obae-me

[obae-me]

Promise I'm not dead. Health has been iffy as per usual, but I'm slowly working on projects. In fact, the next Tainted Reflections chapter is almost done! To get those looking forward to it excited, here's a small snippet.

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A single cottage raised out of the snow. The wooden walls and beams were worn; gaps yawning throughout the frame. More peculiar than its age was the undeniable fact that it had not existed in that spot just two seconds before. Creepy bones of old structures abandoned in the woods were rather high on your avoid-at-all-costs list, but…something about it was calling to you. The typical churning in your gut that served as your survival mechanism wasn't present here. Was it hope? Destiny? Divine guidance? Or simply the work of something more sinister lowering your guard and beckoning you towards your doom? Hard to tell… It wasn’t like there were several hundreds of stories already forewarning the dangers of foolhardy souls wandering towards sequestered buildings.

Your company who followed your gaze seemed just as skeptical. Gluttony’s eyes scanned the square inch of every surface, as if he could spot the sign of curses or monsters before more problems popped up in front of you. His expression told that he’d much rather hop up in a tree and rest in a nest of branches than try going inside. He had come here expecting a demon before, not a cottage. “I don’t like this place.”

[obae-me]

This isn't an ask or request just something funny I came up with.

MC: *on the phone with Lucifer* I can't find my DDD! Mammon and I are looking for it everywhere have you seen it?!

Mammon; WELL HUMAN DOES HE HAVE AN ANSWER?!

Lucifer: MC... How are you talking to me right now?

MC: on my pho.... Oh! Mammon I found it!

Mammon: I knew it was there the whole time. I was just testing you. *Insert bushy Mammon here*

Lucifer: Don't do anything stupid with Mammon.

MC: *already hung up*

I can totally see that happening! We've all been there and done something like that at some point, don't lie. I've definitely had my phone in my hand or pocket and freaked out when I couldn't find it at least once in my life.

Thank you for sending this in. It made my morning!

[obae-me]

Reblogging for Luci's birthday! I also realized I never put this in my masterlist, so shame on me, it's such a sweet one. Might write a new belated birthday fic over the weekend...

Happy Birthday to my favorite boy who I love with my whole soul!

He's ostentatious, yes. It's hard to think otherwise with his title of Pride, his extravagant clothes, his dramatic entrances, and his peacock-like aura; always strutting about with his head held high and his metaphorical and oftentimes literal wings held out fluttering behind him.

So, it's easy to forget how much he loves simplicity. How he craves normalcy.

You'll fully admit you had misjudged him when his first birthday with you rolled around. Rumors forced visions of Diavolo putting a screeching halt over the whole kingdom, making everyone come out of their homes and business in droves just to celebrate. He'd have a limo or flying carriage take him to an exclusive five-star restaurant, drinking millennia old Demonus so expensive, one drop could have Mammon rolling in money for months. All the while decked up to the nines- the tens, even.

But, you quickly learned that those symbols of opulence were not what he wanted.

However, this year, you still found doubt clawing at your insides. Was this enough? His brothers assured you that what you all had planned was more than adequate, but it was still difficult to think so. You wanted to give him the world... Now you knew Diavolo's struggles firsthand when it came to the fallen angel.

After he had fallen asleep, you'd rolled over and disabled the timer on his phone. Mammon had already somehow snuck in and stolen Lucifer's alarm clock, eliminating his backup (which might already be sold at this point). He could sleep in now. Diavolo had already given Lucifer the day off, but old habits died hard, and everyone assumed he'd be up before he needed to.

The plan was set. He'd wake up to already-made coffee he could sip in bed before lumbering down to breakfast in his pajamas. There would be no arguing, the house would be clean, and everyone was ready to participate in a historical museum tour that was showcasing demon adaptations of human technologies. One of which was the first magical rendition of an assembly line.

Then you'd head out to have tea and snacks in the Royal Gardens. It would be just you, him, and Diavolo (with Barbatos serving of course) while the others set up a party at the House. The only ones attending would be family and close friends. It would be then that he opened presents, ate his favorite homemade dinner, and drank a little in the company of others while playing different games. Then while the night was fairly young, you'd offer to take him away.

As you rolled over in bed, listening to his light breathing as he slept soundly, you couldn't help but feel both nervous and excited for what you had planned for him. For months, you had tried scouting for the perfect gift. Was this...enough? It deviated from what you would normally plan to get him. It wasn't a cursed record or a set of cufflinks or a tie or anything like that. This year, you'd managed to find a music box. It played a lovely little tune that had the sort of melody that forced you to go quiet, chills running down your spine. But this wasn't just any music box. No. Under certain conditions, it would show the listener the memory that would make them the happiest in that moment. And the conditions were easy, one only needed to turn the winding key exactly six times.

Thinking about presenting it to him made you all giddy inside, knowing that he could use it whenever he felt particularly stressed...but also more anxiety allowed itself to flood your nerves. What if it had somehow broken in the spot you'd hidden the gift in?! Did you check it twice last night? Yes. But stranger things had happened in this house, broken things were actually quite common. So, you'd check on it again...just to be sure.

You eyed Lucifer as you slipped out of bed, keeping the mattress from bobbing too much as you tip-toed your way out of his room. Straight to the planetarium you went, assured by the youngest sibling that he'd keep it safe by shooing Lucifer out of the area if he got too close, which was so common already the eldest shouldn't get suspicious. Slipping your way into the room, you rushed over to the specific chair you had hid it behind. The ground was cold as you sat down on it, your legs crossed over each other as you sighed in relief as the intact music box was pulled into your lap.

"Might as well give it a test run," you muttered to no one but yourself as the key clicked six times. Music poured out into the room as you opened the lid. Mist seemed to shimmer a little in the air, a scene projected into the magic. Faint voices played into your mind, syllables almost twinkling in time with the notes.

"You worry too much." A familiar voice had you smile a bit sheepishly, an old memory of Lucifer shaking his head at you being the music box's memory of choice. "I've told you time and time again that you don't need to fret over impressing me, or whatever that silly word you said was." Ah, yes...you remembered this now...it was some time ago, worrying over some kind of RAD gala. Even now you weren't exactly sure what the specific thing you had panicked so grievously over was, but you had been so anxious over letting everyone down, especially the one who you held so close to your heart. In the image, Lucifer grabbed your face, looking so deeply into your eyes, it was as if he were reaching through the haze to assure you all over again. "And if I must, I will continue to tell you time and time and time again, even if my jaw must break from the strain. So take a breath, relax your shoulders, and remember that--"

"I love you," something echoed. You jumped, your arms pulling the music box close to your body instead of launching it in the air. You shut the lid as you glanced over your shoulder.

"L-Luci..."

The demon chuckled a bit as he tucked the fabric of his robe tighter against his body as he came up behind you, getting on his knees and resting his chin sleepily on your shoulder. "Should I be offended or pleased that you're sneaking off in the middle of the night to meet up with another me?"

You audibly sighed. So he saw... "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"Answering a question with a question are we?" As he mused he wrapped his arms around your torso.

"Answering my question to your question with another question?" you quipped right back.

Even without fully seeing him you could feel his eyes roll. He gave you a squeeze and pressed his cheek right next to yours. "Am I to assume...perhaps rather selfishly...if all the secrecy is to imply that this interesting little thing is mine?"

A long pause settled between you. Was this...a bit of disappointment bubbling inside you? "It was supposed to be a surprise..."

If anyone knew the tragedy of derailed plans, it would be him. He hummed in apologetic understanding. "I can pretend like I didn't see it."

That actually had you chuckle a bit, shaking your head. You scooted on the floor to turn around to face him. Grabbing one of his hands, you placed the gift inside his palm. "Happy birthday, Lucifer. May this uplift you in those darker moments when I can't be there. May your birthday this year add to the pool of happy memories to choose from. May I be by your side for another birthday, and the birthday after that, and so many more to come." You leaned forward and kissed his cheek, chuckling at his slightly wild bed-hair that you were just now getting a good look at.

