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“Sulking isn’t fit for a future king.”
The voice startled him. Diavolo hadn’t been expecting anyone. Why should anyone come follow him? It wasn’t like he had wanted anyone to follow him. He just needed to get away for a bit, to forget why he was feeling the way he was in the first place. Well, maybe forget wasn’t the right word. He knew what made him upset. Diavolo knew he would constantly be surrounded by people who were surrounded by other people.
He was an outside observer.
There would always be something separating him from everyone. The sooner he accepted that the better off he’d be. It wasn’t forgetting that was the issue, it was accepting.
He was the Devildom’s prince, people were intimidated by that, and therefore he would remain alone.
“I wasn’t sulking,” his voice came out a little more deflated than he would have liked, “I just wanted to enjoy the fresh air is all. It’s a lovely night out.”
Lucifer’s silhouette darkened his doorway in silence. Dia could feel it closing in on him, and the next thing he knew, Lucifer was by his side.
“You could have fooled me,” Diavolo couldn’t help but take note of how beautiful he looked. The Devildom’s moon gleamed off of his porcelain skin, his eyelashes were so delicate, and those red eyes were brighter than the most precious of rubies within his treasury. If only Diavolo could capture his beauty. Even his voice was wonderful, “You’ve been acting odd ever since you invited my brothers and I to come over for dinner two evenings ago."
Of course Lucifer caught on. There was very little that managed to slide past him, and that was one of the countless things that Diavolo admired and adored. However, in this moment, he wished that he could've slipped into the blind spot of those wonderful ruby eyes.
"Have I now?"
"Diavolo."
He could fly away. He could leave. He could keep running from his problems. He could tell Lucifer to leave him to dwell on his loneliness.
But the petulant child within him started to stomp his feet. He screamed about his loneliness and cried out about wanting to stay especially when the object of his affections was so close.
What would life have been like if he hadn’t been born a prince?
Lucifer moved closer so that their elbows were touching. The small amount of contact was nice, and he knew it was rare coming from Lucifer making it ever more sweeter. “I think I shall stay out here with you for a while,” Lucifer sighed, “It’s nice, and much quieter. It gives me time to think and reflect.”
“I would have thought that you’d be accustomed to loud noisy places.”
“Perhaps. But that doesn’t mean I don’t long for times when I can hear myself think.”
“And you feel like that is with me?”
Lucifer chuckled, and in a moment of comfort leaned against the prince, “Not all the time no, but you certainly do allow me to sometimes. But you also worry me when you’re not talking. It’s not like you.”
Lucifer knew him well. They’d been together for so long now, even when they hadn’t been together together. Diavolo wasn’t sure when his head rested on top of Lucifer’s or when raven black wings wrapped securely around him, but he appreciated it. He’d never felt more secure than when he was with Lucifer, and for a few moments he didn’t feel so incredibly alone. He allowed himself to believe that he could have a future with someone else, a moment with someone else.
And that gave him something to look forward to.
“You’re tired,” Lucifer noted, “You feel heavy.”
“I’ve been getting enough sleep.”
“It’s a different type of heaviness Diavolo.”
Slowly they slipped down to the floor, Lucifer’s feathers carefully cradling him as he was guided down. It was hard to read Lucifer’s expressions. Diavolo knew that deep down that was part of the reason he enjoyed seeing him flustered. When those alabaster cheeks were bright red, Diavolo didn’t feel so lost with what he was doing. But the more he’d learned about Lucifer, the more confident he felt about knowing what was most likely going on in that pretty head of his. The slightest of smiles, the small crinkle of his brow, it was all easy for Diavolo to read now. His hand flowy reached up to caress the cold skin of his cheek, just to make sure the man before him was real. It was an action he repeated more and more when he was in moods like this one. It was the only reassurance he had that Lucifer was still there.
Either he had pulled Lucifer in, or Lucifer had started moving on his own, but their foreheads pressed together and Diavolo’s true form slowly started to slip. Wings and horns tangled together, trying to find somewhere comfortable to rest. Soft feathers found Diavolo’s fingers and a shudder ran through Lucifer, but he wasn’t told to stop. He removed a few of the loose ones, it was a mild and gentle grooming but it helped the prince alleviate any sense of lingering loneliness. Lucifer’s lips met his nose as they lingered there on the floor, and Diavolo lifted his head to meet his eyes.
“You aren’t alone.”
He knew.
Of course he knew.
Diavolo was like an open book and Lucifer only needed to thumb through his pages to find any little detail about him that he needed. It was comforting and made his heart a little lighter. He could have said that he knew, that he was confident that the people around him were really there and that they’d stay. That he knew they’d stay with him forever and that he could be at peace. Instead his words came out in a whisper, “Thank you.”
The prince’s head moved to Lucifer’s chest as long and delicate fingers ran through deep red locks. Larger hands ran alongside Lucifer’s back, carefully touching along his wings. No words flew between them, they weren’t needed.
All Diavolo needed was the soft thud of Lucifer’s heartbeat and both of their arms wrapped around each other.
This was all Diavolo needed in all of the three realms, and he’d give up everything and anything for this and only this. Nothing could compare to the feelings Lucifer awoke within him and the comfort he provided through love. Through being a prince he had everything, but all he really needed was this.