Chapter Text
Satan eyes the tome in his hand. It’s an incredibly familiar book, one that managed to entirely turn his life upside down.
The Forbidden Tome of Dum As Airy.
He doesn’t even remember how he acquired it, but it somehow ended up on being the most dangerous thing in his collection.
It caused him to switch bodies with Lucifer after all.
Satan frowns as he thinks back on it, and as his heart begins to flutter once a certain prince enters his mind.
Yes, this tome is a hazard to society. It makes him feel… things.
Lucifer’s crush on Diavolo is stupid, even more so now that it’s affecting him. How was Lucifer able to live with it? Satan has absolutely no idea. As soon as he sees the prince his mind turns to mush, and his heart beats so loud that he can hardly think.
But the solution for it is easy at least.
Just ignore him.
Don’t respond to his texts.
Don’t wave hello back.
Don’t stare into his eyes.
And most importantly, don’t let yourself feel anything towards him.
Satan adheres to these rules, the ones that he has made for himself. It’s effortless, doing nothing, feeling nothing. He’s done it for a majority of his life.
All he needs in order to be happy is a good book, or a cat. Not a person. Not a demon.
Especially not a prince, even if he did have several qualities that Satan admired.
Even if Satan’s life feels incredibly dull without their playful banter.
Yet despite that, Satan presses on.
Diavolo’s absence in his life is new, and takes some adjustment. Although they had known each other for a long time before all of this, something about that entire incident caused their dynamic to warp. And Satan can’t help but feel like he’s changed along with it. He is fine with being alone, but now there is a part of him that no longer wants to be. That hungers for the companionship that he had before.
Satan ignores it.
But other than that the past couple of weeks have run rather smoothly. His life plays out the same. He reads a book, saves all of the cat memes that the prince texts him, studies, blushes when Diavolo sends him yet another coy grin when no one is looking…
Okay, so maybe things are a bit different. But that’s fine. His schedule is the same as it always was, and he still hasn’t said a word to Diavolo since the incident. So it’s all good. Perfect even. Because as long as he has this pattern, as long as he follows those guidelines, then he can pretend that nothing happened.
He can continue to exist as he always has, where everything about his life is simple and boring.
Well, except for the emotion that’s swirling around in his chest. That crush.
But that doesnt matter. It’s not a feeling that belongs to him; any day now it’s going to vanish.
So there’s no reason to panic.
After all, everything is finally back to normal.
~+~+
Satan arrives at the student council meeting on time, as always. Diavolo is already there, but that’s also par for the course.
He takes a deep breath, and prepares himself for the wink that Diavolo is definitely going to give him once he sits down. But nothing happens.
Perhaps it’s a fluke. Maybe Diavolo doesn’t know that he’s arrived yet. So Satan fakes a cough or two for good measure, and even follows through with the appropriate “excuse me.”
But Diavolo still doesn’t acknowledge his presence. He doesn’t even spare him a glance. Satan hates the amount of sheer disappointment that runs through him, and the irritation that simmers in the back of his mind.
Diavolo isn’t supposed to ignore him in return.
The meeting begins, but Satan’s eyes haven’t left Diavolo’s frame.
Look at me!
Diavolo, of course, doesn’t listen to his request. He’s acting as he did before, as he has for over a millennia.
As if Satan means nothing to him.
He should be used to being brushed aside, they’ve never been friends after all. But that was before they swapped bodies.
That was before Diavolo had decided to flirt with him for several months straight.
And even after he was back in his own body, the prince had never stopped, not truly. He had toned it down, and was far more subtle with his affections, but the affection was still there.
It made his heart run rampant.
So Satan ignored him. He created a set of rules, and followed them to a tee.
Diavolo was never supposed to take it to heart.
He was never supposed to give up.
But if that’s the case, then things can truly go back to normal. Diavolo will leave him alone, and he won’t have to deal with him anymore. This should be what he wants. But the prince’s gaze has always made him feel soft and warm. He’s been so used to having it trained on him, to feeling the phantom caress across his body. It made ignoring that fluttery feeling easier, because the prince’s attention was always there to fuel it.
Now there is nothing, and Satan can feel his irritation grow. It doesn't matter that Lucifer’s the one who’s presenting right now. Diavolo should be looking at him instead.
Pay attention to me!
He practically screams it within his mind.
Look at me! Focus on me!
But Diavolo’s gaze doesn't falter. He continues to politely listen to Lucifer’s speech.
Satan should be doing the same, but he feels too annoyed to even attempt it.
Satan frowns, and once he notices the blank notebook in front of him, an idea enters his head. It’s incredibly childish, but Diavolo ignoring him is even more so.
So Satan quietly tears off a strip of paper and rolls it into a ball. When no one is looking, he chucks it at Diavolo’s head.
It’s a perfect hit, but Diavolo doesn’t even flinch.
...That’s fine. Satan has a whole ream of paper after all, and it looks like Lucifer’s speech is going to be a long one.
He throws multiple scraps of paper at Diavolo, some with very angry messages scribbled on them. But the prince isn’t phased, no matter where they land.
It’s annoying, especially since he’s starting to run out of ammunition.
Satan frowns as he rolls up another piece. For some reason, nothing he does seems to stick.
...That’s it.
He doesn’t even bother to hide his smirk as he places the paper ball in his mouth. He chews on it as if it were a piece of gum, and after a minute or two, it’s ready.
He spits it out, and it smacks right into Diavolo’s neck.
The prince’s expression finally seems to shift. For a split second, Satan thinks that he’s won. That Diavolo is finally going to look at him. But instead he asks Lucifer a question, his gaze as firm as ever.
Satan’s had enough.
He pulls up his contacts and sends Diavolo a message, the first one that’s directly from his phone.
Their first true interaction outside of that incident.
Satan: Stop ignoring me.
Diavolo: Oh, are you talking to me now?
Satan: There’s nothing to talk about.
Just stop acting as if I’m not here. It’s weird.Diavolo: So you enjoy it when I look at you?
Satan: Wait. No.
Diavolo: Too late! No takesy backsies!
Satan: Really? Takesy backsies?
What are you, 2?Diavolo: I’m 2 into you ❤️
But before he can respond, Lucifer’s voice rings out.
“Satan, pay attention.”
And this time, he can see the amusement in Diavolo’s eyes when Lucifer reprimands him. He can feel the prince's gaze sweep over him.
It makes him want to purr.
Now that that’s handled with, he can at least pretend to listen to what Lucifer has to say.
That idea lasts for two while minutes, before he feels his phone vibrate. It’s from Diavolo.
Satan opens up the message, and is greeted with a cat meme. This one is of a grey cat with the words ‘I can haz cheezburger?’ written at the top.
It’s hilarious. Satan has to smother his giggles.
