Falling For Redemption

by RegdSinnerTM

Summary:

Lucifer, along with Charlie, Emily, Vaggie and a few other Angels in Heaven, have opened the Happy Hotel in Hell! The goal is simple: redeem Sinners. Or try to… With all the doubts from both Heaven and Hell, it is a little difficult for the angel to keep his head up. Even more so with a certain Sinner who joins the Hotel, one not so interested in redemption but ruffling the feathers of the Seraphim instead. Though, he accomplishes ruffling them up in… other ways.

This story does not have a post schedule! There are 16 Chapter Outlines at the moment, though more will be added, meaning this Story does NOT end at 13 Chapters.

Notes:

Hello!
This is the first fanfiction I've written in years, so I hope my writing is good. I wanted to do a twist with the Angel!Lucifer; instead of portraying him as weak or shy, he's still going to be a prideful bastard! But for now, here is the first Chapter.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Ain't No Rest For The Wicked

Notes:

"Ain't No Rest for the Wicked" by Cage The Elephant
0:36 ──|─────── -2:18

That sight was just as he expected: complete and utter horror. Chaos filled the actions with every soul he spotted, the taste of death and sin had met his tongue at every sight he took in those giving into temptation. Literal fire scorched the streets, burning some who walked through. The show of little effect that fire had on them was disturbing, causing his face to crinkle in light displeasure. Thank his father for not sending him down here, for forgiving his actions and stepping in for the final say. Yet, anger bubbled in his chest, filling his eyes and practically making them burn. How dare humans take the gift he gave them and bring ruin to it? He is an Angel, the Morning Star, God’s favourite. A gift like this shouldn’t have been taken so carelessly. It was an insult, a spit in his face. It confused him, how he still wished to help these aimless Sinners. Yet, here he stood.

 

The golden sheets rustled in his arms as he adjusted the heavy papers. It would have been best to bring a binder or organized folders. Sera’s suggestion of doing so made him only go against it, though regret seeped into his arms as they grew tired. Despite not wishing to admit that it was a good idea, the small Angel groaned in slight pain.

 

“You should have listened to her, Luci.” Muttered a low voice from behind. All it earned was a scoff from Lucifer, who didn’t need to peak over his shoulder to see his brother.

 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever…” Replied Lucifer, rolling his eyes. Quickly, he turned away from the large window on one foot, facing Michael, who sat at the meeting table along with Gabriel. The two Archangels stared at him, Michael chuckling a bit with Gabriel kept a soft stare at their brother. “When will they get here?” He whined, plopping the stack of papers onto the blindingly white table. His eyes wandered to the entrance of the meeting room as he stretched his arms above his head, joints popping with the movement.

 

“We were told the meeting would be set at 6:00 pm.” Gabriel stated plainly, eyeing the clock just above the door that read 6:21 pm. The three of them stared, wondering if the clock was broken. That assumption disappeared as the second's hand moved slightly, making Lucifer groan loudly and throw his hands to his face.

 

“They’re taking forever! I mean,” Scoffing, Lucifer looked down at the papers and gently organized the edges, lining them up to be perfect. “It shouldn’t be this difficult to gather 6 Sins and the Queen.” All Michael could do was sigh, frowning slightly with tired eyes as he looked at his brother, slight sadness in his expression. All Lucifer could feel was frustration, and anxiety. The meeting was important and they were important. The damned Sins and the Ruler of Hell never seemed to respect that. He’ll show them.

 

“Perhaps it’s time to head back. We can attempt to schedule another meeting.” Michael gently explained, trying his best to comfort Lucifer. His shoulders tensed as he thought more. Back? Attempt? Hands curling into fists, Lucifer looked up at his brother without lifting his head up, Gabriel plainly looking at Lucifer while Michael’s eyebrows lowered with worry.

 

“No.” Confidently, Lucifer stood up straight and took a deep breath through his nose. Even the air felt flooded with blood and sin, causing his throat to constrict, trying to block it out. Immediately, he flew into a coughing fit, eye bulging and face turning gold from it. The firm pat on his back helped very little, though it helped nevertheless. Looking over his shoulder, Michael’s taller body stood nearby with panic.

 

“Don’t die, dammit.” The twin ‘tsked,’ shaking his head while giggling. The amusement only made the gold blush in his face worsen, embarrassed at the thought of dying down in Hell simply from the air. How pathetic would that be? Turning away from Michael, Lucifer sighed.

 

“I can’t leave, not yet.” The two Angels looked down at the papers in front of them, Michael lips thinning into a straight line as he read over the white writing on the pages. It was all planned out, stamps of approvals from Heaven plastered on them, even sketches Lucifer had included with bright colours. “It took way too long to get past Heaven. I am going to wait here for as long as I need until I speak to them! Even if it’s, it’s forever!” He stuttered, throwing his hands up with exasperation, making Michael’s eyebrow raised with suspicion, while Gabriel simply chuckled to themselves.

 

“Now, that is a tempting idea.” A silky voice swam into the room, sending shivers up Lucifer’s spine as both Michael and Gabriel stood up and turned with alertness. The two Archangels summoned their swords, staring down the assumed intruder.

 

Another gracefully walked into the meeting room. Her purple dress trailed behind her, along with the bright, platinum hair. Though she never grew her own devilish horns, the crown that sat on her head was accompanied by two, large horns. It was as if she was born there, not banished to Hell. At the clear sight of her, Michael and Gabriel relaxed, quietly dismissing their weapons as Lucifer shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest.

 

“Where have you been? Do you know how long we’ve been waiting?” He asked, clearly frustrated with the late presentation of the Queen. All she could do was offer a smirk, gliding her way down the meeting room as footsteps followed behind her.

 

“That is no way to talk to the host of your visit.” A deep voice, deeper than the lava mines in the Wrath Ring, echoed through the room. The owner of the voice quickly appeared, a well-built dragon-Imp. His eyes stared down at Lucifer, knowing how easily he could squash the Seraphim.

 

“Ha! Host! More like,” Lucifer blew raspberries up at Satan, whose mouth curled into disgust at the sight of the childish Angel. Michael shoved his twin, his eyebrows furrowed with anger, before shoving Lucifer aside to whisper to him.

 

“Behave.” Whispered Michael through clenched teeth. Lucifer rolled his eyes in response.

 

“They are horrible! I’m just speaking their language.” The cheekiest grin found its place on his porcelain skin, causing Michael to shake his head.

 

“We apologize for the lateness.” Another Sin stated. The two looked up from their place to see a large, fiery Demon who shot them a friendly smile. Presenting his hand to shake, the three Angels looked at the humongous limb with wide eyes. “Asmodeus, pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Michael stood by, eyeing the hand hesitantly, as Lucifer blinked one eye after another before smiling brightly.

 

“Lucifer! It’s nice to see someone introduce themselves.” He chuckled out, fitting his tiny hand into Asmodeus’, letting the large Sin shake it with a firm yet gentle grip. It was impossible for Lucifer to give back a firm grip, the Demon engulfed his hand despite having shortened his size.

 

“Some of us have manners!” Another feminine voice cheered from behind Asmodeus, quickly flying over his shoulder and resting her fox-like body on the Sin. “Beelzebub! ‘Bee’ for short.” Before Lucifer could even say anything back, she gasped and hummed excitedly. “Mmm, baby, your vibes are delish!!” Floating down from Asmodeus’ shoulder, she rested one pair of her hands on her hips, looking Lucifer up and down with a smile and an examining eye. “Guess I should've expected that from an Angel.” Her eyes settled on Michael next to him, cringing a bit and laughing. “Not all Angels, though!” The statement caught both off guard, Gabriel simply examining from their seat nearby and being quiet. Typical for the Archangel. Always an observer. Though, Michael frowned, offended at the statement.

 

“And what is that supposed to mean?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at Bee, who kept a smile.

 

“Ooo, it just means you gotta loosen up, baby!” Wings buzzing behind her, they pushed her to stand behind the twins, one arm over their shoulders as she shook them a bit. “Can’t blame you, though! It is a meeting.”

 

“It’s probably best to start the meeting.” Started another Sin, one who dragged out their words in the most tired manner possible. The purple alpaca yawned before being abruptly interrupted but a large green Demon.

 

“Yeah, no need for some fuck ass introductions, nerds.” The scraggly voice grumbled, causing both Asmodeus and Bee to roll their eyes in unison before taking their seats. At the head of the table sat the Queen of Pride, staring straight at Lucifer and the Archangels. He could feel the heat in her gaze, the anger that still resided in the back of her mind. The two haven’t talked since she was banished to Hell, not even through the Angels who make their way down to Hell for meetings. It was the first time in eons since they have faced each other once again. The love and taste of freedom gone from their gazes. Only harsh hatred.

 

“We have been called to discuss a project of Seraphim Lucifer.” She stated clearly, her voice straining slightly at his name. Michael and Gabriel sat down in their chairs while Lucifer stood tall, or as tall as he could, in the stack of papers presented before him. “There was little information given about this meeting, so please,” all the Sins turned to look at Lucifer as she waved her hand for him to start the meeting. “Pick where you wish to start.”

 

All eyes were on him. Every single Demon and Angel stared at Lucifer, his stance still tall while his hands shook and eyes widened. The spotlight of eyes felt as if it would burn him, cause his hidden wings to go up in flames and leave his body shivering with anxiety. The attention, while he loved, he didn’t necessarily expect to be so intense. Facing Heaven, his brothers and sisters, was easier than facing Hell, the enemies from below. The reality of the situation crashed into him like a tsunami; he was really here, meeting with the Sins. It was really happening. Taking in a small breath, not wanting to replay the incident from before, Lucifer cleared his throat while picking up a few of the papers from the stack.

 

“Thank you, your majesty, and thank you for meeting me,” Lucifer started with a smile, looking at each Sin. Some smiled back, others looked on with disinterest or a roll of their eyes. It wasn’t like they had a choice with how much Lucifer bothered the Queen about how every Sin must be present. “All of you.” He finished, nodding at them before floating the papers to each of them. As they gently landed in front of each Sin, Lucifer continued with the presentation. “As we all know, Heaven has been attempting to form plans for the problem Hell currently has: overpopulation of Sinners.”

 

“Some of our Angels have been tasked with going down to Earth, spreading God's word and attempting to make more Winners than Sinners. However, that task has been very…”

 

“Ineffective?” The dragon-Imp asked with a scoff and a smirk. Lucifer’s face heated up at the statement, embarrassed, though he nodded at it.

 

“Sadly, yes. While we have been able to get more Winners, it’s still not enough compared to Sinners being sent here every year.” Motioning to the papers in front of them, a few read over the statistics written down, and he continued on confidently. “Instead, I present a new solution: rehabilitating Sinners!”

 

Each single Sin had a different response to the idea. The large, green Sin let out the ugliest laugh, almost drowning the scoffs and protests from the dragon-Imp and two-headed Sin’s argument between themselves, wishing they had come up with the idea instead of some “puny Angel.” While Beelzebub frowned, Asmodeus looked over to Lilith, who remained completely unexpressive. Seeing as no one else would be taking the initiative to delve in further into the topic, Asmodeus looked back to Lucifer and began to speak.

 

“How do we even know it’ll work?” The loud voice ceased the other’s commotion. Everyone except the green Sin.

 

“Forget that! No motherfucker will want to take part in some shitty redemption program!” The large, red Sin nodded along, cringing away from the other, who continued to laugh and practically roll off his chair. Next to him, the purple alpaca gently rested her head on the table and looked at the Angels with tired eyes, yet a gentle smile rested on her face.

 

“I think it’s a lovely idea.” She cheered tiredly, yawning after her statement. At this, the green Sin ceased his rambunctious laughter and eyed the alpaca with suspicion. “Many Hellborns make their way to Sloth to get help. Perhaps there is hope for Sinners too.”

 

“I agree with Belphegor.” Asmodeus smiled back to her before looking among the Sins. “Even in Lust, some Hellborns try to make the best of their lives.”

