Obey Me: Shall We Date? - The Fallen Star Dance

by Wilmont220

The dance is this weekend! And Asuna can't seem to catch the attention of the person she really wants to go with. A plan forms with her at the center, but will she be able to pull it off? Only one way to find out...

5. Whole Story

PART 1: THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE CRUSH AND THE CAPER

"Uh, Asuna, would you… be my date to the dance?"

"I'd love it if you'd be my escort."

"You're going to the dance with me, right?"

"Your beautiful face and mine would be a perfect match for Saturday."

"I brought you some chocolates."

"Do you want to go to the dance with me?"

Leviathan. Satan. Mammon. Asmodeus. Beelzebub. Even Belphegor, who rarely gets excited for anything, seem to be under the impression that she'd have a date at all. But the one who truly mattered, the one whom she wanted to have her ask her, would be there out of obligation, not to cut loose or have fun. He'd be there to make sure his brothers were behaving. And because Diavolo asked him to go.

"Will you be there?"

"I'll be there, supervising," was the simple answer he'd given her. But it wasn't enough. Asuna needed more, a better plan, if she was going to pluck up the courage to ask him to dance with her. He was the one who needed the night off. A workaholic whose dedication to the Prince of the Devildom was borderline submissive. The leader of the pack. The fallen angel. Lucifer.

"I'm not taking a date, but save me a dance," was the answer she'd given everyone else, trying to let them down easy. It's not like she didn't like a couple of the others. Satan, for example, with his blonde hair, inviting demeanour, and intelligence should have called to her like a siren's song. Or Levi's dedication to his love of anime, gaming, all things nerdy meant she and him had a lot in common. So why didn't she have crushes on them? Why Lucifer? His cold attitude, critical nature, and over protective tendencies should all be things that would turn her away. But those small moments of affection he had for her made her feel like she was walking on clouds, light as the raven feathers she'd use to buy him and the others gifts in times of victory.

She felt her D.D.D. vibrate in her hand, bringing her back to reality. "Asuna, can you come to the RAD student council room?" It was Diavolo, the prince of the Devildom. What could he possibly want with her?

"Be right there," she replied, walking quickly through the House of Lamentation.

Diavolo, wearing his red jacket with his loyal butler Barbatos by his side, looked completely intimidating when she was alone with them. If it wasn't for the fact that Diavolo almost always wore a smile around her, and Barbatos' face was friendly, if neutral, she'd feel like she was being called to the principal's office.

"You're planning on going to the dance this Saturday, right?" Diavolo seemed eager. He was definitely excited to be hosting the party.

"I am," Asuna responded, hoping she wasn't getting another invite for a date. Especially from the man whom she had to compete with for Lucifer's affection.

"You want Lucifer to take you," he said matter-of-fact. It wasn't a question. He definitely knew she wanted this, her flushed complexion and rosy cheeks were all the responses he needed to confirm his thoughts. "I tried to give him the night off, but he refused. He thinks he's the only one who can keep his brothers in line. I have to admit, he's kind of right in that regard." The friendly smirk on Diavolo's face was his best all-knowing smile.

"Lucifer wants you to go with him," Barbatos said simply, Diavolo giving a confirming laugh in the background.

"He's not going to give up his obligations to me, even for a night though. So I've instructed Barbatos to do everything in his power to encourage Lucifer to at least dance with you. I will try and do the same."

Asuna's eyes lit up, a newly formed hope blooming in her chest. "How do you plan to do that?"

"By appealing to his weakness of course," Diavolo grinned. "Jealousy."

A soft rap at the door made her turn around. The faces of the angels Simeon, accompanied by his little companion Luke poked their heads through the door. "Are we interrupting?" Simeon's soft, lyrical voice spoke.

"Perfect timing actually," Diavolo says, inviting them inside. They stood on either side of Asuna, looking more than a little charming. The two angels in the exchange program always looked radiant and inviting.

"Asuna, I want you to go to the dance with Simeon," Diavolo says simply, the pride in his plan written all over his face. "You could take one of the demon brothers I suppose, but I feel like Lucifer would be more jealous of someone from outside the Devildom. Simeon is the perfect match for that."

"What about me?" Luke's high-pitched voice squeaked.

"Yes, she could take you instead if she prefers. Or even her fellow human Solomon. I just believe that Lucifer will see Simeon as the harder competition."

"I'd be happy to, if you're willing to go with me," Simeon says, interrupting Luke's noises of shock.

Asuna took a long, hard look at each of their faces; Diavolo's pride, Simeon's eagerness, Luke's wonder, and Barbatos' encouraging half-smile seemed like they were all trying to convince her. She wondered if tricking Lucifer like that was the right way to go about this. To her, it almost felt like cheating on him. Was her desire to dance with him worth the trouble? "Lucifer wants you to go with him," came the echo of Barbatos' words.

"I'm in," she replied conclusively. Simeon's and Diavolo's beams of approval increased her faith in the plan. "What could getting a little help from them hurt? If anyone knew how to convince Lucifer to have a good time, it would be Diavolo," she thought to herself.

As she walked back to her room, excitement began to settle in for Asuna. She finally felt hopeful that she could get Lucifer to spend some time with her. So much so that even dress shopping, an activity usually not pleasant for her, had some enthusiasm behind it. It quickly disappeared when she could find nothing she felt comfortable in. Defeated, she took a seat at the outdoor cafe for a breather, trying to decide if she should just wear something from her closet.

"Yoohoo, Asuna-chan," a friendly voice floated in from down the road. Asmo, accompanied by Mammon of all people, came waltzing to her table. Asmo was loaded with bags of new purchases, while Mammon looked particularly pleased with himself, his orange sunglasses barely concealing the hunger in his eyes. Was it hunger at a deal he'd struck? Or simply from being in Asuna's presence once more? No one really knew.

"Hoi, what are you doing here? You look like you just lost a million dollar bet," Mammon commented as he took a seat across from her, Asmo following suit beside him.

"Just shopping for the dance," came her hollow reply, with a realization that she had neither the money nor the motivation to continue any further today.

"Oh waiter, two black strawberry cream tentacle crepes please," Asmo yelled, signaling a lesser demon his order.

"Hey, order one for me too!" Mammon said, giving Asmo an angry stare.

"Fine, make it three," Asmo sighed, the waiter nodding his approval. "Oh Asuna, I can't wait until you see the lovely outfit I acquired for the dance! Custom made by one of the finest designers in the Devildom. It took weeks to arrive and it's finally here! Take a peek!" Asmo squealed excitedly, opening one of his bags to let Asuna have a glimpse. The sparkling gold fabric she could see confirmed her suspicions that the outfit was extravagant and wild, like almost all of Asmo's clothes.

"It's pretty," she responded, trying to put a half-hearted sincerity into her voice, her efforts falling flat at the slight jealousy of Asmo's amazing style sense. If only she had his passion for fashion, just for today.

"He's going to win best dressed demon of the dance. He always does," Mammon said slyly. "That's why I took out a huge bet on his win. Big gains if he pulls through."

"That's great, Mammon." Asuna tried to keep the smile on her face, but the looming deadline of the dance was weighing heavily on her mind. If only she had Mammon's confidence.

Their desserts came to the table, Asmo handing the waiter his money and turning to Asuna. "A little birdie told me you're going to the dance with Simeon." Mammon's face hardened at Asmo's words. "I think it's so cute that you like him. He's a good match for you," Asmo sang, taking small bites of his crepe.

"Ugh, humans shouldn't date angels," Mammon mumbled, poking moodily at his plate.

"Oh, you're just jealous because she shot you down," Asmo giggled.

"Like you didn't have any hard feelings after being rejected," Mammon barked.

"Excuse me," Asmo said, taken aback. "I'm pretty sure the full day spa treatment I gave my skin was enough to heal my pride. I'd rather see her happy."

"Excuses, excuses," Mammon dismissed. Asuna hated it when they argued even if they were brothers. She just sat there, trying to enjoy her dessert as their voices grew louder, causing people walking by to start staring.

"I don't like Simeon," she whispered meekly in an attempt to get them to quiet down. Mammon's glare of daggers and Asmo's shocked face made her want to dissolve into the background. "I-i-i-in that way, th-th-that is," she managed to stutter out.

"Is that why you look so glum?" Asmo asked. "The person you want to go with didn't ask you? I bet it's Satan. That man can be completely oblivious, I swear," he said, shaking his head.

"N-n-no, I'm happy to go with Simeon. It's a good chance to strengthen our friendship. I just can't find an outfit for the dance," she responded shyly. Mammon and Asmo gave each other a curious look that did little to ease her anxious heart. Until Asmo laughed.