“Oh, do you mind telling us what’s so funny, Satan?”
Apparently he wasn’t as subtle as he thought. Not if Lucifer’s calling him out on it. It’s embarrassing. He’s usually a lot more covert.
“I do mind, actually.”
“Then be quiet. Now I have to start all over.”
Various groans are heard throughout the room.
...It looks like they’re going to be here for awhile.
The price looks as nonchalant as ever, his gaze politely fixed on Lucifer as the demon continues his presentation. But Satan knows exactly what his hand is doing underneath the table.
His phone gets another notification. Another cat meme
Satan: Are you trying to get us in trouble?
Diavolo: Did you think that I wouldn’t get back at you for all of those paper balls you threw at me earlier?
Satan: That was different. Lucifer’s going to kill me if we get caught.
Diavolo: You wanted my attention, didn’t you?
Well now you have it. One meme for every single bit of paper that hit me. That is your punishment.Satan: I’m not going down without a fight.
Diavolo: Then what are you waiting for? Come at me.
Fine.
Satan discreetly pulls up the strongest weapon in his phone's arsenal, a photo album full of cute cat pictures.
Let’s see him try to keep his poker face after this.
Satan sends the first one, and hides his grin beneath his hand.
He has texted Diavolo plenty of times before, but it’s the first time that he’s actually gotten to see his reaction. The prince's eyes widen, and an amused expression briefly appears on his face. It quickly morphs into something more neutral, something more appropriate for a student council meeting.
About a minute later, Satan receives another cat meme.
This is probably the best punishment that he’s ever been given. But Diavolo is a fool if he thinks that he’s going to win. Satan has over a terabyte of cat pics saved on his phone after all.
One of them is going to make Diavolo smile.
And that is what they do for the next half an hour. When Lucifer and the others aren’t looking, they subtly text each other cute pictures of kittens and terrible cat jokes. All in order to make the other one crack, to get them in trouble.
It’s incredibly fun, and definitely more entertaining than whatever it is Lucifer is talking about.
...It’s the first time that he’s blatantly never paid attention to the meeting. Normally he’s a lot more well behaved, especially when information is concerned.
So what is he doing?
There’s no reason for this, it should have ended the moment Diavolo texted him back. And yet once again he found himself dragged along on another one of Diavolo’s schemes.
The prince glances down at his phone, at the last cat picture that Satan had sent him, and that blank expression finally cracks. For a brief moment there is a look of pure and utter joy on his face.
Oh.
All of the other smiles that Diavolo’s given him for the past several weeks have been forced, but this one is genuine. And for some reason, it almost looks prettier when he’s seeing it through his own eyes.
Maybe it’s because Lucifer’s existence no longer haunts him. Everything feels lighter now, more real. Not that it didn’t feel real before, but there was always an element of… fakeness to it. Perhaps that’s why Satan became so easily lost, and forgot to actually gather anything that could be used as blackmail.
In the end, he has nothing to show for it. Only a few embarrassing photos of Lucifer that he refuses to make public, and a crush that isn’t his.
Amongst all of the plans that he’s made to get back at Lucifer, that one is definitely his greatest failure. Yet he can’t bring himself to regret it. And although he can’t fathom why, there’s a part of him that knows that Diavolo is to blame.
Hanging out with the prince was the best part of it after all. It’s just a shame that Lucifer’s stupid crush is getting in the way. They could have been friends otherwise.
But maybe, once that feeling finally goes away, he’ll feel less awkward. And they’ll be able to talk like they did before. There’s a part of him that longs for it, especially now that he’s gotten a taste.
“Satan, did you even listen to a word that I said?”
It’s Lucifer, of course it is, and Satan feels more irritated with him then usual.
It’s all his fault.
So why does he have the audacity to look so unaffected? Why is Satan’s life the only one that’s in shambles?
He’s been struggling to keep everything relatively normal, and yet Lucifer acts as if nothing has changed. As if his eyes don’t linger on Solomon’s frame anytime the sorcerer enters the room.
Yes, there is something going on in between them, and Satan still doesn’t know exactly what it is. But the idea of it infuriates him.
Why would Lucifer cheat on Diavolo, especially with Solomon of all people?
And how could he, when his feelings for the prince are this strong?
...Lucifer doesn’t deserve him. Diavolo could do better.
“Oh, were you talking? I’m sorry, I thought I was hearing an ass, I had no idea it was you.”
Lucifer frowns.
“Stop being a smart aleck. This is important.”
Satan rolls his eyes.
“No, I’m sure it is. I just didn’t know donkeys could thrive in the Devildom. You learn something new everyday.”
“...You’re behaving like a child. As a member of the student council, I expect you to—“
But his impending lecture is interrupted by Diavolo
“Ah Lucifer, do you know what that look reminds me of?”
Lucifer lets out an embarrassed cough.
“Lord Diavolo, please, I am trying to—“
“The day we first met. I remember it as if it were yesterday.”
And the look that Diavolo gives Lucifer is incredibly soft and familiar. It's the same one that the prince had shown him time and time again. After every compliment, every caress, he would look at Satan as if he was something important, as if he was something worth treasuring.
But Satan was in Lucifer’s body then, and Lucifer is the one who has always owned Diavolo’s heart.
...It’s probably for the best.
What would the Avatar of Wrath even do with his heart, other than eat it?
Lucifer doesn't even look upset. He appears to be mildly annoyed, if anything, but there’s an unmistakable blush on his cheeks. He sends Diavolo a very half-hearted glare, but the prince just chuckles. And for some reason that entire exchange makes Satan feel sick.
His gaze wanders elsewhere, looking at the ceiling, the drapes, anything but the two love birds in front of him.
Diavolo continues his story, not even bothering to hide who he’s gushing over.
“Lucifer, when I first saw you, I wasn’t even paying attention to what you said. I was too captivated by that glare, one that shook me to my very core. Dozens and dozens of complaints left your lips, but it didn’t bother me in the slightest. For you see, every ounce of disdain that passed through those very lips only made me become more and more besotted—”
And, like always, Lucifer stops him.
“This meeting is adjourned.”
Yes, nothing has changed. Diavolo is head over heels for Lucifer, and Satan is left alone.
...So why was the prince texting him?
Why did he spend the past several weeks practically begging for his attention?
He spares a quick glance at Diavolo, and as it turns out the prince had a similar idea. Their eyes meet, and he throws Satan a wink. As if nothing had happened.
Was that on purpose then?
Was it all just a ruse in order to divert Lucifer’s attention?
Or did it mean something else?
It’s hard to say.
Diavolo is like a puzzle, one that Satan still hasn’t quite put together yet. And from the bits and pieces that he’s collected, he knows one thing to be true.
