to say that it might have been preferable for South Africa to initiate proceedings against Hamas, too. Israel had compellingly argued before the ICJ that any provisional order by the court to halt the fighting would tie Israel’s hands and not Hamas’s. That argument offers a better explanation for why the  ICJ’s ruling did not go as far as to order an immediate cease-fire, though it indicated several provisional measures requiring Israel to prevent acts of genocide.

By omitting to include Hamas as a party to ICJ proceedings, South Africa lost the opportunity to actually try to halt the ongoing armed conflict by compelling both sides to stop fighting—given that the Security Council has proved unable to adopt a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian cease-fire.

South Africa also unduly limited the scope of its litigation by confining it to the question of genocide. World leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden, who argued that Israel was entitled to defend itself and go after Hamas, have criticized Israel for indiscriminate bombings that have killed innocent civilians in Gaza, including women and children, in unprecedented numbers in recent history.

In its defense, Israel argued that it also found the scale of civilian casualties and destruction in Gaza truly heartbreaking, and that it was doing its best to minimize harm to civilians. This defense was made in spite of the many disturbing utterances of multiple Israeli officials suggesting otherwise, and the critical observations of some Israeli citizens, including soldiers, suggesting a lack of restraint. Still, Israel refused to slow down—insisting at once that it must continue bombing and attacking Gaza until it had eliminated Hamas.

The Convention against Genocide is not the only document that Pretoria could have turned to; it could have also cited the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their First Additional Protocol of 1977, a set of treaties which in one form or another bind all nations when fighting wars. The 1949 conventions criminalize the willful killing and willful infliction of great suffering on civilian populations as well as the destruction of civilian property beyond military necessity. The 1977 protocol details the principle of proportionality and forbids indiscriminate attacks.

In any war in which there are conflicting accusations and denials about violations of these norms, the legally proper recourse is to pose those questions to the ICJ—just as countries such as the Netherlands and Canada did in their case against Syria about violation of the Convention against Torture.

It is unreasonable and fundamentally counterproductive to criticize judicial proceedings before international courts, especially when parties are seeking to intervene in life-and-death situations that the global political institutions have otherwise been unable to resolve. Indeed, no nation should object to using judicial proceedings as a last resort in seeking to stop a war.

The irony is inescapable. Since 1928, states have agreed to renounce war as an instrument of state policy and to use peaceful means—including adjudication—to resolve differences instead, an idea subsequently enshrined in the U.N. Charter. Today, there is widespread concern that the ongoing war in Gaza could broaden the conflict across the region or beyond. Given that risk, it is startling that any responsible state would support continuing an armed conflict that has killed so many and destroyed so much, when no effort had been made to use peaceful means of settlement—apart from the brief cease-fire and prisoner exchange last November.

Putting the legal merits of these cases aside, there is much value in countries such as Gambia, Canada, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and South Africa bringing these kinds of proceedings to the ICJ. If nothing else, the recent case has forced the international community to confront the problem of armed conflict, even if the only way left to do that is through the international courts. The cases allow judges to cut through all the political noise to answer legal questions.

Additionally, such litigation can help to quell the cacophony of recriminations—allegations, denials, and counter-allegations of genocide, war crimes, apartheid, crimes against humanity, and wars of aggression—that these events invariably generate. These lawsuits thus invite trained experts—specifically, highly-qualified judges from across the world, assisted by the briefs and arguments of able counsel—to deliberate these questions and then declare to the world whether there is merit in the allegations, so that they are not left at the level of defamatory political insults or disingenuous denials.

International courts now seem to be the last hope for humanity in a world where the possibilities of science have been harnessed by states to maximize destruction, while the U.N.’s ability to curb the scourge of war has largely failed.

[ambertrulife]

Pride - Hazbin Hotel AU

Hey, everyone ! The following chapter for my AU ! It's right after Frist meeting and So it's a deal, then ? ! Hope you enjoyed it !

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Alastor stood before the immense crystal tower of Hell, the palace of the King himself. When he had received the message from Zestial, he had been astonished to have been invited here, in any other place. The message had appeared as usual, next to him in a black envelope. The old Overlord had not specified the reason for the appointment. He had just noted, in a distinguished manner, that an exceptional meeting would take place in the main tower of Hell and that only certain Overlords were invited. It was to take place in the utmost discretion.

The Radio Demon was flattered to have been contacted, but he was cautious: he didn't know what the meeting was about, although he had a slight idea. It had been a few days since Omnes, also known as God, had paid a little visit to the Hazbin Hotel, and his presence, or at least his departure, had caused quite a stir among the Pentagram's population.

When Charlie had returned from her appointment, she asked if the hotel residents felt this powerful energy surging through the city. Lucifer laughed and simply said it was him, following an argument with Adam. The wave was angelic magic, his daughter hadn't questioned her father's words, and no one dared go against the talk of the King of Hell. He asked that the angelic being's arrival be kept a secret, and no one had gone against his request, which was more of an order than anything else. Even Alastor had not opposed his decision. He was, however, the only one who knew the true nature of the deity who had trodden the underworld. He knew because Lucifer told him in a moment of weakness, while he was healing him following an unfortunate situation.

The feeling of helplessness flooded back into his soul and he grinned. It was one of the worst things he'd ever felt. Far more bitter than the one he'd experienced after his defeat by Adam.

He strode towards the entrance with a determined step, literally leaving the bitterness of his soul behind him and regaining his consistency. He arrived at the huge golden double doors that reeked of wealth and opulence. It was enormous, much bigger than the hotel. Alastor couldn't help thinking that the giant being who had appeared a few days ago in the lobby of his business wouldn't even have had to stoop. He also thought that it was far too big for the palace's only current resident. He wanted to knock to announce himself, but he didn't have to. Before his hand could touch the wood, the door opened and a little imp greeted him with a serious, distinguished air. He was dressed like any self-respecting butler. Alastor frowned and almost let a growl of frustration escape from his mouth: the bellboy had the same clothes as him, except for a few details. He tried to convince himself that the master of the house hadn't provoked him on purpose.

He entered behind the imp who, without saying a word, guided him into the tower. It was richly decorated, sumptuous and elegant. It had the charm of the past, as if it were a Renaissance building. The exquisite gilding and light colors contrasted with the overall atmosphere of Hell The people who lived here didn't want to remember where they were. It disgusted the Demon Radio. It looked like running away for him.

He finally arrived at a new door, large but not as large as the one at the entrance. The imp led the way and bowed, inviting him in. When he took the few steps into the room, he was slightly surprised.

Zestial, Carmilla and Rosie were present, as he'd expected, but he didn't know the other two demons present with them.

One of them was very tall and looked like a blue hairy flame mixed with an exotic bird. He was dressed in a chic and distinguished, if rather provocative, way. His flaming head had three faces and he wore an inviting smile. The second demon, standing opposite the other, was female from the looks. She resembled a medium-sized, multicolored fox/fly whose coat shifted with the elements, changing color. Compared to the immense cold flame, she had shimmering colors that matched her casual style, pink shorts and pink top. The two demons turned their gaze towards him and he sensed that they weren't like the others. They weren't sinners, but they clearly weren't common natives. They exuded a power he'd never known before. At least not with other natives. But, for whatever they emanated, it had nothing to do with the last occupant of the room.

Lucifer stood off to one side, seated on a chest of drawers with a plastic duck in his hand, one leg bent over the surface of the piece of furniture on which his arm rested, the other dangling in the air. He was dressed as usual, in a white and pink suit, his trusty top hat on. His face was closed, his gaze lost in contemplation of his duck.

