No matter the hate, imma write this story still ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Chapter beta-read by Johnny Gat


Lucifer


Chapter XXIII

||Twisted Fate||


Dying felt… surreal.

Not because he was suspended in a giant black box called the Void, trapped permanently in a strange state of limbo.

Dying felt surreal because it didn't feel like dying at all.

He felt his body was wafted out like a wind snuffing a candle. Gone. Poof! And in the very next second, he was alive again, yet fully knowing he had died, so that would mean he wasn't alive. But he could feel. He could see. The Red Dragon Emperor could see the dimly lit place that resembled a modern bar.

Wait.

This wasn't the first time he was here.

"Welcome again, Dragon, to the place exclusive for restless souls to linger." A masculine voice said to him. A man dressed in a bartender outfit with stark white hair. The God from earlier— "No, not God. Technically yes, but not exactly a god. Gods tend to poke around the mortal realm and eventually die. I sit here and occasionally serve some patrons"

Ddraig blinked. This place seemed horribly bigger than he remembered. But once he glanced down on his bipedal legs and arms, he realized it was him who had become horribly smaller, being just a little bit larger than a baby Sprite Dragon and hardly the size of a German shepherd.

"Wh-where am I?" The juvenile Red Dragon Emperor glanced, feeling a tinge of fear and uncertainty for once in his life when he found they were the only one present.

"The End." The 'God that isn't Exactly a God' said plaintively, "Haven't found a better name yet, but it's something that stuck."

"But… I'm meant to be dead?"

"You are." The person behind the counter mixed up a few beverages, taking bottles from the storage underneath the bar as he readied up a bright golden drink within seconds. He swerved the shot glass towards him, which Ddraig caught with a joyful 'dink'.

"Scotch and Soda. It's on the house."

"Dragons don't drink." Ddraig frowned.

"The dead ones do."

"I'm underage."

"You're dead. Why do you care?"

He had a point. Of course he did; he's a God who isn't a god. He's Death.

Chugging the whole liquid down, feeling its strangely enjoyable burn as it coursed down his throat, Ddraig shook his head at the odd tingly sensation.

"So." The bartender said, a smile on his mouth but not on his eyes that shone radiant blue like a splash of supernova, "I'd assume you're wondering as to why you are here, instead of reincarnating into another body, aren't you."

"Yes I—" Ddraig paused, "Wait… Dragons don't reincarnate!"

"All living beings reincarnate. No one's really gone, see."

"Even the Evil Dragons? Such as Apophis and a few others?"

Death chuckled. "Yes. Even the evil ones according to your perspective, no matter how evil they have been. I never said when they can reincarnate, however."

In other words, most malevolent souls might stay in permanent limbo, never to feel what it was like to be alive once again.

"Unless through some… oddities, that is, that they may forcibly be brought back to life."

"The Grail?" Ddraig muttered a guess, "The Holy Grail? I've never seen one, but I heard it's able to bring back life?"

"Evil Pieces, the currently developed Brave Saints. Although those Sacred Gears' potencies are diminishing. Sephiroth Graal as well. It can revive them, but it can't revive a being as powerful as, say, you." The bartender explained, "Especially after his absence –god's absence, that is- his gadgets haven't been working quite as well as intended. His Angels may try to preserve the system he has developed, but Sacred Gears including the Longinus have been destabilizing gradually without his presence. Unless they derive their power from a soul bound within them, of course, such as yours and your rival."

Ddraig mulled it over for a bit. He didn't completely understand yet how Longinus operated, but without God to maintain their credibility, that sounded logical to him. After all, a God is a God. Angels were no Gods, no matter how many they were.

"Who… who are you? Are you God's— the Biblical God's brother? Isn't that why Lucifer refers to you as his uncle?"

"I am and I'm not." The man said vaguely, "Assume he is Life, whereas I am—"

"Death." Ddraig completed.

