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Chapter Text

Ashiya liked to consider himself to be a rather patient demon, a virtue he should not have. Being a demon general and loyal soldier to his Lord, he suppose it's a given. However, ever sent to this realm, his everlasting patience has taken one hit after another. Having to put up with his sires' occasional foolish flights of fancy, cooking for three, and managing a budget for the household. Not mention the daily threats from their sworn enemy The Hero.

Though as of late, none of those things were the cause of the strain on his tolerance. 

"Urushihara!" The ashen blond bellowed, for probably the fifth time in under ten minutes "How many times have I told you to take out the garbage?!"

Silence was the only answer he received. As the other occupant in the household, a long amethyst haired young teen, was busy staring blankly at the laptop screen. The boy was also wearing headphones. Though, whether the sound was so loud he couldn't hear his roommate or he was just using them as a cover to ignore him was unknown. Ashiya, knowing the brat rather well, was certain of the latter.

The demon turned human nostrils flared, and his hands balled into fists. He grunted a curse, and strode over to the hunched NEET. In less than a second he reached the former demon general and slammed the laptop closed.

"Hey!" The purple haired miscreant yelped, his normally blasé tone pitched in anger. "What do you want, Ashiya?!"

Ashiya said nothing, he simply pointed at the heaping trash pile behind him, as he glared down at the teen.

Urushihara saw where the blond was gesturing and rolled his eyes and huffed, "I told you: I'll do it later."

"You said that almost two hours ago!"

"And it's still later isn't it?" The young teen smirked at his fuming housemate. 

"When I ask you to do something, I expect it to be done right away!" Ashiya hissed.

"The fact you still expect me to listen to you after all this time is pretty pathetic."

Ashiya growled, face growing hot and his hands trembled with rage. He resisted the strong urge to wring the boy's neck. "Urushihara, I will not tell you again--"

"Whatever." The bored tone was back despite the fact Ashiya was glaring daggers. He turned back to his laptop and flicked his wrist dismissively. "I'll get it done when I feel like it. Now, shouldn't you be making dinner for your husband or something?"

He was about to open his laptop and return to his usual pastime when a large hand slammed on top of it again, keeping it shut.
“Dude--!”

“Enough!” Ashiya yelled, his features morphed into a vicious snarl. “You will take the trash out this instant! “

Urushihara glowered back, though there was a trace of nervousness in his eyes. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and challenged, “Or what?”

Ashiya didn’t even miss a beat. He mirrored the teens actions, his stance holding a lot more authority, and stated mercilessly, “ If you don’t move right now and do as you’re told, you will lose your gaming privileges for the rest of the week.”

The purple haired youth looked positively stricken. "Wha--?! You can't do that!"

"I think you'll find that I can. Of course," Ashiya said, loftily. "If you think I'm being unfair, I can always inform our Majesty of your misdeeds and have him deal with you as he sees fit." A smirk made its way on the demon's face. " And I'm sure you remember the last time that happened."

The teen shivered minutely, hands immediately going to his face in remembrance of the punch he had received for his betrayal.  After a few seconds of silence, the NEET hobbled to feet and stomped toward the bag of trash, muttering a few choice words under his breath. 

Ashiya couldn't help but wince at the ear piercing slam of the door. He let out a tired sigh and gently massaged his temple, attempting to soothe an oncoming headache.

Hardly a minute passed when the bane of his existence returned, looking rather...pleased with himself? However, when they locked eyes, the content look on the teens face faded and was replaced with the petulant scowl from before.

"Thank you." Ashiya sighed. "Now, was that really so hard?"

"Extremely. You made me step outside. My body and mind may never recover from this trauma." 

Now, it was Ashiya's turn to roll his eyes. “We’ll have a discussion on your attitude later. For now, I need to gather some more information on replenishing our magic, and go to the store.”
He narrowed his eyes at the smaller demon in warning. “I trust you won’t damage the house or my liege finances while I’m gone?”

“Whatever.” Was the only reply he got as the youth trudged toward the computer. Ashiya gritted his teeth in annoyance, took a deep breath and headed for the door.

“I’ll be back.” He stated as he put on his shoes.

“I’ll be here.”

“Don’t remind me.”

Not even turning around to see the other’s expression, he walked out the door. He muttered to himself as he walked down the short hallway leading to outside of the apartment. When he reached it he threw open the door, took one step and--

The next thing he knew, he was falling forward.
With no time to brace himself, his face collided with one of the stairs. Pain exploded through his senses as he continued to roll down helplessly. Each plank of wood doing it’s best to fit in enough torture on his frail human form in the short span of time. What felt like a lifetime but was probably not even a few seconds, he landed on a patch of dirt. Bruised, aching and too disoriented to breathe.

W-What...happened? Ignoring the cric in his neck, he lifted his head to see what caused their castle's own defense system to betray him like this. Still blurred from the pain, Ashiya forced open his eyes and saw what made him tumble rather ungracefully.

A large garbage bag.

Ashiya stared at the familiar sack in shock. The reality of the situation slowly sinking into his skull. Liquid fire rushed through his veins, his head pounded with pain and rage. His normally calm, stern features had transformed into something, well, demonic.

“ U..ru..shi...HARAAAAAAAAAA-!” The ashen blonde demon roared from the pitiful heap on the ground. A few random people who were meandering jumped in fear at the furious yell. The shoddy demon’s “fortress” shook from the force.

Inside, the mischievous teen sniggered to himself at the string of curses, both Ente Islan and Japanese, being thrown at him from outside. He knew that he would pay dearly for his fun, but for now, he’ll enjoy this small victory while he can.

***

Ashiya stared at the rows of books, too enraged to see any of the titles clearly. That, and he was pretty sure his right eye was beginning to swell up. That little prank was the final straw that broke this realm's already disfigured animal's back. That little heathen was going to pay ! And he knows how. Yes, he already has a plan. A flawless strategy that'll ensure the whelp will receive his dues. The greedy misfit on his hands and knees begging for forgiveness! By the time he is done, the demon general Lucifer will rue the day he came to this world!

