#Angel is clapping with all three sets of hands for extra emphasis

[corpusdiem-seizethedead]

Husk: *flirting* On a scale of one to ten, you're a nine, because I'm the one you need.

Angel: …I'm a ten

Husk: It's a pickup line-

Angel: *clapping between syllables* I.👏 Am.👏 A.👏 Ten.👏

[myhockeyworld87]

A Crosby Christmas

Word Count: 3,713

POV: Reader

Warnings: A little smut, nothing too much...it is Christmas after all

Notes: I know I haven’t been on here in a while, but I wanted to drop this little story here for you guys to enjoy this Christmas! Hopefully I’ll be more active after the holidays. I also have Toews Christmas story I’m working on so hopefully I can drop that soon as well. Don’t worry I haven’t forgotten about your other favs. There will be new Ruined and Not So Dangerous Liaison coming as well. Merry Christmas to you all! I hope that this holiday season finds you healthy and happy! May the joy of this holiday season last all through the coming year! Love and Hugs to all!!!

Christmas had always been your favorite time of year. When you were little, you loved decorating the tree, sing Christmas carols, and of course waiting for Santa. You still loved this time of year, only now it was watching your kids do all those same things. Alexis, now five, and Lucas, three and a half, were yours and Sid's pride and joy. The two were overjoyed for Christmas this year and even though you hadn't celebrated American Thanksgiving yet, they were all geared up to decorate the house.

 One of your first holiday traditions when you first started dating Sidney had been to always decorate one tree together, and you'd continued that every year since then. This year, with Sid's schedule and the kids' anxiousness, you were going to be trimming the tree much earlier than normal. God love your husband, as he carried all the boxes of ornaments in, as well as the tree from the garage where you had them stored. The ten-foot monstrosity fit perfectly in your family room, which apparently was a pain in the ass to put up as you'd caught Sid twice almost cursing in front of the kids.

 "Daddy, I get to put the star on again this year, right?" Alexis asked drawing her father's attention, as he was putting the last piece of the tree up. "Lukey is still too small."

 "Am not," your son, who looked the spitting of his father shouted back.

 "Lex, I think Lukey is big enough this year to give it a shot." Lucas stuck his tongue out at his sister who had her arms folded into a pout.

 "But Dad…"

 "But Lex…" Sid mocked in the same whiny voice as his daughter, then he picked her up and zoomed her around the room to make her smile. He was a sucker for his little girl and she had him wrapped around her pinkie.

 "Me too, daddy, me too," Lucas cheered as he wanted in on the fun, and of course Sid happily obliged.

 "That's not fair," Alexis pouted again this time stomping her foot in emphasis.

 "Alexis Catrina Crosby, if you don't change that attitude young lady, you can march all the way upstairs and not join in any of the decorating." You finally told your daughter, for sometimes she needed that stern voice to keep her in check, especially when her father doted on her. "And remember Santa is watching." That threat always seemed to work magic this time of year.

 A lone tear leaked out of her eye, as Sid made his way over to her; Lucas firmly attached around his neck. He crouched down to his little girl. "Mommy's right. You've got to put the star on the last two years. It's time for Luc to have a turn." He remained at her level and Lucas slid off his back and over to the box where the star was almost gloating if a three-year-old could do just a thing.

 Alexis pulled her lip out, this time in sadness as she pleaded into her father's deep brown eyes just like her own. "But…but I want to do something special too."

 "And you will princess." Sid looked over to you as if you were supposed to have the magical answer to that.

 "How about you put the last ornament on the tree. Daddy will leave a spot way up high so he has to lift you up to put it there." Her lip pulled in and suddenly there was a huge grin on her face. You had a feeling it was more about having your husband hold her up in his arms than actually putting the star on. The two seemed to fight for his attention all the time when he was home. The long road stretches killed both father and children, and if you were being honest they were hard on you as well. Thankfully, Sid only had a few short ones here and there before Christmas break, so the kids should be fine. "Well, I think we need to get decorating this tree. What do you think?"

