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“And here lies the Morningstar. Lucifer Morningstar,”
Satan held a piece of paper, standing at a well-polished coffin. It was sleek, with a black exterior, and red roses donning it like a young maiden’s hair. Surrounding the coffin closet were the brothers of the House of Lamentation. They were in order: Mammon, Leviathan, Satan, Asmodeus, Beelzebub and Belphegor. All dressed in black suits, and somberly polished appearances. It felt out of place seeing Mammon dressed like a gentleman, or Leviathan out of his bedroom and standing tall.
“He was the right hand man of Lord Diavolo, and our eldest brother. From the Celestial Realm and back.”
A small sniffle came from Asmo, his face bare of any make-up product. He clutched a soft, blue handkerchief, dabbing his eyes with it. It was unusual to see Asmo so sad, same as the broody youngest, Belphegor. With hair, slicked back and shiny, it started to puff up from the humidity, but the demon looked down at his feet and took a deep breath in. It was unusual.
“When we fell from the Celestial Realm, Lucifer made sure our fallen sister, Lilith, was safe and sound as a human before making a pact with Lord Diavolo. In exchange for the safety we’ve been provided with, we were all made as our sins…. Thanks to our eldest brother, Lucifer.”
Much more could’ve been said, but even Satan clenched his fist and choked back a few tears, stepping down from the podium. Behind the podium was the casket, open to the masses who decided to attend Lucifer Morningstar’s funeral.
The demon himself lay perfectly still, eyes shut and his hands intertwined with each other. He wore a well-ironed tuxedo, and his hair, despite having grown grey and white over the years, was styled to mirror himself in his youth.
Even though wrinkles donned Lucifer’s face, he still looked divine and radiant like his former, and more breathtaking than even Simeon himself. It almost felt bittersweet to Satan. He stood in the middle of his brothers, heeding Lucifer’s will of being the head of the House of Lamentation.
When MC left for the human realm again, things seemed to slow down, and the days lengthened, stretching out like a cat that lazes in the sun. Slow, methodical days; Mammon stealing Lucifer’s card and Belphegor snoozing the days away. Lucifer locked himself in his office once more, drowning in work and bitter coffee, music to accompany him in his sorrow. Only now, it wasn’t an off-putting silence. Before MC came, it felt like a block of ice had been placed between Lucifer and his brothers, but after departing, the brothers of the House of Lamentation seemed to grow closer.
It might’ve been their mutual love for MC that changed them, or maybe it was a better footing of understanding each other even after all of these centuries… Lucifer wasn’t sure, but he was grateful nontheless.
Brushing through his black hair, Lucifer cocked an eyebrow at the signs of a few, grey strands. He knew his tips were whitening (an effect that happened when he fell from the Celestial realm), but grey hairs? That was one thing Lucifer thought not possible. Diavolo and Simeon were old like he was, and Barbatos too, and not a single one had grey hair in sight. Maybe it was just Lucifer’s genetics, or a sign that Michael was aging. After all, they were two sides of the same coin in some aspects. Created by God himself.
But where had all of that time gone?
Lucifer let out a soft sigh, turning to head into his office. Grey hairs were normal.
Mammon let out a noisy yawn, stretching his arms back behind his head. Today at RAD was boring. His professors acted normally, and his peers weren’t interested in musing his antics today. That was a normal day without MC, yet strangely, Mammon didn’t mind it. If it meant Lucifer wouldn’t yell at him, then Mammon was okay.
Or at least he thought so.
His older brother’s office was coming closer into view, and Mammon, for some reason, felt compelled to go in there. Perhaps he would annoy Lucifer, or maybe he would simply yap to his dear brother. But when Mammon entered the office, Lucifer was looking out the window. His mouth gaped slightly, seeing his older brother’s hair looking a bit peppered.
Mammon saw Lucifer everyday, but in that moment, something rushed over the man, and he stood there. Lucifer looked back, nodding at Mammon, a few grey strands falling over his forehead. “How was school, Mammon?”
Leviathan marched his way to his room, eyes shining brighter than his computer monitor as his anime con bag swayed from side to side. Inside the bag was the (new) TSL vinyl and some other odds and ends. It came out today, and he just had to buy it. He nearly kicked down his door, getting ready to put the vinyl record and get cozy in his bathtub, but Leviathan stopped dead in his tracks, almost tripping over his shoelaces.
