Work Text:
Solomon greets you and Asmodeus in the entrance hallway of Purgatory Hall, only for Asmo to thrust out his arm like he’s warding-off evil, exclaiming “stop right there, Solomon! Not another step closer!”
Solomon obligingly halts in his tracks, then sighs as he realises Asmo would clearly prefer him to play along, rather than pointing out that it was Asmo who invited himself over in the first place.
“All right, I’m staying put. What’s the matter?” Solomon asks. He lifts an arm toward you for a half hug- Asmo didn’t say you couldn’t move closer to him after all- but Asmo protectively clings onto your sleeve to prevent any such thing.
“I didn’t know you’d been beset by some plague, Solomon! Haven’t you heard of a little warning?” Asmo gives a despairing huff as you glance from one to the other in confusion- Solomon looks and sounds exactly the same as he always does.
“Well… I wouldn’t exactly call the aroma of Simeon’s cooking being beset by some plague,” Solomon laughs, then throws you a mischievous glance that makes you think he knew all too well that wasn’t what Asmo meant. “But don’t let that keep you. If you’ve changed your mind about dinner, I’ll pack-up a few of Luke’s homemade sweets for you to take home instead.”
“I… think we can still manage dinner,” you offer. You’re not quite sure what’s gotten into Asmo, but you had been looking forward to spending the evening with him and Solomon.
Solomon beams at your words, and apparently Asmo has a far greater fear of missing out than any unhallowed pestilence, you haven’t taken two steps before he’s declaring he’ll join you both after all, but only if he and Solomon sit at opposite ends of the dining room.
Later, at some point during your main course, Asmo manages to maintain a prim manner while sitting all alone at the end of an incredibly long table, Simeon tries to politely withhold a bewildered look, Luke mumbles that this is why they shouldn’t invite demons for dinner after all, and Solomon gives your hand a small squeeze under the table.
You glance up at him, and you could’ve sworn he looks grateful.
-
It’s not long after your meal that Solomon joins you to wash the dishes. Asmo was supposed to be helping you, but then he fussily declared that he didn’t want to risk touching any plate or cutlery that Solomon had touched.
“Did you and Asmo have some sort of fight?” you ask, because usually Asmo wants nonstop cuddles, not to summon some kind of invisible forcefield around Solomon.
Solomon laughs, shaking his head and tugging his sleeves up to his elbows so that they don’t get too soapy. “Not that I know of. I think he once caught a cold from me, and I guess I’m not as forgiven as I thought. I hope I’m not stressing him out too much, though.” Solomon ducks his head as he tries not to yawn, then blinks and offers a chagrined sort of smile that makes you feel bad for him. He looks a bit exhausted, and more like he’d prefer a hug than Asmo yelling from the other room that Solomon had better not breathe if he’s going to stand close to you like that.
But you’re not actually sick…? you think to say, but Solomon affectionately nudges you before you do, saying that he’ll handle the rest of the washing up, you’re the guest after all, so you should go pick a movie to watch with Asmo. You’re about to protest, but Solomon just gives you a rather wry grin as he reminds you that he can be annoyingly persistent when it comes to looking after you too.
“Plus, I need you on my side to make sure Asmo doesn’t choose another rom-com…” Solomon winks, giving you a conspiratorial nod as you relent to leaving him with the dishes.
-
Just as Solomon suspected, you find Asmo in the Purgatory Hall common room with a selection of sappy romance films in front of him, Asmo’s frowning at the gravity of the decision at hand.
“Solomon says he doesn’t want you to make him cry again,” you joke, and Asmo gives a soft chuckle, then holds out his arms to you as he suddenly looks unsure of himself. You’re about to comfort him and say that Solomon’s probably just drained from some new dark magical enterprise, when you both hear a muffled sneeze from the other room.
“Ugh, sorry- that was just from the dish soap. I tried, but I couldn’t help it,” Solomon sniffles, leaning around the doorway and giving an amused squint in regret.
But Asmo is glaring at Solomon like this is just one step too far, then he abruptly grabs you around the waist, declaring that if Solomon doesn’t want to acknowledge that he’s on death's doorstep that’s just fine, but you and he are going home.
“Asmo, hey, hey, it’s really okay. I promise I’m alright-” Solomon tries to say gently, his face falling while you’re too startled to say anything at all. Asmo is hoisting you out of Purgatory Hall and storming down the street, yelling that Solomon had better rest up and look after himself, and that he should be in bed with a cold like that, not doing house chores.
The last thing you see is Solomon standing in the doorway, soap still dripping from his hands as he glances at all the movies Asmo had laid out, then looks a little bit sad.
