Satan would love goodreads.
He sees you one day, reviewing a book on your phone in the living room of HOL. He stands behind where you're sitting on the couch, peering over your shoulder, watching your finger press the four stars on the book you just read.
âWhatâs that?â he asks. You look back and smile at him, showing him your D.D.D. He leans down curiously, resting his hands on the back of the sofa while reading the words on your screen.
âItâs an app where I can rate the books I read,â you say. He reaches for your phone and looks at you for approval which you give with a nod.
He scrolls the app, checking the books youâve read. âIsnât it smart? You can give the books start and write reviews and then you can look back on what youâve read!â you exclaim, gesturing excitedly with your hands. Satan's gaze flickers from his phone to you and a light blush grazes his cheeks when he catches your excitement over books. âYeah, thatâs pretty cool,â he says, giving you back your phone while clearing his throat.
Now, Satan doesnât really think he needs Goodreads. Demons have an excellent memory and most of the books on the app are human books, so heâd have to write in Devildom books manually, but he figures it wouldnât be all that bad to download the app just so he can see your reviews. Plus, he does read a lot of booksâŠ
And boy, does he write the most scalding reviews. Everytime you see him rate a new book, you get genuinely concerned for the authors well being if Satan didnât like the book.
I have lived for thousands of years and will live for thousands more and yet I wish I could regain the six hours I wasted on this horrible book.
I would rather spend a decade chained to Lucifer himself than read this horrible pile of shite again.
The plot was bland as fuck and the language barely did anything to make up for it, what a sad excuse for literature.
You come to look forward to these reviews, giggling whenever he gets particularly brutal. Itâs a side of him you hardly ever see.
One day you recommend him a bad book on purpose, just to see what heâll do. Itâs quite easy to blind side him because Satan hardly ever checks on whatâs new in the human literature world.
When you get to notification that heâs read it, you immediately press it, excited to see what heâs said, only to find the review relatively⊠tame?
Your brows furrow as you read the half-assed text, complimenting the plot twist at the end. âDidnât see it coming.â It reads and you shake your head. That plot twist had been some of the absolute worst youâve ever read. Youâd been excited to see Satan tear it apart and call on the lazy ending.
You recommend him another book that youâre sure heâll hate. Once again, the review is fine. Even the small following Satan has gained on the app seems confused.
This book is fucking horrible, why did he give it three stars?
Yeah, I followed him for his brutally honest reviews, but this is just weird.
You recommend him a bad book for the third time, just for good measure. âThereâs no way heâll be able to pretend to like this one,â you think as you innocently bat your eyes lashes at him and give him the book. Satan hesitates for a bit, looking down at the book. Then he sends you a tight-lipped smile. âYeah, Iâll give it a go.â
Youâre lying in bed when Satan barges into your room. âSatan, what are you-â he plops the book down in front of you on the bed and crosses his arms. âAre you doing this on purpose?â A smile tugs at your lips before you think better of it and quickly fake a confused expression.
âWhat? I would never!â you say and he rolls his eyes and begin pacing your room. His fists are rolled into tight balls, knuckles turning white. Heâs kind of hot like this you realize.
âDid you not like the book?â you ask and he stops pacing to just stare at you for a few seconds. âAre you serious? It made me want to rip my fucking eyes out!â he shouts and you giggle.
Satan feels like heâs going insane. Are you toying with him or something?
âWhatâs going on?â he asks and you shrug, sending him a mischievous smile. âI didnât mean to tease youâŠâ you say. âI just liked your reviews on bad books, so I thought Iâd recommend you a bad book on purpose,â you begin to explain. Satan's mouth slightly opens and his brows raise at you.
âBut then your reviews were so nice all of a sudden so I just kept recommending-â Youâre interrupted by Satan's manic laughter. Heâs glaring at the ceiling, looking kind of insane in all honesty and you begin to wonder if youâve maybe pushed him a bit too far this time.
You wrap your arms around your knees as your bed creaks with Satan's weight as he sits down next to you. âAre you even aware of how much I had to hold back-â Satan grumbles, while he draws closer to you. His brows are pinched and his eyes are flashing green.
âWait what?â you interrupt. âYou held back because you didnât want to upset me?â
âNo!â Satan huffs and scratches his head. âI mean I thought you liked those books,â he says and pinches the bridge of his nose, eyes shut, while letting out a long breath.
âOh, you big softie!â You chuckle as realisation dawns upon you.
âI am not a softie!â Satan's eyes snap open again. âYou so are!â You squeal when Satan is on you, so youâre pressed against the bed, trapped between Satan's hands on either side of your head. Much to your surprise he begins tickling you. âSatan, no!â you yelp and try to get away from him, with no prevail.
âTake your punishment, human!â The demon howls. Youâre gasping for air, lightly slapping his chest, in a fit of laughter. The side of Satanâs mouth quirks up. âThis is the next best thing to eating you!â
636 notes
·
View notes
ăâĄă the day you and the stars disappeared.
summary: the discovery and aftermath of your disappearance. what do your beloveds do in your absence?
obey me characters (lucifer, mammon, levi, satan, asmo, beel, belphie, diavolo, solomon, barbatos, simeon, and thirteen) x gn!reader; angst, 4.8k words. light spoilers for obey me nightbringer.
When Lucifer wakes up, the left side of his bed is cold.
It's not the most unusual thing. Lucifer was much less of a morning person than you were. He glaces to his bedside table. 8:30; it was too early for you to be out of bed on the weekend. Even if you woke up early, you'd still be tucked into his arms, or scrolling through Devilgram on your D.D.D.
Lucifer sits up, a pout on his face. You couldn't have strayed too far in such a short time.
"Beloved?" He calls, hoping you could hear him if you were in the bathroom. Lucifer says your name, this time a little louder, but again gets no response.
It wasn't your turn to be on breakfast duty... Perhaps you had a bad dream? You did tend to hide those things from him.
He closes his eyes and thinks of you. Usually, he would feel a faint warmth, like the fluttering of a moth's wings underneath his skin; it was the feeling of your soul connected to his through your pact. But now, even with all his focus, the feeling of your soul connection is nothing but a cold static.