 

“That is because they didn’t ask to be in Hell.” The dragon said back angrily, a huff of smoke exiting his nostrils as his hand crumbled into fists. Michael’s face tensed at the clear anger, staring down the Sin at the far end of the table. However, the small alpaca landed a gentle hand on the Sin’s arm, causing him to freeze from the touch.

 

“Yes, they sadly didn’t, Satan.” She spoke softly, ears gently perked on her head as she appeared more awake. Satan relaxed from her touch, easing back into his chair and covering her small hand with his. “The situation between Hellborns and Sinners are different, yet Hellborns also give into temptation as much as Sinners do.”

 

A few nodded, the large green Sin grumbling to himself as he crossed his arms childishly over his chest, sinking into his chair. Beelzebub looked over the papers in front of her, flipping to another page that was written for the Sins. Her mouth widened and she quickly looked at Lucifer.

 

“You mean making a rehabilitation program down here and not in Heaven?” She asked with surprise, causing the others to look at Lucifer with the same uneasiness. All he did was nod, opening up his own stapled papers.

 

“Having Sinners in Heaven would threaten its balance. Temptation would be present, and the idea of it affecting the Winners is too great.” Lucifer’s golden magic sparkled into the air with an enthusiastic poof of golden powder. A large poster board appeared in its presence. On it was a large, drawn out building. It was colourful, clearly detailed with decorations and ideas. Next to it were bullet points that listed new ideas. “The program would have to be here, in Pride!” With the Sins remaining quiet, he continued on and pointed to the bullet points written. “We will have different activities for the Sinners, provide rooms and security with our Archangels,” Gabriel smiled and nodded along, confirming this, “and even present an option of Winners visiting!” The Queen leaned forward slightly, intrigued by this idea from the looks of it. “Whether it’s to visit family here or participate in activities, we hope that Winners can encourage Sinners to redeem themselves.”

 

The Sins looked amongst each other, each having a different expression as no words floated around. Surprise, joy, confusion, scepticism, all of it marked across the colourful faces. Lucifer’s smile tightened as it went wider, his eyebrows furrowing slightly with anxiety as he looked down at Gabriel. They looked up at Lucifer, a small smile on their face as they gave him a thumbs up. High praise from the orderly Archangel, making Lucifer’s chest burst with excitement. A loud rustle of papers caught his attention once more, hopeful blue eyes landing on the source of the sound: the Queen.

 

Her own purple eyes scanned the pages that laid in front of her, scrutinizing each single word that was pressed into it. She squinted against the golden pages, as if the holy touch was blinding her. Yet her hands gently caressed them, not feeling burnt or as if it was forbidden to touch. All the Sins watched as she flipped through the pages. Finally, she released a hum as she stayed on one page.

 

“I see that there is a list of Angels who will be assisting.” She stated, keeping her eyes on the page while Lucifer nodded. There was no worry on his face about the Angels listed, all being either those who introduced the plan or guardians that have been around for centuries.

 

“Yes!” Replied Lucifer, smiling proudly at the list presented in the pages. “Not only will I be watching the Hotel, two amazing Angels will be hosting the activities as well: Emily Seraphim and Charlie-”

 

“Morningstar.” A pin drop was easily heard. The last name washed over the room with silence as her blazing purple eyes stared down at the Angel across the room. Once again, he had no worry. Besides her jealousy.

 

Charlie Morningstar: Lucifer’s adored creation. His own child, who he created from his own living magic. She took after him, clearly. Rosy cheeks and blue eyes, blond hair and a mesmerizing singing voice that lifts the spirits of all Angels and Winners in Heaven. All those above have heard of her, having pity for who her father was and for adoring her angelic being. It was a mixed bowl of reactions, though all were happy with the young Seraphim. Lucifer knew exactly what she was feeling: rage. He couldn’t guess exactly what her thought process was. All he knew was that she still was angered that another was special to him, special enough to take his name.

 

“Yes.” He answered sternly, breaking the silence that the others were too scared of breaking. Michael and Gabriel looked among those at the table, almost staring them down as Lucifer continued. “I had permission to create her.” With a proud smile, Lucifer puffed up his chest. Asmodeus chuckled with a smirk as Bee covered her mouth, the other few giggling among themselves as the Angel looked among them confusingly. Michael coughed, causing him to look over to his twin, who made a face. Like he didn’t understand what he had just said to the Sins. Until… “Not like that!!” He shouted, causing an eruption of laughter, while his own face flushed with gold.

 

“Hey, we don’t judge here.” Asmodeus’ sultry voice, ranging over to Lucifer, who cowered into his robes.

 

“I didn’t think Angels could get laid.” The green one answered, making Lucifer mumble into his robe, an answer that was muffled. The large Sin smiled and leaned over the table, trying to catch what he said. “Fuckin’ speak up!” He teased, causing the purple one to chuckle quietly.

 

“Mammon, leave the poor Angel alone. He already looks embarrassed as it is.” She reprimanded Mammon gently, shaking her head, to which Satan shook his head along with her.

 

“Oh come on! The one fuckin’ chance to make fun of this cunt and ya want me to back off?” He grumbled back before a smirk widened on his face. “You just don’t want me to draw attention to you and Satan, Belphie.” Satan’s body heated up as Belphigor shook her head, slightly more serious. Though once again, the Sin of Wrath calmed down with a gentle touch of Belphegor, albeit reluctantly.

 

“Let’s focus back on the topic instead of everyone’s stupid sex life.” The right, fish head on the purple Sin spoke with disgust, rolling their eyes. Resting their head on one hand, the other head scoffed and looked disappointed.

 

“Agreed, Leviathan.” The Queen spoke, causing the two heads to perk up at the praise as she closed the stapled paper. All of them quieted down, Lucifer happy that the topic was changed and refocused. Closing her eyes, her dark eyeshadow shown in the Hellish light, almost making time stop for a moment, even if only a second passed before she spoke. “Thank you for the presentation, Lucifer. With how thought out and organized the plans are, I am sure you are eager to start this program as soon as possible.”

 

Lucifer nodded, not hiding in his robes any more. Both Charlie and Emily had presented the idea to him, who was very reluctant about bringing it in front of all of Heaven’s Angels. That was until Charlie went to Michael, who decided to talk to Lucifer. It was almost like the hours-long conversation had happened yesterday. Many concerns were brought up, disagreements and agreements, but ultimately, the two creative dreamers expanded on the younger Angels idea. As they all planned together, Michael and Lucifer presented it to the rest of their siblings before going to Heaven’s Courthouse. While Sera was highly against it, the majority ruled. It was better than other ideas to handle overpopulation, and they all knew it was worth a try. And it was so close to being approved. Lucifer could taste it on his tongue.

 

“Well…” She started, opening her eyes and standing up swiftly. “It’ll have to be discussed between the Sins and I privately before we can approve such a proposal.” The Sins didn’t react. Their Queen's word was theirs. Lucifer frowned slightly, furrowing his eyebrows.

 

“Lilith-”

 

“That is our answer.” Interrupted, Lucifer’s mouth instantly shut. It was the answer he had to accept, to deliver to both Charlie and Emily when they returned to Heaven. All this meant was waiting, and Lucifer had begun growing impatient. His hands curled into small fists against the table in front of him. No words were to be said, though they all waited. Instead, a chair was moved nearby.

 

“Please inform us when you have made your decision.” Gabriel answered clearly, Michael nodding as he stood up as well. Lilith nodded back as the other Sins stood up. One by one, they filtered out of the room silently. Lucifer stared at the table in front of him, not even looking over the papers he had for himself. As soon as the door closed, Michael’s hand gently rested on Lucifer’s shoulder.

 

“It wasn’t a no.”

Chapter 2: Sweet Child O' Mine

Summary:

Lucifer returns to Heaven with the rather uncertain response to the plans of the Hotel.

Notes:

Hello again!
I'm so excited to see that people are interested in this story and cannot wait to keep sharing it. A big thanks to my boyfriend, Leo, for reading all my ideas and putting up with my rambles.

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

"Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Roses
1:47 ───|────── -4:08

“Dad!” A hopeful voice cheered through the room as the three Angels stepped through the golden portal.  Despite having felt dirty from being in Hell, stepping through the portal felt like all the dirtiness was dragged away.  And the sight of his bright daughter, his eyes felt cleansed.  All worries disappeared.  “How was the meeting?”  Almost.

 

Lucifer couldn’t hide the disappointment on his face, even if he held up a huge smile.  Gabriel and Michael simply stood on his side, waiting for the shorter Angel to answer Charlie’s questions.  He knew that it was best to simply get straight to the point, though it was still difficult.

 

“They want to discuss it between themselves.”  It came out strained through his gritted teeth and harsh smile.  Charlie’s smile dropped slightly, causing his own heart to crack and drop his own feigned joy.  “But don’t worry!  It’s not a no!”  He chuckled out, patting Charlie on the shoulders as he looked over to Michael, who smiled and nodded back.  The young Seraphim wilted a bit, though smiled along.

 

“You’re right…  We’ve got this far too!”  She cheered mostly to herself, quickly turning to face the rest of the room they all stood in.

 

It was a large area, one with tall windows and gorgeous furniture, cleaned perfectly to the point it felt like no soul lived in the house.  Yet, Charlie and Lucifer occupied the large home.  Being a Seraphim had granted them both a pleasant living space for the two.  At the moment, the living room occupied a lovely set of couches, cosied around a grand fireplace while pristine marble flooring stood below their feet.  The fluffiest carpet Charlie could find rested in the middle of the room, nothing obscuring the view.  Lucifer often found her sitting on the decoration, papers filled with ideas scattered around her while she worked.  It was always a charming sight, making Lucifer wish he could simply lay next to her while she did her task.

 

Charlie’s bare feet settled on the carpet before she sat down on it, crossing her legs.  “Crisscross apple sauce” as Lucifer always said when she was younger, always earning a delightful giggle from the small creation.  Nearby, two small sheep flew next to her and hovered.  Their bright blue eyes accompanied by tiny tuxedoes that stood out from their white coats stuck to Charlie.

 

“Razzle, Dazzle!  I need you two to send a message to Emily.”  The command was soft, gentle and more of a request than anything.  Yet, the two nodded and flew off.  Lucifer walked over with a slightly anxious look, frowning.

 

“It’s not best to inform her yet…”

 

“She still should know that we are waiting.”  Charlie sang out, turning back to her already laid out paperwork and humming to herself.  Sighing in defeat, Michael and Gabriel appeared next to him and watched Charlie.

 

“You should get a letter from Lilith about their decision.  If anything, we will check ourselves in about a month.”  The “factly” tone that Gabriel had only made Lucifer uneasy.  The possibility of the idea getting rejected, Emily’s and Charlie’s hearts being broken, it was too grand.  He still found himself surprised at times that the other Angels agreed to proceed with the plan.  If only he could protect them both.

 

Nodding at his sibling, Gabriel gave a gentle smile before beginning to walk off.  As they said their goodbyes to Charlie, Lucifer met Michael’s gaze.  It reflected his worries, causing Lucifer to look away.

 

“I’m going to visit Father today.  Would you like to join me?”  The question caused Lucifer to freeze.  Slowly looking back at Michael, his face contorted slightly.  “You haven’t seen him in a while.  I think it’s a good idea.”  Before an answer was given, Michael began walking away, passing Lucifer slowly and placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder.  “It wouldn’t hurt.”  His shoulder felt cold as Michael left, giving Charlie a hug goodbye before she occupied herself once more, ignorant to the thoughts Lucifer had ringing through his head.

---

In the Catholic Church, there is a ritual when a pope passes.  While they use red cloth to close off the doors of the pope’s rooms, the Angels used gold.  It shined against the candlelight and despite the colourful flowers below, it overtook everyone’s sight.  It was oddly beautiful.  Lucifer was proud to see the Church for holding such a tradition, and the Angels even adopting it themselves.  Though it didn’t continue after that.  There was no conclave.  There was no voting for a new pope, or a new Head of Heaven.  There was just the gold fabric, stretched across the doors and sealed together with wax.  Because even though the Church did this for their dead popes, there was no dead God.

