the blood of the covenant runs thicker than the water of the womb

by cj_inky

Summary:

Maren Vera had always tried to be a good kid in life. She got almost straight As, went to church on Sunday, and Tuesday for choir rehearsals, danced her heart out for almost 5 hours a day, and yet?

It was never enough.

But when Maren dies in a school shooting, she ends up in the least place she expected. Hell. So what's a girl to do?

Well, try to get redeemed of course!

Chapter 1: Welcome to The Hotel!

The last thing Maren remembered was the door opening.

No.

Scratch that.

She saw the man, walking into the classroom. She felt the bulletproof backpack in front of her, inches away. She smelt the blood in the air of the other students already dead.

And Maren was one of that number.

When her eyes opened, Maren felt her head pang. She was still sitting on the ground. She could see the road in front of her - hold on. She was in the road?! Maren ran off to the side, panting on the side of the sidewalk as she narrowly missed the truck flying down the road.

Looking around, only then did it hit Maren, she wasn't on Earth. The individuals walking around weren't human, varying from “Yeah, they look human”, to “WHY IS THEIR ANATOMY LIKE THAT!?” Dammit, Maren had just finished learning human anatomy for drawing, and this was going to be so much harder.

Looking down at herself, Maren almost had a heart attack. She had fur covering almost her entire body, and her clothes were definitely different from the ones she was just wearing. To be frank, the knee-high black boots did match the workout skirt she had on (those had been her favorite skirts when she did wear them), and the top she had on was just a black cropped tee with a design of a human ribcage. Those were her favorite set of clothes when she was alive, so, happy those moved on with her at least.

She stood up, (Note to self: Paws and boots aren't the easiest), looking around for someplace to go. Where even was she, anyway? She was about to walk around aimlessly before hearing a TV play an ad.

Come stay at the Hazbin Hotel!

A hotel, huh? She walked towards the TV, standing a few feet away.

Work towards redemption for your soul! You could even get into Heaven! All with free room and meals!

Free room and meals? Redemption? Too good to be true, had to be. Wherever Maren was, it definitely didn't seem all sunshine and lollipops. But the narrator onscreen had mentioned Heaven, so she must be in Hell…

Maren shoved that thought to the back of her mind while she processed this. This part of Hell had a lot of people, most likely adults. Adults who had done things taboo on Earth. Therefore, being out in the open wasn't safe. So, was this the only option she had?

Come to the edge of Pentagram City and see what it's all about!

And the commercial blacked out. Maren looked as far as she could through the buildings to try to find the Hotel she had seen on the ad. When she finally found it, she would guess it would be a 45-minute walk…

Ah, well. Better start moving.

-

Maren did not know paws hurt this badly after walking for literally only 45 minutes. Honestly, she misses her feet. But whatever. Maren walked up the stairs to the hotel, fist hovering right in front of the door. Was this something she'd regret? Was there something in this "Hazbin Hotel" she would end up meeting that cost her after life?

Eh, well, Maren's never been a good decision maker.

She knocked sharply on the door, instinctively following the know she had used for a performance of Frozen.

Knock knock, knock-knock knock!

It took only 1 minute for the door to be opened.

"Oh my gosh, hi! I'm Charlie! Are you here to get redeemed?!"

"Oh, um-" Maren stuttered, her people skills faring miserably, "I was actually wondering about room and food? I'd be willing to work, but I just got down here, so I don't really know all about redemption or that yet-"

"It's okay!" Charlie interrupted, the blonde seeming very excited. Was there not a lot of people that came? If so, why? 

"We can teach you all about what it's like, and I'm sure there's a job for you around here somewhere!" She continued, leading Maren inside, "And everything's recently redone!" Charlie stopped in front of a reception desk, pulling out a clipboard. "Just a few basic questions! We don't want any allergic reactions around here, and we also want to make sure your stay here is as comfortable as possible!"

Maren grabbed a clipboard, filling out questions that started to seem like a doctor's office visit, to a mental health questionnaire, to a personality test? Yeesh. After a few minutes, Maren handed back the filled out papers, putting the pen back in the jar.

"Alright, let's see what we've got-" Charlie started, reading through the pages, "No allergies, likes hamburgers - wait," Charlie stopped, looking at Maren and then back at the papers again, "You're 15?"

Maren froze. "Is that bad? I can promise you I'm not some sort of teen arsonist, I don't know even why I'm here-"

"No! It's okay actually," Charlie cut off, "We usually dont get kids though, they're shipped up to Heaven... Everyone!" Charlie turned her head, yelling towards the staircase.

Maren realized that Charlie was trying to call everyone down, and immediately felt guilty. "Charlie- they really don't have to-"

"It's okay, we're all a family here, so you need to get welcomed properly!" Charlie responded, putting the clipboard on the desk.

The first to run down was a gray haired girl, hair tied up. Maren thought they looked somewhat like horns, but it was a cute accessory. The red and navy outfit she wore was quite cute, actually.

"Vaggie, this our new guest! Maren!" Charlie introduced as Vaggie ran over.

"Nice to meet you," Vaggie smiled, and Maren returned the sentiment, albeit a bit softer.

The next to come running down the stairs was a white spider-looking demon, clad in a pink and white striped suit. The chest window exposed a lot of fluff, and Maren thought about how soft it was. As the spider walked over, he stuck out his hand.

"Name's Angel Dust. Though ya probably already know that, don't ya?" he declared, smirking.

"No, sorry, I just got down here," Maren awkwardly replied, "What are you famous for?"

"I'm a porn star, sweetheart," Angel replied, "Ya might've seen one of those billboards on your way here?"

Now that Maren thought about it, she might've seen a billboard on the way here with his face on it. Honestly, she couldn't really remember.

"And she is also 15!" Charlie butted in, "So maybe she doesn't know what you're talking about, Angel!"

Maren did know what porn was, but decided not to reply. "Shit, how'd a kid get down here? Did'ya do drugs or somethin'?" Angel questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope!" Maren replied, "I have absolutely no idea how I got down here!"

"Then that should prove quite entertaining!" A voice from behind Maren announced, and she must've jumped at least 2 feet into the air.

"AH HOLY FUCK-"

"And that is our facility manager, Alastor."

"Pleasure to meet you, I must say! Having a child here shall prove to be quite entertaining!" Alastor stuck out a hand to shake, but Vaggie slapped it away before Maren could shake it.

"Don't you dare try to make a deal with her when she just got here! Especially being new to Hell!" Vaggie flared angrily at Alastor.

"What do you mean by deal?" Maren asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Down here, demons make deals, usually for souls, in order for a favor, per se," Angel explained, "They aren't somethin' ya wanna get into if you want to be able to survive down here. Especially not with the Strawberry Pimp over here."

"Strawberry Pimp?" Maren laughed, "Is that what you guys call Alastor?"

"That is what only Angel calls me, and he's not allowed to do either way. But if you start using it, I will tear the meat off your bones until you are nothing but a bag of skin and bones and leave you to rot." Alastor threatened, eyes turning black and irises transforming into radio dials. He hung over an unflinching Maren until he turned back, dusting off his coat. "But I'm sure we won't have any problems!" 

"You're the only problem here, buddy," A voice echoed from the staircase, and Maren saw another demon walking down into the lobby, wearing a white ringleader suit and hat.

"Please, the problem here is the disgrace of having to deal with you," Alastor retorted, neck snapping to an odd angle.

"Hah ha," the white suit demon replied, walking over to Charlie before standing next to her. "Is there something you wanted, Char-Char?"

"Yes, actually-!" Charlie replied, eager to end the fight, "This is Maren. She's our newest guest. Maren, this is my dad, Lucifer."

"Wait-" Maren interjected, "Lucifer. As in?"

"Yep, the Devil from the Bible. Pleasure to meet you," Lucifer greeted, sounding somewhat forced, as if he had to answer that a lot.

"I have so many questions to ask you!" Maren exclaimed, fidgeting with her hands, "I was raised Catholic, but I've always wanted to hear the other side of the story! I know about the whole apple thing, but I'm sure there's more to it!" Maren stopped, and took a deep breath, smile somewhat less. "Sorry, nice to meet you. That was a little much-"

"No, really, it's okay!" Lucifer replied, definitely sounding less forced, "Most down here are-" Lucifer stopped, looking at Maren a little harder. "Not- children?" He questioned.

"Yeah, I've no idea what I did, before you ask. but somehow I'm here, so, yay." Maren admitted, fidgeting with her ring.

"Well, I'm going to get to the bottom of that!" Lucifer announced, turning to his daughter, "Charlie, why don't you have her meet the rest of the guests and go to bed, considering she just died. I'm gonna run back to the estate and see what this is about."

Charlie gave him an okay and a hug before Lucifer disappeared in a shower of sparkles.

"Now, I'd introduce you to Niffty, but she's- somewhere in the walls right now, cleaning," Charlie admitted sheepishly, "And Husk's the one passed out at the bar!" Charlie pointed over the splotch of green, and noticed, yeah, there was someone passed out there.

"Alright, so, room keys..." Charlie grabbed a key off the back board, holding onto the keyring, "You're gonna be room 752... I'll just walk you there so you know where to go." Charlie herded Maren out of the room as she waved to everyone who had come down to meet her, and took the elevator to the top floor.

The doors opened, and Charlie walked Maren down to the end of the hall before opening the room. Maren walked in, and Charlie gave her the keys.

"You can just take a nap now, I'll get you up when my dad gets back," Charlie reassured, and Maren smiled.

"Alright, thanks!" Maren replied and Charlie smiled as she closed the door.

Maren took off her shoes, leaving them in a corner, before laying on the bed. It was quite comfy actually, and Maren pulled the blankets up over her shoulders. 

Maren sighed and closed her eyes, letting sleep wash over her like waves. But, like an ocean, there is always low and high tide to waves...

Chapter 2: The Sin of Teenagerdom

Summary:

Lucifer goes back to the castle to figure out why a 15-year-old might be in Hell.

Let's just say Heaven doesn't surprise him with their assholery.

Lucifer walked up the stairs in his estate, his fingers trailing over the railings. A kid. Barely able to drive, even. This directly defied his agreement with Heaven that he had made when he was thrown out, unless there was some serious acting at play. Even then, how many sins could a child have?

The doors to his library swung out open, the King let his coat flow behind him as he walked towards his files. He walked over to the M section, before pausing. He had never figured out Maren's last name. That would make things - difficult, at the least.

He concentrated, bringing the picture of Maren's face to his mind. He called the file to himself telepathically, letting the off-white folder fall into his hands, sighing. Lucifer opened the folder, reading the basic information.

Name: Maren Artemis Vega.

Vega. That was a star, Lucifer remembered.

Sins - Sloth (Neglect of Self)

His eye twitched. Was Heaven fucking kidding? Because a kid didn't take care of themselves, so now a child was damnable for eternity!? Lucifer, furiously calm, read through the rest of the paper.

Sophomore - considered an advanced student

Involved in the choir for her church.

Lucifer remembered in their short meeting that Maren had mentioned she was a Catholic. That made even more confusion on why she didn’t get in.

Involved in dance at a local studio -  considered advanced

Dance, huh? Lucifer remembered going to a ballet with Lilith at her request once. It was quite pretty…

And the fucking paper ended there. No clues on what the rest of her life was like, just hobbies and that she was in school!

Lucifer threw the file, and of course, now the file goes magically back into the organizer, being helpful. What was a guy to do? Sera would argue that her sin is what brought her down there, regardless of age. Michael - wouldn’t answer, even if he tried calling his stubborn ass of a twin.

Lucifer ran his hands through his hair, trying to think. He did promise he’d report back to Charlie once he got information, didn’t he? So that is what he’d do first. Go back to the hotel, talk to Charlie. And then he eventually had to tell Maren… Lucifer felt a twang of guilt, regardless of not having done anything here. If it weren’t for the stupid apple, she wouldn’t be down here…

Lucifer shook his head quickly, not time for regrets. If he acted now, they might be able to fix this mistake. And maybe the fallen angel would get his peace for making sure she got up there.

-

Charlie paced around the lobby, impatient for her father to return. And when Charlie saw the familiar shower of gold, she knew it could only be one demon.

“Dad!” She quickly ran over, “News?”

“Well,” Lucifer started, “Her file does have a sin on it. It’s completely bullshit, though. It says Sloth for a lack of self-care.”

“Well, maybe it could’ve been caused by a mental illness! There’s no reason that wouldn’t be taken into consideration, right?” Charlie questioned.

“Charlie,” Lucifer sighed, “You know just as well as I do how Heaven can be. Someone up there must’ve been in a particular asshole-ry mood.”

Charlie groaned, and then looked at her father softly. “There’s nothing you can do?”

Lucifer put his hand on his daughter’s cheek, eyebrows furrowed in frustration but eyes soft. He wasn’t mad at her, after all. “I wish I could, really, I do. But, people have been wrongfully condemned before, and there wasn’t any action taken when I tried. Believe me, kiddo, this is tearing me apart too.”

 Lucifer looked over to the staircase, scanning the stairs. “She still asleep?”

 

“From what I know, yeah,” Charlie replied, “She barely made it up to the room, actually.”

 

“Okay,” Lucifer replied, “We’ll give her another - eh, 20 minutes? And then we should wake her up and let her know what’s going on.”

 

“Got it,” Charlie replied, nodding.

 

-

 

Lucifer walked back up to his room, his steps slow as he took the walking time to think. Maren was almost everything Heaven bargained for. A hard worker (Yes, Lucifer read how many hours she did dance a week, 26 hours a week was not healthy), and a volunteer at her church, for Father’s sake! What else did Heaven want from a kid? No teen was even close to perfect, Lucifer knew. So why was this one especially damned. Lucifer arrived at his floor, mulling upon his thoughts, when a burst of static interrupted him. Oh, for fuck's sake!

 

“What do you even want?” Lucifer growled, not hiding his contempt for the demon.

 

“Well, your highness, I was just wondering on the information you would have on our newest resident!” Alastor replied, twirling his cane absentmindedly.

 

“Well, why would it be your business? Oh right,” Lucifer replied sarcastically, “It’s not. Butt out.”

 

“Actually! It would be my business,” Alastor purred, “She is currently living in my hotel. Therefore, my business.” 

 

“Your hotel? That’s rich!” Lucifer laughed, “Hell is my domain. Your move, bitch.”

 

Alastor stopped twirling his cane, looking directly at Lucifer. He was about to summon his tentacles to absolutely murder him, but he heard a door open.

 

“What is going on out here?” Maren mumbled, fur somewhat messy from sleep.

“Nothing, my dear!” Alastor reassured, walking over, “Why don’t you head back to bed, hm?”

 

“Won’t be able to,” Maren sighed, “I already tried going back to sleep. Twice. I got a half hour of sleep, I’m fine.”

 

“Half hour of sleep is barely any!” Lucifer argued (Yes, he knows he gets less usually, but shut up, he’s trying to instill healthy habits on children).

 

“I’m fine, okay? Just - can you tell me the news you have?” 

 

Lucifer sighed, contemplating whether to tell her in private, but he honestly couldn’t care anymore after almost fighting with the Radio Demon. One had to admit, verbal fights were worse than magic ones.

 

“Sloth,” Lucifer stated, “for self-neglect.”

 

Maren stood in silence, letting the words flow over her.

 

“It wasn’t that bad…” She mumbled, almost denying herself, “There’s no way it got that bad-”

 

Lucifer walked past the Radio Demon, putting a hand on Maren’s shoulder. “It’s not a viable reason to condemn a child, no. But I don’t know ‘how bad’ it actually was, so I can’t judge. I’m assuming you struggled with mental issues on Earth?”