Lucifer swallows the panic welling up in his chest and stands, quickly throwing on his clothes and rushing from his room. He starts in the basement, looking in any place a human could possibly squeeze into, desperately calling out your name. The ever-composed Lucifer, reduced to tearing the house apart when his human isn't in his sights.
He hopes that he is overreacting. He hopes that he'll find you curled up with Mammon, or on a walk outside the house.
He hopes that you are still somewhere that he can reach.
"Oy, Lucifer, what's going on?" Mammon. Lucifer takes a deep breath and tries to collect himself. If he let himself be emotional, his brothers would take that as a sign that something is very, very wrong. He would have to hold himself together, for now. "You're waking everyone up."
"Mammon, have you seen MC?" Calm enough.
"I haven't seen 'em since last night, they were with you, right?" You and Lucifer stayed up late to finish paperwork for your new student council role. "You didn't make 'em angry, did you?"
Lucifer's pout deepens. He's sure he'll age a millennia faster with how much he worries over you. "No, nothing like that. We finished up the assignments and then went to bed." Lucifer sighs, "and then when I woke up this morning, they weren't there. It's unlike them."
"You sure they just didn't go for a walk or something?" Mammon checks his phone to see if there were any messages from you.
"Mammon... try to connect to them with your pact."
Mammon closes his eyes, and repeats the same action Lucifer did only a few minutes prior.
Nothing.
Mammon instantly shifts into his demon form, fear evident in his eyes.
"I'm gonna go drag Solomon over here. He'll be able to track 'em if they're nearby, right?"
"He should be. Bring Simeon too, if he's there.". Lucifer straightens himself out. "I'll wake Leviathan and then go get Diavolo and Barbatos. Maybe they'll know more about what's going on."
Mammon nods, out the door before Lucifer can even finish his sentence.
Lucifer doesn't allow himself any more moments alone, he rushes upstairs to shake Leviathan awake.
ăâĄă
"No need to pound on the door, Mammon." Simeon smiles, but Mammon can tell he's annoyed. Giving Simeon a minute to open the door was Mammon's idea of being patient, he had half a mind to knock the damn thing off its hinges. "Is there anythingâ".
"Where's Solomon?" Mammon cuts him off, pushing past him and into Purgatory Hall's living room. The smell of fresh coffee fills the air; just how early did these guys wake up?
"He's still sleeping, I believe. Why are you in such a rush?" Simeon asks.
"MC's missing. Need him to find them. He in his room?"
"What?"
"You heard me!" Mammon can hardly keep it together. He didn't want to talk about it, he knew that if he started talking he wouldn't be able to stop.
He hadn't felt your soul connection so cold since... since...
"What's going on?" Solomon steps out of the hallway, still in his pajamas. "I heard Mammon yelling. What happened to MC?"
Of course he'd have been listening in. "Lucifer woke up this morning and they weren't there. Can't hardly feel their soul at all, it's like they'reâ".
"What do you mean?" Solomon's eyebrows quirk up, clearly not expecting to hear that. "What does it feel like?"
"Damn it, Solomon, it feels like it did when Belphie... y'know." Mammon can't bring himself to say it. It was too awful, what he did to you. "Enough talking, do your magic thing and find 'em!"
Solomon and Simeon exchange worried looks. "Alright, let me get dressed. Then we'll head off. But Mammon...".
"What?" Mammon huffs, already heading towards the door.
"I'm sure they're fine. You know how capable they are. Perhaps they just wanted some alone time."
"Yes, MC has survived a lot. I'm sure they just popped back up to the Human World or something... We'll probably be laughing about this with them at the end of the day."
Simeon smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. Mammon tries not to let the thought that they might be trying to placate him bother him.
ăâĄă
"You want me to watch over our brothers? Why? What's happening?" Levi sits up in his bathtub bed, disoriented from being shaken awake so suddenly.
He had heard the commotion earlier, but assumed that Mammon had done something to warrant Lucifer's ire. Lucifer searching through Levi's room while he was sleeping wasn't the strangest occurrence. Mammon did hide things in here from time to time.
"Levi, don't worry over this right now. I'll fill you in once we figure out what's going on."
"No, Lucifer, tell me now!" Levi stands, suddenly very awake. "You're worried over something, and you're never worried, not like this."
Even standing up straight, Lucifer was still looking down at Leviathan.
"Telling you would only make the situation worse." Levi hates how patronizing Lucifer sounds. He hated it when they first fell and he hated it now. "Make sure the others stay put, I'll be back soon."
Levi moves quickly to stop him from leaving. "If you don't tell me, I'll... I'll summon Lotan!" Lucifer steps forward, but Leviathan doesn't budge. "I'll really do it, Lucifer! I'm serious about this!"
It would probably take Levi a few hundred years to muster up the courage to stand up to Lucifer like this again. But watching the cold pity fade from his brother's eyes and turn into something more akin to pride was worth it.
"MC is gone, and I'm going to the Demon Lord's Castle to seek Diavolo and Barbatos's help." Lucifer says it with such a barely-maintained calmness that Leviathan knows this is serious. That you weren't sucked into a silly game or hiding out in Purgatory Hall for the weekend.
Levi feels his heart sink.
"Now, can you do as you're told and stay put? I'll be back soon." Lucifer squeezes Levi's shoulder, forcing Levi to listen. "If anything happens, call me."
He nods, but once Lucifer turns to leave, he quietly falls back into bed. Levi watches Henry swim around in his goldfish tank; you had just fed him yesterday, how did things change so much in just a few hours?
No, he can't shut down here. If something happened to you and he wasn't there to help he would never forgive himself.
You had saved him so many times before, it was time for him to be your Knight. (God, he sounded like a normie).
ăâĄă
When Mammon arrives back to the House of Lamentation with Simeon, Solomon, and Thirteen (Solomon had called her for help), the front door is blown off its hinges. Levi peeks through sheepishly at the four of them, waving for them to come in.
"What the hell happened here?" Thirteen tries to shut the door behind them, but it slowly starts to creak back open as soon as its closed.
"I told Satan what happened." Levi sighs, fiddling with the ends of his sleeves. "He went out to calm himself down. Said he'll be back by the time Lucifer gets home."