 

He simply was resting.

 

Yet, it felt like he had passed.  All the flowers below the door swayed with the soft wind that blew through the corridor, never wilting.  The candles never blew out, the wax never melting.  It was as if time stood still, despite it being years since he began to rest. 

 

Nevertheless, Lucifer found himself standing there with brand-new flowers   White lilies.  The Angel’s grip tightened before he swiftly knelt in front of the door, staring up at the cloth that enclosed the doors.  Blue eyes darted between the small creases of the wax on the fabric, searching for… something.  Reassurance, maybe?  A sign that his Father was proud of the work he has done, that it wasn’t a mistake.  All he received was the gentle blow of the wind, causing his mouth to thin into a line and a frown, the sadness settling deep into his eyebrows.

 

“Father…”  Lucifer began, attempting his hardest to keep his sights up on the fabric before he lowered his head and closed his eyes harshly.  “I am not sure what I am doing.”  The confession came out as a quiet sob.  Tears threatened to begin to form, yet Lucifer shook his head as if the action would shake them away.  “I need your guidance.”  The hall gently echoed as the flowers landed on the tiles in front of him, the petals flowing away from the impact while they sat there, imperfect.  Instead of grabbing the flowers, Lucifer knelt down further, until his forehead reached the cool tile.  His pristine hands gripped the golden locks, almost pulling at them, while his eyes stared at the petals beneath him with wide eyes.  “Forgive me, for I truly do not know how much longer I can keep my head up.”

 

The petals rustled against his quick breaths, coming to life as he breathed his own anxieties into them.  This was the only place he could break down in peace, only having his Father’s eyes watching.  It also was the only place he could let his frustration, yell at the lifeless door, pretending it’s God himself instead.  For how dare he leave them?  Leave him?

 

“No,” Lucifer thought to himself, closing his eyes tightly once more as the tears began trailing down his face, splashing down on the floor and petals.  “He is still here.”  He reminded himself, beginning to take in a few deep breaths to calm himself.  He had told Charlie he was only presenting new flowers, not having a mental breakdown about the stress of the project, the threat of worse.

 

Slowly lifting his head back up, Lucifer looked up at the wax seal once more.  It still stood against the fabric, untouched.  Unbroken.

 

“Please, forgive me.”  The Seraphim repeated, bowing his head and freezing at the sight of the ruined lilies.  It was probably best to replace them, some of the petals having fallen off, others wet with his tears.  As he reached to grab them, a gust of wind blew the flowers closer to the door, landing in the colorful pile of roses and daffodils, sunflowers and bluebells.  Lucifer sat there, his arm reaching out to the petals that got dusted into the others, frozen with his mouth slightly open.

 

Carefully, he placed the ruined flowers amongst the others, sprinkling the petals on top of them before getting up from his place on the floor.  Brushing his robes, he kept his eyes on the floor before they softly looked up at the seal once more.  It stood still.  Smiling back gently, he turned away from the door, from the never ending candles, from the eternal flowers.

---

The illumination from those bright, golden papers held a stark contrast to the gothic room.  It was as if Hell itself was terrified of the mere presence of these holy sheets.  If the walls could talk, she was certain that it would vocalize its distaste for allowing Angels to come down.  Yet, they came and went, leaving the candles in the office shivering with fear, the walls rumbling from the power.

 

Lilith’s eyes had read over the papers more than once, engraving every single detail to a tee.  At first, it was to detect any reason to reject the proposal.  All the Sins immediately took interest in the Hotel, especially Belphegor.  Naive.  They all did not know how dangerous Heaven was to Hell, the power they wish to take away and give to themselves.  However, there was nothing more eye-catching than a simple name: Charlotte Morningstar.  No matter where she reads, her sights always find their way back to the name written on one page, the list of Angels who will be helping.  No other mattered, simply that one.  Lucifer’s own creation, own flesh and blood from his magic.  How dare he.

 

The idea was simple, and the key was right in front of her.  Yet, how to get it.

 

Humming in contemplation, the Queen thought of all the possible ways to obtain her goal.  So many ideas, though it felt like none of them would work with her being simply at the Hotel.  No, she’d need another way, a less invasive approach.

 

Before she knew it, her pale hand reached for the red rotary phone, spinning the dial to the appropriate numbers.  The longer the line rang, the more certain she was about this plan.  It was easy enough to get someone to do it, though she didn’t need just anyone.  Once the line clicked, a smirk painted on her lips as she heard the eerie static on the other side.

 

“Hello, my dear.”  The tease that laced her voice at the demeaning pet name only caused her smirk to burst into a smile.  “There is a job for you.”

Notes:

Tada!!
It's kind of ironic, how there is going to be a conclave and choosing of a new pope now. I promise, I had nothing to do with it.

I've got up to now 4 Chapters written, including the first 2 Chapters that are posted. I'll be posting slowly, but I hope everyone will stick with me!

Chapter 3: Wrecking Ball

Summary:

Finally, the Angels receive a formal answer to the Hotel!

Notes:

I am so sorry for the delayed update! Things have been busy irl and for my art, so I'm trying to juggle everything. But, here is a new chapter for you lovely folks!

"Wrecking Ball" by Mother Mother
2:04 ───────|── -1:10

“A little bird told me that you got your idea rejected by a tall, horned bitch.”  The grating voice that immediately entered the office without notice caused Lucifer’s head to already hurt.  Covering his eyes with his small hands, he groaned to himself quietly.  This week was not going as planned.

 

The mountains of paperwork, ideas from Charlie and Emily, request from lower Angels, it all filled the large desk he sat in.  It wasn’t even large enough to hold the items, making him resort to piling it up on the grounds nearby.  Each carefully organized, yet chaotically stacked, piece of parchment towered up to the ceiling.  It felt as never ending as it looked.

 

Dragging his hands down his face, Lucifer’s skin stretched with the movement as he raised his head to look at the owner of the voice.  Not that he needed to.  Adam’s voice was unique in the most irritating way.  It was youthful, attracting all the naive Angels and Winners, even though they were already attracted by his title as the “First Man.”  That title overshadowed his horrid personality, which Lucifer couldn’t understand no matter how hard he tried.  The man never failed to come off energetic, yet always aggressive with every word he spat out, every insult or swear his pea sized, dick shaped brain could come up with.  It was no wonder how most of the older Angels couldn’t stand him.  The yellow, robed Winner walked deeper into Lucifer’s office, causing him to narrow his eyes with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Oh wait, I guess it was your silly daughter's idea.  And that… Seraphim kid.”  Adam’s large hand waved the sentence away, forgetting poor Emily’s name.  He knew it, just wasn’t bothered about saying it.  The sole reason he entered was to get a rise out of Lucifer.

 

“Mmm, at least I could present it down there.”  Lucifer smirked, enjoying how Adam’s face changed from a smug smile to a deep, angered frown.  Score for Lucifer.

 

“Psh!  It’s ‘cause you guys are too much of pussies to go down there and beat the shit out of them.”  Rolling his eyes, the Winner pulled out one of the chairs that sat in front of Lucifer’s desk, plopping down in the cosy seat.  Lucifer made a mental note to deep clean the chair to rid of Adam’s stench.  Before Lucifer could form a retort back, the man quickly flopped his top half of his body onto the desk, laughing breathlessly.  “C’mon, dude!  I’m sure you’d love to kick some Sinner ass.”

 

It was obvious.  Ever since… the mistake with Eve, Lucifer has always had a boiling hatred for the Sinners.  It boiled down to one simple thing: free will.  Yet killing them?  He is the light bringer, the most favourable  Seraphim.  His task was to make sure Heaven’s inhabitants were happy, joyful, living their endless lives in peace.  Not to kill.  However, Adam was here, baffled him.  His bloodthirsty expression even rang a startled shiver down the small Angel’s back.

 

“No, I would not…”  Lucifer stated plainly, groaning as some papers got pushed from Adam’s movement.  Smoothing them out, his furrowed eyes stayed glued onto the Winner.  “Besides, I am the wrong Angel to discuss this with.  Go to… Michael.  Or Azrael, I’m sure he’d be more interested.”  The porcelain hand waved off the tanned skin man, who simply gave a crude smile.

 

“They aren’t as powerful as you.”  The singsong tone caused Lucifer to give Adam a tight and tired look.

 

“Adam, go bother someone else.”

 

“I told you, Luc!”  Adam chuckled out, pointing a gloved hand at the smaller Angel.  “You can call me Big A!”  All Lucifer could do was snort out a laugh, smiling widely and nodding before taking a deep breath.

 

“Oh, yeah!”  Acting like he totally forgot for a second there, only bringing Adam to nod along excitedly.  “No.”  The deadpanned look of Lucifer immediately caused him to stop nodding, though the excited smile never disappeared.  Instead, his entire face disappeared as he slammed his head into the desk, causing some papers to fly off from the impact and Lucifer’s irritation to grow more.  Scrambling from his seat, Lucifer quickly went to grab the loose sheets, the eye bags already starting to form from the stress.  “I mean it, go bother another poor soul.”  The childish grumble only made him roll his eyes, clearly he won’t be unbothered by this Angel.

 

The door bursting open, the entire room shook at the action, causing both men to jump and Lucifer to look up at the mountainous pile of papers.  They rocked back and forth, capturing Lucifer’s attention instead of the two pairs of footsteps that caused the issue.  Even if the papers didn’t fall, a few more scattered from the gust of wind, making him run around the room to catch them all.  More work for him, how delightful.

 

“Hey, watch what you do, you piece of-”  Stopping his sentence, his eyes sparkled as his hands cupped his own face, papers he was previously catching now landing on the floor with a soft “plump.”  It wasn’t important any more, not when someone way more important was right there.  “Char char!  Emie!!”  The joyful hop over to the two younger Seraphims was filled with rainbows as they quickly all embraced each other.

 

“Dad!”  Charlie responded, hugging him extra tight as Emily broke away from the two.  She bounced excitedly on her heels, almost matching Charlie’s height.  “I know you’re super busy, but!”  Holding out the last word, Charlie’s eyes rolled over to Emily, causing her to squeak excitedly in return as all eyes focused on her.  Nothing happened after that, the two girls simply staring an overly excited look while Lucifer looked at them with raised eyebrows.

 

“What?  What happened?”  He asked rapidly.  The ache in his chest as his heart pounded against his ribs was almost unbearable.  Almost, because it didn’t compare to the thoughts racing through his head.  “Are you two okay?  Are you-”  Gasping, he grabbed both of their hands and stared at them with wide eyes.  “Did someone hurt you?”  Lucifer whispered, his blue eyes almost turning dark as he anticipated their answer.  Emily’s smile dropped as Charlie’s own face deadpanned, shaking her head quickly and waving her open palms.  All the while, Adam laughed loudly in the background, slamming his hand, open palmed, against Lucifer’s desk.

 

“No!”  She shouted, still shaking her head, as Emily looked away with a giggle.  “Oh, no, no!”  The tall Angel enunciated her words, still shaking her head while chuckling nervously.  “We received some news.”  Emily immediately perked up again, biting her lower lip before pulling her hands from behind her back.

 

Before him was a plain, white envelope addressed to him.  The cursive was elegant yet harsh, almost scratched into the paper itself instead of written, and written hastily at that.  As if the sender was too excited to get this mailed to him.  Though, the stamped emblem over the address caught his attention immediately.  Grabbing the letter from Emily’s hand, the two girls looked at him excitedly, Charlie now cupping her own face and rubbing her cheeks.  A letter from Hell has arrived, only days after their initial meeting with the Sins and Queen.  Flipping the paper over, the wax seal only confirmed what the letter was about.  The room was quiet, aside from Emily’s rustle of clothing and Adam’s loud, blinking and staring eyes.