"Why didn't you just say so? I'll help you pick something out, and I'm sure Mammon doesn't mind fitting the bill, assuming you agree to not outrank me in the competition."

"Huh? I ain't buying anyone anything," Mammon said grumpily, crossing his arms.

"Think about it Mammon, Asuna will owe you a favour." Mammon perked up at Asmo's words. "And besides, we all know you're going to make a big sum of money on this bet. You saw my outfit. It's a guaranteed win!"

"Grr, fine, I'll do it," he growled reluctantly.

"Then we'd better hurry, the shopping day is half over already, and the dance is only three days away! To the town square!" Asmo practically dragged them along to begin looking. It only took him an hour of mostly window shopping to find a dress that Asuna felt comfortable in. It made her feel like a more confident version of herself.

"Woah, all eyes are going to be on you!" Mammon whistled.

"It doesn't matter who you're trying to impress with that, they will have no choice but to stop and stare," Asmo commented, sounding sly.

"Thank you," she replied radiantly. She gave them both big hugs before she took her purchase and headed back to the House of Lamentation, hanging her dress carefully in her closet the moment she was back in her room.

"AAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNAAAAAAAA," came a message from Levi. "Come to my room, we have to do our daily tasks in Starmist Valley. You know we lose our streak if we miss a day!"

"Be right there," she replied, giving her dress one last look to burn it in her memory before stepping into the hall and making her way to Levi's room. There was nothing better than ending off the afternoon with a quick trip to the virtual town she knew so well, even if Levi's dedication and intensity were a bit much at times.

"Did you see Lucifer made an account on here a week ago? He's played only five hours so far, but has consistently logged in every day. He may catch up to us soon," Levi commented casually.

"Huh, good for him," Asuna said, hiding her shock. She had told Lucifer about Starmist Valley around that time when they'd had a rare moment of down-time together. He had asked about suggestions for relaxation, and she had suggested this. She felt butterflies in her stomach at the thought of him accepting her advice.

"He probably found out it's my favourite game right now and is trying to keep an eye on me to make sure I don't spend all day on here."

"Maybe, yeah," she replied, sounding dazed. True, she had mentioned she played it with Levi every day. She watched as Levi gathered some flowers to give to his virtual girlfriend Sara.

"I don't understand why you chose Trist," Levi commented as Asuna followed suit with a guitar she had asked the woodsmith to make. Trist's reaction was a simple thank you and a small increase in his relationship meter. "He's so plain. Why don't you dump him for Lewis? At least he likes comics. Or even Greg, who would at least shower you with affection for a gift like that. But instead you go for the music-loving goody-goody. He's seriously no fun."

"Hey, don't say that about him," Asuna teased.

"Lol, I was only joking," Levi said, nudging her shoulder. "It's just strange to me that you'd pick him. I mean, look at Sara. We both love gaming and anime, plus we have so much fun when we go to karaoke together," he laughed.

"Sounds like you want to date someone like that irl," she giggled.

"Maybe I do. But still, Trist? Really? With that choice it's almost like you'd want to go out with Lucifer. Lol, could you imagine?"

"Haha, crazy right?" She hoped he couldn't sense the unease in her voice.

The screen beeped, now displaying the pause menu, making Asuna freeze. Levi slowly turned to look at her, the blush in her cheeks unmistakable. "You do want to date Lucifer?" he asked, a little too innocently.

Asuna closed her eyes and slowly nodded.

"Woooooah, so that's why you turned us all down," Levi commented with the excitement of a child that found some candy. "I wish you luck. He's a lot like Mr. Mighty from My Life as an Academic Hero. Hard on the outside, but has a heart of gold."

"Right," she affirmed, giving it some thought. If she hadn't had those fleeting moments of small affection from Lucifer, she might not believe Levi. She clinged to those like a koala hanging from a tree branch as she finished up her virtual chores. An alert on her D.D.D. reminded her she was on kitchen duty, so she said goodbye to an enthusiastic Levi.

"Don't keep him waiting," he joked as she closed the door and headed for the kitchen.

"Ah, I see you're on supper duty tonight too, huh? Ugh, just being here makes me tired," Belphie said, yawning his signature yawn. "Beel, we don't need all this food! There's only eight of us!"

"This isn't for us, it's just for me while we plan what to make," Beel replied joyfully, his stomach giving a fierce growl.

"YOU will be on dish duty while Asuna and I prepare the food," Belphie instructed, pointing to the mounting pile of dishes in the sink. A groan escaped Beel's lips as he stared longingly at the food he had to put away, taking his place at the sink.

"Asuna, crack some eggs, let's get this fish battered and frying," Belphie said, tying his apron around his waist.

"Rodger," she responded, doing the same.

"You alright? You seem distracted tonight. Something weighing on your mind?" If his voice didn't sound so sincere, he'd seem wholly uninterested in the goings on around him, his eyes barely open a crack, despite his fingers working so quickly as if being controlled by another person.

"Just thinking about the dance this weekend," Asuna replied simply, unable to keep her focus on the task at hand. It wasn't until she'd left Levi's room that she realized just how close the dance was getting. Her nerves were starting to mount.

"I hear you're going with Simeon." Belphie has mastered neutrality. Was he just looking for confirmation or was there some underlying bitterness to his voice she couldn't quite detect?

"Mmhm," she responded, hoping she sounded excited. It wasn't enough to fool Belphie.

"Nervous?" still neutral as hell.

"Yeah, you could say that," she responded.

"Don't be, Simeon's mad for you. Everyone here is," he said, a smile finally forming on his face.

"Mmhm," came Beel's confirmation. Asuna turned to smile at them both, Beel beamed back, but Belphie studied her face. He could sense there was something she wasn't telling him.

"Beel, want to do something for Asuna?" Belphie asked unexpectedly, not breaking eye contact with her. She stared back, her face full of confusion.

"Sure Belphie. What?" Beel asked eagerly.

"Show her the Demon Waltz. She's never been to a Devildom dance before, and it's bound to play at some point. It's an intimate dance that'll have your date eating out of the palm of your hand. I can handle the cooking," he finished confidently.

"O-okay," she said nervously, taking Beels hands. He put her arm around his waist, his arm resting on her shoulder and the other grabbing her free hand. His large frame and sturdy stance made her feel like she could just relax in his arms and let him take charge.

"You just put your feet here, twirl here, and come back in," Beel said, leading her around the kitchen, making her feel like a flower petal dancing in the wind.

"Don't forget to let her lead. Simeon probably doesn't know it either, she'll have to teach him," Belphie commented.

"Right," Beel replied, loosening his grip and letting her take control. She giggled when Beel would correct her on her movements and stance, always looking so friendly, despite his beefy exterior. He really was a gentle giant, graceful as a snowfall.

"It's said that couples who dance to this song together will prosper forever," Beel said shyly, gazing into her eyes and blushing. She couldn't help but smile back, the warmth from Belphie's suggestion and Beel's lead filling her head to toe.

"I think that's about as good as you're going to get," came Belphie's voice after a half hour of dancing. "Here you two, grab some of the dishes and let's go serve supper before Lucifer gets annoyed with our tardiness." They nodded and did as instructed, Asuna feeling light as a feather, Belphie feeling tired from cooking, and Beel feeling excited at the prospect of supper.

THE NEXT DAY

"It's unfair of the teachers to give us homework on the weekend of the dance! We have enough on our plates as is, right Asuna?" Mammon bellyached right after class let out that Friday afternoon.

"It's not until tomorrow night, you have plenty of time to finish it, if you start it now," Satan pointed out.

"Hey, Asuna, want to come back to my room and study with me?" Mammon asked hopefully.

"No thanks, I have to run," Asuna replied, darting out of the room, seemingly in a world of her own.

"What's gotten into her?" Mammon looked at Satan, who shrugged and shook his head.

"I'm headed to the library to finish this now so I can focus on having fun this weekend. I suggest you do the same," Satan asserted.

"Woah, careful there, you're starting to sound like Lucifer," Mammon laughed slyly.

"I am not!" Satan huffed, causing Mammon to laugh even harder.

"Whatever you say, Luci," he said, as Satan left the classroom.

"I'm nothing like Lucifer," Satan mumbled angrily to himself as he browsed the bookshelf for a tome on hexing. As he opened the book to check that it was what he needed, he heard a small sigh from the other side of the bookshelf. Poking his head around the corner, he saw the strangest sight: Asuna, standing alone beside her open textbook and notebook. She seemed to be having trouble with something, but was so absorbed in what she was doing she didn't notice Satan. Then, she raised her arms and began to move around.

"Are you dancing?" Satan asked, watching her with a stunned look on his face. She jumped a mile in the air at his words, scrambling to take a seat at the table with her homework. Her attempts to hide her beet red face behind a book made Satan smile politely.