 "Yeah!!!" The kids cheered, Sid, joining in. There were a ton of ornaments to put on the huge tree that was once decorated purely in shades of gold. Now it was more of a hodgepodge of colors. There were dozens of Mickey Mouse ornaments from their trips to Disney, along with Paw Patrol ones which seemed to be Lucas' favorite at the moment. There were also ones with their little hand and footprints from when they were born. The tree held all of your life with Sid together. There was one from your first Christmas together, a few that you'd received to commemorate your wedding, and one for each child's birth. Though your favorite had to be your specially made ones with each family member's name on it. You had ones made for both Sid and your parents as well. They were the ones you loved the most putting on the tree as looking at their name brought such great memories of each person. "There's only one ornament left, and it's Alexis'." She came over and took her pink bulb, which had been hand-painted for her, and walked over to her dad.

 "Alright, little one. I saved you the best spot at the top, so everyone can see your name up high." She was grinning like a Cheshire cat as Sid picked her up and then walked up a couple rungs of the ladder to get to the right height. This was the part that always made you nervous. The kids could get wiggly from time to time and the last thing you wanted was for them to cause your husband to fall. You weren't worried about the kids, Sid would do everything in his power to keep them safe, it was him you had to fear for. Sid held her out to the tree and it took her a minute to get the ornament in the right place.

 "It looks so pretty, daddy. Good spot." He carried her down the ladder, then went over to his little man.

 "Ok, Lukey, you ready." Lucas nodded enthusiastically. He had the star in both hands, as Sid took him up farther on the ladder. Lucas reached his little arms out, stretching as much as he could to get it on the peak of the tree. It took him two tries but he finally did it, albeit crooked, but that was no problem, as you'd fix it the moment they were in bed. It's something you'd had to do the last two years with Alexis as well. "Well, are we ready to turn on the light and see how it looks?" Sid asked, already knowing the answer he was going to get from the children, and they didn't disappoint with their enthusiastic cheers. He flipped the switch and the tree lit up as bright as the sky on the fourth of July.

 "Yay!" all of you cheered and clapped.

 "It's so pretty," Alexis cooed and you had to agree, even though forty percent of the ornaments were on the lower three feet of the tree, compliments of your children, but it was simply perfect.

 "I think this is the best one yet," Sid commented, while he slid his arms around your midsection. There was nothing better than this moment you thought as you watched Lucas's eyes just light up, as he gazed at all the twinkling lights, and saw the giddy smile on Alexis's face.

 "I think you're right," you said turning so that you could kiss Sid sweetly.

 "Can we have hot cocoa and cookies now?" Lucas asked while he tugged on both yours and Sid's legs.

 "You bet bud," Sid replied, even though it would be you making the kids' favorite holiday drink. You scooted out of his arms and headed to the kitchen, while the three of them put on a holiday movie. "Don't forget the extra marshmallows, Mommy." Your husband was sometimes the biggest kid of them all.

 By the time you made it back to the family room, they had all claimed their favorite spot. "I saved you, your seat by daddy," Alexis said all proud of herself.

 "Thanks, baby girl." You passed out the hot cocoa or lukewarm cocoa in the kids' case, then set the plate of cookies on the end table by your husband.

 "Did you bake Christmas cookies already?" he whispered, as he saw the Santa shaped sugar cookies on the plate.

 "As if I had time. I called the bakery and had them made."

 He took a bite of one before handing one to each of the kids. "Not as good as yours but they'll do for now."

 "I promise you'll get mine closer to Christmas."

 "Mmm…and do I get your other cookie when the kids are in bed tonight?"

 You raised your eyes at his double entendre. "I guess we'll have to see, won't be." Though you both knew that he'd be getting your baked goods, so to speak.

 Thankfully, Sid had steered the kids toward watching Frosty the Snowman, so after the half-hour was up, you trotted them upstairs for bath time. Sid claimed he needed to 'watch film' for tomorrow's practice, so he skipped out on the nightly ritual, but made it upstairs in time to tuck the kids in for the night. "Night daddy." You heard Alexis say, as you had finished tucking Lucas into bed. Sid brushed back a lock of her hair before bending down and kissing his little girl goodnight.

 "Night, baby girl. Daddy loves you."

 "Love you too daddy." You walked in then and saw Alexis's eyes grow heavy.

 "Goodnight, my sweet angel," you whispered, kissing her forehead. "Love you."