"Aye." Death nodded once, "Two sides of the same coin – something the lots of you would say. Never to see each other but closely related. His method of guiding his Creations is… well… rather meek-minded. Granting them 'Free Will' was an absolute mistake, I told him. But he never listened, so." Death shrugged, looking exactly like the older brother who liked to tell his siblings 'I told you so' with a smug look. "But I digress. I can't just bring you back to life as it wouldn't be fair. Albeit 'fairness' in itself is an illusion such as 'justice' and 'equality'."

Ddraig tilted his head to the other side. "Fairness isn't an illusion. Neither is justice; you reap what you sow, that sort of thing."

"You deem what is fair from your own perception." Death replied calmly, "While there will be some agreement as to what is fair among you as you live under roughly the same 'rules', fairness is still an illusion of your expectation that 'what we put in, we must equally get back out'."

"Well if there's no justice, then what's the point?"

"Exactly. What's the point?" the bartender moved to his side, ticking the bar top rhythmically with his finger, "Small illusions; necessities for the Creations. You need that sort of 'belief' to make living bearable, otherwise, what's the point?"

Ddraig blinked owlishly, unaware of the eye-opening truth he had been revealed to. "…You've spliced my soul…" He muttered, deciding to go back to the earlier topic where he could understand what Death was saying. "You combined it with the Devil's. How am I still whole?"

"Whole? I hardly think you are whole at the moment, ser Dragon. A child seems strong enough to lift you up."

"Hey…" Ddraig grumbled. He might be small but his pride was still that of a Dragon, "But I should be dead, don't I?"

"Should. Shouldn't. Who do you think decides those kinds of things, really?"

The crimson-scaled Dragon tilted his dragonic head. "You?"

"Unless it interferes with the continuation of the entire world, that is." Death affirmed, now wiping the sleek bar top made from mahogany wood into a shiny polish, "Your presence, sir Dragon, is rather crucial to the world as it is beneficial. An apocalypse might happen without you."

"What?! Can't you stop it?!"

"I can, of course. Isn't that what I am doing right now?"

"Keeping me here?"

"That's the plan."

"Then why did you take away my soul?!"

"Because, Dragon," Death addressed with composure that put Ddraig in his place in an instant as he realized he might have pissed off a primordial being. Even Dragons could be scared by the right beings. Beings that could turn him into a miniature version of himself. "your 'sacrifice', temporarily as it might be, is required to nudge him back to the right path."

"What do you mean? You used my death as a tool?!"

"You proposed to give her your life, did you not? Was all that talk about 'redemption' a farce?"

Ddraig fumbled. "W-well, of course it wasn't... I meant it. But won't you probably know already?"

"What's the fun in knowing the future outcome?"

"But you're aware of the impending doom?"

"Being omniscient also means you can limit what you know to what truly matters, boy." 'Boy'. It had been at least a thousand years since he was referred to as a 'Boy'. Last soul to call him with that was Tiamat herself. "As things stand, apparently, souls locked in Sacred Gears are not to be taken away prematurely."

Well… that'd explain why Sacred Gears simply passed on whenever their wielders died.

"...Then why did you save the girl?"

"Because of Lucifer, of course."

Ddraig tilted his head. "Lucifer?"

"You know what and how he is." He chuckled, "That son of mine has grown far too complacent with his new life. Had I been my brother, it would take him forever to do what he's supposed to do."

"Wait, wait, wait… he's your SON?!"

"Creation, rather." Death corrected, "The only one. Sowing isn't my thing, see, I'm more of a reaping type of being..."

"Isn't he the Son of God?! He even believes that!"

"He believes what he wants to believe. Beliefs aren't necessarily the truth, that being said. A beautiful lie is always easier to believe, no? Isn't that the cause why people are easily misguided?"

Ddraig widened his bright green eyes. "He… he was tricked?"

"No, no. My brother has always been the father. Very doting. Very caring. Very much a pushover. Me? Not so much." Death said offhandedly, " Lucifer is my creation, aye, but never my son. Why, I've never given him a name to begin with - that was my brother's doing. He's still very much my brother's son as you are very much a dragon. A bit lacking at the size department but a dragon nonetheless."

Death chuckled lightly, no guilt or self-reproach. As a god should.

"God or… the Biblical or Abrahamic God, cared far too much for his Creations."