"You don't have to stop, you looked like you were doing quite well. The Demon Waltz, am I right?" Asuna nodded her head shyly, not daring to make eye contact with Satan. "I'm impressed with your form and rhythm, you must have practiced a lot to get that good at it. Preparing for the dance tomorrow I assume?" He took a seat across from her, begging her to look in his eyes and be honest with him.

"Y-yes," she replied nervously, glancing in his direction before turning her eyes back to her homework. Her slightly shaky hand grabbed a pen and started taking notes. Satan shrugged his shoulders and opened his own bag, trying to distract his curiosity with his own homework. It wasn't enough, he had to know more. The longer they sat in awkward silence, the hungrier his curiosity became.

"Who's the lucky guy you're taking to the dance?" he asked casually, not looking up from his book, but secretly hanging on to every one of her words.

"Simeon," she replied quickly, not daring to look up from her notebook.

"Really? Not," he paused, lifting his head to study her reaction to his next word. "Lucifer?"

She stiffened before slowly raising just her eyes, giving him a stare that reminded him of a puppy dog wanting a treat, her expression begging for an explanation.

He laughed kindly, an encouraging smile forming in the corner of his lips. "He's my rival, I know everything about him. And because of that, Simeon may or may not have asked for my advice."

Asuna lifted her head, giving him a hopeless stare. Pretty soon, all of the Devildom would know she liked Lucifer. Except Lucifer.

"He may be a cold-hearted brother, but he's absolutely mad about you Asuna, I know it. He probably feels more of an obligation to Diavolo, though. He is responsible for all of us, after all."

"Yeah, I know," she sighed, once again looking down at her work.

"He's still going to be there. And I have faith in Diavolo's plan. If there's one thing Lucifer hates, it's losing, especially to an angel. Just try talking to him, set the bait. He'll bite, eventually."

"You make it sound like a game," Asuna giggled.

"To him, it is," Satan replied, finishing his work and gathering his supplies. "You could always just ask him to dance. Worst he could say is no," he said, giving her a hopeful look and a small chuckle, then leaving the table. Asuna just stared after him, praying he was right, and holding on to his words like they were her life support. She found herself getting frustrated with the homework, unable to focus on it any longer. She decided to do the only thing she felt would help her chances now, and that was practicing the dance some more, alone, in her bedroom, where no one would see her.

PART 2: FRIENDS, FOES, AND FORMIDABLE FAVOURS

A quick rap at her door brought her back to the waking world that Saturday morning. "Asuna, may I come in."

"One minute, Barbatos," she responded, glancing at the clock as she struggled to make herself look decent. 10 a.m., she'd slept in way past breakfast. Hoping she wasn't in trouble, she opened the door to find him standing there, holding a plate of food in one hand and a bunch of beauty products in the other.

"I was instructed to come here and help with your hair and makeup. Diavolo debated asking Asmo, but I told him I'd be happy to volunteer," he said, giving his signature teeny, but very inviting smile.

"Asmo will probably be busy all day getting ready for the dance himself," she nodded, taking the toast in his hand and shovelling it in her face, not realizing just how hungry she was.

"Please show me your outfit and I can get started on a makeup palette that compliments it. And here are the haircare products I'd like you to use when you shower this morning. Green spray before the shower, white lather, yellow rinse, blue leave-in, and pink spray for after you're done. Here's some scrub for your hands and face, a gel for hair removal, and a gentle lotion that smells of devil roses. It's Lucifer's favourite," he winked.

Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things he was handing her, she gave him an expression that was doubtful and hesitant. "Worry not, Miss Asuna, I have done this before. You can hand me your breakfast plate and then get started. If you need help, I'll be waiting right here."

After taking what must be the longest shower of her life, lathering, rinsing, and scrubbing as instructed, she felt clean and refreshed, her hair silky smooth, her skin free of hair and baby soft. She couldn't help but think that even Asmo would be jealous of her appearance. In nothing more than a towel, she walked back into her room to find Barbatos rolling out a bag of makeup brushes and setting up a stool in front of her vanity.

"Ready to begin?" he asked as she threw on a button-up shirt and shorts, Barbatos politely facing the other direction as she did so.

"Do your worst," she joked, trying to make herself less nervous. He simply smiled and patted the stool, a comb and scissors in his hands.

It took nearly two hours of brushing, cutting, and styling to finally get her hair into a style full of curls. They bounced so naturally, looked so even and pristine, and were topped off with an up-do at the back of her head filled with dark purple jewels that stood out in her auburn hair and glowed like stars. He moved on to giving her a manicure, painting her nails and toes with such a steady hand that he could paint little scenes in each one, all of them looking like the night sky.

"What do you think?" he asked, putting the nail polish back in his makeup kit.

"They look great! Thank you so much!"

"Just for the makeup now. I picked a lighter pallet than your hair and nails. I'm going for a more natural look, it compliments your rosy glow and brightens your face. Since you don't normally wear makeup I figured it would be most comfortable for you. If you are not satisfied with these choices, I can go more mysterious, more innocent, more sexy, just let me know."

"I trust your decision," she said, unsure how to accomplish any of this with a painted face.

"Then I shall get started. Please try to keep as still as possible," he instructed, holding her chin in his sturdy hand. She smiled her approval and he got to work, sculpting the makeup on her face the way an artist paints a canvas. Finally, after all that work, he released his grip and turned her to face the mirror.

"Is this to your liking?" he asked, still examining her face in the mirror for any flaws in his masterpiece.

"I've never felt so cute before," Asuna beamed, grateful to Diavolo and Barbatos for setting this whole thing up.

"All you have to do is apply this lipstick right before the dance starts and enjoy yourself. If you need anything, text me or Lord Diavolo."

He turned around to leave her room, taking everything he brought with him. "Why are you doing this for me?" Asuna asked quickly, before he was all the way out the door.

"I believe the young lord is doing this for Lucifer, actually," came his response. She looked confused, but didn't say anything else. After a moment, Barbatos left, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Waiting around in her room all day was getting her more and more excited for the dance. Every time she'd try to focus on reading or playing a game, her mind would wander to a picture of her, dressed to the nines, and Lucifer, unable to keep his eyes, and his hands, off her. She spent the rest of the afternoon practicing the waltz in her new shoes, the excitement mounting with each passing minute.

When it was finally time, Asuna slipped into her dress and studied herself in the mirror, the frilly purple fabric decorated with gold specks, a lacy pattern wrapped around her midsection, and a pair of bright, silver flats all gave her the impression that she was the night sky, a dark, mysterious, and irresistible reflection of the outer worlds, the makeup on her face looking like a glowing star.

A quiet knock brought her back to reality. "Asuna, are you ready to go?" the gentle voice of Simeon carried through the crack in her door.

"I've never been more ready in my life," she thought to herself. Aloud, she replied, "Be right there!" as she carefully put on the lipstick to complete the outfit.

"Here, I brought you… wow," Simeon gasped as she opened the door and stepped into the hallway. He was wearing a fancy blue dress shirt that gave her the impression that he was a sunny day, a bright white pair of pants just begging to reflect any and all light. The black hair on his head was curled and styled to give him an even friendlier face, if that was even possible. And the dropped jaw expression he wore, that quickly turned into a beam of radiance, gave her butterflies in her stomach. He held out a white flower in his hand and pinned it on her dress, making the gold in her dress glow even brighter.

"Do you like it?" she asked, twirling in place for him.

"Lucifer's going to have one heck of a night. I'm already jealous of him, myself," Simeon chuckled. She blushed, the makeup on her face accentuating it. She took Simeon's arm, radiating confidence and feeling more beautiful than she had ever felt. There was no way this plan could ever fail.

"I can't believe you named it that," Lucifer shook his head as Barbatos climbed down from the ladder. A bright red banner hung in the air with the words "Fallen Star Dance" written in cursive, black letters.

Diavolo let out a jolly laugh, completely unfazed by his friend's reaction. "I think it's cute, Luci. A memento to you."

Lucifer just frowned harder and let out a sigh. "You know I hate it when you call me that."

"Oh, just have some fun tonight for a change. Don't be such a stick in the mud. It is your birthday present, after all," Diavolo smirked.

"I take it everything is to your satisfaction?" Barbatos asked them, putting the ladder away behind the stage.

"Yes."

"No." came both their responses. Barbatos cupped his chin in his fist and nodded to Diavolo.

"Shall I start letting the guests in, then?" Barbatos asked them. Lucifer just sighed and poured himself a drink, taking his place next to the food, since he knew Beel would go straight for it and devour everything. Diavolo nodded his approval and went to greet people at the door with Barbatos.