 She yawned, then grabbed her teddy bear and hugged it tightly to her chest. "Love you, mommy." Sid grabbed your hand and the two of you snuck out of the room, closing the door as she fell fast asleep.

 "Lucas asleep?"

 "Yep, he went down pretty easy tonight." Sid had said goodnight to him first and went to read Alexis a story as you did the same for Lucas. "Poor lil guy was tuckered out from all the excitement."

 "We make beautiful kids together, Mrs. Crosby."

 "That we do, Mr. Crosby," you answered as you headed back downstairs hand in hand with your husband. You'd been trying for baby number three, the last year, but not having any success. It had been easy previously. In fact, you hadn't even been trying when you conceived Alexis. Lucas, you had planned down to the date, so that Sid would be home in the summer to help you both children. You'd automatically assumed that number three would go just as easily, but here you were twelve months into it and still not pregnant. You tried not to think about it too much, but every now and then it would get to you.

 You shook yourself, as you hit the bottom rung, taking yourself out of your melancholy. "Cold?" Sid asked, as his arms came around you. "I think I know how to warm you up."

 He somehow maneuvered you both into the family room, where he had a fire going in the fireplace, with blankets and pillows all around it. "Watching film eh?"

 The signature smirk of his, the one he always gave in the locker room during an interview came out. "Had to surprise you somehow." There was a bottle of wine and two glasses there as well, and Sid poured you both a glass before settling down amongst the cushions with you. "Merry early Christmas, my love," he toasted and you clinked glasses.

 The wine went down smoothly and was the perfect ending for what was the perfect day. You took your free hand and captured Sid's jaw, bringing his lips to yours for a heated kiss. It was the perfect mix of Christmas time with the combination of chocolate and wine mixed together with the essence of your husband, and you found yourself falling more in love with him than you'd ever been. He ended the kiss, all too soon for your liking. "Think the kids are sound asleep yet?"

 You already knew that Lucas was, but Alexis was probably still teetering. "One for sure, let me check on the other." You still had a monitor hooked up in Alexis's room, so you pulled it up on your phone. It wasn't the video that told you she was asleep but her soft snores. "Yep, she's out. Snores just like you."

 "I do not snore," he said rather indigently.

 "Um…excuse me, Mr. my nose has been broken so many times I can't count. Yes, you do."

 "Well, maybe a little but you love it." When you didn't respond right away, his hands went to your sides to tickle you. You fell back against the pillows laughing, Sid following you down until his mouth captured yours silencing your giggles.

 It was some time before you broke apart for air. "Ok, I do love your snores but then I love everything about you."

 This wasn't new information to him. "I love you more though."

 "Not a chance."

 "Guess I'm going to have to prove it." His lips were back on yours then, devouring you. Sid made quick work of disposing of your top, throwing it off to the side, before kissing his way down to your lace-covered breasts. He knew how to make you moan out, as he took one nipple and sucked it into his mouth. Your hands roamed under his shirt, feeling the rippled muscles along his back. They worked their way to his front and his well-toned abs before undoing the fly of his jeans and sliding them down. "Eager, my love?"

 Your hand slid down to his cock, where he was rock hard. "Apparently, I'm not the only one." You stroked him in your hand, twisting your wrist as you went; a move you knew he loved. Sid let you have your fun for a bit before taking control of the encounter. Before you knew what was happening, he had you stripped bare laying on the blanket, legs spread for him.

 His fingers toyed between your folds, making you even wetter than you already were. He entered you in one swift motion and your back arched at the feel of him inside you. "You feel so good baby," Sid moaned out, then started that slow rhythm of his hips you both loved so much. You weren't sure you would ever tire of this, the feeling of his lips on yours as he slid in and out of your body. It was something that was special that first time and every time after when you made love and you knew somehow that, that would never change.

 Sid's fingers found that your clit, alternating between putting just the right amount of pressure there and flicking it back and forth. After all these years, he knew your body as if it were his own, knew what you needed, when you needed it, and knew how to take you over that edge. You were there now, legs trembling as your climax hit and your pussy squeezed him like a vise. He pumped two more times into you before spilling himself deep inside you with a grunt of satisfaction. He dropped kisses to your lips as he came down off his high, then rolled to his side taking you with him.

