Archive of Our Own ^beta

James sits up in bed, stretching and letting out a yawn that would make Belphegor proud. He had a good night hanging out with Mammon, Beel and Levi but he’s definitely suffering for it this morning. Luckily it’s a day off from classes so maybe he’ll get a bite to eat and get a bit more sleep before seeing what his demons are up to for the day.

Grabbing his D.D.D. he checks for messages. There’s just one, from Lucifer and it came only an hour or so ago. 

Lucifer <> James

< Lucifer:  James. I need you to do something for me today.
< Lucifer: I’ll take your silence as acceptance.
< Lucifer: Lord Diavolo has sponsored the opening of a dog park for all the local demon hounds. I promised him I would take Cerberus on opening day. Which is today. 
< Lucifer: However, something has come up at RAD and I am unable to do that now. I need you to take Cerberus in my place.
< Lucifer: I’m counting on you James. Don’t disappoint Lord Diavolo. 

James groans as he reads the messages. He loves Lucifer, he’d do just about anything for him..but how does he expect him to wrangle Cerberus to a dog park!? Last time Lucifer only asked him to take Cerberus for a walk and that would have never happened without Beelzebub’s assistance. 

“Ugh...time to call in reinforcements..” he mumbles to himself. Looks like he’s not going back to sleep. 

James starts a new group chat with everyone except Lucifer, he doesn’t need to see him groveling for help.

New Group chat (8)

> James: You all love me right?
< Asmodeus: Of couuuurse we love you James!
< Beelzebub: (Demon in Love Sticker)
< Mammon: Huh?! Why are ya askin’ us like that? What’s up buddy?
> James: Lucifer’s asked me to take Cerberus to some new dog park..
> James: (Shivering Dog Sticker)
< Asmodeus: Whaaat?! He asked you to do that?!
< Mammon: So what did ya do to piss him off James?
< Beelzebub: Sorry James. I have a practice I can’t get out of.
> James: Come on guys..I can’t do this on my own!
< Asmodeus: Sorry James. I love you, but I can’t get dog fur on my beautiful self, now can I?
< Satan: You know I can’t help you with anything that also helps Lucifer…
< Belphegor: Yeah. What Satan said….
> James: Mammon? Leila??
< Belphegor: Leila is at RAD helping Lucifer and Diavolo with something.
> James: (Upset Demon Sticker)
< Mammon: (Whistling Demon Sticker)

Ugh! What is he supposed to do? He supposes he could just NOT do it. He never actually responded to Lucifer saying that he WOULD do it, right? The real problem is that James had a hard time denying Lucifer. He wants to please him. See him smile proudly at him. Groaning and trying not to think too hard about his life choices, James pulls on a jacket and goes to fetch Cerberus’ leash and magic muzzle. He doesn’t have the magic ear plugs anymore, that Leila once made so he could understand the beast, he’d just have to hope for the best. If he was in real trouble, surely one of his demons would come to save him, right?

Leila is annoyed. Lucifer was called away on some unexplained important business and she was asked to fill in for him. Apparently that consists of helping Diavolo with stacks of paperwork. Since when is she the secretary of the Prince of the Devildom? Paperwork the Prince isn’t even focusing on. Instead he seems focused on making small chat with her. Why can’t he stop staring at her, like he wants something from her?

Her phone has finally stopped pinging her with message alerts a while ago, but she is curious what the latest fuss was about. She can’t help caring about those idiots, it seems. She sighs. When Barbatos comes in and begins to have a private conversation with Diavolo she takes the opportunity to look at her phone. 

She’s frowning as she’s reading over James' message. She can’t believe these demons, sometimes! Lucifer is supposed to love James and this is the second time he’s asked him to do some ridiculous favor for him that could get him hurt or killed! He probably didn’t even ask, he probably just demanded as usual and she knows her cousin has a hard time saying no. 

“Excuse me.” She doesn’t like being rude, but James is more important than Lord Diavolo! “Something’s come up and I really need to get back!” she tells them. She doesn’t wait for permission either as she immediately rushes out the room, back to the House of Lamentation to check on James. 

