#alternative title:asmo avoids getting sent to the ranch

[leviathanswingman]

Love Is a Losing Game, Chapter 3: The Compromise

As soon as the door to Lucifer's chambers closed behind them Asmo practically jumped his brother.

„Who is it?!“ he exclaimed excitedly as he tilted his head in anticipation like a curious puppy and clung to Lucifer's arm. „Oh- oh oh oh! Wait don't tell me, let me guess, please! This hasn't happened in decades!“

Lucifer plucked Asmo's clinging hands off his arm and leaned against his desk, crossing his arms as he kept his eyes on his giddy brother. He was still feeling slightly nauseous, but the short walk to his room had helped alleviate at least some of it.

There was a playful sparkle to Asmodeus' eyes, yet underlying, one could tell that he had an agenda. In an act of false thoughtfulness Asmodeus tapped his lush lips multiple times with his pointer. “Now who could it be? Who would be sexy enough to make Lucifer, the poster demon of restraint, buckle? Hmmm, I wonder,” Asmo started, apparently having a death wish on his mind. With small steps, he tiptoed around the mahogany desk in a manner so gracefully he almost appeared to be floating.

“A one-night stand, maybe?”

Lucifer tried to suppress a shudder. Bulls eye. Still, his little brother didn't need to know that. So Lucifer simply readjusted his position, his body all sharp edges and steel. His jaw was locked tight as he observed the way Asmodeus flaunted through the room. All of a sudden Asmo stopped next to Lucifer, eyes big with shock.

“It can't be... Barbatos?!” he exclaimed in outrage. “I mean I understand the allure of some good butler and servant play, but don't tell me you fucked- ow ow OW!”

Finally done with Asmodeus' shenanigans, Lucifer had grabbed his brother roughly by the ear. “Stop joking around, Asmodeus. I did not, as you put it ever so crudely, fornicate with Barbatos. Now would you do me a favour and stay out of my private life? I am sure you have more important things to do.” He let go again and Asmodeus complained quietly as he rubbed his earlobe.

“But I wanna know, this never happens! It's not my fault I was born this gorgeous and curious, so come on!”

Lucifer stayed stoic. Hell would have to freeze over several times before he would admit to Asmodeus that he had slept with Diavolo only for their honoured demon prince to sneak out in the morning light as if the night had meant nothing to him. And this was the one thing Lucifer was ever so certain about- the night had meant something, but only to him.

This was why he used to be so keen on keeping things professional between him and Diavolo. He knew that in the end, one of them would end up regretting it. In the end, he had at least been right about that fact.

“Practice some self-restraint,” Lucifer stated. His arms were once again crossed in front of his chest. As he thought back to the previous night, inexplicably his right hand, tucked safely between his side and the back of his upper arm, startled to tremble and almost violently, the feeling of nausea returned.

“Well, it looks like you haven't been doing that either, so why should I?” Asmodeus threw in, followed by an uncomfortable silence that filled the room.

He took Lucifer's lack of response as an unspoken invitation to keep on talking. “So my first guess was clearly wrong, but I don't think you would just go with your everyday bar bunny looking for a quick fling. That isn't your type. Your type would be...” Suddenly, Asmodeus' head snapped up. “Your type is-”

Without any hesitation Lucifer slapped his hand onto Asmo's mouth. He knew Asmodeus knew. Or at least, he was aware of Lucifer's preferences.

Still, Lucifer felt sick to his stomach. He had let his brother ramble on for far too long, but Lucifer had needed the time to calm his body down again. Nausea was running through his every core, green like envy and red like an angry sore.

He just knew he couldn't stand to hear it coming from someone else's mouth, put out into the world without his consent, yanking the reigns from Lucifer's hands.

If someone else were to vocalize that Lucifer loved Diavolo, not in the way a subject should love their lord, but in a way that was reserved for solely the closest of companions , it would make the whole ordeal undeniably real.

Lost in thought, Lucifer had completely forgotten that he was still clutching his little brother's mouth shut. He received a rude awakening as Asmodeus suddenly licked the palm of Lucifer's hand. Surprised, Lucifer let go of Asmo and shook his hand as his eyebrows drew together in disgust. “Asmodeus, this is revolting.”

“You started it!”

Lucifer felt his attention slipping again.

Although he hated to admit it, on their way from the dining hall to his own room he hadn't found an appropriate excuse to get Asmodeus off his tracks. When it was about love, infidelities, one night stands and generally most things lust-related, Asmodeus couldn't be fooled and Lucifer wasn't delusional enough to believe that he could out-smart the avatar of lust when the subjects of conversation were love and lust themselves. After all, Lucifer was sure it wouldn't take Asmodeus all too long to figure out what was going on here.

He had to be tactical with this one so he could keep the upper hand.

Right now, Asmodeus knew something he wasn't supposed to know to begin with, all due to Lucifer's own negligence. Ergo, Asmodeus had insider knowledge that could be good leverage for his own interests. This exactly was something Lucifer couldn't afford right now. The past few weeks, Asmo had been even more unhinged than usual. Lucifer had threatened him with house arrest and cleaning duty already, but neither had worked.

So he had gone and discussed the issue with Barbatos. Together, they had come to the conclusion that a few months away from the big city, just Asmodeus, two elderly demons and an old farm would do him some good.

Suddenly, the wheels started to turn in Lucifer's head.