 "That was heaven," you whispered, trailing your fingers up and down his biceps.

 "Mmm, it always is with you." He reached behind him and pulled a blanket over your bodies. "I have to say this has been one of the best Christmas decorating days we've ever had."

 "I have to agree," you hummed softly feeling your eyes grow heavy despite the early hour of the evening.

 "I should probably take you to bed."

 "Not yet, let's just lay here for a little longer." Laying there reminded you of the old days when it was just the two of you, and while you loved your two little munchkins, sometimes it was nice to just have Sid all to yourself like this.

 His fingers trailed up and down your spine, causing you to snuggle deeper into his chest. "Whatever you want baby." Sid closed his eyes then, just savoring the moment like you were, and despite being the one that said you should move to the bedroom; he was the one to fall asleep first.

 The week and a half leading up to Thanksgiving was hectic, as the Pens played at home. You took the kids to as many home games as you could, but it was always a production, by the time you packed up everything you would need for the three to four hours away from home. As soon as Thanksgiving was over, the team was back on the road and you were prepping for Christmas, rushing off to buy gifts while the kids were at preschool. Well, Lucas really didn't have school, but you did send him two days a week to a daycare like environment, so he would be used to being around kids more. You were running around so busy, some days you literally lost track of time.

 When Sid wasn't on the road, he was there to help you in any way that he could; taking the kids out to play in the snow, while you baked, or taking them to the rink to skate while you wrapped and hid the gifts. Every free second was spent making sure that Alexis and Lucas would have the best Christmas ever. It wasn't until you looked at the calendar that you noticed you were late. It was December nineteenth, and your period hadn't come yet. Dare you hope that baby number three was finally going to come to fruition? There was only one way to know for sure.

 Those five days to Christmas Eve flew by in a whirlwind. Sid had away games until the twenty-first, and then one home one on the twenty-third. There were so many last minutes things to do. Sid's parents and sister came into town on the twenty-second and were a huge help. They were currently upstairs bathing both kids for you, while you and Sid were planning out when to put the presents as it was now Christmas Eve. "I'm not sure Alexis's dollhouse is going to fit under the tree," he whispered, as he had finally finished putting it together with his dad. It was currently out in the garage with a huge sheet over it.

 "You're the one who had to get her the biggest one there is." He was always spoiling your children.

 "I know, don't start." He said sliding his arms around you as you stared at the tree. "It should fit in that corner over there." Now, that he figured out where the ginormous playhouse could go; he shifted his focus to the tree, looking at all the ornaments that had been hanging for the last six or seven weeks now. You smiled to yourself waiting for him to notice one in particular. "I feel like something is different on there."

 "Hmm," you mused just swaying back and forth in his arms. "I think your right."

 "What's that one right there?" He said pointing to the ornament that was at his eye level. "I don't remember it."

 "Maybe you should have a closer look." He peered down at you curiously, now knowing that you were up to something, before gliding you both over to the tree so that he could have a closer look. "Is that…Are we…" You could hear the excitement in his voice before he turned you around to confirm his suspicions.

 You nodded before saying, "Yes, it's my pregnancy test, and it took you forever to notice I put it there."

 "What? When?"

 "It's been on there since you came home from Toronto. I've been waiting for you to notice." He looked dumbfounded for a moment before scooping you up and spinning you around, his lips locking with yours.

 When he finally put you down, there was a huge smile on his face. "I can't believe we're finally having another baby."

 "I know me too. It's not the timing we were looking for, but I think you'll be happy with the due date." Curiosity got the best of him and you could see him trying to do the math in his brain to figure out what day it would be. "Well, you always said it was your lucky number," you hinted to him.

 "No way!" He shrieked out. "August seventh?" You shook your head, yes, and he spun you around one more time before the patter of little feet and big feet came barreling in.

 "What's all the excitement about?" Trina asked before even the kids could get a word in.

 "We're having a baby!" Sid told her and everyone came in for hugs, congratulating you both. He knelt down to the kids' level. "Are you excited, that you're going to have a baby brother or baby sister?"

 "Can we have twins? Kennedy Jenkins has twins and she says it's fun cause she always has someone to play dolls with." Sid just laughed at his daughter, then tickled her.