In another place and time…

“Ah, there’s my lovely assistant.” Solomon says with a welcoming smile, as Lily walks into the common room in Purgatory Hall. She rolls her eyes and blushes at his words. They may not be on the best terms right now, but he doesn’t leave her totally unaffected. 

They have the day off classes and Solomon has asked Lily to help him with a new spell he’s been working on. She came dressed casually and she might have been covered in Cerberus’ fur as well, since she had just come from grooming him. 

“Playing with Lucifer’s pet were you?” Solomon says, his nose is wrinkled because of the obvious odor, but his face holds amusement. 

“Heh. Yeah...maybe I should have showered and changed before coming over…” she says, mostly to herself. 

Solomon shakes his head. “No time for that.” he announces, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s begin.”

An hour or so later, Lily is standing inside a magic circle. “Are you sure you’re not going to turn me into a baby or something?” she asks nervously. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d become the victim of one of Solomon’s haywire spells or potions. 

Solomon chuckles. “Of course not!” he assures her. “This is an improvement on the basic laundry spell. Instead of cleaning and refreshing your clothes, this spell will actually alter the fibers, taking them back through time until the moment the garment was brand new.”

Lily looks down at her outfit. He’d asked her to wear something worn down so she wore one of her favorite outfits from when she had first come to the Devildom and Asmodeus had helped her shop for new clothes. Her skirt had a tear in it and the blouse had more than one stain. She’d be happy if his spell worked. Even if there were easier spells to use to fix her garments if she really wanted it done. 

She was always amused with the ideas that Solomon came up with. Some of them just seemed unnecessary, but creative nonetheless. She loved the excited gleam that was in his eyes even if he kept his face placid as he concentrated. 

“Alright I’m ready.” she finally says to him, preparing herself mentally for any and all misfiring, she closes her eyes.

“Excellent.” Solomon grins before activating the magic circle.

Back at the House of Lamentation..

James was thankful for the enchanted muzzle, all he had to do was throw it in Cerberus’ direction and it attached itself around the hungry head. He’d managed to coax the beast outside but now Cerberus just sits in the shadow grass in the garden, refusing to budge. 

“Come on Cerberus!” James pleads. “This is what Lucifer wants. You don’t want to disappoint him do you?” 

Cerberus barely acknowledges James, it’s ears only perking slightly at the mention of Lucifer. Ugh. This is pointless. James thinks to himself. He doesn’t even have the magic ear plugs this time so he had no idea what Cerberus was even saying right now. He’s probably mocking me. James thinks, glaring up at the beast. Leila needs to try to make that spell permanent. Or just make a whole box of enchanted earplugs for him.

Just as James is contemplating giving up, there’s a loud cracking noise and Cerberus suddenly stands, alert. The cracking sound is followed by a soft “Ooof!” as it appears something has landed on Cerberus’ back. 

James is completely startled to see a girl with lavender hair and violet eyes suddenly laying on top of Cerberus as if she just appeared out of thin air. All he knows to do at first is stare at her: What the hell?

Lily has the sensation of falling as a bright light envelopes her and then she lands on something soft and familiar. Blinking her eyes open she finds herself outside the House of Lamentation, on top of Cerberus’ back of all things. She blinks a few more times, getting her bearings as two of Cerberus’s heads swivel to look at her. 

“Hey boy! Sorry if I scared you!” she coos. Cerberus’ ears twitch and one of the heads cocks in confusion. James is about to pass out, Cerberus is going to eat this strange girl! He knows he should do something, but what?!

Lily notices that one of the heads is wearing a muzzle. “How awful!” she says out loud. “Who did this to you boy?” she asks as she crawls forward on his back to reach around and undo the clasp on the enchanted muzzle. 

James watches in horror as the muzzle slips free. This seems to be the thing that finally spurs him to action. “No!” he exclaims, but it’s too late. The deed is done. The strange girl is sliding off of Cerberus’ back. James is so distraught he doesn’t even notice that Cerberus is wagging his tail happily. 