Diavolo is an incredibly kind demon, but he can also be a little shit at times.
The main question is, which one is he being right now?
Not that it matters. The meeting is over, and Satan can finally leave. His heart is still acting strange, and his mind isn’t faring any better. A curse shouldn’t have affected him this badly… and yet here he is.
He needs to burn that tome as soon as he can. Even though that won’t solve anything, it’ll at least be satisfying. He’s never wanted to destroy a book, to watch its pages crumble and burn, but for this tome he can make an exception. Maybe he can murder whoever he got it from too.
He’s starting to feel desperate, pulling at each and every straw that he can grasp. Interacting with Diavolo was a mistake, he should have just continued to ignore him like before.
Even those texts made his stomach feel all fluttery and weird. It makes him want to do even more dumb things; like hold his hand, or lie down on his lap and read a book. Or… both. Could he even do both?
It would be difficult, obviously. He would need both hands in order to hold the book properly… but Diavolo’s hands would be free, and they could be placed right on top of his.
The princes lap would be the perfect location too. Although Satan has never sat in it, it looks incredibly warm and comfortable. In fact—
...What is he doing?
Why is he fantasizing about this?
He can feel the frustration within him begin to grow. How does Lucifer manage?
Satan doesn’t know how the demon is able to get any work done. Or how he can stay so calm.
And Diavolo certainly isn’t helping. The man is almost impossible to ignore. Even when Satan isn’t talking to him, he’s always aware of his presence.
Soon, Satan tells himself time and time again, it’s all going to go away soon.
But it doesn’t. No matter what he does it remains there, burning in the back of his mind.
Repressing it is difficult, the most difficult thing he’s ever done.
He would sooner take his rage over this.
At least anger, in all of its forms, makes sense.
Satan starts to collect his things. A plan begins to formulate in his mind. First, he’ll block Diavolo’s number and then—
Diavolo’s voice rings out across the room,
“Ah, before you all leave, I have a gift!”
The prince snaps his fingers, and seven bookmarks appear on the table.
“To mark the beginning of a new semester! I got one for each of you, so make sure to continue to give it your all!”
No one else comments on it, but Satan catches onto his joke right away.
How cheesy.
Yet he can’t stop his lips from quirking up in amusement. The desire to come up with a retort, to call them remarkable is there, but Satan crushes it.
Mammon is the first to grab one. He flips it over and frowns.
“Ya didn’t even write our names on ‘em!”
Diavolo just laughs.
“You are all a bunch of smart demons, I’m sure you can figure out who is who’s. Besides, the pictures give it away!”
Lucifer lets out an amused snort.
“I assume the peacock is mine then?”
“Of course.”
It isn’t hard for Satan to figure out which one is his. The kitten is a dead giveaway. It’s an incredibly cute bookmark too. The tiny cat on the front of it almost looks like Pumpkin. If Satan closes his eyes, he can almost hear their adorable little mews. But the prince’s laughter echoes in the background of that memory, so he brushes it aside and flips the bookmark over.
Unlike the rest of his brothers, it isn’t blank. He's greeted with a message, one covered in hearts.
If I were a cat, I would spend all nine lives with you.
~ XOXO Dia
Satan’s brain short circuits.
Why did he…?
His heart begins to flutter, and his face turns bright red.
Mammon’s voice tethers him back to the present.
“Yo Satan, you okay?”
His brother leans in closer, to try and get a glimpse at whatever made Satan flush and stiffen up. And once Satan notices the gesture, his blush worsens.
“I’m fine!”
He presses the bookmark up against his chest, and stumbles backwards.
“What are ya being so skittish about? Lemme see!”
“No!”
No one can read this!
How the fuck would he even explain it?
...B-Besides, it’s a message that’s only for him.
So…
“Fuck off!”
“It’s just a bookmark! What’s the big deal?”
And Diavolo has the audacity to laugh.
“Go easy on him Mammon. Besides, I have an important announcement to make!”
That causes everyone to still.
And then Satan notices something, something that had completely slipped his mind while he was distracted.
There’s an extra bookmark on the table, one with a cow on it.
And he isn’t the only one who’s picked up on it.
Beel sounds more excited then he’s been in years.
“Is Belphie coming back?!”
Diavolo nods.
“Belphegor will be returning from his study abroad, and will be joining us this semester. I was hoping to throw him a welcome back party!”
“When will we see him?”
“Tomorrow, if everything goes according to plan.”
And just like that, the room comes alive. The six of them immediately begin to plan everything out.
Belphegor’s been away for an incredibly long time. Satan can’t even remember their last conversation, only that it was a fight. One that thankfully didn’t end in bloodshed.
In truth, he was never all that close with him, not as much as Beel was at least. Yet he still missed him.
They all did.
And now Belphie gets to come back home.
He’s excited about seeing him again, he truly is.
But there’s something else that eats away at him, that dampens that joy.
Diavolo’s handwritten message is ingrained into his head. It makes him feel… strange.
He’ll be happy about Belphegor later.
Right now, he needs answers.
“Diavolo, can we talk?”
“Of course!”
Satan eyes his brothers, who have now turned to look at the two of them with varying states of confusion. And there’s a pause as everyone waits for Satan to speak.
But this is one conversation that they don’t get to overhear, one that Satan wants to keep between him and Diavolo.
“In private.”
The prince nods, and his brothers slowly begin to file out. With the wave of Diavolo’s hand the doors slam shut, and a light wave of magic coats the room.
“There, now no one should be able to listen in on us.
So, what did you want to talk about?”
As if it isn’t obvious.
For some reason Diavolo’s nonchalant attitude is aggravating him. Does he not realize how close they were to being found out?
If any of his brothers had seen it...
Satan slams the bookmark down on the table.
“What is this?”
Diavolo simply raises his brow.
“It’s a bookmark.”
Oh, he thinks he’s being cute.
“I know that! I’m talking about what you wrote on the back.”
“Do you not like it? I was unsure of which one to use, but I suppose I could always pick a different one if you—“
No. The line itself doesn’t matter. Any one of them would have made Satan blush. It’s the fact that he wanted to use one at all, that it was a deliberate choice.
Just what is he playing at?
“Don’t. And I never want to see you pulling another stunt like that again.”
Diavolo smirks.
“Are you sure?”
What kind of question is that?
“Of course I am.”
So why doesn’t he feel confident in saying that?
Why is there a shred of doubt within him, one that’s beginning to grow?
Satan’s life is already a mess, the last thing he needs is for Diavolo’s flirting to add even more things to it.
...He should walk away, before he second guesses himself, before he does something stupid.
But for once in his life, Satan is choosing to completely ignore his head. He’s following his heart, and right now it’s full of an anger that demands some sort of answer.
And he’s not leaving until he gets one.