He went a bit silent, and you could've sworn as his eyes shut for a moment, a little bit of color came to his cheeks. He set your gift off to the side of himself as his arms wrapped around you once more, pulling you into a tight embrace. "And may I get to tell you time and time and time and time again...how much I love you."

[obae-me]

New app?? NEW APP?? IS THIS A PRANK?

Ya'll better not be lying I stg.

[obae-me]

I got my boys back 😭 I have to protect this account with my life.

Now if they could just rerun the sickfic cards from the og game, I'll be set.

I'm pretty sure I just found out....that when I just recently changed phones....that I did not transfer my game profile information....so I think I lost everything I had.....

Not that I was playing much anymore anyway, but... now I mourn Obey Me for a second time....

I definitely feel super dumb.

Let us all take a moment of silence for all those Luci cards.

[obae-me]

NOOOO im sorry you lost your info, its a terrible feeling. something similar happened to me once when i tried to transfer my data, but ended up overwriting my old account with the empty one? i contacted solmare and they were able to help me, maybe try reaching out?

I mostly am mad at myself for not having written it down or taken a screenshot at the very least. Lucifer would be shaking his head at me right now.

Like I said, I wasn't playing it anyway, but the knowledge that the work I'd put into the OG game and Nightbringer (years and money since 2020) just poofed into thin air over my own stupidity. No ones fault but my own.

I did reach out and see if they can get my information back for at least Nightbringer, but we will have to see. Fingers crossed and all that.

I'll have a little cry and get a little treat and then I'm sure all will be well. I know some stuff can be found on YouTube and stuff if I wanted to see it again.

[obae-me]

I'm pretty sure I just found out....that when I just recently changed phones....that I did not transfer my game profile information....so I think I lost everything I had.....

Not that I was playing much anymore anyway, but... now I mourn Obey Me for a second time....

I definitely feel super dumb.

Let us all take a moment of silence for all those Luci cards.

[obae-me]

I don't think l'll ever be able to stop reading your writing even if obey me wouldn't my special interest anymore, in fact I have a feeling if anything reading one of your fics would bring me back because they're so beautifully written and remind me why I love the characters so much l'd definitely stay all the way

If you're a humble sailor, I will be your passenger and enjoy the view even if the journey takes long or no matter how much time passes o7

I also hope the problems you're facing will eventually be something you look back on as a past and things will become easier but remember to take care of yourself and don't feel guilty for anything you do more than enough 💞💖

Oh my god, this is so sweet? Legitimately could be tearing up right now.

There probably will come a day where I stop writing for Obey Me, but I'm committed to finishing what I've started before I even think about that. And I'll never stop writing, even if I move my focus to other fandoms.

I appreciate your understanding and kindness, oftentimes it feels more than I deserve, but it's so welcoming. Thank you so much. 💜💜

[obae-me]

OK OK BUT MARA... this fandom is RIDDLED with the yandere brothers being freaky lil demons but what abt a yandere mc?? What about lesser demons, a few of their most loyal fanclub members getting a liiiittle too touchy with MCs favourite brother and casually.. disappearing? MC coming home covered in blood that smells.. almost inhuman, they find themselves grabbing onto their favourite brothers just a biiit tighter while in public. This is even better if you subscribe to the headcanon that demons can feel when humans are acting on their sin and are like... "OOH SHIT?? MCS MAD?"

...anyway ignore my brainrot but the crack potential is unlimited with this one (ps, fucking loved upside down<3)

I think about this a lot! At least in a more protective way than a yandere way, but close enough.

Can you imagine that type of MC in Nightbringer? When plenty of demons hated the brothers?

MC just doing their thing and walking around and marking and remembering the demons who dare mutter awful things behind their backs.

They're called a "devil-sitter" but they end up being more like a guard dog.

So good...

[obae-me]

Upside Down- CH 14

Author's Notes: Hey, loves, I've said it before but just in case, I'll say it again. Sorry for the delay. Stuff happened, health was bad, jobs were quit, unemployment was a pain, hospitals were visited for various reasons, and overall, last year was one of the worst years of my life. I'm glad I can be back, and while I still can't write as fast as I used to, I should be getting works out once again. Thank you all for your patience, thank you all for still reading after all this time, thank you for being here, even with the fandom dying. I love you all. <3

Warnings: Blood Mention, fantasy fighting and violence. As Always, Read Safely.

Word Count: 7,406

Previous Chapter Next Chapter (Coming Soon)

An Unexpected Guardian Angel

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If there was one thing you hated most about the human known to most demons as Pride, it was his utterly infuriating, deeply disturbing- almost creepy- nature of being infallible. Being so small, you’d think you’d have the little- pun not intended- joys of being able to spot scratches in the furniture or some stray coins on the floor or something. Anything to smugly be able to prove his failures. But no. There wasn’t so much as a dust bunny under the cover of furniture. It only made you all the more frustrated. Not only that, but he had apparently an angel’s level of focus. No distraction you had tried would get him to leave his path of patrol around his home office. And at this point, you had done everything you were capable of. Unplugging lamps, checking…other cords… Okay, so maybe that’s all you had done, but what else were you expected to do?! Moving from his bag to under one of the lounge chairs had been hard enough as is. If you made too much noise or made him suspicious, he would start looking around! Getting caught would ruin everything.

You were weaker than you ever had been, not even able to push the furniture an inch. Getting out without being spotted was surely an impossible task. This room had you trapped. But time was ticking, the longer you paced back and forth, the more Beel’s potential danger increased. There was only one thing you could hope for. That Mammon or Levi would come help you.

Feet stopped pacing. Hope for human help? Was that really what you had just thought? Well, they did prove themselves somewhat dependable in the game world. Still, it wasn’t like you to just think something like that so naturally. No matter how helpless this seemed, you would have to rely on your own actions to get yourself out of this. Think. The door would be too dangerous to try. Not only would jumping or crawling up to the knob be noisy, but the doorway was right in Lucifer’s line of sight. Was there another exit you could take? Based off the slight breeze in the room, there should be an open window.

Slinking from one end of the couch to the other, you followed the rays of natural light back to the window pane. Closed. But that made no sense. You could feel air shifting around the room. If it wasn’t coming from the window, then where? Staying as hidden as possible, you moved around the border of the room, trying to follow the breeze. Eventually, you spotted a strange sort of…cage attached to the floor? Slanted metal bars covered a small part of the ground. The air was coming through there, you could feel it. You had your questions on what it was, but you could always figure it out later. Surely it had to lead outside, or at least somewhere else other than here. From this angle too, if you were very careful, the human’s gaze would be shielded from the screen.

Jogging over quietly, you knelt at the bars. With all your might, you pulled at one of the slates, working on bending it enough to let you through. Nothing. Something like this would normally be easy… After you caught your breath, you noticed a round metal half-dome with a divot in the middle. It served to fasten the bars in place. Your fingers grasped at it. It was awkward to hold onto… You jammed a few of your fingers and claws into the mid-section, and started to twist. Strength was leaving you more every second, sweat beading down your face as you pulled hard enough to leave your fingers and hands raw. But you felt a little bit of it give way. Fueled by a stubbornness best befitting humans, you exuded more strength than you should’ve had to fully twist the fastening out of the ground. Setting it quietly aside, you pushed the metal cover over enough just to slip underneath.

Free at last. All you had to do was follow this path down and straight to the outside… Wait, branching paths? Which was the right way? What was this metal maze?… Keeping your movement quiet, you wandered around until you saw some more light. Unfortunately, it wasn’t light to outside, but to another room. Barred by another gate. The more you moved on, the more you realized you didn't exactly escape, just extended the walls of your prison. Every potential way out was blocked, and there was no way to work on the bars on the other end. Now what?…

Hold on. If this led to different rooms, could it lead to every room? And wasn’t there someone you knew that holed up in their room more often than not?