 

“Well…”  Emily started, clearly excited and naively enthusiastic about the letter.  “Open it!”  The encouragement, while sweet, caused Lucifer to bite his lips and furrow his eyebrows with more anxiety.  Clearly, the two Angels thought that it was a letter to accept the proposal, yet, it could also mean a rejection.  Never, in all the years he’s been alive, has he felt some kind of anxiety over opening a letter.  The stories from Winners, terrified of opening acceptance letters to colleges, work, ideas.  Finally, he could have something to relate to with them.

 

Taking a deep breath, Lucifer cracked the seal open.

---

The two fluffy sheep flew into the large room, giggling to each other excitedly before halting near a large bed.  They watched as different pieces of clothing tossed by them, one dodging one small t-shirt successfully before a pair of duck printed boxers landed on its head, covering its vision and causing the other to laugh hysterically to itself.  As the other tore the piece of undergarment off, it drew its arm back, ready to toss it onto the still laughing sheep.

 

“Alright, here’s another piece of luggage for you two!”  A voice broke the spell, making both Razzle and Dazzle to cease their actions and look onward with readiness in their eyes.  Before them, Lucifer desperately tried closing the suitcase on the bed.  Pieces of clothing poked out from different sides of the case, causing a huge lump in the middle of the suitcase.  It was clear that the item wasn’t going to budge, even with all of Lucifer’s force and weight put into it.  Each grunt and huff of air left to two sheep there, the small wings carrying their bodies into a hover as they watched the fiasco before them.  Sucking in a deep breath, Lucifer’s eyes bulged and face turned yellow as he pressed hard on the cover of the suitcase.  A gentle click reached their ears.  “Haha!  Yes!”

 

Razzle and Dazzle looked at the luggage, seeing the terrifying strain on the locks as it shook and stretched.  Gulping, they both shown their white teeth at Lucifer nervously as he made his way over to them both.  With a quick few brushes of his coat, Lucifer sighed.

 

“I knew I could do it.  I’m going to need you to take it downstairs with the rest of the luggage!”  As Lucifer turned around to face the straining suitcase, he rubbed his chin as both Razzle and Dazzle peaked around him.  “This should be it…”  He muttered to himself before worry founds its place on his face.  Squishing his cheeks, Lucifer frowned.  “What if I’m missing something?  I can’t be, right?”  He wheezed out to Dazzle, who nodded in agreement at his master.  Though, he still found himself pacing, holding out a finger for each important item needed.  “We got sunscreen, short but decent robes for the heat, our spell books, fireproof clothing, gas masks, bear spray…”

 

“Dad.”  Snapping him out of the list, Lucifer’s head shot up as he looked at Charlie.  Shaking her head, she smiled down at him.  “You got everything!”  Even with the reassurance, Lucifer’s face was contorted with deep and utter worry.  Anything could happen in Hell, and he wants to make sure everything is perfect.  That she and Emily both stayed safe.  Charlie patted Razzle and Dazzle, smiling proudly.  “Besides, we have these two to protect us if anything.  And, of course…”  Her blue eyes landed on Lucifer’s, smiling brightly before she brought him into a gentle hug.  “You.”  Blinking rapidly, the shorter angel sighed as he melted into the hug.  That’s right.  He can make anything happen in Hell, too.

 

“And the guards…”  Lucifer mumbled, Charlie nodded against his hat, and they pulled away.  Her smile was warm and full of confidence, causing his own chest to ease.

 

“Yes, we have the guards too! Which, by the way, one of them are here to bring us down!”  Clapping excitedly, Charlie grabbed her father’s wrist and began to quickly lead him down to the main room of their manor.  Razzle and Dazzle looked upon the piece of luggage, one gulping as the other sighed, being left to bring it downstairs by themselves.

 

“Slow down, Char Char!”  Shouted Lucifer, practically being dragged by the taller angel, who ran down the hallways with the biggest smile on her face.  The only response back was a few giggles before Lucifer tumbled down the stairs behind her, slamming into her back as she quickly halted once at the bottom.

 

The world span for Lucifer, the floor being the ceiling and the ceiling being the floor, as his eyes turned in his sockets.  While he was technically ageless, that didn’t mean that he could always keep up with the younger angels.  His uneasy legs shook while he grabbed the railing tightly, lifting himself up from the marble floors of their house.

 

“Good day, sir.”  A female voice spoke properly and with coldness, making his shake his head, as if that would help with the dizziness.  Once his eyes settled, he caught the sight of two equally short angels.  Golden armour reflecting the sun, one of them stood behind with brown skin, a stark contrast with her white, short hair.  It reflected heaven itself, the purity and defence of her appearance.  There were no weapons on her person, though he knew that the guards could summon one at ease.  With how she came off to him, he would bet that a spear was her weapon of choosing.  

 

The other stood forward, her own pale skin matching perfectly with her own short, white hair.  Though her eyes were harsher, yellow and piercing through his soul.  A sword, indeed.  Standing up properly, Lucifer walked up to stand next to his daughter, who continued to smile.

 

“Oh, hello!  It’s lovely to meet you, Miss…”

 

“I am the Lieutenant, though please, refer to me as Lute, sir.”  Before he could respond, she held her arm out to show her companion behind her.  “This is my right hand, Vaggie.”  The two then brought a fist over their left breastplate, bowing before the two Seraphims.  “It is an honour to be working with you, Mister and Misses Morningstar.”  Charlie’s eyes sparkled with amazement, having never meet the guards before, while Lucifer felt himself feel a slight awkwardness.  Yet, a small tint of pride echoed into the back of his head.

 

“No.”  Lucifer scolded himself internally, blinking his eyes harshly before stepping up to the two guards.  “No need to do this!  We are happy that you and your guards will be joining us.”  With a gentle hand, he led Lute back up to an upright position.  Her eyes were wide, lips parted with clear surprise.  Smiling awkwardly back, Lucifer stepped back from her.  “We don’t need that formality, Flute.”

 

“It’s ‘Lute,’ sir.”  She corrected with a slight hint of irritation in her tone.

 

“Right!  Lute.”  Lucifer corrected himself loudly before walking to the living area of the manor.  “Come this way!”

 

It was a tall room, the ceiling almost never ending.  The same fluffy carpet was  now occupied with a pile of luggage, mixed colours or yellow and blue, signifying to the angels which was Charlie’s or Lucifer’s.  Right on cue, Razzle and Dazzle struggled their way in with one last yellow suitcase, careful not to let it explode on its hinges.  Clapping at the two, Lucifer laughed.

 

“Perfect!  I think we are ready to go.”

 

“We must go over some ground rules first, Mister Morningstar.”  Lute spoke matter-of-factly, standing next to the Seraphim who nodded at her.

 

“Oh, yes, of course!”  He continued nodding, stepping back to watch Lute with his undivided attention.  Charlie looked over to Lute as well, her eyes landing on Vaggie for a moment before solely focusing on the Lieutenant.

 

“It is important that all angels assisting with the Hotel stay protected from Hell, and it’s… inhabitant.”  The curl in her lip made it seem like the word she wished to say was dirty.  Who wouldn’t?  “Sinners,” it was such a disgusting word for disgusting creatures.  Nevertheless, Lucifer decided now wasn’t the time to focus on that.  “In order to accomplish this, we have a few ground rules for you and your daughter.  Not to worry, Emily has also been informed.”  The two Seraphims nodded in sync, smiling as they tried their best to stay solely focused on the topic.  Looking over her shoulder slightly, Vaggie stepped forward.  From a dust of gold, a scroll appeared.  The paper rustled as it was unravelled in her hands.

 

“All angels must be accompanied by an Angelic Guard when leaving the premise of the Hotel.”  Lucifer wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, but a deep voice like hers was not it.  It held a strong authority, even more so than Lute’s.  Even with it being so monotonous, it held little emotion and pure seriousness.  She was all business, something Lucifer expected in a guard.

 

“This includes even walking down the path of the Hotel and onto the street.”  Lute explained, her own voice different from Vaggie’s.  It was more feminine.  Though from the few seconds he’s met her, Lute’s voice shook with franticness.  It was as if she could give away her true feelings with just her tone alone, despite it being so sharp.  “If you are outside the Hotel, you must be with an Angelic Guard.”

 

“But won’t that scare some of the Sinners?”  Charlie asked quietly, raising her hand as if she was in school.  Lute’s eyes narrowed at her, clearly see the question as idiotic.

 

“Of course.  That is the goal, Miss Morningstar.”  She replied harshly, as if the goal was obvious.  Charlie’s frown deepened.

 

“We need to make sure Sinners aren’t afraid of coming up to us, though…”  Lucifer nodded along, even if the idea of a Sinner coming up to him caused his throat to close.  Humming slightly, Charlie looked down at the floor before looking back up at the two guards.  “If you are to come with us outside the Hotel during one of our… advertisements, you will need to wear simple clothing!”  Vaggie blinked quietly in response, while Lute’s face fell.

 

“We need to be prepared to fight, ma’am.”

 

“Which we will be!  Though the armour will definitely cause tension and we don’t want that.”  Singing out the last few words, Charlie closed her eyes and smiled proudly.  Lute’s eyes landed on Lucifer, begging for him to dismiss the idea.  All he responded with was a shrug, earning a frustrated sigh.

 

“Fine.”  The Lieutenant answered through gritted teeth.  At that, Vaggie nodded before continuing to read off the scrolls.

 

“All angels will reside in their own quarters; Sinners are restricted from accessing angelic quarters.  All Sinners will reside in their own quarters; Angels are restricted from accessing Sinner’s quarters unless the safety of another is in question.”

 

“Of course,”  Lute began to add, “angels will be allowed within each other's quarters and the same applies for those residing in the Hotel.  Unless there are…noise complaints.”  Lucifer chuckled, hiding his mouth behind his hand as Charlie looked away, the topic being slightly forbidden.  Slightly.  Vaggie cleared her throat, ceasing Lucifer’s giggling.

 

“Discussions of Heaven with Sinners is forbidden.”  As Charlie and Lucifer nodded, Vaggie simply continued.  “Use of angelic magic is forbidden unless absolutely necessary.  Angels are not allowed to be involved in the Politics of Hell.”

 

“This includes ‘Overlords.’”  Lute included as the scroll closed up in Vaggie’s hand, disappearing without a trace into thin air.  “We can allow them into the Hotel though attending their meetings, keeping them safe from turf wars, anything that includes us putting our noses where they don’t belong.”  With each word, Lute’s face tightened with serious eyes.  She shot a look between the two Seraphims.  Lucifer just stared back, ready to size up the guard, while Charlie gently lowered her head.  “Am I clear?”  She asked once.

 

“Yes, Lute.”  Responded Charlie with a smile.  Lucifer simply nodded.  Once.  Her eyes narrowed onto him, though they were quickly covered by one, singular sock as a bouncy explosion echoed through the room.  All eyes turned to the pile of luggages, Razzle and Dazzle covered on the floor with clothes as one yellow suitcase had sprung open.

 

“Oh goodness.”  Vaggie muttered as she harshly pulled her head free from the restraints of a shirt.  Charlie giggled at the sight, a small hint of gold forming on the guard’s cheek.

 

“Whoops.”  Lucifer said casually as Lute gave him a pointed stare, the sock falling off of her face slowly.  “Sorry about that.”  He continued, holding out the word before clapping his hands.  The suitcase suddenly grew larger as each piece of clothing flew itself back in.  Watching carefully, the guards stumbled over some of the pieces of fabric and examined the luggage as it closed itself peacefully.  No more strain or fear of it exploding.

 

Grumbling to herself, Lute brushed her hands over her armour and cleared her throat, standing tall.  Behind the pile of luggages, the fireplace rumbled against the wall before white flames appeared.  Gracefully, the flames flew into a circle within the fireplace, forming an entrance that began to glow red.  Charlie looked onward with curiosity and Lucifer frowned slightly.  Before anyone else could say much, Lute walked over to the fireplace, placing herself to the side of it with a loud click of her shoes.

