Marked by the stars 𓊈Apple𝙰𝚍𝚊𝚖/Sci-fi AU𓊉

by PaintToxic

Summary:

A novice astronaut.
A planet with no name.
A look that changed everything.

After a failed mission, Adam returns to Earth with golden eyes, a tattoo he doesn't remember getting and a strange feeling under his skin.

What happened out there?

Between scientists, nosy reporters and a new, all-too-perfect colleague, Adam will begin to understand that...

some marks don't fade.

And others... they choose you.

Chapter 1: ᑕᕼᗩᑭ丅ᗴᖇ 1

 

NASA's training room echoed with the wild rhythm of an electric guitar.
Despite the many warnings about the center's rules, Adam had brought his portable amplifier and, as usual, shamelessly defied every regulation. With messy hair, dark sunglasses resting on his head, and a sleeveless shirt that screamed "Rock is Science," the rookie astronaut was far from the military discipline model his superiors had hoped for.

“Hey, Lute! What about this note?!” he shouted while slamming a piercing riff, not even glancing at the space simulator's controls in front of him.

Lute, leaning against a console with her arms crossed, watched him with her usual mix of resignation and fondness. Her sharp eyes barely flinched at the chaos Adam caused with every stunt he pulled.

“You're going to electrocute yourself one of these days,” she replied flatly, though a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
Unlike Adam, she represented technical excellence and experience. She’d seen more than anyone could imagine and wasn’t the least bit impressed by the vibrant ego of her best friend.

“Or I’ll become an interplanetary legend.” Adam spun around and raised his guitar as if he’d just conquered a new world.

“That’d be a first. A legend who can’t follow landing protocols without screaming ‘YEAH, BABY!’ every thirty seconds.”
Lute sighed but walked with him toward the main hangar.

This day was different from the rest.
They were about to embark on a mission to a newly discovered planet—unnamed, barely logged by the radars as a rocky body covered in bluish mist and a fluctuating magnetic field. A strange mineral phenomenon had been detected: a structure of living crystals pulsing with what seemed like energy of their own.

NASA’s science team was thrilled.
Adam, on the other hand, was ecstatic—not so much for the science, but for the chance to discover something unique and name it after himself. Something no one could ever ignore.

“We’re gonna kick ass, Lute. I’m ready for the final stage,” Adam said as he fastened his suit.

“Just don’t get lost again. Last time you wandered off from the team, your transmission was picked up by some Russian fans who thought you were an alien.”
Lute checked her gear with the precision of a surgeon.

---

●◉◎◈◎◉●

The planet’s atmosphere was thick and vibrated with a strange echo.
The crystals covering the ground glowed with a bluish shimmer that seemed to breathe with a life of its own. The team descended in individual modules and began their exploration. Adam, driven by a mix of curiosity and that narcissistic desire to be the first to find something extraordinary, moved ahead.

The mist wrapped around him slowly, distorting the sounds of his teammates. His visor detected unknown energy waves, but nothing appeared actively dangerous. Until he saw it.

A rock, no larger than his torso, floated inches above the ground. Its surface vibrated with golden lines moving as if drawing a language.
Completely entranced, Adam stepped closer and reached out a hand to touch it.

That’s when he felt it.

A presence.

A chill ran down his spine, and the feeling of being watched became almost physical. He turned slowly.

Atop a rocky formation, standing with an elegance that didn’t belong to this world, was someone. Not a monster. Not an alien shadow.
But a figure with sharp features, pale skin, a perfectly styled mane of hair, glowing golden eyes... and a smile like someone who just found an irresistible candy.

Adam froze. His body wouldn’t respond, as if gravity itself had betrayed him.

The eyes of that creature—no, that being—pierced into him with indescribable power. No words were exchanged, just an immediate connection. The air crackled with electricity. And in the blink of an eye, the being was standing in front of him.

“丂乇尺ﾑ丂 ﾶﾉの... んﾑ丂ｲﾑ ゐひ乇 乇ﾚ 丂のﾚ り乇ﾌ乇 り乇 ﾑ尺り乇尺,” he whispered, his accent impossible to place, his voice like honey and blades.

Adam barely managed a "What...?" before his chin was taken in a gloved hand.
Fingers cold as metal but soft as velvet traced along his jaw. Lucifer looked at him with dangerous adoration, as if he already knew everything about him.

“ﾶﾉ 尺乇ﾉ刀ﾑ.”
And then he kissed him.

It was a strange kiss. Not filled with desire or passion, but with power—an ancient energy channeled in that instant.
Adam’s eyes burned as if the sun had exploded inside them. The world turned gold.

Beneath his collarbone, a tattoo began to form: ethereal lines glowing with golden energy. An unerasable mark. A royal seal.

Adam tried to resist, but strength abandoned him.
The last thing he saw were those red eyes and Lucifer’s satisfied smile before darkness claimed him.

---

●◉◎◈◎◉●

Hours later, the rescue team found him collapsed beside the floating rock.
The scene was almost surreal: Adam lying on his back, his space suit coated in a layer of metallic dust that shimmered faintly in the planet’s weak light. The rock pulsed beside him, as if still holding a residue of living energy. The electrically charged air made the team’s communicators crackle with soft interference, like whispers.

“I’ve got him!” Lute shouted over the main channel, her normally cool voice now laced with visceral urgency.
She dropped to her knees beside Adam, shaking him roughly.
“Adam! Wake up, you idiot! You can’t leave me alone with these useless clowns!”

Adam’s body remained still. His helmet visor was open, his eyes shut, lashes trembling with unconscious spasms.
Lute removed one glove and touched his face with two fingers, checking for vitals.

“He’s alive...” she whispered with relief, though her frown remained. “But his pulse is racing...”

Two assistants helped drag him to the portable medical unit. Lute never let go of his arm.
Her usually stoic face cracked with worry.
No one knew Adam like she did, and something about his appearance felt off.

“What the hell happened to you, idiot?” she muttered, noticing the faint golden line peeking from under his suit’s collar. A soft glow that hadn’t been there before.

---

●◉◎◈◎◉●

Meanwhile, atop the cliff watching over the impact zone, a figure hid among the thick fog.
A black and red cloak swayed lazily, weightless. Lucifer’s eyes gleamed like burning coals as he watched the chaos from the shadows.