With your new mission accepted, you hurried with a bit more purpose.

At just a glance, it was difficult to tell if his room was occupied. Your sequestered vision only gave you an open view of his bed which was empty. He also enjoyed keeping the room as dim as the Devildom, which you had to wonder if it was partially to blame for his rather consistent squinty expression.

Luckily, you didn’t need just sight to determine if the human was there or not, for sound was the biggest factor. If you were learning anything about this human in particular, it was discovering that he was almost always accompanied by a nearly never-ending curse of clacking. Clicky-clacky, tippy-tappy, for hours on end, whether it was fingers on keys or screens or buttons, or simply nervous tapping. Even in here you could hear it. In fact, this chamber appeared to amplify it.

“Levi!” You hissed quietly, still in stealth mode. No response. Either your voice was a lot quieter being tiny or he had his headphones on. You would actually put money down Mammon style on it being both. Just to give it a bit of a test, you raised your voice loudly, trying to propel it up into the room. “Hey!” Crickets. Well, this is what you got for expecting a human to save you. Now what?… There had to be some way to get his attention… If only there was something you could throw. For a while, you paced back and forth, shoes clattering in this metal labyrinth.

That was it!

You had briefly thought of it in Lucifer’s office, but dismissed it for fear of him discovering your secret from your shrunken shoe. But that wouldn’t have to be a fear here. Even if someone else saw it in Levi’s room, they’d just consider it an accessory to one of his many statue things, whatever they were called. Slipping both off, you shifted your body into a proper place. If only you could hit him from here, but unfortunately you were reserved to only be able to see the corner his bed was in. What to aim for to get his attention? And what would be easiest? You only had two chances after all.

After much consideration, you settled all your chips on a small orange tinted bottle. It looked mostly empty, making it relatively easy to knock over, and the few small objects inside would hopefully make enough noise to get his attention. It was your best bet. A few blinks cleared up the dust in your eyes. A deep breath. A heavy swing hucked one of your shoes out past the metal grate and towards the nightstand. It arched through the air, and struck your target. Yes! The bottle wobbled and fell. It hit its side… and rolled away from the edge. No! It would be so much harder to knock off now…

Now what? Maybe you could bounce your last shoe off of… No, that wouldn’t really work. The lamp? No, you already determined trying to hit the button would be far too risky to be worth it.

In the middle of your rather panicked calculations, a hinge’s squeak echoed through the room. “Yo,” was the word that followed heavy footsteps. There was hope!

“What do you want, Mammon? I’m in the middle of something…”

“You seen MC today? I’ve looked around, and I can’t find ‘em. You don’t…think something happened, do you?”

Levi didn’t respond for a while, the silence the hint to his focus on other things. After a little bit, he sighed. The clacking took a brief pause. “Say that again? I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Hey!”

“Don’t take it personal! I had thirty seconds left to beat that challenge! Just say it again!”

When Mammon spoke next, it was in a grumbling tone. “It’s MC, dammit. They’re not here.”

“Well… I mean, just because we have pacts, doesn’t mean they have to be attached to our hips 24/7.”

Some flustered stammering followed that. “T-That’s not what I was gettin’ at! Besides, they should’ve said where they were going! I thought that boss/lordy type said that we had to keep an eye on them. MC agreed and all.”

Levi scoffed a bit, almost mocking his brother. “You mean the Prince? And did you really think they listened? They made the same face you always do when Lucifer tells you to clean the bathroom or do the dishes. The only thing different was they didn’t say ‘yeah, yeah, I hear ya’ like you normally do.”

For some reason, you were filled with sudden indignation at being compared so casually to a lazy Mammon. As the two of them started a brand new argument, you turned and prepared to throw your last shoe towards the voices. The metal was angled in such a way where you couldn’t see that side of the room hardly at all, but you didn’t care. Maybe you were being influenced too much by some desperation and emotion, but with the power of a small angry demon, you launched the shoe outwards, imagining beaning Mammon right in the back of the head.

“Ow!”

Sometimes you were too good.

“The hell’d you do?!”

“Don’t look at me!”

The two of them suddenly got really quiet, thinking at their own pace, but both eventually coming to the same conclusion. “Pssst,” Mammon hissed. “MC?”

“You don’t have to whisper, idiot, we’re the only ones in here.”

“Hey, ya’ never know!”

At this point, you should’ve probably been flailing your arms or shouting or any other normal action to set you free. However, now that you were moments away from being rescued, you were…hesitant. You really didn’t want to be seen like this… Were the three realms testing you or something? How else could you explain having to go through something so cruel?… But you couldn’t stay in here. The sheer amount of dust alone was burning your windpipe. Besides, how could you berate Lucifer if you weren’t willing to swallow your own pride when it was needed? Time to face the inevitable. Pulling yourself up a little, you waved an arm out from your spot. “Hey! Over here!”

The footsteps got closer, and you could see both humans look around for you. Mammon even had his hands held out to see if he could feel you first. “Why’re you hidin’? What’s wrong?”

You muttered ancient curses under your breath before trying to make your voice a little louder. “No! Look down! Down here!” The amount of time it took two grown humans to notice your incessant waving was far too embarrassing to recount. Maybe all your worries about being spotted by Lucifer weren’t as pressing as you first assumed.

Both of them knelt by the grate, a mix of confusion and…some other emotion you couldn’t trace was painted over their faces. Something about it irked you, though. Almost like they were sneering at you, but if it was done in a nicer way. “MC?” Levi had to ask.

“Do I look like someone else?! Get me out of here!”

Mammon took his turn to ask silly questions. “I didn’t know you could do that! Can you grow super huge too?” While he wondered that, Levi stood and apparently went off to get something to help you free.

“No!”

“What else can you do besides cloak and shrink then?”

“I can’t! This was—“

“So… This isn’t some freaky magic stuff?”

Oh, if only you weren’t so tiny, the things you would do. “No!”

“But, you can do that thing with the tail, and the horns and the teeth. You sure ya’ can’t just make yourself big again? Just try chantin’ a spell or somethin’.”

This was a headache… Taking a deep breath, gathering up your composure and urges to sink your teeth into the nearest object, you rubbed your face with both hands. “No, Mammon. I can’t… Trust me. I tried.”

The human you were addressing was seriously trying to rack his brain coming up with a solution despite only discovering magic even existed all too recently. It was cute, but a guessing game you did not have time to entertain.

Levi finally came back into view, holding a tool in his hand to get the cover off this cage. “Maybe it’s less of a skill and more like a curse?”

For a second, you almost disagreed again. Then you had to agree. That angel cursed you. “Something like that…”

After a few moments, you were finally free. You hopped up, coughing up a bit of dust as you tried to purposefully ignore the two looming figures. This pride to swallow was a bitter one. Not to mention, before you could even fully catch your bearings, the floor beneath you took a new form as it scooped around you and held you above the solid ground. It was dizzying being moved like this, catching yourself from falling backwards by moving to a quick kneeling position.

“Look’a that. You’re, like, the size of my palm.” Greed was in wonder- almost enamored- at the sight of you like this apparently. Like you were a shiny gem he was seconds away from pocketing.

The other one was occupied with trying to remove most of the dust from off your body with a very tiny brush. It was humiliating enough being this size without your usual magic or strength, but being taken care of by humans of all things… This was a new low for you. A sudden shudder down your spine made your body twitch. It was like all your nerves seized and sparked. With a quick bat of your hand, you pushed the soft bristles away from your horns. You had to quickly clear your throat and take control of this rapidly devolving situation.