 

“You can say that,” Maren grumbled, fidgeting with her thumb.

 

“So why don’t we start with that?” Lucifer raised an eyebrow, smiling softly as he would for Charlie, “C’mon, let’s get you back to bed.”

 

“Uh, how?” Maren questioned.

 

“There are perks of being a fallen angel,” Lucifer replied, leading Maren into her room. Lucifer narrowed his eyes when he saw the Radio Demon follow him in, but he quickly went back to the task at hand. Maren climbed into her bed, raising an eyebrow. “What now?”

 

“Close your eyes,” Lucifer instructed, automatically fixing the covers as his dad instincts kicked in.

 

“And?” Maren questioned, tilting her head somewhat with her eyes closed.

 

Lucifer put a hand on her forehead and whispered, “Somnus.”

 

With that, Maren fell asleep.

Notes:

So!

 

chapter 2, in your hands! What will come next? What's the next redemption exercise? Does Alastor actually care?

Well, who knows?

I guess you'll have to see.

Chapter 3: Vertical Chaos

Summary:

Chaos comes with no forewarning, so you shall not either.

Notes:

that means i don't remember what I wrote but theres no TWs to look out for so youre all good!

okay looking back theres a radioapple fight, a vertical chaos, flashback and uhhhh stuffies so have fun!

Lucifer sighed, taking his hand off Maren’s forehead.

 

“There we go,” He whispered.

 

“Impressive parlor trick, Your Majesty!” Alastor commented, the volume of his voice completely unaffected by the fact someone was to sleep right in front of him.

 

“Will you shut up!?” Lucifer whisper yelled, “If she wakes up again, I’ll put you to sleep too!”

 

“Oh no! The king is going to sing a lullaby! Whatever shall I-” Alastor started sarcastically responding, but Lucifer shoved him out the door, throwing Alastor against the wall on the other side as Lucifer gently closed the door.

 

“Look, bitch, I’m not going to deal with this,” Lucifer growled, his demon form showing and his voice growing more polyphonic, “If I hear a word from Charlie that you do anything to either of them, or any of the hotel staff, for that matter, you won’t be able to even pray I don’t find you. Are we clear!?”

 

Alastor stood, somewhat unfazed, under Lucifer’s grip, but he nodded either way. “Crystal.”

 

-

 

“MAREN ARTEMIS!” a voice yelled, awaking her from her sleep.

 

“I’m up, I’m up!” she yelled back, grabbing her clothes out of the drawer.

 

“YOU HAVE TO LEAVE IN 5 GODDAMN MINUTES! GET DOWN HERE!” Her stepfather yelled, banging pots and pans as he did the dishes, as he usually did.

 

“I’m coming!” Maren threw on her clothes, grabbing her backpack and phone. She ran down the stairs, jumping the last 5 to run into the dining room.

 

“New rule!” Her stepfather yelled over his shoulder, “If you don’t get up and all your chores done by 6:05, no phone for the day!”

 

“Yes, dad…”  Maren sighed, making herself a green tea and adding a bit of honey.

 

“Up late again?” Maren’s mom scolded.

 

“Yep…” Maren replied, sipping her tea.

 

“I’m going to start taking away dance if you don’t start getting up early. It’s bullshit that you tell us you ‘sleep through your alarm’. Impossible.” 

 

No! Maren’s mind rang, Not my only way out of the house! Please!

 

“Understood,” Maren replied, her voice unusually calm compared to the way her mind was screaming.

 

-

 

Maren awoke in her hotel room, sitting up quickly as her breath caught. Why was she being shown memories of Earth? She shrugged it off, pulling the blankets off as she walked over to her shoes. Putting them back on, Maren realized she only somewhat remembered how to get back to the lobby. Fuck.

 

Maren walked out of the room, heading towards the stairs. She went down a few flights, going through the halls on the 3rd floor. Was it this one? Maren felt like she was walking in circles, and sighed before trying to get back to the stairs.

 

“Ey, you lost?” Angel Dust yelled over, standing outside a LED lit room.

 

“Yeah, actually, which way’s the lobby?” Maren asked, walking over to the spider.

 

“Just follow me, toots. I’m heading to dinner right now, anyways.” Angel took a right, standing at the stairwell that somehow appeared.

 

“Is that- Has that been there the whole time!?” Maren sighed exasperatedly.

 

Angel laughed, opening the door to the stairwell and letting Maren in. “Nah, this Hogwarts staircase magically appeared infronta my room.” he laughed, leaving Maren to roll her eyes.

 

“Yeah sure, Hufflepuff.”

 

“I am not a fuckin’ Hufflepuff!”

 

“Sure, sure…” Maren smirked, laughing.

 

“I should push ya down the stairs for that…” Angel warned jokingly, crossing his top set of arms.

 

“Oh no!” Maren yelled, smiling as she ran down the stairs, and straight onto the landing, not stopping, “The demon’s gonna push me down the stairs-!”

 

“Uh, toots?” The concern and confusion in Angel Dust’s voice made Maren stop, and look down. The window was on the ground in front of her. No, but the window was on the wall! So did that mean-?

 

“Hey Angel Dust?” Maren’s voice wavered as she was uncharacteristically still, barely breathing, “Am I on the wall right now?”

 

“Yep…” Angel walked over, his eye level being a few steps ahead of Maren, “Do ya think ya can… Get down?”

 

Maren took a step backwards, seeing if she stayed on the wall. When she did, she slowly stepped down, one step at a time, onto the ground. “Holy cow…” she muttered, turning towards the stairs again, but Angel Dust turned her to the door. 

 

“The lobby’s on this floor…” He commented, before walking out of the stairway with an equally confused and dazed expression as Maren’s.

 

-

 

“So! How was everyone’s day?” Charlie asked, everyone sitting around the group table. Alastor and Lucifer sat on opposite sides, glaring at each other.

 

“I- uh- walked on a wall by accident?” Maren replied, taking a sip of her Shirley Temple.

 

Vaggie did a spit take. “What do you mean you walked on a fucking wall!?” 

 

“I was running, and I got to the wall, and I just kinda - kept running?” Maren replied, smiling awkwardly.

 

“I am absolutely too sober for this.” Husk grumbled, going over to the bar.

 

Lucifer sighed, and then took a sip of his appletini. “Might be because you’re a red panda,” he suggested, “They’re excellent at that kinda stuff…”

 

“Oh, yeah…” Maren agreed, taking a bite of her dinner. They had gotten clam chowder, lobster rolls, and stuffed clams for Maren’s first night, letting her pick the menu. She had, of course, said they could have whatever was being made, but when Charlie mentioned they were buying pizza, Maren immediately asked if they could grab New England food. Lucifer had to grab it from Earth, but he said it was no trouble.

 

Maren picked up a spoon, scooping the stuffed clam out of the shell, when Alastor commented.

 

“Maren, I’ve been meaning to ask you,” He tilted his head, his smile growing somehow (how the actual fuck is this possible), “Do you know why you spawned as a red panda?”

 

Maren shrugged. “Eh, I liked them when I was younger. We went to a state zoo when I was like, 5 maybe, the Beardsley Zoo, that’s it - and that’s all I wanted to see. The red pandas. I even got a stuffed animal of one. It was sooo cute, oh my gosh, but once I was maybe 10? My mom made me give it to Goodwill. Which was idiotic, because I still had other ones, so…” Maren paused, looking up to see all the adults staring at her inquisitively. “Sorry, rambling’s a problem of mine…” She apologized, taking a bite and finishing off her clam.

 

“Nonsense!” Alastor interrupted, glaring at Lucifer, then looking back at Maren with a face she couldn’t read, “It was a great story!”

 

“Yep, it was, and it was ruined by a certain redhead doe freak,” Lucifer replied, rolling his eyes.

Ah shit, here we go again.

 

Chapter 4: (Almost) Breaking Dishes

Summary:

Maren meets Niffty, and gets properly introduced to Husk!

Notes:

just a little nuggie to keep my favorite people fed! Thank you for all the comments and kudos as well!

“Yeah, well, at least I’m not a Mama’s boy-!” Lucifer taunted, now leaning over the table. He had been arguing with for Alastor almost 2 minutes now, before Maren snapped.

 

“Would you two shut up!?” she snapped, standing up at the table, “Listening to you two argue is, at the least, migraine inducing and grating as nails on a chalkboard!” Maren paused, before her ears pinned back, thinking over what she had just said. “Sorry,” she quickly apologized, sitting back down.

 

“No, it’s okay,” Charlie reassured with a smile, “I was about to say something similar.” She glared at her father and her coworker, eyes narrowed. “Both of you. Seriously?”

 

“Apologies, my dear,” Alastor apologized before the king could get to it, “It was my fault. But I do believe I should retire for the night - I do have a radio show to prepare for, after all!”

 

“Suckup,” Lucifer muttered under his breath, but Maren caught it. She sighed, taking another bite of her lobster roll to finish it off before bringing her dishes to the kitchen wordlessly.

 

“Ya don’t have to-” Angel started to tell Maren she didn’t have to bring the dish in, that Niffty would take care of it, but Maren had already made it to the kitchen, the door somewhat slamming behind her.

 

Nifty quickly ran in, collecting plates, whether you were finished or not. When she ran into the kitchen and saw someone already doing dishes, she raised her eyebrow.

 

“Who are you?” she asked, making Maren jump and drop her dish (Thank goodness Charlie had the nice shatterproof ones).

 

Maren got scared at the demon she didn’t recognize, until she remembered Charlie mentioning a maid or something? This must be her. “Oh, I’m Maren. The uh - new guest? I might be working here, I don’t know yet. You’re Niffty, right?”

 

“Yep!” Nifty replied, scurrying across the counter as she dropped the dishes she had in the sink, and grabbing Maren by the shoulders, “Are you a bad girl?” 

 

Maren didn’t know if she was supposed to say yes or no here, and just replied, “I guess you’ll have to find out!”

“Definitely a bad girl…” Nifty nodded.

 

Okaayyyy, so there was definitely something up there…

 

“Do you like Mr. Alastor?” Nifty asked out of the blue, tilting her head slightly.

 

“I think he’s uh- okay? He scares me a little, but I feel like if one were to tell him that, he would just get a bigger ego boost, so I won’t say it,” Maren commented, “Why?”

 

“I really like him!” Nifty responded, a little loud, “He let me crown him King Roach, and he lets me clean whatever I want! And he gives me as much bleach as I want!”

 

“And do you trust him?” Maren asked, continuing doing everyone’s dishes.

 

“Yep! I gave him my soul a long time ago, and I have no regrets!” Nifty smiled, shrugging.

“Yeah, well, that’s just you,” Husk commented as he walked in, heading over to the fridge.

 

“Oh- uh- You’re Husk, right? You’re the guy who was passed out at the bar when I got here,” Maren commented, turning towards the cat demon.

 

“Yep,” he replied, grabbing a bottle out of the fridge, going through a drawer to probably find the bottle opener, “Boss told me you’re not allowed to have alcohol, by the way.”

 

“Boss?” Maren questioned, before realizing. “Ohh, Alastor. Wait, why can he make that decision for me? I’m not interested in that anyway, but why does he get to choose?”

“The fuck if I know,” Husk rolled his eyes, opening the bottle, “But he said no. So I can’t even if I wanted to.”

 

“That’s bullshit…” Maren grumbled, putting the last dish in the drying rack.

 

“You do know you didn’t have to do dishes, right?” Husk asked.

 

“I guess it’s just habit,” Maren sighed, putting the sponge back, before thinking for a second. “Can I go to the bar at all?”

 

Husk raised an eyebrow, taking a gulp out of his bottle. “Why would you wanna?”

 

“Shirley Temples?” Maren smiled questioningly, hoping Husk would agree.

 

“You’re fucking asking me to… I guess, if you get the stuff, I can make them, but-” Husk started, but Alastor interrupted him as he came out a fucking corner that was empty two seconds ago what the actual fuck?

 

“I already made sure the new supplies were in your bar!” He announced, looking at Husk, “Why don’t you go make sure they are in good working condition?”

 

“How would grenadine not be in-” Husk started before he was cut off yet again by a blare of static, making Husk grumble as he left the kitchen, holding his bottle.

 

“Now!” Alastor started, “I assume you need to be directed back to your room, considering you got lost going down?”

 

“How did you even know that?” Maren asked, eyes narrowed.

 

“Please, I know everything that happens in this hotel! What kind of facilities manager would I be if I didn’t?” Alastor questioned, “Actually! What if you joined me for my radio show? You could probably use some proper enrichment, especially since that noisy picture box is installed in most rooms!”

 

“You mean a TV?” Maren questioned, before brushing it off, “Uh, yeah, I can help you with your show or something. What do you want me to do for it?”

 

“Just be your charming self, dear!” Alastor replied, ruffling Maren’s hair slightly.

 

“Nope-” Maren pulled back, straightening, as she fixed her hair. “Don’t.”

 

“Alright then!” Alastor wiped literally nothing off his shoulder, and opened the kitchen door, “After you, my dear!”

 

Notes:

yall have no idea whats coming next chapter HAHAHA im already mad at myself for being mean... enjoy the peace while it lasts...

Chapter 5: Watch Your Head

Summary:

Maren goes to the tower to record a show with Alastor, but she ends up getting a 10 minute lecture on carbon mics... sigh... But Alastor, after a little, is figuring out how he feels about the red panda resident

Notes:

There's a little huskerdust at the end, so yayyyy!

oh and ALSO!!!

If you like stuff like this, there's a series I've been reading by LGWonder called Belonging - about how a little boy who finds family in Hell after Earth's foster process is shit! Lg inspired me to make this, except, Maren's more of me deflecting pain onto an oc that can barely handle it and giving it daddy issues! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE go check it out! You won't regret it!!

Maren walked into the radio tower, the sight of all the equipment being something she didn’t expect.

 

“Why do you need so many mics?” Maren wondered, going over to the control panel, “Isn’t your cane a mic?”

 

“While my cane works in a pinch, why use it when i have this beautiful setup here, hm?” Alastor asked, summoning a chair next to his usual one. Maren sat, and spun in the chair she was given. It was one of those the teachers had at her school, and it was always a privilege to be able to sit in the chair during independent work time.

 

“Wait, where is the mic?” Maren questioned, going to lean over the desk before hitting her head on something hanging from the ceiling.

 

“It’s what you just hit your head on, dear…” Alastor sighed as he fixed the mic, stopping it from swinging.

 

Maren, who ducked as she moved her head back, tilted her head in confusion. “How does that work?”

Alastor fiddled with a button on his bench before replying, “Think of it as a soda can. Inside are thousands of tiny charcoal bits, or carbon granules. They're packed together but still have a little room to move around. When you project your voice at the can's front, called a diaphragm,” Alastor pointed to the front plate of the mic, “it starts to vibrate, just like your own eardrum. This action, in turn, causes their electrical resistance to fluctuate. An electrical current, provided by an external power source, is sent through the granules. The varying resistance then modulates this current, creating an electrical signal that mirrors the sound of your voice. This signal is then transmitted to the broadcast machinery. It is a robust and dependable method for conveying speech, though not without a certain aural character that is entirely typical of the broadcasting of this era. Thus, with a mere vibration of your voice, this simple mechanism transforms your words into a signal that travels through the air to be received by the public. And that is why radio is better than TV. Because it is so much more-” Alastor started, but got cut off.

 

“Complicated?” Maren smirked jokingly, raising an eyebrow.