"Cared." Ddraig parroted, noticing the usage of past tense.

"Aye. Cared." Death emphasized, "Look where he is now… locked himself shut in deep depression and debilitating regret, believing his Creations as a whole have been his greatest mistake. He's right there, brooding in that room."

Death nudged to a door at the far left corner of the rectangular room.

Ddraig blinked, managing only a ridiculed; "What?"

"Hard to believe for you, is it? That God's depressed?" The bartender wafted up the cloth he used to wipe into tiny particles that glittered in the air before perishing completely. "Little monsters, he refers to them now. Humans, Devils… they're not that different to one another. Sin as much. Destroy just as much. Rebuild only to destroy and rebuild. A strange self-powering cycle, if you ask me, and it will never stop spinning no matter when or where."

"Good people exist!" Ddraig argued, "How could He abandon them?!"

"Well let's see… For about 1 genuinely good person in that world of yours, there's always 100 malevolent ones. For every man who helps the elderly cross the street, there's always a hundred drunken morons driving into him. It's stupid I told him; giving them free will and the ability to think for themselves and decide what's important for themselves - but I suppose it's more entertaining this way rather than watching billions of robots moving on with their life in a perfect utopia."

Death wafted a gloveless hand into the air, creating a trace of mystical blue light that formed a rainbow made of different shades of blue.

Ddraig started to see why Lucifer's personalities differed greatly to his brothers and sisters.

"Regarding the Devil and Man— difference is; one can be saved through Christ, while the other can only save themselves. Favoritism tends to be lopsided like that. He realized it a bit too late, however, and when he planned to have his adoptive son save both humanity and the devils; he couldn't do it. Watching Jesus die was too much to bear, I suppose."

"Lucifer? Lucifer is the next Messiah?

"Fancier term for a sacrificial lamb, but sure."

Ddraig could suddenly see how Lucifer was this being's… creation. What with all the witty remarks and the smug air of nonchalance seemingly hovering all over him.

"Not a role he's required to adopt. 'Let him live his life' - or so God said. Like I mentioned, he's grown too attached to sacrifice another to pay for his inability to suck it up and simply erase everything. Self-blaming can incapacitate you worse than a broken spine, as I've observed."

"'Erase everything'," Ddraig repeated, scratching his head with his black talons. "What do you mean by erasing everything?"

"Exactly what I meant. He created everything to begin with; Dragons who eventually give birth to you, the Angels, Humans whose faith created the Gods, who then created their own monsters. Just as he has the power to create everything, he has all the power to turn everything into nothing. Him or me; it doesn't matter. Again, he couldn't because of attachment. I could, easily enough, but that would result in me lacking something to watch other than a jaded void. An unmoving Void is a rather… meek source of entertainment, I assure you."

"But what about the gods?" Ddraig pointed out, "You two aren't the only gods who exist. There's Ophis; our Dragon God."

"Same thing. Gods are born through the faith derived from humans." Death replied, "Big or small, without humans, they perish. The God of Dragons is similar except she requires your kind's faith. A Dragon's faith. Me and my brother? We've been around before the beginning has even begun, and we'll be around until the end and after the end, always were and will be."

"But my permanent state of being is not what's important." Death hummed, ignoring Ddraig's struggle in accepting the cold, hard truth; that he and the rest of everything else was a speck in the larger scale of things.

"You see, Drake,-" "It's Ddraig." "-the future can never be certain as it relies on the present. One small movement might cause a shift that leads to a different kind of future. A single drop might cause a tidal wave and leave you with a future full of ruins. The domino effect, as you'd say. But in this moment, regardless of which piece topples first, all of it ultimately leads to one path only that is a complete cessation of the world's existence. An end to everything. All because of your nonexistence."

Ddraig shuddered. He didn't realize his absence would have that heavy of a consequence to existence in its entirety.

"How is that possible? Me? Just me?"

"Let's just say you're a crucial piece of a… a house of cards. You and a slew of others - Lucifer included, as are several other beings you needn't know. Without even one of you, the house will crumble."

Ddraig gave it a thought. So he wasn't the only crucial part… that… deflated his ego a bit.

