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Satan was the first to arrive home, and knocked on Amelia’s door without going to his room first. She’d decided that there was no reason to cover herself up. Everyone had already seen her butt up close and personal, and she wouldn’t be able to pretend that she wasn’t hurting. She told him to come in.
“So how was your day, babe?” she asked before he could say anything. She hoped that would put him at ease about her condition.
“Uh...better than yours, apparently. What happened?”
“Come sit with me first.”
“This is going to make me angry, isn’t it?”
“Probably, but I don’t want you to do anything, because it’s already fixed.”
He sat, and she scooted over and put her head on his lap.
“It doesn’t look fixed,” he observed.
“Solomon’s on his way over with some stuff to make it all better. Promise me you’ll let him in?”
“Only if you tell me what happened.”
“Well...Lucifer was really upset about what happened with Simeon, and he gave me a swat on the behind.” She could feel Satan stiffen, but he couldn’t jump up and leave while she was wrapped around him like he was a pillow.
He lifted the ice bag without asking and hissed at what he saw. “I’ll kill him.”
“No, you won’t.”
“Yes, I will.”
“I need you to let Solomon in, and you won’t be able to hear him knock if you’re killing your brother.”
Satan sighed. “Fine. I’ll kill him later.”
“I’d rather you didn’t…”
Sometimes he wished she would be angry more often, or stay angry longer, and not only because her anger was the sweetest he’d ever tasted. As far as he was concerned, some things shouldn’t be forgiven. He didn’t understand why she forgave so easily. He’d been forgiven by her himself on enough occasions, though, that he had to admit that it wasn’t an entirely negative trait.
He sat with her, talking about mundane things, caressing her here and there, just enjoying quiet time together, until there was suddenly no quiet. Mammon, Asmo, and Levi got home, and it sounded like they had brought Solomon in with them. He was glad he didn’t have to get up, at least not right away.
Amelia called “come on in” when there was a knock on her door. She didn’t realize that three more demons would come on in along with Solomon. Well, they’d all seen her naked butt, too. She didn’t look terribly appealing, but that couldn’t be helped.
“Welcome to the boudoir of bruises, everyone!”
Asmo wasted no time or propriety. He ran to the bed, lifted the ice bag and gasped in horror. “Mimi! Who did this to your magnificent behind?”
Satan grabbed the hand he had started to reach towards her naked, discolored cheek. “Don’t touch it. It hurts. That’s Lucifer’s hand print.”
“I would have liked to disclose that more diplomatically, Satan…”
“Well, I didn’t want it disclosed diplomatically.”
“EVERYONE, STAY!” she commanded. She didn’t want to abuse her pacts, but she didn’t want them forming a posse to string Lucifer up.
“Gaah!” Mammon had obviously wanted to do just that.
Solomon chuckled softly at their dilemma. “Give me some room, everyone. I’ll have her fixed up in no time.”
The brothers looked at each other uncomfortably. They were uncomfortable that Amelia was comfortable with Solomon seeing her nude from the waist down. They were uncomfortable that Solomon was comfortable seeing her nude from the waist down. They were even more uncomfortable when he began laying the poultice over her bruises, and then when she cooed about how nice it felt.
He taped the edges. He was touching their human in places they considered their own. He laid his hands on her, chanting spells as he worked his way over the places she said were hurting - from the curve of her lower back, all along her ass, down the back of her thigh. Mammon was having the worst time of all viewing it as a clinical procedure, and it was only Amelia’s command that kept him from tearing off one or both of Solomon’s arms.
“Thank you so much, Solomon! It’s already starting to feel so much better!”
“I’m glad I could help. You need to leave that on for at least the next 4 to 6 hours. If you still see the bruises or feel deep pain, I’ll make you a new one. I also brought you a potion for the pain. It will make you sleep, but that is also good for healing.”
“Should I wait to take it, then?”
“I don’t see why. You’re in pain now, so take it now.” He poured some into a small cup. “You shouldn’t need more than this. If you need more later, then drink the same amount.”
“Got it, boss. You’re the best.”
He reached across her and pulled the covers over her.
“Oh, you all can leave now. Don’t hurt Lucifer while I’m out cold, or there will be consequences.”
The brothers reluctantly left the room, and Solomon followed them after telling Amelia to get some rest.
_________
Lucifer came out of the kitchen to see Solomon, Satan, Asmo, Mammon, and Levi standing outside Amelia’s room. Satan snarled, but Asmo grabbed his arm and hissed, “remember what Amelia said.” He turned away angrily and stormed up to his room. Asmo shook his head at the other two.
Levi snarled, “I’ve got a good game for this mood, Mammon.” The two of them headed upstairs after shooting Lucifer a pointed glare.
Asmo put his hand on Solomon’s shoulder. “Thank you for all your help. I promise we’ll take good care of her.”
“Please tell me if she needs anything else. I’ll check on her again tomorrow.”
Asmo retreated, with the thought in mind that a nice long bath would give him enough of a recharge to take care of his darling Mimi for the rest of the night.
Lucifer’s poker face had been well and truly put to the test. He’d done well with his brothers, but now he was alone with Solomon, and Solomon was being revoltingly polite.
