Chapter Text
The day started deceptively normal. Satan woke up to the normal muffled yelling from downstairs. He grabbed his RAD uniform, putting it on with a simple spell. He brushed his teeth and checked his hair in his bathroom. He set his late night book on his nightstand and grabbed his morning book — the third book in one of his favorite high fantasy series — and left his room. Normal, every day, getting ready things.
He walked downstairs to the latest battle between Mammon and Levi. He sat down at the diner table and ate his breakfast while he read. Asmo told him the latest gossip, he schemed with Belphie, and he insulted Lucifer on his way out. Normal, every day, breakfast things.
He arrived at RAD, Asmo next to him, and walked to his normal place. He stood by and read as Asmo showed off with his first friend group. He followed when Asmo went to his second friend group. He leaned against a locker and read as Asmo flirted with his partners. Normal, every day, morning things.
He walked to his locker to grab the things he needed for his first class. He grabbed his textbooks and exchanged his morning book for the book he read during class. A mystery with a hint of romance, his favorite genre. However, the hair on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end and he had the overwhelming urge to switch into his demon form. Some of the demonic students around him already had. This was not part of his normal, every day routine.
The hallway was thick with fear. Any demon within 60 feet was trying to make themselves seem bigger and anyone with common sense was getting ready to flee. The braver ones — and the more idiotic ones — turned their eyes to the source of everyone’s fear. Some demons were already leaving the hall, trying to save their own skin from whatever was about to happen.
Satan, choosing to think of himself as those among the brave, turned his head to look at what the cause of all this fear was. He already had an idea — none of his brother’s wrath felt like this and the smell of cinnamon wafted through the air — but it didn’t make his discovery any less shocking. After all, Diavolo never dropped his smile, much less looked as murderous as he did right now.
The demon prince was standing at one end of the hall, staring down a now clear path to the two on the other end. Satan recognized one. He lived in the same house as Lucifer, so it was never hard to spot his familiar black hair and perfect uniform. The demon beside him, however, wasn’t someone Satan recognized. In all honesty, he looked similar to Diavolo. But, then again, that’s probably why the prince was currently fuming at the other end of the hall.
The moment the suffocating air of fear entered the hallway, Lucifer had turned around, locking eyes with Diavolo. The demon beside him did as well, though he was smirking instead of frowning like Lucifer. Lucifer opened his mouth to speak — no doubt a formal greeting — but he was quickly cut off by Diavolo walking over, practically smoking, he was so angry.
“Dantalion,” Diavolo said, tone dangerously cold. He didn’t seem to care half of the student body was watching them right now. No one dared move. Satan’s head began to ache because of how strong the smell of cinnamon was, but he’d rather suffer smelling Diavolo’s wrath than have it directed at him. Lucifer frowned when he was ignored, but he stepped away from the two taller demons. “I didn‘t know you were visiting. I would’ve prepared a welcome.” Diavolo was feigning politeness. It was his way of saving face.
“My apologies, Prince Rex. My visit was sudden. Now, if you excuse me, this pretty fallen angel I understand is your student council vice president was showing me around.” The demon, Dantalion, offered a hand to Lucifer. Before the avatar could take it, however, Diavolo stepped in between them, almost territorially.
“Actually, I think it’d be better if I showed you around. It’s only right. You’re a Duke, you deserve some special treatment.” Despite his kind words, Diavolo bared his teeth with an obviously fake smile. A switch clicked in Satan’s head and a wave of information came flooding in.
Dantalion Iram, Duke of the Wrath Ring. Unrelated to the original royal family, but powerful. Mephisto, a fellow duke, called him Dante for short. He was an only child like Diavolo and looked quite similar, but he was missing the signature dragon-like wings all the demon kings shared. He was a wrath demon, like Satan, though he didn’t have nearly as much control as he had. According to Mephisto’s latest calculations, Dante ranked above all the demon brothers except Lucifer.
“Well then. Lead the way, Red.” Diavolo frowned at the nickname, but led the taller demon away, leaving a disgruntled and insulted Lucifer in his wake. The fallen angel said something in Celestial, then turned to the demons waiting in the hallway. “All of you, get to class!” He ordered, pride bouncing back quickly. Satan sighed and rolled his eyes, shutting his locker. Well, at least he had something interesting to tell Asmo at lunch.