 

“That is what we shall go with,” Alastor replied, the tighter grip on his cane being apparent, “Now, let’s get on with the show, shall we?”

 

-

 

“And that, my dear listeners, is the end of tonight’s show. Always remember, you’re never fully dressed without a smile!” Alastor signed off, pressing the button to go off-air. Maren had helped him put the records on and off (Which was something she knew how to do, surprisingly), and added small, more modern, humorous bits Alastor wouldn’t have thought of. He looked over to his cohost to congratulate her on her first show, but she had fallen asleep on the desk, using her arms as a pillow.

 

“Idiotic child…” He mumbled as he summoned his shadow to carry her, letting his shadow be more corporeal for the brisk walk back to her room. Why had Charlie put the child on his and Lucifer’s floor in the first place? It made no sense.

 

Opening the door, Alastor looked around the room that Maren had been given, and tsked. If one were to live here, the least they could do was have flair! With a flick, Alastor turned the room into a more forest themed room, changing the bed from the standard to a circular mattress on a tree trunk-inspired bed frame. Shadow Alastor put Maren down, tucking the blankets in as Alastor rolled his eyes. Curse making this thing somewhat sentient, now it had feelings! 

 

“Come along, we need to prepare for the midnight show!” Alastor whisper yelled at his shadow.

 

Alastor’s shadow, however, decided to not listen. It pointed to Maren and imitated Alastor’s full demonic form.

 

“Ombre- I can’t tell what you’re trying to say.” Alastor sighed.

 

DREAM+SCARY, Ombre signed, rolling his eyes.

 

“So?!” Alastor asked, his tone getting slightly louder, but he still was quite quiet due to the sleeping child in the room.

 

Ombre narrowed his eyes and pointed at the spot next to Maren.

 

“You will pay for this,” Alastor grumbled as he walked over, sitting on the side of the bed, unsure of what to do.

 

Alastor paused before remembering how his Maman used to rub his back when ever he had nightmares or when he was sick, the monotony of it being soothing at the time. Instinctively, he started doing the same for Maren, making sure his claws didn’t dig into the blanket.

 

He could probably wait for 11 to plan his midnight show anyway.

 

- 

 

Husk stood at the sink behind the bar, washing cups, when a certain spider sat down at one of the stools.

 

He sighed as he pulled out the ingredients to make his boyfriend’s usual, a pink margarita with whipped cream.

 

Husk passed the drink to Angel after making the iconic swirl with the whipped cream before going to turn back to the cups, but the spider interrupted him.

 

“Hey Husky?”

 

“What’s up?” He turned, leaning over the counter.

 

“Y’know the new kid? Maren. Is it just me, or she kinda reminds you of-” Angel didn’t even need to finish his sentence, Husk immediately knew.

 

“I mean, Alastor’s a red freak with ears, new kid’s got red fur and ears, and she in general feels like she’s about to explode. Not that she’s not hidin’ it well, It’s just that…” Angel trailed off.

 

“You’ve worn enough masks to know one when you’ve seen one.” Husk finished.

 

“That!” Angel exclaimed, “Also, strawberry tried to make a deal with her as soon as she walked in. Why? He doesn’t go through all that trouble every time he meets someone…”

 

“Alastor collects people like dolls. The kid’s probably a collector’s edition to him, being, well, a kid and all. I don’t trust her around him, at all, but she seems to have been glued onto him like a first grade project.” Husk grumbled.

 

“Not to mention Lucifer! The guy is basically acting as if the kid is his own, which I have no problems with, but if Alastor is just doin’ this to piss off Luci - well that can’t end well for Cinnamon…” Angel contemplated.

 

“Cinnamon?” Husk questioned.

 

“Yeah, I’ve decided that’s Maren’s new nickname! Isn’t it cute, Husky?” Angel questioned, smiling.

 

“Sure, legs.”

 

Notes:

Ombre = Shadow (in Haitian Creole), and I chose DREAM+SCARY as the sign Ombre uses for nightmare! He's using American Sign Language btw

oh and i might be making a concept art for how maren looks... if im not too lazy... but if one of you is a talented artist, just sayin...

Chapter 6: Maren Wasn't Busy Enough When She Was Alive

Summary:

When Maren wakes up, she notices her changes to her bedroom, and gets dragged to her first redemption exercise by a certain fallen angel. But as Maren starts to share, things that Maren maybe should've kept in the past get dug up.

Notes:

TAG UPDATEEEE

yeah um maren has issues

ALSO

next chapter might be the one featuring art... maybe... i might lose all motivation in which case knock down my doors and force me to work, but otherwise yeh ENJOY

Maren awoke after her sudden nightmare, sitting up quickly. Her fingers curled around the blanket next to her, her breath catching. She had a nightmare about… about…? Why was it suddenly eluding her mind? If it had tormented her while asleep, why didn’t it stay once her eyes were finally open?

 

Once Maren yawned and really looked at her room, she yelped. Where the absolute fuck was this? Her bed resembled a tree trunk, an elegant one, sure, but there was no way to sugarcoat it - she had just slept in a tree. The surrounding room had the same layout as her room before, it was just, different. Forest themed, if you will. But the wall that usually stopped in front of her bed? Gone. The expansion resembled a temperate forest, full of bamboo undergrowth shooting up from the ground. The trees swung in the echo of a breeze, and Maren swore she heard insects chirping around the forest. Not bad, not bad… But how? Maren went to go to the door, make sure this was still the hotel (there was a forest in front of her right now), but she noticed a note on her dresser in the main room on the way to the door.

 

Took some liberties in decorating your uninspiring room - Hope the changes fit your presumptions. -Alastor

 

Of course, it was Alastor who had changed her room without permission - but how? Last she remembered, she was sitting in a comfy chair in Alastor’s broadcast room… Ah, she must’ve fallen asleep. But then how did she get back? The Radio Demon was not a touchy-feely person, Maren could tell.

 

A quick rap on the door pulled Maren from her thoughts as she headed over to the door. When the door opened, Maren stood across from Vaggie.

 

“Charlie wanted everyone downstairs for a redemption exercise. I know you weren’t particularly invested in redemption when you got here - honestly, I get it, - but staff are usually required to participate as well.”

 

“Considering, you only have 1 guest right now?” Maren asked.

 

“We had 2,” Vaggie started, but sighed, “He got killed during the last extermination last week.”

 

“What’s an extermination?” Maren questioned, dropping an ear subconsciously with the tilt of her head.

 

“Once a year,” Vaggie retold, “Angels used to come down to Hell and kill as many as possible. They say it’s because of Hell’s overpopulation, but that’s what the hotel’s here for. To try to get you into Heaven, and avoid eternal torture.”

 

“That is- awful…”

 

“I know. I used to be one, too.”

 

If Maren had a drink in her hands, she would be spitting it across the room.

 

“WHAT?” Maren took a step back from Vaggie, closing her door.

 

“It was - a long time ago. I was told it was righteous, that it was the will of God… But now? I’m… positive that isn’t true. Charlie found me after I was injured one year, and took me in. And we started the hotel.”

 

“How’d you get injured?”

 

Vaggie hesitated, but spoke softly. “I refused to kill a Hell-born child. That’s why I only have one eye. They took it. And ripped my wings out too, but I grew those back a little ago.”

 

“How did Charlie react when she found an injured angel that had been killing her people?” Maren inquired softly.

 

“...She didn’t know.” Vaggie responded, going down the elevator, “She thought I was a sinner. And I never told her. Until she found out, by the ones who hurt me. So, my advice? Don’t hide things from the people you love.”

 

Maren nodded, thinking over the former angel’s words. There were things that she didn’t know if they were appropriate to say, but Maren took her risk.

 

“I’d say you were okay for letting her believe you were a sinner when you didn’t know her. I mean, if I had heard tales of a Princess of Hell, and then said princess saves you but all you’ve heard is bad… Well, some people, you can never know their true personality from your first meeting. And I think practicing cautious discretion there was good for you, honestly.”

 

“Huh, never thought of it that way,” Vaggie contemplated as the elevator door opened to a floor that wasn’t the lobby.

 

“Wait, where are we going?” Maren interrupted, looking to her companion.

 

“Art room,” Vaggie replied, “Charlie wants us all to embrace creativity in our own ways… Do you like art?” 

 

“Yea, I drew a lot in my free time on Earth,” Maren replied subconsciously, “I was in a Fashion course at my school. I loved working on the sewing machines, yes, but my favorite part was drawing fashion on croquis and figure drawing.”

 

“Croquis?” Vaggie questioned.

 

“Think about normal human anatomy. The average human is around 7 and  ½ of their own heads tall. A croquis is 9 heads tall. This makes all the features on the body exaggerated, and allows for more room for every detail. It also allows a designer to show more movement and flow in the fabric - which is hard to draw, by the way. And poses! Don’t even get me started! They are so much easier to draw on a croquis!” Maren explained.

 

“You feel very strongly about this, don’t you?” Vaggie questioned, laughing slightly.

 

“Yeah, I feel strongly about a lot of things. Dance, crochet, art, theater - I did it all.” Maren replied with a laugh of her own as they opened the door to the art room.

 

“You did dance? What kind?” Vaggie questioned as she grabbed herself a pencil.

 

“Literally everything my studio offered,” Maren replied, “Tap, jazz, ballet - I even got to pointe! I got the starring role in our musical last year, and yeah. Dance was… home.”

 

Vaggie’s smile softened. “You miss it?”

Maren nodded, feeling a familiar lump in her throat. “It was always home more than my actual house. The other dancers are my family, blood or not. My teacher was always like a mother to me.”

 

“Are you okay?” Vaggie questioned, noticing the glassiness of Maren’s eyes.

 

“Yeah, of course! Why wouldn’t I be?”  Maren brushed off, quickly putting herself back together.

 

“Because you looked like you were about to fall apart,” a soft voice from the doorway replied. Lucifer walked in, wearing his normal outfit without the jacket, giving off some sense of casual-ness.

 

“I did not,” Maren argued.

 

“Tonterías,” Vaggie replied, “Bullshit.”

 

“And you mentioned that your dance teacher was like a mother to you. Can I ask if there were any challenges with your mother back on Earth?” Lucifer questioned.

 

“Normal teenager stuff,” Maren waved off, “She didn’t like I gave attitude, I didn’t like that she used to make me sprint for an hour without water, breaks, or my inhaler. I’m sure I’ll realize the point when I’m older.”

 

Lucifer and Vaggie shared a glance before Vaggie spoke up softly… “Y’know, that’s… not okay, right?”

 

“Parents are allowed to do whatever they want, it’s fine,” Maren reassured, heading over to an empty desk.

 

Lucifer took a deep breath before replying, his eyes flashing red for a second before replying. “Just because parents can do horrible punishments doesn’t mean they should. At least now they get to live with the fact they treated their daughter in an… unfair way and now she’s dead.”

 

Maren could feel the spite in Lucifer’s words and tried to calm him down so it wouldn’t be directed at her eventually. “It’s over, not to be worried about, okay? Please?”

 

Lucifer huffed, rolling his eyes. “We can discuss this later, but you are not getting away with not talking about this. Clear?”

 

“Clear.” Maren responded, not excited about the conversation that was to come.

Notes:

heyyyy so sorry I didn't post for a little... i have maren-schedule-osis

but! just wanted to let yall know seeing all of your comments is the HIGHLIGHT of my day. I mean it. the A03 emails always make me giddy!

have a lovely day, all of you, and remember that someone's always here for you! especially me - if you ever need to talk to someone, my comments are always open! to whoever needs it!

 

EDIT: I FOUND MOTIVATION TO ART! YAY someone tell me how to put it in..

Chapter 7: She's The Artsiest Girl In Town

Summary:

Maren does a bonding activity with the hotel residents in the art room, amd a gaydar works. Yippee.
(Yes, that is supposed to not make sense.) And Maren has a heart-to-heart with a certain short man.

Notes:

pov: nobody:
goddamn nobody:
(maren singing that one song in the pjo fandom that goes ptsd, anxietyyy~)

“So! Today’s exercise is all about expression! Any media, any way you could express yourself artistically, I have everything you could need!” Charlie exclaimed, waving her hands to the tables of supplies behind her. When Maren rushed up to see her options, she realized Charlie literally did have everything she could need… Ideas formed in Maren’s head, but she just chose to keep it simple and draw a simple pose.

 

Charlie walked around as the exercise went underway, giving everyone compliments and finding out everyone’s specific talents.

 

When Charlie got to Maren’s station, however, she didn’t need to try to look for something to compliment. “Oh my Satan! Maren, you never told me you were good at drawing people! Who is that?”

 

“Just an OC of mine,” Maren replied absentmindedly, erasing and redoing lines on her sketch, “I draw them too much, honestly.”

 

“Ooh, tell me about them!” Charlie pulled up a chair. She had her own OCs when she was a teen (her poor father had to learn all their names), she knew this story would be long and traumatic.

 

“Okay, so this is Lex. They’re a sidekick to the famous superhero in their town, Aero. But - turns out Lex’s mother is Aero’s ex-girlfriend/arch nemesis. So as soon as Lex finds that out, they’re torn between their job and their family. BUT THEN! Lex finds out that Aero, whose actual name is Axel, is their dad. So, they help him defeat their mother, and then they feel horrible, but they know it's for the best.”

 

 Maren paused, realizing she had missed a few points, “Oh, and the whole reason they sidekick for Aero is that they accidentally electrocuted their best friend and put her in a coma when their powers first emerged, but she’s fine now. Oh, and the time she tried to go to school, there was a shooting and Aero had to come save all of them, but that becomes a bigger plot point in the second book. This shooting leads Lex to go to a private school in the next district next year, where another super villain’s kid goes, but he’s under the impression that his dad is doing the right thing. But yeah, and then they fall in love, and their dads find out, and it’s this complete thing. And all this is happening when Lex is in high-school and struggling with an identity crisis because she’s not allowed to be herself when she’s in her civilian pseudonym, but she can’t show her personality when she’s a hero for identity reasons, so the only place she feels like she can show any emotion at all is behind closed doors.” 

 

Maren sighed, noticing Charlie’s dazed face. “They're a little cringe, I know, but, they’re my baby.”

 

“No- it’s not-” Charlie searched her vocabulary for the right words to explain, “The plot points. They’re a little… dark, for a kid your age?”

 

“Meh? I don’t have any references from my friends, so I couldn’t know.” Maren shrugged, drawing the details of fishnets onto the legs.

 

“Alright then,” Charlie smiled, “I’m going to go check on everyone else, tell me if you need anything!”

 

Maren watched Charlie walk over to her girlfriend, absentmindedly sketching out Lex’s hair and face.

 

“What’d ya mean by that?” The spider at the next desk inquired, looking over from his more… obscene drawing.

 

“Ya said, ‘I don’t have any references from my friends, so I couldn’t know.’ Whaddya mean?”

 

“My friends were as fucked up as I am. If not worse. Well… maybe except for one, but they all had their own problems.” Maren sketched the basis for an outfit onto Lex.

 

“Do ya miss 'em?” Angel inquired, fiddling with his pencil in a manner that Maren deliberately ignored.

 

“Well, duh. Without them, I probably would’ve been down here at 13… BUT! I feel bad for leaving them alone. So, yeah. I miss them.”

 

Angel could’ve dug deeper, he really wanted to for the juicy drama, but he knew it was better if some things were left alone.

 

“Well, maybe you’ll see ‘em again,” Angel commented, “Ya did mention they were fucked up?”

