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jayden-writes · 2 months

Text

just this once

pairing: Lucifer x gn!Reader

wordcount: ~1.4k

genre: fluff

cw: none!

summary: Maybe Lucifer could allow himself to indulge every now and then.

other notes: no name, Y/N or MC used // AO3 // thanks again to @gravedwe11er for helping me so much with this fic!

Lucifer wondered what had happened to him; why did his chest feel so warm and fuzzy when he looked at you, peacefully asleep on the couch in his study? He was the Avatar of Pride, the third most powerful demon in all of the Devildom, and yet you had wormed your way into his heart, made yourself home with frightening ease as if this was what you had been made for.

Crouching in front of the couch, he took in your sleeping form, the serene look on your face. How you were able to let your guard down in his presence, to be so trusting despite everything that had happened, everything he had done, was a mystery to him. Was he even deserving of the trust, the kindness you bestowed upon him?

With a gentle touch that contrasted his strength, he brushed a stray strand of hair from your forehead. You stirred a little and he froze, holding his breath.

“Mh… Lucifer…?” you muttered sleepily, and your eyelids fluttered open.

Seeing your bleary gaze, he couldn't help but smile fondly, stroking your cheek with his index finger.

“Apologies, my dear, I didn't mean to wake you,” he responded in a hushed tone. “Go back to sleep.”

Humming in agreement, you closed your eyes again and Lucifer chuckled softly before standing up to return to work. However, he didn't get very far. Your hand had reached for his pants, tugging on them, and he crouched down, regarding you with an attentive, yet curious expression.

“What is it?” he asked quietly.

“Are you done?” you whispered, seemingly a little more awake now.

“Soon, I promise,” he soothed.

“You said the same thing earlier,” you grumbled, pouting.

He sighed. “I know I did and I apologize for taking longer. I assure you, I will be done soon. Be patient for me, will you?”

When that didn’t make your pout disappear, he cupped your face with one hand, and pressed his lips against yours briefly, before placing multiple small kisses on your cheekbone. You giggled at that and Lucifer observed the blush on your face, the way the corners of your mouth were curving upwards.

“There it is. As much as I adore seeing that pretty little pout on your lips, I would much rather see you smile.”

The flush coloring your features grew more pronounced and you grasped his hand that was resting on your cheek to hide yourself from him. A pleasant tingling sensation spread through him as you nuzzled his palm and placed a kiss on the pad of his thumb.

Lucifer's gaze softened and he allowed his touch to linger for a moment longer, savoring the feeling of your breaths on his skin, before he withdrew, straightening up. “Sleep now. I will be done by the time you wake up again.”

“I'll hold you to that,” you mumbled as he watched you shift on the couch to get comfortable. Once your eyes were shut, he quietly returned to his desk and resumed working, occasionally glancing at your slumbering form.

He didn't quite know whether you were a distraction that kept him from finishing his work or more of a motivation to get it done as soon as possible. Perhaps you were both at the same time. With a silent sigh, he focused his attention back on the documents spread out in front of him, and the sound of a pen scratching on paper filled the room, sometimes interrupted by a soft rustling when he had finished a page.

Even as Lucifer worked diligently, he listened closely to your steady breaths, his heightened senses easily picking up on the faint noise. Whenever he heard the pattern of your breathing change just a little, he paused what he was doing to check on you, making sure you were alright and not waking up.

Eventually, he finally wrote the last words on a document, and to his relief, you were still fast asleep. He started putting everything aside, cleaning the desk as he always did once he completed his work. Despite his efforts to do so quietly, you stirred awake again, sitting up and rubbing your face tiredly.

“Are you done now?” you asked, voice heavy with sleep.

“I am,” he responded softly, smiling to himself at the sight of your weary form. “Shall we go to bed?” he suggested as he stood up, walking towards you, and offering you his hand to help you up. Lucifer observed your gaze briefly dart down to it, then back to his eyes, your lips pursed.

“What's the matter?” he inquired.

“Carry me,” you simply replied, looking at him expectantly.

Huffing in amusement, he shook his head with an indulgent smile. “Well, aren't you a demanding one?” Bending down, he moved one arm underneath your legs and the other around your waist, allowing you to loop your arms over his shoulders. With ease, he lifted you up, cradling you securely against his chest, and started carrying you.

“Maybe I am. But I know you wouldn't want it any other way,” you retorted lightly, pecking his cheek before nestling your face into the crook of his neck.

Glancing at you out of the corner of his eye, his lips quirked upwards. “I suppose you are right. And perhaps this is how I can make amends for letting you sleep on that uncomfortable couch. I do apologize for taking so long. Mammon’s… shenanigans have caused more paperwork than I had anticipated.”

Sighing heavily, he wondered what punishment would be appropriate this time, in spite of him knowing full well that even the harshest consequences could never discourage Mammon - or any of his younger brothers for that matter - from causing trouble. He could already feel a headache coming on.

His train of thought was disrupted by the sensation of you yawning against his skin, and he immediately felt the tension that had been building up inside of him melt away again.

“Tired, are we, my dear?” Lucifer asked, his voice low and amused as he gently squeezed you closer to him.

“It’s pretty late, so, yeah,” was your mumbled reply.

He hummed in agreement as he reached his bedroom and placed you on the mattress of his large bed, where you promptly crawled under the blanket and curled up.

“It is rather late, yes. Fortunately, there is no RAD tomorrow, so feel free to sleep in,” he said while unbuttoning his waistcoat to get more comfortable.

As he worked on the buttons, he could sense your eyes on him, your brow furrowed as if contemplating something. Before he could ask what was on your mind, you spoke up. “And you? Will you sleep in as well?” You glanced at him, the expression you wore telling him that you knew he would most likely give you a negative answer.

Not immediately replying and averting his gaze, he slowly opened the last button, taking the waistcoat off and folding it, before setting it aside. It was silent as he thought about the paperwork still waiting for him in his study and the additional work that would inevitably come during the day.

When he settled on the edge of the bed, he looked back at you, seeing the disappointment forming in your eyes.

“I will,” Lucifer finally answered, lying down next to you and joining you beneath the blanket.

At first, it was almost as if the words didn’t register in your mind, but then happiness bloomed on your face, and just the sight of you smiling like this already made up for the extra stress that he would have to deal with. You squeaked cheerfully and shifted closer, wrapping your arms around him. Chuckling in amusement, he returned the embrace and held you tightly against him. He nuzzled your hair, kissing the top of your head and tracing his hands along your spine.

Just this once, he thought to himself as he turned the light off with a flick of his hand, plunging the room into darkness, just this once will I allow myself this indulgence.

“I love you,” you whispered, your breaths tickling his neck as you made yourself comfortable next to him.

“And I love you,” he responded quietly, his voice laced with affection. He buried his face in your hair, and tightened his hold on you, drifting off to sleep with a smile on his lips.

Just this once, he told himself.

#jayden-writes #why did I write fluff again lol #obey me #obey me fanfic #obey me fanfiction #obey me fluff #omswd lucifer #obey me lucifer #gender neutral reader #no gendered pronouns #no y/n #obey me lucifer x you #obey me lucifer x mc #obey me lucifer x reader #obey me nightbringer #reader insert #obey me x reader #gender neutral mc

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jayden-writes · 4 months

Text

masterlist

♥️ fluff 🔷 hurt/comfort ⚫ angst

ab irato 🔷⚫ pairing: Lucifer x gn!Reader cw: mental breakdown, self-deprecation, self-harm (not graphic)

poisoned 🔷⚫ pairing: none cw: near death experience

respite ♥️ pairing: Lucifer x gn!Reader cw: none!

fragile 🔷⚫ pairing: Lucifer x gn!Reader cw: descriptions of an injury (sprained ankle)

to belong 🔷⚫ pairing: Lucifer x gn!Reader cw: skipping meals due to stress, anxiety, insecurity, school-related fears, self-esteem issues

just this once ♥️ pairing: Lucifer x gn!Reader cw: none!