“Ah that’s better isn’t it!” Lily tells the formerly muzzled head. In her mind she tells herself that she’s going to give Lucifer a stern talking to. She can’t believe he did this!

“What are you doing! Get away from there!” James shouts at the girl in disbelief that Cerberus hasn’t gobbled her whole yet. 

Lily jumps a little, just noticing that there’s someone else out there with them. “Oh it’s fine.” she says, her brows furrowed in confusion. Who is this guy? She’s never seen him before. Is he human? He’s dressed like one but it’s so hard to tell these things by first appearances.

All James can do is close his eyes as the slobbering head closes in on the girl. Instead of screams he hears...giggling? Opening his eyes he stares in shock. The hungry head hasn’t bitten her head off but is licking her? She’s laughing and pushing the slobbery head away. James takes in the calm demeanor of the other heads who butt the drooling head out of the way so they can get some of her affections too. What in the Devildom is going on!? Who is this girl!? James thinks to himself. 

Clearing his throat, James catches the girls attention once more. Lily looks at the guy, he’s holding a leash. “Were you taking Cerberus for a walk?” she asks him.

“Yes…” James answers, still feeling bewildered. He never saw this girl the first year but she acts like she belongs here. “Lucifer asked me to take him to a dog park…but nevermind that. Who are you?” he asks.

“Dog park?” Lily doesn’t know who this guy is, or why Lucifer would ask him instead of her. He’s clearly not comfortable with Cerberus at all. She’s never heard of a dog park in the Devildom, the mere thought makes her giggle. 

*ahem* The guy clears his throat and brings Lily back to the present. He has a patient, friendly expression on his face, but still looks at her expectantly. Oh right, he asked me who I am. Well I’d like to know who he is! She thinks. 

“I’m Lily, nice to meet you?” She begins introductions.

“James.” he says and takes a step closer, offering her his hand. One of the heads growls at his outstretched hand, causing him to retract it quickly. 

Lily glares at the growling head. “Now, now! None of that. Be polite.” she scolds him, causing the head to whimper. She steps towards James and extends her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you James.” she smiles.

“Likewise.” James grins in his good-natured way. Making Lily feel instantly comfortable.

James reaches forward again and takes her hand. Still gobsmacked, he instantly gets a warm shock through his body when their hands touch. He noticed they both startled a bit, they both felt it. They release each other's hands awkwardly. That was strange. It’s like they know each other, but they don’t? 

“James!” Leila’s voice startles them both again as his cousin comes running into view. She stops when she sees James talking to some girl she’s never seen around before. Cerberus is just sitting there calmly, not trying to eat either of them, thank the stars!

“Hey Leila.” James smiles at his cousin in his carefree way.

“I read the texts.” Leila huffs. “I can’t believe Lucifer would do this to you again. I was worried...why isn’t Cerberus wearing his muzzle?”

“Uhh...well...Lily took it off of him.” James replies, motioning to the girl next to him.

Lily? Leila hasn’t been here for too long but surely she would have been introduced to this person if they were allowed on the House of Lamentation grounds? She’s glad to see another female though. She looks friendly, though a bit wide-eyed. But she knows not all first impressions are right.

“Why would you do that?” She asks the girl. “You know Cerberus can be dangerous?”

Leila is surprised by the sudden fierce look the girl gets in her eyes as she responds. “Why wouldn’t I? It’s cruel! And I’m going to tell Lucifer too, I can’t believe he muzzled you!” she turns her attention back to Cerberus with her last statement, switching from responding to Leila to speaking with the beast. 

Leila is completely confused and tries not to be distracted by the conversation the three heads are having. They are completely smitten with this Lily girl and if Lucifer had someone like her around, why would he even ask James to do this chore in the first place? This girl is clearly just as smitten with the hound. 

“Uh, who are you again?” Leila asks. She didn’t forget the name, but she wants a proper introduction and definitely wants to know more about this girl.

“Lily, this is my cousin Leila. Leila this is Lily, I literally just met her.” James adds, understanding Leila immediately and Lily wonders if these two speak in some kind of telepathic way.