 

“It is time.”

Notes:

I decided against doing Emily x Charlie x Vaggie for my own reasons! Instead, I've decided to stick with simply Charlie x Vaggie, aka Chaggie! I'm not sure if I'll do a ship for Emily, though we'll see!!

Hope you guys enjoyed the new chapter!

Chapter 4: Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Summary:

As lovely as Lilith's assistant with finding a building for the Hotel was, it certainly will take work for the Angels to make it more of a home!

Notes:

Things are slowly happening! Hopefully this isn't dragging on too long for everyone!

"Knockin' On Heaven's Door" by Guns N' Roses
0:43 ──|─────── -4:52

Everything was falling apart.  The floorboards groaned underneath the weight of each step, threatening to drop them all straight to the basement, if there even is one.  All the wallpaper was tearing from the walls, mimicking terrifying tear stains with all the peeling.  With some of the eyes that stared at them from the walls, he wouldn’t be surprised if it was tears.  The gruesomely dripped down from the eyes, trailing all the way down to the bottom of the wall before ending harshly.  Small, hellush bugs scattered behind the papers.  Each small bump of movement made the wallpaper breathe, even if the entire building itself looked dead and lifeless.

 

Gulping down the lump in his throat, Lucifer watched Lilith continue to guide them through the building she was presenting.  Thank father that Charlie and Emily weren’t as worried as Lucifer and the guards were, gasping at each mold and horrid decor with laughter.  All the while, Lute poked different parts of the hallway they walked through with her sword, her face contorting to disgust each time the spot would break or wobble in a flesh-like way.  Poor Vaggie was green in the face as one guard ended up passing out after a swarm of large insects scurried away from what they suspected was a wall.

 

“Hey…”  Lucifer rang out from behind the Queen nervously.  “Isn’t there… another building we could work with?”  He asked, smiling wide and pleading.  She didn’t even pass a look at him, sighing annoyingly at his stupid question.

 

“This is the only building I can offer.  If you do not want it,” Purple eyes darting dangerously at the small Seraphim, she snarled, “do not take it.”  Head disappearing slightly into his robe, Lucifer stared back with huge eyes.

 

“We’ll work with it!”  Emily popped in, startling Lilith from the sudden high pitched voice and giggles.  Looking around, she rubbed her hands together while mapping out what changes to start with.  “It’ll let us give a touch of Heaven!  So…”  Holding out her hand to the Queen, she waited to shake the lady’s hand.  “Thank you!”  Before Lilith even could breathe, Vaggie grabbed Emily’s wrist, pulling it away from Lilith.

 

“Do not shake anyone’s hand down here.”  Daggers jutted out of Vaggie’s eyes as she eyed the Queen suspiciously, who simply laughed.  It was a mocking laugh, full of emptiness.  Her nose caused it to sound snobbish, fake, which is typical for a high class woman from the looks of it.  As her head leaned back slightly, exposing her small canines, Lilith brought a hand up to her chest, grazing the exposed cleavage that earlier made the young angels avert their eyes towards, never having seen that much skin on another.

 

“Please.”  The shaking of her head caused her hair to magically swish behind her body.  “If I wished to make a deal with any angel, it would not be her.”  All eyes landed on Lucifer, who furrowed his own eyebrows in response before letting out a huffed laugh in return.

 

“None of us are stupid enough to make any deal with you.”  He stated back, crossing his arms across his body as Vaggie lowered Emily’s hand.  Looking at the two younger angels, he guided the both of them to him.  “But Vaggie is right.  Do not shake anyone’s hand down here.”  It was the only time they had seen him so serious, making them nod back quickly with surprised, yet serious, looks back.

 

“Do with the building what you please.”  Lilith broke into the conversation, beginning to walk away from the hallway and towards the weared down exit.  The door frames arched into the middle awkwardly, almost creating a deviled silhouette as both corners of the frame pointed outwards and up.  Back faced them all, she continued.  “We will not be lending resources, however.  So, please make sure you use your own.”  Peaking over her shoulder, Lucifer smirked, puffing up his chest.

 

“Please, we don’t need any of your ‘resources.’”  It was cocky, causing Lute’s eyes to narrow while his fingers formed air quotes.  Lilith shared a challenging smile, humming before turning to leave entirely.

 

As soon as they were alone, Lucifer took in a deep breath, a large smile strained against his face while his hands rested on his hips.  The blue eyes in his head scanned the front area of the building, picking up every loose nail, hole in the ceiling, nest of bugs.  While he examined, he slowly turned to face his holy crew.  They all looked at him, expectedly.  Right, he would be the one giving orders.  Standing for a minute, Lucifer quickly cleared his throat.

 

“First, we will need a key!”  Obviously, of course.  Closing his eyes, Lucifer’s smile dropped as he loudly clapped his hands.  A burst of white light illuminated the entire building, blowing through the windows and into Hell.  All the angels turned away, covering their eyes despite them being closed.  Just as the light came, it quickly disappeared.  Blinking away their blindness, all stared at a small, singular key that floated above the Seraphim’s palms.  It followed his hand as he held it out to them.  “Watch,” Lucifer began, his smile turning into a confident smirk as his eyes lowered with his eyebrows.  “And learn.”

---

Each Angel had a different image for the hotel.  It should be tall.  No, it should be wider.  Perhaps a bit less “heavenly,” making it blend in.  It’s too hellish for me to step in.  Thank his father that Charlie and Emily had drafted an idea for it, which helped Lucifer set in stone what would need to be done.  Only small adjustments, nothing dramatic.  Of course, that still didn't stop the train of ideas.  Less gold, more white.  A little bit of red would make it good.  Too much red, we should go with blue.

 

Lucifer hid himself in the work, pointing the key to whatever an Angel needed to be finalized and letting the magic happen.  Standing at the few front windows, the giant key aimed down the empty hallway.  His soft tongue stuck out as he closed one eye, making sure it was aimed perfectly and not to hit someone.  The rooms were all completed, he simply needed to finish the hallways.  Their bare walls were beautiful compared to the dark, withering walls of the former building.  It had been destroyed by the Angels, wishing for a fresh start without the sight of sin in the floors and walls.  All the eyes that watched their every movement had been torn to shreds by the holy power of the key.  Despite Lucifer being against such destruction, it was amazingly satisfying.

 

Taking a deep breath through his nose, Lucifer spurred the key to shoot a beam of light.  It trailed down the hallway, lighting up the walls and floors as it all quickly writhed behind its tail.  The floorboards flipped, changing to beige flooring with a  white carpet laying above it.  The construction like wallpaper flew away, being replaced by brightly colored ones.  In the paper, details of wings and swirls of stars brightly danced on it, making the hallway lighter.  Practically every hallway had the same wallpaper, shining brightly against the light being emitted from the ceiling.  It was utterly magical, the beam of light transforming everything in its path into Lucifer’s vision.

 

“What the!-”  A voice screamed out as the beam suddenly hit a being at the end of the hallway.  Charlie shrieked in surprise as another grunted loudly, the blast sprinkling over everything as it finally reached the end and finished changing the hallway.  Lucifer’s breath froze as he ran over quickly to where he heard the two girls, mostly concerned about his precious Charlie instead of both.  As the particles disappeared, revealing a grey duckling falling in the air, to which Charlie quickly caught in her hands.

 

“Dad?”  Charlie asked with some uncertainty, looking at the little duckling in her hands before looking up at Lucifer.  Eyebrows arched with worry, the duckling looked absolutely enraged.  With the deadly stare from it’s wide eyes, furrowed eyebrows and deep frown, the typically adorable creature looked as if it would bite Lucifer’s face off if it could.

 

“Turn me back.”  The female commanded, looking to Charlie with embarrassment as the young Seraphim soon began to try, and fail, to hold in her laughter.  Lucifer released a breath of anxiety, his body relaxing as he realized who it was that was accidentally transformed.

 

“Aww, you look so cute like this though, Vaggie!”  Charlie cheered on, causing a small golden blush to appear beneath the grey feathers of the duckling.  Lucifer chuckled lightly, holding his hands out to grab the small protector from Charlie’s grasp.  Hesitantly, Charlie guided Vaggie into Lucifer’s palms.  Her head turned to look over to Charlie, hesitating from leaving the comfort of the taller Angel’s hands.  Before she could flop her way background, Lucifer placed her down on the carpeted floor.  With a sharp snap of his fingers, Vaggie was engulfed in yellow and white sparkles, quickly following her up as she was given her angelic body once more.

 

The guardian looked at herself with joy, making sure everything was in order with a few gentle touches on her body and a harsh examination.  Charlie clapped at her father’s magic trick, to which he bowed elegantly to.  It filled his chest with pride, the large smile on his face showing off pearly white teeth.

 

“Ahem…”  Clearing her throat, Vaggie looked away shyly as Lucifer looked between the two girls.  “How is the construction coming along, sir?”  She asked, changing the topic completely.  It came naturally, as if that’s the main reason she had come up to the floor in the first place.

 

“Oh!  It’s going fantastic!”  They all looked down the hallway, smiling at the lovely decor of the walls and perfect carpeting.  One finger pointed down the hallway, Lucifer spoke to the two angels.  “The walls have been completely reconstructed with the same wallpaper we have downstairs!  All the walls in the rooms for the guests are the same as the rest, so everything is set.”  It wasn’t anything new.  All it was is a copy-paste of everything.  Easy as pie!  Both Vaggie and Charlie nodded along, scanning the newly finished work with impressed eyes.

 

“That is fantastic, dad!”  His daughter squealed, clapping a little bit along with her comment.  All Vaggie could do was nod along in agreement, her sights landing back on Lucifer whose wings puffed up in pride.

 

“Impressive work indeed, sir.”  The guard agreed, clearing her throat and standing up straight.  “On other news…  We have some visitors.”  Lucifer’s mouth widened in surprise, turning ‘O’ shaped.  Charlie bounced up and down with excitement, practically shaking with it.

 

“That is fantastic news!”  Lucifer shouted back with enthusiasm, equally sharing enthusiasm with his daughter.  Everything stopped as Lucifer froze, holding out his hands as if to tell everyone to stop moving while he tried to gather the proper words.  Stuttering about, Lucifer finally spilled his thoughts.  “We- We need to go greet them!  What are we waiting for?”  Vaggie opened her mouth to respond, yet the two rushed past the guard with a goal set in mind.

 

Everything was perfect in the Hotel.  From the never ending carpet to the pristine furniture, the entire Hotel was ready for residents to come in.  The residents were going to flow in any second now.  The entire pallet was a lovely mix of heavenly and hellish, mixing white and red together, even sprinkling hues of blue and detailed gold into each wallpaper.  If purgatory were real, the Hotel would be it.

 

As the three Angels walked down the large stairs, Emily could be seen at the floor along with two other figures.  One was tall, a bright television sat in place of his head.  The entire bright blue palette shown against the colors against the Hotel, making him stand out like a sore thumb.  His own loud, strong and powerful voice demanded a presence in the Hotel, turning the heads of the guards and Angels about the foyer.  Next to him stood a smaller woman.  Her outfit complimented the building, albeit harshly, though it was a stark contrast to the other one next to her.  The pink colors and darker skin still made it apparent that she was not part of the heavenly presence around the Hotel.

 

“The idea of redemption being possible,” the TV head chuckled breathlessly, shaking his head while the other scoffed.  Clearing his throat slightly, he covered his chest with his hand as the brazen smile glowed against Emily’s skin.  “We simply want to hear the evidence behind this incredible idea!  Perhaps a television interview?”  As he leaned towards the smaller Angel, Emily’s throat bobbed quickly.