“Please, Satan. That’s the most interesting thing that’s happened all day and you don’t think I don’t know? I’m the queen of gossip in this school,” Asmo said matter-of-factly, playing with Solomon’s hair. “But go on. I want to know the real story so I know what to exaggerate. The biggest exaggeration I’ve heard thus far is that Diavolo kissed Lucifer and I know a group of demons who would be going crazy if that actually happened.” Solomon frowned at Asmo’s comment, but continued eating otherwise, ignoring the demon leaning across his shoulders and playing with his hair.
“Nothing too crazy. Diavolo walked over and told Dante he would do the tour instead of Lucifer. He literally stepped in between them. It was weird,” Satan stated, turning back to his book. This one was his second half of the school day book, a high fantasy romance with big stakes.
"Don't tell me people are already gossiping about that.” Lucifer’s voice echoed from beside Satan, causing the blonde to look over at him. He had his standard lunch for periods he didn't have with Beel. The sixth born was adamant Lucifer ate, but if he wasn't around, the eldest was free to eat his favorite meal, coffee and nothing else.
“Oh, come on Luci-Goosey. Nothing interesting has happened in a week. People are hungry for gossip, and what's better than the crowned prince making a scene with a new kid no one has ever heard of?" Lucifer glared at Asmo when he used the nickname, but didn't say anything, turning to his phone as he drank his lunch. Satan turned back to his book, though he couldn't help but respond to Asmo’s inaccurate comment.
“It's not a kid no one has heard of. His name is Dantalion Iram. He's the Duke of the Wrath Ring. He's crazy powerful too. He honestly reminds me of Diavolo, just way less optimistic and sunshine and rainbows." Satan caught Lucifer glance up with a look of annoyance when he made his comment about Diavolo, but the first born didn't comment. Asmo sighed and leaned against Solomon further, forever a drama queen.
“That's so boring. Who cares if he's a duke? What does Diavolo care anyways? He had to be pretty angry to make everyone scared like that. He's all smiles normally. I wonder what pissed him off." Asmo said his musings aloud, though no one answered him. After a moment – and receiving a text on his phone – Lucifer left the lunch table with a disgruntled sigh and an annoyed look on his face. Though, Satan was unsure if that was simply his resting face or if he was actually annoyed. It was hard to tell with Lucifer sometimes.
“I heard he’s one of Diavolo’s only contestants for the throne. Dukes can still challenge, you know. They’re so similar. It’d be an interesting fight,” Solomon chimed in once Lucifer left. The sorcerer didn’t want to annoy Lucifer further, so he spoke about Diavolo when he wasn’t around, especially when it could be taken as insulting. The only reason Lucifer put up with vaguely insulting comments from his brothers is because they were family. If he heard anyone else badmouth the Prince, they’d be dead, or at least injured.
“You really think he might?” Asmo sat up when he heard even the hint of drama. Upon Solomon’s nod, he immediately pulled out his phone, no doubt to begin the rumor. “Well, then why not tell everyone? If he’s a duke, we might as well tell everyone!” Satan sighed at the demon’s tone. Wasn’t he just saying that him being a duke was boring? Asmo never operated on logic, Satan wasn’t sure why he expected him to now.
“Can we contest for the throne?” Satan asked, though he doubted Solomon knew the answer. The sorcerer seemed only to care about the actual bloodline royals, not them. If Satan had to guess, it was because he wanted pacts with all of them. He got Barbatos, why not get the rest of them? “All of us rank about the same with one of the dukes.”
“No, contesting for the throne doesn’t work like that. All the royal families can contest, but not you seven. You have to be descended from the Devil herself, mother of all demons, creator of Devildom. No one has for the past two kings because everyone knows Diavolo’s family is too powerful for them to defeat. Dante only has a chance because he’s descended from the same succubus that Diavolo is descended from. The only difference is that Dante’s grandfather was a wrath demon, not the king like Diavolo’s grandfather.” Asmo glanced up long from his DDD long enough to register the conversation and reply.
“How come Diavolo’s grandmother cheated on his grandfather?” Asmo asked, looking back at whatever gossip forum he had pulled up on his DDD right now. Satan stared at him in disbelief. Did no one in their family know the history of the royal family? Lucifer might, but they were all demons. It was taught in history class! Although, when Satan had classes with Asmo, he tended to be making-out with the partner of the week or Solomon, so it made sense he wasn’t paying attention.