Diavolo’s hand cups his cheek, jolting his thoughts. Satan never registered how close they were, until now at least. When did they…?
The prince slowly tilts his head towards him so that way their eyes meet. This is dangerous. This is something that he wanted to avoid. Diavolo’s eyes are just as warm and stunning as he remembers. It makes his mind go all hazy.
Diavolo is serious, stern. But all Satan sees is gold.
“Then look me in the eyes when you say that. Tell me that you want absolutely nothing to do with me, and I will leave you alone.”
No. It’s hard to function like this. He can barely string together a sentence. There’s no way he can lie straight to Diavolo’s face.
Because that’s what it would be. He doesn’t know what he wants from Diavolo, from any of this. But despite all of the turmoil within him, there’s one thing that he knows for sure.
He doesn’t want Diavolo to leave him alone.
Eventually he manages to piece together a response. “I…”
Fuck Diavolo’s eyes are pretty. Focus on something else.
His gaze shifts over to the empty space next to Diavolo’s head. That’s better. Safer.
“...I don’t want scribbling things like that on my stuff. Anyone could read it.”
Diavolo giggles, and that sound makes that feeling inside of him grow worse. Satan begins to tense; his entire body is nothing but a coil that’s ready to spring.
He already feels like he’s dangerously close to losing his mind.
Just one more comment from Diavolo and—
“Oh, then would you rather hear it in person?
My dear sweet Satan, even if there wasn’t gravity in the Devildom, I would still fall for you.”
And something inside of him snaps.
It all makes sense now. The bookmark, the flirtatious glances, that coy grin.
Diavolo was taunting him, dangling his victory right in front of his face.
Bastard.
In a wave of fury Satan transforms and shoves Diavolo up against the wall. He pins him in and snarls, “You’re mocking me.”
But Diavolo doesn’t look frightened, or confused.
He merely seems amused; as if Satan simply told him a vaguely funny joke, and isn’t glaring at him with murderous intent while his claws start to tear and ruin his uniform.
Diavolo’s badge falls on the floor. The sound echoes across the room, but Diavolo’s expression doesn’t change. If anything he seems… excited?
How infuriating.
The prince should be shivering in fear. He should be absolutely terrified.
But Diavolo never follows any of his expectations. So instead he remains completely unperturbed, and addresses Satan by raising his brow.
“Oh, how so?”
“You’re shoving your victory in my—“
Diavolo’s hand skims over Satan’s waist, and he tugs him closer, pressing their bodies up against one other. A gasp falls from Satan’s lips.
The prince then softy purrs into his ear, “Are you sure that’s what I want to shove into you?”
Ah.
Satan’s face burns, along with his entire body. He feels hot, far too hot. The anger within him is twisting and churning along with something else.
It’s driving him crazy.
And that look, that half lidded gaze that Diavolo is giving him… it seems to fuel it. Satan isn’t sure what he wants to do. Whether he wants to punch him or kiss him.
The prince waggles his eyebrows, and Satan can definitely feel himself leaning towards the punching bit.
“Are you trying to piss me off on purpose?”
Diavolo chuckles.
“Not on purpose, but I suppose I can’t help but admire the results.”
...The results?
“What are you talking about?”
“Your rage, in all of its forms, is beautiful. How could I be anything other than—“
“Shut up.”
He can’t hear any more. His heart wouldn’t be able to handle it. Nothing about his anger is sexy or appealing. It causes either fear or disgust, not… this. But Diavolo is looking at him as if he’s the most beautiful thing that he’s ever seen. It’s a look that’s a million times warmer than what the prince was showing Lucifer a moment ago. And it’s a look that’s reserved for him alone.
Satan closes his eyes, and attempts to collect himself. But that’s hard, especially when Diavolo begins to fidget and move. It’s a terrible idea, given how close their bodies are. So the only thing it does is create even more friction in between them. Only this friction is physical, and causes the two of them to hiss.
The prince’s grip tightens for a moment, and his voice sounds incredibly strained.
“My dear, unless you plan on doing something about it, you should probably leave.”
Satan growls, “You don’t need to tell me twice,” and finally pulls away. He stalks out of the room; but before he leaves, he makes sure to grab Diavolo’s gift off the table and shove it into his pocket.
~+~+
When Satan enters his room, the first thing he does is grab that tome and burn it.
At long last, The Forbidden Tome of Dum As Airy is no more.
It is satisfying, but not as much as he had hoped. It changes nothing. The damage has already been done, and that feeling is most definitely still there.
Satan pulls the bookmark out of his pocket to destroy it as well, but…
The kitten's face is looking up at him, and all he can see is Pumpkin; Pumpkin and their siblings playing with Diavolo, as the prince laughs and meows along with them.
He flips the bookmark over, and is greeted with the prince’s message.
If I were a cat, I would spend all nine lives with you.
~ XOXO Dia
He signed it off with his nickname, the one that only Satan has ever called him. The multitude of hearts that cover the back of it mimic his own. It’s overflowing with affection, the very affection that Satan felt towards him back then, and the affection that he’s currently feeling right now. He can feel himself begin to blush.
It’s all horribly cliche, and yet Satan can’t get rid of the bookmark that’s in his hands. He doesn’t want to.
He sets it down on his dresser and sighs. This crush is incredibly stupid. Why is it taking so long to go away?
A spellbook in the corner of the room catches his eye, and Satan grins.
I suppose I’ll have to take matters into my own hands.
~+~+
Satan looks at the bookmark and a round of manic laughter leaves his lips.
It took all night and eight cups of coffee, but he finally perfected it.
He was able to complete the ritual, and remove that crush all together. Now there is nothing to interpret or understand. He can live the rest of his life completely stress free.
And the bookmark is proof of that. Now he can look at it and feel absolutely nothing towards Diavolo. The butterflies are completely gone. There’s no softness, no blushing, no warmth. It’s just a cute bookmark with a meaningless pickup line scribbled on the back. It might as well have been from a complete stranger.
He’s never felt more alive, more accomplished.
But the real test still awaits him. Belphegor’s party begins soon, and Diavolo will have no choice but to attend it.
Yet Satan doesn’t feel anxious at all.
He should have cursed himself sooner.
Despite the fact that he’s gotten absolutely no sleep, Satan still manages to arrive on time, not a hair out of place. The first thing he notices is Diavolo, but his heart doesn’t do anything strange or weird.
He feels… normal.
It really did work!
He lets out a sigh of relief, and goes to talk to Belphegor.
His brother is just as he remembered him. A perpetual scowl on his face and a tired look in his eye.
But Satan can see through all of that, they all can.
He’s just as ecstatic as the rest of them.
They were a family before, but now they are reunited.
Now everyone is together.
And Belphegor has a lot of catching up to do.