His breathing was uneven. He coughed harshly, covering his mouth with a dark glove before raising a small, elegant device to his nose.
It was made of glass and liquid metal, humming softly as it filtered Earth’s air.

“Gods... this planet smells like burnt plastic and human sweat,” he muttered with disdain, waving his hand in front of his face as if to swat away the atmosphere itself.
“How do they live here without disintegrating?”

His nose scrunched and he doubled over with another dry cough.
But when his gaze returned to Adam, still unconscious, his expression softened. His lips curled into a delighted, almost euphoric smile.
A perfect mix of love and satisfaction.

“But it’ll be worth it,” he whispered, unable to contain his happiness.
“My brilliant, radiant, and dangerously charming Adam...”

He paused, eyes fixed on the golden mark now glowing faintly—even through the fabric of the suit, as if he could see it from afar.

“My queen. My disobedient treasure. So stubborn... so human. So... divine.”

Another cough interrupted him. He hunched slightly and raised his hand as if requesting applause from the heavens.

“This is what I endure for love! A toxic environment, heavy particles, and the constant sound of humans breathing!”
he cried in melodramatic outrage.
“But oh, who am I to resist love when it comes wrapped in earthly arrogance and perfectly messy hair?”

A soft, raspy laugh escaped his lips, worn by the effort of breathing the polluted air.
He bowed his head, face hidden beneath the shadow of his hood, and took a step back, disappearing slowly into the thick fog that swallowed him like smoke on a stage.

“We’ll meet again soon, Adam. Very soon.”

And with a flicker of red light, Lucifer vanished into the air as if he had never been there at all—
leaving behind only a faint trace of ozone... and a fate that had just been sealed.

 

●◉◎◈◎◉●

 

A sharp buzz was the first thing he heard. Then, the sensation of something cold touching his temple, followed by a soft beep. Dim lights flickered behind his closed eyelids, as if he were submerged in neon-lit water.

Adam slowly cracked his eyes open, blinking heavily. A sharp throbbing pain pulsed in his right temple, and his mouth tasted like rusted metal and chewed gum.

“Ugh… Did a ship run me over, or was it Lute with one of her motivational speeches?”

He tried to sit up, but a series of medical straps kept him fastened to the recovery module’s mattress. He was at the base. He recognized the white ceiling, the humming fans, the ever-present antiseptic smell. Everything was… normal.

Except it wasn’t.

A sharper beep made him turn his head. Beside him, a medical screen was analyzing his vitals. Everything seemed stable—excessively stable, even, like his body was in too good a condition. His pulse, his oxygen levels, his cell regeneration…

“What the hell…”

Then he noticed something off with his vision. The lights were bothering him. Too much. As if they were at max brightness. He squinted and muttered:

“Why is everything glowing like I’m trapped inside a damn '80s music video?”

He turned toward a mirror beside the bed, half-covered by a sheet. He stretched as far as he could and pulled the fabric off with his teeth. What he saw froze him in place.

His eyes. They weren’t brown.

They were gold.

Not “honey-colored,” not “amber.” Metallic gold, as if someone had poured molten metal into his irises. They glowed even under the room’s dim light.

“…This is a sick joke,” he whispered, horrified. “Did Lute drug me and swap my eyes because I lost a bet?”

His heart pounding, he looked down at his torso. The medical uniform was unbuttoned halfway. Between his collarbone and left pec… a mark. A golden tattoo, shaped like a circle fractured by lines that resembled an alien constellation. It didn’t hurt. It didn’t burn. It was just there, as if it had always been part of him.

And the worst part: it faintly glowed, like it was pulsing.

Adam was silent for a few seconds. Then he dropped his head back onto the pillow with a loud sigh.

“Okay. I’m dreaming. Or I’m dead. Or I’ve been abducted and this is some intergalactic soap opera. Next thing you know, someone walks in and tells me I’m the chosen one of a galactic empire and I have to reproduce with a sexy alien.”

The door opened.

“You’re awake, Adam?!” Lute entered wearing her lab coat half on, not bothering to shut the door behind her. She was carrying a tablet and a bag of snacks.

“Thank heavens! Now I can ignore you again without guilt,” Adam said with a fake look of relief.

Lute frowned and quickly approached. Her eyes scanned his face carefully. She stopped.

“…Your eyes.”

Adam looked away, uncomfortable. He touched the bridge of his nose.

“Yes, I know. I’m fabulous. As always. But this time... with luxury bling.”

Lute didn’t laugh. She leaned closer. Lifted her tablet and started scanning him without asking.

“This isn’t normal, Adam. None of this is. Your body is in perfect health. You’ve never been like this. And that mark on your chest... no one on the team put it there.”

“Yeah, I noticed, thanks. I woke up with a freaking golden glyph embedded next to my heart and no one knows how it got there. Super comforting, Lute. Really makes me want to keep traveling through space.”

Lute straightened and crossed her arms.

“Do you remember anything?”

Adam went quiet. A vague memory flickered in his mind, like a spark lit in smoke. A gaze. Golden eyes. A short figure, cloaked. A voice speaking to him… in a language he didn’t understand… and then… heat. A kiss.

He absentmindedly touched his lips.

Lute noticed.

“What was that?”

“…I don’t know. Maybe a dream. Or something I saw before passing out. But it doesn’t make sense.”

She watched him in silence, evaluating. She didn’t push. She quietly put the tablet away.

“Well, get ready. They’re expecting you for a more formal medical interview. And Alastor came to ask you questions. He’s snooping around everywhere. So if you’re gonna lie, make it stylish.”

“Alastor?” Adam groaned with a long sigh. “Great! Just what I needed. An interview with a psycho reporter with a vintage radio voice and a serial killer smile.”

“Welcome back, princess,” Lute said, tossing him the white coat. “You’re glowing.”

Adam sat on the cot, the coat in his hands, the mirror still in front of him.

His golden eyes stared back.

And something deep in his chest… hummed.

As if he wasn’t alone.

---

●◉◎◈◎◉●

The Earth city stretched before him like a gray blot on the horizon. From the rooftop of an abandoned building, Lucifer stared at the overcast sky with a bored expression. His silhouette, draped in dark layers that shimmered faintly with Zyphirian bioluminescence, contrasted against the filthy, faded world around him.

A sharp whistle forced him to bring the respirator to his nose. He inhaled deeply, as if sipping through a damaged straw. He coughed. Twice. Three times. He leaned on the metal railing and let out a long nasal groan.