 "I don't know about all that princess. Let's just be happy that you're getting to be a big sister again." He grabbed Lucas, then came off the ground throwing the toddler in the air. "What about you? Are you excited to be a big brother?"

 Lucas just smiled, before looking his dad in the eye and grabbing hold of his cheeks. "I'm excited for Santa." Sid burst out laughing and you all joined in. Santa was definitely rating much higher than the new baby.

 "I'm excited for Santa too, bud," Sid told him, then slid his free hand around your waist. "Thanks for making Christmas come early, Mrs. Crosby." Your lips found his in a sweet and loving kiss.

 "Thanks for making me a mom again, Mr. Crosby."

 He winked at you, that devilish smirk on his face. "Anytime," he breathed out, then added, "This is definitely the best Crosby Christmas yet."  .

[devilishsahbi]

the sin of pride

diavolo x fem! reader

one-sided! lucifer x fem! reader

DIAVOLO'S DINNERS HAD started to become more frequent ever since the exchange program had started. Lucifer noticed more and more that he, his brothers, [Name], and the residents of Purgatory Hall had been called to dine with the Prince more than once a week after the first, with an unusual emphasis on [Name]─Barbatos had been suspiciously adamant that she come, despite Lucifer knowing that she had more than enough work to finish for her R.A.D studies.

     He had been surprised to see that she did not, in fact, have any work at all to do when he knocked on her door, contrary to what she had told him when she had returned home after lunch with Beelzebub. She had told him she finished it faster than she had thought, a smile on her lips─the same one she gave Belphegor when she wasn't quite comfortable with the topic at hand or his presence specifically. Lucifer didn't take it to heart; he knew that [Name] was prone to rushing her work when faced with the ultimatum of sleep or food, so he had dropped it and told her to get ready for dinner.

     But now, he had to wonder if something else was amiss.

      The seating arrangements had been changed once again. [Name] sat at Diavolo's right where Lucifer would have been sitting had there not been placards; he, himself, sat at his left, an unusual placement, but both changes spoke louder than words. He had assumed, as he sat down to converse with Simeon halfheartedly, that [Name] had done something to earn Diavolo's concern. The demon was, after all, unusually fascinated with her─not to as an abnormal degree as Belphegor, of course─and spent most of his time with her inquiring about human world customs and habits that Solomon, in a bizarre twist, was not privy to. If she had said something out of the blue, it was perhaps of a worry to the Prince of the Devildom.

      When everyone had taken their seats, Asmodeus oddly at [Name]'s side and Satan at his, dinner began with an excited smile from Beel. Barbatos set out [Name] and Solomon's human food first as a courtesy, taking their compliments in stride with a brighter than normal acknowledgement.

      But as the angels' food was beginning to be set out, Lucifer caught [Name] raising both her eyebrows as she took a sip of her drink. She looked to nearly have choked, but she smoothed it over gracefully by taking a neat swallow of her water. If he had been so undignified and looked under the table, or at Asmodeus's mildly surprised face, he would have seen Diavolo's hand sneak up [Name]'s thigh and rest there.

       Food was set and dinner finally began. Lucifer spent most of his time speaking with Simeon or Solomon on the history of humanity, sometimes sending Beel a warning glare when he ate too fast and sent food all across the table.

       When dinner was over, dessert was presented. Barbatos took pride in the creation he set before the humans─a sweet treat from the human world a banana split─and puffed up a bit when [Name] grew overly excited and clapped her hands at the presentation. Lucifer didn't understand why; it was just a banana choked in ice cream, cherries, and whipped cream, but she seemed to be enjoying it at any rate, as was Solomon, but at a more discreet level.

       The second time─and Lucifer only noticed it because Asmodeus drew his attention by pointing to the delicious glazed nightshade pie he had on his plate, asking if he wanted his extra before Beel ate all of it─[Name] had smeared cream on her cheek in her greedy effort to eat all of her dessert, patting her belly when she was full. Diavolo's laugh was quiet and soft, only noticeable because he was so close, and he reached over and wiped it from her skin with his thumb.

       Lucifer didn't comment on it. Diavolo's odd behavior extended well past that; he was very friendly and had no issues at all with skinship, so it didn't surprise him that he would take any chance he could at making sly quips when the opportunity arose. He supposed it had something to do with his father's absence, but took that thought with a hefty grain of salt.