"Now I can't have that." The Omega muttered coldly, "Otherwise everything my brother has painstakingly created and stubbornly tried to preserve would have been all for nothing. That, and I would run out of things to keep myself entertained. I could always create, but…" he hunched his shoulders, shrugging, "creating is really not my forte. Me being Death and my brother being Life and such."

As Ddraig remained silent, Death trailed off. "I'm getting sidetracked again... It's been long since I last had a patron who will stay for a while, you see, pardon me if I do ramble from time to time."

"It's… strange, to say the least... I didn't think I'd ever experience an existential crisis and yet here I am; pounded by revelations and truths one after another."

The Omega chuckled lightly like the night. "I know. You Dragons are just so pompous and self-absorbed that many were led to believe it'd take a god to humble your kind."

"Well they're not wrong." Ddraig huffed, grumpily. "I'm staying here?"

"Of course." Death said, "Where else can you go? The Void? Your soul will be crushed within the blink of an eye. Nothing exists in that boring part of the outer explorable universe."

That wasn't what Ddraig was going for by asking, however. Not exactly anyway. "Why will I be staying here?"

"So you can return to the living once again, of course. The Gremory's purely a Devil; hardly suitable to carry your gear tuned for Humans at the moment. But given enough time, you may yet yell "boost" once more. And enjoy your little misadventures by residing within her soul."

Ddraig held his breath as Death's piercing blue eyes stared right into his soul, making the Red Dragon Emperor squirm.

"You won't retain anything you experience here, but that's not important. You want redemption, no? The day she's fit to become your vessel, Dragon, will be your second chance. But for now? You shall stay, and wait, and perhaps listen to my story about a Phoenix who once begged for death."


Break


Lucifer woke up with an unbearable headache.

The after-effect of resorting to converge the sins of the entire world into a corruptive power he was created to carry. He should be dead, rather. Should be throwing up too. Which was the only reason why he was grateful a headache in the dead of the night was the only thing he had to concern himself with.

"Bloody… sock suckers…" He groused, palm on his head and mildly interested in committing an outrageous act like jumping out the window of a very tall building and plummeting to the ground so he could be knocked out for at least a few days.

But that would likely just worsen the headache. Asphalt to the face wasn't quite the recommended treatment for an aching head.

That said, by all that is mighty and damned, this was one nasty headache. His head felt like it was being split open from the inside, or was already opened and was being mixed with an eggbeater, because he was fully tempted to scream the pain out.

Instead, he settled with a guttural groan as he sat up on the bed, burying his face in both his hands.

"Lucifer…?" Wakened by his sudden movement and sudden growling/whimpering, Rias sat up as she reached for his arm, splaying her fingers on his bicep barely hidden by his white shirt. He slept with his shirt on tonight, which itself was a rarity.

"Are you alright?"

"Did I wake you up? Sorry Princess." He managed to say, before being squeezed by pain again. "Gah— Christ Almighty… This is officially the worst pain I've ever felt. It's like I'm giving birth from my bloody head—! Fuck me, this is quite significantly, the worse pain I've had. Kindly remind myself to never do that again, would you?"

"D-do what?"

Lucifer paused. "…Ah right. You were dead back then."

Rias blushed as he embraced her tightly, a momentary lapse from his suffering.

"It's so good to have you not dead." Lucifer whispered, persisting through his disorienting headache, "I shouldn't have left you. I might've done something insipid such as holding those cravens' leader hostage until I bring you back."

"L-Lucifer… It's my own fault to begin with…" Rias returned his embrace, nuzzling his neck and chest, "I thought I could've handled it on my own and yet…"

He pushed her away, his grip firm on her shoulders. His brown eyes were dead serious for once. "Please don't do that again. I'm around. Use me."

"But it would have inconvenienced you!"

"You dying is a worse inconvenience to my sanity." Lucifer sighed, his expression mellowing as he fought back the diminishing pain, "It's never an inconvenience to me when you need me, Rias. You want to be independent and I admire you for that, but that doesn't mean I don't want to be relied upon."