However, turning their new lodgings into a bloodbath and the obvious disappearance of the NEET which would alert King Satan would be unavoidable. Really, Urushihara’s disappearance wouldn’t be a huge loss in the long run. Surly His Majesty would agree after a day or two. But, it would be a lecture Ashiya would rather not deal with. So, he decided to retreat to this country’s library for a...less extreme option.

“Is there anything I can help you find?”

Ashiya was pulled out of his vengeful thoughts by a polite voice. He turned to see a young woman standing beside him. When they made contact, her curious eyes widened in horror as she got a good look at his face.

“Are--are you okay, sir?”

“Ah, yes, no need to worry. It was a rather...unfortunate accident.” Ashiya reassured, gently placing a hand in front of his eye, trying and failing not to grimace in pain. “And, yes, if it’s not too much trouble I would like some assistance.”

“Y-yes! Of course! What is it?”

“I was wondering if you had any books on…” Torture? Discipline? Dismantling a Laptop? “...raising children.”

“Certainly.” The polite, business woman smile returned. “If you’ll follow me.” Ashiya walked, unsteadily, the sound of footsteps barely echoing in the quiet building. No more than two shelves later, they arrived.

“Here it is, ”the assistant announced. “Now, are you looking for anything specific? Title? Psychology? Methods? A certain age range, perhaps?”

Ashiya frowned, a little flustered at not having thought this through. “I suppose, anything on how to deal with teenagers.” His answer came out far too uncertain and awkward for his liking. But, the woman didn’t even bat an eye at the stilted response and simply smiled in understanding. She scanned the shelves diligently, before letting out a small “ah” and gestured to the middle row.

“Here’s everything we have on the subject and more. If there’s nothing to your liking, you can come up to the front desk and we can provide further assistance. Or, feel free to use our computers to gather more information.”

“Thank you.”  Ashiya didn’t have the heart to tell the woman that he would never stoop so low to use those nefarious machines. Lest he become the very thing he despised. After bowing gracefully, the library assistant left Ashiya to his own devices. He looked at the seemingly endless row of novels. A devilish smile appeared on his face. A slew of knowledge was once again at his disposal and one of these scriptures could hold the key to taming the lazy fallen angel.

Finally, vengeance shall be his.

***

Two hours and almost a hundred books later, Ashiya only learned two things: everything and nothing.

A majority of the books he scanned had to do with the inner workings of youths' minds and emotions, all of which tied to this thing called puberty. He cringed in memory at the graphic descriptions, he didn’t understand how humans could go through such awkward phases. Though, he smirked ever so slightly at the thought of his annoyance personified suffering from such an ordeal.
However, he found little help for discipline methods. He had gotten excited at the word ‘grounding’ but his hopes were dashed completely when he realized it didn’t involve actually being allowed to bury your charge. He also found a section in a novel about a loss of privileges, but that was something he had tried before and it yielded no results. While he admits that he no longer wants to brutalize the demon, if only out of respect for his Sire than any sentimental reason, he wishes he could find something more strict to work with.

This is going nowhere. Ashiya thought, boredom and exhaustion displayed on his face. He lazily took another book from the pile, his gaze lingered over the title, Chastising Your Child A-Z, and flipped it open to a random page. His eagerness for studying had almost dwindled completely. Perhaps, I can just stick to my original threat and confiscate his PASTA. Maybe even convince My Lord to take away his laptop for a good...while--? 

Ashiya’s train of thought was halted as he tired eyes fully focused on the page he stumbled upon. He read it and reread it again, and again, and again. His brain was somehow taking in the knowledge yet not completely absorbing it either.

Could...could this be...the answer he was looking for?

He flipped through the book, hoping to find more of the subject but did not see the word again. He slammed the novel shut with more force than yesterday and began rereading the other books. Sure enough, a handful of them had the topic as well but they were simply paraphrasing each other. It wasn’t enough to satiate his curiosity. He needed more, he needed detailed instructions, a demonstration, something! He looked back to the shelf, he really didn’t have the time or patience to go through another mountain of books, or hunt down the woman who helped him earlier. There has to be faster, more efficient way to gather more information in such a short time--

Wait. There is... one. But! It would mean entering foreign enemy territory. Sacrificing his pride! He swore he would never, ever fall victim to the lure of those... machines ! They were a danger to hard working and functioning people such as himself. There is nothing that can make him--

His mind immediately supplied images of their uninvited roommates attitude, laziness, and penchants for expensive splurges. Thoughts of protecting his pride had receded and his resolve hardened.

It is a necessary evil, I suppose. Ashiya swallowed, and with his head held high and stomped toward his target. Mentally preparing himself for the fierce battle that awaited him.

Turns out all that fierce battle entailed was Ashiya struggling with operating the keys and wrestling with his ego once more. After typing in his request into the search bar, he was immediately hit with numerous.. .perverse images. He shuddered at the graphic lewd displays that assaulted his vision, quickly exiting any unsavory tabs. After calming down, and looking around in worry that anyone had seen the horror he had just witnessed, he filtered his search a bit. This, thankfully, provided much more ‘pure’ results and actual information. 

Ashiya would sooner join the church in their crusade against their kind than admit it but he was, slightly, impressed with these computing devices. In just under twenty minutes he had found 10 different sources, from articles to essays, blogs, forums, even videos on the word. It was enticing on how much information he obtained in such a short amount of time. Suddenly, he understood how Urushihara could stay glued to this thing for several hours a day.

“Excuse me, sir?”

Ashiya once again was brought to earth by a soft voice. He looked over his shoulder to see a male assistant smiling gently. Which was quickly replaced with a look of befuddlement and curiosity as he looked past the slender man to stare at something behind him. Just as confused, Ashiya followed the man’s line of sight...and felt his heart skip a beat when he saw it was the web page he had been looking at. During his research he had realized this method of punishment was rather controversial, at best. Many different people shared their views and opinions on the matter. Quite a few deemed the method necessary, while a majority opposed it severely. What if this man was one of the many against it and was judging him?