"Have you guys found anything here?" Simeon asks Leviathan. Just past Levi in the living room was Asmodeus, who was anxiously staring down at his phone.
Beel descends the stairs at the same time Belphie comes up from the basement: "I checked all the rooms upstairs, they're not up there."
Belphie shakes his head: "They're nowhere in the basement, either."
"I've been texting anyone that knows them from R.A.D. No one has seen them yet." Asmodeus blinks back tears. "This is crazy, you know! Why does this kind of thing always happen to them?"
"Well, they're not dead. So stop acting so sad!" Thirteen chimes in, sprawling herself out on the living room couch. "I checked their candle this morning myself. I can check again but trust me, I would know if they died. I'm a reaper, y'know?"
"You checked their candle this morning? Isn't that quite a walk from where you sleep?" Despite the situation, Solomon just can't help himself. Thirteen sits up and throws a pillow at the sorcerer, cheeks flushed.
"I just had some business over there, that's all." Thirteen huffs, sinking back into the sofa so she doesn't have to see Solomon's smug face. "Anyways, aren't you supposed to be doing your thing?"
"Yeah, get to it, Solomon." Mammon tugs on the back of Solomon's cape, pointing him towards Lucifer's room. "They were last seen in there. See if you can find anything."
ăâĄă
Simeon stands near the doorway to Lucifer's room with Mammon, watching as Solomon searches for traces of anything that might give them a clue as to your whereabouts.
Simeon had thought that he had accepted being human. He thought the feeling of powerlessness that was so overwhelming to him at first had finally settled; there was nothing he could do to gain his grace back after what he had done, after all.
But now? He knew even as an angel there wasn't much more he could do to find you. If he had become your Guardian Angel like he had teased so many times, he could at least feel out if you were in danger.
Cautious Simeon, always so scared to make that final jump.
He says a prayer for you, quietly. Simeon hopes that his Father would still lend his ear to his own child, no matter how far he had strayed.
"There's one strong concentration here." Solomon frowns, gesturing to an area a little above shoulder height, right beside the left side of Lucifer's bed. "but that's all I can sense right now."
"Yeah, there's gotta be something else you missed." Mammon anxiously looks around the room, checking to see for himself if anything was out of place. "Keep looking."
They both follow Solomon as he does just that. He checks Lucifer's bathroom, in the closets, in the halls by his door... Nothing.
"I just don't get it." Solomon says, eyes closed in thought. He leans against the low table in the hallways. "If someone went through all this trouble to kidnap MC, why would they leave such an obvious trace behind?"
"Who gives a shit their motive right now. Tell us that you found something that can lead us to them, Solomon." Desperation drips from Mammon's voice. Mammon needs some hope to hold on to; Simeon empathizes with that feeling.
If Thirteen hadn't assured everyone you were still alive Simeon is sure he'd be snapping at Solomon too. Solomon was a good friend, but there's something about how casual he is with everything that makes Simeon angry. Did he not love you too?
"I did, don't worry, Mammon." Solomon pats Mammon's shoulder, "Once everyone gets back, I'll explain what I found."
ăâĄă
Diavolo, Barbatos, and Lucifer arrive shortly after Solomon is done with his search.
The anxiety in the room is palpable; any news at all could set them alight. Especially Satan, who seemed to be trying to remember old breathing exercises to keep back his demon form.
"Solomon, they're here!" Asmodeus announces, and Simeon, Solomon, and Mammon come out from Lucifer's room to join everyone in the living room.
Lucifer doesn't comment on the broken door, he doesn't much care if the house itself was destroyed in the process of finding you.
"Tell us what you've found." Diavolo asks; Lucifer had informed him and Barbatos about what had happened on the way back from the castle. It had been a long while since Diavolo had seen his old friend look so grave.
Solomon comes around the couch and takes a seat by Thirteen. She scoots away.
"Well, there wasn't much left behind to find.... Which is good in its own way." Solomon crosses his legs. "Time magic was used sometime in Lucifer's bedroom last night. It appears MC has been taken to another point in this timeline."
As soon as the words leave his mouth, all eyes go to Barbatos. Even Barbatos looks stunned, eyes widening in shock.
"Time magic?" Satan stands, hands clenching at his sides. "I would like an explanation then, Barbatos. Now."
"I... am afraid I am as in the dark as you all are." The hesitation in Barbatos's voice does little to persuade the brothers. Beel stands and keeps a watchful eye on Satan. If you were here, you wouldn't want anyone to get hurt for your sake.
Diavolo stands in front of Barbatos. "Now, you all know Barbatos isn't the only being capable of time magic."
"Is it possible that someone else used your portals?" Thirteen asks. "You leave those things wide open, don'tcha? Seems like an easy target."
"I would know if anyone other than myself used them, yes. But I did not feel any abnormalities last night."
Belphie turns to Solomon. "Wait, you said time magic, what time period did they get sent to?"
"Ah, well that's a little tricky." Solomon answers with a sheepish smile. "The residual magic was strong, but you would expect more to be left behind if they went to the future. Future magic is highly unstable, anyways. It's more likely they were sent somewhere into the past, probably around the time of the Celestial War based on my analysis."
Belphie shakes his head. "You can't say 'probably', you have to be certain about this."
"Then, yes, I am certain that is where they are." Solomon answers smoothly.
The instant Mammon hears Solomon's confirmation, Mammon speaks up:
"Okay, so how do we get them back?!"
ăâĄă
With lots of loud disagreements, and a few almost-fights, they come to terms that it has to be Solomon that goes after you.
No one particularly likes that idea, but he was the only one who wouldn't completely disrupt the timeline. His past self wouldn't be in the Devildom, so he could avoid paradoxes, and he was more than strong enough to protect himself if need be.
That same day, Barbatos prepares the portal for Solomon to go through after you. But not before one last warning from Diavolo:
Diavolo's eyes are stern, hand gripping Solomon's shoulder tight enough to where it would be painful. Solomon takes a step back, but Diavolo's body follows him.
"You bring them back safe." A warning, "And bring them back swiftly. Whatever you must do to get them back... do it."
Solomon, frankly, had had enough warnings from the demon brothers, and from his old friend Thirteen to understand that his life was forfeit if he came back without you.