“Ugh… For all the stars! This planet stinks!!”

“Should I prepare the ship to return?” asked a calm voice behind him.

Lucifer didn’t turn immediately. He simply extended a hand, his slender, ringed fingers waving in the air as if shooing away a ridiculous idea.

“No, no, no. What a rude suggestion, Arzel. I just marked my queen. Do you think I’m going to abandon him now, just as he starts to shine?”

Arzel—his loyal subordinate, now in human form—stood a few meters behind, wearing a long black coat and slicked-back white hair, perfectly disguised to go unnoticed. But his eyes still glowed iridescently, barely masked by opaque contacts.

“We could have waited for him to wake up before marking him, Your Majesty.”

The king’s cheeks visibly glowed pinker than before.

“Don’t look at me like that, Arzel! It was a beautiful moment, don’t you think?”

“You fell on top of him after tripping over a rock,” Arzel corrected flatly, without looking up from his screen.

“Technicalities! What matters is that I kissed him! Well… sort of. I marked him with dignity and elegance and… and…”

Arzel simply blinked, choosing to ignore that new information.

“The mark is reacting. His body is mutating faster than expected,” he reported in a neutral tone while consulting a floating alien tablet. The device hovered lightly between his hands, projecting data in Zyphirian script. “His metabolism doubled. His immune system has eliminated all human toxins. He even regenerated a fractured rib.”

“Fractured?” Lucifer slowly turned, dramatically leaning on the railing. “My Adam broke a rib? Oh no! That wasn’t in the script. I wanted our story to begin with kisses and fireworks, not with cracking bones!”

Arzel raised a brow, patient.

“He was unconscious longer than calculated. Perhaps the transfer was too intense.”

Lucifer ignored him, walking toward him with purposeful steps, his cloak billowing like a living shadow with each motion. He stopped right in front of Arzel, lifting his chin.

“Too intense? My dear Arzel… I am intensity. I can’t apologize for that!”

He made an exaggerated bow and spun on his heel.

“Besides, did you see him? When he opened his eyes? Gold like the twin moons of Zekhar, reflecting the power flowing inside him. He’s beautiful. Like a cursed jewel. And he’s mine.”

“Technically, he hasn’t accepted you as his mate,” Arzel noted coolly.

Lucifer placed a hand over his heart, dramatically.

“Oh, Arzel! Always so literal. The mark chose him. I chose him. The universe just needs to catch up.”

Another coughing fit interrupted him. This time, he doubled over, struggling to breathe. Arzel moved to support him, but Lucifer raised a threatening finger.

“No. Don’t touch me. I’m fine.”

As he recovered, Arzel looked out at the city in silence.

“What now? The Council is watching us. If they discover we invaded a class-C planet without authorization…”

“They can choke on their own tentacles. I am the Council. And this planet now has a new future!” Lucifer pointed to the sky. “One bathed in gold, neon lights, and heavy rock. Because Adam will be my queen, and this—his living crown.”

“And if he refuses?”

Lucifer’s glowing eyes met his. But not with anger—with hunger.

“Then I’ll make saying no… impossible.”

Arzel didn’t reply. He only nodded, mildly resigned.

Lucifer turned toward the city again, a crooked smile on his pale face.

“Prepare my next human disguise. I want something… imposing, but cozy. Like a mysterious scientist with a charming smile. Adam won’t know what hit him… until I’m inside his heart. Or his bed. Whichever comes first.”

The mist enveloped the rooftop, and with a sharp hum, the camouflage hologram activated. Within seconds, they vanished without a trace.

Only a faint scent of strange perfume remained… and the echo of playful laughter in the fog.

Chapter 2: ᑕᕼᗩᑭ丅ᗴᖇ 2

 

The press room was white, sterile, and excessively bright. Adam had been in a bad mood since the moment he walked in. He slouched into the black armchair wearing tinted glasses they’d given him for his sensitive eyes, a leather jacket open over a wrinkled T-shirt with the logo of a fictional band: “The Intergalactic Bastards.”

“How long is this going to take?” he muttered, rubbing his temple with irritation.

“As long as your ego takes to answer, darling.”
A soft, sing-song voice with an unnaturally melodic tone interrupted him from the shadows.

Adam turned his head, frowning.
“Who the hell…?”

Emerging from the back was Alastor. Smiling. Impeccably dressed in a deep red suit, holding a decorative cane he clearly didn’t need. A camera followed him, along with a microphone that seemed to have teeth… or at least, Adam thought he saw teeth for a second.

“Good afternoon, my dear space hero! I’m Alastor, your favorite reporter! And we’re live, by the way.”

Adam blinked slowly behind his dark glasses.
“‘Live’? Whose dumb idea was that? I just got back from a damn out-of-body experience, bro.”

“Exactly why we’re all so thrilled!” Alastor’s grin somehow widened, which seemed physically impossible. “Come on, tell us. What did it feel like to touch the surface of a new planet? Did it smell like radioactive blue cheese? Did a rock talk to you? Did you become one with the universe?”

“…What?” Adam let out a sarcastic laugh. “Who pays you to ask this crap? Netflix?”

“The truth, Mr. Adam. And the morbid curiosity of millions of bored viewers.”
The reporter leaned forward, a faint unnatural gleam flashing in his eyes.
“Tell me, when they found you… you had marks on your body. How do you explain that?”

Adam’s smile slowly faded.
“And how the hell do you know that?”

Alastor spun theatrically, never taking his eyes off him.
“Let’s just say I have… sources. Very close to the hospital, by the way. Or maybe Charlie slipped up and told me over coffee?”

Adam leaned back further into the chair, arms crossed, radiating hostility.
“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. Maybe it was a rash. Or someone tattooed me while I was unconscious. Nurses have a weird sense of humor these days.”

“And the golden eyes?”

Adam stiffened.
“Contact lenses! Cosplay! Never been to a convention?”

Alastor watched him in silence. His smile remained, but for a moment his eyes weren’t amused. They were… observant.

“Do you remember everything that happened up there?” he asked, surprisingly gently.

Adam stared at him for a moment. Then looked away.
“…No. Just flashes. Weird lights. Something floating. And… heat. Like someone touching my soul. Really cheesy. Ugh.”

“And didn’t you feel like you were… being watched?”