~+~+
It takes several rounds of drinks, but he finally seems up to speed with everything. At least, that’s what Satan assumes, judging by his laughter.
Diavolo lingers in the corner of his eye, but that’s okay. The curse is still completely operational. Satan doesn’t feel anything. So there’s no need to hide.
He meets Diavolo’s gaze head on.
The prince flashes him a coy grin and a wink, and Satan looks away.
It’s only because he doesn’t want to be caught. The last thing he needs is any of his brothers asking questions about the two of them. That’s all it is.
It has absolutely nothing to do with that crush.
Satan got rid of it.
Still, he’s starting to feel a bit… off. He should probably avoid Diavolo altogether, just to be safe.
The demon seems to thrive off of his attention, and it was a mistake to give him even a smidgen of it. Because now Diavolo refuses to leave him alone.
Throughout the party, Satan can feel his gaze. It lazily roams over him, no matter where he’s at. And Diavolo doesn’t even look ashamed when Satan catches him. Doesn’t he have better things to do? ...Not that it matters, the prince is free to do whatever he wants.
Satan doesn’t care.
Belphegor walks over to him, and Satan remembers why they were throwing this party in the first place.
It’s all for Belphie. And for his younger brother, he will throw all of those doubts aside.
He can worry about whatever’s going on with Diavolo later.
Even though he and Belphegor were never on bad terms, he’s still surprised when Belphegor hugs him.
...It really has been awhile. He had forgotten how cute his little brother used to be.
The two of them chat a bit, and isn’t long before that incident is brought up.
“Mammon told me that you and Lucifer switched bodies.”
Satan nods.
“So what did you do?”
“I mostly stuck around Diavolo.”
Yes, there was a lot of paperwork involved, but most of his time was spent by Diavolo’s side. They chatted, and held one another, and…
It’s unimportant. That’s all in the past.
Belphegor groans.
“Ugh, that sounds like a nightmare. I’m sorry that you had to go through that.”
A nightmare. Satan frowns. Something about that doesn’t sit right with him. In truth, being with Diavolo was amazing. The game that they played with one another was the most fun that Satan’s had in years, and the prince is the only demon capable of beating him.
The aftermath is a mess, but the event itself was an adventure. One that Satan doesn’t regret, despite everything.
“I mean, being in Lucifer’s body sucked, but the other parts weren’t bad.”
“Heh, I would have pulled so many pranks.”
A mischievous grin paints Belphegor’s face, and Satan mirrors it with one of his own.
“Believe me, it was tempting. I got some good pictures out of it though, I’ll text them to you.”
“How embarrassing are they?”
“His face is smothered in whipped cream in one of them.”
“Perfect.”
It had been such a long time, but it’s nice to finally have the Anti Lucifer League back together. The two of them have a lot of pranks to catch up on after all.
This year is going to be fun.
Eventually Belphegor moves on to chat with the others. Beel smothers his twin with a gigantic hug, and the two of them laugh. They probably won’t be moving for a while.
The same, however, cannot be said for Diavolo.
The prince refuses to stay still, and is constantly within Satan’s line of sight. He sends Satan an over the top kissy face, and like before, that expression vanishes as soon as he’s within someone else’s field of vision.
The man is playing with fire, and it’s only a matter of time before he gets burned.
It’s a lot to risk for such a childish game. And Satan refuses to admit that it amuses him. That he enjoys the prince's antics.
It doesn’t affect him anymore. The curse made sure of that. But still…
Watching Diavolo is fun. Especially when he’s in a playful mood.
Satan isn’t sure what expression is on his face right now, but Diavolo seems incredibly pleased with it.
His smile is blinding, and the winks that he throws Satan’s way make him want to laugh.
That ends up being Diavolo’s downfall. Because in the midst of all of that, he had completely forgotten about Barbatos. The prince nearly trips over his butler and knocks over a candelabra.
He hastily tries to fix it, but in doing so he gets tangled up in a bunch of the streamers. The prince falls to the floor with a yelp, and Satan is giggling before he knows it. And, while Diavolo’s on the floor, he grins at Satan and attempts to flirtatiously wave at him. What a dork.
Diavolo then fights with the streamers as he tries to get back up, and that feeling hits him once more.
Satan’s breath hitches, and his heart skips a beat.
The crush is back, and it’s louder than ever.
It’s supposed to be gone!
But now that Satan knows it’s there, it’s all he can think about. It’s the only thing he can feel.
He wants to take Diavolo and—
...He has to get out of here.
Satan turns, and calmly makes his way towards the exit. But Diavolo teleports in front of him, blocking his path.
“Satan, before you leave, I wanted to congratulate you on your performance in your Devildom history class last semester. Once again you received absolutely perfect scores.”
Thump. Thump.
He needs to make this conversation quick.
“There’s really no need—“
“It makes sense after all. It’s easy for a 10/10 to score a 10/10, right?”
Thump. Thump.
Diavolo continues.
“Although I suppose for you that isn’t all that accurate! You are definitely more of an 11/10.”
Thump. Thump.
He has to say something, anything! It doesn’t matter.
He has to leave.
“You too.”
Not that! That doesn’t even make any sense!
Diavolo is similarly confused.
“What?”
“I have to go.”
And with that, Satan pushes him aside and scrambles out of the room.
~+~+
He arrives at his bedroom, and picks up the spell book from before. There’s a warning at the bottom of the page, one that he had neglected to read.
Warning: Can only be used once. Only works on the most superficial of crushes. Otherwise the effect is temporary, with its duration decreasing according to how strong the feeling is.
...It only lasted for half an hour.
How badly does Lucifer like the guy?!
The book begins to crumble in his hands, flames licking away at the pages. Yes, this is all Lucifer’s fault. It’s his crush that is making Satan feel like this. And it’s because of the strength of his feelings that it refuses to go away. It’s torture; far worse then any punishment Lucifer has ever given him.
...Yes, that’s it!
Lucifer is doing this on purpose. He’s getting revenge over all of the dumb pictures that Satan took of him when their bodies were swapped.
Lucifer did suspiciously brush all of that aside. Satan should have realized it sooner.
The sadistic bastard must have been enjoying himself.
Still, Lucifer should have known better than to toy with his feelings. He is the Avatar of Wrath after all, perhaps he should give him a reminder.
Satan laughs.
He’s tired of waiting around.
If this crush isn’t going to go away on his own, then he will make Lucifer take it back.
And if he needs to use force, well…
He’s been wanting to fight Lucifer for a very long time.
~+~+
Finding him is easy. Lucifer practically never leaves his office. So Satan breaks down his door and throws a chair at him. He expects Lucifer to dodge it. That’s what he’s always done.