“Amelia sent me a message about her injury, so I brought over the treatments I knew would work best. She should be nearly completely healed by the time she wakes up.”
“I should have been allowed to help her. I just finished making a preparation for her in the kitchen, and it should be cool soon.”
“Sorry, Lucifer. I wasn’t aware, or I would have helped you.”
“I don’t want your help, sorcerer,” he growled. He was trying not to change to his demon form, but it was clear he was having trouble fighting it.
“Ah, well. The important thing is that she’ll be fine when she wakes up.”
“Stay away from her, Solomon,” he growled.
“I will abide by her wishes, not yours, Lucifer,” he said with a serene smile, “and I’ll be back to check on her tomorrow, because I don’t like to see her hurt.” The implied insult was hanging in the air between them. Solomon turned and saw himself out before things could turn even uglier.
_________
When Beel and Belphie arrived home, the house was disturbingly quiet. It was never like this unless it was empty. Beel went straight to the kitchen, and found pieces of a broken crockery bowl and whatever had been in it all over the kitchen. The stuff that had been in it was definitely something he didn’t want to eat, but he was hungry and resented having to clean it up before he could get a snack. Amelia could hurt her feet if she stepped on it, and that was something Beel was very concerned about. The thought of her being back gave him a warm feeling, and he decided that he’d eat in her room once he’d cleaned up and gotten a snack.
Belphie, meanwhile, had knocked on Amelia’s door, and was a little surprised to hear Asmo call him in. He would have expected that if Asmo was there, he wouldn’t want anyone else in there with him. He didn’t expect what he saw, either. Asmo had pulled a chair up to the side of the bed, and was sitting next to it rather than being in it snuggling with Amelia. She was snoring softly, but normally Asmo would be on the bed even if she were sleeping.
His “huh…” said several questions at once.
Asmo answered them.
“Lucifer was upset and spanked her too hard. It was terrible, seeing bruises on her beautiful behind. I almost cried. Solomon put a poultice on it and did some magic, and the pain medicine is making her sleep.”
He’d started stroking her arm as he spoke. She was so soft and smooth. Her beautiful flesh should never have been hit in anger.
“Belphie…”
Asmo saw that he was fuming, clenching and unclenching his fists, angry for the same reason he himself was.
“Amelia insists we don’t do anything to Lucifer. She forgave him, of course.”
“I suppose she wants us to act like nothing happened.”
“What happened?” asked Beel, who had walked in with an armload of food, and was just as confused as to why Asmo was in a chair and not in the bed, and why Amelia was so thoroughly unconscious.
Belphie let Asmo tell it again, because he was too pissed off to do it himself.
Beel was more circumspect. “That was wrong of him, but if she says she’s OK and she wants us to let it go, then that’s what I’m going to do.” He saw the look pass between his brothers. “I think we should all respect her wishes. I bet Lucifer feels bad enough already.” Then his face broke into a wide grin. “Amelia probably made him feel worse with a few words and a look than all the rest of us ever could, combined!”
Asmo and Belphie started having ideas about that, and both started laughing. Yes, she probably did. Beel didn’t get as much credit as he should for his insight.
“You know, I’m going to tell that to the others. We didn’t consider that before.”
_________
Amelia woke up to the aroma of food. It smelled really good - she hoped it was Satan cooking tonight. She was alone in her room, but there was a chair by her bed. It was nice to know that someone had been sitting there, caring about how she was.
In the bathroom, she peeled off the bandage, and it was a pleasant surprise to see nothing but a few small, faint traces of yellow. She’d have to find a way to thank Solomon later.
She put on pants - even though pretty much everyone had seen her without them today, bare-assed was not appropriate attire for dinner.
In the dining room, everyone had already started, but if she moved quickly enough, she could get some food before Beel ate it all. She was pleased to see that everything seemed normal, and that Lucifer had not decided to eat alone in his room. All the younger brothers called her name in greeting, and asked how she was.
“Well, I’m about 99.9% better, but I’m not going to show you here at the table.”
Belphie snorted.
Asmo said, “how disappointing, Mimi! I’ll need to inspect you personally after dinner!”
“Oi!” Mammon reached over and gave him a shove.
Over the laughter, Lucifer said, “I made a plate for you, Amelia, and enchanted it so nobody else could eat it. Would you come with me to the kitchen?”
“Why, thank you, Lucifer!” The smile she gave him was radiant and sincere, and he exhaled with relief.
“Are you truly alright?” he asked when they were in the kitchen.
“Yep. Wanna see?” she smiled wickedly, fingers in the waistband of her pants, the formerly damaged butt cheek cocked towards him
Instantly, she was in his arms. He had pulled her close and wrapped her up, and told her, choking with sincerity, “I love you, Amelia. I never knew a human could make me feel this way, but you do.”
She pulled back so she could see his face when she told him, “I love you, too, Lucifer.”
His smile was unrestrained. He kissed her, then pulled her head to his chest and intoned, “I will never hurt you ever again.”
Amelia knew that he wouldn’t be able to keep that promise, but also that she’d forgive him every time until she couldn’t.