Adam didn’t respond. He just shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“Did you know your heart rate tripled during the last two minutes before you collapsed?” Alastor said, pulling out a small tablet from his coat. “I have access to your biomedical monitor. They lent it to me. For journalistic purposes, of course.”

“What the hell…?” Adam stood up abruptly. “Are you insane or something? Who the hell authorized you to snoop through my data?”

“Oh, you don’t need to know that. Just smile for the camera, Adam. The world wants to see what the first human marked by an unknown entity looks like.”

Adam froze.
“Marked…?”

Alastor watched him with that eternal grin. But his voice changed. Lower. More serious. More unsettling.

“You were chosen. By something, or someone. And you have no idea what you did to deserve it.”

A shiver ran down Adam’s spine, and it had nothing to do with the air conditioning.

“The interview’s over,” he growled. “Get out before I launch that camera into Jupiter’s orbit.”

Alastor laughed heartily, as if someone had just told him a great joke.

“Ah, that rocky humor of rockstars… Never disappoints.”

And with one last mocking bow, he vanished through the door, whistling an old tune that, for some reason, sounded dangerously familiar.

Adam was left alone, fists clenched. His chest burned with an inexplicable feeling. Like the interview had stirred something… that he wasn’t ready to admit yet.

●◉◎◈◎◉●

Adam stormed out of the recording studio, cursing under his breath with enough venom to make a priest cry. He tore off the glasses and stuffed them into his jacket pocket, rubbing his golden eyes as if he could scrub the glow away.

“Damn Alastor… damn NASA… damn glowy tattoo that can’t decide if it wants to stick around…”

“Everything alright, space star?”

Adam jumped and turned. Charlie stood at the side door, her blonde hair braided into a high ponytail, smiling calmly. She held a tablet, a folder full of notes… and a double caramel frappuccino.

“Oh great. Another chaos agent in human form,” Adam huffed. “Here to ask if I spoke to God or merged with a rock?”

“No,” Charlie said, walking toward him. “Just came to give you this.” She held out the frappuccino.

Adam blinked, suspicious.
“Is there something in this?”

“Just caffeine. Lots of it. Figured you might need it after dealing with Alastor.”

“Thanks…” Adam took it reluctantly, then sipped. His eyes closed.
“Damn, this stuff really does make existence feel worth it again.”

Charlie smiled and sat beside him on the bench. They were in a small outdoor patio within the NASA complex. The sunset light fell softly on their faces. For a moment, there was silence.

“You’re different since you came back,” she finally said, gently.

“Wow, is that a compliment or a threat?”

“Neither. Just… an observation. You used to talk more. Laugh. Tease the other astronauts by calling them ‘cosmic nerds’ and stick gum in the automatic door sensors.”

“Wow, someone kept an Adam diary. Creepy.”

Charlie didn’t flinch.
“Want to tell me what you saw out there?”

Adam stared down at his frappuccino.
“No.”

Charlie nodded, no pressure.

“And the eyes?”

Adam frowned.
“What about them?”

“They glow.”

“They don’t glow. They’re… golden. Weird radiation effect, probably. Who hasn’t had irreversible eye changes from a nameless planet?”

“It’s like you carry light inside,” she said with a smile. “Reminds me of a lava lamp. Pretty and strangely unsettling.”

“Yeah, great. I love compliments that make me feel like a display pet.”

Charlie looked down, then up again, a flicker of genuine concern in her eyes.

“Are you scared?”

Adam took a moment to answer.
“…I don’t know. Sometimes it feels like someone’s still watching me. Like something stuck to me. Like… a shadow behind my eyelids.”

“And the mark?”

Adam couldn’t help but touch his neck. He could feel it… a shape that pulsed faintly, like it had its own heartbeat. It wasn’t always there. It appeared when he least expected it—and burned.

“No idea. Maybe I accidentally married a planet. Signed something on the wrong rock.”

Charlie chuckled briefly, then looked at him with tenderness.

“Whatever it is… if you’re tangled in something weird, you’re not alone. I’ve got you, you know? Me and Lute. Even if we’re just cosmic nerds with terrible jokes.”

Adam tilted his head.
“You’re not that nerdy.”

“Thanks,” she smiled. “And you?”

“Me what?”

“Are you okay? Really?”

Adam took another sip of his drink. Then glanced sideways at her.
“I’m uncomfortable, Char.”

“That’s a start. We can work with that.”

They stayed there a while longer, in silence. The sun dipped lower in the sky, painting it with oranges and pinks. The breeze blew gently, and for a second, Adam felt like everything was normal. Even though he knew it wasn’t.

Not when, in his mind, he could still hear that unintelligible voice… whispering things he couldn’t translate, but that made his skin tingle with anticipation.

And somewhere, far, far away… someone else was smiling.

Chapter 3: ᑕᕼᗩᑭ丅ᗴᖇ 3

The automatic doors of the research wing slid open with a soft hum. A slim man of modest height stepped firmly across the threshold. He wore a white suit with clean lines, discreet golden details tracing the edges of the collar and sleeves. Every movement was precise, measured.

The new scientist assigned to Project Ignis paused for a moment to observe his surroundings. The lab’s metallic walls were lined with active screens, and the air carried that unmistakable scent of ozone and tirelessly running machinery. His face remained calm, partially covered by reading glasses that were clearly functional at a glance.

“Doctor Luzbel,” said a female voice from the end of the hallway. “I’m Lute, team commander.”

She approached without showing any emotion. Her pilot uniform was perfectly aligned, and her straight posture gave the impression of someone who tolerated neither disorder nor incompetence.

“Commander,” Luzbel replied with a slight nod. “A pleasure to be here.”

“We were informed you'd be joining the team, but we didn’t expect you today. We’re not exactly known for welcoming outside help so easily. Your record is... peculiar.”

“I’ve worked with several atmospheric exploration and decoding programs,” Luzbel said, his tone unchanged. “I thought it would be helpful to assist with the analysis of the mineral found on the unidentified planet.”

“We’ll see if that’s the case.”

Before she could continue, the sound of heavy footsteps interrupted from the side hallway.

“Charlie, shit, I told you—no more interviews! I can barely get any sleep as it is, and now this...”

Adam appeared, walking with a deep frown, holding an electronic tablet against his chest. His expression was heavy with irritation. Halfway down the hall, he stopped upon noticing the new arrival.

“Who’s that?”

Lute turned slightly.

“The new scientist assigned to the team. Luzbel.”