He supposed he couldn't fault their protectiveness, however. If your safety was left alone in the hands of any other, he's sure he'd do worse to guarantee you came back alive and well.
"Of course," Solomon rolls his shoulder, shrugging off the Prince's hold. "You know I want them back just as much as you do. Perhaps even more."
Diavolo pats his back, his usual genial smile returning to his face, and he laughs. "Oh, I doubt that."
Barbatos gestures to the two, indicating that everything is ready for Solomon to step through. Solomon doesn't feel anything but calm, for what did he have to be anxious about? He was getting to see you again.
Was it selfish of him to be happy that he would be in a time period where the one you would rely on the most would be him?
"Bring them back to us," Is the last thing he hears before he steps through the portal, and into the past.
ăâĄăLucifer
Lucifer busies himself with his work. If he fills his schedule enough, he doesn't have time to worry about you constantly, doesn't have time for his mind to cycle through the worst of what could happen with you out of his reach.
He volunteers to take on all of your duties that you were newly appointed as R.A.D.'s newest student council officer. Lucifer doesn't want anything to get in the way of you spending time with him again once you get back.
When he isn't working, he takes care of his brothers. The House of Lamentation always becomes a little quieter when you're not around, but the silence this time is more somber.
Lucifer doesn't scold them as much, gives them more leeway when they skip classes or forget to turn in assignments. He knows they're struggling and he doesn't want to add to that burden.
He hardly sleeps unless he passes out from exhaustion. When he does, his dreams are of blame. Why didn't he just wake up when you were taken? You were right there.
ăâĄăMammon
Mammon had to be held back by Levi and Beel to keep him from going into the portal after Solomon.
It wasn't fair that that guy got to go and he had to stay behind. He was your first man! Mammon wasn't even sure that Solomon didn't play a role in helping you disappear. He never trusted that guy.
But all he could do now was hope that he would bring you back, right? It didn't matter anymore who saved you, just the fact that you were alive and safe and in his arms would be enough for him.
Mammon misses you ardently.
He texts you about his day every day. He knows the messages won't deliver, but he doesn't have anyone else to send them too. Sometimes he'll even call your phone so he can hear your voice in the voicemail. It helps him sleep.
ăâĄăLeviathan
He's just so tired of this. He thought once your trials at R.A.D. were over, you could settle down in the House of Lamentation forever.
If anyone deserved a life full of peace, it was you. You had endured way too much hardship on their account to keep having these things happen to you.
Levi tries to maintain a normalcy for you to return to. He buys games that you had on your radar for you to play with him once you got back.
He likes looking at the pictures you both had taken together. Cosplay pics, photobooth strips, candid polaroids... precious memories that could never be replaced.
And, when he really misses you, he takes one of your school uniforms, hanging up neatly in your closet and takes it to bed with him. It still smells like you, and if he closes his eyes, he can picture you're there with him.
Though, waking up and seeing you weren't there is like losing you all over again.
ăâĄăSatan
Satan worries.
He knew what he was like right after the Celestial War. He knew what monstrous things he did when he couldn't control his anger; before he made a conscious decision to crawl his way out of his emotional stagnation and to be more than he was created to be.
He gets into a habit of hanging out with Thirteen. Satan never really cared much for her attitude, but she's the only one who would know if you were still alive.
She's tolerable, in that when they get together they always end up talking about you. Satan doesn't tell her the best stories about you, no, those were reserved only for himself.
When he is alone, he often drifts towards your room. He knows his brothers often sleep there when you're gone, so he washes your sheets and makes your bed back up when they're not there.
Satan even tidies his own room just enough so that you would have room to sleep in his bed with him when you returned.
ăâĄăAsmodeus
To have both you and Solomon taken away from him in the same day, it seems a bit cruel, doesn't it?
He's thankful for all the consolations from his friends and his fans; the well wishes are nice, but it isn't the same as hearing it from your voice.
Asmo tells anyone who will listen about what happened to you in hopes that they'll spin stories back at him. Even if most were lies conjured to make him feel better, there always are some true stories in the mix. He hears a few rumors of ancient, powerful demons that he hands over to Satan and Belphie to look more into. He was glad he could do something.
Asmodeus starts collecting things that remind him of you. Flowers that never wilt, lamb plushies, silk pajamas â there's a box in his room of gifts to give you once you get back home.
He writes down everything that you've missed since you disappeared, he has so much to catch you up on, after all! And if there's a lot of 'I love you's' and things he misses about you in between topics, he's sure you won't mind hearing them, too.
ăâĄăBeelzebub
Beel feels a little lost without you there.
You were so ingrained in his daily schedule that he doesn't know what to do with a lot of his time. You, Mammon, him, and Belphie would always hang out after school, since the four of you had the same last period.
There was no sun in the Devildom, but he didn't need any to feel warm sitting next to you three. Mammon would bring cards, and you would take turns picking out games to play.
You would usually win; he loved seeing your smile as you asked for praise for winning. Belphie and Mammon would pout, but Beel was always happy to tell you you did a good job. He keeps an ongoing score sheet somewhere in his backpack:
MC - 102, Mammon - 16, Belphie - 59, Beel - 20. He didn't care much for winning as long as everyone was happy.
He makes his way to the gardens and finds your usual spot empty. Beel waits there for a long while, but only Belphie shows up.
Beel thinks that maybe in the past, you were waiting for him in the same spot too. The thought makes him feel a little less lonely.
ăâĄăBelphegor
Belphie misses you, of course, but he really finds this whole situation odd.
Time magic. Diavolo had said that other beings were capable of it, but Belphie had never heard of anyone, besides Barbatos, that had mastered it enough to send someone back that far. Belphie wasn't the most well-connected person, but he thinks he would've heard about them by now.
Satan thinks the same thing, and so the 'Anti-Lucifer League' is postponed, and in its place the 'MC's Detective Agency' forms. Beel sits in on most meetings, and the rest of the brothers join in occasionally.
But with so few leads there was only so much they could do. But still, Belphie is determined not to give up. If you were in his shoes, he knows you would do the same thing.