-
The House of Lamentation is only a couple of blocks from Purgatory Hall, but it isn’t until you and Asmo are back home that you realise in all the commotion, neither of you grabbed your satchel, it’s still at Solomon’s along with your phone.
“This is such a disaster…” Asmo moans, then looks like he’s about to cry when he realises you’re not exactly happy with the way you both left things.
“I’ll text Simeon to bring your stuff over, okay?” says Asmo, tearing-up as he tries not to make it any worse. “Or if Simeon’s already in bed, we’ll pop over first thing tomorrow, I promise!”
But you’re shaking your head. As much as Asmo needs you, you’ve already made up your mind that you’re going back to Purgatory Hall yourself, you’re going to make sure Solomon’s okay and apologise.
“Wait! Please, I don’t want you walking alone! Wait, wait, I’m coming with you-” Asmo wails. You’re already out the door as he runs after you with just his socks on, half-slipping on the front steps as you’re quicker than he anticipated. But then you stop, holding out your arm to Asmo behind you.
“...Asmo?” your voice sounds quiet as your vision adjusts to the dark, and you both see Solomon laying near the edge of your garden, his hand still loosely holding your satchel, which he was trying to bring back to you.
The next moment you’re yelling his name and sprinting toward him, your chest is tight with panic, you hadn’t actually thought there was anything wrong. But when you move Solomon’s head into your lap, you think his cheek feels far too warm, and he looks unsteadily up at you, his focus fading. He gives you a weak, lopsided smile as he shakes his head.
“Ugh. I can’t believe Asmo was actually right…” is the last thing you hear him say, before the amusement gently slips from his expression, and all you can hear is Asmo’s strangled plea as Solomon completely passes out.
-
When Solomon wakes up in your bed that evening, the first thing is does is try to smile. While the effort looks like it costs him, Solomon’s eyes crease with feeling as he sees you by his side.
“You worked my spell,” Solomon manages, touching his chest where you’d tried your best to perform the healing incantation. “I always knew... you didn’t need my help.”
“I barely did anything!” you babble, you feel overwhelmed to see him awake again and suddenly you have to fight the urge to throw your arms around him and never let go. You don't want to hurt him when he isn't feeling well, and you're not entirely sure Solomon would want your affection now in any case.
Solomon lifts himself up on his elbow, attempting to look far more spry than he actually is, before he woozily sinks down onto your pillow again, realising you aren’t about to cuddle him.
“I think this fever’s possibly making me really sappy,” Solomon whispers, trying to joke. “But after everything tonight, if you don’t hug me already, I think I’m going to cry.”
He gives a small, slightly husky-sounding laugh as this is all you needed to hear, you scoop Solomon into your arms and squeeze him tight with all your strength. You can't help telling him that you're so sorry you weren't there when he needed you, but Solomon just shakes his head as he leans into your shoulder, his body tentatively easing against you. At first he only closes his arms very loosely around you, as if still realising that you’re actually holding him, and fiercely at that. When you don’t let go, something pained crosses his expression, before his hands splay into the back of your shirt, his touch almost pleading as he gives you the most heartfelt hug too.
You’re still holding him when Asmo returns with the medicine you asked for. Instead of leaving it quietly beside you, Asmo’s mouth wobbles a little as he hovers next to the bed.
“S-Solomon..?” Asmo says shakily, his voice cracking as he tries to whisper your name too. All it takes is for Solomon to hold his arm out, before the demon bursts into tears.
“N-no, you can’t both start being nice to me, I haven’t even said sorry yet!” Asmo wails, he’s sobbing so loudly that your heart breaks a little. “I was s-so mean... a-nd I’ve ruined everything! I knew you were sick, and I didn’t take it seriously! Or take care… of you.. I don’t deserve… s-so why-”
“Because we know you, Asmo,” Solomon says softly. “The pact works both ways. I can tell what you’re feeling too, even when it’s different from what you say.”
There’s a small silence while Asmo takes this in, hiccupping as he raises his palm to smudge both of his cheeks.
“I can still.. do better for both of you…” Asmo mumbles. “I’m still so, so sorry…”
To your surprise, Asmo gently climbs onto the mattress, then presses his face into your other shoulder, tugging Solomon’s arm around him and taking a trembling breath.
“Is it too late to ask if I can stay? Or look after you? Can I make it better?” Asmo sobs, you can tell he’s asking not just Solomon, but you too.
As your fingers close over Asmo’s hand, you already know Solomon’s answer echoes yours. Whether it’s always been there or tonight is the first time, you realise you can feel something of Solomon’s heart within you too.
-