#jayden-writes #masterlist

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jayden-writes · 4 months

Text

to belong

pairing: Lucifer x gn!Reader

wordcount: ~2.9k

genre: hurt/comfort, angst

cw: skipping meals due to stress, anxiety, insecurity, school-related fears, self-esteem issues

summary: In an attempt to prove yourself worthy to be amongst the demons you were living with, you ended up pushing yourself too far.

other notes: no name, Y/N or MC used // AO3 // thanks again to @gravedwe11er for helping me so much with this fic!

Sometimes you wondered how you fit into the House of Lamentation, if you even belonged there in the first place. You were a mere human among demons, the seven Avatars of Sin, and no amount of pacts could hide that fact. Everything you did, they did better - and with less effort at that. Mammon's grades were as bad as yours, with the difference that you have been studying night after night for them. Meanwhile, he rarely ever picked up a textbook, if at all.

The final exams were approaching at a rapid pace and you were trying and failing to keep up with the curriculum. Following your return from RAD, you had cooped yourself up in your room and it must have been a few hours since then - Levi had called you for dinner a while ago, and you had declined. How late it was exactly, you couldn’t tell and couldn’t be bothered to check. But you knew that getting enough sleep tonight wouldn’t be possible, just like all the other nights before. With a groan, you leaned back in your chair, running a hand through your hair as you yawned.

Deciding to allow yourself a small break, you went into your adjacent bathroom, standing in front of the sink and splashing cold water on your cheeks. The droplets trailed down your skin and you looked into the mirror, examining your face with a heavy sigh. The dark circles beneath your eyes could almost rival Lucifer’s, and you were nearly as pale as Levi. Your features were beginning to look sunken in and you were barely able to remember the last time you had a proper meal - you were lucky everyone was too busy with their own things to really pay attention to you, otherwise someone would have already scolded or forced you to take better care of yourself. As much as you wanted to do that, you just couldn’t; you had to do as well as possibly could on the exams, well enough to prove yourself to them. Or perhaps more so to prove yourself to Lucifer, to make him proud of you and your efforts.

Feeling a blush creeping up your cheeks at the thought of him giving you one of his rare compliments, you shook your head. It was embarrassing how hard you've been trying to get his attention, his approval; your attempts, however, stayed unsuccessful - the best result you've managed to achieve was the absence of criticism and just the tiniest upward quirk of his lips and-

“Focus, dammit!” you hissed at your reflection, sprinkling some more water on your face to shake yourself out of your reverie.

Finally, you stepped away and made your way to the kitchen to at least eat something small. When you opened the fridge, you grimaced at the harsh light and the emptiness you found inside. You huffed in annoyance and grabbed a cup of yogurt and a spoon, leaning against the counter while you ate your second “meal” of the day in the dim lighting. The cup was quickly emptied and you threw the packaging into the trash before going back to your room. Despite knowing that you should be eating more, especially since your brain needed energy to work properly, you just couldn’t get yourself to actually do so. It was either because you lacked the time or because you simply weren’t hungry; you attributed the latter to the stress you've been putting on yourself.

With that, you returned and sat on your chair, determined to somehow get through these piles of papers and books in front of you. Before you knew it, more hours passed and it was soon past 2 a.m. The letters and numbers were blurred by now and you blinked hard, attempting to bring them back into focus. Setting down the pen, you rubbed at your eyes and, when that didn’t help either, you stood up. The moment you were on your feet again, the room spun around you. Cursing under your breath, you staggered to the bed, collapsing onto it rather than lying down. The light was still on and you were too tired to turn it off. Sleep came easily, although it was anything but restful.

At 6 a.m., the sound of an alarm pierced the air, and you wanted nothing more than to roll onto your side, to sleep off the pounding ache in your head. You clumsily reached for your D.D.D. and turned off the blaring noise, groaning at the overhead light that burned itself into your aching eyes. Without a doubt, you were looking even worse compared to yesterday - you certainly felt like it at least. You sat up and swung your legs over the edge, wincing at the increasing pain behind your temples but pointedly ignoring it as you walked into your bathroom with unsteady steps. While washing your face you caught a glimpse of your appearance and cringed. It would only be a matter of time, and someone would eventually notice how you were neglecting yourself.

Still, lying to anyone who asked about your eating habits had gotten surprisingly easy - you had either already eaten or were going to get something on the way to or from RAD. It made you feel bad, but you couldn't have anyone meddling in your life, not when you so desperately needed to do well on those exams. All you had to do was to focus, to ignore everything that wasn't important until it was over. It was only one week. Seven more days and you could return to how things were before. You would be fine, you knew it.

After getting dressed and gathering your school supplies, you placed them in your backpack and headed to the main entrance. On your way there, you glanced into the dining room, noting the absence of Lucifer, Mammon, Leviathan, and Belphegor. The ones that were present greeted you halfheartedly, being absorbed in either their D.D.D. or the food in front of them to pay you any attention. You left the House of Lamentation, walking to RAD with an open book in your hands, intent on getting more subject material into your overwhelmed mind before you inadvertently had to write one of the exams later.

The classes went by in a blur and you barely saw the brothers throughout the day, exactly like it has been for the majority of the past few weeks. Somehow, your condition managed to deteriorate with every class that passed, your head spinning and throbbing. Nothing made sense to you anymore and you were unable to focus. By the time you finally had to get to the class you had an exam in, you felt completely out of it and absolutely terrified - at this rate, you were going to fail. Hurrying to the classroom, you climbed the stairs towards the correct floor, taking two steps at once despite the lingering dizziness. They were winding and you were rounding a curve when you forcefully collided with someone. Shrieking in surprise, you lost your balance and began to fall backwards. It all seemed to happen so slowly yet so rapidly. A strong arm quickly snaked around your waist and you were drawn against something firm. Lucifer. You would recognize that outfit anywhere.

“Can you not watch where-” he started to reproach you, but the words died on his lips as you pulled away. His brow furrowed and he gave you a quick look-over.

“Sorry. Didn't mean to. I'm in a hurry, sorry,” you explained, your speech rushed and a little slurred, and you pushed past him to continue your ascent. However, you couldn't get much further because his hand reached out towards you again, this time grabbing you by the wrist.

“Where do you think you're going?” he asked, his tone calm and controlled. His hold on you was tight, although not painfully so, and you turned back to face him.

“To class, I have an exam,” was your simple reply, and you attempted to shake him off once more.

“Oh no, you're not going anywhere,” he responded sternly, not releasing you and instead firmly, yet carefully, guiding you down the stairs.

“What? But why? My exam!” you sputtered. “I apologized, no need to punish me!”

“Punish you?” He frowned, stopping momentarily before shaking his head and continuing downwards. “This isn't about punishment.”

“Then what-” you began, only to be cut off when an especially intense wave of dizziness washed over you, making you lose your footing. Catching you for a second time, he steadied you against his side.

“Alright. Enough of this,” he muttered, keeping hold of your waist while sliding the other one under your knees, hoisting you into the air. Your stomach swooped and you yelped, instinctively wrapping your arms around his neck.

“Calm yourself,” Lucifer said tersely, holding your quivering frame securely. “I’ve got you.”

With a whimper, you pushed your face into the fabric of his suit to avoid seeing the stairs as he descended. The thought of being carried down the steps made you feel queasy and you anxiously held onto him tighter.

“I will not let you fall,” he stated, sounding mildly exasperated. “See? It's already over.”

And indeed, the harsher rocking motions of him descending had ceased, being replaced by the smooth swaying of him walking. You withdrew from him and looked up at his stoic expression. There was a small blush coloring your cheeks at the proximity and you quickly pressed yourself against him when red eyes glanced down at you.

“Are you not… putting me down again? I can walk by myself,” you mumbled, your voice muffled by his shirt.

“Yes, I saw how well you were able to walk down those stairs,” Lucifer retorted sarcastically and tightened his hold on you.

You only huffed and pouted, but that didn’t seem to deter him in the slightest. Soon enough, the main entrance opened and a cold breeze hit you, causing you to flinch, and you buried yourself further into his chest.

“Forgot your jacket somewhere, hm?” he concluded, setting you down carefully, making sure you were at least somewhat steady on your own feet before withdrawing his touch to take off his coat. With a confused look, you observed his actions, barely able to hold yourself upright, whether it was still due to your exhausted and weakened state or due to what almost felt like Lucifer fussing over you, you were not certain. Before you knew it, the warm and heavy fabric was wrapped tightly around your body, and then you were swiftly lifted back up.

