Book 1: The Wrong Girl in the Devildom

I Know What's Best

Mammon sat at the top of the stairs of the House of Lamination. He stared down at his D.D.D, growling slightly when the little checks popped up next to his texts. She was reading his messages, and purposely ignoring him. He rested his head in his hand and turned off his screen. "What a brat."

"Something wrong, Mammon?" Lucifer walked out of his room and looked down at his younger brother. "Did you fail to borrow money from someone else?"

"No. I've just been trying to check in with the human and she isn't responding to my messages. She's actually reading them, and not responding." He got up and moved up the stairs, leaning on the rail. "Out of all the humans you could've picked, you had to pick a hardheaded one."

"I think this has less to do with her being hardheaded, and more to do with the fact that you flaked out  on your commitment this morning." Lucifer smiled slightly and crossed his arms. "She made a wonderful meal for us all, I'm sorry you missed it."

"You know why I wasn't there this morning." Mammon glared at Lucifer and stood up straight. "What did you tell her?"

"The truth. That you're an unreliable piece of scum and that she shouldn't put faith in you." A small laugh escaped him, and he rested his hand on his chest. "She looked so disappointed, I had to inform her that it's not her fault that you're charming scum."

"But I am reliable..." Mammon clenched his fists, wanting nothing more than to show his brother back, but he knew better than to try that. "I've never flaked on any of you-" a look of realization dawned on his face and he relaxed his hands. "Except for money. But any time any of you needed me around, I was there."

"And there was always a price, Mammon. You either slacked off or we literally had to pay you. If there's nothing in it for you, you're not interested. There's no reason for another person to get their hopes up with you." The amused expression was long gone from Lucifer's face. "I'm doing what's best for the program, and more importantly, I'm doing what's best for you."

"You're only thinking about Diavolo and the program, you don't think of what's best for me." 

"You're right. I don't think of what's best for you because I don't have the time to plan ahead. I only get there in enough time to clean up your mess." Lucifer's eyes started glowing red, and he yanked Mammon up by his shirt. "But I'm punctual this time. Alicia's success here at RAD will be a determining factor in how the people see Diavolo. I will not have her feeling pitiful because she relied on you and you fell through."

"I had to go answer the Umbra sisters!" 

"And that's a weekly meeting. The fact that you double-booked yourself proves you're irresponsible." Both men got quiet when they heard the front door open and a familiar scent wafted by their noses. Lucifer put Mammon down while they watched Alicia run off to her room with a shopping bag in her hand. When the door was closed, he turned his attention back to Mammon. Absently straightening out the hem of his shirt, Lucifer bored his eyes into his younger sibling's.

"Everyone else can be responsible for making her feel comfortable. You will keep your relationship with her professional. You're only responsibility is to make sure she's safe. Do I make myself clear?"

The two demons stared at each other for a long while, both of their eyes glowing. One of the more silent means of challenging, it was still hard to defeat Lucifer. Mammon clenched his fists again, a bead of sweat dripping down his face. Eventually, he couldn't keep it up, and he looked away. Lucifer chuckled and allowed his eyes to go back to normal. "Excellent. I don't want to have this conversation again." 

Lucifer left Mammon in the hallway while he attended to other business. Mammon silently punched the air for a moment, mouthing everything he wished he could've said to him at that moment. He looked over the railing at Alicia's room and sighed. He walked over to her door and knocked on it lightly. "Licia?"