He would never admit it to anyone, but he wants to hear you say that you're proud of his work. To feel you pet his head and tell him he did good, to kiss him on the cheeks for working so hard.
...And, of course, making whoever did this pay for what they did would be good, too.
ăâĄăDiavolo
The last note you left him is still taped to his desk:
A chibi of you fist-pumping is drawn on the side of the yellow sticky. There's a big speech bubble that reads: "You can do it, Dia! Knock out that paperwork!" He can't help but smile every time he sees it.
It's silly, but when he looks down and reads those words of encouragement he feels your loss even more strongly. He's sure Solomon will be back with you soon, but as the weeks roll on, he starts getting impatient.
He sends all his best men to search for whoever did this to you. Without any solid leads, it was like chasing the wind, but it helped settle his mind, if only a little.
He supposes you did spoil him too much. He forgot what it was like to be so lonely when you were around. And unlike the brothers, he couldn't just curl up in your bed whenever he wanted to be reminded of you.
Would it be so improper to move you into the castle once you got back? At least here, he would know you were safe. Nothing like this would ever happen to you again on his watch.
ăâĄăBarbatos
Barbatos knows that all eyes are on him.
It isn't hard to figure out that the brothers are suspicious of him. Mammon's crows perch outside his bedroom, Satan takes extra trips to the library in the castle, Belphie "gets lost" wandering the halls after dinner... Even Lucifer asks him pointed questions about that night.
He understands that it comes with the territory of his powers, but when has he ever done anything to jeopardize the exchange program? If he wanted to send you away would he not have done it when you first arrived? Would he not have let you die at the hands of Belphegor?
The him of today would never think of such a thing. Barbatos cared too much about your safety to let you wander too far from his sights.
He knows it is an indulgence that only he is afforded, but he can't help but steal looks into your life back in time as you try to find your way back to them.
Perhaps the others would like to hear about how you are doing, but Barbatos thinks these things are best kept to himself. He was never a fan of sharing, anyways.
ăâĄăSimeon
Luke cries and cries and cries when Simeon tells him what happened to you. Simeon holds the boy in his arms tight, rocking him back and forth to soothe his troubled heart.
He had done this many nights in the past, and he's sure he'd do it for many nights in the future.
The last time it had happened it had been when Simeon had told Luke about losing his powers. You had been there, then, and had cried as soon as you saw tears well up in Luke's eyes. Luke was less sad and more angry at Simeon for not telling him sooner. He had held you both in his arms that night, and before long the three of you fell asleep together.
Simeon wishes you were here now to hold him. To tell him it was going to be alright. But he supposed if you were here the both of them wouldn't have anything to cry about.
Michael allows Luke to stay in Purgatory Hall for as long as it would take to get you back. Simeon is thankful for the company; with Raphael and Solomon gone, and the Hall silent, it was easy for Simeon to start blaming himself.
He hears Luke pray every night for your safety, and Simeon slips back into the habit as well.
ăâĄăThirteen
Thirteen spends a lot more time in her cave when you're not around.
What's the point of going to R.A.D. if you weren't there? It's not like she cared much about anyone else that went there. And to hear the brothers cry about missing you... She couldn't take it.
She cared about you too, but you didn't see her moping around about it!
But even worse was the fact Solomon got to go back in time to save you. Just thinking about you spending all that alone time with that shitty Sorcerer makes her blood boil; he could live a thousand lifetimes and never once deserve you.
She goes and checks your candle every morning to see if the flame is going strong. Thirteen breathes easy when she sees the bright orange flame light up the darkness.
Reapers weren't supposed to interfere directly with mortal's lifespans, but she supposed it wouldn't hurt if she poured some of Solomon's melted wax onto your candle. It's not like he would need it anyways.
Besides, this was her making up for lost time. Every day you were away shouldn't count! You didn't choose to go back in time, after all!
7K notes
·
View notes
The Reunion We Deserved
I said I would do it and so I did, all in one night, one sitting, fueled by nothing but determination, random inspiration, and spite.
I re-wrote and created my version of what I would've liked to see at the end of Nightbringer Season 2.
Is this a bit dramatic? Yes? Is this the kind of thing I wanted anyway? Yes. I want sobbing, I want people being pathetic, I want emotion, I want it all. So, if that's what you were hoping to see for lesson 40, I hope this can ease some of that anger we had.
Spoilers ahead for Nightbringer since this is quite literally my "remaking" of the ending, which includes in-game references to later lessons!
TW: Blood mention, injury, angst.
Word Count: 4,391
Tears pricked your eyes as you looked upon the several smiling faces of the demons you had come to care for. At the beginning, all you could think of was returning to your home, your time-line, your brothers. You had coped thus far by constantly reminding yourself that these were not the same people you had come to know. But now⊠after delving into their souls, reforging the pacts, fleeing down the different circles of hell to save one only to nearly lose them all⊠theyâd found their way into your heart once more. How could you? How could you leave them so easily? And tell them to their faces that youâd meet again soon when you knew it was a lie. It might be soon for you, but it would be nearly an eternity for them. Not to mention that the way Solomon and Barbatos described it, this was almost like another universe⊠Would another version of you show up for them? Or would you leave these particular brothers for good?âŠ
Feet frozen in sorrow and anxiousness, you could only look at them and cry. What were you feeling in this very second, now that you were on the cusp of what you had worked so hard for? The way back home was right above you, the air and magic inches away from sucking you up into itâs mystical vacuum. Your precious family, your home was one step away. So why did it also feel like your heart was being torn from you? âIââ Your words choked up in your throat. You were tempted to tell them everything right there and then, spill the burden you had been carrying on your shoulder this entire time.
âItâll be alright,â Lucifer spoke up, seeing your worry, but exuding nothing but confidence himself. âI gave you my blessing after all.â
âPlus, with the Great Mammonâs pact, youâre hella lucky! Youâll get home with no problems, Iâd bet on it! S-So you better not make me lose, got it? Get home safeâŠand happy.â
Levi shook his head a little. âYouâd bet on anything wouldnât youâŠâ But then he turned his head back towards you, nearly just as bold as Lucifer in this one moment. âIf someone like me can have courage, you can too. Donât worry! Youâre just like a Main Character! You have indestructible plot armor!â
âDid everyone already forget the white dragon I helped summon?â Satan scoffed. âTheir safety and success is guaranteed. So donât give us that face,â he addressed you.