Honestly, we was quite skeptical about the whole thing himself, despite all of his research. It was a rather tame punishment compared what the brat would have suffered in Ente Isla, but it was the only viable punishment in this world that was severe enough without alerting any earthly authorities. It would provide just enough pain and humility to let the lesson sink in.

 Should he close the window? No, it was too late for that. Besides, doing so would look even more suspicious and he didn’t want to do anything else that would draw attention to himself. Perhaps if he explained himself. No, why should he? He didn’t have the time nor did he think he could give an explanation that was satisfactory.

Thankfully, Ashiya was put at ease when he saw the polite smile return on the young man’s face.

“Sorry to disturb you, but I just wanted to remind you that we will be closing here in a half hour, So, if you have anything you would like to check out please do so now.

Ashiya’s shoulders slumped in relief but then went gaped in horror at the sudden news. Is it that late already?! He looked at the clock and nearly screamed in panic. I still haven’t even gone grocery shopping or any other of my usual errands! He all but crumpled into a heap of misery, silently berating himself for failing his king.

“Um, sir?”

Oh dear. He was making a spectacle of himself again. Just one more thing to add to his shame, he supposed. Quickly regaining his composure, he sat back up in his chair and thanked the librarian and quickly gathered the novels he found useful. Once the young man left, he let a scowl emerge on his face.

I swear, even when I’m deciding on a way to punish him, that insufferable fallen angel ends up getting in my way. 

With his newly acquired strategies tucked under his arm, Ashiya left the library filled with a newfound determination. He would still give it a bit more thought while he’s at the store but he might have found the answers, for a lack of a better word, to his prayers. He wasn’t quite confident in his abilities to dole out this punishment perfectly but at the very least he knows what to do.

Ashiya allowed himself to smirk. When he returns to Devil’s Castle, that lazy shut in won’t know what... hit him .

Chapter Text

C'mon just a little more! Almost there. N-No-! "Damn it!" The fallen angel swore out loud at the familiar, taunting jingle and the game over flashing across the screen. "Ugh." He groaned, letting the console fall from his hands and flopped on his back.

He should have known his winning streak had to end at some point but for it to be on the second to last level? What god did he piss off to deserve such cruel torture?

Oh, wait.

He laughed a little to himself, a small smirk on his lips. Still, he supposed he should be grateful that he made it this far. With Ashiya’s stupid one hour a day rule, he’s never been able to advance in his game like this.

Speaking of which, the aforementioned demon had yet to return from his shopping. Which is quite unusual as Urushihara can’t remember a single moment since he moved in that the ashen haired general had left him alone in the apartment for more than an hour. He couldn’t even fathom what would be keeping an extra 2 hours.

Unless...he was snitching on him to Maou right about what happened.

Urushihara couldn’t help but scowl at that. Trust poor, sensitive, kiss ass Alciel to go running to his master over a little practical joke. He cringed at the thought of Maou laying into him and Ashiya smirking in victory in the background. He slowly sat and looked at his Pasta shimmering under the evening light.

Well, it looks like I might not see you for a while, so I better enjoy our time together while I can. He picked up the console with the determination of a man being sent to the gallows. Who knows? After he’s dead he’ll have the legacy of having the highest score in a glitchy, terrible game.

Finally, he’ll have something to be proud of.

However, not even ten minutes later he was pulled away from his mission, if only briefly, by the sound of a creaking door.  Finally, I’m starving. He bemoaned internally. The sound of padded footsteps filled the tiny room. Urushihara was struck with an idea. He knew he shouldn’t be “poking the bear” but he couldn’t help himself.

Plus, he was going to die anyway so might as well go out with the last laugh.

“So,” he didn’t even look up from his gaming device as he snickered, “did you have a nice trip? ” Eh. Not his wittiest remark but you can't beat the classics.

Ashiya said nothing, however and continued into the apartment without even glancing in his direction.

“What’s the matter, still sore with me?” 

“...”

Not even a grumble. The only sounds that emitted from the other person was the rustling of bags.

Urushihara frowned, slightly put off by the lack of response. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the taller demon had begun to put away the groceries.

He's...not even going to nag me about helping him? Not that I would have but still… Urushihara continued to stare at the other general's back, trying to discern the mood from the blonde's body language. Besides the taunt shoulders and stiff silence, there was nothing really to suggest he was still angry with him. Or, maybe he was so enraged he was denying his very existence? 

Urushihara huffed and turned back to his game. He’s not sure why he was so annoyed, this is what he wanted, isn’t it? To be left alone, and not hear Ashiya’s lectures. He stayed focused on his console even when a familiar shadow loomed over him. Two can play at this game.

“Look, if you’re going to yell at me can you do it after I finish this level?”

The silence between them rang out, yet for several seconds neither demon dared to break it. Urushihara continued to play his game, somewhat oblivious to imminent danger he was in. He was doing a lot better on this level and he was going to see it through to the end! Then, before he could even blink, his precious silver device was ripped from his hands. Without even thinking, the fallen angel sprung to his feet, anger coursing through his small frame. He twisted his face into the most intimidating snarl he could muster as he opened his mouth to let out a whiny furious tirade.

--Only to stop short at the sight of his roommate's face.

Besides the usual stern gaze, which had 90% less rage than he was used to when he messed up. There were quite a few scratches and bruises on the blonde’s face and his right eye was noticeably swollen.

Something unfamiliar churned in his gut. He knew Ashiya would get hurt from his prank, and all 3 of them have suffered far worse than some scrapes and bruises. Yet, Urushihara couldn’t help but squirm a little at the guilt seeping in.

“Um,” Urushihara swallowed. “Dude, are you okay--?”