“Listen, we can fix the size issue later! We have so many things going wrong at once, I don’t even know where to start!” Well, actually, yes you did, there was one thing of importance above all else. “Beel could be in danger! Stop fussing over me for one second and listen!”

That made this whole scenario a lot less entertaining. Both their faces went pale. Levi seemed lost for words. Mammon however, got serious in an instant. “What happened?”

You caught them up to speed with what happened last night starting from catching Beel slipping out of the house in the cover of dark, and ending with your shrunken adventure from Lucifer’s office to all the way here. The younger of the two humans got his voice back. “So this is, like, really terrible, isn’t it?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you! Beel is missing and Lucifer is about to find us out at any moment!” Exhausted from this all, you resigned yourself to fully sit back in Mammon’s hand. “Why does everything go so wrong so fast? It’s like I’m being tortured…” Not even a few days had passed since resolving the last incident before something was on the border of collapse again. Centuries were being shaved off of your long life. “We have to leave now!”

Mammon was already heading towards the door, shoeless and in only a tank-top and shorts. Before he could do that, Levi grabbed his arm. “H-Hold on, for just a moment.”

“Beel could be a walking popcorn chicken right now, and you wanna wait?! Screw that!”

The brewings of a bickering were starting to form, but Levi took a deep breath. “We just need a game plan, even if it’s a small one! If we go rushing in, this is bound to turn out like all the other harebrained schemes!”

“Harebrained?!” You and Mammon bristled at the same time.

“You’re far too impulsive and don’t think!” The human pointed at his older brother, then swung down at you, opening his mouth before hesitating when he caught the glowering look you gave him. “And you… d-don’t quite have human- uh- common se- instincts!” He was sweating with the moment of your raised eyebrows. “Yeah, human instincts down yet. What might make sense to you doesn’t always make sense here, so it’s important to talk about these things before jumping into it!”

Mammon cursed, scoffed, and then sighed, tapping the fingertips on his free hand together repeatedly. “Well, we better make it quick! Time is money!”

Levi nodded, moving quick and grabbing a few things to lay them out on the desk. A few you-sized plastic figures rolled around on the desk before the gamer uncorked a marker to begin his battle strategy. “We have three problems we need to solve ASAP!”

The problems themselves seemed simple enough as he talked, and part of you was tempted to think that- maybe this time- things would be solved easily. Although, too much seemed to still be up to chance. Would Beel be easily found? Was he unharmed in the first place? The humans seemed to have a sense of naive hope. It was… affecting you in ways you couldn’t yet sense.

The brothers high-fived, burning with a newfound determination. Even as Levi looked nervous, ready to run, he was drawn in by his older sibling’s perseverance. Mammon suddenly held you to Levi with a smirk on his face like he’d figured out his next new scheme. “Let’s go get our baby brother back.”

Problem number one: getting your phone back.

If all of your work ended up being undone in a single moment thanks to Lucifer’s persistence, it would be the end of everything. Out of everyone, he was the last that could figure out what you were, because as much as you hated to admit it, there was a sense of danger lingering around him. So getting that device back was top priority. Luckily you had had the magical foresight to make the thing harder to break into, but who knew if human technology and ingenuity would win out in the end?

That’s why Levi had determined it would be best for Mammon to split off from the two of you and have the House focused as his base of operations. As Lucifer’s favorite brother- according to Mammon himself- with a talent for sticky fingers, he was the best bet for handling the problem. He could search the home for Beel in the meantime in case he happened to make it back before…well, all this happened.

Problem number two: finding Beel.

The most vital of problems. You could only imagine what kind of confusion that human was facing. A tender soul like that was eagerly sought after by your kind. It was a race to find him first. So you and Levi were ready to retrace his steps. From the house, to the cemetery, and everywhere in between. It didn’t even fully matter if you were discovered as a demon by him. This time, the source of that problem was not your fault! Which led into the last problem to solve.

Problem number three: getting back to normal.

This would require both teams to accomplish their tasks. Both getting your phone back and finding Beel so that quack of an angel could undo what his cake had caused!

Even just thinking about it made you seethe. Work together on D.A.R.? He was making things so much harder for you! Where was he in all of this? While you lived in the Morningstar home, trying your best to do a thousand things at once, he had the time to scheme and make magic cakes? All you wanted to do was get back to your regular size and wipe that smirk off his face.

Maybe force feed him his own cake and shove him in a pocket and see what it was like!

Because this was the worst!

If you thought being jostled around in a bag was torture enough, nothing topped the constant sway and shake of being in a pocket. Especially the pocket of someone as shaky as Levi.

“Oh, but I forgot to grab a flashlight! What if we end up being out all night and can’t see him?” The pocket swayed heavy in one direction. “Ugh! But if I go back now, I’ll be losing precious time!” Back the opposite direction.

If you were holding onto any more cake, now was about the time to get rid of it.

“Levi!” You couldn’t help but punch him a bit through the fabric of his clothes.

His flinch was so severe, you felt it in your own body. It was as if he had forgotten about you entirely. Muttering some stuff under his own breath, he padded straight for a while till he came to an abrupt stop. All of a sudden, a massive hand plucked you out of your hiding spot. Your skin prickled as instincts told you to chomp, but you held yourself back.

He pulled you out in what appeared to be an alleyway. Blue locks swayed back and forth in front of his eyes as his head swiveled to make sure there were no people or cameras around. “Levi,” you called, trying to get him to pay attention. It took saying his name a few more times before he listened. “Don’t be so anxious.”

Somehow, those supporting words earned you a glare. “Oh, yes, because saying that is so helpful.”

“I simply thought I should give you words of encouragement. Don’t be anxious. Go get it done. Be victorious.” You tilted your head slightly, lifting a closed fist in solidarity, ignoring that irksome expression you couldn’t describe once again.

A heavy sigh left his lungs. “Listen, I don’t know how they do things in hell—“

“The Devildom.”

“…That. But it’s not very encouraging to be told to do or not to do things based on something I have no control over. My brother is missing, you’re stuck like this, Lucifer getting angry is scary, that Prince guy getting angry is scary, and it’s up to me and Mammon to fix these things? How am I not supposed to get anxious?!”

You hummed a little, trying to see things from his point of view, but it was difficult to relate. “Well…how do I best encourage a human?”

“Everyone is different, but…I guess just using empathy.”

“Asking a demon to use empathy, really?”

“You wanted to know!” He shook his head and motioned to put you down in the pocket again. “Just forget about it…”

If there was one thing you wanted right now, it was not going back in that thing. So, mostly as a preventative measure, you spoke up to stop him. “Hold on! I can give it a proper try.” You sighed a bit in relief as he straighted you back out in an open palm. Then you thought for a moment. Empathy… So, you just had to relate and use words based off of that? You had almost done that before, when you spoke about losing someone important to you anytime Mammon had brought up words of his sister. If you used that as a reference, could you call the feeling that stirred in your gut when you couldn’t find your special one way back when anxiousness? Then, if that were the case, maybe you could say a thing or two about it. “We will find him,” you started to say. “Beel seems rather resilient, doesn't he? And even if we end up having to get your other brothers involved, or even the Prince, his safety takes importance over my mission. We’ll find him.”

Levi stood in silence for a moment, mulling over your words. A sudden blush popped up on both of his cheeks. “I-I guess that’s better. But wasn’t the best, so I’m only giving it a C+!”

Ignoring what a letter had to do with anything, you frowned. “That was extremely good, what're you talking about?”

“You almost had it, but then lost points by saying we could ruin your mission, which makes me stressed out too. I don’t want to see you get in trouble.”

These humans were awfully confusing creatures. “Why would you care so much about something that doesn’t concern you?”

“It does concern me! Because- Because… I thought we were friends and tied with the p-pact and stuff…”

Right. You forgot how much humans were pack animals. They existed by living in groups of families and worked to ever still bring more people into their lives. Quite the opposite of demons. A sign of growth and strength was true independence. Which shocked you to hear that Lifia was working with two other demons. Maybe there was something true about that myth about strength in numbers. “I do not know what one must do to become a…friend.”