 

“That is a lovely idea, but I am just…”  Her eyes caught the sight of the three coming down the stairs, stepping rapidly away from the Sinner with raised hands.  “Oh!  Perfect!”  Emily clapped happily, causing the two strangers to look over towards the long stairway.  Waving her hand over to the Angels that appeared, Emily smiled proudly.  “This project is brought on by myself and my friends!  It’s not a decision I can make by myself.”

 

Three pairs of feet landed on the final step of the stairway, gently echoing footsteps against the soft carpet.  One pair of heeled boots kept the pace, followed by two other pairs of shoes scurried behind them, trying their best to keep up with the larger steps.  Charlie’s pace quickened, causing both Vaggie and Lucifer to fall further behind.

 

“Hi!  Hello!!”  She cheered over to them, waving her hand over to them while she smiled widely.  “My name is Charlie!  And you are?” The singing tone of her voice balanced out her cheerful personality, causing Vox’s smile to tighten with irritation.

 

“Vox!  And this is my co-worker-”

 

“Velvette.”  The short Sinner snarled out with a vicious smirk, sticking out her hand to Charlie who took it quickly.  Her poor hand quickly became a victim of Charlie’s excitement, trapped in a quick handshake that would not stop while Velvette’s face contorted from a confident smirk to an awkward frown.

 

“It is so lovely to meet you both!”  Stated Charlie, continuing to shake Velvette’s hand while looking at Vox.  With a chuckle, his eyes landed on his companion.  The blue eyes crinkled with pleasure, all while Velvette tried her best to stop the handshaking.

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Curlie.”  Immediately, the tall Angel ceased her hand shaking, finally allowing Velvette to remove her hand from her grasp.  Emily smiled nervously next to Charlie, who stepped back with a small mumble of a correction of her name.  “Both Velvette and I were simply interested in this beautiful new building that popped up!”

 

“Yes!  This is the Happy Hotel, a place to rehabilitate Sinners.”  Charlie explained, Emily nodding very excitedly next to her.  The height difference between the two is almost comical.  It only became more apparent of how tall Charlie is once Lucifer and Vaggie appeared next to her. Vox’s eyes landed on Lucifer as soon as he came into closer view.

 

The closed smile was tight, curling more and more as Lucifer stood there.  The Angel felt his skin ping with static from the TV head.  It was nothing that Vox himself was doing.  The sights, the eyes, the attention, was eating away at him, causing his throat to bob with anxiety.  Vox started to directly face Lucifer, zoned in on the Angel.

 

“You must be Lucifer.”  He stated.

 

The entire room froze, all turning to Lucifer at the mere mention of who he was.  They all knew the story, the apple.  The fall of humanity, the curse he implanted on them.  Lilith’s hatred for Heaven wasn’t rooted for no reason, for no ordinary fruit from an ordinary Angel.  No, it was all anger towards him.  From how Vox eyed him, all of Hell knew his name just as much as all the Angels did.  The spotlight that suddenly shown on Lucifer caused his skin to burn, wishing he could cower away into shadows only to find it following him with precision.  Nevertheless, he stood tall, looking up at Vox.

 

“Yes.”  The answer was strong, direct with confidence despite the shaking of his hands hiding behind his back.  Velvette’s eyes landed on Lucifer, curious about him yet hesitant to step closer.

 

“I didn’t expect the morningstar to be in on this passion project.”  Tightening his grip around his wrist, Lucifer’s face forced a smile.  The porcelain skin curled with wrinkles, tight yet loose.  The venom threatening to spill into his own words were there, yet the three younger Angels nearby watched with wide eyes.

 

“Ah, yes.”  He started, the tone harsher than he meant it to be.  It was as if he was a royal, looking down on those below him.  That he was better than Vox and Velvette and all the other Sinners in Hell.  And he was.  Sneering his lips, Lucifer continued.  “I’m sure it’s a surprise to have God’s favorite Angel in Hell with Sinners. ”  The word itself dirtied his mouth, almost causing him to hiss his tongue out.  Noticing the reaction to the simple word, Vox chuckled.

 

“Let’s hope you all feel right at home!”  Replied Vox, completely satisfied with the disgust from Lucifer.  “In fact, the best way to do so is to get yourself out there.”  Stepping closer to the three, mostly to Lucifer, his sights gazed over them.  They lingered a bit too long on the small Angel. Clapping his hands together, Vox continued on.  “My company, VoxTech, runs an amazing news program called ‘666 News.’”

 

“Ooo!”  Emily hummed out, grabbing Charlie’s arm and shaking it excitedly.  “We should go on there!”  Charlie bounced up and down with Emily, the two looking over to Lucifer.  Their eyes shown with sparkles, waiting for a response from their elder Angel.  He simply stared back at Vox, waiting for the Sinner to continue his salesman pitch.

 

“Exactly!”  Vox continued happily, swiping his pointer finger at both Charlie and Emily.  “It would help with this…  place.”  The enthusiasm quickly dissipated before rapidly being replaced once more, his screen blinking at the correction.  “We would love to have you make an appearance on 666 News.”  Looking over to Charlie and Vaggie, Vox’s smile began to fall.  “And you two, I suppose.”

 

Lucifer looked over to the two, frowning slightly at their excitement.  It was too dangerous, risky for the young Angels to be on screen.  Knowing these Sinners, Lucifer could tell that the two would be set up for jokes, harassment.  His head spun at the thought, “What if they got shot at?  What if Emily ran into a Sinner who tries to bite her?  What if there was someone who tries to touch Charlie?  What if?”  Looking back to Vox, Lucifer blinked rapidly with furrowed eyebrows.  For the best of the Hotel, for the project, he should let them go on the News.  No matter how dangerous.

 

“No.”  Vox’s screen cut into a deep frown, eyes glitching with surprise and shock.  All the while, Velvette’s mouth pursed with anticipation.  This was the sight of a man who did not get told “no” easily, making Lucifer’s face itch with a smirk.  It was delicious, seeing the Sinner rage on quietly right in front of him.  Yet… “I will be the only one attending the News Interview.”

 

Velvette’s laugh cut through the tense air, causing Charlie and Emily to laugh gently with her.  It was ugly, sharp, filled with mockery.  All Vox could do was twitch a smile, though it was empty with any joy.

 

“That is wonderful .”  He snarled out, sharp teeth threatening to bite the Angel whole.  His mouth reminded him of a shark, eyeing his being as if he was a meal.  Yet, the little shark failed to remember that it was he who made him.  Head held high, Lucifer watched as the anxiety from Vox faded away, the excitement too, replaced with all the anger he could find in his circuits.  “We’ll schedule an interview then.”Nodding at the statement, Lucifer stepped back.  Vox paused, his eyes ranking over Lucifer.  The sight of Vox’s anger was absolutely delicious.  Velvette smirked at Lucifer, her sights landing on Charlie, Emily, and Vaggie.  The sly Sinner quickly winked at the three before turning off, walking towards the grand entrance of the Hotel.  Hesitantly, Vox followed after, afraid of leaving the conversation with his last words.  Though with the tight lips of Lucifer, and the overwhelming excitement of the two young Angels, Vox knew it was over.  As the doors closed behind the two, the breath Lucifer released wasn’t simply from his own lungs.  The entire Hotel breathed out.

Notes:

Again, I hope things aren't dragging on too long for everyone! I appreciate any comments and feedback.
Thank you so much everyone for the Kudos already, it is so nice to see everyone enjoying the Fic so far.

I have outlines up to Chapter 13 and want to continue it past that, just need to figure things out! I'm super excited for everything I have for you guys.

Chapter 5: Razzle Dazzle 'Em

Summary:

Now is the chance to advertise the hotel and get some Sinners on their way into Heaven!! Even if the whole idea is difficult, advertising isn't!... Right?

Notes:

This is a LONG chapter and I truly hope you guys enjoy the read!

"Razzle Dazzle" From the Musical "Chicago"
Sang by Richard Gere!
0:15 ─|──────── -3:29

“Hello!!  Sir!  Sir?”  Someone squealed after a Sinner on the street, causing him to turn to face the high pitched noise.  What he didn’t expect was a goat looking Sinner, though with the huge smile and bright eyes, he felt slightly confused as to what a nice looking face was doing down in Hell.  “Hello, hi!  My name is Emily!”  The small one stated with energy filled with excitement.  Her hoofed hand stuck out to his direction, stopping short as she noticed how many arms he had himself.  Gathering himself, the tall Sinner sighed slightly and jutted out his hips.

 

“Sorry, girlie.  I charge extra for little things like yaself.”  A thick New Yorker accent escaped him, yet Emily only tilted her head in confusion.

 

“Charge for what?”  She queried, leaning a bit closer to the other with a curious frown.  His own frown changed into a dramatic shock, mouth opening wide to answer her question with a hint of a smirk on his lips.

 

“Emily!”  Before the Sinner could answer back, two others came crashing into Emily.  One of the same height as her grabbed her arm, pulling the small goat back while staring daggers at the tall spider Sinner.  “We told you to stick by us!  Don’t go running off…” Her friend had a dark, moth-like appearance.  Two fluffy antennas protrude from the bow on her hair, all while her dark grey and brown skin stuck out against the hues of whites and purples.  It almost reminded the Sinner of his own boss, yet… prettier.

 

“Sorry, sorry!”  Emily replied back with a hurry, turning back to the Sinner she was talking to.  “I just saw him and wanted to say hi!”

 

“Psh!”  The Sinner scoffed out with a roll of his eyes, smiling slightly.  “Ya don’t even know who I am!”  All three sets of eyes looked at each other before looking back at the Sinner.  The moment of silence was loud, even against the roaring of cars nearby.  That was until the Sinner let out a huff of disbelief and waved one pair of arms over his pink body.  “I’m Angel Dust?”  Both Emily and her friend blinked, it being barely audible in the silence.  “The porn star?”  One of their eyes widened as Emily gasped in awe.

 

“Nope, we are definitely not talking to you…”  Her friend mumbled, only to be interrupted by the taller of the three.  Similar to Emily, her goat-like appearance was obviously different from the other.  Creamy white fur with red horns and yellow eyes in contrast to Emily’s soft grey fur and blue eyes.

 

“Vaggie!  We still have to offer him a chance.”  The tall one spoke gleefully, facing the moth Sinner before looking back at Angel Dust.  With her hand out to the spider, she smiled happily.  “It is lovely to meet you, Angel Dust sir!!”

 

Everything about her screamed as if something was terribly wrong.  She was far too cheerful, bouncy with Emily, and extremely pleasant.  The lump in Angel’s throat almost caught his words, though the quick clear of it dusted it away.  Shaking her hand, he smiled gracefully.

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet ya too, sweetheart.”  Raising an eyebrow, the other quickly picked up on the cue to introduce herself.

 

“Charlie!”

 

“Charlie!  Emily, Charlie, and…. who’s this freaky fella?”  Angel asked, bending down slightly to whisper to Charlie.  All heads turned to the moth Sinner.  Arms crossed, she made it apparent that shaking his hand was not an option.  In fact, the snarl she gave made it seem like she’d bit it off.

 

“Vaggie!”  Charlie introduced, snapping her out of the deadly trance of attack.  Scoffing out a “hello,” Charlie and Emily turned back to Angel with equally excited looks.  “We were hoping to talk to you about the Happy Hotel!”

 

“Oh ho?”  Angel chuckled out, wiggling his eyebrows and standing back up straight.  Puffing out his chest, one of his lower arms carefully trailed up his leg.  “If ya lookin’ for some customers at this Happy Hotel,” he began, the two girls watching with confusion as Vaggie’s eyes widened at the scene before them.  “I can definitely help with…  attracting attention.”  The look on Vaggie’s face broke Angel.  His cheeks puffed up as a laugh escaped him, causing the tall Sinner to keel over in laughter and shake his head.  Charlie and Emily simply looked at each other as Vaggie’s frown deepened behind them.  “I’m sorry!  The look on ‘er face!  Woo!”  Breathing out the laugh, he slowly calmed down.  “I’m kiddin’, I’m kiddin’!  I don’t peg you gals for the type.”