Rosie, as soon as she saw him, moved towards him, her presence lighting up the slightly darkened room. She smiled broadly and cupped his arm. He returned her expression kindly and sincerely: Rosie was truly a woman he had a strong affection.

"Alastor, dearest!" she exclaimed as she pulled him into the room. "Here you are at last! You should break that bad habit of arriving late!" She pinched his cheek before her hand pointed to the two occupants of the room he didn't know.

"Let me introduce you!" she said, perky. She pointed to the blue flame. "Let me introduce you to Asmodeus! He's a big man, but he doesn't bite!"

"Unless you ask." laughed the demon in a deep, sensual voice, though Alastor sensed he wasn't flirting with him. It was just his voice.

"And the beautiful young lady here is called Belzebub!" continued Rosie, pointing to the fox demoness.

"Call me Bee!" she said, jovially. She held out her hand.

Alastor felt his instincts screaming at him to provoke them. If their names were what he thought they were, then they were indeed no ordinary natives. He was looking at two of the deadly sins. Their presence and power irritated him as much as the reminder of his powerlessness was important. He wanted to humiliate them for only have the aplomb to claim to be stronger than he was. However, he didn't give in to this impulse. Because the third deadly sin was there, and the desire to provoke him was stronger than his disgust for the other two.

He smiled welcomingly and held the demoness' hand firmly.

"A pleasure to meet you!" he said, playfully. "It's an honor to see you in the flesh!"

Bee raised an eyebrow in surprise, although her smile was genuine. Alastor noticed that Flame dedaly sin was casting a knowing glance at Lucifer, who didn't seem to be listening to the conversation.

"I present myself!" said the Radio Demon, bowing. "Alastor, at your service."

"We've heard about you," replied the Sin of Lust. He turned his attention back to the Overlord.

"Oh?" asked this one, hands on his microphone. "At good, I hope."

Bee laughs.

"I used to listen to your radio show, personally!" she says, resting her hands on her hips. "I'm more into pop and electro music, but a little jazz definitely doesn't hurt, once in a while."

Alastor blinked in surprise.

"Do you have access to my radio waves?" he asked. "I thought they were only broadcast in Pride's circle."

"Yep, that's right!" replied Sin of Gluttony. "But Luci gave us radios he created so we could listen to all the music in Hell !" she sneered as she continued. "Sorry, bastard, but only the deadly sins hear your channel, on the other circles!"

"It's an honor." he says, raising an eyebrow. "You must have spent a lot of time on that machine to find my radio wave. There must be countless frequencies."

She blinked in surprise.

"Well, no." she declared, a little dubiously. "It was Luci who told us to listen to your channel."

Oh the little bastard. Alastor glanced at the angel in the room who was working on his duck. So, the King of Hell already knew who he was when he'd arrived in the hotel and had just pretended not to just to... To what, exactly? To provoke him?

"I see." said Alastor in a deeper tone than he would have liked, his voice almost threatening as his annoyance at the ridiculous little pearly being increased. Asmodeus looked again at Lucifer before returning his attention to Alastor, his features clearly amused.

"Nice conversation," he says finally. "However, we have a meeting to conduct. Now that everyone's here, we might as well get started, right?"

Zestial nodded positively.

"I agree." said his slow, low voice cutting the air with subtlety. "We owe it to ourselves to talk about this delicate subject."

The Radio Demon watched the faces of the two deadly sins close as Camilla and Rosie glanced at each other knowingly. He was apparently the only one who didn't know why he was here. It was almost vexing.

"Can I be made aware of the problem?" asked Alastor as he controlled his voice so as not to show his annoyance.

Zestial looked at him, frowning.

"My friend." he said, in a gentle tone. "I think you know perfectly well what we want to talk about."

"I do have an idea, of course," he replied. "I want to make it clear, though."

Asmodeus and Bee exchanged a glance before finally, the fox demoness said:

"The angel who came to Hell was extremely powerful. When he left, the angelic wave descended to the last of the circles. Everyone felt it and is afraid."

Alastor looked at Sin of Gluttony intently. He didn't know what information the people in this room had. How aware were they of the gravity of the situation? As far as he knew, only he and Lucifer knew. It was therefore necessary to play the fool in order to glean data.

"According to the official version," he began, "Our Majesty is the source of this wave."

He received unamused glances in return. He simply smiled and shrugged. At least he knew nobody believed in this nonsense.

"The problem, Alastor," says Rosie, "is that the new souls believe it without flinching. But the older ones know it's a lie. This isn't the first time an angelic wave has reverberated through the various circles, and the energy that surged through is not that of our King."

"But I think you already know all that, don't you?" asked Carmilla, raising an eyebrow. "You were present in the hotel when that angel showed up."

Alastor glanced threateningly at Carmilla, who did not flinch.

"Is that why I'm here?" he asked, finally.

"No." said Zestial simply. "You are one of the most powerful Overlords with many souls under your control. We need you to develop a defense strategy."

Alastor prevented a proud smile from appearing on his face. The compliment wasn't sincere, it was factual. That made it all the more rewarding. He looked at the other occupants of the room.

"So." he said "You want to set up a strategy to prepare for an angel invasion?"

Bee bit her lip.

"Yeah." she sighed. "You know, bitch, we can't let such powerful beings come into our territory without protest. We need to be ready, just in case. The extermination has ended, but it's clear that the conflict with the Heavens has only just begun. And this presence is either a warning or a declaration of war."

The Radio Demon recorded information as it came in. He drew conclusions: that Zestial, Carmilla or even Rosie didn't realize the gravity of the situation, he understood. Ancient as they were, they must never have felt the presence of Omnes himself. It was therefore impossible for them to deduce all the ins and outs of the situation. However, Asmodeus and Belzebub also seemed to be in the dark. They seemed to know that a powerful angel had descended, enough to have the same impact on Hell as Lucifer himself. However, it didn't seem to have occurred to them that this one was even more powerful than the King. The question then arose of this knowledge through the deadly sins. He had to try and glean this information.

"A warning." repeated Alastor. "This has never happened before? The descent of an angel?"

"Not as powerful." said Asmodeus, clasping his hands, still sitting in a relaxed manner.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Alastor, feigning ignorance.

"To give you an idea." sighed the Sin of Lust "The most powerful being to have descended from paradise is Adam."

"And in the power scale of Heaven, where is he located?" asked Rosie. God, he loved that woman.

"He's powerful, yeah." replied Asmodeus simply. "But a far cry from the Seraphim, and an even farther cry from the Wise."

"So." continued the cannibal. "What level of being do you think came down?" Alastor would have kissed him.

Asmodeus glanced at Lucifer, who was still playing with his plastic duck.

"The same level as Lulu," he said. "So a Seraphim."

The Demon Radio recorded the data: Lucifer was therefore a Seraphim, the third powerful being of Heaven. He looked at the King of Hell, who had conjured up a screwdriver and was tackling a task Alastor didn't understand. There was something unclear about the information he had accumulated. He searched his memory, looking for a precise recollection. He recalled a scene a few months ago, when a drunken Lucifer had told him: "I was different. I was the intruder. The eldest, yes, but the renegade. The first, but the failure." The first of the Seraphim, then? According to legend, God had first created the Wise, then the others had developed and appeared through angelic magic. But then, why say the first, say the eldest? It made no sense to Alastor.

He continued to stare at Lucifer as he declared:

"If a Seraphim came, then there must have been a good reason."