“H-hey!” you protested. “You can't just give me your coat! What about you? Won’t you get cold?”

Lucifer's shoulders heaved with a deep sigh.

“You need not concern yourself with me, I will be fine,” he said and you could practically hear how he rolled his eyes.

It was silent aside from the sound of the gravel beneath his shoes as he carried you towards the House of Lamentation. When he stepped through the door, you expected him to set you down so you could go to your room. But instead, he walked up the stairs.

“What? That's- that's not the way to my room,” you exclaimed, shifting in his hold.

“That is correct, yes,” he replied easily, holding you securely and continuing his ascent, undeterred by your confusion. Maneuvering the door to his room open, he entered and placed on his large, pristine bed.

“I don't understand…” you muttered as you shrugged off his coat and made yourself more comfortable, leaning against the headboard.

With a furrowed brow, you watched Lucifer stride towards a cabinet and look through it.

“You will be staying with me for now. You are foolish if you believe that I will let you out of my sight anytime soon.”

Those words stunned you and you didn't know whether you should feel annoyed, intimidated, or flattered. Perhaps it was a mix between the three.

Finally, he found what he had been searching for, returning to your side with a small vial that contained a shimmery blue liquid and sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“I'm assuming you have not eaten a sufficient amount lately, am I correct?” he asked, his expression not giving much away as he uncorked the vial and held it out towards you.

“This will replenish your energy and hold you over for a bit,” he explained once you tentatively took it from him. “I want you to drink this and then sleep. After you've had some rest, I will make sure to prepare you a nourishing meal.”

“Do I really have to drink that?”

“I will not force you to, though I highly recommend you do; you will feel better afterwards. So be good for me and drink it, alright?” he spoke, smirking a little.

At that, your face flushed and you huffed, “D-don't talk to me like that!”

“My apologies,” he chuckled, his eyes glinting with amusement, “but I simply can't resist making you blush. You do look rather endearing when you're flustered.”

You looked up defiantly, fixing him with a mild glare as you chugged the potion with a grimace. Lucifer quirked a brow and eyed you closely, a fond, barely there smile playing around his lips.

“That wasn't so hard now, was it?” He took the vial back and set it aside, leaning against his desk with crossed arms, watching you.

“It absolutely was,” you shuddered in disgust at the aftertaste. A pleasant warm feeling spread rapidly through your body and you did feel slightly better, albeit still terribly exhausted, and you couldn't help but yawn.

“What about you, though? Where will you sleep?” you questioned, sinking into the soft mattress nonetheless.

“My bed is more than big enough for two people,” he pointed out. “Plus, I do not typically sleep during the day. There is paperwork that needs to be done. However, I will not return to RAD today. I will take care of everything from my desk, to make sure you're actually doing as you're told.”

He gave you a stern look before walking to his table to busy himself with his work. Except for the scratching of his pen or the shuffling of paper and your steady breaths, it was silent while the time passed. Just when you were about to drift off, Lucifer began speaking in a hushed voice.

“Lord Diavolo, I'm afraid you will have to do without me for today, and tomorrow as well. I have some urgent matters at the House of Lamentation to attend to… It’s nothing for you to be concerned over, I will handle it… If something important comes up, you can of course-… Alright, yes, thank you for understanding…”

Listening to the call made you feel tense, hot shame flooding you. Lucifer, Diavolo’s right-hand man, won’t be able to do his job properly because of you. Because you were unable to keep up with the demands of the Devildom. The spoken words faded into the background as you burrowed yourself further into the mattress, willing yourself to disappear. You hadn’t even noticed that he had hung up until you felt a finger stroking your cheek, wiping away tears. When had you started crying?

“What’s the matter?” he asked quietly; the gentleness in his tone only making you want to hide more.

The mattress dipped and you opened your eyes, seeing him sit on the bed with a frown.

“You’re busy…” you muttered, averting your gaze and fiddling with the edge of the blanket.

“That I am, yes,” he replied slowly, tilting his head in confusion.

“… and I’m keeping you from your work…”

“I see. So that’s what this is about?” Lucifer questioned, his hand moving from your cheek to brush a strand of hair from your face.

Stubbornly avoiding eye contact, you stayed silent. With a heavy sigh, his touch disappeared and he shifted away from you, looking into the distance as if contemplating something. Before you could comprehend what was happening, he had already joined you beneath the covers, the heat of his body seeping into you as he gathered you in his arms.

“I assure you, Lord Diavolo will be able to handle everything without me for two days. Besides, you and your well-being are far more important than any paperwork or meetings with some nobles,” he whispered, pulling you towards his chest and tucking your head under his chin.

“But-” you began.

“No buts,” he cut you off, holding you closer. “I want you to sleep now.”

You wanted to protest, but the way you were nestled against him, enveloped in warmth and a sense of safety, made all your objections vanish into thin air.

“Fine…” you mumbled.

“Good. I will stay here with you until you fall asleep, alright?”

A tired hum was the only response he got from you and he chuckled affectionately, the sound vibrating against your cheek.

“Sleep well,” he breathed, pressing a kiss to your scalp and tracing small circles on your back.

It didn’t take you long to succumb to your exhaustion, and when you woke up a few hours later, you fully expected to be alone - instead, you were surprised to find Lucifer’s presence next to you, now also sleeping. Still in his embrace, you draped an arm across his waist as well, snuggling even closer. He stirred slightly and hummed, sleepily nuzzling your hair. With a smile, you nuzzled his neck in return and drifted off again.

Perhaps you were exactly where you belonged after all.

188 notes · View notes

jayden-writes · 4 months

Text

fragile

pairing: Lucifer x gn!Reader

wordcount: ~1.5k

genre: hurt/comfort, angst

cw: descriptions of an injury (sprained ankle)

summary: When you sprain your ankle, Lucifer doesn't appreciate your attempt at hiding it.

other notes: no name, Y/N or MC used // based on this drawing by @sbmlamb // AO3 // thanks again to @gravedwe11er for helping me so much with this fic!

There was no doubt in your mind that you must have been the clumsiest being in all three realms. Twisting your ankle because you simply tried to keep up with the long strides of a demon? How utterly embarrassing.

Gritting your teeth, you kept following the brother that was escorting you back to the House of Lamentation today - Satan. It seemed as though he hadn't noticed the way you were falling behind or your minor accident at all, being too engrossed in his rant about something Lucifer had done.

Despite the mixture of pain and numbness radiating up your lower leg, you managed to catch up with him, maintaining a mostly normal expression and a steady gait. Turning his head towards you, the anger drained from his features as he observed you. He took in your carefully masked suffering and how your shoulders were heaving with the effort it had required to get back to him.

“I'm sorry,” he said, slowing his pace and giving you a worried glance, “I hadn’t realized that I was too fast for you. Are you alright? It looks like you’re in pain.”

Cursing yourself internally, you racked your brain for a believable excuse.

“I… uhm… I just have a stitch in my side. No big deal,” you explained, shooting him a reassuring smile.

Satan nodded and visibly relaxed at your words, returning his attention to the path. From that point on, the walk back was spent in comfortable stillness with him occasionally glancing at you. When you reached the mansion and entered, you exhaled a quiet sigh of relief and waved goodbye, heading straight for your room as quickly as you could without putting too much weight on your foot while still walking normally. Finally inside your own space, you hobbled towards your bed, sitting down to take off your shoe and sock, which jostled your ankle, and caused you to hiss in agony. Once it was bare, your eyes widened at the sight of it swollen and bruised.

“Fuck…” you muttered and attempted to move it, which only made the pain worse.

Suddenly, there were knocks on your door, startling you.

“Oi! It’s your turn to make dinner!” called Mammon’s voice out from the other side. Right. Of course. You had completely forgotten about that.

“Give me a moment!” you yelled back and you heard him disappear again.