 

“The type to what?”  Emily asked curiously.

 

“Well, ya know, the type to explo-”

 

“Okay, that’s good enough!”  Vaggie popped in between the three, no longer wishing to keep her distance for the sake of Emily’s and Charlie’s sanity.  “You advertised it to him!  Now let’s find someone else.”  One hand clasping around Emily’s wrist and the other grabbing Charlie’s arm, she began to lead them away.  A headache had already been coming on since the three of them had left the Hotel in these disguises, though it was quickly turning into a migraine.  Yet, she quietly thanked Lucifer again for the idea of disguises, for being Angels in public would have caused a bloodbath.  She could feel it in her bones, the ache for that.

 

“Wait!”  Shouted Charlie, yanking her arm away as Emily simply followed Vaggie to a halt.  The Angel frowned with watery eyes, turning to Angel Dust once more.  “Please, we need some residents in order for our Hotel to start!”  She explained, shoulders drooping low as she looked down at the dark concrete beneath her.  “You are the first one to have listened this much.  And besides!”  Shrugging to herself, she looked over her shoulder to Emily and Vaggie with a smile.  “You get to…  Uh…”  As her eyes scrunched up in thought, Vaggie’s hand reached out to her to stop any train of thought.

 

“Stay there for free!”  Emily shouted, hopping up next to Charlie with a bounce in her step.  Angel looked between the two, eyes wide before he scoffed slightly.

 

“Ya kiddin’, right?”  He asked, chuckling under his breath.  They both simply stared up at him with smiles, not answering yes or no to that question.  All they wanted was an answer back.  “What’s the catch?”  It was tempting, but there is always a catch to these things.  And it was called the Happy Hotel, which by Hell’s means meant nothing good.

 

“I’m glad you asked!”  Emily took over, which Charlie happily allowed.  “Our Hotel is working on rehabilitating Sinners!”

 

“What.”  Angel replied, deadpanning at the two before laughing slightly.  “That’s, ha…  That’s impossible.”

 

“It is what our Hotel is trying to achieve!  So,” Emily held out slightly, rolling her head.  “You can stay at the Hotel for free, with your own room and no worry for food or protection, and all we want from you is just to work on redemption!”  Everyone froze, even Emily, as they waited for Angel Dust’s reaction.  Harshly sucking in air through his teeth, Angel looked to the side with a wary expression.

 

“Eee… I don’t know.”  Angel began, his eyes landing back on the two smaller Sinners.  What a big mistake that was.  The two looked up at him with wide, teary eyes and dramatically pouted lips.  Charlie was on the verge of tears, grabbing Emily’s shoulders and leaning her slightly.  Though any attraction to the girls was nonexistent, it reminded him mildly of the time he and…  “Mm…”  Angel hummed out, his lips pulling back in thought before he closed his eyes to answer matter-of-factly, “Let me think about it, ‘kay?”

 

“Yes!”  Emily cheered loudly and deeply, face contorting from a sudden cuteness to an aggressive, yet victorious, expression.  Both Vaggie and Charlie jumped slightly at the loudness from the small Sinner.  A quick glance and she noticed all eyes were on her, even from annoyed passerby.  “Ahem-”  Began Emily, straightening herself meekly.  “I mean…  Thank you for considering at least!”

 

“Okay, you talked to him, now let’s move.”  With a swift movement between Angel and the three, they were hastily dragged off by Vaggie.  Yet Charlie and Emily looked back, their eyes sparkling at Angel.  For the first time since he landed here, he never felt so much hope from someone looking at him.

---

“How do you even agree with this?” The female asked towards the Imp-looking Sinner, a smile of disbelief and humor, as if it was a sick joke.  The Sinner only kept a hard stare back at the commenter, her yellow eyes burning bright against her grayscale appearance.

 

“That isn’t a question for her!”  The seller intervened, waving his hand in between the two and once again catching the lady and her friend’s attention.  “That is a question for you both!  Do you agree with this?”

 

“Ha!  Of course not!”  Turning to her friend, a rather shy and almost owl featured, yet human looking, Sinner, she smirked at him.  “You don’t believe in this either, Phineas.  Because honestly,” she began, waving one tattooed hand in the air while rolling her eyes back to the other two.  “Who would want to be some pussy, feather ruffled Angel over a badass demon?”  Both froze, though the greyscale one’s face contorted to such anger that the lady smiled even more.

 

“Why you-”

 

“Lute!  Haha!”  Pushing himself in between Lute and the other, the porcelain faced Sinner smiled nervously.  “Let’s not get too heated!” It was best not to make worse of his selling point.

 

“You know, I bet you’re one of those fuckwads who thinks you’re so cool and edgy too.”  The lady spoke once more, causing him to pause and perk an eyebrow, along with Lute.

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“You’re damn name is Lucifer?  And you want to go to Heaven?”  Phineas hooted behind his friend a small chuckle of encouragement as she spoke, fixing her sweater a bit as she did.  “If anything, you want to go up there to get rid of the asshole of a ‘Father.’  You’ll never make it past those gates.”

 

Everything went red for all four Sinners.  With Lucifer atop the woman and Lute puffing up her demonic wings against Phineas’ large owl form, all hell's breaking loose.  Instead of choosing some weapon to summon, as if that would do him, Lute, and the Hotel any good, Lucifer went for choking the other Sinner and snarling his teeth, muttering “take it back” underneath his breath while she laughed hysterically.  All the while, Phineas’ failed attempts to swipe at Lute caused the hidden Angel to smile cruelly at the action, wishing to summon a sword instead of simply dodging.

 

“What the-”  All that was needed was one voice to pitch in against the crowd of cheers, making all four stop their antics and, more specifically, Lucifer and Lute to look into the crowd.  There stood Vaggie, holding onto Charlie’s wrist loosely, while Emily frowned sadly at the scene in front of her.  “What are you two doing?”  Charlie asked, panicked and dragging her hoof-like hands down her face in dread.  Immediately, Lucifer released the other Sinner and Phineas quickly swiped in, pulling her back.

 

“Are you okay, Mirage?”  He asked quietly, face filled with concern while Mirage had a crazed smile against her lips.

 

“Okay?  Hell, Phineas, that was thrilling!!”  She shouted, ready to pounce on Lucifer but only stopping as Vaggie planted herself in front of him.  Frowning with bared teeth, she stepped back.  “Fine, cockblock…  Taking away my bloody fun.”  As the two Sinners began walking off, Charlie and Emily surrounded Lucifer.

 

“What were you doing?”  Charlie asked again, followed by, “Are you okay?”  Which was quickly followed by more concerned questions.  With Emily speaking to Lucifer rapidly instead of asking questions, he felt his head spin from the commotion the Angels were causing.  Shaking himself out of everyone’s grasp, Lucifer smiled nervously.

 

“I’m alright, girls.”  He stated, frowning at both Charlie and Emily.  “I ruined that, I am so sorry.”  Both girls looked at each other before shooting him a gentle smile, hugging the older Seraphim tightly.

 

“We’re just glad you’re okay!”  Emily cheered happily as Charlie nodded rapidly to her happiness.  Lute and Vaggie watched from the sidelines, Vaggie’s eyebrows arching curiously at Lute as she brushed off her own clothing.  Not that it was necessarily dirty.  Pulling away from the hug, Lucifer held both of their shoulders as tears pricked up in his eyes.  As his mouth began to open in response, a loud chiming of a bell interrupted him.  All five hidden Angels turned to the noise.  In the distance, the enormous clock tower continued to chime as the hands landed on the time: 12 o’clock pm.  Everyone had squint their eyes to see the time, yet Lucifer’s face contorted from wrinkled squints to a sudden panicked surprise.

 

“Oh Heavens!  The interview!”  Gripping the obnoxiously tall hat on his head, Lucifer turned to Lute and Vaggie.  “We have to get going!”  He shouted, the two guards having planned to join Lucifer while the young Seraphims went back to the hotel.  Shoving the four of them into a nearby alleyway, Lucifer snapped his fingers.  The disgusting wall marked with graffiti and scratches, as well as various stains that none of the Angels wished to think too hard about, quickly shone as a spark of light began engulfing the area.  On the other end stood the Hotel, clearly meant for Charlie and Emily to safely travel through.  “Let’s go, we have to get going.”  Lucifer quietly shouted as he began pushing both guards off before seeing Charlie and Emily off.

 

“Wait, dad!”  Pausing rapidly, he looked over to Charlie as she held her hand out to him.  “Let us go with you!”  The confidence displayed on his beloved daughter was lovely…  and horribly frightening.  Eyes quickly darting over to the entrance of the alley they hid in, Lucifer bit his lower lip.

 

“Honey, you know you can’t…”  Started Lucifer, all nervousness on display as he toyed with his hands.

 

“But we know how to promote the Hotel!”  Emily whined, frowning slightly behind Charlie and looking from Lucifer to her friend.

 

“Besides…”  Charlie rang out, somewhat smiling and stepping closer to him.  “I’m a  bit worried that you won’t do well on it…”  After the incident that the two ran into with him and the Sinners, he couldn’t blame them.  Even if it stung his pride slightly.  With a grumble, Lucifer frowned deeply and wagged a finger at them both.

 

“Fine!  But you will come back immediately if there are any issues.”  The two nodded hastily, Charlie waving his demand off a tad.

 

“It’s all good!  We will do great!”  She replied, walking past Lucifer to stand in between Lute and Vaggie, both guards ready to lead them to the large News Station they had stopped by earlier in the day.  “You wait at the Hotel for any Sinners who are interested, okay?”

 

Nodding slowly, Lucifer took a deep breath as he stepped back.  His black high heeled boots landed on the soft carpet of the Hotel, a stark contrast from the dirty concrete that was below him seconds ago.  The air around him even felt cleaner, causing his heart to race more as he realized that Charlie and Emily were to be in the dirty environment for much longer.  Nevertheless, the portal gently closed before him as the two hopefully waved at him, bright smiles and dazzling eyes covering their faces.  He had a bad feeling about this.

---

The hum of electricity always left a delicious taste on his tongue, filled with energy for all forms of news, ready to pounce on Sinners that came into the studio.  Even the crowd of workers washing in and out of the area wasn’t feeding his thrill.  That was more Velvette’s thing, the crowds.  His was the cameras, the screens, the attention.  Not only would he be getting it all from Hell itself, but now Heaven?  A spark of excitement ran up his spine as his sharp teeth sat together with a wide smile.  Typically, Katie Killjoy and Tom Trench would be the ones running such a segment, though he wished to dig his claws into it himself.  Sat at the desk, his eyes stared straight into the cameras as the crew prepared everything to air after the commercials.

 

“Sir.”  A nasally voice came in, breaking his thoughts on the future interview with Lucifer.  Looking over to the owner, he chuckled darkly at the sight of the fish-like Sinner holding a tablet, the other’s multi-colored eyes looking directly at him.

 

“Yes, Papermint?”  Vox’s silky voice thrilled out excitedly, his right hand resting under his chin as he leaned over to his assistant.

 

“The interviewees are here.”  The other replied straightforwardly, making Vox jump up happily and looking behind Papermint, the assistant holding up his tablet to shield his face instinctively.

 

“Perfect!  He can be seated right-”  The pause hung in the air dangerously.  All excitement washed off of Vox as it was quickly replaced with confusion.  “Interviewees?”  He asked, looking down at Papermint who nodded behind his tablet.

 

“Yes, sir.”  Papermint answered, pointing to the side where all the cameras sat.

 

Looking rapidly over to where he pointed, Vox’s face contorted in further confusion as his sights landed on four Sinners: Two goats, a moth, and an Imp looking girl.  Stepping aside from the desk, his strides towards them were long and strong.  They were not Lucifer.  Papermint quietly followed, more relaxed compared to earlier.  Raising an eyebrow at the two girls, Vox finally spoke.