“Nice to meet you Leila!” Lily beams and shakes Leila’s hand. Lily is relieved when she doesn’t feel the same strange sensation she did when she touched James but there’s still something oddly familiar about her. Some of her facial expressions remind her vaguely of someone, but she can’t exactly tell who.

“Well this is great and all, but I still need to get Cerberus to this dog park opening.” James says, getting a grin on his face. “Would you mind helping me Lily? Cerberus seems to like you.” he laughs. That would make things so much easier!

Lily feels torn, she’d love to! These people seem so nice and it is already hard enough for her to make friends. But she already spent time with Cerberus this morning and she really should get back to Solomon. 

“Sorry James.” she shakes her head sadly. “I’d love to help you, but I was in the middle of helping Solomon with a spell and I really should get back to Purgatory Hall. He’s probably wondering where I vanished to.” Quite literally she thinks to herself with a giggle.

“Wait.” Leila interrupts. “You know Solomon?” she asks in an incredulous tone. 

“Of course.” Lily responds with a smile.

“Oh.” Leila frowns. “Are you one of the demons he has a pact with?” she asks trying to figure out where this female belongs. She doesn’t seem to be a demon, but Satan taught her about something called Nephilim. Maybe she’s a half-demon? Can they make pacts? Focus Leila. She tells herself. One problem at a time.

“I thought Solomon only has pacts with male demons?” James asks Leila in their secret silent language. “I thought so too..” is Leila’s response with a shrug. 

Lily laughs. “I’m not a demon.” she shakes her head as if it's the funniest thing she’s ever been asked. “I was assisting him with a new spell and it didn’t quite go as planned and suddenly I was here! Luckily Cerberus here broke my fall.” she giggles, patting the hound’s foreleg. 

Leila bristles a bit. She isn’t typically the jealous type, but she’s Solomon’s apprentice and to her knowledge he doesn’t have any others at this time. That wasn’t allowed. Even James has to wait for her training to be finished, before Solomon can seriously start teaching him. And now he’s also teaching Lily, here? She’ll have a stern talking to Solomon about it soon!

“Do you two know Solomon?” Lily asks, sensing that they do. 

James looks at Leila and Leila can’t help but let her temper get the best of her for a moment. “Of course I do! He’s my grandfather!”

James tries not to laugh when he sees Lily’s mouth drop open in shock. “G-g-granddaughter? He has a granddaughter...a living granddaughter..” she mumbles in shock. That explains how this girl seemed familiar to her.. “I’m sorry! He never told me!” she blurts. Lily feels hurt inside, after all that time together he never told her that he had a living family. She knew he was keeping secrets still. “And are you his grandson?” she asks of James. 

James laughs. “No. No, I’m only related to Leila.” he assures her. Lily nods. 

“Well!” Leila huffs. She’s trying not to be irritated with this girl. She’s always been a good judge of character and Lily seems to be perfectly nice, probably someone she could become good friends with over time. Yes, she feels to be more irritated towards Solomon, she nods and decides to give Lily the benefit of the doubt. “I think dear grand-dad can wait for you, since he botched his spell...what was the spell anyway?” Leila asks curiously, always interested when there is magic involved.

Lily looks down at her clothes and for the first time realizes that the spell did work. “It was a spell to make clothes look like new again, not just by cleaning and mending but by taking the fabric back in time to where it was brand new.”

Leila rolls her eyes, sounds like one of the frivolous spells Solomon would come up with when he’s bored or stressed and needs a distraction. “You’re lucky you didn’t end up naked.” she tells Lily and to her surprise, she sees the girl start blushing.

“Ugh! I’m going to be late!” James suddenly says, picking up the leash. Cerberus growls. 

“Cerberus! Lucifer wants you to go to this dog park. So obey James, please. Take it up with your master later if you have an issue.” Leila tells the middle head sternly, he seems to be the one in charge. “And you better not try something, or I put the muzzle back on.” She tells the hungry head, threateningly. “In a way that it won’t come off.” It whimpers and the other two heads react amused, making Cerberus wags his tail.

“Fine.” the middle head reluctantly agrees. 

“I’m hungry.” says the drooling head. “Will there be something to eat at the park?”