Sighing, you removed the second shoe too, and slipped into a pair that had a looser fit to reduce the pressure on your foot. Then you limped towards the doorway, biting your tongue to stifle the pained whimpers threatening to escape you, and opened it. Peering outside, you looked to your left and right, checking whether someone was around. Satisfied at not seeing anybody, you stepped out and silently shut the door behind you. Making your way to the kitchen, you put as little strain as possible on the ankle.

Aside from being embarrassed about your clumsiness, you also didn’t want them to worry about you or for them to start treating you as if you were a fragile thing. You weren’t. You really weren’t. You were a human and they were demons. Surely, you would be able to handle this just fine on your own, and wouldn't have to rely on one of the brothers.

It took you almost twice as long as usual to get to the kitchen, but once you did, you immediately started gathering all of the supplies you needed to prepare the meal. Still, you stayed vigilant, closely listening for any noises so you’d know when to stop limping.

What you hadn’t accounted for, however, was the practiced silence of Lucifer’s steps. You didn’t hear him arrive, rather, you felt his presence, the way his crimson gaze burned into your back. It made the hairs on your neck stand up and you whipped around to see him leaning against the doorframe, his eyes narrowed and fixed on you.

“And what exactly,” he drawled, pushing himself off the frame to saunter towards you, “do you think you’re doing?”

“Cooking dinner…?” you replied hesitantly, although it sounded more like a question than an answer. His tall figure loomed over you, and you tried your best to maintain a casual position that kept your weight off your foot.

“Is that so?” he hummed thoughtfully, scrutinizing you. “What made you think that this was a good idea in your current state?”

“Huh? Come again?”

“You are hurt, are you not?” Lucifer’s voice was calm and collected, in contrast to the displeasure evident on his face.

“I’m not, I’m totally fi-” you began, only to be cut off by him saying your name sharply.

“Do not take me for a fool. Answer me. What made you think walking around with an injury was a good idea?”

“It’s my turn to cook dinner…” was your meek reply, and he simply sighed deeply.

“Seriously. You are incorrigible. I can’t believe you sometimes. Sit down. Now.”

Reluctantly, you obeyed him. He kneeled in front of you, reaching for your ankle, and pulled the shoe off with careful motions that betrayed the ire he was exuding.

“It’s just a bit twisted. I’m sure it’ll be fine by tomorrow, there’s no need to make a big deal out of this,” you mumbled, grimacing as you watched your swollen and bruised foot become visible again.

“Twisted, you say?” Lucifer echoed, his gloved fingers delicately grasping your injured body part as he examined it. At first, it was painful, but soon a soft glow emanated from his hands, providing a cooling sensation that dulled the ache. “It is not twisted. You sprained it, if not worse.”

“Oh…” you responded quietly. “Well, that’s not good, I guess?”

“Not good…” he repeated, shaking his head in disbelief. “That certainly is one way to say it. Especially considering that you have foolishly decided to keep straining it.”

Standing back up, he hooked one arm underneath your knees, wrapping the other around your back to lift you up. Your brain short-circuited for a moment as you were held against Lucifer’s chest. He was already halfway to your room when you managed to recover yourself and glanced up at his face to study his stern expression. Red eyes darted down to meet yours, and you flinched internally at the combination of anger and disappointment swirling in them, swiftly averting your gaze. Once he had entered, he placed you on the bed and made sure to elevate your ankle, then he turned to leave.

“Stay here and do not move. I will return soon,” he said gruffly, and with that, he was gone, leaving you alone. Defeated, you let your head sink into the pillow and stared at the ceiling. Eventually, the door handle was being pushed downwards, and heels clicked across the floor as Lucifer approached you, pulling up a chair to sit on.

“I will perform a quick diagnostic spell. It may cause an odd feeling, just bear with it for a minute,” he informed you matter-of-factly, and you gave an affirming hum, only briefly glancing at him to catch a glimpse of first-aid materials before looking away again. Mumbling some words under his breath, he grazed his fingertips over the swollen flesh, the leather of his gloves barely touching your skin. It was silent for a while and your foot prickled until he withdrew his touch.

“You are lucky. Nothing is broken, however, one of the ligaments is partially torn,” Lucifer explained plainly. “You will have to stay in bed and rest for at least a week.”

“A week?!” you exclaimed indignantly, propping yourself up on your elbows to look at him. “You can’t be serious! What about RAD? I have a presentation in two days!”

He huffed in annoyance and shot you a glare, taking out bandages.

“You have two options: either you will stay in bed voluntarily or I will have you tied to it. So, what shall it be, hm?”

Without offering a response, you sank back into the bed.

“Good. I’m glad you’re finally being reasonable,” he grumbled and started wrapping your ankle up carefully.

Turning your head away from him, you clenched your jaw tightly when the pain that he had dulled earlier with whatever spell he had used resurfaced temporarily. Lucifer heaved a faint sigh as he took note of your stubborn stillness and your tense posture. As soon as he was done, he put a cold compress on your ankle and sat on the bed next to you, the mattress sinking under his weight. He spoke your name; you didn’t respond.

“Come on now,” he whispered, his voice much gentler now, and he stroked a hand over your hair, “I am simply looking out for you, you know that, right? You are far too reckless with your health.”

“You’re one to talk,” you retorted, and pouted, but you turned your gaze back towards him, observing his softened expression as he hovered over you.

“Don’t deflect,” he chuckled, and cupped your cheek, leaning down to press a kiss to your forehead. “I will make up for it, alright? I am going to keep you company. Does that sound agreeable to you?”

“Fine…” you breathed.

“That’s my good human,” Lucifer cooed, tilting your face up to brush his lips against yours. “Now, rest.”

534 notes · View notes

jayden-writes · 5 months

Text

respite

pairing: Lucifer x gn!Reader

wordcount: ~0.8k

genre: fluff

cw: none!

summary: a serene evening with Lucifer

other notes: no name, Y/N or MC used // based on this drawing I commissioned from @stulili // AO3 // thanks again to @gravedwe11er for helping me so much with this fic!

“Come on now. Don't be shy,” Lucifer said, his hand stretched out towards you expectantly, a soft melody filling his bedroom. It was rather late in the evening and you had spent most of the day with him, taking advantage of the fact that he had taken a day off - for the first time in who knows how long; he was wearing those sweatpants you had gotten him once half as a joke, even if only in the privacy of his room.

“You know I can't dance and I don't want to step on you,” you rebuffed him, but he refused to be deterred by that.

“I am perfectly capable of leading you. Besides, I assure you that I can handle a few missteps here and there,” he pointed out while he watched you, his expression and posture relaxed. A satisfied smile tugged on the corners of his lips when you eventually relented, and he guided your palm up to press a kiss on your skin, causing your cheeks to heat up. He settled his free hand possessively on your waist, and you rested yours on his upper arm, keeping a small, yet comfortable distance. Both of your socked feet were moving silently, and your eyes were fixed on the wooden floor as you struggled to keep up and at the same time not step on him.

“My eyes are up here, dear,” he teased you after a few minutes of silence and slow movements - his were practiced and cadenced, yours were clumsy.

“Well, I don’t want to step on you”, you reiterated, feeling embarrassed by the obvious difference in skill between you and him.

“You won’t,” he reassured you softly, “at least try not to look down so much and relax, just exist in this moment and let go. You will do fine, I promise.”

You huffed quietly and kept staring at the ground, your brow furrowed with the effort of not misstepping. Without a warning, he snaked his arm around your waist until his palm came to rest on your lower back and he carefully, but assertively, pulled you closer to him. For a second, your already unpracticed steps faltered, though miraculously, you didn’t tread on his feet. Out of instinct, you wrapped an arm around his torso to steady yourself and he continued to guide you, unperturbed by your blunder.

“H-Hey!” you stammered. At that, he chuckled affectionately, thoroughly enjoying having caught you off guard. He nuzzled your hair with his nose, his breaths gently tickling the top of your head and you shuddered a little, goosebumps forming on your skin. Being pressed flush against Lucifer allowed you to feel the rise and fall of his chest, the familiar heat of his body seeping into you. With your ear resting right above his steadily beating heart, you finally let yourself relax a bit more and trust in him.

He led you a bit longer until gradually, he became slower, coming to a stop, and the two of you simply stood in the room, holding each other. Lucifer let go of your hand and cupped your cheek instead, tipping your face upward to meet his gaze.