       As dessert was finished, the party was led to their rooms for the night. Barbatos led them to the same suite they had frequented before, allowing them the use of the royal baths if they had need of them.

        Lucifer paused to speak with Levi, who was getting ready to go straight to bed on a full stomach, and he watched─in plain sight of the candelabras mounted on the walls─as Diavolo walked in step with [Name] and placed a hand well below the middle of her back, firm against the skin that was exposed from the fabric bunching up around her pants.

       [Name] either didn't notice, absorbed completely in the paintings around her, or didn't mind it at all, because she kept pace with him evenly, even stopping to remark upon one of the larger paintings depicting a chimera. She pulled her hair to one side mindlessly, but Lucifer watched as Diavolo's gaze darted to the side of her neck, eyes narrowing dangerously with an easy smile on his lips as he explained the painting's origins. His hand slipped higher up her shirt, splaying across skin, and she leaned into it with a sigh so quiet it would have been nothing but air.

       This was the third time he had witnessed it.

        Lucifer put the pieces together more quietly after that, especially after learning that [Name] was to be rooming with Solomon and not himself, as had been agreed upon since he was never in his room anyways.

       The fourth instance was as he was entering his room to get himself situated, rattled by what he had seen that evening and his pride unable to cope with the ideas running rampant through his mind. Through the barest crack in the door as it was swinging shut, exposed by the light yet again, Diavolo leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her exposed throat. Then the crack was sealed and Lucifer was left alone to ruminate.

       He had thought, on some level, that [Name] favored him above all despite their rocky start. Despite the several times where he had almost killed her, apologizing as poorly as his pride would allow him. He had assumed that her happiness was because of him. He had assumed wrongly.

      And his pride, his damnable pride, was wounded.

     All because of a foolish human.

      Lucifer left his room and paced down the hall a quarter after twelve, assured that everyone was asleep and unable to witness the conversation he was soon to have with the Prince. He hadn't heard a peep from Solomon and [Name]'s shared quarters, not even the faintest creak of a door opening, and found himself rudely surprised once more when he found her in Diavolo's personal study.

       Curled up in an expensive kashmere throw upon one of the more comfortable couches in the room, [Name] gazed into the fire sparking in the fireplace. It was the only source of light in the room besides the dimmed candelabras in the hall and Lucifer took care not to stand in the light and reveal his presence too early.

       Diavolo─appearing more relaxed and at ease than Lucifer had ever had the grace of seeing him, his hair ruffled to slight disarray─stood at his desk, pouring golden whiskey into a crystal glass. His royal uniform had been discarded in favor of the loose slacks and black button up he wore beneath, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and top three buttons undone.

       There was no tension in his shoulders as he corked the bottle back up and walked over to [Name], crossing the study in a leisurely stride. He handed it to her with his fingers gripping the rim, and lowered it into hers when she reached for it. The firelight illuminated the alcohol with a gentle glow as she brought it to her lips, taking a small sip and sinking further into the couch.

        Instead of sitting across from her, as Lucifer had expected him to, Diavolo crouched in front of her and rested his elbows on the section of couch in front of her that she wasn't resting upon. She lowered the glass from her mouth, setting it on the table beside the arm of the couch with a tink that was suffocated by the crackling of the fire.

        There was silence for some time between them. The fire was the only source of noise in the room and Lucifer felt that if he breathed even too loud, they would hear him and he would ruin this moment; this gloriously intimate moment that was secret from everyone except, and he thought this guiltily, from him.

       [Name] smiled, then, a sweet gesture. One more full and happier than the ones she gave the students at R.A.D. The ones she gave Lucifer. "What is it, Dia? You've been quiet tonight."

       For some awful reason, Lucifer wished that the man would get angry at her for the nickname.

       Instead, he smiled lazily at her, fueled no doubt by the atmosphere in the room. "Nothing. I'm just taking you in. It's rare that we're left alone like this, after all."

        "That's true." Her laugh was breathy as she moved her hand to touch Diavolo's cheek, moving to thread through his hair and to the back of his scalp in soothing motions. "I think the last time was after that pillow fight and Mammon's punishment, wasn't it?"