âBesides!â Asmo perked up. âIf anything happened weâd all come rushing to save you! Just like we did for Lucifer. If we can do that, we can do anything! Oo, I just said something real dashing just now! You better take that to heart, hun!â
Beel nodded several times. âYou have Lukeâs wish egg too. I also made wishes over my eggs at breakfast this morning. I wished for you to always feel healthy and full and loved. And that weâd get to see each other again soon.â
âThose eggs mightâve tasted magical Beel, but they werenât reallyâŠâ Belphie looked up his twin as he shook his head, but then he shrugged, coming to the conclusion that it wasnât worth explaining. âHey,â he stared at you. âDonât waste your energy crying now. Youâll need all your strength for your journey. I wonât forgive you if you leave too sad.â
All their words ended up making you laugh, the smile across your face twitching as you worked to force out trembling words. âYou all better be kind to one another.â Someone behind you was tugging on your arm. âAnd make sure you donât tease Luke too hard.â
âCome on,â Solomon whispered softly to you, tugging you a little harder, making you take a few steps back. The rift in space-time started to roar, attempting to drown out your voice as you struggled for these last few seconds.
âAnd make sure you all remember to eat and sleep properly. A-and, tell the others at the ceremony that I love them. I⊠love you all so much.â
âWe have to goâŠâ Solomonâs voice sounded tense, like he was nearly ready to cry himself, only keeping himself strong for you. Wrapping an arm around your waist, he nearly hoisted you back himself. Before you left, you reached into the pocket of your pants, fishing out the letter that you had written alone in your old room, what seemed like forever ago now, the one still stained with old tears. You tossed it to the ground in front of you, hoping they would read it, hoping it would helpâŠthem live without you.
The last thing you heard was a chorus of cracking voices, getting cut off before they could tell you they loved you tooâŠ
And then you were gone. A harsh and forceful wind seemed to suck all the air from your breath. It was almost as if you were being plunged underwater, several forces of pressure from the thousands of years you were swirling past was threatening to crush you. The only sensation you were aware of was Solomonâs. His arms were holding onto you tightly, continuing to mutter spells over and over and over again to keep you safe, expending all of his waining power to push you both through the folds of reality and out on the other side.
Gravity. Disorientation. Falling. A heavy weight slammed against your chest so hard, you wondered if your ribs cracked. The back of your head hit something firm. Everything went black for a while.
After who knows how long, your eyes opened again, staring straight up into the Devildom sky, the shifted stars more familiar to you. Your head was splitting with pain, your breath a wheeze as you glanced down to see Solomonâs limp body keeping you pinned against the ground.
âS-Solomon?â It took a short while for the panic to settle in. âSolomon!â After a moment of struggling, you managed to get him off of you, setting him on his back in the grassy plane you had been spat back out onto. His face looked drained. A chant left the base of your throat, using the last scrap of magic you had to give him a spell to reinvigorate his body. His eyes shot open, coughing as he rolled over onto his side, pushing himself up onto his arms before he fell down again. âTake it easy!â Together, using each other as support, you both got back up to your feet.
âIâm sorryâŠI had meant to deliver us right in front of the House of Lamentation, butâŠâ
âYou did alright,â you assured him, rubbing his back to keep his dizzy mind conscious. âA bit of a rough landing, but weâre aliveâŠâ But then, the better question was⊠âAre weââ
âThere you are.â A calm voice manifested itself as a demon in front of you. Barbatos stepped out of a portal, his expression nearly as neutral as ever, except there was something in his eyes that was shining, a strange tremor to his hand that was completely unnatural for someone as him. Then he frowned as he took in the state of both of you, his nostrils flaring as he took the both of you with him, each with one gloved hand. You were pulled into a much less chaotic rift this time. Although the jolt was still enough to nearly cause both you and the sorcerer to fall back to your knees. Before that could happen though, you were shoved into a bed.
The guest rooms of the castle appeared the same as always, but something in particular felt nostalgic, like youâd just returned to a childhood home. Solomon appeared to be ushered into a bed right by your side, both your minds too rattled to resist, as the butler threw open the guest room door from the inside and summoned nearly every Little D in the entire building. âI need human medication, bandages, two sets of pajamas, the herbal tea I set aside in the kitchen. I need the oven preheated, the counter prepared, two trays set, and need them all done within the next two minutes.â There was a very subtle raise to his voice, the seriousness of his tone sending a chill down your spine and sending every Little D scattering for their lives. Barbatos spent one second observing them flee before he dissipated once more, getting wisked away through another portal of his own making.
This all feltâŠso surreal. Perhaps it was the pain that you were in that was making it feel like a dream. Like youâd wake up in Cocytus Hall and be right back at square one. And yet, something in you was missing that place⊠that house that you had just started to get used to. The furniture and things both you and Solomon had bought to make it your shared home. But your real home was here. Well, hopefully here.
You wouldnât get your hopes up over anything yet. Not until you got to see them.
Barbatos returned before you could even begin to ask Solomon about any of this. A whirl of varying shades of green caused your vision to do somersaults as you were quickly fretted over. Salves and bandages were wrapped around your torso and a damp cloth gently touched the back of your head. That splitting pain resurfaced, joining forces with an added stinging. Maybe it was your body going into shock, but you couldâve sworn you heard a shaky shush coming from your current caretaker as you were cleaned and patched up quickly. Luckily, it wasnât too much longer after that till the aches went mostly away, your head clearing up again as a set of your own pajamas were settled at the foot of the bed, a silver tray stretched over your lap and propped up on two stands. A small plate with a single pastry sat in front of you, along with a bitter smelling dark-green tea that you could tell youâd rather avoid imbibing.
Swiveling your head to the side, you saw Solomon leaning back against the headrest and a few pillows, a bit more vibrancy in his eyes, although those intense dark circles were hard to miss. He was okay. ThankâŠeverything.