“I love you,” he whispered into the small space between you, his garnet-red eyes brimming with warmth as he regarded you tenderly and you felt butterflies fluttering in your stomach. No matter how many times you had heard these words from him, it still made your pulse race and your knees weak.

“And I love you,” you muttered in response, closing the remaining distance. When his warm lips met yours, he tightened his grip on you marginally, pressing you even closer as if he never wanted to let you go and you let him, melting into Lucifer’s all-encompassing embrace.

After a few moments you pulled away, needing to catch your breath, and he used the opportunity to press light kisses on the corner of your mouth, cheek and temple, making you giggle. He laughed faintly, placing his lips on your forehead, then he withdrew, taking your hands in his and kissing your knuckles as well. The flush on your face grew more pronounced and you sheepishly averted your gaze.

“Now, now, none of that,” he murmured, tilting your head back towards him with a delicate grasp on your jaw. “There you go, that’s better.”

Lucifer looked at you, his eyes crinkling as he smiled fondly, pecking your heated cheek once again before pulling you with him to his bed. Lying on the mattress, he tugged on your hand until you laid down next to him, and almost like it was second nature to him, he wrapped his arms around you to draw your body closer to his. You nestled your face into the crook of his neck, the skin cool against your blush.

He hummed contentedly, tucking your head underneath his chin while he held you securely, tangling his legs with yours; there was no way you could move away, even if you wanted to.

There was nowhere else you’d rather be.

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jayden-writes · 6 months

Text

poisoned

pairing: none

main protagonists: Lucifer, Diavolo, gn!Reader

word count: ~3k

genre: hurt/comfort (more hurt than comfort), angst, whump

cw: near death experience (please do tell me if there's something else that needs a cw!)

summary: Not everyone approves of Lord Diavolo's exchange program.

other notes: no name, Y/N or MC used // AO3 // thanks again to @gravedwe11er for helping me so much with this fic!

There was a certain tension in the air during the banquet Lord Diavolo hosted to celebrate the beginning of the exchange program; while everyone smiled politely or at least held carefully neutral expressions on their faces, nothing could hide the blatant disdain in some of their eyes. You tried not to be affected by the stares burning into your back, but it was difficult. It had been a mere week since you’d been transported into the Devildom and you were still adjusting to the new environment. To say that you were struggling would have been an understatement - you were surrounded by immortal and potentially dangerous beings, constantly reminded of your fragility and insignificance in comparison to them. Living in the House of Lamentation with the Avatars of Sin wasn’t without stress either, you were always subjected to their eccentric behaviors and arguments.

An unexpected touch on your shoulder nearly made you yelp, and you bit your tongue to stifle the sound. Heart throbbing in your chest, you turned towards whoever had touched you and tentative relief washed over you when you recognized Asmodeus.

“You look ravishing, darling,” he cooed, linking his arm with yours, “well, not quite as ravishing as me, of course, but that’s to be expected.”

He gracefully led you to the tables, talking about how stunning your outfit was - he had picked it out himself - as he walked, while you stayed silent, too focused on not accidentally tripping over your own feet and embarrassing yourself in front of what was probably the majority of Devildom’s aristocracy. The guests were taking their assigned seats one by one and to your horror, you noticed Asmodeus was deliberately walking you to the seating places of Lucifer, Lord Diavolo, and the Purgatory Hall group - a single free spot was between the two demons.

“No, no no no, you can’t be serious,” you whispered to Asmo, hoping the people around you didn’t have such superior hearing that they would be able to make out your words. “They're all going to stare at me! They already are! Why don’t you sit there in my stead, you want to be in the spotlight, don’t you?”

The Avatar of Lust giggled and pulled the chair out, helping you get seated, then he leaned down to murmur into your ear, “As much as I would like that, you’re supposed to be the star of today’s evening, my dear.”

Giving you a wink, he withdrew and sauntered over to the opposite side of the long table, leaving you stuck amidst the prince and the eldest of the brothers. You could feel Lucifer’s critical gaze on you, however, you refused to look at him, opting to watch the attendees instead, being careful not to establish eye contact with anyone. After just a short moment, Lord Diavolo said your name cheerfully, redirecting your attention to him.

“Ah, I can’t wait to officially introduce you to everybody,” he beamed, and it took all of your willpower not to jump out of your seat and run out.

“Yeah… me neither…” you mumbled, shoulders sagging in defeat.

Lucifer cleared his throat, and you shifted your face towards him before he smoothly remarked, “I’m sure you will do perfectly fine and behave appropriately, won’t you?”

Swallowing hard, you promptly corrected your posture, sitting up straight again. His eyes were piercing through yours until you swiftly averted your gaze, this time letting it settle on the plate and cutlery in front of you. Someone from behind you poured an odd-looking liquid into your glass and you eyed it suspiciously. It didn’t look like any beverage you’ve ever had in your realm, so you assumed it was demonus. Nervously watching the others take their glasses, you decided to follow suit, grasping the fragile object with your shaking hands.

As you watched the cloudy white fluid sloshing around, a jarring, ominous feeling swept over you. Everything inside you screamed to put the drink aside, not to consume it, but you ignored your instinct, attributing it to you simply being hyper-vigilant and nervous. You bit the bullet and brought it to your lips, tilting it back and gulping it down in one go before placing it on the wooden surface. Embarrassment burned on your cheeks once you saw everybody was drinking theirs slowly. Even so, you were unable to dwell on that further once the flavor hit you and you barely managed to avoid grimacing; it was pleasantly sweet at first, though eventually there came a nauseating aftertaste burning in your throat. It made your eyes water and you rapidly blinked, trying to rid yourself of the tears. Out of nowhere, a terrifying thought popped into your head: what if your drink had been poisoned? As abruptly as this notion had crossed your mind, you quickly shook it off when, after a bit, the taste dissipated. Who would be so bold to try to poison you, the prized human exchange student, at an event hosted by Lord Diavolo himself while you were quite literally sitting next to him?

Exhaling a shaky breath, you focused on the prince beside you who started addressing the guests with a speech. You were unable to understand his words; a loud rushing in your ears drowned all the noises out and your pulse was thumping in your throat. Confused by the abrupt onset of physical symptoms of anxiety, you took slow, deep breaths, knowing it would be over sooner or later. You nodded slightly whenever it seemed appropriate based on Lord Diavolo's body language and whatever snippets of sentences you picked up on to look like you were listening. It took a while, but when he was finally done, he smiled at you and you reciprocated, even if you weren’t sure exactly how forced it looked. He stood up along with everyone else, the attendees gradually mingling with each other again. It was obvious what was going to happen now; he would begin introducing you to the various important people of this realm. Anxiously, you rose as well, a wave of heat coursing through your body as you did so, feeling your legs wobble under your weight and your heart rate spiking. Looking around yourself, you noticed that your vision was hazy, yet you could still feel demons staring at you and hear their snickering. Turning back towards Lord Diavolo who was standing in front of you, you attempted to make out what he was saying; your efforts, however, were fruitless.

“Fresh air”, you managed to choke out, “I’ll get some fresh air.”

With that you spun on your heel, leaving the hall and ignoring all the voices surrounding you that were increasing in volume, but remained abstruse and unintelligible to you. All of a sudden, a person blocked your path and you were able to hazily make out red eyes, narrowing dangerously at you. Disregarding their presence completely, you pushed past them, continuing your way out. By the time you were alone, in a quiet hallway, you were wondering how you had been able to walk at all, your knees threatening to buckle at any moment. Still, you moved on, steadying yourself against the walls with one arm. The contrasting silence made you more aware of how noisy the whirring in your ears was, and how ragged your breathing had become as the heat in your body intensified. Head spinning, you stumbled through the hallways, having no idea where you were; you could have been in the castle’s dungeons for all you knew.

Despite the fog in your mind, you began to realize this was not anxiety; it had to be something entirely different. You faintly remembered the drink you had been served earlier - had it been just a few minutes since then or hours? Did someone actually poison you?