"Absolutely." agreed Zestial. "But apparently he didn't say anything in particular, except that he was coming to see the hotel."

There was silence as Alastor continued to stare at the King of Hell. He could feel knowing glances on his person, inviting him to speak. But he didn't care, for the only presence he felt at the moment was Lucifer. Lucifer went about his business with an indifferent expression. The Radio Demon could feel in his gut the affront he was causing him by his attitude. Either he trusted Alastor blindly not to repeat the information he had in his possession, or he knew him so well that he knew he'd play along. Whichever, he hated every second of the feeling that spread through him: that of not being in control.

"Indeed." he sighed. "He arrived, complimented the decoration and our Majesty sent him on his way."

The best lies were half-truths. Everyone in the room swallowed his explanation without batting an eyelid. Even Carmilla didn't seem to suspect a thing.

"Look like an warning." Bee continued, crossing her arms and looking at Alastor. "Are you sure he didn't say anything specific? An underhanded threat, something like that?"

The Radio Demon shook his head negatively.

"Nothing like that," he replied, "and I know all about it."

"So." concluded Zestial "It was probably just a reminder that they could send anyone to Hell."

"Yes." sighed Asmodeus "So we're back to setting up a defense in case it happens again, to show we're ready to go on the offensive."

"We can train our troops to take action against the angels," Rosie suggested. "Mine have already fought this battle for the protection of the hotel. It shouldn't be difficult to do the same with the others."

"We'll need more angelic weapons, though," informed Carmilla. "We don't have many, at Pride's circle level."

"I can ask around to see if the others have anything," Bee sighed, scratching her head. "Mammon will be a jerk, but maybe I can negotiate with him to get some."

"Because we're assuming they can only come from the Pride circle?" asked Zestial, puzzled. "How can we be sure they can't teleport to other circles?"

"I have another question," continued Alastor, who hadn't moved from his previous position, his gaze fixed on Lucifer. "How can we be sure that angelic weapons work on Seraphim?"

A silence followed these two interrogations and eyes turned to the room's quietest occupant. Lucifer was still concentrating on his plastic duck, now preening it with some kind of brush. He seemed satisfied and set the duck down in front of him. He leaned forward and lay back on the furniture, tongue slightly out of mouth and one eye closed, as if measuring something. Alastor's ball of annoyance only grew as he watched Lucifer's nonchalant handling of the situation. He was simply ignoring them. Worse still, he wasn't even looking at him. He wanted to kill the smug little bastard with his own hands.

After a while, the King of Hell noticed that the room was silent. He turned his attention away from the duck and straightened up, looking at them.

"What?" he finally asked, innocently.

"Luci." sighed Bee as she approached him. "Did you even listen to us?"

"Uh." he began, confused, then regained consistency and exclaimed. "Yes, of course! What do you think? I was paying attention!"

"Well?" asked Zestial, patient.

Lucifer had a tight smile on his lips and glanced at his plastic duck.

"It needs more white," he said, pointing to the object. "I think it's too yellow."

"Lulu." sighed Asmodeus too, rubbing his middle face. Lucifer's face took on a more serious look, as if he were about to start scolding children. He placed his clasped hands in front of his mouth.

"Look." he began "I've already told you this meeting is ridiculous. There are no warnings. There are no declarations of war. There's nothing. Just an angel who came down to visit us, that's all."

"It was a Seraphin," declared Carmilla, who received a patient look from the King.

"He was just a Seraphin," the latter pointed out. "And he left when I asked him to. With great fanfare, all right, but angels are show creatures! They love to show off!"

He stood up on the furniture and put a hand on his chest, with a little teasing smile.

"Look, you've got one in front of you!" he says. "There's nothing to fear."

"Don't you think we should prepare for an attack?" asked Bee as she reached his side, trying to take his hand in one of her own. Lucifer took a step back to move away from the contact. When he saw the demoness's pained expression, he retraced his steps and took her hand tenderly in his, placing a light kiss on it.

"Bee, dearie." he said, reassuringly. "I assure you we're making a mountain out of a molehill. We're going to waste energy for nothing and bring panic where it doesn't belong."

"So." concluded Zestial's voice again. "What you're telling us is that we shouldn't react to this situation and that this one is harmless?"

"Perfectly, old friend!" exclaimed Lucifer. He let go of Bee's hand and snapped his fingers at him, as if to support his statement.

"How do you know?" asked Rosie. Alastor cast an affectionate glance at the woman who was watching the King of Hell a little doubtfully. "How do you know Heaven isn't preparing a new offensive?"

Lucifer didn't reply, looking at the cannibal with a mixture of confusion, annoyance and pity. The other occupants of the room stared at the angel, waiting for him to intervene.

"I just know," he says finally.

"I'm sorry, My Lord, but that's not enough to reassure me," Rosie protested. Alastor unconsciously put a hand on her shoulder in support. "It's been thousands of years since Heaven threatened us and hundreds since the extermination began. What guarantee do we have that they'll let Charlie's act of rebellion go unpunished?"

At the mention of his daughter's name, Lucifer's face broke into an expression of pure fright. Then he regained his composure and closed his eyes.

"They won't attack us," he assured them.

"Lulu." said Asmodeus. "Can you at least tell us why?"

Lucifer ran his tongue over his lips before sighing.

"Anyway," he finally said. "If Heaven ever decides to attack us, then we'll lose. No matter how much we prepare, no matter how many angelic weapons we have, nothing will do. If it declares war on us, we're all dead."

He paused for a moment before making a clarification.

"Without exception."

This cast an icy chill over the hellish warmth of the place. Asmodeus had risen from his chair and was looking at Lucifer with confusion and distress. Bee, standing next to the angel, wore a frightened expression comparable to the King's a few moments earlier. Carmilla had moved closer to Zestial and the latter had placed a hand on her shoulder, as if to reassure each other. Rosie had one hand over her mouth to hide her shocked expression. Her other one was on Alastor's. The latter was not afraid. He wasn't frightened. He wasn't surprised. He wasn't panicked. He was angry. His fury had been eating away at him for some time, but now it had reached its peak.

Lucifer's eyes were lost in nothingness, his expression defeated. Suddenly, he let out a cry of surprise as he toppled forward and fell off the piece of furniture. No sooner had he touched the ground than Alastor was there, lifting him with one of his tentacles.

"Oh, what's the matter, Your Honor?" the demon asked sharply. "Did you slip?"

Lucifer began to try to speak and free himself, but he couldn't do so before the Overlord lifted him by the armpits.

"Oh, did you get stung?" he continued, looking at the top of her head. " Oh dear, indeed, you've got a nice bite! It looks like a spider from the underworld! Very poisonous! We need to go and treat it right away! You're already starting to get uglier than usual!"

The King of Hell's jaw tightened in frustration, but before anyone could react, the Overlord addressed the other occupants of the room.

"I'm going to accompany our poor Lord to the bathroom to take care of this! Make yourself at home!" continued Alastor. Still carrying Lucifer as one would a dissident kitten, he sank into the shadows with the King, disappearing from the room.

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As soon as they arrived in the new room, the Radio Demon ruthlessly threw the angel into it. He landed on a mattress with a thud. Alastor glanced around to get his bearings. They were in a bedroom. What mattered was that they were far from the two deadly sins. He could feel their presence, but they were out of reach.

"What the hell are you doing?!" exclaimed Lucifer as he propped himself up on his elbows on the bed. "I didn't slip, I was pushed! Besides, underworld spiders have no effect on ..."