But this time, he doesn’t. Lucifer lets the attack hit him. The chair slams into the demon’s side, knocking him to the floor. Papers fly everywhere, and there’s a cut on Lucifer’s cheek.
He’s bleeding.
Satan’s mind is blank. He’s never seen Lucifer get hurt before, not since…
...It doesn’t matter.
It’s his fault for not moving out of the way.
This is a sight that should make him happy. Lucifer is on his knees, and Satan stands tall before him.
It’s the very moment that he’s dreamed of; something that he’s wanted from the second he was born.
It would be so easy to crush him, to slam his foot on top of Lucifer’s back over and over again.
But there is no joy to be found in this. And the only thing he feels is the desire to wipe that spec of blood away.
Their eyes meet.
“Do you feel better?”
No.
Fantasy, as it turns out, is incredibly different from reality. Because as often as he’s dreamed of punching Lucifer is the face, in actuality he can’t stand the idea of him getting hurt.
The blood in front of him is proof of that. It makes him feel nauseous.
He hates what Lucifer is, but…
He does not hate the man himself.
Satan’s arm extends towards him before he can stop it.
And although his hand quivers once he notices what he’s done, he doesn’t take it back.
No words are exchanged, but after a moment or two Lucifer accepts it.
Once he’s standing, Satan rips their hands apart.
Lucifer dusts himself off, and wipes the blood away with his thumb.
So… where does this leave them at?
This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.
Lucifer should be annoyed or intimidated by him at least, not doing him a favor.
The audacity of him, letting himself get hurt in order to improve Satan’s mood…
Who even does that?
The anger within him grows.
Lucifer should be mad. He should be lecturing him or stringing him up on the ceiling. But instead he’s doing this. And that’s ruining the dynamic that they’ve had for over a millennia.
They fight. They bicker, taunt, and ignore one another. Satan tries to hurt him, and Lucifer refuses to be harmed.
But now that’s out of the picture.
Because if he ever sees Lucifer bleed again, he might actually vomit.
So what do they do now?
How is Satan supposed to interact with him?
...If he can’t follow through with any of his actions, then he will have to use his words. He hasn’t forgotten his original intention after all. He still needs to get rid of his feelings for Diavolo.
And Lucifer is the reason that they're there.
So Satan closes his eyes, counts to ten, and addresses Lucifer with a snarl.
“Take it back.”
“Take what back?”
“I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never mess with you again. So take your stupid crush back. I don’t want it.”
“I literally have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Satan growls, and resists the urge to wring Lucifer’s neck.
“Don’t play dumb with me!”
Even thinking about Diavolo makes him feel weird. This feeling is far too soft, far too light and happy, to belong to him.
He is a monster. He is wrath itself.
Crushes are foreign to him.
“The warmth, the admiration, the desire; I’ve never felt anything like this until I entered your body.”
It’s still incredibly new. He still doesn’t know how to process it, how to handle the millions of feelings that Diavolo creates just from his smile alone.
No other demon has stirred him up like this.
He had forgotten that he even had a heart, and now he feels it beat every single day.
And it’s all because of the prince, and his dumb eyes, his incredibly pretty hair, his adorable laugh, the way he tries to balance a pen on his nose when he’s bored…
He’s doing it again, isn’t he?
A curse escapes Satan’s lips.
No matter what he does, his thoughts eventually drift towards him. And every single one of them is incredibly mushy and sweet.
“Now every time I see Diavolo it’s the only thing that’s on my damned mind!”
He can’t escape them. He’s spent weeks trying.
Nothing is normal. And lying to himself isn’t going to change that.
That incident, that wretched tome, has ruined everything. Satan’s life was defined by those patterns, by his day to day elements that never changed. Even when their bodies were swapped, he had assumed that he could always go back to it.
But now there is nothing.
His life is never going to be the same.
And that makes him livid.
He growls as he grips Lucifer’s coat.
“Your soft and gushy feelings for him are driving me mad! So take them back!”
Lucifer’s eyes widen, and then he flashes Satan a look of concern.
“Satan, I’ve studied that tome from cover to cover.
It says nothing about transferring over emotions, and even then it doesn’t matter.
I’ve never been in love with Lord Diavolo.”
Love? Who said anything about love?
And how dare he try to deny feeling something for the prince. Satan was there. He was in Lucifer’s place.
He knows all about the bond that they share.
“Don't treat me like I’m Mammon. I know about your special little relationship with him.”
“Relationship? You still think—“
“I don’t know how long the two of you have been intimate for, but I experienced enough—“
“Satan, Lord Diavolo and I have never had any romantic feelings for each other.”
That’s impossible. With everything that the two of them did, all of the dates, the caresses, the—
...the fact that Diavolo knew the entire time.
The prince would never have been able to keep it a secret, not from someone he loved. And Lucifer is so possessive that he probably would have killed Satan on the spot.
But that never happened. So either Lucifer doesn’t know, or he doesn’t care.
And if that’s the case… then they were never together.
No. There has to be another explanation.
“You’re lying.”
“Why would I lie? I have nothing to lose, and I refuse to hide even a single aspect of myself. Trust me, if I was ever in any sort of relationship, you and everyone else in the Devildom would know about it.”
Bold words coming from him. Lucifer lies to himself all the time, and today is no exception.
“What about Solomon?”
It’s subtle, but Satan can see how Lucifer’s shoulders tense.
“...What does he have to do with any of this?”
He has everything to do with it. Lucifer has tried to cover it as up much as he can, but Satan can see right through him. For some inexplicable reason Lucifer looks sad anytime the sorcerer enters the room.
It’s disgusting really, how pathetically he’s pining after him. Especially when he has the prince at his side.
And what a cruel thing to do.
How could he break Diavolo’s heart like that?
“I’m not blind. You stare at him with those dumb puppy eyes when Diavolo is right there!”
Lucifer’s composed visage cracks, and he lets out a growl.
“There are no puppy eyes.”
He pauses to take a deep breath. It’s amazing; how easily he’s able to calm himself down.
Satan can’t relate.
Lucifer pinches the bridge of his nose in irritation. He sounds incredibly tired, as if this is a conversation that they’ve already had before.
“Lord Diavolo means nothing to me.”
“So what, you’re breaking up with him?”
If that’s the case, then Lucifer has terrible taste in men.
Who would pick Solomon over him?
Diavolo is clearly the better choice. Everything about him is perfect… for the most part.
He is a demon worth holding onto.
“Satan, I can't break up with him because we were never together.”
No. That’s impossible.
If they were never together, then...
Lucifer continues.
“Lord Diavolo and I have never shared an intimate moment with one another. He has only ever paid me incredibly embarrassing compliments.”
The concern is there once more. Satan hates it.
“...What did he do to you?”
“Nothing.”
But that’s part of the problem, isn’t it?