Rias frowned sadly, "Lucifer, I—"

"I've lost friends, Rias. Brothers and sisters. People I— platonically adore. I've lost a lot of them and there's only Zekram who I know is alive in this time period." Lucifer interrupted. He wasn't done. "Losing is a lot different to killing. You kill enough people and you'll become desensitized eventually. You get used to it. I had to get used to it. What you don't get used to is when you sit alone on a table, and wonder why you're the only person there."

Her frown grew gloomier, unable to imagine how many times Lucifer had to go through that kind of personal hell.

"Losing scares me." He said with a tiniest of frown as to not make her worry too much, although it was obvious Rias was about to break into tears already. "I can't get used to losing. Friends- sisters- brothers- it's the same. Didn't get any easier. I doubt it ever will. But a lover?"

He held her arms, squeezing her gently as he stared into her blue-green eyes that had been lined with water.

"Rias when I thought I lost you I—" Lucifer couldn't finish it. He held her hands as he brought them to his lips, planting a quick kiss on her knuckles. "I can't lose you. So please, please, don't pull that kind of stunt again."

"I… I'm sorry…" Her voice hitched, and Rias wept into his chest. Part of her was happy to know she was cherished this much, that she meant so much to a person who could rule Hell. Part of her felt horribly guilty that her selfish pride had nearly caused her to lose him. What a fool she was.

"Now, now, Princess. We're all right now." Lucifer chuckled warmly, stroking her crimson hair. "My head isn't, however… and I believe it's best for me to try and get some sleep. Do you reckon a kiss would help with head-splitting nuisances?"

He didn't get much of a response other than sniffles or sobs. Women. Always vulnerable and sentimental no matter how resolute they wanted to appear on the surface, and that was a good thing. Lucifer wasn't complaining. He liked vulnerability and sentimentality in this world where everyone seemed to have taken a liking in putting up a front. More so when he's the only one who could comfort them.

She's the reason why he shouldn't mess around anymore with hands in his pants. Until peace and quiet have been established, until there's no more idiots like Kokabiel roaming around this Earth, threatening to commit the unimaginably moronic 'end the world' scenario in their head into action, until there is nothing else to potentially disturb her or the ones who are dear to him.

He had led the Devils to a near extinction in order to give them a better future, sacrificed himself so Hell was able to be sowed and sprout life. Actual plants. Actual life. Actual land that could be developed. And they have developed it well. The death of his friends and his own were not in vain.

Lucifer just had to make sure it stayed that way.


Break


The Devil's disorientating headache thankfully left him alone after he forced himself to sleep, but Lucifer sensed another one would come to replace it as he sat beside Rias. In front of them, seated on the other couch inside the ORC clubroom, were the church's misguided evangelists who were largely to blame for the events that occurred yesterday.

Despite his niggling temptation that was coaxing him to rend their skull open, Lucifer knew that wouldn't end well for the Devils' society.

Brushing his hair to the left, propping up his quiff, Lucifer maintained his perfectly concealed ire as he stared at Sister Griselda. Two of her kids were sitting by her side, unusually quiet and somewhat ashamed. But Lucifer wouldn't put the blame on kids; adolescents barely knowing what they were doing.

The mature nun, however, was a fair game.

"Allow me to express our uttermost gratitude," Griselda said calmly, smiling thinly, undoubtedly uneasy that the Devils had done the brunt of the work she was supposed to do, "your assistance has been crucial in the restoration of the Holy Swords."

"I hope the Christian Association appreciates the expense we have taken." Rias replied with a slight venom lining her words, "With all due respect, Sister Griselda, my Servants faced more danger than you do. Rossweisse was grievously wounded in order to save your acolyte and I, myself, perished. Not to mention I nearly lost Koneko and Kiba because of a Stray Exorcist, all of whom are unable to be present due to their injuries. These aren't goodwill that us Devils can be satisfied with a simple 'thank you' letter."

"I understand." Griselda nodded once, "The Church won't forget these favors. We are indebted to you."

Oooh. That tickled him nicely, those words phrased into a sentence that signified the surrendering of one's future freedom. The phrase had always a nice ring to it, especially when it was said by his supposed enemies.