 

“Ha! Hell no,” Maren laughed, “They are not as bad as I am. They’re… most likely ending up in Heaven. And maybe I’ll get redeemed someday.”

 

“Could you imagine?” Angel laughed right along, “You in a long white robe singin’ hallelujahs?”

 

“I did on Earth, Angel,” Maren replied, “I was Catholic, and a part of the choir of my church. I literally sang hallelujahs on a twice a week basis.”

 

“So then how the heck you’d get here?” Angel questioned, throwing his lower arms up in exasperation as he continued to draw with the other set.

 

“Lucifer says I got damned for ‘sloth’. But my mental state wasn’t that bad then! I was eating at least once a day, literally always exercising, doing something! Sloth is bullshit. I think that just because I didn’t do good taking care of myself doesn’t mean I should burn for eternity, but there’s always the fact that I had a girlfriend- well, er- partner.”

 

“Ha! Knew it!” Angel yelled, “I knew my gaydar worked!”

 

“Not like I had to guess the porn star was a little fruity,” Maren commented.

 

“I would’ve been so disappointed in myself if you had thought I was straight,” Angel shook his head.

 

The duo burst into laughter at the same time, startling the rest of the room. 

 

“The hell just happened?” Husk questioned, working on a painting of a bottle (no, he wasn’t here of his own free will).

 

“Friendship.” Alastor replied, from the desk where he sat not too far away from Husk. He spat out the word like acid, his grin stretching to an uncomfortable high.

 

Husk sighed. Now Maren was hanging out with an adult film star? Poor kid.

 

-

“So! Neat class, huh?” Lucifer commented as he opened the door for Maren as they walked out of the art room. Lucifer had taken it upon himself to walk Maren back to her room (he did not want Maren pulling an Elphaba and defying gravity in the staircase again…), and honestly? Maren knew the way by now. She had gotten the gist of the hotel, but walking around the hotel alone… Eerie. That’s how one would describe it. Walking around in the darkness had always scared her. So naturally, in a place where there was no sunlight, Maren would be wary of her surroundings.

 

“Hey… uh, Maren?” Lucifer raised an eyebrow, near stopping in the hallway.

 

“Oh yeah, sorry, zoned out,” Maren replied, speeding up to meet his pace.

 

“About?” he questioned.

 

“Nothing,” she replied quickly, finally meeting him at the same part of the hallway, “Just Earth stuff.”

 

“On the topic of Earth stuff!” Lucifer announced, “Don’t think I forgot our previous conversation! We need to talk about your parents.”

 

“Do we really, though?” Maren tried to push, smiling slightly as a cover.

 

“Are you kidding me, Maren?” Lucifer replied, his voice raising slightly, “Yes, we need to talk about that! 

 

Maren’s ears flared back quickly as she held onto her arms. Lucifer sighed, looking out a nearby window.

 

“It wasn’t ‘okay’,” he started, looking up at the rings of white in the sky, “Never was. I never understood how humans treated their children like they were slaves back in the past. I always tried to keep Charlie close, tried to always make her feel like I was there for her… But I wasn’t there enough. And I wasn’t always the best person to be around.”

 

“I think she probably didn’t care,” Maren replied, “I wanted my dad to be there always more than my mother, who was there always. I think it was more of who I… needed more. The younger Maren didn’t care at the time if he was having a bad day, or if he was sleepy. I always wanted my dad.”

 

Maren stood next to Lucifer, looking out and down instead, down at the city. “It would’ve been better for me to love my mother more. We were the only girls in a house of seven. It did bring us closer, I think, but I feel it threw us apart. We were both very opinionated, and we tended to clash. So I always got along better with my dad. He may have been… around 1250 miles away, but we were a much better dynamic duo. The dancer and the guy who could barely walk. I always got to skip lines at the amusement parks when we went because of his handicap ID…” Maren laughed softly, before the laugh become more of a choked cry.

 

“I missed him so much. And I think that’s part of why I had problems. Because I couldn’t get my shit together. And obviously the parents being shitty didn’t help, but after every dance performance, going out to the audience and having to just hang out with my friends because my parents didn’t come? It stung in ways that, honestly? Make me feel like I still am getting over something that happened when I was 5. Which seems pathetic if you think about it long enough.”

 

“I’m still getting over something that happened eons ago if it helps you feel better,” Lucifer quipped, smiling slightly.

“Either that, or we’re both shitty at getting over things,” Maren replied, rolling her eyes jokingly.

 

“Hey, 5 years isn’t that long in the span of time,” Lucifer commented, “Like a little blip.”

 

“Quoting from How To Make A Child Seem Insignificant In The Span Of Time For Dummies?” Maren smirked.

 

“Haha, very funny,” Lucifer retorted sarcastically, “No, I’m quoting from An Immortal Dad’s Guide To Troubled Mortal Children.”

 

Lucifer replied so seriously that it made Maren question if he was joking. “Is that a real fucking book?”

 

“Language,” Lucifer replied of habit from teenage Charlie, and continued, “No, but I should, shouldn’t I? Although I’m not the best at it, considering how Charlie’s childhood turned out…”

 

“Did you seriously just say language to me?” Maren deadpanned.

 

“Yeah?” Lucifer questioned.

 

“I’m 15. In Hell.”

 

“15 is still a child. Therefore, no cursing. And no dating. Like, ever.”

 

“What the fuc-”

 

“Language.”

Notes:

Can you tell I'm projecting onto a fictional character?

 

It's definitely not obvious... definitely...

Chapter 8: Army Recruitment

Summary:

Maren goes out to help recruit at the hotel, but a bathroom run ends up ruining the whole thing. Aw fuck.

EDIT: gwen is marens name in my rp I have going soo sorry there

Notes:

Sorry for not posting in a hot minute, I had trouble figuring out how I was going to write this. As it is, this is much more ocndensed than I wanted. But enjoy!

Maren sat back in the lounge, staring at the ceiling. She hadn’t thought about how badly she missed her friends and partner before (And yes, Maren was dating when she died. If anyone tells Lucifer, they’re fucked).

There's Nathan, with their amazing ability to sarcasm, and mom Maren to death.

Catherine was Nathan’s older sister, and she did ballet at the same studio as Maren. Catherine was always an inspiration to Maren, of what she could be in ballet, if she kept trying to push herself. And Tor, well, she was basically Maren’s older sister at that point. She had taught her where to go in the morning when you waited for your classes (outside the library in the hall, obviously), to how to do a time step in tap (those things were damn hard, ok?).

And of course, there was her middle school friend Laney, who was a freakishly tall girl obsessed with tennis. She had at least 10 pairs of socks that were tennis themed. Maren couldn’t get it, honestly.

 

And there was Aspen. Strong, brave, hot as hell - tall dark and a little creepy Aspen. Maren missed her partner so much she couldn’t even explain it. They had been dating for 2 years now, and Maren felt so guilty for leaving them on Earth, alone. There were nights Maren had just stayed up, emailing them I love you’s, and it’s okay, we’ll get through our lives sucking ass together. Their parents were really supportive of the relationship when it started, even hosting date nights and offering to take us out for dinner before/after parties.

Maren’s parents? Well, her mother would’ve just said that she didn’t care and that it wasn’t going to last anyway. Her stepdad though… He was an interesting sort of supportive in a good mood. Okay with transgender stuff, but not nonbinary people (aka Maren’s partner). He said that pronouns of they/them were stupid because “yes, it’s okay to demand respect from me, but then I want the same respect back.” And the classic, “What about a straight pride month?” was thrown in arguments sometimes too. That was when Maren just gave up on arguing with him (until he insulted something she took pride in, then the cycle repeated).

 

Maren started drifting off-topic before a clear excited squeal pulled her out of her thoughts. 

 

“GUYS! I GOT POSTERS!” Charlie yelled, running down the stairs.

 

“From where?” Husk questioned from the bar.

 

“Me, actually! I designed them, and Vaggie got them printed!” Charlie explained quickly, putting the tall stack on a nearby table, “So we’re all going to go into the city and distribute them!”

 

Angel Dust looked up from his phone to the posters, to Charlie, and to the posters again, sighing. “Charlie, I just got back from work. My legs are more sore than a ballerina’s.”

 

“Wanna bet?” Maren answered, out of habit. It was something her and Aspen used to do when Aspen complained exaggeratedly about how sore they were from badminton.

 

Angel whipped his head over to Maren. “Oooh, feisty,” he smirked.

 

“If I don’t get my morning green tea, you all are in for it,” Maren replied offhandedly, before Charlie cleared her throat.

 

“Okay! So… we should do teams of two. So nobody gets lost. Especially Maren.”

 

“Hey!”

 

“She is right, dear,” Alastor announced as he appeared through the shadows, “Hell is not actually a safe place for one of your adolescence!”

 

Charlie tapped her chin, looking at the group. “Alright, so why don’t we have… Angel and Vaggie, Alastor and Husk, and I’ll go with Maren! That way we can stick together!”

 

Maren shrugged. “Sure!”

 

“Oh, and one more thing,” Charlie added, “Be careful everyone!”

 

Maren smiled, hoisting herself up off the couch. She turned to an excited Charlie, who was putting the promotional posters in a bag. “Here you go, and don’t forget to bring a flare gun in case!” Charlie handed the bag of posters to Maren, and of course, there was also a flare in there.

 

“Would I really need that? I got through the city just fine when I was on my way here…” Maren questioned, inspecting the gun, careful not to pull the trigger.

 

“It might be good to have it, just in case!” Charlie replied, “I don’t need one because I have a literal built in flare, but it’s important to know where each other is if we get separated.”

 

“Sounds good to me,” Maren smiled, and headed out with Charlie.

 

-

 

“Come stay at the Hazbin Hotel!” Charlie called from the sidewalk, holding out posters to sinners walking by. Some took posters, some walked by in ignorance, and others flipped her off. Maren couldn’t believe the ones being downright disrespectful! How would they be able to sleep at night with the fact that they had disrespected the daughter of Lucifer? Maren sighed, helping Charlie hand out posters until Maren froze.

 

“Hey Charlie, does there happen to be a public bathroom around?” she whispered to Charlie.

“There’s probably one in one of the stores nearby,” Charlie replied, “You can go check if you’d like. We could always run back to the Hotel if you prefer, though.”

 

“No, you don’t have to do that,” Maren reassured, giving her pile of posters to Charlie, “I’ll just run over to the restaurant over there, they probably have one.”

 

Maren ran up the sidewalk, skidding slightly as she turned in and went up to the hostess desk.

 

“Table of one?” the hostess asked, barely looking up from her phone.

 

“No, actually, I have to use the bathroom,” Maren quickly replied, but the hostess quickly cut her off.

 

“Patrons only,” she responded, still texting.

 

“She’s with me.” someone replied curtly from behind the hostess. Maren looked over to the demon, rushing a thanks before running over to the bathroom.

 

Meanwhile, back at the hostess desk, the hostess looked up in annoyance at the man who had replied, her phone behind her counter.

 

“Asshole, that wasn’t- Oh! Mr. Vox, I am so sorry, sir,” she quickly apologized, stepping back.

 

“Not a problem” he sighed, before narrowing his eyes, “If you don’t enjoy having a job. Watch it.”

 

“Heard, sir!” she ran off, leaving Vox to go back to his table and finish his food. Not long after he finished his burger, Maren came out of the bathroom, and she stopped after walking past his table and backpedalled.

 

“Thanks, by the way,” Maren started, intending to just say a quick thanks and leave, but Vox replied.

 

“Of course… I’m a friend of Alastor’s. He’s told me a lot about the residents of the hotel. Maren, right?” He nibbled on a fry absentmindedly, tilting his TV head, feigning that he didn’t have much information on the situation. Fact was, he had drones circling the hotel for months, but she didn’t need to know that. Yet. Especially when Maren had only been at the hotel for a week or so.

 

“Yeah… Wait. Alastor doesn’t have friends.” Maren narrowed her eyes.

 

“He let me take a picture with him. If that doesn’t count as friendship with Mr. This - face - was - made - for - radio, I don’t know what is.” Vox handed Maren a colorized version of an old picture he’d taken with Alastor all those years ago.

 

Maren, after studying the picture, sighed. “Well, thanks, Mr…?”

 

“Vox.”

 

“Vox… I feel like… eh, never mind. I’ll say hi to Alastor for you.” Maren started to leave, but Vox grabbed her shoulder sharply.

 

“You can’t leave! Not when I’ve done you a favor!” Vox smirked, “Do you want anything to eat?”

 

“I’m good, thank you,” Maren replied quickly, but Vox pulled her into a corner, and suddenly electrical currents were pulsing through her veins, and Maren passed out.

Notes:

haha... sorry guys...

Chapter 9: Off By A Volt

Summary:

Vox plays around with his new toy a little, and Charlie freaks out. An average day in the Hellaverse. But maybe Maren isn't just trying to keep herself in the clear...

Notes:

im not sorry.

“Well, what are ya gonna do with her, Voxxy~” Valentino commented, “You’re wasting such a pretty face on just sitting in a chair.”

 

Maren growled at the moth demon to where she was tied to a chair in the corner, glaring daggers.

 

“We need her intact, Val,” Vox commented while he typed on his computer, not even looking at the girl, “Alastor needs to have something to think about while he’s bursting in. And then our trap will grab him, and we’ll have his ass.”

 

“Who says he’ll even come,” Maren snarled, “If I were him, I wouldn’t give a fuck about some raging ex of mine that kidnapped a random neighbor of mine.”

 

“You’re clueless, aren’t you?” Vox rolled his eyes, smirking at the teen, “Alastor is very territorial about that stupid hotel. I took something out of it, he’ll want it back.  But, I think we could do without the sassiness. I am trying to work, after all,” Vox turned back to his computer, typing for a minute before hot electricity ran through Maren’s body, white flashing blinding Maren. It felt as a twin of blinding pain and a giant hand squeezing her chest, lungs struggling to even try to move. Maren screamed in her chair, her arms and legs pulling desperately to try to free herself from becoming a human conductor.

 

“Enjoying 500 volts, Maren?” Vox asked as the electricity dimmed, turning his head ever so slightly to glance at her out of the corner of his eyes, “That was your warning. Next time, you’ll go in the chamber.”

 

“Oooh- explain the chamber, Voxxy,” Valentino smiled from over his sketchpad, “I wanna see her squirm.”

 

“I was getting to it, Valentino,” Vox growled at his partner, before smiling sickeningly towards Maren, the high smile feeling impostor on Vox’s face rather than Alastor’s, “The chamber is a full cage with TVs in it. Any direction you look, you could get under our influence. SO I’d suggest you be very careful about how you act while our guest,” Vox warned, tilting his head slightly, “Or I’ll go through one of my human contacts. See how your dad is doing?”

 

Maren paled, her fur standing on end. If anything, she had to keep everyone at the hotel out of this. She would find a way.

 

-

 

“Guys, Maren’s gone, and it’s all my fault and I have no idea where she is!” Charlie exclaimed as she ran over to the emergency meeting spot, her previous flare she had sent up gone from the sky.

 

“What!?” Vaggie exclaimed, “Charlie, how did you even-? What happened!?”

 

“I let her use the bathroom at the restaurant next door, and she was gone for a little while so I went in to check and the hostess said she left with someone!” Charlie rambled, her concern clear as the tears threatening to run down her cheeks, “And I tried to ask the hostess for details and she was too busy on her phone, and she wouldn’t listen and now Maren might be in trouble and it’s all my fault!”