Lucifer almost choked on his drink as Asuna, hanging on to Simeon's arm strode through the door. The sight made his chest burn in a way he did not understand, and when Simeon leaned down to kiss her cheek and her face turned beet red, Lucifer could feel his hand crushing his cup. He watched as his brothers and others gathered around the couple.

"You look so pretty!" Luke chimed in, sounding like an excited school boy. She looked down at him with radiant eyes, giving him a loving pat on the head.

"Woah, Asuna, you look like something right out of Starmist Valley's twilight festival!" Levi said, wearing the excited expression he wore whenever someone mentioned Ruri-chan.

"Who did your hair and makeup? They look almost as good as the dress we picked out!" Asmo commented, taking photos with his phone.

"Asmo may have some competition tonight." Satan was looking at her curiously, a mixture of lust and contemplation on his face.

"Tss, she was beautiful before the makeover," Mammon said, hands on his hips and a frown on his face. Lucifer saw Satan smack him upside the head. The more he watched his brothers' interactions, the more embarrassed he felt. But was his embarrassment at their behaviour, or his own? Why did he both want to go join them and stay as far away as possible?

"Beel, save some for the rest of us," he commented when he saw his brother trying to sneak three platefuls of food out of the corner of his eye. Lucifer realized that the sad puppy dog face Beel now wore expressed Lucifer's feelings about Asuna perfectly, completely. He wanted nothing more in this moment than to have her glide over to him and ask him to dance, cursing himself that he wore nothing more than his school uniform and knew he would pale in comparison if seen next to her.

"Boys, boys, you're going to have to give it up, she's here with me tonight and we're due for a dance," Simeon chuckled. Was it Lucifer's imagination, or did Simeon just shoot him a wink? Simeon pulled Asuna away from the small crowd and joined the other couples on the dance floor, most of the brothers wearing sour expressions of jealousy.

"Wow, everyone looks so fancy tonight," Asuna commented as she twirled around the dance floor with Simeon, a single unit of graceful movement.

"And yet, they can't keep their eyes off you," he said kindly. He leaned in a little closer, right next to her ear and whispered, "including Lucifer."

"Really?" she gasped, looking down at her shoes to stop her from looking at Lucifer.

Simeon gently cradled her chin and lifted her head. "I was watching him when we came in. His eyes were all over you for a solid five minutes. And I saw him spill his drink. It was very funny," he giggled. "Allow me this, then we'll get food and drinks. It'll make him crazy," Simeon said, right before giving her a kiss. She was not prepared for it and could feel the blood rush to her face. "Go alone to grab the food, I'll get the drinks from the other table. Take your time. And look for me afterwards," he winked. She nodded once, then nervously walked in the direction of the food table, right towards Lucifer.

Asuna didn't dare look him in the eye; she instead pretended to be humming along to the song that was playing, despite not knowing the tune. She wanted him to make the first move. As slowly as her unsteady hands would let her, she chose items she thought looked good. But the silence between them dragged on, making her more nervous, and starting to make her feel like this plan wouldn't work if she didn't start talking first.

"Ahm, you should try this one," Lucifer commented, after what felt like an eternity of silence. She tried her best not to whip her head in his direction, choosing instead to slowly look towards him and smile first. He grabbed the tongs and put two small sausages on her plate.

"Thank you," she said politely, gazing into his eyes, silently begging him for more. More interaction, more reaction, more everything. They seemed frozen in place until he looked away first, shouting at Mammon to leave the statues alone. She turned her head back to the food and moved down to the other selections.

"Isn't it tradition for the man to get his date their food? You'll have to forgive Simeon, he probably doesn't know this," Lucifer commented nonchalantly.

"He doesn't know what I like, though," Asuna smiled, not taking her eyes off the food this time. He was so close to spilling his feelings, she could feel it.

"I do," he said, holding out his hand for her plate.

She eagerly handed it to him and commented that she didn't know all the dishes. He carefully selected things he thought she'd like based on what she already enjoyed, paying no mind to Simeon's tastes at all.

When Asuna again looked in his eyes with a thank you escaping her ruby lips, Lucifer felt his stomach lurch and quiver, almost dropping the plate.

"No more drinks for you tonight," she joked as she gently took the plate from his hands.

Asuna turning her back to him almost hurt. He had to resist the urge to grab her arm and pull her in close. "She's here with Simeon," he had to remind himself quietly, closing his eyes in disappointment at himself. Both for thinking about doing something like that and for not acting upon it. He knew it would never work between them. She was only here as an exchange student; he couldn't ask her to leave her life in the human world to be with him. He knew if he got even one little taste he'd never be able to let her go.

"Having fun yet?" Diavolo strode over, making Lucifer jump out of his thoughts.

"It's just a dance," Lucifer commented.

"I specifically requested that you have fun tonight," Diavolo joked. "Why don't you let Barbatos take over for a bit and grab some fresh air with me? It's as lovely outside as it is in here," he said slyly, eyeing up Asuna and Simeon, who were giggling and sharing the plate of food. Lucifer felt his arm raise a few inches, almost like he was trying to reach out to her.

"I could use a break," he sighed, following Diavolo to the balcony.

The night air on Lucifer's face seemed to bring him back to his senses. He took a deep breath in, and another, leaning against the railings and staring up at the night sky. "I haven't seen you looking this dishevelled since Lillith," Diavolo commented quietly.

"I'm just tired," Lucifer lied. "Been a busy week."

"I might have to start calling you Belphie," Diavolo laughed, joining his friend on the railing. "Or perhaps Levi," he said, giving Lucifer a sly, all-knowing look out of the corner of his eye. Diavolo saw his friend tense up at the words, but his next sentence was as cold as ever.

"And what, exactly, would peg me as jealous?"

"You could just say I've known you for a very long time," Diavolo commented, looking at the curtain that separated the dance floor from the balcony and refusing to meet Lucifer's stare. When Lucifer didn't speak, Diavolo broke the silence once more, sounding business-like and demanding. "Barbatos can handle the dance for the night. Go enjoy your birthday and have some fun. That is not a request, Lucifer." And he strode back inside, leaving a stunned Lucifer to gaze at the curtain from whence he disappeared.

The night was growing old. Asuna's feet were starting to ache from dancing with Simeon so much, who seemed to have endless energy. She'd danced with everyone she knew at some point, stopped to vote for best dressed demon, and had even taken a break on the balcony alone, but she still hadn't danced with the subject of her affection. She could feel her mood dropping as hope grew thinner the more the night wore on. Simeon pulled her back to the dinner tables and gave them both a small break as the DJ announced that there was only fifteen minutes left before the dance ended.

"I'm so sorry Asuna, it looks like tonight didn't go as planned," Simeon said, taking her hand in both of his, an apologetic frown forming on his face.

"It's not your fault," she commented. She glanced over at the table to see Barbatos standing where Lucifer had been the rest of the night. "I still had a ton of fun. Thank you for bringing me," she said, with all the kindness she could muster. Upon sweeping the room and not seeing hide nor hair of Lucifer, she could feel a lump form in her throat.

"Do you want me to walk you back to your room?" Simeon asked, his warm gaze stopping the tears before they had the chance to start.

She knew she would regret moping all night, so instead she decided to push those feelings away and enjoy the last few minutes she had with Simeon. She gave him a thankful smile and said, "Just one more dance."

"Right, and don't want to miss the cake afterwards!" he chimed in.

"Cake?" she said, surprised.

"Yes, it's Lucifer's birthday tomorrow. June 6th. This is his birthday party. Didn't you know that?"

"I-I did not," she stammered. "Lucifer must have stuck around, he wouldn't miss his own birthday cake, right?" she thought to herself, despite knowing full well that if he didn't want to be there, he'd leave.

A familiar melody brought her back to reality. She could feel excitement coursing through her as the music for the Demon Waltz started playing. She stood up and pulled Simeon onto the dance floor, happy that at least he was here to enjoy this, and that her practice would pay off, if not in the way she expected.

Asuna was so focused on the movements of the dance Beel had shown her, and so busy helping Simeon, who had never danced this dance before, that when someone tapped her shoulder, she jumped nearly a mile in the air as Simeon politely stepped away.

Before she could even turn to look, a smooth, low voice asked, "Can I have this dance?"

Lifting her head slowly to meet Lucifer's starry-eyed expression, a ray of sunshine for a smile, Asuna nodded her head, too excited to say anything.

Lucifer took her and led her around the room, his movements smooth as butter, much better at the dance than she ever dreamed she could be. One minute he couldn't take his eyes off her. Next, he looked away in embarrassment, slowly widening the gap between them, the blush in his cheeks unmistakable. He seemed to be fighting with himself, she needed to do something to put him at ease.