Lucifer sat on his piles of pillows, eyes shut and head tipped forward as one of Levi’s vinyl’s of TSL played. It was soft to the ears, and on one of the calmer soundtracks. It sounded like a baby’s lullaby. Levi slowly closed the door, not wanting to wake the avatar of pride.
He knew Lucifer occasionally came in here to borrow a vinyl record while he worked, but to sleep here? It scared Leviathan. Was Lucifer okay– was he getting sick or something?
Leviathan wasted no time kneeling, gently patting Lucifer’s cheek. “Lucifer?” He murmured quietly.
There was no response, but the tension left Leviathan as soon as Lucifer let out a huff in his sleep. It was similar to how an old man would occasionally huff and puff in their sleep while their grandkids pestered them about some toys.
It brought a small smile to Leviathan’s face as he draped a blanket over Lucifer’s shoulders. The smile wasn’t happy, or at least to Levi it didn’t feel happy. He jittered, hands shaking as he looked up to Lucifer’s face. It was a peaceful expression, but those pepper-colored eyebrows didn’t lie.
When did Lucifer grow old? It only felt like yesterday he was borrowing one of Levi’s disks and going back to his office.
“Hey Lucifer, what do you think about this book?”
Satan pushed up his glasses, nibbling on his lip while holding a thick book that MC gave him from the human realm. The story was simple, but sweet, and the spin and cover was regal like a large tree in the middle of a forest. He frowned slightly, looking up to Lucifer. He hadn’t gotten a response from the Avatar of Pride, and Satan figured he most likely wouldn’t, upon seeing the eldest brother was asleep by the fireplace.
A plush blanket draped on Lucifer’s legs, and he let out soft snores, rectangular glasses slipping off his nose. Satan walked over, standing right beside him. He couldn’t help but stare. Lucifer looked so peaceful, maybe a little too peaceful for comfort.
When had Lucifer fallen asleep? He was awake, chatting away with Satan just minutes ago.
“Awww!! Lucifer, we look sooo cute!!” Asmo held up his phone, giggling loudly as he swiped filter, after filter, after filter across himself and Lucifer’s face.
Lucifer just sighed, wanting to wash this product and make-up off his face. He looked up to his younger brother though, a small smile forming on his face upon seeing how happy Asmo was. It was rare that Lucifer would agree to be a make-up doll for him.
“Oh! Lucifer, wait look..”
It fell silent as Asmo held up a mirror, pushing it closer to Lucifer’s face. “You.. You have some wrinkles.. You need to start using a retinol serum!!” Asmo bonked his older brother’s head and a pout painted itself on his face. “Gosh! How could you not use that kind of stuff!!! I don’t know this stuff for nothing..!!”
Asmo’s ramblings seemed to rattle on and on, but soon fell on deaf ears as Lucifer stared at himself, blinking once, then twice. His hair had slowly formed greyer strands, white ones peppered in, and his wrinkles, while not bad yet, were starting to pronounce themselves on his face. The corners of his mouth wrinkled each time it moved, and his eyebrows crinkled more when he furrowed his grey brows.
Asmo felt his smile fall, heartbeat faltering. It felt like yesterday that Lucifer still donned his raven, black hair… Mussed around like a halo as he refused to get out of bed; how he yelled at Mammon to stop misbehaving, or arguing with Satan over petty things.
Was this nearing the end of the road? Asmo still felt like the angel he used to be, admired by many, and following Lucifer down to Devildom. But when he looked at Lucifer, he looked and felt like the angel he used to be. Still commanding and handsome.
Would it always be like this? Asmo scolding, not just Lucifer, but his brothers too, about make-up and general hygiene. Making sure they all look their best. And making sure he, himself, still had a radiance about him...
It was quiet in the twin’s room, with Belphie’s head nestled on Lucifer’s lap, and Beelzebub cuddled against the eldest’s side. It was warm, but no one spoke a word. Not even a peep.
By now, years have passed, slowly but surely, it was a grueling winter once more. Belphie purred softly, reminiscent of a sunbathing cat as Lucifer stroked his silky hair, and Beelzebub munched on a few cheesy chips, offering a few to Lucifer.