“Diavolo’s family has always been polyamorous. His grandfather, King Diaboli, had a huge harem. Any type of demon, any gender. Didn’t matter to him. From that family, there were 666 children,” Satan paused, making sure Asmo was paying attention. When he assured he was, he continued. “That’s where the devil’s number comes from. Not all of those children were related to the king, but those children became the duke, Marquis, and Earl families we know today. Every royal is descended from that original harem.”
“That must’ve been so fun. I want a harem that large,” Asmo commented, turning back to his phone. Satan sighed and shook his head. At least he listened to what I said for once, he thought, turning back to his book. “So if Dante is a threat, Diavolo was probably trying to win over a mate. Demons have weird instincts, you know. This one guy I hooked up with…” Satan tuned Asmo out, focused on what he said before. “Diavolo was probably trying to win over a mate.”
“What mate would he be trying to win over?” Satan said, incredulous, effectively interrupting and annoying Asmo, who was in the middle of a detailed description of him hooking up with some demon. “Who would Diavolo possibly be courting? I haven’t seen him around any demons lately.” Asmo and Solomon exchanged a look, one that pissed Satan off. Like they knew more than him.
“Come on, Tan. You’re a good detective. Figure it out.” Asmo’s words were condescending. It made the wrathful beast Satan normally kept buried rear its ugly head. “Diavolo is old enough to be inheriting the throne. It’s only natural he wants to find and impress a mate. It’s basic demon nature. Don’t you pay attention in class?” Asmo teased. Satan slammed his book shut, causing Asmo and Solomon — and the students around their table — to jump in their seats.
“I’ll be going now. Asmo, if I see your face again today, you’re dead.” Satan kept his tone dangerously calm as he stood from the table. He knew he wouldn’t actually kill his brother, but the threat would keep him away and keep Satan from going on a rampage. He left without saying another word, book in hand, seething with rage.
Satan wanted so badly to punch every kid he walked past. Still, Asmo’s words echoed in his mind. “Diavolo was probably trying to win over a mate.” What mate? Diavolo didn’t even have a crush, much less a partner. “You’re a good detective. Figure it out.” Satan glared at a demon who bumped into him, sending her bolting. Who did Asmo think he was? Challenging him like that. He outranked him! He could kill him!
Satan pushed past a taller demon, not caring when they shouted at him. A hand grabbed his shoulder, turning him around quickly. Satan was about to shout at whoever it was, but the words died in his throat. Dantalion stared down at him, clearly not happy about being pushed. Satan tried to remove the hands that were grabbing his shirt, keeping him in place, but he was stuck.
“Do you have a death wish, blondie?” Dante asked, pulling him closer by the collar of his uniform. As much as Satan despised the name blondie, — one too many comments from Mammon — he was not about to fight a duke, especially one ranked higher than he was. “Answer me, Avatar!” Dante shouted in his face. Satan dully noted that the duke knew who he was.
“Look, I was just walking. I didn’t mean to bump into you. It’s not a big deal,” Satan answered. He may not want to fight, but he was not about to apologize to anyone, much less an egotistical royal demon. Dante scoffed, letting him go. Satan smoothed out his uniform, ready to bolt, but the duke stopped him.
“You’re that cute fallen angel’s brother right? All you Avatars are related.” Satan rolled his eyes at the mention of who he assumed to be Lucifer. It seemed like half the school had a crush on the eldest and it only served to piss him off more. It also gave him all the more reason to knock him off his pedestal sometimes and remind him he was a demon, just like the rest of them.
“I need your help with something,” Dante said, glancing around at the empty hallway. As if he didn’t want someone to hear. Satan crossed his arms. “I hear you’re good at being a nuisance. Mephisto told me about your little Anti-Lucifer League. I need someone to keep Prince Rex off my back for a bit. Can you help?” Satan smiled. As much as he hated the word nuisance, he was good at creating distraction. Years spent planning pranks with Mammon and harassing Lucifer made it easy for him to make a demon’s life miserable without actually harming them.
“What’s in it for me? I’m a busy demon. And don’t try money. I'm the Avatar of Wrath. If you want someone you can pay off, go to my idiot brother Mammon,” Satan scowled as he spoke. Dante sighed and glanced around, seemingly making sure someone — probably Diavolo — wasn’t around.
“What do you want? Power? Materials? Information? I’ve got it all. Name your price.” Satan smiled, reveling in the power of being able to demand what he wanted. As of currently, he was in control and not Dante. Satan caught himself before he let his ego get too big. He wasn’t Lucifer.