Adam slowly lowered the tablet, studying the man before him. His gaze scanned the details of the suit, the glasses, the posture. There was something... odd. Not about his appearance, but about the way the air seemed to grow heavier between them.

Luzbel carefully removed his glasses. His eyes were blue—not like a beautiful sky, but duller, less bright. Still, something in that gaze caused a slight shiver to run through Adam, though he didn’t know why.

“So, you’re Adam,” said Luzbel, his voice deeper than one might expect. “The astronaut who discovered the mineral.”

“Yeah. Did they tell you that in the report, or do you like digging around on your own?”

Luzbel didn’t answer right away.

“Both. It’s a unique case. A human making direct contact with an unknown compound and returning... changed.”

Adam narrowed his eyes.

“I don’t consider myself changed. I’m just dealing with some minor side effects.”

Charlie appeared just behind Adam, greeting them with a polite smile.

“Doctor Luzbel, welcome. I’m Charlie. I work with the atmospheric analysis team. It’s an honor to have you with us.”

“The honor is mine.” Luzbel nodded, without breaking eye contact with Adam.

Charlie noticed the silence between the two and looked from one to the other, not quite understanding the tension in the air.

Adam looked away, uncomfortable. He stepped back.

“I need to get back to my analyses. Lute, let me know if there are any protocol changes.”

“I will.”

Adam left without another word. Charlie watched him go, then turned to Luzbel.

“He’s a bit rough at first, but once he warms up to you, he’s more approachable. Lately though... he’s been more distant.”

Luzbel didn’t respond. He turned toward the hallway where Adam had disappeared and stood silently for a moment.

“I know,” he murmured, barely audible.

Lute, who had been silently watching everything, stepped closer.

“I’ll say this only once,” she said in a low voice. “Don’t interfere with Adam. Whatever your purpose here is, keep your distance. He’s been through enough already.”

Luzbel glanced at her from the corner of his eye. His lips curved slightly.

“I have no intention of harming him, Commander.”

“Sometimes, intention isn’t enough.”

And with that, Lute walked away, leaving Luzbel alone in the hallway, silver lights glinting off his lenses.

With no one else around, he took a deep breath… or tried to. A sudden cough shook his body, and he quickly brought a small device to his nose. It filtered the oxygen with a soft hum, helping him stabilize.

“This planet is a constant poison…” he whispered to himself. “But I won’t leave without you.”

His blue eyes fixed on the direction Adam had taken.

“Not even if the air kills me.”

●◉◎◈◎◉●

Rain pounded insistently against the observatory’s glass, creating a constant, almost hypnotic murmur. Outside, the research center’s lights barely pierced the mist enveloping the facilities. Inside, the silence was interrupted only by the soft hum of monitors and the intermittent drip of a misaligned pipe.

Adam stood by one of the tables, reviewing his analyses for the third time that night. His fingers moved quickly across the tablet, comparing data sequences, a persistent crease etched between his brows.

Behind him, a familiar voice broke the stillness.

“You haven’t slept, have you?”

Adam didn’t reply right away. He simply lifted his chin slightly, eyes still on the screen.

“I haven’t been able to. Something’s off in the sample records I brought. The mineral’s structure subtly changes with each scan. It’s like it’s adapting… or reacting to something I don’t understand.”

Lute entered with steady steps, arms crossed as she approached. Her expression was controlled, but the shadows under her eyes betrayed her exhaustion.

“It could be residual radiation, or some interference from the trip. Why don’t you bring it up to Luzbel?”

Adam finally looked at her. The room seemed to tense with that single motion.

“Do you trust him?”

Lute observed him for a moment, weighing the question with the same cold logic she used to evaluate an entry orbit.

“Not entirely,” she admitted. “His credentials are impeccable, but no one at the base had heard of him before he was assigned to the project. And that’s not normal. This mission is under intense scrutiny. We’re not supposed to take in anyone without a record verified through the usual channels.”

Adam nodded, as if that confirmed what he already feared.

“When I saw him today... I had the feeling he knew me. Not in the casual sense. It felt personal. Like he’d already been... close to me before.”

“You think he already knows about that planet?”

“I don’t know,” Adam admitted, glancing back at the analyses. “But there’s something in the way he looks at me. It gives me the creeps.” He paused for a second. “Like he already knows what I am.”

Lute frowned.

“And what are you, Adam?”

He was silent for several seconds. His hand unconsciously touched the bandage hidden under his collar, where he still sometimes felt warmth. That place where the tattoo appeared and disappeared without reason.

“I don’t know,” he said at last, voice low. “Since I came back, I’ve had dreams I don’t understand. I see a figure in the mist. Strange things. Words in a language I don’t recognize. I feel... like part of me is still trapped there. Or didn’t make it back.”

Lute stepped a bit closer, lowering her voice.

“If someone’s connected to that, we’ll find out. But you need to stay calm. We can’t accuse anyone without proof.”

“I know,” Adam whispered. “But I’m scared. Not for me. For what might happen if we don’t act in time.”

Lute placed a firm hand on his shoulder, like someone bracing a comrade before a storm.

“You’re not alone. I’ve got your back.”

Adam finally looked at her and nodded. Silence returned, but now it was heavier. Laden with quiet understanding.

Lute withdrew her hand and walked toward the door.

“Get at least an hour of rest. I’m going to check Luzbel’s full records. Maybe we missed something.”

As she was about to leave, Adam spoke again.

“Lute... if something happens to me. If I start acting strange... promise me you’ll do what’s necessary.”

She stopped without turning. Her fingers tightened slightly on the doorframe.

“I won’t let you be lost, Adam.”

Then she disappeared into the hallway, leaving Adam alone with his doubts, the soft glow of his tablet… and the persistent memory of eyes that should never have recognized him.

 

●◉◎◈◎◉●

 

Adam’s room was cloaked in shadows.
The automatic blinds allowed only a faint strip of pale light to filter in from outside, where the sky was still heavy with clouds. The station wasn’t entirely asleep, but the hallway lights had dimmed under the nighttime protocol. A dense silence enveloped everything.

Adam shifted restlessly in bed. He was breathing heavily. It wasn’t physical… it was deeper, like something was squeezing him from the inside. He felt watched, even now. Even alone.

He opened his eyes.

The first sensation was cold. The second, burning. A sharp sting on his left cheek, like something was being drawn into his skin with invisible fire.