“We need to talk.” Ashiya cut him off, though not harshly. His face set in stone as he spoke quietly yet sternly. For once, Urushihara didn’t chime in with a snarky response. “Your attitude today, no, since the day you appeared in this realm has been deplorable. Our Sire and I have let your transgression slide one to many times. As your guardian in this world and a fellow...comrade, I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t chastise you for today.”

Urushihara winced, even though a part of him knew this was coming. He, almost, prayed it wouldn’t. “Oh, come on, Ashiya!” He whined “You can’t seriously take my PASTA away for this. I technically did as I was told! You didn’t specify that I had to take it out to the trash can.” This got him the famous ‘I-wish-I could murder you-’ glare.  Some of his bravado left him. “B-besides! It was just a joke--”

“A joke, that damn near killed me or at the very least sent me to the hospital, you brat!” Ashiya spat, some of the frustration leaking into his voice. Urushihara cringed. The guilt returned with a vengeance, but he would be damned if he allowed it to show on his face.

Ashiya took a few deep breaths to calm himself before continuing, “I was also not going to confiscate your video game.” Urushihara looked up in shock, hope blooming in his chest.

“Y-You’re not?”

“No, I’m not. I’ve come to the realization that yelling, loss of privileges and restrictions no longer have an effect on you. So, it would appear I have no choice but to try a more...hands on approach.” Ashiya, cracked his knuckles, his golden eyes were replaced with steel flint as he stared down at the trembling purple haired teen before him.

Hands on--? Is-is he going to hit me?! Urushihara visibly flinched when Ashiya raised his hand. Well, living has been nice while it lasted, I guess. Urushihara swallowed thickly and shut his tight in preparation for the unimaginable pain.

However no fist collided with his face, instead something warm and calloused gripped his wrist. 

Urushihara’s eyes popped open and he looked up at Ashiya in confusion. The taller demon simply stared back, eyes still sharp but a smug smile played on his lips.

“I tried to be reasonable and treat you as the age we have given you in this world but you continued to act far younger. Testing, pushing me to my limits with your spoiled attitude. So-” Ashiya tugged him forward until they were barely even an inch apart. “If you act like a child, I shall do as the humans say ‘treat you like one.’ “

Treat me like-- “W-what are you talking about-- HEY! ” Without any warning, Ashiya yanked him down causing him to lose his footing and tumble rather ungracefully. He landed on something firm and solid so hard the breath was knocked out of him. He blinked rapidly, suddenly all too aware that his nose was almost touching the floor.

“What the--?! Dude, what is this?!” The smaller demon yelped. He placed his hands on the tatami mats and tried to push himself up. His plans of escape were quickly thwarted by a large slender hand pressing on the small of his back. “What are you doing?! Let me up!”

Ashiya made no move to comply with the NEET’s demands. For some reason he couldn’t help but start panicking at being in this foreign position. His head was spinning and he continued to flail and wriggle desperately. Just what was Ashiya planning to do with him--?

All his questions were answered with a SMACK that blared like an alarm in the apartment and a sharp pain blossoming on his posterior.

Urushihara merely let out a sputtering gasp at the sudden blow. His whole body had gone rigid and laid absolutely still. All his thoughts came to a screeching halt as he laid over the blonde’s lap completely dumbfounded.

That...didn’t just happen, right? This is not happening. There is no way in home that this is happening, right--?!

Another loud pop on his backside confirmed his theory, to his dismay. Despite the fact the second smack was much milder, Urushihara let out an audible cry and jerked in the blonde's hold. He was barely given a reprieve before he was assaulted with rapid, stinging swats.

“Dude! Ow! Are-are you freaking kidding me?! ” Urushihara looked over his shoulder, eyes wide in disbelief and cheeks flushed a dark red.

“Does this ,” Ashiya's hand fell three times, and Urushihara legs kicked out involuntarily. "Look like I'm kidding?"

“Come-- ah! I’m way too old for-- ow! ” Despite mentally protesting, his limbs continue to flail about.“Did-- ugh-- Maou tell you to do this?!” 

“No, I came across this punishment on my own.” Ashiya answered calmly, not once stopping or slowing the merciless paddling, much to the fallen angel's chagrin. “Though,” something akin to smugness appeared on the blonde’s face. “I’m quite certain Sire wouldn’t disagree with this method.

Bastard! Urushihara growled to disguise a whimper. "O-Okay, okay! You've made your point, Ashiya! Now let me go!"

Ashiya snorted, dismissively. "If that was an attempt at an apology, then we are far from finished." The tall man's palm crashed down on the center of his backside, because he was a monster . "I will let you up when I'm certain the lesson has sunk in." With that, Ashiya unleashed a barrage of smacks on every inch of the targeted area.

Urushihara howled, in frustration and pain, his fists pounded against the floor and he kicked his feet. Ashiya allowed the tantrum to continue for a good solid minute, before wrapping an arm around his waist and lifting his hips ever so slightly. The NEET yelped profusely when the large, terrifying hand came in contact with the underside of his cheeks. He tried to wave through the torture, but after a few seconds he ceased his struggling. He once again went still and buried his burning face in his arms. Desperately trying to hide from Ashiya, this stupid punishment, and those horrible, horrible smacking sounds that seemed to echo endlessly through the apartment.

Oh, Satan. Please let Bell be out right now.

Two sharp smacks landed on each cheek and Urushihara whined in the back of his throat. This--this is so stupid! Of course, Ashiya would discover the most old fashioned punishment and use it against him. Well, if he thought this will 'fix his behavior', he's sorely-- very mistaken. He's not going to cry, he's not going to beg for mercy, and absolutely, no way in hell was he going to apologize.

If he can't break free, then he'll just have to wait it out. Ashiya can't keep this up forever, sooner or later he'll get bored or see this as a waste of time and send him away. He ignored the pang in his heart at that thought.

So, for the next several minutes, the only sounds in the room were the louds claps of flesh meeting cloth and pained grunts. Urushihara dug his nails into his skin and bit his lip, his body as stiff as a board. Though it killed his pride to just lay here and 'take it', he would rather die than give Ashiya the satisfaction of seeing him squirm.