Maybe if he had just caved in, if he had just kissed Diavolo every time the desire popped up, then maybe this stupid crush wouldn’t be consuming his every thought. Maybe then it would have been easier to manage.
Satan sighs. “This is nothing. I just haven’t found the right spell to get rid of it yet—“
“Satan.”
Lucifer places a hand on his shoulder, and Satan feels incredibly confused. They don’t… do this. Those gestures of familiarity occur between him and his brothers. Lucifer never touches him, unless it’s to scold him. They have never been close enough, open enough, with one another to warrant this kind of affection. But for some reason Satan doesn’t feel disgusted by it, and he doesn’t want to pull away.
Ah, they are going to have to handle this like adults, aren’t they? No fighting, no childish fits. They are past that now. And the idea of trying to fight one another brings back bad memories, of a terrible curse that managed to change their entire lives, and of a bloodstained cheek.
Perhaps Lucifer isn’t as unaffected by it as Satan thought. Lucifer has always excelled at hiding his emotions. His pride is far too great to allow for things like compassion or love. So he masks it all with that pompous smirk. And now, whenever Solomon enters the room, he struggles to keep it on.
Whether Lucifer likes it or not, his life has been changed too.
...It’s strange. That entire incident has created somewhat of a bridge between the two of them. After all, no one else can understand what it’s like to switch bodies with someone who was once a part of you, and to have new feelings arise as a consequence of it.
Now they’re in the same boat. And they are its only passengers.
Satan groans. He already knows what’s coming next.
There will be another revelation at the end of this conversation. A part of him is tired of it, he’s still reeling from the last one. But Lucifer’s grip on his shoulder tightens. Whatever this revelation is, he won’t be the only one experiencing it. Another change is on the horizon, and they will have to face it together. But this time, it’s their choice.
Lucifer takes a deep breath, and then looks Satan in the eye.
“The day you were born was one of the worst days of my life.”
Oh.
“I had lost everything. My home, part of my family, the love of my life. They had all... abandoned me, and I was unable to get revenge, to hurt my father in the same way that he had hurt me.
The anger that I felt that day was unimaginable. I was angry at my father, but most of all I was angry at myself.”
Satan frowns.
“I know, I was there.”
“Then reflect. On the day of your birth, what did you feel?”
It was such a long time ago, but Satan can still recall everything as if it were yesterday.
“...Anger.”
“At who?”
“At Michael. At all of our brothers and sisters who sided against us. At the celestial father, for claiming to love us as he killed us off one by one.”
His nails dig into his pants, ripping holes in the fabric.
“He looked down on us in pity once we lost, and I wanted to tear his throat into pieces.”
“Do you get it now?”
Lucifer’s voice is incredibly soft and gentle. He’s never heard him sound like that before.
“Your anger is different from my own. Even when we shared the same body, you have always been your own person.
I do not know what you are feeling Satan, but know that whatever it is, it’s an emotion that belongs to you and you alone.”
And there it is. Another revelation. Something that Satan has always known, but struggled to believe.
...I’ve always been my own person?
That’s… not entirely true, is it?
He’s the Avatar of Wrath, he can’t feel things like this. So that feeling in his chest has to belong to someone else, otherwise…
His first instinct is to take the easy way out, to blame Lucifer like he always does and ignore it all. But his words make sense, and Satan knows that he’s telling the truth. They had only switched bodies, nothing else was different. The only thing that changed was their outer shell. And if this feeling didn’t come from him, then there is only one other option left.
Satan’s mind goes blank at the implication.
No. There’s no way.
Lucifer sighs.
“You are an adult Satan. And I think that’s a concept that’s always been difficult for me to grasp.”
He steps back, and digs something out of his pocket.
“So I will not get in the way. I will trust in you, and allow you to forge your own connections as you see fit. Therefore I have no choice but to give you this.”
He places a very familiar looking charm on the table.
“I found this once we changed back into our original bodies. I tried to give it back to Lord Diavolo, but he said it was yours. Do with it what you will.”
Lucifer leaves, and Satan takes everything back. They should have just fought. Screw handling this like adults, he doesn’t want to deal with this at all. This crush, which has haunted him for over several months, that can belong to no one else other than him.
No. No. No. No. No. No. No.
The charm glints on the table, and Satan automatically remembers the day that Diavolo gave it to him. The smile on the prince's face, how Satan was dazzled by his beauty, the dance that followed afterwards...
A wave of fondness rushes through him, and his heart thrums in response. Satan tries to crush it, to silence his beating heart, but it refuses. The damn thing pounds away, and more pleasant memories are brought to the surface. There’s so many of them, too many to count.
His brain finally settles on a present one; the party this morning, with Diavolo knocking over a candelabra and getting tangled in a bunch of streamers. Oh, that’s right. This feeling doesn’t just belong to the past. It’s also something that he’s currently experiencing right now.
…No. That’s impossible. He is a monster, he can’t—
That stupid charm glints again, and Satan feels his sanity begin to slip. He needs to calm down.
So he snatches the charm, takes a deep breath, and goes to the most relaxing place he knows: the library.
~+~+
His mind is buzzing, and Lucifer’s implication still rings in his head.
This emotion is my own.
What does that even mean? The only thing Satan owns is his rage. He’s the Avatar of Wrath after all. He can’t own anything else.
So why can’t he believe that?
...Why can’t he dismiss Lucifer’s words like how he usually does?
It would be so much easier if he could put this all behind him. If he could just hate the prince.
But for some reason he can’t.
Or perhaps there is a reason, one that Satan has thrown aside time and time again.
It’s that crush. His crush.
He has a crush on Diavolo.
His heart begins to pound. Satan tries to take that feeling and throw it away, but it doesn’t work. He’s never listened to it before, but now it refuses to be ignored. It screams and rattles in his chest.
Let yourself be happy. His attempts to silence it are getting weaker. Give in. You miss him.
There’s a crunching of wood, and Satan frowns once he sees the ruined table in front of him.
Thankfully the library is pretty much empty, he would have been kicked out otherwise. Still, he needs to relax, before anything else gets destroyed.
Reading. That’s what he needs to do. He just needs a good book. That will fix everything.
Satan automatically gravitates towards a nearby bookshelf. His hand randomly snatches up one of the books, and he scowls once he reads the title.
The Prince’s Heart.
It’s a fairytale. A story about two people falling in love. ...It doesn't matter. Reading has never failed to calm him down. And he doesn’t have enough time to find a different book.
His emotions are a mess, and right now he needs to drown them out with something else. Any book, any genre, will do. Even if it’s about the power of true love, it’s at least something. Besides, it’s not like he’s ever going to experience it for himself.
So Satan opens it up, and begins to read.