 

“Now Charlie,” Alastor cut in, his face carefully contempt, besides his ever-present smile, “What side of Pentagram City were you on again?”

 

“I was handing out flyers in the edge of your district, right next to… Vee territory.” Charlie took in a sharp breath. “We have to go get her. Now.”

 

“They might not be in the main tower,” Angel responded, his face unreadable, “Val owns a lot of buildings in that territory for sets. She could be in any of those.”

 

“Why don’t we get back to the hotel, and we can sort it out there?” Husk suggested, a bottle of booze now capped in his paws, “Fretting in the middle of the street helps nobody.”

 

“You’re right,” Charlie sighed, “I’ll call us a limo, and we can strategize back at the hotel.”

 

-

 

“I’m sorry, WHAT? Charlotte Morningstar!” Lucifer almost yelled, “She’s gone!?”

 

“It’s not like I tried to lose her, Dad!” Charlie yelled back.

 

“Well, you still did!” Lucifer yelled, before freezing and stepping back, “Charlie, we need to figure this out. Like adults. It was wrong of me to yell at you just now, but you were supposed to be responsible.”

 

“I know, and,” Charlie held onto her sleeve, “This is my fault. So let me fix it.”

 

“I’ll let you fix it,” Lucifer replied quickly, “But not without my help. You aren’t allowed to do a single step of this on your own.”

 

“Well, we’re not lettin’ her do this alone either, Short King,” Angel interrupted, “There’s no chance I want Cinnamon near Valentino”

 

“Cinnamon?” Lucifer and Charlie questioned at the same time.

 

“Maren. Red panda,” Husk replied helpfully.

 

“Got it,” Lucifer affirmed before turning to Charlie, “We’ll get her back. I swear on my crown.”

 

“Well, I’m surprised you even made that oath,” Alastor commented idly from next to the bar, walking over to stand next to Charlie, “The king concerning himself with a small sinner? Meanwhile, I don’t see you actively trying to be a good father to even Charlie! Are you trying to collect another daughter to give more daddy issues?”

 

“Oh you-” Lucifer seethed, “At least I have a daughter who loves me! Here you are, friendless and family-less, and practically everyone hates you! I feel bad for Maren for having to be in your radio’s reach!”

 

“Well, y’know what they say about trauma cycles, Lucifer,” Alastor’s eyes switched to dials, “You tend to repeat what you grew up with.”

 

“Both of you! Enough!” Charlie yelled, her horns going through her head, “Neither of you are being remotely helpful, and I’m honestly sick of you two being horrible to each other! When this is over, both of you-! I will think of something!” Charlie pointed at her father and Alastor, her ragged breath matching thr fury she had at the moment.

 

“Apologies, Charlie dear,” Alastor fiddled with his cane, “I shall go through my contacts to see if anyone has seen anything. Toodles!” With that, Alastor melted in the shadows, leaving a frustrated Charlie, and an annoyed king.

 

“Dad, that was uncalled for,” Charlie glared at her father.

 

“Charlie, your dad wasn’t the only one in the wrong,” Vaggie stepped up, rubbing her girlfriend’s back, “We’re all nervous right now. Your dad is the last person we would want to take that out on.”

 

“Right…” Charlie sighed, before massaging her temple, “I just can’t help but feel as if this isn’t about the hotel.”

 

“Well,” Lucifer sighed, “Even if it’s not. We have a Cinnamon to save.”

Notes:

so that's just a little TASTE because of insomnia. I'll be posting a bigger chapter soon. As soon as Maren get's out of this I can get into what I want to... traumatizing a 15 year old more than humanly possible!

Because she's a demon.

Obviously.

Chapter 10: Prepackaged Random Dust Saves Lives

Summary:

Maren gets hypnotized by Vox into thinking that she wants to stay, but her rescuers end up fixing it. But some mistakes are made during the rescue ad they are dwelled upon in a negative light...

Notes:

tag update! I realized my dumbass forgot to put found family up there.

that is the whole point of this story.

ugh.

anyways happy late Veterans Day to my fellow 'mericans, and happy day before OMIGOSH EPISODE 5 HAS LUCIFER AS IT'S COVER PICTURE SO HE'S IN IT YASSSSS

you can tell I have favorite characters, cant you? dont worry, husk gets his moment soon...

Maren didn’t know how long she had been in the tower now. Between hours of solidarity and the smell of burning flesh, Maren was hardly allowed the small reprieve of sleep. Occasionally, Vox had come in, and he just stood there. As if the pure sight of her disheveled was hours of entertainment. 

 

Didn’t this man run a tech company? How did he make time to just stand there, occasionally playing clips from when Maren was in the hotel?

 

“What do you get out of this?” Maren questioned, her voice slightly hoarse from lack of use, “What satisfaction could you get out of my boredom? It’s not like I’m giving you much,” Maren laughed, “Just get with the fact that they’re not coming.”

 

Vox tilted his TV head and paused before responding. “They have taken longer than I predicted. Which lets me initiate phase two.”

 

“Phase two?” Maren questioned before the surrounding room turned to screens, a red and black spiral flashing as she shut her eyes quickly.

 

“Phase Two: Make Sure You Never Want To Go Back.” Vox announced to the almost-empty room, his arms open in a gesture of grandeur.

 

“I’d never want to stay-!” Maren argued, by cables shot up from the ground and forced her eyes open, every part of her brain focused on making sure her thoughts were all her own.

 

“Relax, Raccoon. You just want to stay where you’re safe, right in this tower.” Vox intoned, walking over slowly.

 

“Never…” Maren argued, but the thought process in her mind went hazy.

 

“I said, you want to stay here. Where you are safe. And you will let no one take that away from you.”

 

 Maren blinked, her eyes looked on at Vox, pupils dilated. “Understood.”

 

- 

 

“So Alastor and I are on main tower duty? Hate to break it to you, Charlie, but one of us on this team is going to be pulling a little more weight.” Lucifer reaffirmed, looking over a map.

 

“You are lucky I can hold more weight then,” Alastor responded in a feign of offhandedness, trying to act nonchalant to get on the king’s nerves.

 

“You motherf-”

 

“Guys!” Charlie interrupted, “Satan forbid you two are in the same room! Please try to be civil at the least!”

 

“Sorry Char, I got distracted,” Lucifer quickly apologized, not willing to let Alastor beat him to it.

 

“It’s okay, Dad, just… focus. I don’t want to know what is happening to Maren right now, and we need to fix it. Now.”

 

“Everything will work out, Charlie,” Lucifer reassured, “I promise.” He then turned to Alastor and sighed, opening a portal. 

 

“Come on. We have a… resident to save.”

 

Lucifer is going to ignore that he almost said daughter.

 

-

Alastor walked around the tower, glitching cameras as he walked by, while his shadow assistants took out any opponents coming at him from the hallway in front of him. As much as Alastor enjoyed carnage, he did have a time constriction on this particular endeavor, so he had to settle for watching.

 

As Alastor turned down another hallway, he noticed a cracked open door at the end. He shadow traveled to the door, opening it slowly.

 

The brightness of the room was a sheer contrast to how dark the hall was, and Alastor had to squint in order to see for a minute. The walls were covered in mirrors, and the floor was a polished wood that squeaked against his boots. In the center of all, Maren danced like it was the Final Day, her earbuds playing music that covered Alastor’s presence. Annoyed, Alastor sent static to her headphones, making Maren pause as she turned.

 

“What are you doing here?” Maren seethed, freezing.

 

“Why, I’m here to watch you dance!” Alastor replied sarcastically before his smile sharpened. “Time to go, Maren.”

 

“No way.” Maren replied, pulling a dagger off her belt, which Alastor noticed hadn’t been there before. So Vox had given the child new toys? Well, Alastor was happy to drop this baby doll on it’s head.

 

Maren lunged quickly, but Alastor stepped aside, seemingly inspecting his cane.

 

“Vox, going through a child isn’t going to help your case~” Alastor singsonged as he dodged all of Maren’s attacks.

 

Eventually, Alastor sighed, somewhat annoyed with this game. “Alright, enough.” Alastor used his shadow tendrils to grab the dagger from the teen’s hand and bind her hands together while keeping her in one place.

 

Alastor summoned Ombre, quickly instructing it to find Lucifer and bring him to his location, before turning to Maren.

 

“So you’re content here?” He questioned, leaning sideways on his cane.

 

“Perfectly,” Maren replied, but the tone was slightly aggressive, “How would I not be content in such a lively place?”

 

Alastor was about to snap back, but Lucifer ran into the room, speeding up when he saw Maren in the middle of the room.

“Maren, are you okay?” He questioned, before noticing the tendrils on Maren’s arms. Turning towards Alastor, Lucifer’s voice bled into a slightly polyphonic yell. “What the hell are you doing? Tentacles off!”

 

“I would, Your Highness,” Alastor replied offhandedly, not caring for the threat thrown, “But I would look at her pupils before taking any action.”

 

Lucifer rolled his eyes, looking closely, and he noticed the slight shine of blue in Maren’s pupils. He snapped his fingers, tearing open a packet of dust, pouring it in his hand and blowing it in Maren face. Maren blinked quickly, the blue fading away quickly.

 

“What the… Alastor? Mr. Morningstar? You guys have to get out of here, it’s a trap-” Maren rushed out, the tendrils around her wrist dissipating.

 

“Mortals have tried to trap for eons. None of them successful. I don’t think a sinner could come even close.” Lucifer reassured, helping Maren up.

 

“Plus, Vox’s pathetic ass isn’t even doing anything about us getting you. So you’re fine.” Alastor brushed off.

 

Lucifer looked really hard at Maren, trying to find any sign that she wasn’t okay as she looked, any sign that the smile Maren now held was a facade. “They didn’t hurt you, right?” Lucifer asked gently, but the threat of impending doom to the tower they were standing in could obviously be guessed.

 

“I’m okay to wait until we get back to the Hotel to fix any issues. Why don’t we get out of here?” Maren smiled, heading towards the door of the dance room.

 

“Why don’t we just take a portal?” Lucifer suggested quickly, trying to get out of this tower as fast as possible. “I’m okay to wait until we get to the hotel” for Maren could be a scratch, or her heart had stopped and she needed a defibrillator.

 

Alastor raised an eyebrow, but complied wordlessly, cutting off Lucifer when he went in the portal. Lucifer grumbled but followed hesitatingly, bringing Maren along slowly. When they got to the other side and stepped into the hotel, Maren was crushed in a hug by Charlie.

 

“Maren, I am so, so, so, so, so, sorry, and I’ll never let anyone take you again I shouldn’t have let you leave alone, that is so my fault and I get if you want to leave because of this, but know that I really don’t want you to-!”

 

Maren hugged Charlie back, grimacing softly. “This might be the safest place for me right now. I’m not going to leave because you made a mistake. Isn’t that your whole thing? Giving people more shots?”

 

Charlie looked back at Maren, tears welling up. Satan dammit if Maren got redeemed already, she was a perfect teenager! “Yeah… I guess it is… I guess that’s one exercise you won’t have to go to, huh?” Charlie asked, quickly wiping away her tears.

 

As Maren smiled at Charlie softly, Angel Dust ran down the stairs, sliding down the banister and running to grab onto Maren’s shoulders.

“Whaddya think of Alastor?” he questioned quickly, his eyes furrowed.

 

“He’s… nice?” Maren responded, confused.

 

Angel sighed, hugging Maren before looking at her dead in the eyes. “He didn’t hurt ya, did he? I can have Cherri blow up one of his buildings if ya want.”

 

“No, I just got slightly electrocuted,” Maren waved him off, “Not that big of a deal. Didn’t even hurt. Why’d you ask what I thought about Alastor?”

 

“Seein’ if he did his weird yo-yo mind control on ya. Don’t want ya comin back in here and then tryin’ to kill Al.” Angel shrugged.

 

“I wouldn’t!” Maren argued, but Alastor cleared his throat, looking at Maren’s belt, and Maren’s eyes widened. “I… how did I get that? I tried to? On…? Fuck…?”

 

“It wasn’t your fault,” Husk argued, but Maren continued to spiral. “I tried to kill someone. Just like that. What if I had actually done something? I could’ve seriously hurt someone. And if I had? Would I just do it again? Would I just be stuck in a cycle of kill and repeat?”

 

Maren held onto her arms, digging her claws into her arms. “And all the damage that would do! That would tear apart families… It could destroy any relationship I have with anyone! And I’d have to deal with that! I can’t just bottle up that I killed people!”

 

“Maren.” Lucifer tried to interrupt, but Maren didn’t hear.

 

“I’d be just at the same level as Mom and Dad were…!” 

 

Vaggie walked over to Maren, pulling her arms off each other and ignoring the small bit of blood that came out of some parts of her arms where the nails had been. “Maren, I want you to breathe with me. In, out… In, out… good… In, hold… and out.” Vaggie looked at Maren softly but firmly.  “Did that help?”

 

Maren did an extra deep breath and nodded. “Y-yeah… It did, actually.”

 

“Good.” Vaggie looked down at Maren’s arms, grabbing a med kit off a nearby wall and bandaging up the cuts. “You can take these off once it stops bleeding so that it can heal without something on it.”

 

“Got it,” Maren affirmed, but her eyes betrayed that she wasn’t still fully over her episode, a bittersweet curtain hanging over the windows to her soul. But with a quick sniffle, Maren smiled perfectly like nothing was wrong. But that didn’t go unnoticed.

Notes:

bye guys :) dont forget to feed the children in my basement with your comments! they say they want food but i dunno...

Chapter 11: Maren Vega Isn't My Name, Even I Don't Know My Name

Summary:

Maren chats with a friend and looks through a scrapbook. That's it, she just wants a little peace before her inevitable descent into madness...

Notes:

Quote from Bob Marley

a little oneshot to keep my influx of emails coming... the children are asking for food... greedy little things

BE HAPPY WITH THE GAY AND BE FREE

After getting back to the hotel and everyone constantly fussing over 'is she was okay' (Maren got the equivalent of putting a fork in a socket, whoop whoop), she headed over to her room (not getting lost this time, motherfuckers), and flopped backwards onto her bed. 

 

Randomly, a lamp fell on the bedside table, and Maren scrambled against the headrest of her bed, heart thumping in her chest like a nail being hammered into a piece of hardwood.

 

“Fuck…” she muttered, sighing as she relaxed again on her bed, but kept perfect care to make sure her back was still up against the headrest.

 

Just as she settled in, a knock on her door pulled her from the solemnity that she had established quickly, flinching from the noise, but quickly saying, “Come in!”

 

“Just checkin’ in on ya,” Angel replied as he walked in and did a double take as he looked around. “Really fell into the feel of the jungle? It’s nice.”

 

“Alastor fixed it for me,” Maren replied, looking into the jungle that loomed beyond her normal room.

 

“Did you ask him to?” Angel questioned, sitting on the bed beside Maren.

 

“No… I didn’t.”

 

“Then why didn’t you ask him ta change it back?” Angel pushed.

 

“I… didn’t want to push. I was tired, and I didn’t want to give attitude and get in trouble that early. I get I’m not on Earth anymore, and I’m basically living like an adult… But I have this adult life and I do all this and I still get treated like I’m a kid. But I mean, I’m not completely mad there, I like that you guys don’t force me to act like I’m older. I just miss, I guess, all of it.” Maren ran her hands through her hair, focusing on her blankets on her bed, “Well, I don’t miss being on Earth with horrible parents! But I miss what came with that. My friends, partner, and my dance studio! I miss having the family that came with dance. You must get it,” Maren turned to Angel, “You’re a porn star, so you probably do pole! Besides, from what I’ve met of Valentino being an absolute piece of shit, I’m sure you found somewhat of a family in your coworkers, right?”