He bolted upright. The sheets fell to the side. His breathing quickened as he felt the same sensation he'd experienced on his neck days before: that vibrant heat tracing an exact line on his skin, like something activating beneath it.

He ran to the bathroom.

He turned on the light and lifted his face to the mirror. What he saw made his stomach knot.

There it was. A fine, golden line, shining like molten metal, crossing his left cheekbone down almost to the corner of his lips. It didn’t look painted, or tattooed. It was something more organic… as if his skin had generated it from within.

He blinked, leaning in carefully. He touched the mark. It didn’t hurt. But he felt a slight tingling. A muted vibration, like a distant memory trying to surface in his mind.

—“What… what the hell is this?”

The question came out through clenched teeth, barely audible. His heart pounded. Every part of his brain screamed for a logical, scientific, measurable explanation. But he had none.

He stumbled back to the bedroom in the dark, eventually finding Lute’s emergency case —one she left behind in case he ever needed to hide or cover up a scratch. High-coverage makeup, designed for extreme conditions. Adam never thought he’d use it.

In front of the mirror again, he applied a thick base with trembling hands. The mark disappeared beneath the even layer. One more test, once it dried. No golden glint peeked through. He exhaled, relieved.

But only for a second.

Because he knew it was still there. That line wasn’t part of his skin… it was part of something else.

He placed his palms on the edge of the sink, lowering his head. His reflection stared back —normal, human— but he didn’t feel that way.

—“I’m not going crazy…” he whispered, though even he didn’t sound convinced. “I’m not going crazy.”

The buzz of his tablet vibrating on the table snapped him from the trance. He walked over. A short message from Lute:

“Meeting in 10 minutes. Don’t be late. And please, act normal.”

Adam let out a dry laugh.

“Act normal.”

What even was normal, when you woke up with a goddamn alien rune tattooed on your face?

He turned off the screen.

Straightened his posture. Took a deep breath.

Back to the mirror. Checked that everything was well-covered. Apparently, it was.

But deep in his mind, something kept whispering.

---

●◉◎◈◎◉●

The private lab NASA had assigned to “Luzbel” was, compared to the others, far too clean. Too organized. Too quiet.
And he hated it.

Lucifer —wrapped in his human disguise, pale skin and perfectly rounded glasses he didn’t actually need— leaned over the main console. The screen projected a secretly captured image from the security ducts: Adam, applying makeup in front of the mirror, his face tense, his breath uneven.

Lucifer stared without blinking.

The new mark was bigger.

More visible.

More undeniable.

And, above all, more dangerous.

—“This… wasn’t part of the original design,” he muttered under his breath, hoarse voice barely audible, as if afraid someone might hear him —even here, completely alone.

He didn’t dare touch the screen, but his hand trembled near its edge. At the center, Adam raised his head, covering the symbol with a thick layer of foundation. The image froze just as his golden eyes reflected back at him, confused, in the mirror.

Lucifer closed his own.

He remembered the exact moment he had marked him. On that planet, under radioactive mist, when Adam’s warmth reached him through the spacesuit. It had been a visceral decision, impulsive, egocentric. A way to claim something beautiful, something pure, as his own.

Or at least… that’s how he had made it seem.

The truth, of course, was far more absurd.

He had tripped.
On a rock, of all possible things.
A poorly placed stone on the floating platform had made him lose his balance just as he approached the human for closer inspection. Reaching out to steady himself, he ended up grabbing Adam’s cheeks, and by sheer inertia —reflex, maybe? embarrassment?— their lips had met.

A stupidly well-timed accident.

But he had masked it perfectly, of course. As if it had been part of his great plan all along: mark him. Claim him. Bind him with that kiss.

In Zyphirian culture, the marking kiss wasn’t just affection: it was a biological catalyst. The saliva of a Zyphirian with intent to mark mixed with the latent Zyphirian energy inside the chosen human, provoking a symbiotic fusion. The golden marks sprouting on the skin were manifestations of that bond. They weren’t symbols… they were roots.

“An unspoken contract.”

“A promise of union.”

“An irreversible sentence.”

Lucifer had planned none of it.

And yet, here they were.

The mark was growing. Sinuous. Restless. Rebellious. And with it… the imbalance. The invisible line between control and chaos. Between play and affection. Between him and Adam.

It shouldn’t matter.

But it was starting to hurt.

He had bound Adam to himself. But he hadn’t foreseen how the human body would react so erratically to Zyphirian symbology. The runes weren’t just symbolic links. They were ancient, alive… and fed on what they touched.

Adam was brilliant, yes. But also fragile.

Lucifer stepped back.

He coughed.

Earth’s air slashed at his throat again like dry blades. Quickly, he raised the silver device to his nose, inhaling through the special filter. The pressure in his chest eased —just enough for him to breathe.

—“This planet is a glorified dumpster,” he muttered, looking back at the screen. “But you… you make it tolerable.”

Adam was closing the makeup lid. His face looked like always: arrogant, attractive, controlled.

But Lucifer could see it.
The insecurity behind his eyes.
The quiet panic in each movement.
The doubt beginning to consume him.

And that… hurt.

Lucifer dropped into the metal chair. His horns —invisible to humans— vibrated under his disguise. He wanted to go to him. Wanted to tell him everything was okay, that he wasn’t going to die, that the marks wouldn’t destroy him… that Lucifer would protect him from everything.

But he couldn’t.

Because he was the one who chained him.

—“Maybe it was a mistake…” he whispered, without conviction.

Deep in his mind, he heard the echo of his own laughter that night. Remembered whispering to Adam in Zyphirian, caressing his face with devotion:

“You will be mine… until the sun ceases to burn.”

Lucifer clenched his fists.

Now, staring at the screen, everything felt different. His pride mixed with something that tasted like guilt. And that was not something he —the king of the Zyphirians, the proudest creature of his kind— was prepared to admit.

—“I’m sorry, Adam…” he murmured. “But if I touch you again now… I’ll finish breaking you.”

And yet, in his sapphire eyes, a flicker of uncontrollable desire gleamed. Because the mark called to him too. It connected them.
Every time Adam breathed in fear… Lucifer felt it.
Every time Adam asked what was happening to him… Lucifer knew the answer.

And that connection was too sweet to break.