Before you could ponder on that question any further, pain exploded in your torso, making you clutch your chest and sending you falling to the ground. Unable to get up or even call for help, you could only clench your teeth while your breaths came in bursts, tears pooling in your eyes. The floor underneath you was blissfully cold as you ended up lying motionless on your side, almost paralyzed by the pain.

After some time, black dress shoes appeared in your view; their wearer quickly knelt next to you, and a gloved hand reached out towards you. When you let out a startled yelp, it temporarily paused in the air, then resumed its movements. The muddled shushing sounds did nothing to ease your fear, and the two fingers pressing against your neck didn’t either. Your pulse was pounding beneath the warm leather of the gloves and you could hear indistinct words, loosely resembling curses. The hand disappeared for a moment before it gently nudged your shoulder, coaxing you into rolling on your back. Someone was hovering over you, but all you could make out was the blurry silhouette of what you assumed must have been a demon. Whether they were here to finish their job or not, you did not know, and you were too weak to defend yourself.

Suddenly, the fingers - now bare - brushed over your face, the touch cool on your heated cheeks. Not able to stop yourself you whined, pushing up into the hand, not caring about the potential intentions they had. Soon, a second hand joined, mirroring the actions of the other, providing you with relief. However, it was short-lived; murmured, unfamiliar words that resonated with power filled your ears, and a strange pulling sensation emanated from the fingers on you. It was as if, somehow, it was reaching into your body, your soul, searching for something. You felt like your insides were being set on fire and it was trying to eat its way out of you, breaching through each and every cell. All you could do was cry out and sob, hot tears scorching your skin. The person wiped away the incessant tears, but they didn’t cease what they were doing, and you were certain that they truly were there to kill you.

Slowly, your vision became less blurred and you were able to make out a vaguely familiar face gazing down at you, red eyes that had glared at you with discontent previously were now a mix of concern and anger.

“… L-Lu… cifer…?” you managed to slur, tongue heavy in your mouth and pain clawing relentlessly at you. The demon you presumed to be Lucifer responded, but you were unable to comprehend even a single word.

“S-stop, please, please m-make it stop,” you pleaded with him while you were gasping for air. He held your gaze as you begged for mercy and the intensity in his demeanor seemed to subside. The grip on your cheeks softened and the overwhelming sensations eased. Your sight and hearing cleared further and eventually, you identified Lucifer to be the one kneeling by your side. Before you could say anything, however, a hand moved from your cheek to your brow, covering your eyes as well.

“Sleep,” was the first thing you were able to hear - and also the last, then you were plunged into darkness.

As you came to, you found yourself lying on a soft surface, slightly propped up, and a light fabric was draped over your body. Gradually, you regained awareness of your surroundings; you could feel the way your clothes were clinging to you, and just how drained you were. Some distance away, there were hushed voices, seemingly arguing with one another, and you could make out a couple of fragmented sentences from one person.

“… all due respect, my lord… warned you… you were naive to… the human… everything at risk… lucky that nothing…”

You blinked your eyes open, taking in the room blearily before your gaze landed on two people - a guilty-looking Lord Diavolo and an angry Lucifer. And as if the latter had a sixth sense, his head immediately snapped towards you and the argument ceased. The men promptly strode over to you, Lucifer sitting on the chair right next to the bed you were resting on, while Lord Diavolo stood in the background, his lips pressed into a thin line.

Lucifer's hand grazed over your forehead, brushing strands of hair that were sticking to the skin aside, feeling the lingering heat radiating off you. His fingers then went to your neck, checking your pulse once more. It was eerily silent as he attentively assessed your condition, and you felt awfully tired. Your body was aching; all you wanted was to return to blissful unconsciousness. But as soon as you closed your eyes, fingertips tapped insistently on your cheek until you opened them again with a groan.

“You must stay awake for now,” Lucifer asserted firmly. “Tell me, how are you feeling?”

“I'm alive,” you muttered hoarsely. He let out a long-suffering sigh at that while Lord Diavolo tensed up even more.

“Evidently, you are well enough to joke around. I suppose that is a good sign. Nevertheless - and I can not overemphasize this - you did nearly die. Consider yourself lucky that I found you when I did. A few minutes later and you would have succumbed to the poison.”

Reclining in the chair, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and fixed you with an appraising gaze. You attempted to sit up, but the pain shooting through you and Lucifer’s scowl made you lie back down. Finally, Lord Diavolo stepped closer to you and you observed his strained expression; you had never seen him like that before, and you almost felt bad about getting poisoned at his banquet.

“I’m terribly sorry that this has happened. Please accept my sincerest apologies and the assurance that nothing of this sort will ever occur again,” his voice sounded subdued and quiet.

“It’s not your fault, Lord Diavolo, you couldn’t have known.”

“He did know. I warned him that this could happen and yet, he refused to listen to me”, Lucifer huffed.

“Maybe because you always assume that the worst will happen, and then it never does. Well, this time it did, but-”

“I beg your pardon?” he halted your thoughtless retort with an indignant glare, making you shut up instantly. “As you should have noticed by now, not assuming that the worst could happen at all times is what will get you killed in the Devildom. I am merely trying to keep you alive, although you seem all but keen on seeking your death here with the amount of trouble you have managed to find yourself in since your arrival.”

Lucifer shook his head and sighed heavily before standing up.

“I have matters to attend to. Namely, finding the culprit”, he stated calmly as he walked towards the door. “Lord Diavolo, we will continue our conversation at a later time.”

With the Avatar of Pride out of the room, Lord Diavolo took the seat. His eyes were everywhere but on you while he was wringing his hands.

“Lord Dia-” you began, only to be interrupted by him.

“No. Please, just call me Diavolo,” he uttered, now looking at you. “I’ve put you in grievous danger because I believed no one would dare harm you on the castle’s premises. It was foolish of me to think that, and I must apologize for the distress I inadvertently caused you.”

“But you didn’t mean to, Diavolo. I’m not mad at you,” you explained and you tried sitting up again to be more at eye level with him. He quickly steadied you and helped you lean against the headboard. Pained whimpers bubbled in your throat and you clenched your jaw to suppress them as you shifted your position - you didn't want to make him feel even worse. However, it didn’t escape his notice and he sat on the edge of the bed, keeping a hold of your upper arms. His touch was cautious, as if he was scared of hurting you further. The prince looked at you for a moment before he moved his hands to your shoulders, his thumbs lightly stroking over them in a comforting manner.

“Seeing you like that… unconscious, barely holding onto life while Lucifer brought you back from the brink…” Diavolo finally said, his voice cracking.“It made me realize how frail you truly are. And… that I wish to get to know you properly. I don’t want to waste any more precious time, not when a human’s life is so short and delicate. And I promise you, from now on I will do better in ensuring your safety.”

The serious look on Diavolo's face was dizzying, so you simply nodded slowly. Just as he was about to speak again, Barbatos entered, carrying a tray with a steaming cup of tea.

“Ah. I see you have regained consciousness. How are you feeling?” asked the butler.

“I'm doing alright,” you replied easily. Diavolo tightened his grip on you a little, almost imperceptibly so, no doubt having recognized your lie. Giving you a lenient smile, Barbatos set the tray on the nightstand next to you.

“You will be alright. Eventually,” he spoke, his words heavy with meaning, before bowing and exiting the room, leaving you alone with Diavolo. With his hands still resting comfortingly on your shoulders, he frowned as he watched his butler leave.

Not wanting to further aggravate the ache that was plaguing your body, you suppressed the urge to shake your head. 51 weeks left. You just had to make it through 51 more weeks.

#jayden-writes #obey me #obey me shall we date #omswd #obey me fanfic #obey me fanfiction #obey me lucifer #obey me diavolo #obey me lucifer fanfiction #obey me diavolo fanfiction #obey me angst #obey me hurt/comfort #obey me whump #reader #gender neutral reader #no y/n #no gendered pronouns #gender neutral mc

201 notes · View notes

jayden-writes · 10 months

Text

ab irato

pairing: Lucifer x gn!Reader

word count: ~3.5k

genre: hurt/comfort, angst

cw: mental breakdown, self-deprecation, self-harm (not graphic)

summary: When you break under the pressure of keeping up with Devildom curriculum, an unlikely demon comes to your aid.

other notes: no name, Y/N or MC used // AO3 // thanks to @gravedwe11er for helping me so much with this fic!