"Allow me," Asuna said, pulling Lucifer closer, putting all her concentration into her foot movement and keeping eye contact with him. She'd never seen his face look so bright, the beam of his smile making him look a hundred years younger. She could feel his confidence growing, and gradually, without realizing it, he began to lead them again, deciding to take his friend's advice to relax and enjoy himself.

"Happy birthday, old friend," Diavolo whispered to himself as he watched them dance, the star couple on the floor, unparalleled in chemistry. He felt good about his work tonight, and just hoped that Lucifer would start to be more honest with himself. And with Asuna.

Before she knew it, the dance had ended, a giant cake as tall as she was was served, and she was sitting next to Lucifer on a bench under the night sky as they both enjoyed the delicious devil's chocolate cake. "Happy birthday," she whispered, giving him a peck on the cheek before they both walked back into the dance hall.

"One last thing before we go," Diavolo announced over the loudspeaker. "It's time to announce the winner of the best dressed demon contest! If you could all give a big round of applause to Lucifer!" he laughed. The hall went dead silent as heads turned to look at Lucifer, dressed in his school uniform. "I'm just kidding folks, but be sure to wish him a happy birthday on your way out! Miss Asuna, if you could please come up here and claim your prize!"

"Bu-but I'm not a demon," she stammered.

"I don't make the rules, and the votes don't lie," he laughed. "As long as you're here, you're an honorary demon to us."

The crowd began to clap, Simeon, Luke, and Solomon all pulling her towards the stage, her stunned expression brightening. She shook hands with Diavolo as Barbatos handed her a small trophy with the words "Belle of the Ball" carved into it. It sort of felt like cheating, since she didn't do any of her own hair or makeup, or for that matter pick out her own dress.

She spotted Asmo in the crowd and gave him a guilty, but thankful smile, causing his sour expression to soften a little. She saw Levi, Satan, Beel, and Belphie all standing around him, clapping wildly, and Mammon avoiding looking at her.

As she stepped off the stage, the lights came on and illuminated the crowd. The floor was buzzing with people saying their goodbyes, the demon brothers hanging back to congratulate her on her win. Simeon joined them, looking curiously sad, lowering his head to her ear.

"He left," was all Simeon said. Asuna's head turned to where Lucifer had been seconds before, confirming his words.

"He probably just got swept up in the crowd," Satan commented when he noticed Asuna's slightly frantic expression. But as the crowd thinned more and more it became clear that he was no longer in their presence.

"That's strange. He usually sticks around to make us clean up. Well, if he's not here I guess that means we're off the hook!" Mammon said excitedly. But seeing Asuna's hurt expression made his face droop.

"He's probably in his room. Don't worry about the mess, we'll get it," Simeon said with his signature kindness, flashing an encouraging smile at her. She could feel the brothers groan at his words, all except Beel, whose face was buried in the last of the buffet food. "Guess that takes care of that part," Simeon laughed.

Asuna hesitated, conflicted over whether or not she should bother him. She'd spent all night hoping he'd choose her, and in the end, he chose to leave. What did she do? She had a feeling she wouldn't find the answers if she decided to chase him, for if he wasn't in the mood to share, he simply wouldn't. "I'll stay and help. It's not fair to make everyone else do the cleaning."

Not one to argue, Simeon just nodded his head and handed her a garbage bag, a look of disappointment at her decision heavy behind his gaze.

With the eight of them and the powerhouse organizer that was Barbatos at the helm, the clean up took no time at all. A mere hour later, she found herself alone, standing outside Lucifer's bedroom door, too afraid to knock. Melancholy piano music floated from under his door, a soft medley that made her feel tired and downtrodden, as she wondered if Lucifer was ever going to give her a chance, or if she was simply a desperate dog chasing a speeding car.

PART 3: SUNSHINE, SAND, AND SOLACE

"Morning," Asuna waved half-heartedly as she took her seat at the breakfast table. The head of the table was empty. Lucifer was nowhere to be found. An awkward silence settled in as everyone avoided eye contact with her. Mammon and Asmo looked sour; Satan, Belphie, and Levi all looked downcast; Beel just sat there eating and looking distant. But she felt fine. She'd spent most of the night deciding that she wasn't going to chase him. The chance had passed, even if the feelings hadn't.

"Di-did you guys have fun last night?" She attempted to start a conversation. Some nodded, the rest just sat in silence. She took a look around the table watching them eat breakfast, the solemn atmosphere making it feel like there was a dark cloud sitting above the table.

"Wow, why is everyone so gloomy?" Solomon asked, entering the dining room with Simeon and Luke right behind him.

"Everyone's just tired from all the excitement last night," Asuna fielded, trying to sound more cheerful than she felt.

"We were hoping you guys would join us for a trip to the beach!" Luke announced excitedly.

"I think it would be great to relax for the day, and it's so beautiful outside," Simeon commented cheerfully, not taking his eyes off Asuna. She returned his warm smile before turning to the brothers and attempting to persuade them to join the trip. With a little moaning, some motivation from Simeon, and a little push from Asuna, they eventually all agreed and headed to the human world to enjoy the sunshine, sand, and waves.

As Asuna lay down to relax on a beach towel under their rented umbrella, she couldn't help but feel at ease with Simeon, Asmo, and Mammon all laying around her, watching the others taking a dip in the ocean.

"I love coming here," Simeon commented, sighing contentedly. "It's so full of life."

"Oh, Asuna, you just have to try this tan lotion! It's guaranteed to give your skin that golden touch!" Asmo purred.

"Tch, you're the only one who likes that stuff," Mammon dismissed.

"Now, now, let's not start fighting already! We just got here," Simeon said, beaming at them all. "We're here to relax, not bicker."

"I'll just use regular sunscreen, thanks," Asuna commented. "Simeon, could you get my back?"

"Absolutely love, here," he replied, rubbing the lotion in. She felt shocked and saddened when Simeon's hand touched her body, involuntarily picturing Lucifer doing it instead.

"Th-thanks," she replied swiftly, jumping up immediately after to run to the cool water, and as far away from her thoughts as possible.

Simeon couldn't help but feel guilty about the ordeal yesterday. He felt responsible for the sour outcome, and as he watched her dance around in the water, her frilly blue bikini accentuating her curves, thirsty looks on a lot of faces staring at her, he wanted nothing more in this moment than to make her happy.

Simeon turned to the two brothers. "What do you think Lucifer would want for his birthday?"

"Money," Mammon responded immediately. "Can't go wrong with that."

"He is notoriously tricky to buy for. Maybe a nice bottle of wine?" Asmo contemplated. "I don't think he's had human world wine before."

"No, I'm thinking something more personal," Simeon said, watching Beel lift and throw Asuna, making a big splash, her smile absolutely infectious, but her eyes still looking burdened.

"There's lots of tourist stores around here, maybe we should go shopping?" Asmo suggested gleefully.

"You know, that's not a bad idea," Simeon said, more to himself than the others.

"Beel, you have to let her catch her breath before you throw her again!" Belphie chuckled, as Asuna stood up, coughing and laughing.

"Sorry Asuna," Beel said, a small frown on his face. She went up to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Do it again," she smiled, jumping into his arms. Beel obliged, blushing.

"Simeon, come look at our sand castle," Luke yelled from the edge of the water. He and Levi were hard at work making a giant structure, Levi going off about how it was designed after some building in a game Simeon had never heard of.

"Impressive, keep it up!" Simeon encouraged. Another look at Asuna had her, Solomon, and Satan now sitting at the edge of the water, deep in conversation.

"So if we put these teeny pebblets into his closet, all his clothes will reek of rotten eggs. If he wears them enough, he'll start to smell like that too," Satan proposed.

"If you want to go for something a little more old-fashioned. I can hex him so everything smells like a garbage dump to him," Solomon contemplated.

"No one has ever successfully hexed Lucifer. The stink pellets are non-magical and easy to hide. He shouldn't suspect a thing."

"Getting into his room poses a problem with that one. He never allows anyone in there," Solomon pointed out, thinking for a moment. "Asuna could probably get inside. He can't resist a request from you," he smiled.

"He's resisted me many times before," she responded, hoping to hide how hurt she was feeling. Talking about Lucifer was bad enough; worse was that this conversation was making her realize she'd never again get those cute, romantic moments with him that she craved so much. She felt herself grab her legs and rest her chin on her knees, staring at the horizon, the sting of rejection finally settling in.

Satan went silent and put an arm around Asuna. "It sure is pretty here," Simeon said, taking a seat beside Satan.

"Want me to get you something to eat?" Solomon offered, silently wondering why everything felt so solemn all of a sudden.

"No, thank you," she choked out. She had to clear her throat to stop the tears that threatened to appear. She could hear them talking but she wasn't taking in a word, her mind uneasy as she tried to hold it in. "Bathroom," she mumbled, when she could stall it no longer.

