Lucifer

"I wish you tried to save me..."

MC makes a dark wish during the Yokai event

TW: Mentions of death, Strong language. Also if you're a Belphie stan, it's better you don't read this.

There was a deadly silence around you except distant echoes of the yokais parading far away. You looked away from the wishing lantern with a nonchalant smile.

"Well then let's go. There's much more to see."

You skipped ahead as if you hadn't said the wish out loud. As if you hadn't ripped open your deepest wound and let your blood drown them whole.

You looked at their aghast faces and made no acknowledgement. They could forget this - just like they forgot that night that haunts you to this day.

Except Luke of course. You made sure to keep the wish as vague as possible so he wouldn't understand. And he didn't.

"Is this about the time you got detention for texting Solomon and Me during Devildom Law class?" Luke chuckled.

You smiled and nodded and held out your hand.

"Let's to get some snacks and sit under the cherry blossom trees there. Sounds okay?"

Luke took your hand and skipped ahead. "What happened to the rest of you? Why do you all look so... scared?" He frowned.

You nudged him forward. "Maybe they are still spooked from that cursed cave we visited. Let's give them some time to recover okay? They know where to find us."

You leaned against the tree and sighed in relief. Seeing their guilt-ridden faces brought about some sort of vindication. And being around Luke made you feel much calmer.

"I'll bring some candy apples for us MC!" Luke said, before scampering off.

And moments after, someone else appeared. "MC..." He called out, stepping out of the shadows of the tree.

Lucifer

He didn't sit next to you. He kneeled in front of you. His eyes never looked this apologetic before. You wondered how the Avatar of Pride could ever make such a face.

"I owe you an apology, MC. Perhaps it's long overdue."

"It's alright, Lucifer. I made my peace with it."

You looked away and breathed deeply. He hated it. All of this time, he believed your pretense like a fool. Of course you were hurting. Who wouldn't?

"You must still allow me to apologize-"

"Would you still be apologizing..." You looked directly at him. "...if I had no connection with Lilith?"

Lucifer visibly faltered. That cold look in your eyes, he recognised it. You had never forgiven him in the first place.

"MC, I'm sure by now, you know we care about you for you."

"Sure if you say so. If you've nothing else to say would you sit by me instead of kneeling like that please? Thank you."

He paused for a while. The silence was filled with cicadas humming nearby and the distant music of the parade.

"I loved you even when I forgot Lilith. The day I forgot everyone - my head screamed to trust you. In fact I wanted you to chose to turn that dagger at me that night."

"You tried to kill me thrice, Lucifer."

"I regret all the hurt I've given you. It was only done as caution to protect my brothers - I will apologise for it for as long as you wish it."

You turned to him suprised. "Since when are you so comfortable with apologies? Have you lost your Pride?"

"With you, I have none." He took your hand and intertwined his fingers. "I could not be more grateful for you. Please, let me repent for my mistakes."

"...I can't make any promises." You looked away. You hadn't expected this from him. He listened diligently, shifting closer until your knees touched.

-----------------------o--------------------------

Mammon

He sat down promptly, with his body turned towards you. His pressed his hands into fists so tight, his knuckles were turning white.

"Why are you so tense, Mammon? Loosen up, you'll hurt your palms."

He blushed as you took his hands and loosened up his fingers. His nails left imprints on the inside.

"I did try." His voice grew heavy in his throat.

"...hm?"

"I tried...to save you." He looked like he was doing his best not lose his mind. "I held you, tried to shake you, kept calling out your name - but your body..."

At this point, he took your hands and enclosed them within his own.

"Your body wasn't warm like this. You had turned so cold...and then your head fell onto one side ...and I saw the gashes Belphie left on your neck..."

"Mammon..."

His hand went up on instinct. He ran his fingers over the smooth skin of your neck, no traces of the wounds inflicted. He heaved a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry, MC..."

"...."

"I was supposed to protect ya! I know I was! And I failed in the worst way possible! And I know I don't even deserve to be near ya like this and-"

"Mammon! Hush!"

You ran fingers through his hair till his breathing was normal again. But now his eyes were teary. He leaned forward, putting his head on your shoulder.

"I'm sorry MC...I'm so sorry..."

"I was just upset you never acknowledged it." You smoothened the hairs on his neck. "Thank you for telling me all this."

"You came back alive moments after you died- We didn't - I didn't know you still- I'm sorry..."

"...thank you...for holding me in my last moments, Mammon." You ruffled his hair and he wrapped his arms around you tightly. And you let him.

-----------------------o--------------------------

Leviathan

He didn't sit down. He stumbled and stood before you, trembling all over. You sighed. You almost felt sorry.