"Why are you being punished, Urushihara?"

Urushihara didn't answer right away. Mostly because he was pretty sure he misheard him over the sound of the spanking and his own heartbeat. Or, so he thought.

"I asked you a question." Ashiya radiated calmness even as his hand crashed down.

Urushihara remained quiet. Partly out of stubbornness, but mostly out of fear of his voice breaking.

"Lu-ci-fer." His vile roommate punctuated each syllable with a swat on his thigh forcing out a high pitch yelp from the teen.

“What?!” He yelled, hoping he sounded more annoyed than on the verge of tears. His attitude earned him a harder swat on his backside and he had to blink back the water than sprung in his eyes.

“You,” that damn hand cracked down twice on the center of his ass and Urushihara couldn’t hold back a whine. “Are not in a position to back talk right now, so I suggest you watch your tone.” Ashiya began alternating between his left and right cheek, ever so slightly picking up speed. Urushihara hissed and twisted his hips in vain to avoid the stinging blows.

“Now, let’s try this again. Why are you being punished , Urushihara?”

Fueled by rage, and in a last ditch effort to keep from crying, he blurted out: “Because you’re a demon king dick sucking asshole , who just likes to see me suffer!”

Ashiya froze in mid swing, a dark shadow cast over his face. Urushihara lay still breathing heavily, grateful for the brief pause.

And brief, it was.

The thunderous crack of the blondes hand against the center of his thigh nearly drowned out the yelp that tore from the shorter demon's throat.

Ashiya didn’t allow a reprieve this time. Without warning, he picked up speed and strength, spreading hot blazes of pain over his entire bottom and Urushihara writhed.

"How dare you speak to me that way." Ashiya growled, as he continued to beat a tattoo of his palm into the teens backside. "Rest assured, we will be having a long talk about your vulgarity when this is over."

"Vul--! We're freaking demons, Ashiya!" He sputtered.

"Be that as it may, there is still no need for such language."

"You're impossible!" He yelled. He wanted to say more but for once he bit his tongue. 

This was absolutely ridiculous. Why was he letting this happen to him? He's a demon general! The first actually! Hell, he was one of the few who stood by Satan from the very beginning. He was one of the most powerful demons, he maimed and killed thousands of humans in his long life. He had helped with the invasion just as much as Ashiya did!

Yet, here he was: over the scorpion demon's lap, pinned down and being reprimanded like an unruly toddler. If the other soldiers from the army caught wind of this, no one would ever respect him again.

Not like anyone had much respect for you to begin with.

Purple eyes stung with salty water and he utterly despised himself when tears trickled down his cheeks.

God, you're so pathetic. Without any of your magic, you're just a short, scrawny, bratty teen. No wonder Alciel and Satan treat you the way you do. No wonder they see you as nothing but a nuisance. No wonder they...left you there to die.

You're worthless.

" Lucifer!"

"Bwah?! W-what, um, huh?" Urushihara crashed back down to earth. His muddled brain slowly figured out that once again the painful assault had been put on hold. He silently hoped that this would be the end.

“Haven't you been listening?! I’ve been talking to you this whole time!” Oh, shit. Has he? "I called out to you, but you just went completely silent and started shaking."

Was...that concern in his roommates voice. A foreign feeling rushed through at the thought. But, unfortunately, it was overshadowed by an overwhelming sense of anger and shame at having been caught looking weak. He was suddenly all too well aware of the wetness on his face and he scowled. What’s wrong with him, submitting to the punishment like this? Emilia’s sword slicing through his torso had been more excruciating than this! If Ashiya thinks he was just going to roll over from a few swats to his rear, the demon was seriously delusional. He took a deep breath to steady himself.

“Sorry,” He sneered, sarcasm glazing his words. “Your voice was just so grating I tuned it out.”

"So, you didn’t hear a word I just said?   The demon growled dangerously above. Urushihara merely looked back and smirked.

“No, I heard you.” Some of his bravado returned to him. “I just didn’t think I should bother answering when it’s the same stupid crap you say to me on a daily basis.” That’s right. He already knows why this is happening. Because he was no help around the house. Because he was a freeloader. Because he was a waste of space. Because they hate him he was lazy. “This is boring.” He stated, his usual listless tone was back.

A long uncomfortable silence stretched between the two young men. Ashiya’s face was obscured by his bangs, a menacing aura completely surrounding him. While Urushihara beamed with satisfaction. Sure, his butt kind of ached and there was going to be a lingering embarrassment from the fact he was thrown over his comrade’s knee like a child for a day or so. But, for the most part, he got through this unscathed. He felt like he regained a little bit of his dignity.

“Well,” The fallen angel brazenly shattered the stiff atmosphere after a few moments. “If that’s all, I would like to return to my game.” He began to push himself up off the firm lap, a grin growing on his face. “And you should probably get started on dinner. You don’t want our beloved king to come home to no food, do you? Oh, and by the way. Great parenting here, Mom --”

Urushihara’s taunt was cut short by a slender hand gripping his shoulder blade and pushing him back down.

“W-what the hell?! G-get off me- ow !” A familiar, calloused palm connected harshly in the middle of his backside. Before he could even blink , rapid fire swats rained down on his hind end.

“We are not done here.” Ashiya's tone was coated with ice, a sharp contrast to the growing heat in his butt. “All you’ve shown with your attitude is how much you desperately need this and that we still have a long way to go before this is over.”

“What?!” He squawked. “N-no way, we're still doing this?!”

“You didn’t actually think that was all you were going to get after the hell you’ve put me through, did you?” Ashiya asked, rhetorically. The tall demon looped an arm around purple haired teens waist, pulling him close until he was flushed against the young man's stomach. “That was just a warm up.”

"A-A warm up- eep! " A particularly hard swat landed on his thigh and his eyes watered. "S-Seriously! All this because I wouldn't take the trash out?!"