Too much. Too much. You couldn't breathe. The steady slamming of your fists against your thighs as you were sitting on the edge of your bed did nothing to help you feel grounded. You needed to rip yourself apart, break your body open or the anger would tear through the seams of your being, engulfing you in an inferno and burning you into cinder. Flames were raging in your body, licking at your soul, your heart, your lungs. You wanted to scream until your throat was raw, but you couldn’t make a sound other than ragged attempts at breathing and angry whimpers.

This was going to kill you, you knew it, you could feel yourself decaying in real-time, your head swimming, rushing in your ears and your lungs constricted as your body was slowly being consumed by the fire. Until, out of nowhere, the movement of your fists stilled. It took you a few seconds to realize that there were strong hands clad in black gloves keeping them in place despite your resistance against them. Gradually, the image of Lucifer kneeling in front of you registered in your dazed mind and you met his gaze.

His lips were moving, though you were unable to make out what he was saying amidst the utter chaos in your head, even the expression he was wearing on his face was entirely lost on you. However, you could feel his hands squeezing yours rhythmically in an unsuccessful attempt to ground you. He kept up the effort for a few moments, but eventually he carefully loosened the hold he had on you, only fully letting go once he was sure you wouldn’t continue hitting yourself. Then he left.

As soon as the door had closed behind him a sob tore through your throat and hot tears of shame started running down your cheeks, scorching your skin. You hid your face in your hands and cried, feeling yourself getting more upset than you already were. Of course he wouldn’t want to be around when you were acting like this, what were you expecting? In the five months you had known him he hadn’t been particularly caring or kind towards you - mostly keeping his interactions with you to a bare minimum, only making sure you wouldn’t die during your stay in the Devildom - so obviously he couldn’t be bothered to take care of a human having a pathetic mental breakdown.

You felt the blaze burning even stronger, your fingers quickly moving to your hair, yanking at it desperately, although that brought you no reprieve either. Suddenly the mattress dipped down right next to you and something cold was pressed on the nape of your neck. It was such an abrupt and stark contrast to the conflagration that was raging inside of you that you instinctively tried moving away from it, but an unyielding arm promptly held you in place, forcing you to let the cold seep through your skin and your body. Within a few seconds you became completely still, your hands dropping into your lap. Your lungs ached when they fully expanded again for the first time in what felt like an eternity as you took deep, shuddering breaths while the shock of the icy feeling worked its way through your insides, smothering the flames that had been consuming you. The rushing in your ears ceased and your vision became less blurry. Finally, you could hear yourself crying and the tension in your muscles slowly dissipated. The restraining arm that had been keeping you in place disappeared, but the cold thing on your nape remained.

There were no words spoken as your tears slowly came to a stop and your breathing slowed down, a feeling of exhaustion settling into your bones.

“Why?” you whispered, shifting slightly to face Lucifer without looking him in the eye.

“What exactly do you mean?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as he put his arm down, removing an ice pack from your neck.

“Why are you here? I don’t… I don’t understand. It’s not like I was in physical danger, you could have just… left me alone.”

“Because,” he replied after a few beats of silence, “Lord Diavolo has tasked me with taking care of your well-being, mental and physical alike.”

Your shoulders sagged at that and you turned away from him. Of course he was only doing this because of Lord Diavolo and not because he genuinely cared. How foolish of you, to think otherwise.

“Right…” you muttered, feeling your throat closing up, “you can go then. I’ll be fine, I can handle myself for now.”

Lucifer exhaled heavily as he contemplated his next words.

“I would rather not leave you alone at this time,” his voice was firm, making you scoff.

“Don’t worry, I won’t do anything that would put your oh-so-important exchange program in jeopardy. There’s no need for you to stick around any longer,” you spoke, hurt clearly audible in your voice despite your efforts to mask it with an indifferent tone. His eyes were fixed on you, studying your form for a few seconds before speaking once more.

“That’s not the only reason,” he replied with a sigh. You frowned and turned to him with an incredulous look in your eyes.

“Oh, so now you care?” you asked, voice brimming with bitterness. He let out a short chuckle, mouth twisting into a small, wry smile.

“Whether you believe it or not, watching you suffer brings me no pleasure,” he examined your bewildered expression with amusement for a bit, then his face grew serious again.

“I wish to help you through this, if you would let me. I want you to rely on me, to trust me with your pain,” he reached out an ungloved hand, thumb brushing gently across your cheek as you gaped at him in astonishment. “I will not leave your side, not unless you send me away.”

Lucifer’s gaze carried a small hint of concern and fondness, and you couldn’t remember ever seeing such emotions on his usually well-guarded face. You kept staring at him, not knowing what to say, but the touch of his hand felt nice and soothing and you couldn’t help wanting to accept his offer. With a stifled yawn you leaned into the contact and closed your eyes, allowing yourself to enjoy this moment of tenderness.

“You must be exhausted,” he said in a soft voice, “perhaps it would be best if you rested for some time. I will stay with you - if you are amenable.”

“That would be nice,” you muttered, fatigue taking hold of you. His hand disappeared from your cheek and you opened your eyes again, watching him take off his shoes and coat and lie down on the bed. You followed suit and let your weary body sink into the mattress, keeping a respectful distance from him. Some time later you felt him gently stroking your hair, the touch a steady reminder of his presence.

While you tried to relax and fall asleep, remnants of your emotions caught up with you and your body began shaking, a lump forming in your throat. You didn’t want to cry again, you were so tired of it. But Lucifer, perceptive as ever, paused his movements and you could hear him coming closer to you. His arm moved underneath your neck, holding your shoulder and pulling you towards him. Soon enough your head was lying on his chest and his other arm was resting on your waist. The carefulness of his hold only served to make you feel more raw on the inside, a whimper escaping your mouth against your will as tears started cascading down your cheeks, soaking through the fabric of his clothes. Lucifer remained quiet, tracing patterns on your skin with his fingers as your body shook with sobs and you clung to him, seeking comfort in his steadfast embrace until you calmed down.

It was completely silent aside from his steady breathing and your occasional sniffles and hiccups. He kept caressing your body and eventually you drifted off to sleep.

When you began waking up the following morning you were still too groggy to comprehend your surroundings, though you felt safe and warm and you would have stayed that way forever, but then a deep voice cut through the serenity.

“Did you sleep well?”

Startled, your eyes shot open and the first thing you saw was Lucifer’s face a few inches away from yours as the memories of last night came flooding back.

“You really stayed,” you muttered, genuine surprise in your voice.

“Of course I did, I always stay true to my word,” he easily replied, running a hand through his disheveled hair. You were still wrapped up in his arms, marvelling at the unguarded look on his face. Before you knew it you moved a hand to cup his cheek, fully expecting him to withdraw or get annoyed, but to your amazement he didn't. Instead, he stayed still and gazed at you with a look in his eyes you couldn't identify. It almost mesmerized you; however, you shook yourself out of your reverie and sat up with a heavy sigh. Lucifer kept looking at you, but you stared at your hands that were laying in your lap.

It was silent for a bit as you thought about last night, a grave feeling washing over you the more you ruminated.

“You can go now,” you mumbled, eyes flicking up to look Lucifer in the face.

“Excuse me?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You don’t have to hang around any longer; you did your duty,” you said, a tinge of sadness in your tone.

”Why would I not?”

“Why would you want to stay? Just because you don't enjoy seeing me suffer? Please. I appreciate what you did last night, I really do, but you can now stop pretending that you give a shit.”

“I’m not pre-” he started saying while he sat up, only to be cut off by you.

“Yes, of course you are. I mean- what even am I compared to you? I'm… I’m nothing. Absolutely nothing. I'm weak, there's nothing special about me. I'm just a human,” you kept ranting.

“Don't-”

“And compared to most other humans I'm still pathetic and weak. I freaked out like this over stupid homework. Over homework! And it wasn't even the first time and it won't be the last time either,” you didn't know what you were saying anymore, the words kept coming as you worked yourself into a frenzy, your shoulders heaving as you were breathing heavily.