"What's got her so down?" Solomon asked, sounding more curious than concerned.

"She got dumped by my pinhead brother," Satan scowled. Simeon watched as her quick steps turned into a run, Mammon and Asmo's heads watching after her.

"That's not necessarily true," Simeon defended gently.

"He abandoned her at the end of the night. I'd say that's close enough," Satan said, shaking his head and gazing moodily at the bathrooms.

"Maybe we could somehow get him to join us here?" Solomon suggested.

Satan shook his head. "I messaged Diavolo about that already. He said Lucifer refuses to leave the RAD student council room. Claims he's too busy with work."

"What Asuna needs is a day so full of discovery that she forgets all about her problems," Solomon proposed.

"I don't think distractions are going to be enough. Could you and your brothers do me a favour, Satan?" Simeon asked.

"If it's for Asuna, it shouldn't be a problem," he responded cautiously.

"Good. Asmo suggested a shopping trip and I'd like to indulge him. While we're out, I need all you boys to be cheerful and on your best behaviour. Asuna needs your infectious laughter and loving support today. I know you and your brothers can do it," Simeon concluded, beaming.

"What do you have up your sleeve," Satan asked cautiously.

"You'll see," Simeon responded mysteriously. He sat in silence, watching the bathrooms as Satan gathered up his brothers and told them about the plan.

"Asuna, come get a group photo!" Asmo waved as she exited the bathroom. She appeared to be alright, returning the wave and smiling. But Simeon could see a slight puffiness to her eyes and a red flush on her cheeks.

Asmo handed a stranger his D.D.D., then snuggled right up beside Asuna, the rest of the group standing around them.

"Hope you don't mind standing hip to hip," Asmo teased. She nudged him in the arm and he retaliated by putting his arm tightly around her shoulder, both of them giggling like schoolgirls.

"Say cheese," the stranger said. The word reverberated around the group followed by a snap on Asmo's D.D.D.

"Perfect!" Asmo squealed, thanking the stranger for his help.

"We were thinking about looking at the tourist stands they have," Simeon said zealously. "Coming?" he asked Asuna, holding out his hand for her. She hesitantly accepted, allowing Simeon's gentle touch to lead her forward.

"Oooh, these would look so cute on you!" Asmo sang, putting some purple star-shaped sunglasses on Asuna's face and taking a photo. "You look gorgeous!"

"Woooooah Asuna, look, they have Ruri-chan pins!" Levi exclaimed excitedly, pointing to a display case full of anime memorabilia.

"Wow, this beach blanket is so soft. I should get us one," Belphie said eagerly. "Asuna, come feel it, it's like a cloud!"

"Hey, how much for the gold heart earrings, there?" Mammon asked the shopkeeper. "They'd look great with your bathing suit, Asuna."

"Mammon, people don't usually wear earrings when swimming," Belphie commented.

"These are amazing! You said they were called soft pretzels? I'll take 20 please," Beel requested, the guy at the pretzel stand asking if he was serious, jumping right to work at Beel's nod. He handed one to Asuna and proceeded to eat the other 19 on his own, Asuna giggling at his appetite.

"You'd look cute in these," Satan said, putting a pair of fluffy pink cat ears on her head. Asuna felt silly trying them on as Asmo took another photo.

"Look, they have a jacket that matches my robe," Solomon commented. "Come try it on, it looks to be about your size."

"Matching outfits, how stylish," Asmo's lyrical voice affirmed as she put it on. She was starting to feel embarrassed at all the attention, and a little suspicious at how different everyone was from this morning. Maybe a trip was what they all needed; after all, she was starting to feel better too.

"You guys don't need to buy all this for me," she blushed, putting everything back. As she handed the earrings back to the shopkeep, a silver necklace caught her eye. She stared at the charm, a bright red gem with some black accents on the pendant. It reminded her of Lucifer's eyes. Suddenly, Lucifer's hand came to rest on her shoulder, but the voice that spoke wasn't his.

"I'm sure he'd love it," Simeon said in a low whisper. "It is his birthday, it might make a good gift."

She rubbed her neck, unsure what to do, lost in thought at the prospect of giving Lucifer a gift. But before she could decide whether or not to buy it, the shopkeeper had pulled it out of the case, wrapped it, and handed it to Simeon. "We'll just lie and say it's from you," he winked.

"Angels aren't supposed to lie," she chuckled as he handed her the bag.

"We won't tell him the whole truth. Just that you spotted it and wanted him to have it," Simeon laughed. He had done the impossible. He had lit the spark of hope inside her once more; no matter how weak it seemed to be, at least it was there. And as they all headed back to the Devildom, Asuna couldn't hide the warm smile that lay on her lips.

PART 4: A TALE OF TWO BIRTHDAYS

"Lucifer, open up please." When he didn't answer, Simeon knocked quietly again. "I can hear your music, I know you're in there," he teased. Still, no response came from his room. He looked quickly at Asuna, and knocked a third time. "There's a birthday present out here for you that you don't want to miss out on!" Simeon pleaded. Asuna's ears perked up when she heard the small sigh from the other side of the door.

"Enter," Lucifer responded, sounding annoyed.

Simeon opened the door and beckoned for her to go first. A small click made her look back; the space where Simeon should have been was unoccupied, the bedroom door was shut behind her, and a small chuckle could be heard disappearing down the hallway. A chill ran down her spine as she turned nervously to face Lucifer who was sitting in a chair at his desk, a wide-eyed, angry stare and a small frown painted his face. She could feel beads of sweat forming on the hands that were holding his present behind her back.

"Asuna, what can I do for you?" he asked. He didn't seem upset or angry, despite his expression, but she sensed some annoyance. Too afraid to talk, she pulled the gift out and handed it to him, trying to keep a smile on her face. She prayed that he didn't notice her unease, trying her best to look at anything but his face.

Lucifer's expression didn't change as he undid the bow, ran his fingers along the seam, and pulled the paper off as delicately as possible. Asuna stared at his hands, her eyebrows raised in anticipation. Suddenly she felt like this whole thing was a bad idea. He clearly wasn't happy to have been interrupted. Why hadn't she just given him the gift next time she saw him?

The red gem glimmered as he held the necklace up to his face, Asuna's lungs refusing to breathe. A tiny, "Thank you, this is very lovely," escaped Lucifer's lips, a small, sly smile forming in the corner of his mouth.

"I-it reminded me o-of your eyes," she stuttered. Her smile had faded and Lucifer could sense tension behind her eyes. Those same eyes he had been scared to see. Because he knew they'd want an explanation. The same eyes he saw on Beel around food he couldn't eat, on Mammon around treasure he couldn't have, and on himself wherever he thought about her.

"I can't do it, Lord Diavolo. I can't ask her to give up her life to be with me," Lucifer had dismissed his query this afternoon. He had known that Diavolo would be asking about her after what had happened at the dance. But he still wasn't prepared to answer the questions he refused to even acknowledge in his own mind.

"Then why let her come back to the Devildom? Why dance with her?" Diavolo asked angrily.

"It was just a dance between friends," Lucifer replied simply.

"We all know that isn't true," Barbatos shook his head, disappointment written all over his face.

"I don't have time for this," Lucifer dismissed, turning around to face his desk, hiding the now annoyed expression flashing on his face. He wasn't annoyed with them. He was annoyed with himself for creating this mess in the first place.

Diavolo looked at his friend's slumped head. "You need to stop punishing yourself. Can't you tell that she wants to be with you as much as you want her?" he pleaded. When Lucifer didn't respond, Diavolo strode up to stand beside him. "You're not going to hurt her, despite what you think," he said sternly.

Lucifer turned slowly to face his friend, looking him right in the eye, the uncaring facade he'd worn completely disappearing in favour of a cold stare. "You and I both know that if I get even one small taste I won't be able to let her go." He turned back to his desk, unwilling to budge. "I'm not going to join them in the human world today. Just tell Satan I'm busy with work." There had been an icy finality to his voice that made Diavolo shake his head. With a sigh from Barbatos, they had left him in his room to wallow in his self pity.

"I-I'm glad you like it," came Asuna's shy reply. The colour that had drained from her face was slowly being replaced with bright red specks in her cheek bones. When she could stand the stretching, heavy silence between them no longer, she squeezed her eyes tight, expecting the worst, and blurted out, "Why did you leave?"

The half smirk on his face remained. "I had to say goodbye to the guests. Then I realized I'd forgotten to feed Cerberus. I knew Diavolo would understand," he lied smoothly.

"So that's all it was?" she confirmed, her expression softening, her breathing easier. But the pain in Lucifer's chest expanded, guilt threatening to engulf him.