“I want Lily to come with us.” the friendly head pouts. 

Leila rolls her eyes, but pats the friendly head. Lily watches Leila in fascination. “Can you speak to animals?” she asks with an excited gleam in her eyes. 

Leila nods. “Yeah I have a pact with Barbatos and it allows me to speak with animals and to understand them.” she explains to Lily.

“That’s amazing!” Lily gushes. “What did he say? I’ve always wondered.”

Leila can’t help but smile at Lily’s enthusiasm. “Well, they all talk through each other, most of the time. But basically the drooling one is always hungry, the middle head is always grumpy and the friendly head really wants you to come to the dog park with him and James.” she tells Lily.

Lily’s eyes sparkle and she giggles. “That’s pretty much how I had them pegged!”

Leila smiles at her. This really is a nice girl, she decides. “Since I’m Solomon’s granddaughter, I say you can be late getting back to him.” she can see how much Lily wants to go.

“Why don’t we all go together?” James suggests. This will be fun and SO much easier for him!

“Not me.” Leila says. “Shado is already going to have a fit at me for having petted Cerberus.”

“That’s her cat.” James explains to Lily, who nods in understanding. “Sometimes I think that’s the real reason why Satan loves her.” While Lily is thinking over that newest information, - Since when is Satan in love? - James continues pleading with his cousin. “Come on Leila!” James pleads. “Can’t you just use a cleaning spell to remove the dog smell from you?”

Leila sighs. She always has a hard time turning down James. “Yeah, I suppose I can do that.”

“Yay! It’s decided then.” James cheers. “Ugh but we need to go, we’re going to be really late...unless…” he smiles mischievously getting an idea.

“What? I don’t like that look, James.” Leila says, looking at him suspiciously

“Well when Beelzebub and I took him for a walk last time, I rode on his back, he’s fast!” James explains. 

Lily claps her hands. “Oh, that would be fun! As long as Cerberus doesn’t mind?” She looks at the hound and then looks at Leila. 

To Lelia and James astonishment Cerberus lays down so they can all climb on his back. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Leila says under her breath.

“You and I both..” the middle head agrees with a huff.

With Leila in front since she can converse with Cerberus, James helps Lily, who is much shorter than himself and Leila, climb up next and then he follows after. They all hold onto the leash and Lily grips the hounds back firmly with her legs. As Leila gives Cerberus the okay to start moving, James throws his arms up with a holler. “Hold on! This is going to be wild!”

By the time the trio arrives at the dog park, they are a laughing mess. Their hair is tangled and windswept. Their limbs are sore from holding onto Cerberus as he ran, James was right, it was wild! Both Lily and Leila thank Cerberus for carrying them in their own ways. 

“I will enchant some earplugs for you too, Lily.” Leila promises her. “When we return to the House. I bet you would love to talk to Cerberus for real? Oh, and I will introduce you to Shado, of course…” She’s chatting animatedly with Lily, not noticing how she looks at her in surprise: She talks as if she has free reign to do as she pleases at the House of Lamentation. She wonders if it’s a family trait. Solomon acts like that as well.

The owner of the park seems a bit disappointed that Lucifer hasn’t come himself, but he’s pleased to have one of the most famous devil hounds at his new dog park. Cerberus doesn’t seem to enjoy himself much though as he sits in one spot, growling at any other hounds that draw too close. 

“There you are Leila. James.” Solomon’s familiar voice reaches them. “I was worried when Diavolo reached out and said you looked and sounded distressed, Leila. Seems all is well though?” 

“Yes. I just had to make sure James wasn’t eaten.” Leila huffs. 

Lily is staring at Solomon, her arms are crossed and she’s wondering when he’s going to notice her and what his explanation will be for never telling her that he has a granddaughter! She’s also wondering why he’s changed clothes. In fact, his whole demeanor seems suddenly different. It’s the same Solomon, she thinks, but now he seems less… Lonely? Is that the word she’s looking for? Ugh... Nothing about today makes sense. She doesn’t realize that Leila is having similar thoughts wondering when Solomon is going to acknowledge Lily and explain who she is to him. 