“A favor. Whatever I want, to be named at a later date. You’re indebted to me, I help you. Deal?” Dante scoffed, as if thinking he wasn’t serious. Upon seeing the devilish smile on Satan’s face, he sighed and offered a hand. Satan gladly shook it and bowed slightly. “Pleasure doing business with you. Let me know what kind of distractions you want. You can get my number from Asmo. He’d love to meet you.” Satan didn’t wait for a response. He simply walked away, leaving Dante alone in the hallway. Asmo definitely would love to meet him and now Asmo would owe him. Two birds with one stone.
“He was so cute! And his muscles, ugh, Satan, I thought I might die. I wish he agreed to at least hook up! I want a taste of that, you know?” Asmo was rambling, sitting on Satan’s bed while the fourth born searched for his various stashes of glitter. He grimaced in disgust the moment his younger brother mentioned hooking up, but didn’t say anything. “Sol asked me out when I started flirting with him though, so at least I got that out of it. Satan, are you even listening?”
“Not really, no. You think Dante is hot and Solomon is going on a date with you. Thats the gist of it, right?” Satan asked, glancing over at the pink-haired demon on his bed. Asmo crossed his arms and pouted, but nodded. Satan rolled his eyes and turned back to his bookshelves. “I’m trying to make a glitter bomb, Asmo. Just give me a moment, then we can talk.” Satan reached behind some biographies and grabbed a container of glitter Lucifer hadn’t found when he did room inspections.
“A glitter bomb? I thought Lucifer said he’d dye your hair black for a month if you did that to him again. You know he’s mad when he gets creative like that. Do you really want to test him? He seriously might.” Asmo’s voice had a hint of concern in it, aside from the usual aloofness. Despite being the only blonde in the family, Satan often felt the rest of his brothers fit the “dumb blonde” stereotype than him. Especially Asmo and Mammon.
“It’s not for him. It’s for a different target. Dante wants me to keep someone distracted for him, so I'm making a glitter bomb card.” Satan grabbed the tissue paper from the floor and folded it neatly, gluing the edges together. He grabbed his container of glitter and poured a third of it into the pouch. “Hand me that love letter,” Satan said, motioning to the card next to Asmo. The fifth born sighed, but handed it to him. Satan glued the pouch inside the card and muttered a quick enchantment so it would explode when opened. Diavolo wasn’t one to check for enchantments on love letters, but Satan still muttered another spell that made his exploding spell untraceable. When he was satisfied, he glued the pouch to the other side of the card, wrote a quick, vaguely insulting message, and closed the card.
“Who’s it for? Who would open a love letter and not be suspicious,” Asmo asked. Upon receiving a look from Satan, he rolled his eyes. “I meant besides me! No one in our family really receives love letters and Diavolo,” Asmo cut himself off with a dramatic gasp. “Saints and sinners, Satan! Is that glitter bomb for Lord Diavolo?” Asmo practically shouted and Satan cringed. He put a finger to his mouth in a shushing motion.
“Quiet! I can’t have Lucifer overhearing you! He’d kill me if he knew I was going to glitter bomb his precious prince. He’s a lapdog, remember? He’d lock me up in the attic!” Asmo rolled his eyes at Satan’s comment, rolling over on the bed to look at his DDD. “Oh come on! That was funny! Besides, Belphie and I joke about it all the time, it’s not like he’ll care!”
“It was not funny and Luci might actually lock you up, so watch your back,” Asmo said, matter-of-factly, answering texts on his DDD. “Lucifer is scary when he’s angry. Do you really want to be the subject of his wrath? Diavolo may laugh it off, but Lucifer will for sure start a witch hunt.” Satan rolled his eyes, setting the glitter bomb carefully in his bag.
“Calm down, Asmo. I know how to pull pranks and not get caught. Besides, Lucifer won’t notice if he isn’t there, right? I’ll get Dante to distract him and I’ll leave the glitter bomb in Diavolo’s bag. He’ll get annoyed and be too distracted to notice Dante with Lucifer. I just need to distract him long enough for Dante to ask Lucifer to the opera. It’s easy, trust me.”
Asmo rolled his eyes, turning to his DDD and sending a Mammon. “Satan is sending Diavolo a glitter bomb. Wanna watch him prob die to Diavolo?” Mammon replied quickly with an excited yes. Asmo looked up and sighed as he watched Satan leave. At least there’d be something interesting to gossip about tomorrow.