Ashiya snarled in remembrance of the prank. "The stunt with the trash bags is just one of the many reasons why you are being punished." He alternated between the left and right cheek, the teen twisted his hips furiously to avoid the blows.

"One of-- OW! What other-- ah -- reasons are there?!"

"Well, now." Ashiya chuckled, darkly. "You would know that, had you been paying attention. " The stern guardian shifted his charge further up his lap. The teens small torso was resting on the floor, with his bottom elevated for more areas to attack. “Don’t worry, we’ll go over it again.”

Urushihara could only hiss and squirm in place.  He yipped when the light haired demon’s hand pounded his lower cheeks excessively. The smarting session that had faded has resurfaced tenfold and the youthful demon was certain he was going to start wailing, if Ashiya didn’t stop right now!

Just as soon as it started, the paddling stopped once again, and the troubled teen was finally allowed to take a breath in.

Fingers hooked the waistband of his shorts and Urushihara swore his lungs evaporated.

His brain shut off completely and his body moved on it’s own accord. He doubled his efforts in escaping: he kicked his legs wildly, pushed against the floor. He threw a hand back and gripped his pants for dear life to prevent... that.  

"No! No,no,no,no,no! S-stop! D-Don't you dare! Ashiya! "

However, Ashiya turned a deaf ear to his pleas, and pinned the hand to the small of his back. Then, he swiftly tugged down the semi thick apparel. 

The fallen angel’s face, neck, and ears burned a bright crimson and made a strangled noise of displeasure. Great, just great! Now, his only source of protection was a pair of thin, cheap Uniqlo cotton briefs! And were quite small, if the slight breeze grazing the irritated skin was anything to go by. Fuck, he felt so, so naked . Exposed! Helpless! Completely, utterly, vulnerable.

All sense of humiliation was thrown out the window, when the accursed hand kissed bare, taunt flesh.

Urushihara wasn’t even given enough time to process this new throbbing, stinging agony, when the demon’s palm slapped the undercurve of his buttcheeks. A scream was building up inside of him but he choked on it after he was swatted three times on his upper thighs. He clenched his fist, and gritted his teeth. His eyes roamed around the room, trying to mentally run away from what’s happening. He looked at the floor, studying every fiber, dirt, and strand in the tatami matts. Satan, this place is getting dirty. Instead of beating his ass, Ashiya should be beating the matt--

Oh, wait. He was supposed to do that, wasn’t he?

”Now that I have your undivided attention.” Ashiya’s voice rang clear over the crisp sound of his palm striking the teen’s sit spots and yelping. “I believe it’s time we have our talk.”

Great, a lecture. Just what I need. The icing on this cake of mortification.

“Let’s start with your attitude.” If Ashiya heard the colorful words he muttered under his breath he didn’t let it be known. On second thought, judging from the two swats that just landed on his right cheek, he probably did. “Your behavior has been absolutely abhorrent. While you were never a saint in the beginning, lately you do nothing but push every single one of my buttons.” Not slowing the punishment, Ashiya aimed the swats at the most sensitive areas on the teens bottom. 

“Back talking.” Smack!  “Tantrums.” Smack!  “Fiddling away our King’s savings, I’m sick of it!”

You’re sick of me. The unspoken words were like a stab to the chest. Equally painful was the growing ache in his lower half. He didn’t know whether to cry out or protest. Either way, he bit the inside of his cheek to keep from opening his mouth.

“From here on out, Sire and I will no longer tolerate any disrespect from you.” Another sharp smack on his thigh, a whimper slipped past his lips.

Can I expect the same from you two then? Two more swats, just below the first one. A bitter, metallic taste filled his mouth.

“You will be on your best behavior in this place.” Don’t get in the way. “You will make yourself useful around the house.” Impossible. “Starting tomorrow, you will have a curfew and your time on the laptop will be limited--”

“WHAT?!” The seal on his lips had been broken, and he swiveled around to stare at his assailant. Looking far more aghast than he had during this whole experience. “You can’t take my laptop away from me, that’s not fair!”

“It’s entirely fair, and I said limited . You are not forbidden from using it again.” Ashiya stated matter of factly. “You will be allowed 2 hours of free time per day.”

“Oh, that’s bullsh-- OW!” Another vicious slap on his seat cut him off. “What the hell am I supposed to do for the rest of the day?!”

“Well, there’s always the chores that tell you to do day in and day out.”

Okay, he set himself up for that one. “B-but...I’m no good at doing chores!” He was whining and he knew it, and hated himself for it.

“Trust me, I know.” There wasn’t even a hint of malice in the words, but Urushihara swore they sting worse than his rear. “But, you won’t get any better unless you try.”

Deep down, Urushihara knew he was right. About all of it. But, he was so hurt, physically and emotionally, and so angry, humiliated, and tired. He couldn’t help but choke out, “... Why should I?”

“What was that?” Ashiya asked, pausing the painful assault. Though at this point, Urushihara was far from grateful.

“...”

“If you have something to say to me, then say it.” Ashiya said, edge returning to his voice.

Urushihara simply pouted and glared at the wall. He wasn’t going to say anything else. He really had nothing more to say. Even if he did, Ashiya doesn’t care how he feels. Never had. So what was the point? But, what was the point of holding it in? He lost everything that mattered to him: pride, dignity, his computer, the ability to sit.

...Which means, he had nothing left to lose. “I said ,” Uruhshiara’s voice gained volume even though it lacked any power. “Why. Should. I?”

Urushihara didn’t look at the other demon's face but he could hear the confusion. “Why should you what? Help out? Try? I thought I explained all that--”

“Why should I do anything?! ” Urushihara yelled at the top of his lungs. His composure falling apart at the seams. “All I do is mess up, break something, or get in your way. So, why bother?!”
A shocked silence rang in the air. Though, it didn’t last long. “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I do try! It’s just everytime I do, I ruin everything!”