 

“Nah,” Angel replied, “We don’t usually get along. Most of ‘em hate me for bein’ Val’s favorite. I’m not tryin’ anymore to ‘make friends’ there. It’s Hell, and besides in this hotel, people get that.”

 

“You kinda forget that here,” Maren agreed, “Charlie’s the hope we don’t have.”

 

“Y’know what I’m thinking about?” Angel looked at the red panda demon, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Uh, no?”

 

“I had a sister when I was alive. She had almost as many mental issues as ya can have, and I know she’s up there. So why do you think you’re down here?” Angel questioned, now looking slightly out the window at the white rings in the sky.

 

“Honestly?” Maren gave a dry laugh, her ears falling back, “I kinda know. I was so obsessed with little acts of rebellion against my parents and mini ‘revenge’ on them that I forgot to take care of myself. So I’m really fucking surprised that I’m not down here for Wrath. Because I was definitely vengeful against them. But… I was also never like that with anyone but them. I even only reserved my issues for them so I could feel the insult to their pride! One thing I learned very quickly, though: You either had to be quite slick, or you’re screwed. Home is not a democracy, it’s totalitarianism. But I prayed for forgiveness every Sunday, that maybe miraculously, they would let me go. Well, they didn’t, but I guess my sins were forgiven on that part, maybe. I’d say God would agree it was justified, but… I know God wouldn’t justify revenge, so maybe that’s why I’m down here for Sloth. also did try to… get here earlier, but who knew antibiotics can’t kill ya?” Maren questioned, attempting to make light of the topic.

 

“No, you don’t make that joke,” Angel quickly cut off, “Drugs in general aren’t somethin’ to fuck around with. I only got into it through a family business. Do not do drugs, kid.”

 

“Yeah, I had to learn about them in Wellness at school…” Maren trailed off, “I’m not interested in getting into drugs… But you know, I do need to talk with you about something!”

 

“Yeah?” Angel questioned.

 

“You’re trans, somewhat, right?” Maren replied.

 

“I do drag, sometimes, so I’m not exactly trans, but I’m somewhere on that spectrum, why?” Angel raised an eyebrow, unsure of how the conversation turned from suicide to him being trans.

 

“Okay, soooo… I think I might be gender-fluid? On non-binary, maybe? But I do know I loved this skirt yesterday, and I feel super uncomfy in it now.” 

 

“Kid, did you check in as your dead name?” Angel deadpanned.

 

“I don’t really have one picked out yet, that’s why I did, but yeah?” Maren tilted her head.

 

“Alright, c’mon, we’re gettin’ you a new name!” Angel dragged Maren out of her room, but could it really count as dragging if Maren was running with him?

 

-

 

“What about: Rogue!” Angel gestured with his hands like he was introducing the best product in the world, and he smiled at Maren.

 

“Oh hell no,” Maren replied as she laughed, “What about Onyx?”

 

“Oh HeLLo OnYx!” Angel laughed with a southern accent, “What brings ya to these parts?”

 

Maren fell over laughing, before Husk spoke up from Angel’s doorway. “What about Maverick? Sounds guy-ish enough on those days, and you can shorten it to Maeve on girl days.”

 

“Oh heyo, pussycat,” Angel greeted while Maren rolled her eyes at Angel and turned to Husk. 

 

“Maverick…” Maren tested the name on her tongue and nodded, “I like that.”

 

“Now we just have to go tell Charlie ya told her your dead name when ya checked in and that you were scared to say ya didn’t really like bein’ called Maren!” Angel announced.

 

“Noooo…”

Notes:

buh bye GO TO BED IF YOURE READING THIS ALL AT ONCE AT NIGHT YOU NEED SLEEP

Chapter 12: Of Rubber Ducks And Shovels

Summary:

Maverick rants to Lucifer after a fight with Alastor. And nothing else.

Notes:

me: wants to write a quick little vent
me: WRITES THIS ABOMINATION OF 15924 WORDS

teehee

AND I MADE A PLAYLIST BASED OFF MAVERICK ON SPOTIFY:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3s5Vtc9I7uHpQMVACx19y6?si=1qVeU0ILSwWAYtS3fbBGpA

CHECK IT OUT but not the rest of the account I beg you all

“Heeeey… Charlie?” Maverick peeked into the lobby, “Could I talk to you for a minute?”

 

“Of course!” Charlie smiled, and Maverick ran over to her. 

 

“So, uh… When I checked in, I used the name “Maren”... If we could change the name on the papers to Maverick, I would really appreciate that….”

 

Maverick was immediately scooped up into a tight hug. “Of COURSE we can change it! Why didn’t you tell me that in the first place!?”

 

“Didn’t have one picked out yet,” Maverick shrugged, “Husk and Angel helped me pick.”

 

“Well, I am soooo glad you figured that out! Do you want to use different pronouns too?” Charlie questioned, grabbing a clipboard from under her desk.

 

“Well…” Maverick contemplated, “I want to try they/them for now… But I was looking into that before I died, so I’ll get back to you on that.”

 

“Ooh, y’know what? I just got a great idea for a redemption exercise! We could all make little pins with our name & pronouns, decorate them, and Ah! It’s so perfect, I’m going to text everyone right now!”

 

“Texting! Good point!” Maverick blurted, then questioned Charlie, “Where could I get a phone?”

 

“Weeeell… Usually you would get one from VoxTek, like Angel’s,” Charlie smiled softly at Maverick’s wince, “Or I could ask my dad to get you one from another ring! Mine’s from Envy, and it works just as good as everyone else’s! Would that be okay with you?”

 

“Yeah, of course, whatever’s convenient!” Maverick reassured, “I just don’t want anyone to have to go out of their way.”

 

“It’s so okay!” Charlie laughed, “My dad wouldn’t mind at all! He would probably be happy I asked him to do something.”

 

“Or the little urchin could just live without one,” Alastor suggested as he snuck up on Maverick, “What would she need with a miniature picture box?”

 

“First, they,” Charlie corrected, “And second, I know you’re not really fond of tech, Al, but it does provide quick and easy communication!”

 

“So does a landline, dear.” Alastor deadpanned.

 

“Without my phone on Earth, I probably would’ve ended up here years earlier. So if you could kindly stop dissing my only coping mechanism, it would be appreciated.” Maverick snapped, eyes narrowing at Alastor.

 

Alastor’s grin seemed more forced as he twirled his cane, leaning forward. “Must be a shame if your only ‘coping mechanism’ was on something you don’t have anymore, hm?”

 

Maverick balled up their fist by their side, but kept their shoulder rolled back and looked Alastor dead in the eye. “Funny you should mention that. What’s your mechanism for coping with the fact that you’re miserable? Right… Cruelty. What a great coping mechanism-”

 

“Both of you! Enough! Oh my Satan, I am not dealing with this today! Maverick, go… take a walk! Alastor, take a walk!”

 

Alastor rolled his eyes and disappeared into shadows, tsk-ing. Maverick headed up the stairs towards their room, before sighing and walking straight past toward’s Lucifer’s room.

 

Maverick knocked quickly, noting the “No Alastors Allowed” sign as she heard a crash from inside the room.

 

“I’M COMING!” A yell came from inside, as more things crashed. Lucifer opened his door quickly, smiling as he noticed the person at his door.

 

“Maren! Hey! What brings you to my room?” Lucifer cleared his throat, leaning against the doorway awkwardly.

 

“Actually, uh, it’s Maverick,” they corrected, “And uh, if you could use they/them, please.”

 

“Oh my gods, have I been using the wrong name the whole time?” Lucifer facepalmed, “Charlie’s going to kill me.”

 

“No, uh, Mr. Morningstar, I just changed it,” Maverick explained, “I was figuring it out on Earth before I died and never figured it out.”

 

“Please, just call me Lucifer.”

 

“Isn’t that like... high level disrespect to call an adult by their first name?” Maverick questioned.

 

“It’s whatever you want it to be,” Lucifer shrugged, “You’re in Hell, you can do whatever you want. Free Will™ is my thing anyway.”

 

“I’m… still going to call you Mr. Morningstar,” Maverick replied.

 

“And you can do that!” Lucifer replied, “But please, come in! I uh, do want to warn you, there’s a lot of…”

 

“OHMIGOSH DUCKIES” Maverick ran over to a particularly tall tower of ducks and stared in awe before running around the entire room, looking at all the ducks before laying back on the bed with a duck sheet set.

 

“So I guess I don’t have to warn you then,” Lucifer laughed.

 

“Are you kidding me?” Maverick rolled their eyes jokingly, “This isn’t enough!”

 

“Of course, of course,” Lucifer agreed, “The rest are at the estate.”

 

“There’s more?” Maverick gaped.

“Yep!” Lucifer sat down on his bed next to Maverick, smiling.

 

“Oh what I would give to have the time and patience to put into a hobby…” Maverick sighed, before sitting up, “Right. I wanted to ask you about something.”

 

“Oh, what’s up?” Lucifer asked, tilting his head.

 

“Is there a way I could borrow some money to buy myself more clothes? I’ll do some extra work around the hotel to pay you back, but I really need a pair of pants, at least… The skirt that I’m wearing, while it’s nice, I don’t feel comfortable in it, really…”

 

Lucifer scoffed, “You are not paying me back. I’ll take you shopping to get a whole fucking wardrobe, okay?  I should’ve thought of that when I realized you were new… Do you wanna go later today?”

 

“Uh, sure?”

 

“Then, it’s settled. I’m taking you shopping ASAP. Because no way in Hell am I letting any chi- friend of my daughter’s be uncomfortable in the hotel!” Lucifer announced.

 

“Thanks,” Maverick smiled, looking up at the ceiling.

 

“What else is on your mind?” Lucifer laid back with a flop, putting his hands behind his head.

 

“Are you being serious right now or… what I mean is, do you want a nice answer, or do you actually wanna talk?”

 

“Whatever you need to say.” Lucifer replied, fidgeting with his ring.

 

Maverick hesitated, “I don’t… know if there’s something wrong with me? But sometimes I think that I don’t… feel? Sure, I know I have emotions, but I have trouble… expressing them? Or even at that, I’ll feel sad and feel in my gut that I want- no, need to cry, to get something out, but it’s stuck in my head.” Maverick rushed their words, in a hurry to get them out so that they could feel heard.

 

“Or, the other way around,” Maverick continued,  “someone else will be all upset and crying, and sure, I know they’re upset, but I don’t empathize? I don’t feel sad because they are, or to be completely frank, I know I could not care if I wanted to. But I always try to act like I do, because if I don’t… that would make something wrong with me.”

 

“Let me be very clear,” Lucifer started, “There is nothing wrong with you. You’ve just pushed things so far down… they’re buried underground. And sometimes our shovels don’t work. So it feels like there are no options, and you’re stuck with your possessions buried deep with skeletons.” Lucifer tapped his chin for a minute, thinking, “But! Sometimes the only shovel that will work is hidden in the back of your shed that hasn’t seen the daylight in 30 years! So, what you have to do is go through the shed, and find that shovel. If you rush, you’ll never find it. If you never start, the shovel will be there forever. So you have to go through the shed. A little bit at a time. And then you can start digging, and not all at once, either! Same pace as how you found the shovel!”

 

Lucifer sat up, and made sure Maverick was looking at him before continuing, “Do not mistake this for that you have to do this every single day without fail, and you aren’t allowed to stop until you’ve found your stuff. No. You’re allowed to hit setbacks. Maybe there’s broken glass on the shed floor, or you hit a giant rock when you almost get to your things. Take the time to clean up the glass. Move that rock out of the way. Take water breaks while you’re at it. As long as you’ve gotten farther than you were when you started.”

 

“And if I move backwards?…Maybe knock something over, and make more of a mess?”

 

“Then you clean it up and realize that you’ve still done something.”

 

Maverick sat up with Lucifer, smiling softly while they fidgeted with their fingers.

 

“Thanks Mr. Morningstar…” Maverick sighed.

 

“Call me Lucifer.” He replied.

 

“I… will try to remember that. It’s weird calling adults by their first names.” Maverick shrugged.

 

“That’s one thing you’ll have to get used to,” Lucifer laughed a little, before his smile softened. “I know this all is probably… weird for you. I know first coming down here was… Well! Not good for me, so I’m always here to talk! If you want, obviously, I’m not trying to force you into talking, that’d be horrible parenting-”

 

“I know you’re not trying to force me into talking. I did never like people that said the devil made me do it… That’s literally not even possible… Is it?” Maverick turned to Lucifer.

 

“Nope!” Lucifer replied, popping the p on the word, “Can’t force humans to do shit. Or sinners.”

 

“Wait, you can’t… hurt sinners? What if you’re in danger or something!?” Maverick exclaimed, eyes widening.

 

“They can’t kill me. That’s it. It’s never been a problem.” Lucifer waved off, “Nobody knows, anyway. So it’s fine.”

 

“Okay,” Maverick nodded.

 

-

 

Alastor’s shadow hid outside Lucifer’s door, listening to every word.

“So the child is unstable… And the king can’t hurt sinners? Perfect.”

Notes:

did I mention that ra is slow burn?? because ummm it's really. really slow...

Chapter 13: Red Ivy

Summary:

Alastor and Maverick chat, and afterwards, they meet a familiar face (To Alastor, anyway).

Notes:

TINY IS SO MIGHTY HERE

 

please check out the spotify playlist i made for Mav! I put it on the notes on the last chapter, but I'll put it here again in case you missed it!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3s5Vtc9I7uHpQMVACx19y6?si=1qVeU0ILSwWAYtS3fbBGpA

good luck AHAHAHA

A little later, Maverick excused themself from Lucifer’s room, citing an excuse that they wanted to grab a snack from the kitchen. Really, Maverick needed a little bit of cool-down time after talking with Mr. Mo- Lucifer, because being told that what they thought was the norm for their emotions… seemed to be something that they could fix. Maybe, Maverick could feel normal again… Nope! Not doing depresso right now!

 

As they walked down the short walk to their room, Maverick zoned out slightly before tripping on seemingly nothing, falling forward, expecting to meet hard floor and itchy rug. Rather, they met cool darkness, falling much farther than to the ground before being placed gently on a much different floor.

 

“What the hell,” Maverick groaned, sitting up before noticing the odd decor and a certain deer demon sipping from a red mug. They sat up quickly, walking over with fists clenched.

 

“Are you kidding me? Am I in your room right now!? What the fuck did you do that for?”

 

“Fun?” The demon replied, “I did prevent you from hitting the floor, after all. I would think that deserves a thank you, hm?”

 

Maverick rolled their eyes, but muttered a thank you under their breath. “There. Anyway. What do you want? Can I leave already?”

 

“No, no, I invited you in for a reason! Sit, have coffee, dear!” Alastor stood, pushing the chair across from him open.

 

“I really appreciate the invitation, Alastor, but I really have something to do-”

 

“Oh, you must have misunderstood!” Alastor played a track on his radio that resembled laughing, “That wasn’t an invitation! That was an instruction.”

 

Maverick straightened uncomfortably, before sitting in the chair across from Alastor.

 

“Perfect, dear,” Alastor smirked, and raised an eyebrow. “Coffee?”

 

“No thanks, I’m not a big fan…” Maverick declined, but Alastor interrupted.