"Levi... you're shaking." You stared at him and he dropped on his knees and bowed headfirst into the ground.

It was whimpers first. Then it turned into loud cries. He was screaming muffled apologies into the ground over and over again.

"Are you cold?"

His body jerked up at your question. His face was flushed red, cheeks glistening with endless tears.

"I'm sorry... MC...I'm sorry... I'm sorry...MC" He chanted over and over again, like a desperate prayer.

"Calm yourself, Levi. Breathe first." You patted on his back until he stopped hyperventilating.

"I was the first...the first to attack you, wasn't I? You must have been terrified ever since...Damnit I was so stupid! I'm still so stupid!"

He banged his fists against his head but you stopped him.

"And I froze when I saw you lying there- I never thought Belphie could ever do such a thing!"

You sighed and looked away at the distant lights. "And there I thought you were my best friend...I couldn't have been more wrong."

Levi's breath hitched in his throat. He hung his head, his eyes burning with tears. You heard him whimper, you did nothing.

"I'll do better, MC!" He finally lifted his head as he wailed. Bowing to the ground and kneeling his head. "I'll be a better best friend, I swear! Please don't shut me off anymore!"

"Get up and wipe those tears first. You're ruining your costume." You reached out to him. He crashed into your lap still whimpering.

-----------------------o------------------------

Satan

He sat in front of you, legs folded, shoulders hunched. He struggled to meet your gaze. It was rare to see Satan this nervous and unsure of himself.

"I...I don't know where to start, MC..." He started.

"It's rare for you not to know something. I'm suprised." You let out a bitter chuckle.

"If you wouldn't mind, MC...could I ask you something?" He inched closer.

"If it's about how much I remember... well, I remember everything." You smiled.

"...."

"I remember losing conciousness, the throbbing pain on my neck, the way you and everyone else just stared as I struggled to breathe a little more and I.."

You choked up. You didn't realise how much pain you'd been holding inside until you talked about it.

"And I remember thinking like a fool, that you'd save me. Afterall you're the only one who didn't project Lilith's image onto me."

Satan's lower lip trembled at the tears falling down your face. He could almost feel everything that happened to you. The pain, the betrayal...how did you pretend all this time...

"Oh MC, I- how can I ever make it up to you...?" He reached out to touch you, feeling the wetness on your cheek.

You brushed his hand away. "If only you asked me this two years ago."

"If I could turn back time MC, I'd never let you meet Belphie alone. I wouldn't let him touch you. I'd rip his hand off you if he dared to." Satan sounded dead serious.

"You'd turn against your own brother..." Your eyes widened. "... for a mere human like me?"

"You're no mere human to me! You saved all of us. You saved me, MC...you kept saving me, over and over. You know me better my own brothers do. You deserve to be saved more than any of us."

He held your hands and buried his face in them. He looked desperate.

"Then remember to save me next time." You gave him a half smile before leaning on his shoulder. He stroked your hair and nodded.

----------------------o------------------------

Asmodeus

He already had mascara running down his eyes when arrived. He dropped to the grass, bawling his eyes out like there was no tomorrow.

"Funny, that's how I used to cry at night too." You fished out a handkerchief for him. "Only I knew to how to do it quietly."

"M-MC..." He sniffled as he took it off your hands.

"You wanted to rip my heart out didn't you? To see if I was deceiving you?" You lay your hands by your side, keeping yourself wide open. "Go ahead, Asmo. You're free to do it now."

"MC! No! I could never! Stop that please!" He grabbed you by the hands, pleading.

"You can watch me die but can't do it yourself... why is that, Asmo?" You smiled up at him. "Or maybe I'm being too harsh on you. You never raised a hand on me, did you?"

Asmo shook his head violently. The elaborate ornaments came loose and tilted at odd angles. But he didn't seem to care.

"You're making a mess of yourself, Asmo. Stay still." You said, making him sit while you fixed his hair.

"We're all a mess. We've been a mess ever since we fell from the Celestial Realm...or maybe it started while we were there..." Asmo spoke through strained breaths.

You remained silent. When was the last time Asmo was this vulnerable? Without being drunk off Demonus?

"But you came along...it no longer felt like a mess. You fixed us..." He looked at you with his gleaming eyes. Wonder turned into hurt and then into guilt. He lowered his eyes.

"But we...we made a mess of you instead..." Asmo's voice broke again. "Please...please forgive us...forgive me, MC..."

You went back to quietly fixing his hair. Asmo looked up at you - your eyes softening at the corners. He wrapped his arms around your waist and sobbed into your chest.

----------------------o------------------------

Beelzebub

He stood rigid and unmoving even as if you beckoned to him. He blinked excessively and opened and closed his fists as if to calm himself down.