       Lucifer swore he heard a purr kick up─a foreign and bizarre sound that told him all he needed to know, and that he wasn't welcome here in this moment─but wasn't sure over the fire. He didn't want to be sure. His stomach, his pride, twisted into unforgiving knots.

       "It was quite a while ago." Diavolo captured her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing her knuckles one at a time. "But it's as humans say, isn't it? Waiting makes it that much more sweeter, in the end."

       "I'm surprised you remembered that." [Name]'s laugh was startled and fond. "I told you a lot of things over the last few months and that's what you remembered?"

       Lucifer watched him shrug loosely, a completely unusual movement on the Prince.

      "I remember everything you tell me." Diavolo watched her take another sip of her whiskey, their gazes never parting, and then return to playing with his fingers. "Demons in particular remember much of what happens in their lives."

      "Really?" She leaned forward, shifting from her lazing position to look at him more fully. He didn't lean back even when she was invading his personal space completely. "Then…"

      "'Then…' what?"

       "Do you remember what you asked me last week?"

       Lucifer had to swallow the urge to walk away. He had no business being here, watching them, when it was clearly something that was being kept secret. And yet he couldn't resist, wishing that he was in Diavolo's place, whispering all of those things to her like the sweetest of lovers.

     "That depends," Diavolo's tone was teasing as he laced his fingers with hers. The shadows produced that cast them in darkness didn't allow for much sight. "I asked you a lot of things. You'll have to be specific."

       "Hmm." [Name] hummed and leaned forward. Their shadows blurred and became intangible from one another, but he heard the kiss being touched against Diavolo's cheek and the shaky inhale he took because of it. She whispered something in his ear, quiet and hushed, and Lucifer couldn't make it out. "Do you remember that?"

        It was minsicule, but his eyelashes fluttered when he shut his eyes. The fire popped and sparked near them. "I do. What of it?"

      "I have an answer for you. If you want it."

     Lucifer's stomach rolled to a complete stop. Dread overtook him suddenly. He shouldn't be listening to this. He shouldn't. He felt like he couldn't breathe.

       "And what is that answer?" Diavolo lifted her other hand to kiss the pulse in her wrist. But the muscles in his shoulders belayed his nervousness, tensing and bunching up like a live wire.

      [Name] pulled one of her hands free and smoothed the tension out of his shoulders with a smile. She leaned forward again and whispered in his ear, but Lucifer could make it out this time, even over his heart breaking because he knew what the question had been.

        "Yes."

       Diavolo took a deep inhale and buried his nose in the curve of her collarbone and neck, dragging his lips up the column of her throat. All of the apprehension melted away from him like a glacier under a hot sun until all that was left was a man in love with the woman before him.

       "Thank you," the Prince whispered, reaching up and touching the side of her face. She caught his hand in hers, squeezing. "I don't deserve it. Any of it."

       "Of course you do." [Name] hummed and ran her hand up and down his back, nuzzling his temple reassuringly. "I know you do, no matter what the nobles say. You're a good man, Diavolo. In more ways than one."

        The very words that Lucifer had wanted to hear, yearned to hear from her lips, being pointed at Diavolo, the man who held his life in his hands like a leash─it was the last that his pride could take.

      He left them there, in the study and the shadow of the fire, and headed to his room.

      Instead he found Barbatos standing in front of his door. The butler looked neither kind or obliging, and there was an edge to the demon that Lucifer had never seen before.

       "Barbatos," he greeted him as friendly as he ever did. But he was wary when the greeting fell flat. "Is there something you needed?"

       "I will only warn you once." The butler's dark frown grew even more insidious. Whatever he had glimpsed of the potential future, it had not been good, or even remotely something he would sit idly by for. "Do not try and stop fate, Lucifer. This is the one thing that Lord Diavolo will not stand down for you on."

       "I don't know what you speak of."

       "Play the fool, as you will." Barbatos turned to look down the hall towards the study. "But if you try and take her from him… Be warned that it will end in your demise."

        The butler left, vanished into the darkness of the palace as if he had never been there to begin with.

      Lucifer unlocked his room and stepped inside.

       His pride wouldn't let him take [Name] from Diavolo. And if it did…

       His pride would be the death of him.

fin.

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