“You don’t ruin-- ”

“YES I DO!” A roar he didn’t know he could make erupted from him. “You tell me all the time! Nothing I do is ever good enough for you and Maou!” He sob crawled up his throat, and he tried to conceal it. “And, and you don’t teach me how to do anything. You show me how it’s done once, expect me to remember, and then get pissed off when I do everything wrong!”

Ashiya was still silent. If at any point he was trying to interject, Urushihara didn’t know and frankly, didn’t care. “W-what do you guys want from me?!” The tears that he had been holding back this entire time made their way down his cheeks. “I can’t do anything right! If I help, you get mad, and if I do nothing, you get mad! I can’t win!” He was openly crying now and he no longer cared how pathetic he must look to the other demon.

“If...if,” The teen sobbed, words he had been holding back for a long time were coming up, and there was no stopping them this time. “If, if you hate me that much, why don’t you just kick me out, and get it over with! ”

Just like that, the dam broke. Water ran out of his eyes like a faucet, he wailed like a freaking baby, and he pounded his fist so hard on the floor he was certain he was going to have bruises. He had gone and done it. He had lost the only place he could even call for home, for the first time in several millennia. Ashiya was probably so disgusted with him right now.

“Ur..shi..”

Or maybe he’s satisfied now. Happy that he managed to reduce him to a sniveling brat. The sick bastard was probably grinning in victory while he laid here crumpled in defeat.

“Urushi..ha..”

He’ll probably bask in his moment for a few more minutes, then he’ll shove him away and go back to cooking, cleaning, and fawning over their King. Nothing’s changed.

Nothing wi--

“Lucifer!” The call of his name and a single swat on the center of his bum jolted him out of his misery. He let out a startled cry, more out of surprise than pain.

“W-w-what?”

“Please, do try and calm yourself. You’re going to hyperventilate at this rate.” He was right, Urushihara could hardly breath and his head was starting to spin. “Don’t say anything else, just..focus on the sound of my voice.

He sounded so...comforting. Ah, wait. He was losing oxygen, so he must be hallucinating. That’s right. Even so, Urushihara found himself following the orders of this mirage, because his blubbering sure as hell was real. He took large gulps of air, breathed through his nose. For a few moments, there was only the sound of his labored breathing and Ashiya muttering a few calming words.

It was...nice. Even if it was all in his head.

“Listen up.” Ashiya spoke up, the serene and gentleness from earlier had vanished. So, he really did imagine all that. “Because, I am only going to say this once.”
Here it comes. The other shoe was about to drop and, hopefully, crush him completely so he won’t have to deal with any more heartache.

“I’m sorry.”

...Excuse me, what the fuck?

Urushihara blinked. His brain felt as though it was completely disconnected. He was aware that Ashiya just said words, but the words felt gibberish. Completely alien to him. He had to be speaking a language that had yet to be unearthed because there was no way that he just... apologized to him!

Urushihara slowly turned his head, he had to see this for himself. “Y-y-you’re...sorry?”

“Indeed.” Ashiya had the good grace to look...ashamed? “I shouldn’t have snapped at you for failing. I, myself, had trouble adjusting in this realm. I should have realized you were suffering the same. I was a poor guardian and...fellow companion to you. For that, I apologize.”

Urushihara continued to stare up at the blonde, completely dumbfounded. For a very, very brief moment he considered asking the man to hit him again, just to check if he was dreaming or not.

“From now on, I will have more patience with your...mishaps. Provided you will try to help out around more. Okay?”

Unable to handle his housemate's gaze Urushihara returned his focus to the floor,  unstuck his mouth and stuttered, “Um, sure, I guess that...fair.”

Ashiya made a hum of acknowledgement and the quiet resumed. Now that rhythmic pounding had stopped, the teen was able to process and take in, well, everything that had happened. His stomach ached a bit from laying on hard legs for so long, his shorts were bunched around his ankles, and his face was wet and hot.

Oh, and of course, his ass was currently on fire.

“So, uh, like,” Urushihara stumbled over his words, feeling disoriented and embarrassed over this whole ordeal. “Are...are we done now?”

“Not quite. We still have one more thing to discuss.” Ashiya gave his sore butt a gentle pat. Urushihara gave a start and squirmed in place.

“Wait, seriously?! What do we have left?!”

“Oh, I believe you know this one rather well. It’s your most recent transgression.”

Most recent...oh.

“Can we not?” He moaned piteously. “I learned my lesson, I swear! I-I’m…I’m sorry!”

Ashiya didn’t remove his hand, but he also didn’t hit either. “For what, exactly.”

“For...for,” He gulped audibly, guess there’s no avoiding this, is there? “For not listening, acting out, not doing my chores and for making you fall down the stairs. I’m sorry for all of it, really! So, can this please be over now?”

“Fraid not.” Ashiya said, callously yet kindly ignoring his pleas for mercy. “I swore to you and myself that I’d see through to the end. You cannot just get out of a well deserved punishment with an I’m sorry. Though,” His voice became a lot softer. “The apology is most appreciated, and accepted.”

Though, it’s not going to save my ass, is it? Urushihara thought, bitterly. Though, he thought it was best to not say anything on the matter.

Ashiya released his hand, the amethyst haired boy shook the feeling back in, and tightened the hold on his waist. “You’ll be receiving 18. If you try to reach back and stop me, we will start over. Understood?”
Urushihara groaned at the number and nodded.

“Alright then, let’s get this over with.”

The demon turned human child tensed up, squeezing his eyes tightly and clenched his fists in preparation for the blow.

Ashiya, sadly, did not disappoint.

He heard the noise before he felt the sting. Stars danced in front of his eyes and he couldn’t help but howl. He was given no time to recover before the second one fell, followed by a third, fourth, and so on. He was somewhat aware of Ashiya continuing each smack, though he couldn’t be sure over the sound of his squealing.

"Gah--oof--ow--ah!”