"Thank you for the birthday present." There was a dismissiveness to his voice that Asuna took as her cue to leave. He turned his chair back towards his desk and away from the girl he wanted more than anything in the three worlds as she put her hand on the doorknob.

"Are you an idiot?" Satan's exasperated voice sounded from the hallway.

"I was under the impression that this was a private conversation," Lucifer shook his head, frowning angrily as Satan burst through the door followed by the rest of his brothers and Simeon.

"I noticed you weren't at breakfast this morning," Simeon interjected, crossing his arms and staring Lucifer down.

"I was busy with work. I'm still busy. Everyone leave," Lucifer commanded, looking at everyone but Asuna.

"We knew you would try to pull something like this," Levi said, anger bubbling in his throat.

"Would ya quit lyin'? How could you do that to Asuna?" Mammon retorted sharply.

"You two would make such a cute couple," Asmo pouted.

"I said…" Lucifer tried to cut in.

"And you couldn't even join us at the beach today. How ashamed are you? Is your pride so wounded that you can't even face us?" Satan asked, daggers shooting from his stare.

The room went silent, Lucifer's eyes narrowing in hatred, making Asuna feel as if he'd pierced her heart with ice, despite not looking at her. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife, and the longer the silence drew on, the more nervous she got. She stared at him, begging him to explain what all was happening, what she had done to upset him so much.

"I believe I asked you all to leave," Lucifer repeated impatiently, whirring around to hide his face from the crowd.

"A-Asuna!" Beel's shocked yelp made Lucifer freeze in his tracks. He could hear a whimper, followed by the heavy footsteps of someone running down the hallway. Without even looking he knew that she had left.

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this," an exasperated voice sounded from behind the crowd. Diavolo and Barbatos entered the room. Barbatos wore an expression of judgemental criticism, but Diavolo looked as angry as anyone had ever seen him. "You know what you have to do. Or else I'll send her the recording."

"What recording?" Lucifer asked, spinning back around, his angry eyes growing wide.

Barbatos' white gloved hand reached into his front pocket and pulled out his D.D.D. "The young master asked me to record this afternoon's conversation."

"Either you tell her, or I will," came Diavolo's low growl.

Lucifer let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples. "Fine," he mumbled angrily. He knew when he'd been backed into a corner.

"She's in the garden," Simeon said kindly. "Belphie just messaged me."

The clear night, the calm waters, the beautiful devil roses all mocked her. It was a perfect evening, ruined by the petty squabble. And now, Asuna felt she may never know the truth. She should have known that he'd try to lie to get himself out of this situation since he wasn't one to spill his feelings. But she had been so close she could taste it, only to have it ripped away from her again. She watched as a shooting star streaked across the night sky, it's reflection in the water making her yearn to return home and just forget about everything in the Devildom.

"Mind if I have a seat?"

"Sure, Belphie," she responded simply.

"He's such an arrogant pinhead sometimes," Belphie sighed. "But he's not a bad person."

"So you're saying I should forgive him?" Asuna's hollow words floated quietly on the night air.

"No, I'm not. That's up to you. I'm honestly not surprised by his reaction either. He treats us all like that, thinking he's shielding us from something he feels only he can withstand. He cares for you, Asuna, which is why he's pushing you away."

Asuna squeezed her eyes closed, nodding her head quickly as hot tears began to flow down her face. Belphie put his arm around her shoulder, rubbing it affectionately, the way a parent comforts a crying child.

"All I'm saying is, don't take it personally. But if you decide you never want to see him again, I'm sure my brothers and I could arrange that."

"Th-thank you," she choked out, wiping her tears on her sleeve. They sat in silence for a while, the tears stopping and being replaced with a loneliness she hadn't felt since she left the Devildom the first time.

"If you need to talk, my door is always open," Belphie said, walking through the garden with her. Once again she found herself wishing the brother standing beside her was Lucifer, despite everything that had just happened, the sensation forcing her to stare at her feet in order to move forward.

"You're late." Belphie stopped walking.

Asuna froze as a smooth, low voice responded with, "I know." Lucifer let out a low sigh. "Belphegor, some privacy, please?"

"Yeah, yeah, I was just leaving." He flashed a comforting smile at Asuna before he disappeared through the doorway into the House of Lamentation, leaving her in the garden alone with Lucifer.

She refused to look at him, involuntarily taking a small step backwards. "Asuna," he started, reaching out for her. She managed to stave off the urge to run long enough to glance angrily at his gesture before staring at the water.

"I'm sorry," Lucifer sighed, his expression drooping. "The truth is, I left the dance because I was jealous," he mumbled, slowly walking towards her. He gulped nervously when he saw her pained expression. He had to make that disappear. He had to make her understand. "I saw how much fun you were having with Simeon and it drove me crazy. I thought maybe a dance with you would be enough to calm me down, but it turns out it made it worse," he concluded pathetically.

"I didn't want to go with Simeon," she admitted timidly. "I wanted to go with you."

"You… what?" came Lucifer's stunned reply. "I should have known. When you asked me if I was going to be there. I guess I just didn't want to believe it," he blushed.

"I have something to confess, too," she said, grabbing her elbow nervously. "I was only there with Simeon to make you jealous. It was a plan Lord Diavolo put together." Asuna felt a pit open in her stomach and swallow all the hope she'd had. Her eyes were brimmed with guilt as they continued to stare at the reflections on the water.

Lucifer was silent for a moment. "That devious bastard," he chuckled. "It definitely worked."

"Barbatos mentioned that we did it for you…" she trailed off. The grip on her elbow tightening.

Lucifer reached out and gently caressed her cheek. Her body froze in shock for a moment, until she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. "He's right. Because the truth is, I want you. I want you so much that it hurts when you aren't by my side every second of every day."

Asuna turned to look at him, a forgiving smile full of hope and anticipation on her face. He dropped his hand, the longing ache in his chest being dwarfed by trepidation. "But, one of these days you're going to return to the human world. I want to ask you to stay forever, but I can't ask you to give up your life like that for me." Lucifer's desperate plea was unmistakable. He needed her to understand, from those few words, how much it would hurt to have her ripped away from him, just like the first time she'd left the Devildom.

"I'm not giving up my life for you, I want to share it with you," she replied affectionately. She watched as he rubbed the back of his neck, his lips parting for a sigh as he went to argue.

"I don't know what will happen when that day comes," she cut him off. A renewed sense of purpose was blossoming where the pit had been. She tried her hardest to display all her determination, in her words, on her face, and in the eye contact she refused to break. "But it seems stupid for us to give up before we even try. We have plenty of time to plan for that day, but for now," she said, grabbing his hand gently, "I want to spend my time in the Devildom with you, Lucifer."

He was still unsure, even with that warm, inviting smile on her face, her comforting words, and her delicate touch. But when he looked deep in her eyes, and found no doubt in her conviction, he could feel his own doubt slowly disappearing. Who was he to decide for her? And if there was one thing he wanted in this world more than to have her, it was to make her happy.

"Anything for you, my flower," he said adoringly. Before she even had time to react, he pulled her towards him and gave her a kiss filled with burning passion, aching longing, and his signature bold pride. He could feel Asuna's arms wrap tightly around his neck and in that moment he knew he'd made the right decision.

A familiar giggle sounded from behind them. Asuna immediately dropped her arms in embarrassment but Lucifer refused to let go of her. "Asmodeus, get lost," he barked.

"No," came Mammon's stern voice. "We still have to give you your birthday present," he said, gesturing for them to follow. He and Asmo led them back to Lucifer's room. A stylish black suit and a cute red summer dress were draped on the back of the door.

"Here, put these on. We found them in the tourist shops today. Good thing I know your size, Lucifer," Asmo sang. Lucifer and Asuna looked side-eye at each other, smiling sheepishly. He kissed her hand and disappeared into his bathroom to get changed while Asmo helped Asuna get into her dress.

"Wow, you look incredible," Mammon whistled, staring at Asuna.

"Yes she does. And now, she's all mine." Lucifer shot her a smirk that sent a tingle down her spine. Excitement. Anticipation. Comfort. All of these were reflected in her smile. "Here," he said, grabbing the necklace off his bed and giving it to her. She took it from his hand as he turned around, her nervous hands shaking as she did up the latch. "It's perfect," he grinned.

Lucifer held on tightly to Asuna's hand, neither of them saying a word as Mammon and Asmo led them through the streets of the Devildom. They stopped in front of a pristine looking white building with a red roof. A place that served only the wealthiest of clientele. Ristorante Six.

"Satan set everything up. All the food and drinks are on us tonight," Mammon commented happily as he led them to a private booth decorated with candlelight and a dazzling red sign that read, "Happy Birthday Lucifer" in elegant purple letters.