Solomon’s eyes finally drift to Lily. “Ah, who’s this? I didn’t realize Diavolo had other humans visiting.” He smiles friendly at her, but it’s obvious to everyone that he doesn’t recognize her.

James and Leila both frown and look at Lily. Had she lied to them? Leila was usually an excellent judge of character and she hadn’t sensed that this girl was a liar. 

“That’s not funny Solomon!” Lily says having so many odd feelings right now, she doesn’t quite know what to say or do with herself. “Your spell worked by the way but I didn’t expect to be teleported into thin air, it was a good thing Cerberus broke my fall. And were you ever going to tell me you have, actual  living family?” she finally sputters all at once. 

Solomon only raises his brows in question. “I’m sorry? Have we met before?” He is completely baffled by her words. To his knowledge he has never met this girl before. This girl stands out with her hair and eyes, he doesn’t feel like he’d easily forget her.

Lily just gapes at him, he’s never played games with her like this before and she doesn’t like it at all. Then something occurs to her. “Oh no! Did you lose your memory?! This is worse than I thought!”

Leila is trying to make sense of the situation when she says. “Lily said you and her were working on a spell right before she suddenly fell out of the sky and landed on Cerberus when James was trying to get him to the park?” Solomon has no recollection of what Leila is saying. “Had something to do with altering the fabric through time?” she prods with no effect.

As cool as ever, Solomon chuckles. “I dare say I’d remember that. I might be old but I’m not senile.”

Leila looks at Lily, her grandfather would have no reason to lie about this, especially not to her. But when she sees the unshed tears welling up in the girls eyes, she knows that this girl at least believes what she is saying is the truth. She doesn’t want to see her new friend crying. She can’t stand someone looking hurt. 

“Hey, don’t worry, we’ll figure this out, okay?” She rubs her over her back and Lily nods, silently.

This time James interjects. “Let’s start from the beginning. Where were you before you appeared out of thin air?” he asks and Leila keeps rubbing a calming hand on Lily’s back so she doesn’t feel like she’s being interrogated. 

“Um..” Lily clears her throat and wills the tears away. She doesn’t know what to think. Looking into Solomon’s eyes it’s clear he has no recollection of her at all. She vows she’s never helping him with another experiment again. 

“We were in Purgatory Hall...performing the spell...I’d just come from the House of Lamentation where I had been grooming Cerberus that morning.” Lily says, not understanding how this information will help anyone. 

James wrinkles his nose. “I was at the House of Lamentation all morning and never saw you and Cerberus was in the underground tomb.” 

“Which dorm are you staying in?” Leila asks. 

“No. I’m the other human exchange student. I have my own room at the House of Lamentation where I live with the seven demons I have pacts with.” Lily answers with some irritation creeping into her tone. 

Leila and Solomon are frowning when James finally shouts. “OH!” then he bursts out laughing. “I get it.” he’s still chuckling. “Very good. Lord Diavolo sent you to prank us didn’t he?” James is smiling, this is just like something Diavolo would do if he’s bored enough. He even looks around, expecting Diavolo to step out from behind a tree at any minute. 

Lily rarely gets upset, but this is becoming a bit too much. “I don’t know why you think this is funny, James. This is no prank and apparently Solomon has lost his memory. It’s a disaster.”

James and Leila exchange another look. “Well, the problem with it not being a joke Lily, is that the person you described is me.” James says. “I’m the other human exchange student and I live at the House of Lamentation with the seven demons I’ve made pacts with.” he says more seriously. 

Lily is about to say something when suddenly Mammon comes crashing into view. Her face lights up, happy to see another familiar face. Finally she’d have someone on her side to help clear up whatever is going on.

Mammon is slightly out of breath, he’d ran all the way when he realized that James couldn’t or wouldn’t say no to Lucifer and leave the dumb mutt at home. He’s got his hands on his hip, slightly annoyed that Solomon’s beat him here, but also relieved to see that James is fine. Leila is here too. That makes him smile.

Suddenly some strange human is wrapping her arms around his neck. “Oh I’m so glad you’re here, Mammon.” she’s telling him.