He opened his mouth finally. "MC, I-"

"If you're here to apologise for Belphie...please don't bother, Beel." You stood up and dusted yourself off. "He may be your twin but you're not responsible for his actions."

"No I'm...Im only here to apologise for my own actions. I failed you, MC." His eyes turned glassy in seconds. "Just like I failed her."

"Well since Lilith and I are practically the same person to your lot, isn't it fitting that I share the same fate as her? And to think, I only wanted to rescue Belphie because you missed him so much."

You let out a dry chuckle and pretended to play with a cherry blossom.

Beel fell to the grass on his knees. "You...you did that for me..?" His eyes were overflowing now. Silently but surely.

You walked towards him and bent down to his level. "Don't worry. She never blamed you. And neither do I."

"MC... you're really kind." He hugged you without warning. His big arms wrapping around you, hoisting you up slightly as he breathed deeply.

"I'm not kind, Beel. I'm nothing like what you think of me. But perhaps out of everyone else, I would find it easier to forgive you can't help but love that wretched twin of yours."

His arms loosened as you expected. You smiled and pulled away. The horror in his eyes almost broke your heart but you braved on.

"I held my silence for your sake Beel. And I promise you I have no intention of hurting anyone. But I cannot ever trust Belphie again. I hope you understand."

After what seemed like hours of silence, he finally nodded. You held out your hand. He took it.

----------------------o-----------------------

Belphegor

You stood up even before he could walk closer. No even after all these years, you couldn't be alone with him without your stomach turning in disgust.

"You don't need to be afraid of me, MC. My brothers and the others are close by." Belphie said, sitting down where you were seconds ago.

With eyelids drooping in sleep and that ridiculous costume you might have considered cute in some other timeline - he hardly looked like something to be afraid of.

"Why are you here, Belphie?"

"It was my fault that night. So please, don't hold my brothers accountable for it." He said curtly. Your blood boiled within your veins.

"Was I ever unkind to you, Belphie?" You managed to say. "Did I stray from any requests you made of me, when you were locked in?"

"No. No you didn't." He looked at you with puzzled eyes.

"Did I ever try to hurt any of your precious brothers? Did I do anything to harm your family?" You prodded on.

"No you didn't." Something about your rising tone made him lower his.

"Did I look happy when the attic door opened? Was I smiling like an idiot when I came and hugged you for the first time?"

"...Yes." He was curling himself up in a ball.

"Then why..." You walked forward until he had to arch his neck fully to see your face, "...why did you do this to me?"

"MC I'm-"

"No shut up. I'm not done." That was a command. He felt his mouth snap shut on its own.

"I know why noone saved me that night." You picked up a cherry blossom branch lying on the ground and tossed it to him. He caught it clumsily.

"It's because everyone here is your family. You killed me in a place where I had noone. You made sure of it. You killed me never caring that I too had a life out in the human world." You said bitterly.

Belphie's eyes went wide at the accusation. But he still couldn't open his mouth.

"Oh and you said your brothers are nearby? So I don't have to be afraid?! Don't fuck with me. They're here to protect you from me, now that you've made a pact with me."

Belphie made mumbling noises. As loud as you can make when your lips are sealed shut, clawing at his own mouth to open it up.

"And after all that - what was the first thing you said to me? Ah yes, 'I'm sorry...Lilith.' Not me, not the human you actually killed. Like I didn't exist. You took everything from me and then treated me like a Lilith substitute since then to NOW, you bitch."

Belphie stopped struggling. He stared at you in despair and horror, not knowing what to say or do anymore. His fingers twitched in fear. He could have never known this side of you existed.

"You thought I forgave you didn't you? I'm the nice human who didn't care about their death just cause you didn't want to own up to what you did! Isn't it?!"

Belphie's mouth finally fell open. But now he had no idea what to say.

"And being the fucking baby that you are - everyone did what YOU wanted while I cried myself to sleep every fucking night, wondering how many more days I'll have to stuck with you deceitful lot. Do you have ANYTHING to say in your defense?"

"The pact...my pact was my apology." He said. "To make sure I never hurt you in any way again."

You blinked several times trying to register his answer. It was so absurd. You started cackling like a cartoon witch in a Halloween special.

"You really think you did something there? Your big mic drop was it? Am I supposed to be grateful and drop to your feet sire? Ahahahhahah!"

"If you were really this upset, why not tell us this before? If this is how you truly felt about us why did you pretend for so long?! Do you know how it feels to be blindsided like this- "

Belphie stopped midway, suddenly knowing answer to his own question. You smiled menancingly before walking away.

"Deception isn't so fun when you're on the receiving end, isn't it Belphie? You're not so different from a dumb human afterall."