"I had Beel paint the sign for you. What do you think?" Asmo asked.

"I'll have to make sure I thank him later," Lucifer chuckled, taking a seat. He refused to let go of Asuna's hand as she went to take a seat across from him. He shook his head, patting the empty seat beside him and flashing her a comforting smile. She beamed, feeling high as a kite and nervous as a deer in headlights.

"Good evening, my name is Leviathan and I'll be your server for this evening," Levi said competently, handing them two menus. He was dressed in a waiter's uniform and looked very pristine. "Can I get you some drinks to start?"

"Levi, what are you doing?" Lucifer asked suspiciously.

"I'm working as a butler, just like Subanu in "Re: That Time I Got Transport to Another World and Was Forced to Die a Million Deaths in Order to Make Everything Work Out in My Favour"," Levi commented timidly.

Lucifer smiled kindly, surprising Levi. For once, he didn't care about his brothers being silly, he only cared about the girl sitting next to him. "Give us some Black Death champagne," he said.

"Very good," Levi nodded, leaving the table.

"What's good here?" Asuna asked, never having eaten at such a fancy restaurant before.

"I know of a few things you'd probably like," Lucifer commented, opening his menu.

She turned to look at him, his mind lost in those chocolate brown eyes. "Would you mind ordering for me?" she asked excitedly.

"Anything for you, beautiful," he chuckled.

"Here you go," Levi commented, returning to their table and pouring the champagne. "Are the master and mistress ready to order?" Asuna giggled at Levi's composure, embarrassed at being called mistress.

"I'll have the Hellfire Seared Steak and the lovely Asuna will have the Devil's Choice Platter. Some Spicy Crab Cakes to start, please."

"Very good, sir, those will be right out for you," he said, bowing as he left the table again.

"Make sure you take it slow, that champagne has been known to kill a man," Lucifer warned as she grabbed her glass, taking a small sip. The only way she could describe the taste was dangerous, yet exciting.

"It's delicious," she beamed.

"So, did you have fun with my brothers today? I hope they weren't too irritating."

"It was lots of fun, but," she stammered.

"But? Were they causing trouble for you?"

"N-no, they were good. I just found myself wishing you were there," she finished shyly.

"Next time, no matter what, I promise to be there," he said.

"I guess if you had been there, I wouldn't have been able to give you that as a surprise birthday gift," she giggled, staring at the necklace, her gaze slowly moving to his eyes.

"When's your birthday? Perhaps we could take a trip to the human world then? Just the two of us," Lucifer suggested.

She looked down at the table in embarrassment. "June 5th," she commented sheepishly.

"As in… yesterday?" He looked taken aback. "I'm so sorry I missed it. Too caught up with Diavolo's party," he said, slightly flustered.

"It's okay, I don't celebrate my birthday very often," she admitted. With all the excitement going on, she had mostly forgotten about it.

Lucifer stared at the sign beside him, an idea forming in his head. He whipped out his D.D.D., carefully hiding the screen from Asuna as he messaged Beel. "Come to Ristorante Six and bring some gold paint and a brush. Wait at the entrance until I tell you it's safe."

"I'll be right there," Beel's reply came in less than five seconds. A quick, "Here," came in less than two minutes.

"I need you to get Asuna away from the table for a few minutes," he messaged Asmo.

"You got it," Asmo messaged back.

"What are you doing?" Asuna looked at him suspiciously.

"Just work stuff, but it's all taken care of," he lied.

"Asuna, I need your help with something!" Asmo came over, sounding desperate. "Come with me!" Without waiting for a response, he grabbed her arm and swept her away.

"What is it?" she asked him, bewildered.

"I forgot to get you to sign Lucifer's birthday card," he giggled. "It's in the kitchen."

She picked up the pen and signed her name. "Come on Asuna-chan, you should write him a message. Say something like, "I want you to think of me in your wildest daydreams," or "I can hardly wait for your next birthday," something sexy like that."

"O-okay," she said, reading the other messages written there.

"Enjoy a little indulgence on us -Mammon."

"Happy level-up day -Levi."

"Hope you have the day you deserve -Satan."

"Stay beautiful -Asmo."

"Thanks for being a great brother -Beel."

"May all your dreams come true -Belphie."

"Have fun! -Simeon."

"Hope you enjoy my cupcakes -Luke."

"Happy birthday to one of my favorite people in the history of ever -Solomon."

"Enjoy yourself! -Diavolo."

"Well wishes for you on this lovely day -Barbatos."

Finally, she knew what she wanted to write. "No peeking," she teased Asmo. He theatrically covered his eyes as she wrote her message, then quickly sealed the card in the envelope. Hoping he had given Lucifer enough time, Asmo led Asuna back to the table.

The sign that had once said "Happy Birthday Lucifer," now had pristine gold words "And Asuna" painted under it, a little crown sitting atop the first A in her name. Beel stood beside the table, looking expectantly at Lucifer.

"You didn't have to do that for me," she blushed.

"I wanted to," Beel said assuredly. Lucifer's sly grin and Beel's beaming smile made her heart want to burst.

"It looks amazing," she assured him, taking her seat again.

"Spicy Crab Cakes for the happy couple," Belphie announced, walking to their table in a bright white chef's uniform. He stopped before setting them down, staring at the sign. "It's your birthday today too?"

"Hers was yesterday," Lucifer fielded smoothly. Asuna blushed. She didn't need everyone knowing. "You two know what to do," Lucifer looked expectantly at Belphie, who nodded slyly, and at Beel, who was eyeing their appetizer and drooling.

"You don't have to do anything for me. That amazing dance yesterday was more than enough," she dismissed embarrassingly.

"What if I want to do something? Hmm?"

"Ju-just keep it small," she stammered.

"I shall," he responded, stroking her long, auburn hair as they enjoyed their appetizer.

The night wore on, the restaurant buzzing around them with the busy supper crowd, but Lucifer had eyes only for Asuna, everything else around them was just window dressing. Even when they talked about the embarrassing adventures they'd had together, he found he didn't mind the slight wound to his pride that these memories often brought. He found himself mindlessly playing with the necklace, vowing to wear it every single day to remind himself of one truth: she had chosen him.

She giggled. "You should thank Simeon. He's the one who actually bought it." He looked at her with one eyebrow raised, a small smile on his face.

"That sly fox, he set this whole thing up, didn't he?" Lucifer sighed. Then he leaned in right next to her ear and whispered, "remind me to thank him later."

She giggled affectionately. "You're cute, Luci."

"It's not often that someone uses the word cute to describe me," he frowned. "Don't get me wrong, though. I'm not saying I don't like it." His face flushed, a rosy glow now appearing in his cheeks. "Compared to being told I'm not cute, I'd rather be told that I am."

Asuna blushed, feeling that spark of hope in her chest glowing brighter every second. She wanted nothing more in this moment than what she was experiencing right now. She wanted to always be by his side, whether it was for dates like this or when he was just being himself, playing music, studying, sleeping, anything.

"Before you depart, we have a surprise for you," Levi announced as he came to take their now empty supper plates away. "Wait here one moment."

"Uh oh, I don't like the sound of that," Lucifer mumbled, shaking his head as Levi walked away.

"No way…" Asuna said excitedly.

"They didn't…" Lucifer shook his head.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you," the brothers all sang, coming out of the kitchen, accompanied by Diavolo, Barbatos, Solomon, Luke and Simeon. Simeon was carrying two delicious looking red velvet cupcakes with "Lucifer" written on one and "Asuna" on the other, a sly smile on his face. "Happy birthday dear Asuna and Lucifer, happy birthday to you," they concluded, setting them down on the table and lighting the candle on each cupcake. All their faces were beaming.

"Make a wish!" Diavolo laughed.

"No need," Lucifer said smoothly. Asuna playfully nudged him as she blew out her candle, wishing for nothing more than what she already had.

"We got you a card, too," Asmo said excitedly, handing it to him. Lucifer carefully opened the envelope and took a few minutes to read all the messages. And right there, at the bottom of the card, in the cutest handwriting, was all that needed to be said in five simple words: "Thank you. For everything. -Asuna."

"Happy birthday, Luci," Asuna smiled, her mouth full of cupcake.

"Happy birthday, Asuna," he chuckled, taking a bite of his own. He studied her cheerful face, that inviting smile of hers all he needed to be completely content with his life.

"I love you." He blushed, as surprised as anyone that those words had slipped out of his mouth. She turned her head to look at him and he felt himself grab her gently by the chin.

"I love you too," she beamed. He leaned down to kiss her soft, ruby lips, ignoring his brother's hoots and hollers. He knew he meant what he'd said. Because even though he was a fallen angel, she made him feel like the morning star he once was.

~THE END~