“Oi!” Mammon steps back, pulling the human off him, a blush creeping across his cheeks. “Not just any human can touch the Great Mammon.”

Lily’s face falls. Is Mammon affected too? This is just cruel. But he’s looking at her like he did when she had first arrived in the Devildom. It makes her sick to her stomach. Mammon isn’t a very good actor, either. She’s so confused!

“No, no...no..Solomon what have you done.” she takes a step back away from all of them, her hands pressed to her cheeks. Trying to keep her tears at bay. Everyone is staring at her with concern, like she’s some crazy person!

“HUH?! What in the Devildom?!” Suddenly Mammon grabs one of the girls hands that she had pressed to her face. When he touches her hand, his pact mark flairs to light, a bright golden glow for all to see. Leila, James and Solomon all recognize the pact mark too. “How’s this possible?!” Mammon demands to know. He didn’t make any pacts with anyone but his James and Leila! Lily pulls her hand away feeling incredibly hurt. Mammon grabs her by the shoulders. “Who are ya and how did ya get MY mark on ya?!”

Lily looks into Mammon's eyes and truly sees no recognition in them. She closes her eyes, hoping it’s all a nightmare.  

“I’m Lily!” she says desperately, trying to jog his memory. “You’re my first demon! I spent a year with you. I’m Lilith’s descendant!”

Mammon lets the girl go and takes a few steps back. He doesn’t know what to think! What’s going on? Who is this human?!

“Wait. I think I see what’s going on.” Solomon finally announces. He’s got a glimmer in his eye. The one Leila recognizes when he’s stuck upon an idea. “Humor me for a moment Lily and walk me through everything we did together for this spell experiment.” Solomon says to her. 

Lily explains in as much detail that she can remember, including what happened directly after the spell was cast. Solomon is smiling with a knowing look. “I’m afraid you didn’t just teleport across the RAD grounds. No, you did something much more miraculous.” 

Leila’s mouth opens in an O when she starts to catch on to where her grandfather is going with this. James and Mammon and Lily are still in the dark however. 

“When the spell was performed, your clothes didn’t just cross space and time, you entered a whole new reality. An alternate reality from the one you live in. A reality where James, and not you Lily, was brought to RAD last year.” Solomon explains this with much excitement, completely overlooking the fact that alternate him really botched the spell! Plucking a dog hair, or more accurately a Kerberos hair, off of Lily’s shoulder. Solomon says, “My counterpart was too hasty and didn’t take into account that Lily had been grooming Cerberus and therefore was covered in a potent magical agent. My guess is that this was somehow a catalyst for sending the spell awry. Somehow hurtling you towards a different Cereberus in a whole new reality. Fascinating.” he finishes with a sparkle in his eye. Leila is nodding along with him, also inspecting the hair.

“Strange though.” She tells her grandfather. “You're always telling me to make sure to make no unexpected mistakes like this.”

“Yes, well…” Solomon chuckles for a moment and then his face gets serious. “I can’t lose you, so I have to teach you well. I assume my counterpart doesn’t currently have a family…” They look into each other's eyes, both thinking about the accident years ago.

Lily shakes her head. “He doesn’t...at least as far as I know...he can be...reckless at times.” she sighs but can’t help keep a small smile off her face thinking about him. 

“Wow!” Mammon whistles and beams. “So ya really are a descendant of Lilith? Leila thinks there must be thousands. And I was your first demon too?” he grins proudly, obviously seeing that as an achievement of some sort. “Which of us is your favorite, huh? It’s me right?”

Lily laughs and sighs with relief. She might be in the wrong reality, but at least Mammon is acting like Mammon now. Though this one seems to be less of a tsundere.

James pulls Lily and Leila into a hug. “Guess this means you're part of the family then?” Lily smiles, she really likes James and Leila for the small amount of time she’s known them. The idea of family sounds really nice, but she knows she doesn’t belong here.

Solomon seems to be reading her thoughts when he says. “She can’t stay.”

“Aww why not?” Mammon complains. He wraps all three of ‘his’ humans up in his arms. “She can stay in Leila’s room, I bet she’d like that!”

