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During study hall, a few of the student council member’s phones began blowing up. Asmodeus closed his book and opened the group chat, Mammon attempted to hide his under the table, and Satan excused himself to answer.
Leviathan: something incredibly sus is going on
Mammon: I didn’t do it!
Asmodeus: Are you sure?
Leviathan: it’s not about you, it’s about billie and lucifer. they’re definitely planning something.
Satan; Is that why Lucifer suddenly rescheduled the book fair a week forewords? It was supposed to be next week, although I just admit I’m pleased it’s earlier.
Mammon: Eh? Now that you mention it, he’s messing with my schedule too! I was supposed to retake the math test tomorrow, he put it off till Friday!
Satan; The same day as the book fair…
Leviathan: WAIT, you told me you passed that test. we had a bet over it!!!!!
Mammon: Nevermind that little detail, what’s Billie got to do with it?
Leviathan: she cancelled our movie night, and then within five minutes lucifer just so happened to “accidentally” win a raffle for free entry to BINARY❤️LIFE! That’s the most exclusive arcade in the devildom!!
Asmodeus: Is that supposed to read Binary Life, or Binary Heart Life?
Satan: Why would they want the four of us out of the house?
Mammon: Make that six. Belphie and Beel just texted back, apparently Billie gave them reservations to Café Cardinal Sin. Said she was busy on Friday and didn’t need ‘em…
Leviathan: so they’re kicking us all out! I’m telling you, they’ve got some scheme planned.
Asmodeus: Why must it be some scheme? Perhaps they want alone time ;)
Satan: Because usually they go out somewhere, or simply retreat to their rooms. They haven’t needed the entire house before.
Asmodeus: Ah! I just got it!
Mammon: I’m burning to know!!!
Asmodeus: It’s… a secret!!!
The chat exploded with angry emoticons and gifs of cats screaming.
Asmodeus: I couldn’t tell you, sorry! Actually, this explains a lot. Billie was asking me these weird roundabout questions about demons… I don’t think she meant for me to make the connection. Sorry, Billie! I can’t help that you’re adorably bad at keeping secrets!
Satan: Come to think of it, she had asked me to help her find some books on demon biology. She’s been curious lately.
Mammon: So that’s it? She’s just wanting a biology lesson?
Asmodeus: Phrasing, Mammon ❤️
Leviathan: it’s a bit weird, but not unlike billie to become weirdly fascinated with things like that. maybe she wants to ask something personal?
Asmodeus: Something along those lines! Now, you’d all better stop speculating! Or else I’ll ask those cute witches I met to hex you!!
Mammon: NO!! I need good luck for this weekend! Me and Goldie are going on a date!!
Slowly, the students returned to their work, although most of the period had passed. Asmodeus couldn’t hide his smirk, though.
“She could’ve just asked me,” he thought, “although I suppose I’m glad he’ll finally have someone to help him…”
~~~
They sat by the fireplace, and he gently spread out his wings.
“…thank you again for this.”
“You don’t need to thank me, I’m happy to do it.”
Demon wings come in several varieties, but they have a few things in common. For one, most demons would only trust extremely close family or their partners to touch their wings. They are as powerful as they are delicate, and to trust someone with handling them…
Demons with feathered wings are extremely rare, it usually comes with great power. It’s even rarer to have multiple sets.
This makes molting a mess.
Before, Lucifer would find every excuse to hide in his room. His pride wouldn’t allow himself to be seen during a molt, and he’d even reschedule and cancel public appearances until they had returned to perfection. It wasn’t just about appearances, seeing the feathers fall around him… feeling the phantom pain of his missing pair… it wasn’t a pleasant time for him.
Billie had noticed, almost immediately in fact. Lucifer always let his guard down around her, and she had an uncanny ability to sense when he wasn’t feeling right.
She had borrowed the books on anatomy in the hopes of finding a solution, and she did. If someone would help with preening, the molting process could be shortened from a week or two to just a single dedicated night. That’s when she visited Asmo, and slyly asked about “if demons had any unique self care routines.”
Lucifer’s wings, which were usually jet black with long and sturdy feathers, were marred by a half-broken, graying, and weak molt. Through what remained of his primary feathers, an extremely soft down could be seen poking through. As he stretched out his upper right wing for Billie to work on, several old feathers fluttered to the ground.
She carefully began running her fingers over his wing, working from his back outwards. When she found a feather that was off color, broken, or loose, she’d carefully tug until it joined the growing pile on the floor.
At first he was rigid, and she had to refrain from teasing him for looking like he was about to take a midterm. As his wing became lighter and the itching, scratching dead feathers dropped one by one, he relaxed, his wing occasionally fluttering to help some the molting along.
As she worked, she praised him in a soft and quiet voice. She told him she thought his wings were absolutely beautiful, so strong yet so soft. He felt like he could’ve melted, he almost whimpered at every soft murmur. It was the most beautiful his wings had felt to him in centuries.
Slowly, she finished with the outer layer of all four wings, and he turned to face her. The final step was to brush out the down feathers, the most sensitive part of the task.
She moved in front of him, and he curled all his wings closer to her, almost like a cocoon. This time, it was his chance to return the praise. He told her how he didn’t think he could let anybody touch his wings, how he felt safe entrusting her with the most vulnerable part of himself. She carefully brushed the soft, downy coat, until she finally couldn’t resist the urge to run her hand over it. It was incredibly soft, an almost extreme contrast to his primary feathers.
He chuckled, “if anybody else did that I’d throw them into the dungeons. But you… I want you to do that anytime you please.”
“I’m glad to have found another one of your weak spots,” she grinned.
He was resting by the fire. The small pains from having his molt plucked amounted to nothing for the avatar of pride, but Billie still demanded he rested tonight instead of returning to his paperwork. She was sweeping up the discarded feathers, when something caught his eye.
“Just what exactly are you doing?”
She was plucking out the most vibrant and whole feathers, and pocketing them.
“I think I deserve a payment for such a good job,” she teased.
“Show some restraint,” he blushed. But the thought of even his discarded feathers having such value to her was… he should listen to his own advice.
“This is me showing restraint, I considered taking all the bags of this stuff and restuffing my pillows.”
He thought to hide himself with his wing to hide his growing flush, when an idea struck him.
She immediately snapped her head towards him when she heard him hiss with pain, only to be met with his outstretched hand holding a feather. One plucked from his fresh coat. It looked as though it was begging to be made into a quill.
Billie carefully took it as if it was simultaneously made of glass and diamonds, and held it close. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Lucifer wrapped his wings around her. “I only wish I could thank you enough.”