The eldest only refused, a weak shake of his head. “No thank you.”
Lucifer’s voice was faint, and raspy, and his lips were wrinkled and dry, but he still smiled at Beelzebub.
It went quiet once more, but the stony expression Beelzebub usually wore was replaced with furrowed brows and quivering lips.
They all watched Lucifer grow old, and here Lucifer was, snowy hair instead of grey, face full of wrinkles yet managing to look peaceful. It’s as if Lucifer accepted that his time was drawing near.
Sometimes it felt unfair. Lucifer watched them all grow up.
But that was life.
Beelzebub leaned against Lucifer’s shoulder, being sure to not put too much pressure. Lucifer wasn’t as capable as he used to be and Beelzebub closed his eyes, mind swirling with the memories of himself, and his brothers together, laughing, arguing, fighting….
And here Lucifer was, a gentle smile on his face. A smile that calmed Beelzebub down decades ago when he revealed that he heard a banshee scream before Lilith died.
The hand that stroked Belphie’s hair stopped, shaking Beelzebub out of his thoughts as it started his fluffy, ginger hair.
“What’s on your mind?”
Beelzebub would’ve missed Lucifer’s question if it weren’t for the fact that it was so quiet. “Ah, um..” he cleared his throat and met the Avatar of Pride’s eyes.
Those once crimson eyes, full of vim and vigor, were a muted reddish-grey, mellow and calm. It was so strange. Beelzebub felt his heart lurch, eyes burning. “Lucifer… Your… Your time..”
Somedays, he saw Lucifer and Thirteen talking to each other, orbiting around each other like the moon and stars above and at first, Beel thought nothing of it, but now that his mind caught up to him…
“It’s okay, Beelzebub. You’ll meet me again one day.”
It fell quiet again, Belphie still snoozing away, but this time, Beel let his tears fall on Lucifer’s hands.
He wished things went back in time, that way Lucifer wouldn’t leave them behind.
Thirteen stood at the edge of Lucifer’s bed, green eyes glowing in the dead of night.
It was another biting winter. Lucifer lay in bed, and for once, the brothers were all together, and it was peaceful. Lucifer’s eyes were closed, his snowy hair a mess and wrinkled face relaxed, devoid of any emotion.
On the edge of the bed, Thirteen took a seat, holding a small, glowing, ball.
When Lucifer was alive, her relationship with him was cordial, but there was never malice. Thirteen thought he was boring with a stick so far up his ass, it would put a politician to shame, but she never hated the demon. Not one bit.
Both Lucifer and Thirteen shared a mutual love for MC. And that was it.
She touched the glowing ball, watching it float out of her hands for a moment. It hovered above the brothers, doing what seemed light a nodding motion before flying back to Thirteen’s warm hands.
It was time.
The walk was quiet. No footsteps could be heard aside from Thirteen’s boots against the snow. Her two-toned hair whipped and fluttered in the cold wind, but Thirteen didn’t stop her trek.
There was a glowing gate, and inside the gate, there was a place that looked warm and peaceful. Like an ideal resting spot for someone who lived a long, long life.
A small gasp left Thirteen as a little ball broke out of her hands, shaping itself to be an old man. Tall and slightly hunched, yet still dignified and demanding, Lucifer stood before Thirteen, both staring at the other. |
“Lucifer...” Thirteen turned away from the older man, crossing her above her chest in what seemed like a haughty, holier than thou way. In reality, she was choking back tears, locking away her true feelings.
“... Take care of yourself and your sister. And please, help keep Mammon and the others out of trouble.”
It was silent for a few wintery moments, but Thirteen managed to nod her head. What she couldn’t see was Lucifer smiling before turning, passing through the glowing gates that beckoned him.
──────⊱◈◈◈⊰──────
Beelzebub was the first to wake up; he shook Lucifer but soon stopped. Mammon was the second to get up; finding Lucifer still asleep, and Satan was the last to call Diavolo and Barbatos and wake everyone else.
It happened after the brothers fell. Lucifer made a pact with Diavolo and his brothers followed his lead… MC came along for a year then left; now Lucifer was gone. Unlike MC, he wouldn’t be coming back.
Loss sometimes doesn’t feel real, but the memories that are made will always be real. The brothers would all grow old too; one by one, meeting Lucifer with open arms.