~•~
Once upon a time, there was a young girl who lived in a small, quaint village. She was incredibly intelligent and witty. Adored by all who met her, she was the shining star of that entire kingdom.
Yet few people knew what she was actually like. For the very persona that those people loved was nothing but a mask. And she was afraid to show anyone what laid underneath.
There was no one out there who could love someone like her. Or so she thought.
For you see, the day she met the prince, that had all changed.
He was charming as well, albeit in an entirely different way. Everyone in the kingdom adored him, and he loved them in return. So he poured his heart and soul into it, leaving nothing for himself.
He had thought the same. That no one would ever love the man that laid underneath the crown.
They were two souls that were destined to be alone.
But fate is a funny thing, as is destiny. And they both failed to realize that it cannot be predicted, that nothing is ever set in stone. No one, no matter who they are, will ever exist without love. So they meet, of course they do.
It happens on a day like any other, in a council room, where the prince looks down upon his newest subject in awe.
“This,” the oldest among them declares, “is Satan, The Avatar of Wrath, and my brother.”
And Satan looks up at the throne, bows, and offers the prince a polite grin.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”In another world, another universe, Diavolo would have slowly stood up, and walked over to place a kiss on top of Satan’s hand.
“The pleasure’s all mine.”Their eyes would meet, and they would feel it within their chest.
Love at first sight.
~•~
...Wait, why did he make this story about him and Diavolo?
Why was he picturing the two of them as characters in a romantic fairytale?
They. Aren’t. In. Love.
Satan growls and slams the book shut.
That wasn’t even how their first meeting went. There were no kisses, and no earth shattering revelations. It was all incredibly uneventful.
Lucifer presented him, and then dragged him away before he could be an embarrassment. And before he was born, well…
Satan didn’t like Diavolo, nor did Lucifer. They had both hated him.
Oh, how the tables have turned.
Now he is incredibly important to the both of them, albeit for entirely different reasons. With Lucifer, it’s due to a sense of gratitude. Diavolo had prevented Lilith from being erased after all, and he gave them all a home.
And with Satan; it’s due to a smile, to kind words that were whispered in his ear, to affectionate gestures that many would be too afraid to attempt. Diavolo gave him more than a home. He made him feel like he belonged somewhere.
So how could Satan not like him?
That feeling swirls around in his chest once more, and he frowns. Unfortunately what he feels is far more complicated than that. The word like isn’t enough.
So by default that makes it a—
His phone vibrates, interrupting his thoughts.
And Satan doesn’t need to look at his phone in order to know who it’s from.
Still, he expects to see a cat meme, or another terrible pickup line. But instead he gets something different, something that he will never admit that he missed.
Diavolo: Good morning!
He used to get texts like this all the time, back when he was in Lucifer’s body. The prince never failed to text him good morning and good night, and never threw a fuss if Satan didn’t respond. There was a comfort in it. A sense of ease.
It was an incredibly small gesture, and yet it never failed to brighten his day.
Diavolo: But I guess it’s not really morning anymore, is it?
Satan: It’s 11:00 AM. That still counts.
Diavolo: Good.
Is this okay?Satan: What do you mean?
Diavolo: Texting. Talking. Are you okay with it?
Satan: Yes.
Diavolo: I’m glad to hear it. I’ve missed you.
I’ve missed you.
That single sentence echoes across Satan’s mind. It makes him feel happy, and incredibly warm.
He thought that everything between the two of them had ended, but… maybe they can pick up where they left off. His heart seems to approve of the idea, Satan can practically feel it hum with satisfaction.
He can’t repress it, not completely. Something about this feeling, this crush, is completely different from the anger that has defined his entire life. And it belongs to him. The thought is still shocking. It doesn’t seem real.
His phone vibrates again, and this time it is a cat meme. It’s a picture of a cat hanging off a tree with the words ‘Hang in there!’ written at the bottom. Satan laughs, and texts Diavolo an emoji to show his approval.
How could he feel something so sweet, so…nice?
It should belong to someone else, but without Lucifer, there is no one else left. And as much as he wants to, he can’t blame him for this. Because Lucifer is right, and a part of Satan had always known it.
They are two completely different people.
His crush on Diavolo isn’t something they share.
It belongs entirely to him.
And that in itself is incredibly strange. Even though logically it makes sense… he is still the Avatar of Wrath. A monster. A creature born of anger and hatred. He shouldn’t be able to own something like this.
He takes a deep breath to calm himself down, when he notices one of Lucifer’s portraits proudly displayed on the Library wall.
It’s one of his better ones at least.
And a long time ago, he used to look like that too… for the most part. They had once shared a body. Yet they were never the same person, not truly.
Still, Lucifer is the original, and he exceeds Satan in every single way. No matter what he does, Satan has always been second best. He’s never been enough.
So Satan clings to his title, the one thing that belongs to him. He is the Avatar of Wrath. He is rage incarnate.
And he is incapable of love.
In the long expanse of time that he’s been conscious, that he’s been sentient, he’s never felt anything close to a crush.
So what is he supposed to do?
...Is there a guide for something like this?
There has to be.
Maybe that’s his problem. He just hasn’t found the right book yet.
Satan scrambles on over to the Self Help section, and manages to find exactly what he’s looking for. A book titled How to Deal with Having a Crush.
How convenient. Satan snags it and begins reading right away.
~•~
Don’t worry, there’s no need to panic! Many demons get thousands of crushes throughout their lifetime!
Crushes are fickle things that often come and go. Many demons ignore them, and find that their feelings have faded away over time. So there’s no need to stress or worry! What you feel is simply a natural part of life.
Falling in love, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. In fact, a simple crush has the ability to turn into—
~•~
Satan stops reading, and lets out a relieved sigh. He’s already found his answer, and it’s an incredibly simple one.
Crushes are absolutely meaningless.
There’s nothing groundbreaking about wanting to hold Diavolo’s hand, or about that light and happy feeling he gets every time they interact. It’s normal, something that other demons have felt before. So it’s fine. Everything is perfect.
All he has to do is ignore it, and it will go away.
He has to be careful though, he can’t ignore Diavolo in return. The prince will become suspicious otherwise. And the last thing he wants is for Diavolo to find out. He would never be able to live it down, and his feelings are clearly one sided. Yes, no matter how much Diavolo may miss him, or how much the prince may flirt or wink, he could never feel the same.
He is Satan after all, and Diavolo must have some standards.
But that’s okay, all Satan has to do is balance everything out; spend time with Diavolo, but not enough to the point where his feelings take over, and most importantly, not to panic. Because eventually it will fade away, and he’ll be able to put all of this behind him. Until then, all he has to do is exist alongside it.
Yes, Satan likes the sound of that. Unlike his old plan, this new one is completely foolproof. After all, how badly could someone fail at not succumbing to a crush?