Lucifer closed the files, leaving the room in shadows once again. The air thickened. His human figure began to dissolve slowly. The artificial skin, the glasses, the carefully styled hair… all faded, revealing his true form for a few seconds.

Smaller, more slender. A dark silhouette with glowing edges, and golden eyes sharp as blades.

—“I can’t stop now.”

With a flick of his hand, a new image appeared in the air.

It was Adam.
Asleep.

And over his chest, a new mark was beginning to form.

Chapter 4: ᑕᕼᗩᑭ丅ᗴᖇ 4

The morning light filtered through the metal blinds of his room and hit him straight in the face, forcing him to squint. Adam groaned. His head felt like someone had installed a heavy rock band inside it—kick drum, bass, distortion and all.

He sat up in bed, rubbing his face. The sensation wasn’t just physical. Something... was pressing down on him. A strange pressure behind his eyes, on his neck, in his chest. Not quite pain, but a contained energy, like a drum resonating from within.

"That damn weird dream again," he muttered.

He stood up, staggering, and dragged his feet to the bathroom mirror. He leaned in toward his reflection.

And he saw it.

A golden line, thin but intense, ran down his left cheekbone like a brushstroke of fire. It wasn’t paint. It wasn’t something that could be washed off with cold water or scrubbed away with soap. It was part of his skin, as if it had always been there.

"Shit, it wasn’t a dream—"

Adam froze for a few seconds. He didn’t move or breathe.
Then, with military speed, he opened the drawer and pulled out Lute’s makeup case. He wasn’t going to panic. He wasn’t going to scream. He wasn’t going to ruin his image over a damn mark.

"Chill, champ... you’ve gotten through worse. This is just... an involuntary fashion trend."

He carefully applied foundation, then concealer, a bit of powder and setting spray. The mark vanished under perfectly blended layers. Nothing betrayed the glow. Nothing cracked his composure.

"Perfect." He winked at himself in the mirror, though the reflection didn’t quite give back his usual confidence.

Still... he felt better. In a strange way, that pressure in his mind, though unsettling, also gave him clarity. He could feel the rhythm of his body more sharply. His thoughts were faster. His body, lighter. As if a part of him was... sharpened, focused.

"I don’t know what the hell is going on, but I won’t let it mess with my head," he told himself, smoothing his hair.

He raised his chin. His reflection looked magnificent again.

"I’m Adam, damn it. I paint my face and paint my ego every single day. This is no different. Whatever’s marking me... picked the wrong bastard to mess with."

And with that fiery conviction—and flawless makeup—he walked out of the room as if nothing were happening.

 

●◉◎◈◎◉●

 

The white studio lights lit up with a soft hum. The cameras floated, suspended by magnetic stabilizers, following Adam as he settled into the main chair, his face perfectly made up and his body wrapped in a tight NASA suit with some stylish touches he’d personally requested. He was in control. He was in his element.

"Smile for the stars, Adam," he whispered to himself, as an assistant counted down from five with her fingers.

Then, live, he appeared on the screens of millions.

"Good morning, viewers! Today we have with us the man of the hour, the first astronaut to approach the mysterious floating mineral of the unnamed Alpha-Zeta planet. Please welcome Adam!" announced the host, with an almost robotic enthusiasm.

Pre-recorded applause echoed from the speakers. Adam smiled smugly, crossing one leg over the other.

"Well, it’s about time someone sexy made history in science." He laughed, delighted to hear his own voice.

The interview went on with flashes and shallow questions. He answered with his trademark humor and charming arrogance. He felt good. Radiant. It was his moment... until the atmosphere shifted with a simple crackle of static.

"Excuse me..." said a new voice, cutting through the conversation like a sharp knife. "I have more interesting questions for Mr. Astronaut."

A slender figure emerged from the shadows of the set, as if he’d always been there. In a dark red suit, cane in hand and a frozen smile, Alastor walked in gracefully without asking for permission.

"Who let him in?" the host whispered, paling.

"Isn’t that...?" Adam narrowed his eyes.

"Alastor, journalist of depth and design," he said with a graceful tip of an invisible hat. "Delighted to see you again, Adam. A pleasure to observe you so... closely."

"I can’t tell if that was a compliment or a threat."

"Oh, both things can coexist." He smiled with perfectly aligned teeth, then leaned slightly toward him. "What exactly did you feel when you touched the rock? Did you hear anything? See shapes? Any hallucinations, perhaps? A nightmare?"

Adam blinked, uneasy for the first time in days.

"What are you implying?"

"Nothing, dear. Only that the change is obvious. In your eyes. In the way you speak. In your posture. You seem... touched by something more than science." Alastor tilted his head, his voice lowering. "Or is it that you don’t remember?"

Adam swallowed hard. His back tensed.

But before he could respond, a metallic clank broke the silence: Lute was approaching with firm steps, her military jacket open and her eyes sharp as blades on Alastor.

"Do you have permission to be here?" she asked coldly.

"Ah? What a serious presence. I like it. Are you security?"

"No, I’m worse. I’m his shadow. And if you keep pestering him with unfiltered questions, I swear you’ll swallow your microphone."

Alastor let out a nasal laugh and stepped back with a theatrical gesture.

"Oh, I meant no offense. Just a bit of quality journalism... you know, in these disposable news times."

"Dispose of yourself," Lute replied. "Now."

Alastor gave Adam a mocking bow.

"We’ll meet again, shooting star."

And he vanished among the technical crew, as if he’d never been there.

Adam exhaled slowly. Only then did he realize he had been holding his breath.

"Thanks... for that."

Lute crossed her arms, serious.

"What was all that, Adam?"

"I don’t know. But that guy knew something. And... he saw too much." He lowered his gaze.

"I saw too much this morning too. I’m not stupid, Adam." Her voice softened. "How much longer are you going to hide things from me?"

Adam didn’t respond. But for the first time, he let his mask of confidence crack a little. Just for a second.

Lute sighed.

"Fine. Doesn’t matter. You can keep lying to me, but at least promise you won’t give that guy anything else."

"I swear."

"Good. Because if I catch you stuttering again, I’ll erase him from the map."

And with that, she walked away, leaving Adam alone in front of his distorted reflection on one of the darkened monitors. His makeup was still perfect.
But his eyes no longer seemed entirely his own.

 

●◉◎◈◎◉●

 

The meeting room was a glass cube suspended on the upper floor of the Space Center. From there, you could see the hangars, the laboratories, and even the launch platforms. The sunset light bathed everything in a soft orange hue, as if the world were slowly fading out.

