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Three whole days it had been snowing nonstop. Not quite a torrent, but not exactly the best event for the Devildom at large. But even as you watched the soft powder pile shockingly high, you couldn’t find it in yourself to be too worried. Maybe it was the comforting fact that snow seemed to appear the same throughout the realms. More likely though, it was the sight of several demon heads bobbing through wintery trenches, attempting to accomplish the task of clearing paths through the thick blanket of snowflakes, only to end up pushing each other deeper in it or throwing it around. Such a sight warmed your heart. It helped that you were staying warm inside though.
It was nice and quiet in the House today. Almost too quiet. Normally, when the loudest of demons were outside and able to scream as loud as they wished, you took the opportunity to snuggle up to the demon you most adored. He wasn’t here today either unfortunately. Hadn’t been for a little while. The snow, for all its beauty, was causing Lucifer and Diavolo a more than a few problems.
Laying down on your bed, you tried to push aside the thoughts about how nice this moment would be if he were here beside you. It’s not as if you were tied together by the wrist. A few days apart was child’s play. But… it was unfortunate that he was missing out on this perfect moment of peace. He might even find the shouting outside marginally endearing. You curled up on your side, rifling through the various scenarios you might find yourselves in if he were here. A movie. A game. A nap… All with the warmth of the blankets blocking out the outer chill in a shield of fluff. It sounded far too cozy.
So cozy, in fact, that in the midst of your daydreaming, you drifted off somehow.
You woke a while later to a gentle knock at your door. Groaning, blinking, forcing your body to sit up, you hardly uttered a word before a familiar frame of a fair face faded into view. It shocked your body into alertness. “You’re home…”
Lucifer quietly let himself inside your room. Weary eyes exposed the exhaustion the days of endless work had caused. It was clear he had only gotten home recently, not even given the time to undo his tie or shake the persistent snowflakes off his coat. His presence was such a pleasant surprise, even your squeaky hinges were speechless. As he stepped closer, you noticed his taut shoulders lowering in small intervals. He held a hot beverage in his grasp with one hand, fingers clamped above the rim, making it easier for you to take by the handle as he raised it in your direction.
"What's all this for?" you asked, one eyebrow raised. As you brought the mug up to your face, the warmth billowing up against your cheeks was telling of the intense temperature.
"Careful, it's hot."
A hum left your throat as you set the drink down to let it cool. "Oh, thank you. How would I have ever known? Hot drink is hot? Revolutionary. What’s next? Cold drink cold?" You gasped. Lips curled into a little grin.
A finger pressed into the middle of your forehead. A few gentle pokes preceeded him bending down to get closer to your face. "Pardon me for trying to keep that sharp tongue of yours from burning." His voice still kept that sterner quality, but his expression betrayed his true feelings of playfulness. You loved being able to draw out that buried personality of his. "As for your previous question," he continued, "is it so unusual for me to show you some affection?"
"For the last few days, yes. I've hardly seen you. Not even so much as a call…" A blunt truth. One that you didn't intend to sound so harsh. He'd been swamped, and you knew that. A brief lack of communication and some space wasn't a problem. He'd always make it up. You were just worried.
Lucifer raised himself back up, his dark eyes narrowing. An intimidating face that would've sent a chill down your spine in times past. Now, you had the knowledge that he was just terrible with expressions. Or perhaps the old adage of "keep it that way for too long, and your face will be stuck" was true for that infamous scowl of his.
"I know," he sighed, his arms folding tight across his chest. His head turned off to the side, eyes flitting around like he was scanning your room for potential threats. ‘Threats’ being his brothers of course. When he returned his attention to you, he took a step closer, scooping up one of your hands in his gloved one. "I suppose you're not entirely wrong in your question. I did come here with an agenda in mind."
"So, this drink is an olive branch, then?"
"In a sense. Do you accept it?"
"The drink or your apology?"
"Both."
For a moment, you slipped your hand from his hold, taking the mug up again. It seemed to have cooled down enough to drink. You sipped on it, making your expression seem as if your answer was hinging on how tasty the beverage was. You quickly hummed with surprise. "It's good." In the background, his posture shifted, puffing up a little with pride. You held it carefully in your lap. “You don’t need forgiveness in the first place, Luce. I wasn’t angry with you. I just worry. And... I miss you.”
The demon’s shoulders drooped fully, their length about twice as long now that they weren’t coiled so tight against his neck. Another clone of a sigh left his lips, announcing that a great deal of weight had suddenly been lifted from his soul. Who knew your potential emotions had such an influence on him? He bent down towards your face, eyes half-closed. His forehead touched yours, rubbing against your skin in an affectionate way before pulling apart. You could tell he was desperately craving more skinship, but was holding himself back. “Tomorrow, if you do not have any pertinent plans, give your time to me.”
“Hm. Say it nicer, and maybe I’ll consider.”
Different shades of red seemed to glow in his irises for a moment. Lucifer scoffed, but then smiled. The challenge was accepted. He knelt beside where you sat, taking one of your hands in both of his. Both thumbs brushed over the whole back of your hand before he pressed a kiss to your knuckles. “I’ve deeply desired your company as of late. Fates permitting, will you go out with me tomorrow?”
Damn him. Always one to do too much. “It’s a date… but only if you rest first.”
Two shoes and a heavy coat hit the ground with echoing thuds as the mattress under you shifted. He wasted no more time in wrapping his arms low around your waist. “If you only knew how much I had been thinking about that very thing.”