It didn't take him long to work up a sensible way to utilize the favor. "Tell you what, Sister… as you are sent by my sister -Gabriel, specifically-, I'd wager arranging a meeting between me and her shouldn't be that difficult."

Griselda appeared conflicted. "That isn't something I can promise."

"I don't need promises." Lucifer said, and then a pillar of white light blinded the entire room.

He audibly groaned as he shut his eyes while Rias and Akeno trembled - their body shook uncontrollably against their will. The immense Holy Power unmistakably belonged to a sovereign of Heaven. Once the light died down, and as they peeked through a small gap of their eyelids, they were at a loss for words.

Even Lucifer, who held his breath.

Fine white silk draped over her body, wrapping around her like a dress. Strands of rich golden weaves that formed golden waves, golden eyes that reminded him of the innocence of a newborn doe. Her face, once chubby and full of cheeks now refined and matured to a fine, beautiful woman. And her wings. Her wings… Her twelve wings that were once white in color and barely the size of his arm, now nearly covered the whole room from side to side, shimmering a brilliant luminous glow.

Lucifer could never forget her, but he often wished he had.

Xenovia and Irina kneeled immediately as Griselda stood from her seat and did the same.

"Seraphim Gabriel, we are blessed to be bestowed your presence."

"G-Gabriel?" Worry and dread quickly surfaced into her face as Rias stared at the Angel, eyes wide. She knew that Seraph Gabriel was rumored to be an equal to Serafall Leviathan, which would explain why she couldn't stop her body from shaking just from the Holy air she radiated, and why she could penetrate through the barrier that Rias herself had cast to repel her enemies.

Despite that, Lucifer rose from his seat, walking away from the couch as he approached her without flinching once.

Gabriel said nothing, but her eyes spoke volume of how dearly she had longed to see him once again.

"…Brother." Her voice was angelic. Even her small frown was angelic. Hearing it again made Lucifer forget all his past ire towards her, "…How I have missed you so…"

Teary-eyed, she leaped towards him. As she fell into his arms, clinging to him so tightly almost like a scared child, Lucifer realized his sister had never once despised him. Despite the heaviness in his stomach, it fluttered at the feeling of her body pressed against his. She sunk into the warmth of his side, appreciative of the simple gesture. His touch made the room warmer somehow, her future within its walls seeming a little less bleak.

Gingerly, he held her, snaking his hands between her six pairs of golden wings, his voice broke into one filled with laughter. Not from joy, but more from disbelief.

"Am I awake right now?"

In the end, there existed an Angel he could never despise even if she betrayed him.

Gabriel pushed herself from his chest, but not letting go of him just yet, holding his hands securely. She gazed up to him, her golden eyes shimmering from her tears.

"I knew you were here. I've longed to see you again. I've waited for you to exit the Devil's territory and I'm aware that I've broken an agreement… but… when you said you wanted to meet me I…" She clung to him again, squeezing him tightly as she feared she would lose him again. She missed his muscular arm that she dreamt was wrapped around her as much as she missed the smell of him and his warm, rumbly chuckle.

"To meet you at last... I missed you. I missed you so much. I've lost sleep because of how badly it hurts. Heaven is never the same since I remembered you."

Lucifer paused. "'Remembered' me?"

"When you left, they erased my memory of you, brother." Gabriel admitted sadly as Lucifer took in a sharp intake of air. "They said I… I was too... They said I refuse to do anything. I was devastated by your exile, brother… If they didn't do it I would've..."

"Alright let's not talk about that." Lucifer held her in stunned silence, now lost for words. Lost for witty quips to say that would ease his emotions from running rampant so he wouldn't have to cry a little. Gabriel's unconditional love was the kind of love he found hardest to comprehend, because he didn't know how to return it.

"First thing that crossed my mind when I was exiled was if I could see you again." His voice was shaky. Knowing his baby sister had never hated him once would have that impact on The Devil himself. "In the war I wanted to see you again, but I'm glad we never had to meet then."

