Chapter Text
Although it was morning in Devildom, the sky remained dark above the shy glimmer of the stars. Satan had been immersed in a book since dawn, laying against his reading chair without even blinking. Lucifer had announced the cancellation of classes that day due to an accident with Mammon in the kitchen, so the fourth brother would have plenty of time to finish the last chapter of the book Solomon lent him.
Satan had been so concentrated in his readings that he didn’t hear the soft knocks against his door that had been going on for a while. Nor did he hear it when someone started to scream for his name in the hallway, for the only audible noise in his mind were the voices of the characters drawing him to the climax.
“Never can true reconcilement grow…” he read it aloud to himself, feeling as if that specific character were speaking to his soul “…where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep.”
Placing his left hand over his chest to inhale the pure art he felt transpiring from those lines, Satan finally noticed the vibration that had been going on for a while on his DDD. He took the smartphone in vexation, typing in his password with some dexterity (Levi would probably envy the way he did that) and opening up the new messages.
That last message made Satan jump out of his chair and reach for his door in a matter of seconds. Still holding the DDD in hands, he marched to the third floor, knowing exactly where he would find that human girl. It was a hunch, of course, but he didn’t really have much time to think about it. Before he had even realized, he grabbed her by the arm, preventing her from knocking on Belphegor’s door.
His supposition had proven right, but that didn’t’ fill him with any sense of accomplishment. Instead, he felt his very soul crumple under the wrath he knew he was made of.
“Satan…?” The human asked with wide-eyes, staring at him in a state of bewilderment. That vision was enough to make him realize his own despicable state: panting, frowning and trembling, he took some time to recognize himself.
“It was quite a run.” He said, regaining his composure. “It’s been a while since I last climbed up the stairs like this.”
“I’m sorry…” She answered, pointing out to the hand that still held her arm tight. “…did I bother you earlier? I didn’t want to insist, but I started to get worried when you didn’t answer on the phone.”
“I had my notifications turned off.” Satan dismissed the matter with a shrug. “Airplane mode is the only option when Mammon has your number.”
She laughed softly, and something tightened in his chest. They were in front of Beelzebub and Belphegor’s room, and the faint possibility of both of them being able to see that smile she had so casually shared with him filled his mind with something nasty. Greed? He gasped. No, wrath. That’s how his core was carved, and that’s how it would remain.
“…So, about the bookstore…” He said in an attempt to drive his mind out of the swirl of emotions it had been immersing itself in. “Shall we go?”
The girl’s eyes lit up in satisfaction, but she soon stopped, glancing at Belphie’s room.
“Should we invite them?” She asked with a tilt of her head.
Satan frowned, keeping his smile intact. “No.” And that’s all he said before guiding her back to the first floor.