âEat. Drink. Both of you.â The butler stood between the beds, realizing heâd spoken quite against his normal demeanor, he cleared his throat, his palm pressed between his collarbones. âPhoenixâs Breath Tea. Youâll both need it to recover. I apologize for making you both consume something so distasteful, but Iâve found it goes down a bit smoother paired with something sweet.â
A single whiff of the hot beverage in your hand was enough to make you cough, some sense burning in your nose. You settled the cup back down, taking a deep breath, trying to get your head on straight. âBarbatos⊠Are weâŠ?â
The butlerâs eyelids fluttered slowly. âYou are,â he stated, his voice quiet, almost in awe. âYouâre home. Back in the world you belong.â
A lump immediately formed in your throat, pushing the tray forward and turning to get out of bed. âI need to go. I need to see them, Iââ Before you could get one foot touching the ground, you were wrangled back into bed.
âIâll fetch them. I swear you wonât have to wait too much longer. But you must drink the tea and you must take a moment to recover. If the others were to know the state you both were in right now, the castle would be tornââ
A banging sound ripped through the room like a gunshot. The guest room door was busted completely off itâs hinges, the wood of the frame splintering, the door soaring across to the left and fully embedding itself into the wall like a dart stuck in a board. If it werenât for Barbatosâ inhuman skills, youâve spilled the tea and dessert all over yourself. The royal attendant audibly sighed, sweeping himself to his feet and holding his arms out, his demon form manifesting, wrestling back a writhing and screaming black mass.
Your eyes went wide.
The mass stopped fighting, going rigid, stepping back to form seven different individuals. Three more non-hostile forms stood back in the wrecked doorway, two white, one red.
The bottom of your lip trembled as an overwhelming surge of joy and despair and relief and guilt all flooded out of you in tears. Your fears were pushed away. Your soul seemed to click back into place, like youâd been the last puzzle piece just waiting to finish the picture. âIâm homeâŠâ
Chaos erupted in the castle guest room. A few cracking wails nearly burst your eardrums. Asmoâs arms were the first to wrap around you, mascara running down his cheeks in large inky trails, but he didnât seemed concerned in the least. Kisses lined your face with each sharp intake of breath, too shaken to even speak, he could only address you in his cries as he clutched onto you, trembling. His hand stroked your head, his breathing stopping for a moment when he saw the damage the landing had caused. This only caused him to whimper and cry harder, his thumb running over the outline of your features, running the back of his fingernails over your cheeks.
Levi was stuttering incomprehensibly. As he fell to his knees, he clutched at his head, going through an entire panic attack. He clawed at his chest, tearing gashes into the front of his clothes, looking up at you behind large welling tears as his tail wrapped around his entire torso. Mist filled the entire room as he continued to shake and cry so fervently he couldnât even stand.
Luke was quite a ways away, holding onto Simeonâs clothing as he screeched out painful genuine child-like cries. The Angel curled over him, shushing him, getting to his own knees to hold the fledgling to his chest, assuring both the little angel and himself that you were okay. You were alright. Miracles had brought you together again. They didnât have to worry any longer. The sleepless nights, the endless nightmares, the never-ending cold grip of sorrow could go away. He spoke this mantra- this prayer- over and over again, taking deep breaths between the words, blinking rapidly as he had to sway him and his charge back and forth to keep themselves both at ease. The older angel took the occasional glance over Lukeâs shoulder, muttering a thankful blessing on repeat every-time he locked with your eyes.
Satan was thrashing around the room, screaming wildly, out of control, ready to beat Barbatos and Solomon for making you arrive in this condition, for not bringing you sooner, for not telling them sooner, forâ Eventually, after getting thrown around the room a little, he ran out of things to be angry for. All it took was one look at your face to calm him down. He approached carefully, angry at himself, angry at whoever it was that took you away, but trying to keep himself together. Satan gingerly pulled Asmo off of you, turning Lust over to Solomon. Clearly, heâd been worried about his other pact-mate, hugging the sorcerer and crying a little more softly into his shoulder. Meanwhile, Satan reached a hand out hesitantly, like you were a feral cat he was trying to pet, worried youâd run away. His hand brushed through your hair and settled at the side of your face. Once he realized you werenât going anywhere, his arms pulled you to him, pressing your face against his shoulder. âYouâre here. Youâre here again. Youâreââ His voice went hoarse, like he was losing it, like heâd been doing nothing but screaming for the entirely of your absence. Soon his words were nothing but faded squeaks, trying to portray his words but unable to. He simply held you instead. Then he tore himself away from you, heading over to the back wall and punching holes into the structure till his knuckles turned bloody.
Someone crawled onto the bed. Belphegor peered at you with an almost blank expression. His hand reached out, touching your knee, flinching as soon as he made contact, like the very act of him doing so would hurt you further. You could tell that maybe he felt like some of this was his fault, like heâd deserved the pain of having you be sent away from him, like if he did anything wrong again, youâd vanish for real this time, How many times could you come back from the dead? How close was he to losing you entirely? For good? As soon as his warmth mixed with yours, he collapsed on the mattress, curling up at your feet. He gathered the blanket towards his face, the end of his tail twitching erratically. His sobs were silent but violent, the entire bed shifting and bouncing as his body convulsed, his chest pounding as he broke down. Every once and a while, he would become extremely frightened, needing to gasp and look up to ensure you were real. You werenât a dream. He pinched himself, shook his head, even almost bit at his hands to snap him out of this vision. But you were really here. He would curl back up and continue to cry.
White hair bobbed in front of your vision, two hands going to your shoulders and shaking you, pinning you against the headboard, fingernails careful not to dig themselves into your skin as they gripped your body. âWhat the hell is wrong with you?! Huh? Huh?! Do you have any idea what you put us through?! What you put me through?!â Mammon growls and screams shocked you.
âMammon.â Luciferâs voice settled as a stern warning, but something about it seemed weaker than usual.