In that moment, her arms squeezed a fraction tighter and Gabriel breathed more slowly, her body melting into her brother's as every muscle lost its tension to the spring air.

"Why didn't you come back when you returned?" She whispered, choking a sniffle.

"I'd visit you but I doubt the kind and benevolent Angels would let me in even if I just wanted to borrow some sugar."

Gabriel pulled away, a frown etched on her face now as her tears strolled down her flushed cheeks. "You shouldn't be an outcast. You shouldn't have been. They were mistaken. Father didn't want to banish you, brother, please believe me."

"Oh I believe you, sister. My daddy issues are resolved now."

Rias clutched her chest, worriedly watching the reunion of the two siblings. Worried about Lucifer leaving her when it was clear to her how big his love was to her sister.

"Should, shouldn't – none of that matters anymore now. I got over it."

She pulled away even further, confusing Lucifer who then saw the sadness in her face. "But you didn't have to overcome anything to begin with." Gabriel murmured, "Don't you want to come back?"

"Dear, sister…" he said smoothly, and horrified her by his next sentence, "there's nothing in this life I would want less."

A genuine smile on his face, but not a smile that was replied with one by Gabriel. He put Rias' heart at ease for the moment, at least until the Seraph's next plea.

"Come back home, brother. I want you to return. All of the Heavens have known of it."

"Then all the Heavens know how horrible of an idea it is." Lucifer answered with sincerity this time along with a wry chuckle. He closed the gap between her and held her hands – rubbing circles over her slim fingers that were smoother than the finest silk. "I'm glad, lil' sis. Truly am. But I'm sorry, but no."

Her sleek golden eyebrows arched upwards. "Why? Forgiveness will come in due time."

"If I recall correctly; someone needs to be guilty to be forgiven."

To no one's surprise but Gabriel's, The Devil didn't see himself as the criminal.

"An apology then." Gabriel said, "All will apologize for what they've done to you." She was getting desperate. She didn't want a new reason to cry herself to sleep again.

It got Lucifer to think it through. It got Rias to worry and overthink again, her stomach knotting, scared at the thought of him leaving.

"That would be nice; tens of thousands of Angels groveling at my feet… The idea is amusing, truly. You could turn it to an annual thing. Lucifer Day has a nice ring to it - especially ironic considering not even Hell has it." Oh that would piss a lot of Angels forever. "But no. Your Angels can write letters of apology embroidered in golden ink until Heaven needs a new supply of it, clip their wings and have them framed for me, and still I won't return. A visit, at most. Just don't count your chickens."

"What do you wish for then?" Gabriel frowned, dejected by his reply. "What do you want from us? Is there anything I can do that would make you reconsider? Or do you simply choose to neglect me…?"

"Now now, don't you go puppy eyes on me you sly Angel. Seraph, I mean. That's trickery, sister, and Angels don't get to do that. That's what I'm allowed to do."

The Archangel pouted. "Even I am permitted a little bit of harmless mischief."

"No you're not because you're an Angel, otherwise you would be like me. And you said it yourself; you said 'us' as you belong with them, and you know well that I am not."

"That's not what I intend to mean…" Gabriel frowned sadly, her lips quivering. "I love you… brother. Please come home."

He felt like he had been shot in the chest.

Sighing, Lucifer rested his forehead against hers, feeling her golden locks brushing his face. "You know I can't return because I love you."

Gabriel could feel her heart shatter like a dropped mirror. She knew. Oh she knew, but Angels were taught to never give up hope despite knowing hope could be a dangerous thing, regardless of its necessity. Her tears fell, and her muffled sobs filled the otherwise silent room as she cried into his chest, miserably whispering "This isn't fair...", unable to accept the fact she would eventually have to guess when they could meet again.

Lucifer couldn't find anything to say that could cheer her up. His little sister, crying like a baby, and he couldn't do anything to ease her. He hated that he had to feel this pathetic two days in a row. Being emotionally drained was horribly bad for his body that had decided to pester him with another headache.