 

“Hello, ladies.”  He said with a small harsh tone, annoyance hidden in each word.  “You must be…?”

 

“Charlie!  And this is Emily!”  The taller one spoke excitedly before leaning towards Vox, whispering.  “We met you at the Hotel in our Angelic forms.”  As if they kickstarted his thinking, his eyes lit up in realization as to who they all were.  His smile strained.

 

“Ah yes, I remember now!  Was Lucifer not able to make it?”  Voice laced with static, his screen lit up more as he tilted his head to the side, eyeing the Angels in disguise.

 

“No, no, we asked to take his place instead.”  Emily squealed, ecstatic for the interview.  Even though he had mapped out everything for his interview with Lucifer, he knew that changing a few things could work.  But, the snarl sneaking up on his lips proved to him that he’d end up biting more than they could chew.  And in turn, his entire appearance in the media would also be shaken if he had a petty match with the ladies.  That means he has to be slightly civil.  Unless…

 

“That is great to hear!”  Vox cheered, his demeanor suddenly changing as he perked up with an idea.  Grabbing their shoulders, he began leading them to the side of the studio where some more crew members were.  “I can’t wait to introduce our News Anchors!”

 

“I thought you were interviewing them, sir.”  Papermint whispered, holding his tablet up to block the girls from listening in.  Snapping his neck as he turned to face Papermint, Vox smiled dangerously.

 

“Plans have changed!”  He stated through gritted teeth, causing the assistant to back off.  As he gently pushed the girls through the crowd of moving crew, his posture began looser and steps bouncier.  “Katie, Tom!”  Two figures turned quickly at the voice of their boss.  The tall, blonde Sinner flicked her cigarette away as a large smile filled her face.  The other simply stared at the three coming towards them, holding a coffee mug and a donut, though his gas mask made it look impossible to eat.  “I’d like you to meet your interviewees: Charlie and Emily.”

 

“Our interviewees?-”

 

“Lovely to meet you!”  The tall one interrupted her smaller counterpart, sticking out her hand abruptly and grabbing Charlie’s without hesitation.  Pulling the goat Sinner in, she chattered her name out.  “I’m Katie Killjoy.  You must be the marvelous, er… Sinners who are running that silly hotel, yes?”  It was no secret to the crew that these were Angels.  Yet, Vox had explicitly stated that on screen they are Sinners.  Simple, horrible, Sinners.

 

“Haha,” Charlie chuckled nervously, shaking Katie’s hand as her smile tightened.  “It’s not silly, but yes!  We cannot wait to share-”

 

“That’s great.”  Katie interrupted, pulling her hand away and brushing it on her suit as if she was dirtied.  “We’ll see you on set.”  Leaving them abruptly, Charlie and Emily turned to Vox with nervous looks.  It only caused his face to enlarge with enthusiasm and excitement.

 

“Great!  I’ll be off now.”  Responded the TV head, turning away and beginning to walk off as Papermint followed.

 

“Wait!”  Charlie started to follow him, reaching out to grasp his arm.  Her fingertips felt the material of his suit before grasping around nothing but air, static-like air.  They both watched an electric bolt leave the spot in front of them and enter a nearby camera, frowning in confusion.

 

“You’re on in 20.”  Papermint explained before walking off into the crew, leaving Charlie and Emily alone in their spot.  Vaggie and Lute were technically there, though they were slightly more occupied with all the possible threats and dangers than the newsroom.  The Seraphims turned to each other, both not sharing any face of excitement.

 

“It’s okay!”  Emily started to say, a small smirk tugging on her lips.  “We’ll knock them out of Hell with how amazing the Hotel is.”  Charlie chuckled back, shaking her head as she summoned some paper.  On it were a few notes and scattered doodles, all on display for the two of them to use during the important television moment.

 

“You’re right,” Charlie replied back softly.  “We got this.”

 

 

“So tell me,”  Katie turned harshly to the two, the heat of not only the spotlights from the crew shining on them but her intense gaze as well.  “This project you have been working on is what exactly?”

 

Charlie and Emily looked at each other from the corner of their eyes.  Sending a small nod to Charlie, she turned to the large cameras and took in a shaky breath.  Her eyes landed on Vaggie, the small quirk of the guard’s lip encouraged Charlie to move forward with confidence.

 

“We have been working on the Happy Hotel, a Hotel that will rehabilitate Sinners!”

 

Crickets.  Whether literal or a sound effect, she couldn’t tell.  Emily’s cheeks puffed up in awkwardness as Charlie looked over to Katie with a worried look, who sent a nasty smirk the small Angel’s way.

 

“Wouldn’t you take a chance to go to Heaven?”  She asked, raising an eyebrow and turning to Katie.  What a mistake.

 

“Ha!”  The news lady cackled.  “I don’t know any Sinners would care about becoming a better person!”  Her hand slammed on the table as she continued laughing, causing the two to jump slightly at the sound.  Emily opened her mouth, only to be interrupted by Katie.  “You’re asking Sinners to be better just… because?  Besides!”  Her shrilling voice captured all the attention over the laughter of the crew and live-audience.  “You don’t even know if this stupid plan will work!”  In the corner, Tom simply nodded as Charlie and Emily cowered into themselves.

 

“Well…”  Emily began quietly.

 

“Have you two even gotten any ‘wayward souls’ at your crappy Hotel?”  Snickered Katie.  That is what her voice reminded Charlie of: nails on a chalkboard, but the nails were horribly and disgustingly long and cracked.

 

“Yes!”  Charlie shouted, jumping up from her seat with a newfound confidence.  “Angel Dust!”  The entire studio went quiet, not even the buzzing of electricity was heard.

 

“The porn star?”  Tom asked, popping from behind Katie.  Despite his mask, his eyes showed that he was smiling as they creased.  Almost as if his face was the mask.  Before a single soul could answer, Katie shoved Tom out of the camera, causing him to land on the floor with a loud thud.

 

“Oh?”  Katie hummed out, arching her eyebrows towards the camera before looking back at Charlie.

 

“Yes!  We have at least him.”  Now, it wasn’t confirmed whether he was staying at the Hotel, but him having listened for so long was practically a “yes” in her book.  They didn’t need to know that.  Even though the small Angels felt their hearts race at the lie, they could have sworn that the room vibrated around them.

 

“Well, that certainly is interesting!  I’m sure you’ve successfully gotten him off all those drugs?”  Katie’s eyes grew and small white pupils were noticeable as she leaned over Charlie.

 

“Oh, well-”

 

“It wouldn’t make sense for him to not be fucking Sinners though, he’s still a porn star as Tom,”  Gripping her coffee mug and shooting a look over to her co-anchor, the mug shattered violently.  Pieces of ceramic flew towards the cowering man and the dead faced Angels. “Had mentioned!”  She finished through gritted teeth.

 

“You see-”

 

“It’s not something that has been discussed!”  The electric voice re-entered the room, immediately sparking the anchor’s attention and causing their spines to stiffen.  Vox’s blue screen stood strongly against the vibrant green screen behind him.  Charlie and Emily didn’t even blink and he was there, between the Angels and Sinners.  “With Valentino, of course.”  He explained with a wide smile.  “His Soul Owner.”  Turning to the girls, his eyes pointed towards the edge of the stage.

 

An overcast shadowed both Vaggie and Lute, who stared daggers and blocked an immensely tall Demon.  The other simply stared down the two on stage, the veins in his head popping with rage and anger as his hands gripped his coat, practically scratching the pristine fabric.  Individually, Charlie and Emily audibly gulped before looking at Vox with nervous smiles.

 

“That!”  Emily began, “was exactly what Charlie was trying to explain to Miss Killjoy!”  Immediately, the tall Angel nodded vigorously as Vox chuckled deeply.

 

“Yes, of course!!”  Leaning close to them, the glow from his screen shown against their faces.  “We wouldn’t want to cause any issues, right?”  The question came off innocently, before he asked another question through gripped teeth.  “Spread any secrets?”  It was a clear jab to their true forms, their true selves.  If Hell knew that Angels were amongst them, the danger and destruction to the Hotel would be unimaginable.

 

Both shook their heads spontaneously, frowning deeply with worrying eyes.  Even though Charlie opened her mouth to speak, nothing that was a word had came out.  How were the two Angels supposed to respond, not even knowing what a “Soul Owner” was?  They knew about souls and that Sinners had them, but wouldn’t that make all of them soul owners?  The red stares from the tall Sinner made it apparent that it wasn’t the case at all.

 

“Of course not.” Vox simply answered for them.  As much as he loved their speechlessness, he couldn’t have it continue for long.  Too much air time was being spent on their worthless goal already. Turning back to the cameras, Vox’s dazzling teeth ate up his face as he smiled.  “We are so happy to have had you girls here with us!  But sadly, we have to wrap things up.  Katie?”  With a gentle, yet quick usher of the two Angels off the set, his smile disappeared.  Eyes right at the towering Sinner nearby, the energy was sparking with annoyance.

 

“I am so so so sorry!”  Charlie explained, bowing her head down slightly.  “I didn’t know Sinners needed… permission.”

 

“Valentino is very possessive over his property.”  Vox replied, frowning annoyingly as the Sinner walked over to them cautiously.  Both Vaggie and Lute had summoned their angelic weapons, causing him to finally cool down a notch at the real threat.  “Look,” Vox started with a bite, eyes landing back on Charlie and Emily.  “Angel Dust can stay at the crappy Hotel.”

 

“What?”  Growled Val, stomping an obnoxiously tall high heel.

 

“But!”  Shooting a look at him, Valentino quieted down.  “He still belongs to Val.”  Even without pupils, it was obvious that Valentino was rolling his eyes, crossing his arms angrily and pouting a furious lip.

 

Emily and Charlie looked at each other.  Without saying words, their eyes communicated with each other on the agreement presented.  Losing a client already would not be a good look, even if he wasn’t guaranteed yet. But it might give him a chance to be free from the hands in front of them.  Charlie turned to Vaggie and Lute, nodding at them to lower their weapons, which they hesitantly did so.

 

“That sounds fair.”

---

Each sound of his pacing footsteps echoed through the Hotel’s living room.  Lucifer should have gone to the damn interview, he knew it would have caused issues.  Both of the girls looked defeated, sitting on the couch before him as they waited for something.  Anything.  Yet all their elder did was pace.  Back and forth.  Back and forth.

 

“Well…”  Lucifer whispered, not wanting to break the silence but doing what was necessary.  Even though he had no words to follow after. What would Michelle say?  Taking a deep breath, he turned to the girls with a sudden stop.  “We can still fix this!  Especially with one guest.”

 

“He never actually confirmed his stay.”  Emily mumbled into her knees, having buried her head in the comfort of her Angelic skirt.  In the safety of the Hotel, they had all relinquished their disguises and sat around in the comfort of their Angelic selves.  A much needed comfort.

 

Lucifer only replied with a defeated grumble, pacing once again.  While Emily hid her face, Charlie watched her father as she curled into the couch.

 

“At least we got the news out there?”  She shared with a hint of optimism.  Sure, it was hesitant and more of a question, but it was there.  With a pause, Lucifer looked back at her.

 

“You’re… right.”  Smiling, he nodded at her and tried to continue the positivity.  “Maybe someone saw the segment and liked it!”  With a newfound confidence, Lucifer walked up to them as Emily slowly revealed her face.  “Who knows!  They could be headed here right now!”

 

Knock, knock, knock.

Notes:

I wonder who that is...

I have decided to actually name the chapters now instead of leaving them blank! They're all going to be based off of songs and I'll make sure to include them in the notes at the beginning of each chapter.

Thank you so much everyone for the support of this fic, I am ecstatic to continue sharing it with you! I am really trying not to copy everything from the pilot and give it my own twist!

Notes:

What do you think?
I can't promise a posting schedule, perhaps just once a month I'll get a new chapter out. But, feel free to check out my social media for some updates and some amazing art!

Thank you so much for reading!!