E/O Challenge Word:

trick /trik/ n. – A cunning act or scheme intended to deceive; a clever way of doing something.

Spoilers/Warnings: extremely vague spoilers for 7.02, plus just a general dark topic

Disclaimer: Not mine

Word Count: 101

I hurt myself today to see if I still feel. I focused on the pain, the only thing that's real. ~ Johnny Cash

It started small, as most things do.

A nick here; a prick there.

Nothing major.

Just enough pain to provide a momentary distraction from the constant hum of indistinct sounds; a brief reprieve from the sweetly mocking voice that always rang so clear.

But now...now it was worse.

Cuts – deep ones – were the only way to keep Lucifer at bay.

And strangely enough, Sam did not mind.

The trick was to keep the practice hidden from Dean, who would most certainly mind his little brother's new hobby.

Lucifer smiled, leaning against the locked bathroom door. "I won't tell if you won't."