“Stop-” he tried again to no avail, sounding exasperated.

“I am nothing but a burden and a risk to the program. I shouldn't- I shouldn’t be here! You picked the worst fucking human in existence for this- this important project and now you have to worry about me ruining everything! Why else would you even bother with-”

Out of nowhere your face was grabbed by Lucifer's hands and his lips met yours. He soon pulled away again, looking at you with narrowed eyes.

“I will not have you talking about yourself in such a degrading manner”, he warned you, an angry edge to his voice, “none of what you said is even remotely true and I refuse to stand by idly and let you say such things.”

The kiss and his words stunned you into silence. Your mind was racing, and you didn’t know what to say or what to think.

“Listen to me very closely”, he spoke in a low and commanding tone, his hands still framing your face tightly, “do you truly think I would spend my valuable time with you like this if I only cared about the program?”

“I- I don't know? Probably not…?” you questioned. The weight of his words and actions was slowly beginning to sink in and the doubts in your mind began to dim.

“Precisely. There are no ulterior motives; I have nothing to gain from such actions. I did what I did because I wanted to, that’s all there is to it. Do you understand?”

“I- I think so, yes,” you muttered, the hands holding your face loosening their grasp ever so slowly.

“From now on, I want you to reach out to me any time you begin to feel overwhelmed in this manner. I will not allow you to deal with this by yourself again, am I making myself clear?”

“Yeah, okay. If that’s what you want, then I guess I can do that,” came your not entirely truthful reply as you turned your head away from him to avoid his piercing stare. He sighed and shifted your face back towards him.

“I mean it”, Lucifer emphasized, his voice and expression softer now, “let me be there for you.”

More and more of your doubts were disappearing by the minute, the way he was looking at you made you believe in his sincerity.

“Okay, I will contact you when this happens again, I promise. But… I need to know what changed. Why are you suddenly being so nice to me? And why did you… kiss me?”

For a few seconds, his eyes flickered away, avoiding yours, but he quickly recovered.

“Why? Because I wanted to. I wanted to ease your pain, and I wanted to kiss you,” he answered casually, moving his hand to your chin and brushing a thumb over your lips.

“You can’t kiss someone simply because you want to,” you stated indignantly, face blushing furiously.

“Why not? Are you telling me you did not like it?” Lucifer asked, a smug smile on his face.

“I-It’s not about that!” you exclaimed.

“Ah, but I don’t hear you denying it either.”

“I don’t- I don’t want to be kissed on just a whim,” you huffed.

“I never do anything on ‘just a whim’. You are worth more than that,” his teasing smile became tender as he said that and he moved closer. You felt your pulse beginning to race, pounding in your chest as if it was trying to break out of your ribcage. The emotions that were swirling inside you were overwhelming; there was confusion and irritation, but you also had butterflies in your stomach that were fluttering around wildly, making you feel incredibly flushed.

“W-what are you doing?” you whispered nervously, feeling his breath on your skin.

“Merely showing you how much I meant it, if I may?”

Everything around you felt fuzzy and almost unreal, but you managed to nod. He closed the gap between the two of you, his lips pressing lightly against yours. Compared to the earlier kiss, this one felt much more deliberate and gentle, less of a demand and closer to a request instead. His hand was on the back of your head, fingers stroking through your hair. As you were starting to get entirely lost in the sensation, Lucifer pulled away, leaving you dazed and breathless. He removed his hands from your face and gave you a little bit of space while you tried to regain your composure.

There was a genuine, pleased smile on his face when he was looking at you and it only made you blush harder. Your heart was still beating way too fast, and the whirlwind of emotions inside of you wasn’t letting up either. All you could do was stare at him in disbelief.

“Do you see my point now?” Lucifer asked with a soft chuckle, watching your baffled expression with a mix of amusement and affection. You nodded. Maybe you were imagining it, but you could swear there was the tiniest amount of pink tinting his cheeks.

“Good,” he said, his demeanor growing serious again, “then I believe it would be best if we talked about last night.”

“Ah… is that really necessary?” you muttered in disappointment.

“I understand that this might be uncomfortable for you, but in order for me to be able to help you, to be there for you, I need to know more.”

Sighing deeply you took a few measured breaths, trying to suppress the anxiety that was now taking hold of you once more. You leaned against the headboard, looking away and gathering yourself for a few moments.

“My grades have been falling short of my expectations and I’m having a hard time understanding the topics in class. I- the homework has gotten increasingly harder and I just- I understand less and less with each class I attend,” you explained, your voice quivering slightly, “I thought it would get easier with time, that I’d be able to comprehend everything, o-or at least more, but no. It’s only getting worse and I- I feel so frustrated and angry. And when I was doing homework last night, I guess I just- I just snapped. I’ve been struggling with other homework and assignments since I got here, but it hasn’t been this bad in- in a while.”

Closing your eyes you took more deliberate breaths to try and calm the emotions bubbling in your chest. You heard Lucifer move, his body settling next to you as he put a comforting hand over yours.

“I-it’s always been like that, I guess. I get overwhelmed with something and I-I freak out, I don’t even know why. It’s stupid and embarrassing,” you finished off your explanation quietly, trying to resist the urge to deprecate yourself further because you knew it would only make him upset again.

“How often does this happen?” he questioned, rubbing a thumb over the back of your hand.

“Oh… uhm, not that often, I guess?” You gave back anxiously.

“How often?” he pressed again.

“Ever since I got here maybe… ten times?”

“So, twice a month?”

You opened your eyes and carefully looked at him, taking in his frown before shaking your head, causing him to narrow his eyes.

“No… in the first four months it only happened three times overall, but this month has been… difficult,” you explained with an uneasy laugh.

“Seven times? This month alone?” he concluded, clearly taken aback.

“Well… maybe? I don’t know for sure, I haven’t exactly kept count.”

“So you’re saying it could have been more than ten times?”

“It could have also been less!” you protested weakly, knowing very well that Lucifer was right in his assumption. One incredulous look from him was enough for you to deflate and sigh heavily.

“Did you have any intentions of ever telling anyone? Or would you have kept on suffering alone had I not found you by pure chance?” he finally asked after a while, his voice stern with a hint of concern.

The way you remained silent, avoiding his gaze, told him all he needed to know. He cursed under his breath, a hand ruffling through his hair. Just when you were about to apologize, he wrapped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you to his chest and holding you in a firm embrace. You let your head rest against him and lazily draped your arm across his waist before you spoke again.

“Being a human here is… difficult, Lucifer. I already feel so vulnerable and the thought of telling this to someone, to a being that is so much more powerful, so much older than I am, is mortifying. I was- I still am scared that something like this will only make you see how weak I actually am.”

He raised a hand to your face, caressing your cheek in a soothing manner.

“I don't consider you weak - quite the opposite, in fact. Bearing the burden of being an exchange student in a foreign place, surrounded by demons, would be a difficult matter for any human. However, it is foolish to carry this weight alone, and if I have a say in it, you never will again,” he assured you, tightening his hold around you, “we can come together however often it is necessary and go over your assignments; I will make sure you understand everything. In turn, I expect you to come to me whenever there is something troubling you.”

“I will, I promise,” you said earnestly. Lucifer hummed appreciatively and you sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, until the alarm of your phone nearly made you jump out of your skin.

“Fuck, I have to get ready,” you mumbled as you untangled yourself from his hold and stood up.

“No need.”

“Huh?” You stopped dead in your tracks, staring at him in confusion.

“I will excuse you from today’s classes,” he explained casually while getting up himself, “and I will tell my brothers to leave you alone, so that you may focus on resting instead. If you need anything, do not hesitate to call me.”

“Thank you for letting me skip RAD, but… I can’t just call you. I know how busy you are, and I don’t want to bother you when you have so little time already.”

“Don’t argue with me on this, I will make time for you. And now, rest. We will talk more in depth later.”

“Okay,” you conceded, watching him leave, “and Lucifer?” He stopped in front of the door and turned around, examining you expectantly.

“Thank you. Really.”

“You are welcome,” he gave you a soft smile and a nod, then he left.

With a content sigh you laid back down and closed your eyes, quickly falling asleep again.

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