Awkwardness filled his body as he shifted and couldn’t quite look at you. “Well, friends talk to each other, hang out, and do stuff with each other. B-but, we can talk about that later! I think I feel better now…thank you. “

“You’re welcome. But don’t you dare put me in that pocket again.” You pointed towards the hood hanging behind his head. “Put me there instead.” He begrudgingly listened to you, placing you in the sturdier fabric near his neck. It didn’t sway as frantically, and it would be easier talking to him from here if you needed to. From there, Levi set off again, your search for Beel officially beginning.

You both started in the Cemetery. With it being daytime, it seemed no one had to hop a fence. The human walked for a while, stopped at his sister’s grave, and said a few words before putting you in the grass and letting you get the plant-sized view while he searched from above. It felt like miles were walked and hours had passed before you both came to the conclusion that he likely wasn’t there. Besides, you had been with him when he walked away from the fence. He was bound to be somewhere else.

Levi followed a list both he and Mammon had come up with, stopping at several places. A nearby café that opened in the early hours of morning, Beel’s favorite gym, a parking lot that normally had a truck that sold fruits, a grocery store, and several restaurants. Levi asked the questions while you did your best to sneak around and not get caught. You certainly had been stuck with the more stressful job. And yet where were your words of encouragement, huh? Still, your efforts had found you nothing. Not even a crumb of evidence. The day had all but been spent, the sun setting down and painting the sky in an marigold hue. The search party was losing steam, but finally, Levi had stopped in a local park.

“He comes here to jog a lot, and to feed the ducks in the pond over there. It’s a…pretty large place to search, but…if he could be here…” His words drifted, as if he was even losing the energy to fully share his thoughts.

“Maybe message Mammon then? Let him know to come help. He should be done with his tasks by now. If we tackle it together, it shouldn’t be so daunting.” As you were speaking, Levi pulled you out of his hood and down on the ground. After settling you in the grass, he grabbed his phone.

“You’re right. Let me do that.”

While he was doing that, you’d get somewhat started. You headed a little away from the human and towards the shade of some trees, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. It was mostly empty here. Off in the distance, you could see a human couple walking a small canine. A few elderly stood at the outskirts of the previously mentioned pond and threw some small green things into the water. The more you walked into the protection of the trees, the less you saw of the world around you. It was pretty private here, a good place to hide if you needed.

Then pain filled your body.

Something snatched you up from the ground, ensnaring you in a death grip. You hissed in agony as your vision was turned towards an infamous grinning face. One of the demons from before who had worked with Lifia. The poisonous one. The other demon had called him Bazz or something? He was as ugly as ever, with a new scar sporting over a whitened eye.

You couldn’t even sense him! Was it because of the state you were in? To be totally blindsided by this… “Y-You!” The air in your lungs was easily pushed out from your body. Already you could feel the creaking of your limbs and bones, knowing that if you were to be crushed any tighter they would start snapping. Although, you didn’t let that deter you from your usual apathetic attitude. Worse than dying would be letting this scum have the joy of seeing you beg in your suffering. “Ha-Had to wait till…I was like this before- ugh- before you could have the…upper hand, huh?”

Slightly tighter, and you could see spots in your vision. “Are you really surprised a demon played dirty? Ha!” His eyes narrowed at you. “You’re weirder than I thought.” He stuck his tongue out from his mouth, the vibrant saliva dripping down and sizzling across his own skin. “Once I deal with you, those humans will be mine to devour! Every part of them. You should be thankful I wont let any bit go to waste.”

“MC!” Suddenly noticing your predicament, Levi started moving his feet, sprinting on some sort of instinct. Bazz easily knocked him back with the back of an arm, sending him rolling back over the ground, hitting the dirt and the roots of one of the trees hard. Dazed, it took him a while to stand back up. Even from here, you could see a small thin trickle of blood coming down from his hairline. Something about the sight stirred some old archaic emotion inside you, threatening to send it bubbling up to the surface.

“GO! Get back to the house!”

“I…I won’t!” Stupid, stubborn human! With the bravery at all the wrong times!

Bazz found this all too pleasing, licking his lips as his eyes glimmered with Gluttony. “Maybe I’ll indulge myself right now, and let the little imp watch.” Now, instead of keeping the human back, he lunged. You were squeezed hard enough to toy with your consciousness. But despite that, you wouldn’t go down without protecting your human in every way you could. You dug your teeth into his flesh, feeling some of the poison that ran through their veins enter your mouth. It hurt enough to stall him apparently for just a moment. You caught the glimpse of fear on Levi’s face.

And then you caught glimpse of a blur.

Within a second, you found yourself flung in the air. You hardly had time to steel yourself before you felt your shrunken frame slam against the earth. The environment flickered in your view, as your mind was ready to shut itself down completely. But you couldn’t let it. You pushed yourself up, hardly standing above the tall grass, only able to take in a few seconds of information in at a time.

Bazz growled and sprung up, hardly hurt but clearly frazzled. Then darkness. You pulled yourself back out of it and caught a large shadow encroaching over you before being picked up by large hands. The lift made your vision warble. You bit your lip and forced yourself to focus. Levi was off in the distance, his eyes wide as his mouth moved to form words that you couldn’t fully hear. Wait… Levi? If this wasn’t him, and not the demon, who was… You turned your body and looked up.

Beel shook his other hand, his knuckles bruised but not broken. His eyes narrowed, his muted expression still contorted with fury. “Don’t touch them!”

A twitching smirk popped up on the demon’s face. With petty glee, he pounced on Levi, claws poised to tear the human to shreds. You and Beel shouted his name at the same time. The youngest sibling sprinted forward and kicked Bazz hard in the ribs. Even for being a human, it caused the attacker to hiss and jump on the bigger threat instead, knocking you both down. Soon it was a mess of limbs, even Levi tugging at the demon’s clothes to do whatever he could to protect his little brother. You scrambled up and prepared to rip Bazz’s eyes out. But before you could do that, a sudden light shone off to the side.

The white was blinding, causing both you and the demonic assassin to cover your face in anguish. You fell down on Beel’s chest and tried to ignore the burning sensation. It clenched your throat and made it difficult to breathe, to think, to do anything. Two large hands curved over you, trying to shield you from the light.

Bazz rolled off Beel's body, thudding to the ground. "Back again, you bastard?! I'll kill you! And then I'll go after your human master too!"

The last thing you heard was Levi shouting his brother’s name…

“Please!”

The emotion tore at your chest, ripping you apart on the inside.

“…”

You had to. He had to.

“I’ll do anything!”

“Anything?… Even if it meant ______?”

That wasn’t even a question. Of course you would. Over and over and over again. In every moment, in every life, you would.

“Yes… Please… I don’t care if ___________! They were the only reason why I’m who I am today… With them gone, I… I won’t be the same regardless… Even if I lose ______, they need me! Besides, maybe one day, past several lifetimes, I can ____________.“

“Very well. Today we both break the rules. All for a human. Goodbye, __________”

A gentle touch startled you out of your dream. Although you had the sneaking suspicion that you would’ve jolted awake regardless. Impulse flared the word ‘danger’ in your mind, and you swiped your claws at your attacker before you could even register them. Even before the blur in front of you compiled into being, you smelt the distinct scent of human blood.

“Oh, sorry… I didn’t mean to startle you.” The tone was far too understanding for the fact that you’d just broken skin.

As the hair prickling at the back of your neck calmed itself, you blinked, confused and…embarrassed. “Beel…” Images of the scene you could recall from before replayed in your mind before they stopped abruptly. You couldn’t remember how you got here. Where even was here, now that you were looking at it?