Greed ignored him, continuing his rant. âYou were just gone. Gone! You know that?!â He shook you again, careful not to rattle you too much. âAnd what am I supposed to do about that, huh?! What did I say?! I saidââ His voice cracked, trails of moisture streaming from his eyes and over his lips. âI said,â he repeated, âif youâre ever in trouble, you have to let me save you. What part of that didnât you understand?! How dare you get taken somewhere where I canât reach you?! How dare you?! How dare you?!â His voice continued to raise in pitch, sounding more and more unstable with each accusing question. Then he slumped, his forehead pressing against your chest as his hands held onto your shoulders tighter, almost bruising them, fearful of letting you go. He began shaking you a few times more, each shake meeker than the last. âHow dare you. How dare you⊠How⊠W- What was I supposed to do if you didnât come back?⊠The world is nothinâ⊠Iâm nothinââŠâ
Beel came over and helped his older brother to his feet, allowing him to sit on the side of your bed as Mammon furiously used the back of his wrist to rub at his cheeks. Gluttony stood over you, looking down with a wide close-lipped smile. âWelcome back.â He leaned down, pressing his cheek against yours as his large arms wrapped around the back of your neck. He took in the scent of you, burying his face into the crook of your neck for a moment. His body didnât shutter, didnât make noise, but you felt a few warm tears of his drip onto your skin. He silently and secretly teared up for just a few moments before he stood back up straight, gesturing to the tray with your items on it. âEat, please. Itâll make you feel better.â The sixth-born took a few steps back to let you breathe, and as he moved back, someone else moved forward.
Lucifer stood at your bedside for quite some time in silence, looking down on you with a rather unreadable expression. He had a frown, eyes squinting like he was upset at you. He scanned you over, his brows furrowing, his jaw clenching. He refused to move, refused to say anything, refused to look you directly in the eyes. You moved forward a little, grabbing his hand, holding it in yours. All the sudden, the tension released. His eyes widened before his eyelids lowered, glancing at you past the vulnerable shimmer past his irises. Wrinkles of stress deepened in his forehead as his whole face contorted in agony. He held your hand tightly, bringing the back of it up to his lips. After that, he pulled you against him, his forehead pressed up against yours, his wings in his demon form acting as some sort of visual blocker, as if he couldnât stand to have the rest of the room see how he was acting right now. He rubbed his face against yours back and forth, one small touch away from cooing, his hands caressing the sides of your neck, feeling your pulse, hearing your breath, taking in every detail and confirming to himself that you were indeed in his arms again, alive and mostly well. âYouâve come back to us,â he whispered, the end of his nose touching yours as one of his hands cradled the back of your neck. âBack to me.â His breath was hot as he panted for a moment, taking a deep breath and speaking in a hushed tone. âI had nearly begun to entertain the thought thatâŠâ
You pulled him closer to you, letting his head rest on your chest as you reached around to his back, grasping the cloth of his clothes in your hands. âYou know I would fight through all the layers of hell to get to you.â
That seemed to resonate with him, but you werenât quite sure he remembered that you were speaking quite literally. All those adventuresâŠthe things youâd all learned. How lost were they?âŠ
However, Lucifer simply smiled, laughing a little, squeezing you before laughing again. âYes, if anyone would do such a thing, it would be you. I shouldnât have doubted you.â He straighted, fixed his clothing, lowered his wings, and moved further back into the room, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger as he paced towards a back corner.
Levi had finally soothed himself enough to move, walking on his knees towards the bed. His hands were fidgeting with every part of his outfit. Eyes puffy from crying, throat raw from his collapse earlier, he kept himself from speaking. You managed to smile down at him and wipe away the last few of his tears. His lips shook again before he lowered his head into your lap. Face-down in the fabric of the blanket, he kept shaking his head. He didnât stop until your fingers ran through his hair. With a forced gulp, he eventually vocalized words. âI missed you⊠I was- was- was so scared I wouldâŠâ
âLose you.â Belphie sat up in bed, ignoring the fact that his face was now a mess. He scooted closer towards your side on the bed. âWe thought we lost you.â
The youngest was able to say what none of the others could. Full silence washed over the room as the reality of the situation fully seemed to hit them, their shock slowly starting to fade.
Diavolo strode in, everyone moving out of the way to allow him to have his own time with you. The corners of his eyes crunched in happiness. His tight and broad shoulders sagged. Both of his large hands scooped up one of yours, bringing your touch to the side of his face. He closed his eyes, almost appearing as if he might purr any second. As he opened his sight back at you, a fire of positivity and excitement lit within him. âA party! We must throw a party! A welcome home celebration! This isâŠthis is⊠a joyous day.â
At first, the others seemed confused. Then, one-by-one, small determined smiles spread across their faces. The sorrow melted and gave way to pure uncontrollable elation. People hugged each other, danced around the room, cheered, bounced, came back to kiss you, came back to hug you, nearly passing you around the room till Barbatos barged back in and took your hand, bringing you back to bed.
For a while, you assumed he would shut the idea down entirely. But then, the butler grinned. âI figured you would all say as much. Some preparations are already being made. In the meantime, we should let these two rest. Theyâve had all too much excitement today.â Barbatos pulled the blanket back over your legs, readjusting the tray and giving you a biting glare that told you you wouldnât be able to get out of drinking that god-forsaken tea. âBut after that, we will celebrate. We will take every day and night to cherish you, and make up for the time we lost.â
Most of the brothers tried clinging to you, demanding they get to stay, but Diavolo, Barbatos, Lucifer, and Simeon managed to corral the desperate demons and one small angel out of the room.
But before they all left, you shouted. âWait!â They all turned, worried that something was wrong. However, you smiled, happy tears running down your face this time. âI love you all. So very much.â
âI cherish you with every fibre of my being.â
âThere ainât nothing more priceless than you.â
âE-Everything is so much more fun with you here with m-m- usâŠâ
âIâŠdonât want to even try to imagine a world without you in it.â
âNothing, and I mean nothing, hun, is as charming as you.â
âOur family isnât complete without you in it.â
âYou belong with us. End of story.â
âYou are one of the most precious beings the three realms has ever known.â
âI find myself discovering new things to enjoy every moment I spend with you.â
âListen, you are a shining beacon in the night. Know how special you are.â
âYou teach me so much! If it werenât for you, I might still be scareâ I mean, dislike demons!â
âMy dear apprentice⊠We couldnât have gotten home without you. You deserve the world. I will stick by you no matter where you go. And you deserve to knowââ
âHow much we love you too.â
1K notes
·
View notes