"What the hell are you doing, indeed." cut in the demon's voice in a threatening tone. The King looked at him in surprise.

"What?" he asked without any eloquence, causing the ball of rage in Alastor's chest to swell. He pointed with his microphone to the supposed direction of the meeting room.

"What the hell did you do to us back there?" asked Alastor, far from controlling himself. "Can you explain to me what was going through your head?!"

"I don't understand..." began Lucifer, but he was cut off again.

"You're not listening to the meeting," Alastor continued in his most dangerous voice. "You take care of your fucking plastic duck and when, in the end, we ask you questions, you dodge them and tell us we're morons?!"

The King was shocked and Alastor could understand why. It was very, very rare to see the Radio Demon lose his temper. His demonic transformation was underway, the antlers on his head growing, those eyes turning into frames as green magic floated around him. Lucifer, for his part, looked at him defiantly.

"You're really misinterpreting what I said," growled the King aggressively.

"Oh, really?" continued the demon in the same tone." I'm getting to know you, you little bastard, and I can see right through your game!"

"You don't know anything about me," replied the angel fervently.

The demon took great strides towards the King and threw himself on top of him. He quickly placed his hands around his pearly neck and squeezed with all his might. Lucifer's eyes widened as his breath caught. By reflex, he tried to free Alastor's hands.

"You're just a depressive, suicidal little guy who's never had any will," the demon sliced as he continued to put all his strength into those hands. "You're a fucking coward, a sheep's bitch who's never been anything but that and yet possesses the strength of a bear. You're a fucking waste of potential, the biggest mistake ever made. If we don't direct you, if we don't tell you what to do, then you stay curled up in your corner playing with fucking ducks!"

If Lucifer had been a man, his neck would have been totally crushed. Alastor could feel his windpipe being completely crushed and the creature's cervical vertebrae breaking beneath him. But he was still breathing. Lucifer stared at him with a dangerous gaze, the King's demonic and angelic features beginning to show.

"It's fucking unfair." continued Alastor as he began to shake his hands around the being's neck in an attempt to do a few more things. "With power like yours, I'd have annihilated all competition! I'd have destroyed this fucking Heaven that's all a lie and I'd have dethroned this fucking God to become the most powerful creature in the universe!"

He laughed like a maniac at a sudden realization.

"Sin of pride?! You bet!"

Suddenly, the demon felt his body rise through a small precision on his chest. When he looked in that direction, he saw the unthinkable. Lucifer was literally lifting him with one finger. With his other hand, without any difficulty, he broke the restraints around his neck, causing Alastor to howl in pain. Those fingers snapped like matchsticks, with disconcerting ease. Without him really understanding what was happening, he was lifted up and thrown violently onto the bed, which shattered under the impact. His breath was taken away by the violence of the blow. He had no time to react when he was turned over. Lucifer was now on top of him, in transformed mode. His eyes were a demonic blood-red. Those horns protruded from his skull and had grown to an edifying size. Flames burned all over his body, coming out of his lips and the pores of his skin. Eyes had appeared in the corners of his clothes. He raised his fist and brought it down on Alastor's jaw. Alastor felt his jaw break into a thousand pieces. He was on the verge of fainting. He couldn't even figure out how he was still conscious.

"You don't know me!" yelled Lucifer. "If you're here today, asshole, it's thanks to me! I'm the one who started it all! I'm the one who gave you free will! I'm the one who shaped humanity! Everything you know, every choice you've made, every fucking curse word you use, it all comes from me! So shut the fuck up, you stupid motherfucker!"

Alastor saw the Devil preparing a second punch and knew he wouldn't survive it. But there was no way he was not going to fight to the end. He put all his strength into conjuring the tentacle to free himself from Lucifer. However, his mind was too clouded by the pain and the punch that he conjured up only a thin branch of black magic which crashed pathetically into the King's chest. The King stopped in his tracks and looked Alastor in the eye. He must have seen something in the demon's pupils that calmed him, for his own reappeared and his expression changed from furious to neutral. His demonic form began to disappear as he continued to observe him. Finally, Lucifer sighed and brought his hand to the Overlord's jaw. The Overlord felt his jaw quickly set again. Then he saw the King do the same with his fingers, and finally the angel sat down on the edge of the bed, his eyes once again lost in nothingness.

Alastor straightened up and stroked his jaw, coming to his senses. He saw that Lucifer's neck had returned to normal, with no trace of his hands. The demon's heart filled again with a feeling of helplessness that disgusted him to no end. Nevertheless, he sat down beside the angel. Silence fell between them for a moment.

"Heaven won't attack us," says the King of Hell.

"Why?" asked Alastor.

"They have no interest in doing so," Lucifer continued. "Just as we have none to invade them. If a war were declared between our two entities, then we'd all end up losing, them as well as ourselves."

The Radio Demon looked at him, frowning.

"Are you saying that fighting Heaven is impossible?" questioned Alastor.

"As I'm telling you, it's impossible for them to invade us" sighed the angel. "We've been trying to kill each other for millennia. We came to this conclusion a long time ago."

The demon looked at Lucifer, who was trifling with his fingers.

"You won't tell me why," concluded Alastor. The King chuckled.

"Even the deadly sins don't know it." breathed Lucifer "Why should I tell you?"

The Radio Demon remained silent before shrugging his shoulders.

"Touché." he said "Anyway, we both know you're too proud to let others help you."

He had expected a reply from the King, a dig at him for trying to get out of this uncomfortable situation. But there was no answer. He turned his head towards Lucifer, who was looking at him with a strange expression. He seemed to be shocked, lost and at the same time sad and nostalgic. The angel finally shook his head.

"Why the fuck did you say that?" he whispered to himself.

"I beg your pardon?" asked Alastor as the little being rose to his feet.

"Apology not accepted." replied Lucifer, which made the demon flinch. He saw a defiant smile on the angel's face and knew he was challenging him. "Let's get back to the others."

He held out his hand to the Overlord, who looked down at it and stood up without taking it. The King raised an eyebrow, shrugged and left the room. The demon followed. After all, he didn't know where he was.

______________________________________________________________

When they reached the room, they found the other 5 occupants drinking hot beverages, seated in armchairs that had been brought in for the occasion. They turned towards them and Bee stood up.

"Are you all right?" she asked as she approached Lucifer. He gave her a reassuring smile and stroked her cheek.

"Yes, dearie, it's okay." he told her gently. A figurative weight seemed to lift from the vixen's shoulders as the King continued to advance towards the group of people.

"Your Majesty." asked Rosie. "Regarding this story..."

He sighed and moved to one of the vacant seats, next to a frowning Asmodeus.

"Why do you have sexu..." he began to say but stopped short.

Alastor's heart froze in horror as he sensed the power of Lucifer's threat. Time seemed to slow down as the King sat down, casting a heavy glance at Asmodeus. The Radio Demon could feel the flow of diabolic and angelic energy mixing together, giving the impression that a thick layer of air was entering his lungs. He could see that the other Overlords were in the same state. Asmodeus and Bee seemed astonished but no more affected.

"All right, all right!" sneered the Sin of Lust. "I don't insist!"

Lucifer sat regally on the armchair and clasped his hands in front of him.

"Here's what we're going to do." declared the angel. "We'll wait for Heaven's next move. If they advance their piece in the chessboard in a way that doesn't suit me, then I'll intervene directly. They fear me."

He sighed.