---
“Is it time to say the classic ‘are we there yet’?”
“If you do, you’ll find yourself thrown in the snow.”
Despite the threat, you couldn't help but grin. Although, you desperately had to know… Were you almost there yet?
You had waken up this morning to your companion already gone. A note had been left by your bedside, letting you know to bundle up for today’s apparent date. While you got yourself inundated with a comical amount of layers, you could only hope that Lucifer had gotten adequate enough rest before sneaking off to prepare for…whatever surprise he had in store. Pride was known for going the extra mile or three.
By the time you were ready, he was here to escort you to… You still had no idea. You’d been walking through the path inlaid in the mountains of snow for what felt like a while now.
“Can I have a hint at least?” you wondered.
He stayed perfectly silent. Then, he second-guessed his decision to ignore you and glanced over his shoulder. “Why would I give you a hint when I could just show you?”
You opened your mouth to return his snarky answer when he stopped. He pulled you around to stand beside him, his hand now clasped in yours. The endless amount of snow gave way to the mouth of a cave. It was true, your sense of adventure had been enhanced ever since being in the Devildom. However, this yawning cave was pushing those limits. It’s glistening teeth quivered with anticipation, and it’s breath chilled you to the bone.
Lucifer must’ve caught your appearance, for he simply chuckled. “And here, I thought you trusted me.”
“I do! It’s just… nothing good has ever come from the caves down here. They’re even iffy in the human realm.”
“Well…” He dropped his hold on your hand. He pretended to think about it for a moment even though it was clear in his eyes he’d already made up his mind. With one swift motion, he scooped you up on his back, his hands holding you steady by the undersides of your knees. “Have faith when I say that you’ll like this one.”
With you propped up against him, he entered the mouth of the cave. Pitch darkness consumed you both, the only sense you could rely on was the warmth of Lucifer’s touch and the crunch of his boots. Your body tensed, ready to have the both of you fall, or run into a wall, or something else predictably terrible. But before you could worry too much, the trail opened up into a much larger chamber.
The inside of the cave suddenly seemed to burst into light. The shift in brightness caused spots in your vision for a few moments. When it returned to normal, however, you couldn’t stop the gasp that followed.
Multicolored icicles, like shimmering iridescent crystals hung low from the cave ceiling. Light cast from various orbs of energy bounced around. They almost seemed like living creatures, moving slowly and gently in various directions, soft whispery vibrations coming from them as they passed by. Different arrays of hues drifted over the snow, arcing in several kaleidoscopic rainbows. Snow? This deep inside a cave? And near your feet, rich indigo flowers lined a path, the petals looking as if they were carved from glowing frost. They led the way towards a pre-set table adorned with lacy tablecloths, golden candles, and platinum silverware. Based off the smell, you could tell food had been prepared and was magically staying warm, waiting for your arrival. Soups, sandwiches, hot teas and ciders, and plenty of sweets tried beckoning you over with a wave of aromatic steam.
Magical would be an understatement.
You were let off the demon’s back to wander on your own. You cupped your hands as one of the wandering wisps drifted down towards you. You gently pushed it upwards, watching it languidly dance towards the roof. “Lucifer…” Your lips mouthed different letters before you recalled the language necessary to form words. “You have to stop doing stuff like this... You’re making the standards impossible for me to beat.”
For a split second, Lucifer almost seemed angry. It quickly transformed into hurt, and then once more into determination. Holding you from behind, chin on your shoulder, he started to stoke the dying embers of your pride. “How many times do I have to try to get it through to you, that you have already far exceeded my expectations? Being with me, talking with me, understanding me, waiting for me, loving me…they are far more than I ever felt like I deserved. This is but a small fraction of repayment towards that debt. No… Not a debt. My love for you cannot be compared to something so negative. A small drop in the ocean of my devotion, rather. If you simply tried to copy everything I did, you wouldn’t be you. I dream of you bringing me coffee in the mornings, of rubbing my shoulders after a long day, of a kiss on my cheek. To you, you might worry they are too simple, but for me, they mean everything. So please, I beg of you to drop all misgivings, and enjoy this time with me.”
Speechless, you quickly stowed away the part of you that tempted to taint your mind with insecurities. As you nodded, he gave your whole body a tight squeeze, swaying back and forth with you.
“If you really want to do something for me…” He turned you around to face him, chuckling a little as he used his gloved hand to remove some snowflakes from your face and hair. “You can say my favorite phrase.”
“’Stay out of trouble?’”
He rolled his eyes and squeezed your face. “Don’t be coy.”
With a huff, you moved his hands away. “Fine, fine. Here… I will do you one better.”
As if sensing your intentions, the light in the chamber dimmed, the soft glow of magic enhancing the intimacy. You brought your face up to meet his, your lips brushing over his own. His lips were normally soft, but today they were slightly cracked from the cold. The chapstick he encouraged you to put on earlier came in handy as you ensured it coated his own lips evenly. The air in the chamber shifted, and you could almost envision his wings fluttering behind him despite him not being in his demon form. “I love you.”
His entire demeanor melted. It was precious how just a few simple words could affect him so much. Perhaps that was his point he was trying to make earlier. What seemed as simple to you both meant worlds to the other…
If that was the case, just as he gave the world to you, you’d make his world spin over and over and over again.
“I adore you more than anything, my heart... Now… will you join me for a picnic in the snow?”