At first glance, it fooled you into thinking you were still at the park. Large lush trees shielded you from the warm light above. They rustled pleasantly, harmonizing with the soft blanket of vibrant grass coating the fields and hills. The fluffy clouds above rolled lazily, giving off a comforting glow. Playful flowers swayed back and forth in their beckoning, luring visitors to skip down the path they were outlining. Despite being in a compromising position- your identity and form being shown to yet another human- all you could feel was a lingering peace. A persistent, possessive, and invasive sort of peace. Therein lied the proverbial rub.

This wasn’t the human realm.

And fortunately as much as unfortunately, your new human companion seemed to sense the same thing. “Do you know where we are?”

You sighed, sizing- again, mind another pun- the human up. Even being the way you were now, you could tell Gluttony was much bigger than his brothers. And that wasn’t to say just on the larger side of humankind. No. You meant significantly bigger. Enlarged. Quite poetic, in a way.

While Solomon’s cake had shrunken you, it had grown Beel.

In Mammon and Levi’s hold before, you were about the length of a full hand. In Beel’s case, you would be lucky if you were the size of one of his fingers. His hair was brushing up against the branches and leaves of the trees. His voice made your own bones rattle. And the cut you had given him before was so small it was already healing. If anything, it explained how he had held up against a demon for as long as he did. However, it still didn’t explain where you were.

“In a manner of speaking,” you finally answered. Silence filled the air then, giving him some time to ask questions. Surprisingly, he never did, so you asked one in turn. “Do you remember anything before waking up here?”

Beel’s face scrunched ever so slightly as he racked his brain. If he weren’t so dangerously large at the moment, you’d almost have considered it endearing. It was quite like how Mammon always cracked his mouth open in thought, or like how Levi bit the corner of his lip, or even how Lucifer— You nearly violently shook your head. Human quirks were just comical at best. Nothing else. How much influence did this place have over your thoughts? Luckily, Beel spoke up to distract you from your own mind. “I remember fighting that guy, and then grabbing you, and then nothing till I woke up here. I was going to grab Levi, but…” He looked around, as if still keeping his eye out for his missing brother.

“He’s…not here.” Somehow you could say that with certainty. Whether you’d become accustomed to his soul or the pact had forged stronger connections than you thought, you couldn’t tell. The only thing you could decipher was…severance. It was like you were cut off from both pact-mates. Even the small fragment of vitality and sin that should’ve been flowing through your veins was stifled. Those personalized bits of Greed and Envy were being drowned out by the roaring silence of Isolation. It was…almost startling in its loneliness. You should’ve been accustomed to such things, but it was almost as if you had gotten used to a new normal in this relatively short time amongst those humans. But, you couldn’t waste your time thinking about that for too long.

Your world shifted as Beel pushed himself up to his feet, curling his hand so you stayed secure. “Do you know how to get out of here?”

With a wistful sigh, you shook your head. Stuck in another place, were you? Was this going to become a pattern? “Haven’t the foggiest.” Once again, the magic of the environment eased your anxiety about your identity. Before you could control yourself, your lips were excited to spill well-kept secrets. “Looks Celestial to me, and I’ve never been there before.”

“Celestial?” Beel hummed, “Like heaven? Are we dead?” A rather calm way to ask such a desperate question…

“If we were, I wouldn’t be here.” With a shrug, you pointed towards the ground below. “Even if I was sent here by mistake, I’m sure divine spears would be raining down on me by now to send me back to where I came from. I’m not exactly welcomed near those glittery gates. So, I figure this must be a figment or copy of that realm.”

The human simply uttered a simple “ah” like he understood everything you were saying before stretching his neck from side to side. It was hard to tell if he was also feeling the influence of the area or if he was just naturally a bit calmer than the others. Beel gestured to the path of flowers. “Should I follow these?”

“Could be a trap.”

“Hm. I don’t feel like they are.”

“Go where you want then,” you nodded. A little flourish of the hand motioned to your own body, beaten and bruised and bitty. “I’m not exactly built for travel like this. I’ll go wherever you decide.”

Suddenly, a large fingertip came down, patting you on the head and almost skewering itself on your horns in the process. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.”

A flash of annoyance cropped up in you for a split second. “I’m much older than you, you know.”

His head tilted just a little, looking genuinely befuddled by that. “Does that change anything?”

A rather humiliating noise of shock clamped down in your throat. You were silent for the next long while as he walked. He was right about that. Nothing you could say or do really changed your position for the time being. Small, nearly magic-less, and exhausted, there wasn’t much of a fight you could put up. If that previous scuffle had proven anything, it was that…right now you were at the mercy of everyone else. It was a blow so low, it left you breathless. Up until now, you were happy to deny the truth, but now there was no fooling yourself. This human… Beel… was your protector.

A demon relying on human protection while you were in somewhere that looked like the Celestial Realm? What kind of topsy-turvey reality was this? The facts repeated over and over in your mind and forced a foreign warmth to brush across your cheeks as Beel continuously ducked his head to avoid branches and the like. You rubbed at your skin in an attempt to snuff out the fire in your body, but it didn’t work.

Beel followed the outline of flowers down deeper into this grove of trees. Both of you remained silent, but it didn’t feel awkward. If anything, it was almost…nice… For what reason, you couldn’t describe. Perhaps you could almost sleep like this, and let the responsibility be on someone else’s shoulders for a while. Everything was out of your hands. You closed your eyes and felt the tension leave your body for a while. You managed to get a little bit of rest until you felt the human stop in his tracks. When you opened your eyes, a strange sight sent a chill down your spine.

Several doors stood upright, scattered throughout the place. Wood, metal, glass, gold, silver, diamond; any material and color you could think of, any design, and it was here. It reminded you awfully of a graveyard. Each door seemed to represent something, eerie in their rigid stillness.

Of course, that was juxtaposed with a sight you did not expect to see in a place like this.

A long table coated in a lacy tablecloth sat at the end of the flower-path. Shiny silver dish-wares were spread across it, glinting in the soft light. And as expected, on top of every dish was a heaping pile of foods. Pastas, pizzas, pies, cakes, casseroles, and crepes, human food of nearly every kind was packed on every square inch of surface. Slurping could be heard above you, and as much as you suddenly feared getting wet, you couldn’t blame him. Just from the smell alone, you could almost feel hungry too, which was something you hardly felt anymore.

Yet, several bells were ringing in your mind. The human known as Gluttony was led to a royal feast? “Beel, I know it looks tempting but—“

“Welcome.”

A smooth voice sent those alarms blaring louder. The demon? No. The voice was much too calm to match. But you could smell Bazz…could smell his blood. You turned your head behind you, but was blocked from sight by Beel’s massive body.

“You must be Beel, right? Please, take a seat. While you’re at it, why don’t you hand me that demon so I can…take care of them for you?”

[obae-me]

Him....

I still think about him a concerning amount <3

[obae-me]

Oh boy, I sure do love that one piece of media that's about a human ending up at a demon school. You know the one I'm talking about?

Wait, no. Hm. I'm talking about the one where my favorite character is this really grumpy angry guy who spends all his time trying to have peace and order, but ends up getting dragged into trouble the other demons cause. He hates the human but has probably a secret soft spot for them! He is also really powerful and controls a three-headed dog! There, that's super specific, right?

Damn it...

[obae-me]

I feel as the Fandom dies, that I am but a humble sailor who has decided to stay with the Captain as the ship sinks. No matter how long I stay away from it, I always come back to it's world. I'll probably still be a lonesome caretaker long after the archives gather dust.

[obae-me]

Physical insecurities the brothers have that I would absolutely adore (because while perfectly immaculate, chiseled demons are... fine... they are also... in my honest humble opinion, quite bland).