Urushihara was certain after his little breakdown he had no more tears left in him to shed, but after the 10th swat, he was given another unpleasant surprise. He was still holding himself together well enough, until that evil hand fell a good five times on the crest of taunt skin. A loud, ugly wail bubbled from his throat, and he kicked furiously.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! ” And, truly he was. If only because he lost the use of his seat for a good while. Another sharp smack bit his thigh and Urushihara was done . He went completely limp and cried profusely, no longer caring about being stoic. He was just over everything and wanted the pain to stop.

And, after two more slaps landed dead center of his rear, it did.

The next few moments were kind of a blur. Partly because he was so dizzy from crying so hard, but a lot had to do with the water in his eyes. He vaguely recalled Ashiya running a hand through his long hair. The teen believed the taller demon spoke to him but he wasn’t sure. All he knows is, miraculously, his bawling quieted to hiccups and the occasional sniffle.

What he is certain of, is that after he was no longer draining fluid from his eyes, his clothing was carefully righted and was being lifted off the dreaded lap.

Once he was set to his feet, unsteadily he might add, he thought he would be banished to his closet for the remainder of the night. Or rather, he hoped he would be. He was really not up to facing Ashiya right now.

However, before he could crawl into his hole. An arm grabbed his wrist and he was pulled forward…

And was pushed against something firm, secure and was enveloped in a cozy heat.

“?!”

What? A hand, presumably the one that was just striking him, was now gently rubbing his back. Trying to coax out the tension building in him. What? The ringing in his ears receded and he could hear faint shushing sounds coming from above.

Not to sound like a broken record, but what?

Almost as if he could read his thoughts, or maybe he was mumbling out loud. Ashiya clarified, “I have read that providing comfort is crucial after a punishment is delivered.” His deep voice reverberated in his chest and was honestly kind of soothing.

This...this is almost as surreal as the spanking. Yet, just like the pulsating heat in his butt, the warmth of his arms were 100 percent real. Without really thinking, the teen found himself returning the hug. Embarrassingly eager to be consoled. Ashiya twitched from the contact but quickly relaxed, continuing running a hand up and down his back. The blonde’s steady heartbeat calmed him down.

When was the last time he was held like this?

Before his brain could provide an answer the moment ended. Thought, not abruptly. Ashiya gave a firm pat on the back and slowly eased out of the hug. Urushihara continued to stare at his feet, not daring to look the other demon in the eye.

“Well then,” The scorpion demon coughed, awkwardness clear in his tone. “I do hope you learned something from all this.”

“Y-yes.” I need to start buying some thicker underwear.

“Good. Then, you can expect this if or when you misbehave again.”

Urushihara managed to keep his groan of despair internally but he couldn't stop himself from visibly pouting.  Once again, silence made its appearance in the cramped apartment for once, it wasn’t unwelcome or made his skin crawl. A warm hand gently stroked his head and the boy looked up in surprise.

“Now, if you’re ready, we should get started.” Ashiya's face held a multitude of emotions, none of which the fallen angel could understand at first glance.

“Um, s-start what?”

“Dinner.” The ‘obviously’ went unsaid. “We have a lot to prepare for, and we're already behind schedule.”

Wait. I’m helping too? The adolescent opened his mouth to whine but promptly closed upon remembering what had happened. With no other choice but to comply he trudged behind the ashen blonde, shoulders slumped and head bowed in misery.




                                                                                                                                                       ***

Despite his lack of enthusiasm, Urushihara begrudgingly admitted that the cooking lesson didn’t go too bad. Ashiya didn’t make him do anything needlessly difficult, instead sending him menial tasks here and there. Such as filling the pot with water, grabbing items from the fridge and cutting up the vegetables. The last one he struggled with ever so slightly, but Ashiya, keeping his promise, only provided constructive criticism.

“Try to not put your finger too close to the blade, or else you’ll nick yourself.” Urushihara nodded, trying to keep his hands from shaking. By some miracle, he managed to get through the task all on his own without adding any blood to the recipe. Ashiya gave him some praise and the teen ducked his head to hide the blush.

Next, came washing the dishes. This time, Urushihara groaned in protest, though this only earned him a stern look. Ashiya must have taken pity on him, however, because he was given another simple job.

“I’ll wash, you dry and put away.” The blonde stated, already dipping his hands into thick soapy water. Urushihara didn’t complain this time and set work. The only sound for the next several minutes were the clinking of wet dishes, and water. Both demons stayed on task, not finding the courage to speak what’s on their minds.

“...Hey.” The smaller demon spoke up after a few seconds of silence.

“Hmm?” Ashiya hummed, not once pausing in washing the dishes. He handed a wet, soapy one to teen.

“About what happened today, can…” Urushihara faltered, hands carefully drying the cheap porcelain plate. “Can you not mention this to Maou, or anyone for that matter?”

Ashiya glanced at the boy. He was staring intensely at the dish in his hand, his long hair obscuring his face but he could see pink tinge the tips of his ears.

“...If you’re asking me to lie, then I cannot promise that. My loyalty to Sire comes first and foremost. If King Satan asks me to report what happened, I will.”

“Right...of course.” Purple tresses still covered his expression but Ashiya could imagine he looked positively crestfallen.

“But. ” Urushihara peeked out from bangs, eyes shimmering. “That’s only if he asks.” Ashiya sent the teen a rare smile.

It seemed to take a moment for his words to reach the eternally youthful demon but once they did, he visibly relaxed.

“As for Miss Sasaki, Crestia, and Emilia. As long as you don’t give me a reason to explain myself. I see no need to inform them what goes on in Devil’s Castle.”

“...Thank you. ” It was barely above a whisper but the blonde heard it, clearly.  He smiled to himself. In the back of his mind, the peace was only temporary as was Urushihara’s obedience. Pretty soon, the teen will go back to his snarky spoiled ways and Ashiya will have put his foot down again. And he was quite sure he would have to relay his findings to Maou at some point.

But...all that can be worried at a later time. Right now, he just wanted to enjoy the rare moment of tranquility while he can.