Rias stood there in silence as she slowly sat back down, clueless on what she should do. Or what she could do. The people sent by the church appeared to be just as clueless, sitting on their seats. She noted that Irina was crying silently, held tenderly by Griselda while Xenovia shuffled awkwardly. Perhaps she was touched. Perhaps she was just sad.

She speculated wrong. Irina was just missing her deceased friend. She missed Issei, who she couldn't accept to be gone.

Rias could see Lucifer fighting back his tears. Perhaps afraid that if he cried, he would sadden Gabriel even more. Sirzechs would have done the same for her. Rias would have done the same for Mio.

She wondered what she could do for Lucifer.

"Rias I… need to leave." Having kept her quite most of the time, even after Gabriel's abrupt arrival, Akeno quietly excused herself outside the room after the image of her mother suddenly appeared in her mind. Rias didn't even get to give a nod or see her tears before she uncharacteristically stormed outside the room.

Rias would have gone after her, but the situation at hand had her chained inside the room.

After a while, the sobbings died down, and Gabriel had regained her composure enough to think a bit clearer.

"…Then perhaps I should become like you." A bit clearer; evidently not spotless clear.

When Lucifer noted the tips of her golden wings darkened in color, he, as well as Griselda, Xenovia, and Rias, panicked.

"No, no, no." He quickly denied, "Sister, you're very bright but not the brightest in the head are you."

Gabriel scowled, while the others were nervous because Lucifer had just insulted a Seraph and that said Seraph had nearly dyed her golden wings in black for him.

"Hear, hear. I'm gladdened, very gladdened that after all these times, you don't hate me."

"I would never..."

"Thank you. You've thrown away all my anxiety by just saying that. You, willing to ditch all of that just to join your misguided brother? Dear me, I'm touched. But you don't belong here, sister. Your place is in Heaven."

"I need you."

"You don't. You're a strong independent Angel." Lucifer smoothly replied. It didn't help much, but it lifted the mood. Even if it was just an inch. "And look at you. You're an Archangel now. You have priorities, I reckon. I'm no different than an ordinary Devil, little sis - save the amount of charm and wit I possess. I am no longer respected enough that anyone wouldn't think twice before insulting you behind your back. You will be ridiculed to no end, sister. No one will be as keen to receive you as I do."

"They ridicule me behind my back regardless." Gabriel pointed out adamantly. "Let them say what they want. Why should I take heed of their jeers?"

"You won't, but I will." Lucifer muttered. "I'll rip off their mouth if I must. Crucify anyone that dares. I would do anything for you and that is exactly why you can't be in Hell."

"…" She was fully aware of it, but hearing it being said by him of all people, made it hurt much more. "Is there nothing I can do?"

"Nope. Nada."

Gabriel gloomily, defeatedly, hopelessly laid her head back to his chest. "But I want you to be my side…"

"If we get everything we wanted, dear sister, what's the point of living?" Lucifer cracked a smile, brushing away the smear of her tears with his thumbs.

She couldn't argue with that. That was the end for her negotiation-turned-into-begs. At that point, Gabriel held him tightly as if it would be their last. Lucifer returned kindly, but then sparked what made him unable to return to Heaven. Cunningness borderline wickedness.

"…Although… you might be able to provide me with something we all want and need, sister."

While Gabriel's face lit up, Griselda's expression turned grim as she sensed a foreboding feeling.

"Yes?! I'll give you anything I can give, brother."


To be continued...


Kek. You think I'd kill off oppai dragon that easily? SIKE. I have plans for Drakey-boi. Big plans. Very big, yes. Biggest grandest plan. I wonder how many people have given Rias the Boomsted Gear. I hope I'm the first one going to apply it.

Writing this chapter is draining me emotionally. Soon, fluff and the 'feel good' vibe will return to this story, and Rias and Rossweisse shall be pampered once again, and no more tears for Gabbu.

On an unrelated note, I hate dxd's portrayal of Gabriel and Hades the most. They're just lame. Gabriel is just an eye candy and a somehow even dumber older version of Asia. Hades is 'ah yes, humans be dangerous, let's kill em'

Obligatory fanfic discord server promotion: discord. gg/V54pcwA — the server isn't dead, so it's objectively better than most servers already