 

“Ah yes! I forgot, you had mentioned you liked tea… I might have a bag from Rosie around here somewhere…” He tapped his chin before heading over to a cabinet. After looking for a minute, Alastor found a tea bag and brought it back to the table, snapping his fingers to materialize a cup with hot water inside, handing it to Maverick. They accepted the cup wearily, opening the tea bag cover and putting the paper into the cup.

 

“So. Why am I here, then?” Maverick started, stirring their tea with a spoon that was in their spot.

 

“Well! I have a little business proposition for you!” Alastor started, “I have, after all, been here in Hell for quite some time! Now, if on your first few days you find out that you can walk on walls, that would prove that you might have a whole array of sorcery at your command, you would never know!”

 

Maverick thought about it for a minute. They couldn’t count the times as a kid they wished they could have superpowers, and all the role-playing games they had played at recess in elementary school…

 

“See, I’ve been in your position before, dear! Being new to Hell in the 1930s was no joke! But I rose to Overlord status for a reason! I learned what I needed to do from someone that had known it before me! And I, graciously, extend the offer to you. We can call it an apprenticeship, per se.” Alastor finished his coffee, before his eyes turned to dials. “But one tiny little fee. You take these lessons, I get a tiny sliver of your soul.” Alastor’s eyes returned to normal. “You wouldn’t miss it!”

 

“I-” Maverick hesitated, “Can I think on this?”

 

“Now or never, dear,” Alastor replied.

 

Maverick ran through the deal quickly in their head, “How much is a tiny sliver?”

 

Alastor’s eye twitched, but he responded nonetheless, “½.”

 

Maverick quickly rebutted, “That’s not a sliver, that’s literally half my soul! ⅛!”

 

“¼. Final offer, dear.” Alastor’s eyes narrowed.

 

“...Fine!” Maverick agreed, throwing their hands up in the air.

 

“How about a shake on it? First lesson of Hell, dear, deals are closed with a handshake.” Alastor grinned.

 

Maverick held their hand out, and Alastor shook it, the pair staring each other in the eye. As they did so, Alastor’s green magic filled the room, sigils blazoning themselves across the room, while red ivy vines crawled up the walls, growing flowers that quickly disappeared once the deal was set.

 

“What the heck was that?” Maverick questioned.

 

“Ah, that usually happens when two people make deals down here. Brings out the worst in someone, you could say!” Alastor remarked, snapping his fingers to make his mug disappear.

 

“And the… vines?” Maverick replied, “That was me?”

 

“All you, my dear. I’ll say you might have a fighting chance down here!” Alastor declared, standing up. “I’d say we should have our first little adventure, hmm?”

 

“Sure…?” Maverick sighed, grasping the bridge of their nose, “Adventure where?”

 

“I’m going to go see a dear friend of mine! And you, are going to tag along. Consider this visit a lesson in…” Alastor contemplated his answer, then smiled glaringly at Maverick, “Common manners.”

 

“Are you saying I don’t have manners, asshole-?!”

 

-

 

Alastor opened the door to Rosie’s Emporium, humming idly as he held the door for Maverick. Walking up to the front desk, he rang the service bell. Maverick, however, decided to look around at what the store had to offer.

 

“I’m comin’!” Rosie announced as she walked down her stairs, “Susan, I’m not getting you a new- Alastor! Sweetheart!” 

 

Rosie quickly went around the desk and hugged Alastor, “It is so good to see you! Ya haven’t visited me much recently, although I couldn’t blame ya, that hotel is quite a project!”

 

“Ah, yes, well, Charlie does seem to always have something for everyone to do at all times… But! I did come with a surprise! Maverick, dear?” Alastor called, looking over to the teen inspecting the fashion section.

 

“Coming, Alastor!” Maverick replied, walking over, “What’s up? I was looking at all the clothes they have here.”

 

“Well, I just wanted to introduce you to a dear friend of mine! This is Rosie, one of the few Overlords that are actually worth people’s time!” Alastor introduced, motioning grandly at Rosie.

 

“...I seriously didn’t think you had friends,” Maverick deadpanned to Alastor, but turned to Rosie. “Nice to meet you, Ma’am.”

 

Rosie laughed, and smiled at Alastor, “She’s got spunk,” and turned to the teen, “Nice to meet ya, sweetie.”

 

“Nice to meet you as well,” Maverick smiled, and paused before adding, “And if you don’t mind, if you could use they/them instead of she/her, that would be amazing.”

 

“Of course! Y’know, Hell’s got a lot of people who are LGBTQ! Alastor here’s an ace in the hole himself!” Rosie responded, fixing her hat.

 

“You must tell me what that means, Rosie, dear.”

 

“He doesn’t even know what that-” Maverick laughed for a moment, ears falling back, “How old even are you, Alastor?”

 

“I was born in 1896, dear,” Alastor replied casually.

 

“Well, I see why you don’t know those terms then…” Maverick realized, “Waiiiit… that makes me like… an infant to you guys….”

 

“It kind of does, if you think about it like that!” Rosie agreed, nodding, “Oh, where are my manners, come on back, I’ll give you two snacks and tea! That hotel is quite far from here to walk!”

 

“That would be lovely, thank you,” Maverick quickly replied, before Alastor could say they had to leave. Maverick quite seemed to like this Overlord, and she had fashion in her store, so, bonus points.

 

Alastor and Maverick followed Rosie to the back of the Emporium, the two trailing slightly behind. A little tea table was set up with two chairs, but a third one pulled itself in with a swish of gold.

 

“Now, I have tea sandwiches made, but I don’t have any…” Rosie looked over at Maverick, then Alastor, “...Vegetarian ones ready. I could always throw a few together, though.”

 

“Oh no, I’m actually not vegetarian-” Maverick started, but Alastor interrupted them, holding up a finger.

 

“What Rosie means by “vegetarian” is that she is the Overlord of Cannibal Town. Henceforth, we are not talking about regular meat, dear.” Alastor quickly explained.

 

“Well…” Maverick mulled it over, “I’m willing to try a lot, as long as I wouldn’t be eating things intact… Does it taste like any normal meats?”

 

“These sandwiches were from a rather annoying pig… So they taste like pork.” Rosie replied.

 

“Then I’ll try one,” Maverick quickly assured, “And if it’s not my jam, don’t worry about it, I’m not starving anyway.”

 

Rosie smiled, “Of course, sweetie, I wouldn’t force ya to eat anything ya didn’t like.” She brought out the little sandwich platter, the table each grabbing one.

 

Maverick picked up the sandwich, and after a moment’s hesitation, took a bite and chewed. It didn’t taste that off from what they remembered of eating pork (It wasn’t quite popular in the Vega household), and other than the meat feeling a bit different, the sandwich was actually excellent.

 

“It’s quite good, actually, just a bit different!” Maverick remarked, taking another bite.

 

“If only others were that open-minded! Alastor, you brought quite a doll here with you!” Rosie shone with excitement.

 

“Yes, well, I choose my company for a reason,” Alastor replied, dabbing his already clean face with a napkin.

 

“Ya say that, and then you complain to me about havin’ to be around the king… How’s things going with that little endeavor, by the way?” Rosie questioned, raising a brow.

 

“He’s an absolute menace,” Alastor quickly argued, “I detest being in his presence.”

 

“You pick fights with him too much to detest his presence, Alastor,” Maverick commented.

 

“Well, he usually leaves after any fight and sulks, so that would be untrue,” Alastor denied.

 

“You keep them going! He goes to leave and you just keep trying to make him mad and stay!” Maverick quickly shot back before their eyebrows raised to the sky, “Waiiiiit… if you just fight with him to annoy him, but still keep him there, does that mean-”

 

“If you are insinuating the very idea I think you are, we are going to have a long chat when we get back to the hotel.”

 

“They make a valid point, Alastor,” Rosie smirked.

 

“Both of you. This conversation ends now.” Alastor glared.

 

“Fine…” Maverick sighed, but smiled slightly at the female Overlord.

 

“If ya say so,” Rosie returned the smile.

Notes:

i am so sorry... i tried to make it happier at the end, i did, i swear papa...

Chapter 14: You Did Invent Free Will, Stop Getting So Fumed When One Exercises It.

Summary:

On Earth, Aspen struggles to get over his girlfriend's death. But back in Hell, his partner is struggling just as much with a different problem over a Shirley Temple.

And the man-children make a deal :)

Notes:

hope the wait was worth the amount of angst im about to throw on your asses

Aspen scrolled on his phone, his earbuds blasting music that the rest of the world didn’t need to hear. His parents had long since abandoned trying to get him to open up, the cracks in their relationship overshadowing their son’s grief. They had been so close during Aspen’s time with Maren, but once their son wasn’t holding their relationship together, it all fell apart.

 

Spiralling, Aspen thought about his last minute with Maren, sitting next to Maren in that fateful study hall.

 

Do you need to stay over at my house tonight? Aspen emailed Maren, split screening with his assignment.

 

I can’t, Az. They wouldn’t let me. Trans or not, I’m not allowed to sleep over at guy’s houses. Maren replied, focusing on her screen.

 

Didn’t you say they thought I was a guy at birth?? 

 

Yeahhhhh thats probably why anyway but ive told them!! I’m ace and don’t even want kids - like, yucky… Maren emailed, rolling her eyes.

 

Well we dont have to have kids when we get married. And you and i can run off to college together or something  :)  Aspen looked at his girlfriend, Maren looking over and smiling, before the PA system interrupted their email chain.

 

“Attention. We are now entering a lockdown. Lock, Lights, Out Of Sight, this is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill.”

 

Maren and Aspen looked at each other quickly before running over to the corner and huddling together, Maren shaking slightly in fear. Aspen ran his hand on his girlfriend’s back, but jumped when he distantly heard gunshots from another room.

 

“Fuck fuck fuck,” he cursed, holding onto Maren tighter as she wrapped his arms around him. As Aspen watched in slow motion, the door fell off its hinges, as if the hinges on the hardwood door made to protect them were made of mere play-doh. The man ran in, open firing on the crowd of children huddled. Maren grabbed for the backpack in front of them, flinging it towards themselves, but the action was purely futile. Aspen watched as the bullet made contact with Maren’s chest, now hiding behind that same backpack that had failed to keep his will to live alive. He quickly knocked himself against the wall, feigning as one of the dead bodies sprawled all over the corner.

 

Turns out he had been the only one to make it out alive. He had been upset about it at first, upset about the loss of what had been his everything. But without you're everything, you become nothing. And so he did. He made sure to keep himself out of eyeshot, answering questions thrown at him like they were taught to him at a young age. His only term for living life was that he could fool them all.

 

Even his supposed friends. Laney tried to hang out with him in the beginning, trying to convince him that they could all still be friends. They couldn’t. Maren was the only thing holding that stupid friend group together. All of Maren’s friends were amazing people, Aspen knew. But there’s only so much “I know how you feel”s and “We’re together on this” he could take. There was only so many, “I’m so sorry for your losses” that seemed heartfelt until the words twist back into your own gut.

 

So Aspen decided he wasn’t going to play anymore. This playground was being torn down. Try next year.

 

-

 

Maverick opened the hotel doors and dragged themself over to the bar, resting their head on their arms.

 

“You said you could make Shirley Temples. I’d like one, please.” they muttered, fidgeting with their hands.

 

“...What did you do?” Husk narrowed his eyes, turning to make the drink.

 

“Nothing. My throat hurts. Can I please have my drink?”

 

“Look, kid,” Husk started, “I’m not talking about your drink. I’m talking about… negotiating. You seem less whole right now. Don’t tell me you made a deal with…”

 

“Alastor. Yep. Just met Rosie, and I love her, but she drained my social battery so much…” Maverick admitted.

 

“That was the worst decision - you could have ever made!” Husk practically reprimanded, sliding the drink over harshly, “Do you know what you’ve just signed yourself up for? For eternity? You’re stuck doing whatever he wants now! If he asks you to slit your own throat, you’ll have to sharpen the blade with a rock! Why couldn’t you have asked Charlie, or any of the sane people in this hotel!?”

 

“Because I’m a burden enough!” Maverick finally yelled, “Here they are, having to take care of a kid inside the hotel and figure out what that might mean for me, no way in Hell am I asking them to do more!”

 

“You’re not a burden.” Husk intoned calmly, “You aren’t to anyone here. Stop acting like it and get over asking for what you need. You have the King of Hell on your side. Who has infinite practically - everything, and you refuse to ask. Stop being a fucking child and get over it. You’re in Hell, and there has to be some way you are more mature than that.”

 

“But,” Husk continued, “If you ever need anything, and Alastor’s not particularly being… helpful, I’ve known him for a long time. Come ask me. Since what’s done is done anyway.”

 

“...I will.” Maverick ensured, taking a sip of their Shirley Temple. Maybe the bartender wasn’t as cold to everyone as he seemed.

 

- 

 

Lucifer did, in fact, know that Maverick had made a deal with Alastor. Felt it in the spacetime of Hell itself, as he usually did when overlords made deals. Honestly, he had half a mind to barge right in there then and yell at him straight afterward.

 

But he didn’t. Lucifer let the Radio Demon take Maverick to Cannibal Town, watching through the eyes around Hell to see if anything happened. But nothing did (To Lucifer’s cosmic surprise)! But now the Overlord had retreated back to his room on his own, Lucifer could confront him about it. Bambi had no chance. Weeeell… technically, he couldn’t hurt sinners. But what he didn’t know couldn’t hurt him.

 

As Lucifer adjusted his suit, he took a calming breath before storming out of his room and knocking on Alastor’s door like a madman.

 

“Alastor! Open up, I know you’re in there!” He yelled, trying to seem commanding, “Open up. or I will break this door down, I sear on my Father!”

 

Alastor opened the door and tilted his head slightly as he noticed the king. “What brings you to my humble abode, Your Shortness?”

 

“The fact that you made a deal with a fucking kid!” Lucifer fumed, “I have half a mind to smite you right now for doing that to a guest you’re supposed to be protecting!”

 

“Ah yes, like you’d do that…” Alastor commented idly before replying, “Either way, it was the child’s choice. You did invent free will, stop getting so fumed when one exercises it.”

 

Lucifer narrowed his eyes and grabbed the front of the demon’s shirt, glaring, “You are treading on the thinnest ice known to the universe.”

 

“I don’t really believe that ice is as thin as you’re making it out to be,” Alastor rolled his eyes.

 

“You really want to challenge my authority, Bambi?” Lucifer questioned, “There’s a reason I’ve been ruling over this pit for eons.”

 

“Because you’re chained to it, no doubt,” Alastor mentioned, “And I wouldn’t mind challenging someone that couldn’t lay a finger on me.”

 

Lucifer blanched, stepping back from the demon. How the absolute fuck did he know? “Like that’s right. If I couldn’t hurt sinners, then how would I still be where I am? I’m the King. You couldn’t even get here if you were as old as me.”

 

“Though I doubt that you would lie to Maverick then, hm?” Alastor twirled his cane, before playing an audio through the eye.

 

“Nope! Can’t force humans to do shit. Or sinners.”

 

Lucifer cursed at himself for not soundproofing his room earlier. But if Alastor had heard that part of the conversation, had he heard the rest of it…?

 

“See, I could put that over the air waves, and let everyone know of your little secret…” Alastor contemplated, “Or you could negotiate another option….”

 

“What do you want?” Lucifer questioned, careful to try and keep his composure. He didn’t want to seem pathetic and lower than Alastor, even with this information hanging over his head.

 

“I would shake upon access to all parts of your library.” Alastor introduced.

 

“Are you kidding me…” Lucifer muttered. His library included a plethora of books on every topic in the existence of everything. Of course this fucker wanted access to it…

 

“I am not translating almost half of my library from angelic runes.”