Including ideas of my own body headcanons:

Lucifer:

The feathery grey strands that never seem to ever go away no matter how much he uses magic or simple drugstore box dye. I would stroke them between my fingers and tell him how dignified they looked while rubbing my thumb over the worry lines embedded between his brows from furrowing them so much. When they're too prominent from stress I would plant a kiss between his eyes.

Mammon:

The patches of different colored skin across his body. I would run my hand over them and trace the line where the different shades of brown and gold and tan and pale meet, trying not to tease him too much when the touch across his ribs makes him giggle. I'd tell him everyday that the pictures don't do him full justice, he's even more breathtaking in person.

Levi:

The plush to his thighs that splay out when he sits and the stretch marks that are the same hue as his hair. I would gladly rest my head in his lap while he played his games, keeping myself from giving them a squeeze if it makes him uncomfortable, all the while telling him how lovely he is.

Satan:

The bones that stick out prominently in his sides and shoulders and his ankles that resemble the sharpness to his tail despite his best attempts to keep some cushion on them. I would hold him softly and run my finger along his features and remind him that despite his supposed sharpness, he is still perfect to cuddle.

Asmo:

The blemishes and freckles he tries to keep covered up with makeup. They dot and march over his cheeks and nose, across his forearms and over the backs of his hands. I would take the time over eternities to touch each one individually and remind him every day why, where I grew up, we called them angel kisses.

Beel:

The scars and wounds that cover his body from the war and his skirmishes during his sports games. He fears it shows a sign of his many weaknesses, while I would caress each one with tenderness and ensure him that they're each a hint into his unwavering strength, proof of how's he's standing here despite it all.

Belphie:

The dark circles under and around his eyes that never fade no matter if he sleeps for one hour or a hundred in a row. Even if he hides them behind messy long hair, I would still see them and love them. It's the shining light in his eyes that has me stare, not the dark circles. He's not consumed in as much darkness as he imagines.

[obae-me]

Hello, darling! First of all, I read your post and I want you to know I'll be supporting you from the sidelines!

Second, I'm a big fan of your writing!

Could ai request some writing about having a date with Lucifer in the snow? It could be anything related to winter, really.

Thank you!

Hello, dear! Thank you so much for your support and kind words! It means more to me than you know! I know it's not quite winter anymore- at least it's already getting warmer where I am at- but your snow date is here at last! I hope this is what you were looking for! (Requests always make me a bit nervous, I just love making people happy!) Enjoy!

Word Count: 2.3k

Three whole days it had been snowing nonstop. Not quite a torrent, but not exactly the best event for the Devildom at large. But even as you watched the soft powder pile shockingly high, you couldn’t find it in yourself to be too worried. Maybe it was the comforting fact that snow seemed to appear the same throughout the realms. More likely though, it was the sight of several demon heads bobbing through wintery trenches, attempting to accomplish the task of clearing paths through the thick blanket of snowflakes, only to end up pushing each other deeper in it or throwing it around. Such a sight warmed your heart. It helped that you were staying warm inside though.

It was nice and quiet in the House today. Almost too quiet. Normally, when the loudest of demons were outside and able to scream as loud as they wished, you took the opportunity to snuggle up to the demon you most adored. He wasn’t here today either unfortunately. Hadn’t been for a little while. The snow, for all its beauty, was causing Lucifer and Diavolo a more than a few problems.

Laying down on your bed, you tried to push aside the thoughts about how nice this moment would be if he were here beside you. It’s not as if you were tied together by the wrist. A few days apart was child’s play. But… it was unfortunate that he was missing out on this perfect moment of peace. He might even find the shouting outside marginally endearing. You curled up on your side, rifling through the various scenarios you might find yourselves in if he were here. A movie. A game. A nap… All with the warmth of the blankets blocking out the outer chill in a shield of fluff. It sounded far too cozy.

So cozy, in fact, that in the midst of your daydreaming, you drifted off somehow.

You woke a while later to a gentle knock at your door. Groaning, blinking, forcing your body to sit up, you hardly uttered a word before a familiar frame of a fair face faded into view. It shocked your body into alertness. “You’re home…”

Lucifer quietly let himself inside your room. Weary eyes exposed the exhaustion the days of endless work had caused. It was clear he had only gotten home recently, not even given the time to undo his tie or shake the persistent snowflakes off his coat. His presence was such a pleasant surprise, even your squeaky hinges were speechless. As he stepped closer, you noticed his taut shoulders lowering in small intervals. He held a hot beverage in his grasp with one hand, fingers clamped above the rim, making it easier for you to take by the handle as he raised it in your direction.

"What's all this for?" you asked, one eyebrow raised. As you brought the mug up to your face, the warmth billowing up against your cheeks was telling of the intense temperature.

"Careful, it's hot."

A hum left your throat as you set the drink down to let it cool. "Oh, thank you. How would I have ever known? Hot drink is hot? Revolutionary. What’s next? Cold drink cold?" You gasped. Lips curled into a little grin.

A finger pressed into the middle of your forehead. A few gentle pokes preceeded him bending down to get closer to your face. "Pardon me for trying to keep that sharp tongue of yours from burning." His voice still kept that sterner quality, but his expression betrayed his true feelings of playfulness. You loved being able to draw out that buried personality of his. "As for your previous question," he continued, "is it so unusual for me to show you some affection?"

"For the last few days, yes. I've hardly seen you. Not even so much as a call…" A blunt truth. One that you didn't intend to sound so harsh. He'd been swamped, and you knew that. A brief lack of communication and some space wasn't a problem. He'd always make it up. You were just worried.

Lucifer raised himself back up, his dark eyes narrowing. An intimidating face that would've sent a chill down your spine in times past. Now, you had the knowledge that he was just terrible with expressions. Or perhaps the old adage of "keep it that way for too long, and your face will be stuck" was true for that infamous scowl of his.

"I know," he sighed, his arms folding tight across his chest. His head turned off to the side, eyes flitting around like he was scanning your room for potential threats. ‘Threats’ being his brothers of course. When he returned his attention to you, he took a step closer, scooping up one of your hands in his gloved one. "I suppose you're not entirely wrong in your question. I did come here with an agenda in mind."

"So, this drink is an olive branch, then?"

"In a sense. Do you accept it?"

"The drink or your apology?"

"Both."

For a moment, you slipped your hand from his hold, taking the mug up again. It seemed to have cooled down enough to drink. You sipped on it, making your expression seem as if your answer was hinging on how tasty the beverage was. You quickly hummed with surprise. "It's good." In the background, his posture shifted, puffing up a little with pride. You held it carefully in your lap. “You don’t need forgiveness in the first place, Luce. I wasn’t angry with you. I just worry. And... I miss you.”

The demon’s shoulders drooped fully, their length about twice as long now that they weren’t coiled so tight against his neck. Another clone of a sigh left his lips, announcing that a great deal of weight had suddenly been lifted from his soul. Who knew your potential emotions had such an influence on him? He bent down towards your face, eyes half-closed. His forehead touched yours, rubbing against your skin in an affectionate way before pulling apart. You could tell he was desperately craving more skinship, but was holding himself back. “Tomorrow, if you do not have any pertinent plans, give your time to me.”

“Hm. Say it nicer, and maybe I’ll consider.”

Different shades of red seemed to glow in his irises for a moment. Lucifer scoffed, but then smiled. The challenge was accepted. He knelt beside where you sat, taking one of your hands in both of his. Both thumbs brushed over the whole back of your hand before he pressed a kiss to your knuckles. “I’ve deeply desired your company as of late. Fates permitting, will you go out with me tomorrow?”

Damn him. Always one to do too much. “It’s a date… but only if you rest first.”

Two shoes and a heavy coat hit the ground with echoing thuds as the mattress under you shifted. He wasted no more time in wrapping his arms low around your waist. “If you only knew how much I had been thinking about that very thing.”

---

“Is it time to say the classic ‘are we there yet’?”