“She’s basically a different version of James and having two of them in one reality could be very destabilizing. Simply put, she just doesn’t belong here.” Solomon explains, sounding harsh but Lily understands. This isn’t her Solomon.

James wonders if that’s why they got that weird shock earlier when they shook hands. It didn’t happen a second time though when he hugged her.

“He’s right.” Lily agrees. “Besides,” she smiles at Mammon. “The other you would miss me too much.” she laughs. 

Mammon scratches his neck. “Ya I guess that’s true.” he smiles. “Hey! You aren’t romantically involved with any of my brothers, are ya?”

Lily blushes at the sudden question and Leila notices the way she glances at Solomon, before she shakes her head. Mammon sighs with relief. “Well, that’s good to hear. I got my hands full with these two and their mates.” he points at Leila and James. “Especially her.” He gossips and it makes Lily giggle. “James is calm and relaxed, like you seem to be. But Leila? Always arguin’ with Satan until literal sparks fly, lazin’ about with Belphie…”

“I’m never lazing about.” Leila defends herself indignantly. “We cuddle and then I fall asleep, it’s nice!”

“Sure, ‘cuddle’.” Mammon mocks, making air quotes.

Lily laughs. She could already imagine how it goes in this reality. She smiles at James and Leila. “I wish I could get to know you better.”

“It would be nice to have a nice human girl to commiserate with.” Leila says. “I’m surrounded by idiots.” she whispers, making Lily giggle again and she nods. James, having heard her, wraps his arms around his cousins shoulders playfully. “Aww, you know you love us.”

“The question is.” Leila says, changing the subject. “How do we even get her home?”

“I’ll take care of that.” They all turn around to see Barbatos walk through a portal. “Sorry I’m a bit late, Lily.” he says and extends a hand to her. 

“I’m guessing that’s your Barbatos.” James says. 

“Yikes! He’s just as scary as ours.” Mammon says under his breath.

“Ours isn’t scary, Mammon.” Leila tells him sternly. “I have a pact with him, remember?”

That statement makes Barbatos look at her inquisitively. He then nods respectfully at Leila, just like the one from this reality does. He seems to understand why the other Barbatos has a pact with her. Lily thinks to herself.

“I’m sorry that I can’t give you your enchanted earplugs, Lily.” Leila apologizes.

“But maybe you can enchant the headset of her DDD?” James suggests.

Leila nods. “Yeah, that could work. You want that, Lily? It gives you the ability to understand any animal for approximately two hours, the moment you plug them into your ears.”

Lily doesn’t need to think twice. If it works she can hear her own adorable Cerberus talk to her! Oh, she can’t wait! She curiously looks on as Leila casts her spell on her headset. She will ask her Solomon, if he can do something like this too.

After all is said and done, Lily gives James and Leila a hug before taking Barbatos’ outstretched hand. She waves goodbye as they step through the portal. 

“Well, that was wild.” Mammon says. “I betcha the others ain't gonna believe this!”

“That’s one way to describe it.” Leila says. She can’t get over the way Lily looked at Solomon. Are they a thing in her reality? The thought disturbs her. It makes sort of sense, but the idea that her grandfather is involved with a girl of her age? Weird. Though is that really ‘her’ grandfather? Ugh… confusing. She needs to talk with Barbatos about this.

“She was nice.” James says. “I bet in the other reality she makes everyone happy too.”

“Indeed.” Solomon agrees, still staring at the space in which she vanished with Barbatos. 

“You want to ride on Cerberus Mammon?” James asks, suddenly

“What?! Are ya crazy?” Mammon shouts. Though the thought of it does seem like fun. Then Cerberus gives him a three-headed growl and he backs off.

“What? It’s fun. Leila, Lily and I rode him all the way here.” James says in his defence. “Though Lily did seem like some sort of dog-whisperer, like Leila…”

Leila smirks and rolls her eyes. It’s just another day in the Devildom.

This Commissioned art is a gift to Cluelesse so please do not use or post it anywhere.
Art is by @machiartos on instagram