"For our part, we're going to try to calm the population down," he continued. "Do everything you can - propaganda, entertainment – I don't care. We can't let things get out of hand."

He then looked at the Overlords.

"You also need to do as few contracts as possible." he ordered. Alastor felt a shiver of disgust run through him.

"Why?" asked Carmilla, calmly though curiously.

"It's all the more important that Charlie's project works," Lucifer explained. "The people must have access to redemption. As many souls as possible."

Alastor winced.

"You want us to send them troops?" he said, in a voice clearly of disapproval.

The King looked at Alastor. The Radio Demon saw a sparkle in his eyes, as if he were concealing a vital piece of information. But there was something else in those pupils. Something that awakened a pleasant sensation in the demon's mind. Mischief.

"We need to show Heaven that we're not a threat," replied the angel. "They're interested in my daughter's project, so let's make it work. And I think that as long as a contract is made between souls, then they can't ascend. So we have to limit the number of deals."

"Does that mean we have to lose power?" asked Zestial. Lucifer nodded negatively.

"I said limit, not stop," clarified the King. "We must not diminish our troop strength. You're Overlords, we mustn't lose you as an advantage. On the other hand, we must leave enough souls free to attempt redemption and succeed."

"You seem to be assuming that it works," Rosie observed. Lucifer gave her a mysterious smile.

"A Seraphim descended to see the hotel in person," he said, as if it were obvious. Alastor didn't get the hint before thinking for two seconds. He widened his eyes and clutched his cane.

"Yes," Lucifer said simply. The Radio Demon turned his head towards the King, who was giving him a knowing look. "Yes, bellboy. I'm sure of it. He wouldn't have come in person otherwise."

"The Seraphim?" asked Bee.

No, God, rectified the Radio Demon in his mind. Omnes wouldn't have moved if...

"Did we miss a train?" asked Asmodeus, turning to Lucifer. The Devil smiled at him.

"It worked," said the King at last. "Redemption. Charlie managed to send a sinner to Heaven."

[corrupted-starcharts]

》 Onfim, are you about ready?

Raskol paces between two exocraft - a Nomad and a Pilgrim, loading each up with ammo, spare supplies, parts, and repair kits. They seem unwilling or unable to keep still; even as they settle, stand in place, they shift their weight uneasily from one foot to the other.

Onfim stands on the front deck of their Broadcast Site, fiddling with the security tech he had hastily installed the evening before.

》 Yeah, just making sure the monitors are good to go after that interference last night. Messed with some of the sensors.

Onfim finishes his work, checks in quickly with Kestrel, and jogs over to the makeshift exocraft bay. Beneath his helmet, he cocks an eyebrow at his elder sibling.

》 Are you, like... alright? You've been acting bizarre since this morning. Real jittery.

》 I feel - I don't know. Strange. Like there are others always over my shoulder. You don't feel it?

This anxiety from Raskol was probably the strangest thing to him. He truly didn't expect the 'message' in the interference to rattle them so much.

》 I mean, yeah - this place gives me the fuckin' creeps, that interference we got last night was... strange, but I don't know about all that.

If this was an attempt at comfort, it wasn't a good one. Raskol sighs, opens the cockpit of their Nomad.

》 No matter, I suppose. It'll pass. Come on - I don't want to keep Tulos and Omn waiting out here.

》 Alright, once we're past these hills, it's just a straight and easy shot northwest to their landing site.

The engines flare to life as the Twin-Iterations enter their respective exocraft, and are off like a shot over the steep hills which fence in their base camp, out into the steadier, ghost-empty and glass-loud plains.

Unaware of what may have gone on earlier, Raskol attempts to send a transmission on the way.

》 Tulosnodons, Raskol here - Onfim and I are heading to your old camp. If we beat you here, we will await your arrival and keep watch. We have a few spare supplies if there is anything you are low on, as well.

[bestregards-e]

Omn learning sawbout this 'tumbler' things! Watch tgis : alien youcan change the text culor!!!1 isnf tahtbcool . I leike this green. Hehehgha ahahann nsjj LOL.

a man foudn myshed todagg and i couldnfn jelpmhself he tasyed reslly bad. <- priveage message

[yukis-tasks]

Solomon x MC Part 1

Their messages are just domestic bliss! ❤️

[starsabovee]

∘₊✧───🌙 STARS ABOVE 🌙───✧₊∘

Just wanted to make a pinned post.

₊✧ Hi! I’m Stelle, or Starr, or Penelope, whatever you want to call me. I use she/they pronouns! 🌙

₊✧ As you can see by my posts, I’m an artist. I used to draw my ocs a lot but as of lately I’ve been making more fanart of games I love and aus of said games, such as my… assortment of aus… for the game In Stars and Time! 🌙

₊✧ I’m also a writer! My ao3 is Stelledore, go check it out! I’ve written one completed original work, and a few ISAT ones!! 🌙

BOUNDARIES

₊✧ Do not tag me in “tag games”, I won’t respond, and I find it kind of annoying. 🌙

₊✧ If you want to use inspo for something I’ve made, like art or writing, please ask here. It depends but there is equal chance I’ll say yes or no. 🌙

₊✧ If you make art or writing for anything I’ve made, tag me pLEASE!! I love to see people’s creations! 🌙

₊✧ Please, please, pretty please, do not like a bunch of my posts back to back, the notifications get irritating after a while. 🌙

₊✧ I don’t exactly have a DNI, but if I think you’re icky yes I will block you. 🌙

₊✧ Do not use my creations (AUs, random writing, art) anywhere without permission. I do not play nice when it comes to stuff like this. This goes for tracing and heavily referencing as well. 🌙

₊✧ I only accept friend requests on discord from mutuals. If you are a mutual and want to friend request me, go ahead and ask me in messages. 🌙

ALTERNATE UNIVERSES

₊✧ Omnes Una Manet Nox ✧₊

An In Stars and Time AU in which a plant known as Death’s Beauty has appeared out of no where in Vaugarde, starting an outbreak. Inspiration from God Forgives All by Str8 Rat and The Last of Us.

Link: Omnes Una Manet Nox

₊✧ You Came From the Stars — Only You Know Why ✧₊

Another In Stars and Time AU, this one being an AU series where people from the Country North of Vaugarde have wings and sometimes a tail. This AU has the Twohats Ending. The works in this series are , in chronological order:

Oh Traveler Come: Dusk ‘Til Dawn (Written by me)

On a Full Moon (written by me)

Oh Traveler Come (Written by me)

Waiting on a Miracle (Written by me)

A Switch in Perspective (Written by me)

Saline in the Stars (written by my partner, Milo)

The Show Must Go On! (Written by me)

Link: You Came From the Stars — Only You Know Why

₊✧ Timeless Day ✧₊

Mild inspiration from Golden Shrike (specifically the character “Eve”), Siffrin is mostly nonverbal/selectively mute. While he can speak, he chooses not to. This AU takes canon and rips it to shreds. That’s not even an exaggeration.

Link: Timeless Day

₊✧ Mirabelle Loops ✧₊

I have yet to post about this one, but yes I have concepts of a Mirabelle loops AU!

₊✧ Beneath Light and Sky ✧₊

This au is a crossover between In Stars and Time and Sky: Children of the Light.