“If you do, you’ll find yourself thrown in the snow.”

Despite the threat, you couldn't help but grin. Although, you desperately had to know… Were you almost there yet?

You had waken up this morning to your companion already gone. A note had been left by your bedside, letting you know to bundle up for today’s apparent date. While you got yourself inundated with a comical amount of layers, you could only hope that Lucifer had gotten adequate enough rest before sneaking off to prepare for…whatever surprise he had in store. Pride was known for going the extra mile or three.

By the time you were ready, he was here to escort you to… You still had no idea. You’d been walking through the path inlaid in the mountains of snow for what felt like a while now.

“Can I have a hint at least?” you wondered.

He stayed perfectly silent. Then, he second-guessed his decision to ignore you and glanced over his shoulder. “Why would I give you a hint when I could just show you?”

You opened your mouth to return his snarky answer when he stopped. He pulled you around to stand beside him, his hand now clasped in yours. The endless amount of snow gave way to the mouth of a cave. It was true, your sense of adventure had been enhanced ever since being in the Devildom. However, this yawning cave was pushing those limits. It’s glistening teeth quivered with anticipation, and it’s breath chilled you to the bone.

Lucifer must’ve caught your appearance, for he simply chuckled. “And here, I thought you trusted me.”

“I do! It’s just… nothing good has ever come from the caves down here. They’re even iffy in the human realm.”

“Well…” He dropped his hold on your hand. He pretended to think about it for a moment even though it was clear in his eyes he’d already made up his mind. With one swift motion, he scooped you up on his back, his hands holding you steady by the undersides of your knees. “Have faith when I say that you’ll like this one.”

With you propped up against him, he entered the mouth of the cave. Pitch darkness consumed you both, the only sense you could rely on was the warmth of Lucifer’s touch and the crunch of his boots. Your body tensed, ready to have the both of you fall, or run into a wall, or something else predictably terrible. But before you could worry too much, the trail opened up into a much larger chamber.

The inside of the cave suddenly seemed to burst into light. The shift in brightness caused spots in your vision for a few moments. When it returned to normal, however, you couldn’t stop the gasp that followed.

Multicolored icicles, like shimmering iridescent crystals hung low from the cave ceiling. Light cast from various orbs of energy bounced around. They almost seemed like living creatures, moving slowly and gently in various directions, soft whispery vibrations coming from them as they passed by. Different arrays of hues drifted over the snow, arcing in several kaleidoscopic rainbows. Snow? This deep inside a cave? And near your feet, rich indigo flowers lined a path, the petals looking as if they were carved from glowing frost. They led the way towards a pre-set table adorned with lacy tablecloths, golden candles, and platinum silverware. Based off the smell, you could tell food had been prepared and was magically staying warm, waiting for your arrival. Soups, sandwiches, hot teas and ciders, and plenty of sweets tried beckoning you over with a wave of aromatic steam.

Magical would be an understatement.

You were let off the demon’s back to wander on your own. You cupped your hands as one of the wandering wisps drifted down towards you. You gently pushed it upwards, watching it languidly dance towards the roof. “Lucifer…” Your lips mouthed different letters before you recalled the language necessary to form words. “You have to stop doing stuff like this... You’re making the standards impossible for me to beat.”

For a split second, Lucifer almost seemed angry. It quickly transformed into hurt, and then once more into determination. Holding you from behind, chin on your shoulder, he started to stoke the dying embers of your pride. “How many times do I have to try to get it through to you, that you have already far exceeded my expectations? Being with me, talking with me, understanding me, waiting for me, loving me…they are far more than I ever felt like I deserved. This is but a small fraction of repayment towards that debt. No… Not a debt. My love for you cannot be compared to something so negative. A small drop in the ocean of my devotion, rather. If you simply tried to copy everything I did, you wouldn’t be you. I dream of you bringing me coffee in the mornings, of rubbing my shoulders after a long day, of a kiss on my cheek. To you, you might worry they are too simple, but for me, they mean everything. So please, I beg of you to drop all misgivings, and enjoy this time with me.”

Speechless, you quickly stowed away the part of you that tempted to taint your mind with insecurities. As you nodded, he gave your whole body a tight squeeze, swaying back and forth with you.

“If you really want to do something for me…” He turned you around to face him, chuckling a little as he used his gloved hand to remove some snowflakes from your face and hair. “You can say my favorite phrase.”

“’Stay out of trouble?’”

He rolled his eyes and squeezed your face. “Don’t be coy.”

With a huff, you moved his hands away. “Fine, fine. Here… I will do you one better.”

As if sensing your intentions, the light in the chamber dimmed, the soft glow of magic enhancing the intimacy. You brought your face up to meet his, your lips brushing over his own. His lips were normally soft, but today they were slightly cracked from the cold. The chapstick he encouraged you to put on earlier came in handy as you ensured it coated his own lips evenly. The air in the chamber shifted, and you could almost envision his wings fluttering behind him despite him not being in his demon form. “I love you.”

His entire demeanor melted. It was precious how just a few simple words could affect him so much. Perhaps that was his point he was trying to make earlier. What seemed as simple to you both meant worlds to the other…

If that was the case, just as he gave the world to you, you’d make his world spin over and over and over again.

“I adore you more than anything, my heart... Now… will you join me for a picnic in the snow?”

[obae-me]

please, PLEASE DROP A NEW CHAPTER ON UPSIDE DOWN, IM SO HUNGRY ITS BEEN SO LONG SINCE YOU CAME WITH THE MILK AIUHJH! [ I love your fanfics, please, take the time that you need to create more of them. I love the way you introduced Dia and how you resolved/made a pact with Mams and Levi. I wish upon you eternal happiness. stay strong my liege

Ahhhh, I promise I'm working on it, love! It's been a long wait, but I'm back to being at the point where I can sit down and write again! (Mostly on the weekends but that is better than nothing).

Here, for the moment, take a teeny tiny teaser while I work on it! (I'm about 2k out of my usual 5k-6k, so not too much longer!)

---

“Well… I mean, just because we have pacts, doesn’t mean they have to be attached to our hips 24/7.”

Some flustered stammering followed that. “T-That’s not what I was gettin’ at! Besides, they should’ve said where they were going! I thought that boss/lordy type said that we had to keep an eye on them. MC agreed and all.”

Levi scoffed a bit, almost mocking his brother. “You mean the Prince? And did you really think they listened? They made the same face you always do when Lucifer tells you to clean the bathroom or do the dishes. The only thing different was they didn’t say ‘yeah, yeah, I hear ya’ like you normally do.”

For some reason, you were filled with sudden indignation at being compared so casually to a lazy Mammon. As the two of them started a brand new argument, you turned and prepared to throw your last shoe towards the voices. The metal was angled in such a way where you couldn’t see that side of the room hardly at all, but you didn’t care. Maybe you were being influenced too much by some desperation and emotion, but with the power of a small angry demon, you launched the shoe outwards, imagining beaning Mammon right in the back of the head.

“Ow!”

Sometimes you were too good.

[obae-me]

your recent lucifer fic was honestly so so beautiful, its the kind of art piece that reshapes your soul and will follow you for a very very long time. the way you described the characters affection and love for each other felt like sitting at a warm fireplace with the fluffiest blanket around your shoulders, it genuinely warmed my heart and i just wanted to compliment you on it. and also thank you for sharing it with the world, im grateful i stumbled upon it <3

That's so flattering, thank you!

I don't know why, but Lucifer is where my creative mind goes wild sometimes. I just really go nuts for religious symbolism and nuanced characters.

I also enjoy writing fluff like my life depends on it. Kind of a form of therapy for me, I suppose. And just enjoyable in general.

I love sharing stuff like this with you all, since it's still bewildering to me that anyone sits down to read it at all.

Thank you so much for reading, and for taking the time out of your own day to leave me such a sweet message! <3