Charlie held a folder full of papers she kept flipping through, even though she wasn’t really reading. Her fingers tapped against the table.

Adam entered with a relaxed stride, although inside he still felt the persistent buzzing in his head. He didn’t know if it was the mark… or just the pressure.

“You called me?” he asked, sitting down across from her.

Charlie looked up. Her large, expressive eyes shimmered with a mix of excitement and worry.

“Yes. I wanted to talk to you… alone.” She smiled, a bit nervously. “Is that okay?”

“Sure. As long as you don’t ask me to sign more autographs, everything’s fine.”

Charlie chuckled softly, but didn’t fall for the joke.

“You’ve been on every media outlet, Adam. News, interviews, even memes. You’re the first real astronaut influencer.”

“I’m not sure if that’s an insult or a promotion.”

“It’s a warning.” Charlie leaned slightly toward him. “You’re being watched by many eyes—and not all of them are friendly.”

Adam crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair.

“This is about Alastor?”

“Yes… and no.” Charlie looked down. “That guy shows up in places where no one calls him. And he always seems to know more than he should.”

“And what do you think?” Adam asked, fixing his gaze on her. “Do you also think something happened to me out there?”

Charlie stayed silent for a few seconds before replying.

“I think you came back different. But that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.”

Adam frowned.

“‘Different’? How?”

“I don’t know exactly. There’s something in the way you move. In how you avoid touching your face when no one’s watching. In your pauses before answering.” She straightened a bit. “But above all… in your eyes.”

Adam looked down. The pressure in his temple returned with a soft hum. He knew Charlie didn’t mean it in a bad way. But hearing her say it out loud made it feel more real.

“You don’t have to tell me anything,” she added gently. “Just… know that if you ever need to talk—no cameras, no microphones—I’ll be here.”

The silence between them grew thicker, but not uncomfortable. It was an honest pause. One that didn’t require immediate answers.

“Thanks, Charlie.” Adam stood slowly. “For now, I’d rather not think about it.”

“Then think about this: if something is changing you—inside or out… don’t face it alone.”

Adam nodded, walking out with slow steps. As soon as the door closed, Charlie lowered her gaze to the folder.

There was an image inside. A high-resolution snapshot of Adam’s face during the transmission with Alastor. A perfect frame… where the foundation on his right cheek had slightly cracked, revealing something golden glowing underneath.

Charlie closed the folder carefully, though her expression had hardened. She was no longer the sweet girl who had welcomed Adam to NASA.

“What did they do to you out there?” she whispered.

●◉◎◈◎◉●

From the shadow cast by the metallic structures of Hangar Three, Luzbel watched him. Adam, sitting alone on the exterior bench, rubbed his eyes wearily while holding a cup of coffee that must’ve gone cold. The sun was beginning to set, and the station's automatic lights flickered as they switched on.

Luzbel inhaled with difficulty through the small respirator hidden in his neck. Earth’s air was scraping his throat more and more, but he couldn’t leave just yet.

The golden shimmer on Adam’s cheek, though covered by makeup, was still visible at certain angles. Each new mark appeared with more intensity, and that unsettled him.

I shouldn’t have kissed him… not yet, he kept thinking.

He recalled the moment vividly: the imbalance under his feet, the treacherous stone, his hand gripping Adam’s helmet to avoid falling… and their lips meeting unintentionally. It was an accident, but one he disguised with skill. As if it had all been planned. And the instant the contact was made, the mark activated too: burning with invisible intensity, initiating the bond that was still growing inside Adam without his knowledge.

A Zyphirian mark never activated without full consent. But Lucifer’s instinct had overridden that code.

And now it’s destroying him from the inside… he thought, clenching his teeth. And all because? Because you were selfish. Because you saw something beautiful and wanted it just for yourself.

He watched as Adam leaned back, resting against the hangar wall with a resigned gesture. His shoulders, so firm when Luzbel had first seen him, now hung low. A fatigue beyond the physical weighed on him.

He couldn’t keep watching.

Luzbel straightened his back and walked toward him with quiet steps, measuring every stride. Adam looked up as soon as he noticed the shadow.

“Can I sit?” Luzbel asked with a soft smile.

Adam hesitated. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, but finally, he nodded.

“Sure…”

The silence that settled between them was heavy, like freshly woven cloth. Luzbel sat stiffly, pretending to be just another colleague, another human, another scientist with glasses and well-hidden dark circles.

“You look… tired,” he said in a low voice, almost guilty.

“Yeah.” Adam replied without looking at him. “The world suddenly got really loud.”

“Does it bother you, that everyone’s watching you?”

Adam let out a short, bitter laugh.

“No. What bothers me is not knowing what they’re seeing exactly. Like they know something about me that I don’t.”

Luzbel felt a knot in his chest. If only he could tell him the truth… but it wasn’t time. Not yet. He needed more time. He needed to earn his trust.

“Maybe it’s not as bad as you think,” he murmured. “Sometimes the body changes because… the mind is trying to protect itself.”

Adam finally looked at him. His golden eyes flashed under the artificial light, and Luzbel held his breath.

“And what do you know about that?” Adam asked, with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

Luzbel smiled, glancing away.

“More than it seems.”

Another silence. This one not as uncomfortable… just dense. As if they shared the same invisible room neither dared to explore.

“I have trouble sleeping,” Adam suddenly confessed. “There’s a buzzing in my head. I don’t know if it’s stress, panic… or something else.”

“Terror?” Luzbel ventured.

“No.” Adam shook his head. “Curiosity.”

That disarmed him. It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t hatred. It was… curiosity. A fire still burning inside Adam, despite everything.

Luzbel felt like he could breathe more freely. That small crack was enough to keep getting closer.

“If you ever want to talk,” he finally said, standing gently, “Outside the labs, no recorders, no witnesses… you can find me.”

Adam watched him for a few seconds. Then nodded.

“Maybe I will.”

And Luzbel walked away. But inside, something had changed. It was no longer just a game. No longer just possession.

Now, he wanted to win his love… even if he had to do it as Luzbel, the clumsy human with glasses. Even if it broke his heart every time he saw Adam hiding the marks he himself had left on him.

 

 

Notes:

This is a UA that I have created myself, so any details, questions or doubts you may have, please let me know in the comments.