Link: Beneath Light and Sky

[transparentgentlemenmarker]

Nous sommes pour l'instant dans une guerre de l'information, chaque message envoyé qui fait mouche est un missile qui atteint sa cible. Chacun de nous doit être à son poste. Que ce soit sur les réseaux sociaux ou dans la rue ou ailleurs, nous sommes tous complémentaires chacun avec ses compétences. Vous devez regarder l'histoire, pensez-vous que les résistants étaient tous des héros qui aurait été jusqu'au sacrifice suprême, non ? Mais sans ceux qui n'étaient que l'huile dans les rouages et qui permettaient à la machine de tourner, les héros n'auraient jamais pu exister, Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno !

[welcomeh0meneighbor]

Hello again, on omne of my last post i showed a couple screenshots of hidden comments Wally left on the 8th page of the guestbook, however thats not the only sighn of wally in the guestbook.

Now these werent nearly as hard to find as wallys messages however i do find them interesting.

At the bottom of every page of the guestbook is this

I assume this is all the neighbors signatures and this their handwriting, bassed on how home has no arms we can assume wally wrote both of theirs.

Now across the entire section there are little messages written in crayon responding to comments that assumed were from the creators of the website but i no longer belive that is the case.

ex:

these are just some of the messages, I couldnt help but notice that these all match wallys handwriting who as i mentioned in my last post dose seem to be able to tamper with the guest book.

so assuming this is wally we can also assume the other crayon writings are him, including the ones that are blocking and hidding posts... such as these:

Now these seem suspicious... there are more but these are the ones i chose to focous on

the firs one says "this website is full of secrets i just know it" - now i dont know why wqally wouldnt want us to know there are secrets but theres more

now the second one i dont think is important but for those who are curious it says "This site has reawakened so many childhod memories. Thank you for starting this restoration project, its a shame what happened to the show :[" - the only thing about that one i think he would want to hide is the part about the show but the last screenshot deffinetely git weels turing.

the last photo only hs a small yet thurough red scribble covering the text, this one was the hardest to read but the covered part says "Hiya wally you" ...- now the only reason i can think of this being covered is because wally is the one doing it. Though his motive is still vague.

-I apologize for the long post im just really into welcome home

next time i will try and look for more hidden text and messages to share with ya"ll

have a darling day~

[shebitfirst]

Our undoing; 1.

Pairing: All Demon Brothers/Female!MC Genre: Fluff, angst & Smut,Harem Warnings: NSFW, graphic language in relation to sex/BDSM/violence/kidnapping/witch craft(?)

Prologue

(I apologise for such a long first chapter! I’ve been having ideas and scenarios bouncing off my head since starting this series! I’ve also been immersed in reading so much books during this lockdown my country is having! I promise to be more consistent up here with little little stories as well. Please, please, leave me feedback, questions, requests, anything! The steamy portion of this happens toward the end of the story- I’m not used, at all, in writing smuts so please bare with me as I continuously try to learn!) all characters;thoughts/“spoken” -----------------------------------

Day 1, 8:45am

You hear faint footsteps wandering your bedroom, occasionally stopping against the end of your bed. Silence. Following more pacing.

Assuming it was one of the brothers, Another prank?

You feel a presence lurking almost on top of you. The weight sets upon your chest, crawling up against your throat-

Your eyes shoot open as you spring upright, hands clawing at your bedsheets. No one- nothing, eyes wandering around your room. The sun slowly seeping against your bed and on your skin, nothing is out of place, no door unhinged, windows shut tight.

Tired. I’ve been up all night with Levi...  trying to complete another level of his new video game.

Your brows narrowed at the cold air around your room while you start opening windows, setting your uniform against your desk No calls nor messages from the boys as you set your D.D.D aside.

Why is it so cold? We’re in the middle of summer...

Bang.

As if a gunshot. Your heart drops to your stomach. But nothing seems to have fallen in your bedroom.

“What the fuc-”

“MC? Are you awake?” Lucifer’s voice startling you. You hear him gently knock on the door. “Y-yes! Lucifer, I am! You can come in.” You smooth out your nightgown before running over and opening the door.

“Good morning, love. I’m sorry to have come uninvited.” Lucifer smiles as he enters your bedroom. “I was wondering if you’d like to accompany me for breakfast?” Typically you’d grow red with nicknames said against the lips of Lucifer, but right now your heartbeat is in your ears, ringing.

“MC?” He questions as he sees you, still, against your bedroom door. Slowly, he walks over keeping a steady gaze on you, crotched down with his hand against your chest- feeling your heartbeat. He thought he was hearing the sound of your breath; not this intense pounding. His pupils burn into the back of your mind, unsettling you even more.

Words don’t come to mind, you stare blankly through him. “I-i’m sorry, I don’t know what’s coming over me. I must still be tired from playing video games all night with Levi.” You gently place your hand over his, laughing in hopes to cover the nervous crack in your voice.

Lucifer laces his hands with yours. “I see..” He’s not convinced. “Let’s get you dressed for the day, shall we?”

Humming in response as he looms over you whilst removing your nightgown. Your back against him as he pulls your uniform over your shoulders. A comforting yet cold silence fills the room. Your eyes dart to various shelves, tabletops- Looking for the source of the sudden noise.

Lucifer’s hands roam against your thighs and up your waist whilst zipping up your skirt then finally, pulling up your socks. He focuses in on your expression with every touch. Strange, he doesn’t seem to catch a glimpse of a smile nor a flinch. Your eyes focus straight to the ground, never faltering- eyebrows narrowed in.

“My love, if there were ever anything not to your satisfaction... You would inform me, yes?” Lucifer’s stern voice coated with concern- He steps in front of you, blocking the sunlight. His gloved hand making its way under your chin to shift your gaze upon him.

“Yes..” Liar. “Of course, Lucifer. You know I would.”

He chuckles under his breath. “That’s a good girl, now.” He raises his hand for you to hold. “Let’s see ourselves to breakfast.” 9:16 am

Bickering fills the hallway from the dining hall. Raised voices, occasional clings and cups clanking. Noisy.. as usual. You thought.

You clutch your D.D.D and school books against your chest, trying to ignore the pounding sensation, occasionally turning your gaze aside to check for him. Lucifer silently trials a step behind you watching, hearing your heartbeat echoing in his ears. He knows you lied very clearly but Lucifer doesn’t ask, twice. But how often do you forget Lucifer, they, the brothers know you by heart and mind. They’ve memorised your every habit, instincts and curve. How am I to hide this from him...

You chew on your bottom lip. “Lucifer..” You breathlessly say his name as you both approach the dining hall. His hand reaches pass you, pressing against the door. “Lucifer, are there other beings.. one more sinister, than demons.. in devil dom?”

You ask in innocence. 

His gaze slowly turns towards you, mouth shapes almost into a laugh- until he spots your pupils dilate, your heartbeat still rapid.

“Love.. I-”

You both hear footsteps running towards the dining hall door as it swings open.

“BABE! Where have ya’ been! We’ve been waiting all morning!”

Mammon says at the top of his voice, his slender frame blocking the entrance. Lucifer sighs and leads you in, passing Mammon while ignoring him.

“Lucifer?! Did you sleep with her last night?! Tell me ya didn’t! I remember walking her to her room!”

Your ears perked up.

Mammon.. walked me to my room? No, I distinctively remember me heading back myself.

Mammon goes on a rant as Lucifer guides you to your seat and settles you in.

“I’m telling ya, ya can’t keep having her like this! It ain’t half fair to all of us! How did ya even get the time to have her to yourself all night, did you sneak into her roo-”

“Mammon.” Lucifer snaps.

Mammon swallows loudly and steps back to his seat. “Ugh, Mammon, shut up. It’s too early for this. Let MC eat her breakfast in peace. We have a class together, don’t we?” 