He had found his solution. Admittedly, it wasn't optimal and Lucifer had to give up a little bit of his privacy and pride as an older brother, but if it were to work out like he knew it had to, he could manage to hit two birds with one stone.

For a moment Lucifer thought it over again. He rounded the mahogany desk, put his hands flat on its surface and leaned forward, staring at Asmodeus.

„Feel free to guess who I've had relations with, but keep in mind, your freedom right now is in my hands,“ Lucifer slowly said after a moment of strange silence. „You have been awfully active these last few weeks now, haven't you?“

Asmodeus threw himself sideways over one of the chairs and side-eyed his brother. He tilted his head back and sighed dramatically. „So we're going straight to business without any foreplay? How boring!“ After another short pause, Asmodeus mustered his brother. „You really don't want to tell me what happened?“ he asked with an uncharacteristically serious expression.

Lucifer leaned forward and ignored his brother's previous question. „I have a deal for you. We both know I won't let you run around as you please anymore.  You are aware that I have been keeping a close eye on your behaviour and you have disappointed me severely. You have a reputation to uphold, yet you refuse to be responsible and instead spend your nights getting acquainted with every club in the city. Originally, Barbatos and I had decided on sending you away for a few months. The farms do need some helping hands this season, don't you think?”

Asmodeus' eyes widened almost unnoticeably, but he didn't interject. He needed his nights out, he needed them like a human needed oxygen. There was no way they would send him away, right?

Asmodeus grabbed Lucifer by his upper arms and looked at him with pleading eyes. “Please, not the ranch! I know my powers are good with animals, but the air over there will be downright toxic for my skin! Just thinking about it makes me break out, Lucifer please-”

Lucifer raised one finger, quieting his little brother in the process. “I have a proposal for you. If you don't want me to send you away, you will listen,” Lucifer growled.

Staring up at his big brother's stony expression, Asmodeus simply nodded as he felt his heart race in his chest. Anxiety was coursing through his body and he was desperate, desperate enough to do anything Lucifer asked of him as long as he didn't have to give up that lavish lifestyle of his. As long as he wouldn't end up isolated somewhere in the wilderness, left to his own devices and even worse, left to his own thoughts.

“I am giving you one week on probation. If you manage to tone down your excessive partying and won't spread any information whatsoever about my supposed sex life, I will show mercy and humour you. I will humour you just once. If the week proves successful, I will grant you one question. You will be allowed to ask me one question which I will have to answer, no matter the subject of the matter. If you refuse to agree things will go as originally planned and a car will be waiting for you tomorrow morning at 8am sharp, ready to accompany you to the farm. Any questions?”

In the split of a second Asmodeus' worried thoughts screeched to a halt.

This was the exact moment he realized that this was so much more than him teasing Lucifer about a hookup. This was so much more than him trying to reason with his big brother so he wouldn't be sent away for his own outrageous behaviour. This was Lucifer doing damage control. If Asmodeus managed to survive this week, he would receive a get out of jail free card; he had a promise that he could ask Lucifer about what was bothering him so much to the point of blackmail, had a promise that he wouldn't be turned down for once.

Asmodeus had the choice between constant misery away from all he loved and cherished and a week of restraining himself to reach the truth. Just like that, he knew what he had to do.

“No questions,” he answered as he softened his grip on Lucifer's arms. “I agree to your terms.” His arms dropped to his sides as he took a deep breath before slathering on a big smile. “Tomorrow I'm going to a mixer, is that alright within our terms, dearest chaperone?” he questioned, his voice drowning with artificial honey and sweetness.

As he raised an eyebrow Lucifer slowly nodded his head. “It is good to see you cooperate, but I fear I will have to accompany you. If you do not feel comfortable with that I will have to send Barbatos to chaperone you.”

Asmo scoffed. “Yeah, no thank you. Barbatos can be a terrible killjoy when he's following orders.”  All of a sudden, Asmodeus threw his hands around Lucifer's neck, hugging him tightly. “I'd rather choose my precious big brother after all!”

Lucifer stiffened and pushed his little brother off of him after a few seconds. Once again, he felt his stomach turn over multiple times. It took him all he had not to falter to his knees right then and there. “That's enough, Asmo,” he forced out. “We are done here, you can leave. Just remember our agreement.”

Before he stepped out, Asmodeus flashed his brother another one of his blinding smiles. “See you tomorrow, Lucifer! I'm looking forward to it!”

The door slammed shut and Lucifer dropped down to his knees, gripping at the fabric of his shirt. Even though everything had gone according to plan, he felt fickle and broken, his knees were trembling for no reason whatever as his gut filled with acid.

Ever since he had awoken in-between cold sheets, Lucifer felt as if his body had aged several millennia. Tired bones met tired eyes.

He gave himself no less than a minute before he forced himself up again. With one hand gripping onto the edge of his desk, Lucifer managed to push himself up again.

This was nothing. He was probably experiencing unnecessary psychosomatic pains from having been rejected by the one demon he respected the most, nothing more than that. It simply couldn't be more than that.

After all, he was Lucifer the Morning Star, a demon far too powerful to be moved by something as simple as affection or as difficult as love. Lucifer didn't care for nor lust after neither. He was above all of that. He had to be above all of that.

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6 , Chapter 7, Chapter 8,  Chapter 9, Chapter 10