Belphegor places his chin against the crook of your arm, sleepy eyes meet yours.

“Yes, Bel. We do have a class together.”

You hide your nervousness with a chuckle whilst taking a sip of juice. Mammon and Lucifer have a debate at the end of the dining table. Your hand fumbles with your glass, swishing it around.

Eyes darting back and forth against the dining table. There’s a sudden buzzing sensation in your ears. Numerous conversations and the clanking of metal feel like stings into the back of your head-

“Hanc arborem ac omnes hospitas devora… Redi ad periculum tuum.”

An unknown voice, almost coming from behind you. Whispering.

W-what is this... 

“Redi ad periculum tuum..”

Who..?  Ahh... No, this hurts.

You feel as if hands were dug deep into your rib cage- twisting your bones. The grip around your glass tightens. You cringed, it felt like fire. You let out a soft groan.

Oh- god. I-it hurts. Fuck.

Pain replaces your vision with a blinding white flash- Your breath shortens and chest tightens.

“Pleas-please.. stop. It hurts..”

Your voice cracks, your hands both trembling. Your body feels rooted to the chair, paralysed almost- the buzzing in your head increasingly gets louder and louder. 

Replacing all background noise from the dining hall. 

“N-no..”

You suppress your groans through gritted teeth-

The avatar of lust seated on your right- Asmodeus spots the glass in your hand shaking against the table, chuckles before 

“Hah! My dear MC, now now, you don’t have to tremble nervously around me, my love! Here, let me feed you a strawberry, I know it’s your favo- MC...?”

Asmodeus picks up your low whimpering as your head slowly begins to lower onto the cool tabletop.

“MC, you haven’t eaten anything at all- Please have some food. You know it’s important” 

Beelzebub observes from across the table and immediately shoots up from his chair and strides over with food in hand.

Why.. Why am i.. I feel like i’m burning. The pain heightens- Resonating from the top of your head right down to your arms. Your grip shatters the glass- the dining hall goes silent. 7 pairs of eyes land on you almost immediately.

“Ah!”

You let out a faint scream. Shooting your head up in a daze- the buzzing in your ears dialling out. Fingertips cold as ice; numb. You blink and try to adjust your vision, wanting to rub your eyes when a cold hand reaches for you.

“No. You’re hurt.”

Asmodeus as he grabs your wrist, taking  a handkerchief from his breast pocket to clean your fingers. Blood?

Dripping on your white blouse. Shaking your head in disbelief, you shift yourself to stand. “I.. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened, I must be tired. I will see myself back to my ro-”

You groan as your vision flashes white for a second time. Falling back on your seat, you hear footsteps surrounding you.

“Satan,”

Lucifer breaks the silence. “Please take her to your room” Before you manage to protest, Beelzebub picks you up in his arms. “Beel..” You coo in his arms before exhaustion takes you away.

“Lucifer, what was that?” Mammon questions as his eyes follow you being carried away by his brothers.

“Was that some normie... reaction? Is she ill?”

The purple-haired Avatar of Envy questions as he subconsciously trails behind Satan and Beelzebub exiting the dining hall before being blocked by Lucifer. “Satan will see to it.” Uncertainty in his response, the brothers look toward the eldest. “But, I am sure this is not how human bodies react when falling under illness... However, this will be kept within us. No one else shall know what transpired this morning. I will not have anyone interfere with her recovery, asking questions she knows no answers to. Until then, we shall go about our day.”

And he took his leave.

“Lucifer!” Mammon shouts after the eldest as he shuts the doors. “Tch, he’s always leavin’ us to hang and clean up the mess he leaves behind!” “She looked so pale.. I could barely feel warmth from her hands.” Asmodeus says in frustration, whilst folding the stained handkerchief back into his jacket. The four brothers look to one another, seeking answers. “I can’t just stand here and wait for Lucifer to provide answers anymore! I’m goin’ up.” Mammon pushes pass Leviathan, ignoring all protests of defying Lucifer’s orders. “We ought to plan something.” Yawned Belphegor, clutching his cow print pillow to his chest. “Well I think Mammon just decided that on his own.” Leviathan says as he sends a message to your D.D.D in hopes you would respond when time permits. “You’d think she would answer that? With Satan aiding her in his room and Lucifer lingering over her? I don’t think so! Ugh, Am I to just stand here and wait?!” Asmodeus exclaims and starts to pick up your books to return them to your bedroom. “Asmo! Where do you think you’re going!” The sleepy demon rushes out of the door tagging along to Asmodeus frantically heading towards your room- “Do you really think I’m going wait around for orders, Belphie? Of course not! See now, you’re here so hold her books!” Leviathan sulks against the huge wooden door, continuing typing away in hopes he would be the first one you reach out to when you wake up. 3:01pm,

All you manage to gather were the following; You’re in Satan’s bed, occasionally Lucifer looms above you with the cold graze of his gloved hand over your closed eyes and forehead. Beelzebub has barely left your side, clinging onto your hand subtly checking your pulse from time to time. The subtle sounds of pages flipping then being torn, satan has been blowing through his collection of books in attempt to diagnose you with what they hope to be just a common flu. All these sounds and sensations happening around you; yet you feel trapped in sleep. Frozen at the very spot Beelzebub laid you down what seems to be hours ago. “It’s almost mid afternoon..” Lucifer’s voice breaks the sensitive atmosphere. “I will have to report to Lord Diavolo for some matters regarding the next annual student selection.” You feel his slender fingers against your neck once more before hearing Lucifer exit. “Satan, I will leave her to you. I shall return when all is settled.” “Hanc arborem ac omnes hospitas devora… Redi ad periculum tuum.”

Your eyelids weigh down your vision- feeling like you’re looking through a broken lens, the candle’s glow from Satan’s room is all you’re able to make out. I keep hearing the same incantation.. Propping yourself up against his headboard and thick pillows, rubbing your eyes. You didn’t manage to pick up the foot steps coming toward you. All you feel were a pair of hands against your thighs. “How are you feeling?” “I’m not even sure myself.. It feels like-” Your breath hitches and for a split second you spot a figure behind Satan, 

“Hm? What is it? What’s wrong?” His hands move towards your face cupping your cheek as you gaze blankly pass him. “No.. It’s nothing.” You spent what felt like hours, trying to explain thoroughly to Satan what has conspired during breakfast and what you felt coursing through your body, you boil it down to being exhausted and maybe lack of food which Beelzebub had returned from the kitchen with a tray of snacks and sandwiches for the three of you to dine into then excusing himself to look for his twin and the remaining brothers. But Satan knows better than that, from all the books and studies he’s been doing on humans and our anatomy surrounding illness- no amount of exhaustion unless it be through an extended period of time could cause that. You reiterate that you do not have any past medical illnesses that you were aware of. “Was there anything else? Anything.. Dare I say, out of the ordinary?” His tone is careful; gentle, almost not wanting to step over any boundaries. Without a thought- you shake your head. You thought that maybe when you’re able to remember the incantation- you would inform the brothers but for now, it’s all to be left at that. “Alright.” Satan says as he puts all his books away, returning to you lying on his bed; Hair spread out through his indigo pillows, your uniform blouse tucked out as your skirt reveals your upper thighs and knee socks. He tries to keep some composure as you thank him for tending to you for what feels like hours. “Of course, who would I be if i were to sit aside and merely watch?” He sits beside you on his bed, stroking your cheek. “Are you tired?” He whispers, not wanting to end this tender moment. “I was.” “Satan..” You whimper his name, slowly losing grip of his composure with you writhing under him. “Are you afraid of.. anything?” A peculiar question he thought, “In this moment? You..” Your mouth agape, you cannot help but to study his face- features, his eyes shifted colours from green to yellow and oh my god, how often would you find yourself losing thoughts in them.

“W..what? Come again?” He closes the space between you two fingers tracing the back of your neck, you feel his breath against your lips.

“You’ve come here and enchanted all of us.. Demons. How, why?” You try to answer but Satan brings his lips to your forehead, his lips tremble against you- his breath hitches. “You need not answer, my pet. I’m just.. Thinking out loud.” He sounds almost shy, almost afraid of what he’s about to do or say; Your heart beat is so loud you’re for certain he can hear it beating out of your chest. “Satan..” you purr his name. “Please.. My pet.. Don’t look at me that way-” He rests his head against your shoulder, whispering into your neck. “I don’t wish to sin on someone so innocent.. Especially not in vulnerability.” You lead his hand against your chest, “I am not a child.”

“Then.. will you allow me to have you all to myself tonight, my pet?” His cold breath hitting against the crook of your neck and you almost moan from the sensation- “Yes.” You say breathlessly;

His once light green eyes deepen as he shifts himself on top of you- holding you so gently; “Don’t take this the wrong way, pet. But how I have longed for this moment. If i have to be honest, I was thrilled when Lucifer ordered me to tend to you; knowing It would just be you and I and seeing you laying in my bed.. You truly are a sight to see.” Satan’s swift hands pull open your blouse and his long fingers graze your dampening core, crashing his lips onto yours. He sighs into them, for what it feels like forever between you two; waiting and teasing. His tongue prised your teeth apart as he deepened the kiss- Pulling him closer you throw your legs over Satan, straddling him- He pushes your cotton panties apart he inserts his slender fingers and you feel your insides twist as you throw your head back into a groan- breaking the kiss. He eyes your heaving chest and how red spread across your cheeks. Sensantation takes over you as he pumps long strides in and out of you, your hips buck back and forth and back and forth. “Oh, my pet, tell me, do you feel good?” Satan nibs along your ear and leaves messy kisses all over your neck. All you manage was a moan. You wrap your arms around his shoulder to steady yourself grinding and making a mess on his fingers. “Aah..” Attempting to suppress your moans you gnaw on your bottom lip. “No.” Satan tightly grips the back of your neck turning you to face him. “Let me hear you, let me take your pain away.” He continues to pump deeper and deeper into you, you feel the knot in your stomach twisting tighter and tighter. “Yes, yes, my pet. Make a mess of yourself on my fingers. Come on.” His thumb grazes over your trembling lips- his eyes move onto your dripping core, the soft of your moans fill his room. “Mmmhm!” Your walls clench around his fingers, your body falling back against the bed. “Oh, pet. Look at you.” He hovers above you and licks his fingers clean of your arousal. “You’re so pretty.. So pure..” He coo’s into your ear. Your hands fumble against his belt unbuckling it, you hear him chuckle against your neck. Nipping and biting down. “Mm, pet. I thought it would be quite unfair to take you in this.. Situation, but your wailing and moaning certainly proves otherwise.” “Please..” Satan goes to remove his sweater and bottoms while pulling your panties off you, leaving you in your uniform. He looms over you stroking his hard member while his knee pushes your thighs apart. Your lips part at the sight of the size of him, unsure if you’re physically able to take him. “S-satan.. I..” his name just falls off your lips almost in a moan. Again he hovers above you, he strokes his tip at your wet folds; your body feels like it’s on fire- Gently he strokes your cheek, eyes tracing your features- the harsh contrast of this dirty act against his gentle fingers against your face. From all your time here in devildom, you and satan spent gentle nights together with books at your company, nothing of this sorts. Your vision turns glassy the more you shift closer to him, kissing his plump lips. You melt into him as he breaks the kiss, “Pet.. “ He says almost sounding out for permission. You nod and buck your hips against him, your core throbbing waiting to be filled. “Please, Satan.. Please.” Wrapping your arms around shoulders, nipping at the crook of his neck. He smells of books, musk and the candles that dorn around his room. You’re a mess beneath him. “Ooh my pet, yes, I haven’t even begun with what I’m about to do to you and you’re already soaked. Tell me how I feel.” And with that he pumps into you, fingers rubbing your clit- throwing you over the edge. Your hips buck up higher and following his rhythm; he removes your arms around him and slam your wrists tightly together above your head causing you to squeal. “Yes yes yes, pet. Ooh, you feel so good.. So tight around me. Mmhm.” He pounds faster and harder as you hook your legs around his slender waist. Satan’s grip on your wrist tightens; his blonde locks brush against your neck as he bites down. Hard. Freeing your wrist he grabs your waist and angles your hips, spreading your legs open for him to see, his hips move quicker and quicker with every thrust. You almost can see the outline of his cock inside of you. Your hands try to squeeze his sheets as you try not to fully scream. “Fuck, you feel so good. Look at this pretty pink pussy taking all of me. Oh, my pet.” “Oh oh oh! S-satan!” “Yes, louder, let my brothers hear you. Mhm! Yes, let them know I’m the first one buried deep inside you my pet.” Dropping you on the bed and bringing one of your legs over his shoulder, his rhythm starts slowing down and his strokes deep- but slow, you feel your legs trembling- the familiar feeling of your insides twisting, moaning as you clench down on him. “You’re making a mess of my bed, aren’t you my pet? Mm. Oh- you feel divine, like velvet around my cock.” He takes your mouth; slowly. “Are you gonna cum on my cock, my pet? Hmm? Let me fill you up? Leave you aching until tomorrow morning, reminding you of me in you?” Lust fully hazes over you; barely able to process anything apart from the growing pressure from your core. “Answer me, my pet.” He roughly grips your jaw as his tongue lingers along the curve of your lip. “Y..yes! Yes!” You scream, wrapping your legs tightly around him once more- A primal growl comes from his chest, the remaining delicate touches fade. “As you wish..” He flips you over and you’re not straddling his hips as he pounds into you- slightly leaning you back, now you’re in full view for his pleasure. Your hands grip the sheets for support. “F..fuck, yes, yes. Ooh, are you close- my pet? Are you gonna cum for me, with me?” His hands tightly grip your hips- rocking you back and forth. “Y-yes!” He props up on his elbows, pulling you in as he leans your foreheads together. One hand still steadying you- he raises his hips, grinding into you. “Cum- cum!” He gives a final blow- you feel his cock twitch inside you, warmth spilling into you. Your legs tremble, shakes, you’re dazed and fucked out, still whimpering his name. He stays inside you for a moment- wiping the sweat off your forehead as he kisses you once more; Tender, you thought. Still so tender. His fingers trace your back and neck, rubbing your arms- “Allow me to clean you.” He says with care, gently laying you back down. You manage a nod, exhaustion now creeping up against you still in awe of what happened. Satan returns with a wet cloth, cleaning you up and not failing to kiss all the spots he has bruised. “You’re staring, pet.” He comments as he puts your clothes away. “I know.. Can’t I?” He smiles at your reply, pulling you into his chest as your eyelids grow heavier. “Sleep, pet. You’ve been so good today.. To me.” Kissing your forehead, pulling the covers over you. “I will be here when you wake.” You take that as a promise. 8:51pm, You surrender yourself to sleep.

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All my love, Angel.