 

“I am not insinuating you must!” Alastor waved off, “I am just asking for full access. Not a big thing in order for you to keep your entire reputation and daughter’s life safe, hm?”

 

Lucifer groaned internally, thinking through his options. “I will grant you access to my library with no restrictions. In return, you will not share the information you have with any third party entity. If the last clause is fulfilled, I revoke any and all access to the library. The information you acquire from the library will also be wiped from your memory.”

 

“Peachy,” Alastor pushed through a strained smile, before holding out a hand to shake. “Do we have a deal?”

 

“Deal.” Lucifer shook his hand, and glowing sigils filled the room, both green and gold dancing with each other as they intertwined on the ceilings. Alastor’s antlers grew on his head, a crown of brown adorning his head while the monarch’s horns poked through, the ruby and white wings that Alastor had seen only once or twice making yet another appearance.

 

-

 

Aspen held the Tylenol bottle tightly in his hand. The lid off, he hovered over grabbing one before pouring a handful into his hand. He looked in the mirror, slightly panicking internally. Maren had always been the one who was full of faith in the relationship, while Aspen was raised atheist. So if there was an afterlife, Aspen knew he wouldn’t ever be seeing his girlfriend again. There was no way she wouldn’t be in Heaven (if there even was one)! She had done everything right in her life, and still was the one who ended up dying!

 

“It should’ve been me, goddammit! It should’ve been me!” He yelled, shaking slightly from the overwhelmingness of his emotions, “Then she would be here-!”

 

Aspen paused. “But she would be… devastated. And she would never forgive herself.” Aspen sighed, grabbing the cap to the Tylenol and pouring the handful back into the bottle.

 

“Alright, Mare, I’ll hold off for now. But you fucking know I’ll make them pay.”

Notes:

ha so uh... how yall like aspen? and yes, i don't know what happens next DEAL WITH IT

Chapter 15: Shopping In Stores Alastor Wouldn't Step Within 10 Feet Of

Summary:

Maverick goes shopping with Lucifer for suits and clothing Alastor would burn on sight.
And Angel and Alastor bond. As much as they get to bonding anyway.
And maybe I sprinkled in some Radioapple.
Maybe.

Notes:

IM SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG I LOST ANY IDEAS FOR THIS CHAPTER

and then once i found it i just kept going???

LIKE 2448 WORDSS IT'S A NEW RECORD FOR MOI🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

 

Maverick stood by the door in the lobby, spacing out slightly as they waited for Lucifer. They were arranged to go with him today to go on that shopping spree to get new clothes, but he seemed to be 10 minutes late, according to the clock in the lobby.

 

“Maybe I could ask Charlie to text him?” Maverick mused, tapping their chin.

 

“Oh! I heard my name!” Charlie ran over, “Everything okay, Mav?”

 

“Yeah, Lucifer was just supposed to be down here by now, but it’s fine.” Maverick reassured, shrugging it off.

 

“Here, let me call him!” Charlie offered, taking out her phone before the younger could stop her, “It’s no problem!”

 

“You really don’t have to, Charlie-” Maverick tried to interfere, but Charlie had the phone dialing and on speaker already.

 

“Heya, bitch!”  Lucifer picked up, sunshine in his voice, “What’s going on? Alphonso annoying you?”

 

Maverick laughed a little and Charlie rolled her eyes, “Daaaad, no. You were supposed to meet with Maverick for…?”  Charlie looked to Maverick, who added “Shopping,” helpfully.

 

“RIGHT! I’LL BE DOWN IN A SECOND!” the phone suddenly echoed, making the two surrounding it flinch. 

 

“Holy fuckaroni,” Maverick muttered.

 

Alastor’s static blared from the balcony over the lobby, and he used his shadow to move next to Maverick. “What was that absolute abomination of the English language?”

 

“Fuckaroni is the best word ever-” Maverick started, but paused as soon as she saw a blur of red and gold zooming towards Alastor. They took a step back, and Lucifer suddenly shoved Alastor out of his spot, fixing his hair.

 

“Needed to give the wings a stretch! Anyway, hope this spot was empty, let’s go!” Lucifer smiled, but Alastor’s eye twitched as he walked back over.

 

“And where might you be going? Back to your little castle to ignore everything for another few years?” Alastor questioned, tilting his head.

 

“Oh you-” Lucifer growled, horns poking out, but noticed the on-edge teenager next to him and settled himself. “Actually, we’re going shopping. Somewhere expensive. Not one you would know.”

 

“Well, if you insist, I wouldn’t know, then I won’t pry,” Alastor replied offhandedly, knowing it would irritate the king that he didn’t care, “But, Maverick?” Alastor’s smile almost taunted, eyebrows down in pride that he had control over at least part of this.  “Do yourself a favor and buy at least one suit, yes?”

 

“They can wear whatever the fuck they want, Παλιοσκατό!” Lucifer flared, but Maverick smiled placatingly.

 

“No, it’s okay, that was on the list anyway,” Maverick reassured before turning to Lucifer, “Well, list subject to approval obviously, but it was one of my ideas.”

 

“You can get whatever you want, Mav,” Lucifer reassured, “As long as it’s nothing too inappropriate.”

 

“You’re kidding me.” Maverick deadpanned, “I can get what I want? What’s my spending limit?”

 

“The biggest number you can think of,” Lucifer smirked.

 

“Well then what are we still doing here!?” Maverick replied giddily.

 

“Weeeeell…” Lucifer started, “I didn’t know if you wanted to take the limo, or teleport around, and I could fly around too?”

 

Maverick’s eyes widened, and it was at that moment they remembered that King of Hell = Rich.

 

“How would you fly me around? Could your wings-?” Maverick started, but Lucifer simply smirked and hugged onto Maverick, opening his wings and hovering 10 feet off the ground.

 

“Like this! Charlie used to love doing this with me when she was little…” Lucifer reminisced, “We can look art the baby book later, actually, I just got that moved!”

 

Charlie objected, the quickest Maverick had ever seen that girl react, actually. “No!”

 

“Fine, fine,” Lucifer rolled his eyes jokingly, “So. flying. How about it?” 

 

“I’ll go with this one,” Maverick replied, nodding quickly.

 

“Works with me!” Lucifer smirked, “Where do you wanna go first?”

 

“How about we go get the suit done first?” Maverick recommended.

 

Lucifer rolled his eyes jokingly and opened a wide portal in the ceiling, “We’ll be back in a few hours! Don’t burn the place down! And if you do, the fire extinguisher’s in the back of the desk!”

 

With that, the duo flew through the ceiling.

 

-

 

Lucifer landed in front of a small store, dusting off his suit after letting Maverick jump down from a foot in the air. “So. Here’s where I usually get my stuff done, they’re good at their job. The only nitpicky thing is that they’re very quick, and don’t work on your time. But I’ve known this family forever, so you’ll be fine.”

 

Maverick nodded, and Lucifer opened the door for them, a bell alerting the receptionist someone had walked in.

 

“Welcome to Bespoke Threads, how may I-” The receptionist droned before looking up, “-Your Majesty! Welcome in!”

 

Lucifer smiled, and walked over to the desk. “Is Benedict around?” Lucifer went on to explain, “I need a new suit.”

 

“Oh, for Satan’s sakes, Lucifer, what did you do to the last one?” The receptionist facepalmed, the question implying to Maverick that Lucifer had a tendency to ruin his suits.

 

“Nothing! You have a new client! This is Maverick!” Lucifer pulled Maverick forward so they weren’t hiding slightly behind him anymore.

 

“Hey,” Maverick greeted, their smile awkward as their posture at that moment. They hadn’t expected Lucifer to be so… well… blunt about it.

 

“Ben’s going to have a field day with you,” the receptionist looked over Maverick, “My name is Hudson. I’ll tell Benedict you’re here, and he should be out in a minute, Your Highness,” Hudson bowed his head slightly.

 

“Oh no, I’m not-” Maverick quickly went to adjust, but Lucifer raised his eyebrows and looked at Maverick in a way that said that maybe they shouldn’t correct him.

 

“Thanks, Hud,” Lucifer smiled, “Tell the kids I say hi.”

 

“Will do!” Hudson gave a thumbs up, walking over to the back.

 

As soon as the man was gone, Maverick immediately interrogated Lucifer. “Why’d you stop me?”

 

“I wouldn’t correct him. Better for everyone if they think you’re my kid, rather than a sinner that’s Charlie’s friend that’s underage that I hang out with, yeah?” Lucifer shrugged.

 

“Ooooh, I see how that could go wrong, yeah,” Maverick nodded, sighing through their teeth.

 

“Plus, you’re more of my kid than the Radio Freak who you made a deal with, so there’s that too.” Lucifer pointed out.

 

“Wait, how the heck’d you know about that?” Maverick turned towards Lucifer.

 

“Intuition.”

 

“Bullshit.”

 

“Fine.”

 

Maverick was about to gloat before someone walked into the waiting room, slightly taller than Lucifer. His skin was red, and his hair was white, gelled back with enough gel to put a swimmer in a coma.

 

“Lucifer! Your Majesty, it has been awhile since we’ve seen you! Hudson told me you got another kid, congrats!” Benedict looked over at Maverick, “He’s a tough one alright. You want that bone imagery on your suit?”

 

“Oh, they/them, sir,” Maverick corrected, “And if you don’t mind, then yeah.”

 

“Of course. Come on back, I’ll take your measurements.” Benedict waved, and Lucifer and Maverick allowed Hudson to his workshop.

 

“Arms up,” Hudson grabbed his tape measure, and having been a dancer for so long, Maverick knew the drill of getting fitted for costumes. As soon as Benedict went to write down his last measurement of one part, Maverick moved so that he could get the next measurements done. As soon as all the measuring was over, the group sat down at Benedict’s desk, with him quickly sketching out a body to draw onto and Maverick watching closely. (They had, after all, taken fashion on Earth, this was someone who knew about it! What better than a minor case study?)

 

“So,” he started, “I assume you’ll be matching up the color scheme with your dad?”

 

“That would look good on you, Mav,” Lucifer commented.

 

“Yeah,” Maverick agreed, “And I was thinking down the sides, in order to incorporate the skeleton influences, you could put the chains that are on dad’s suit on the side to resemble a ribcage. And that would stop around the waist. And we could have a golden tie that looks like a spine, that would bring some unity to it-” Maverick rambled, spilling out ideas, “And for the pants, if they could have pockets and be loose, that would look nice…”

 

“Have you ever considered a career in fashion, kid?” Ben questioned, “You might be royalty, but it’s a fun line of work. You could intern here if you liked.”

 

“Oh, yeah I have actually,” Maverick admitted sheepishly, “I was considering designing dance costumes.”

 

“Dance costumes, huh? You dance? We could make this suit not stiff if you’re going to need to be able to move in it.” Benedict recommended, his pencil hovering over a sketchbook.

 

“That would be amazing, thank you,” Maverick nodded.

 

Lucifer watched the interaction carefully. If he wanted to convince Maverick to actually be a part of the Morningstars, then he had to at least know what they liked. It was so invigorating to see them so happy, especially after the conversations he’d had with Maverick. He knew that there were a lot of things bothering them, and yet they still felt so…happy. Huh. Maybe Lucifer should ask for some tips.

 

“And that looks amazing!’ Maverick approved the sketch Benedict had drawn up, his book closing as he put it on a different desk near the fabric wall on their left.

 

“Happy to help.” Ben replied, “It should be ready tomorrow.”

 

“Thanks, Ben!” Lucifer thanked, walking himself and Maverick out, “Text me, and I’ll pick it up!”

 

“Gotcha! I’ll see you then!” Benedict yelled after them. 

“So, where do you wanna go now?” Lucifer stopped outside the tailor, letting his wings out.

 

“Anywhere Alastor would refuse to be in 10 feet of.” Maverick smirked.

 

“You’re speaking my language, little lady,” Lucifer laughed.

 

-

 

Angel slid himself onto a barstool, smiling at the cat behind the bar. “My usual, Husky.”

 

Husk rolled his eyes jokingly and went to make the drink. But when he turned back around and saw Alastor materialize on the stool next to Angel? He almost jumped out of his skin.

 

“Why hello!” Alastor greeted, “Fancy seeing you all here.”

 

“You stuck me here and said stay. No wonder I’m here.” Husk deadpanned.

 

“Fancy seein’ ya too, Smiles,” Angel replied, taking his drink from the counter once Husk set it down, “You drinkin away your sorrows with the rest of us common folk?”

 

“What sorrows?” Alastor played a laughing track on his microphone, “No, I simply have a thirst for drama that is unusually sated by those who frequent this bar.”

 

“So you’re admittin’ you enjoy my company?” Angel smirked, leaning an elbow on the bar.

 

“If I didn’t, then I wouldn’t be at this bar, would I?” Alastor asked as Husk poured him a neat whiskey.

 

“Meh, guess not.” Angel shrugged.

 

“So… what’s the deal with you and Daddy Supreme?” Angel asked, “You guys have been fightin’ for who knows how long. It’s giving… hate-fuck at this point.”

 

Husk almost did a spit take, and Alastor’s eyes turned to dials. “I’m sorry?”

 

“Ya heard me. It’s impactin’ the entire hotel at this point. At this point, either fuck or get over ya feelings.” Angel took a sip of his drink, swirling it around aimlessly.

 

“I will not be ‘fucking and getting over any feelings’!” Alastor countered quickly.

 

“You’re getting defensive!” Angel yelled, smiling, “You do have feelings for him!”

 

“If you want to keep all of your limbs, you will cease this at once!” Alastor stood quickly, looming over Angel.

 

Angel stood quickly from the bar, running away while laughing. “Smiles has feelings for Charlie’s dad!” Angel taunted, Alastor quickly getting up after him.

 

“Do not!”

 

(4 hours later, after a few drinking contests and Alastor repeatedly chasing Angel around the lobby)

Lucifer walked in with Maverick, the two laughing while tens of shopping bags hovered next to them, carried by Lucifer’s magic. Maverick dismissed themself to their room after seeing who was in the lobby and deciding not to engage with drunken adults, leaving Lucifer to walk over to the bar and question Alastor on why Angel was head down on the bar, and why Husk wasn’t at his usual post. Upon sitting down, though, Lucifer noticed the light blush on the deer demon’s face and the empty shot glasses in the sink and sighed.

 

“What, are you above mere sinners drinking? I know you like to place yourself on a pedestal, sire, but surely your ego can’t be that inflated.” Alastor snarled, focusing on the bottles behind the bar.

 

“I place myself on no such thing.” Lucifer replied softly, “I barely have enough ego to keep myself together, why do you think I care if you drink?”

 

Alastor went silent at that, musing silently on something. Lucifer sat there awkwardly, before finally getting off the stool and going behind the bar. “I’m getting myself a drink,” he muttered, grabbing his apple brandy.

 

“I do not remember stocking my bar with apple brandy, sire,” Alastor narrowed his eyes, letting Lucifer laugh a little.

 

“Let a guy put in what he wants. I paid for it, you’re not drinking it, it’s fine.” Lucifer poured the brandy into a random cup off the counter, not really caring that technically he was pouring brandy into a wineglass, but wine was Heaven’s thing, after all, and Lucifer was happy to blaspheme it in any way possible.

 

Lucifer put the drink on the counter in front of his stool, and hopped over the side. He sighed, taking a sip of the brandy and let the liquid hit his throat before swallowing.

 

“Is it good?” The radio demon asked, zoning out slightly.

 

“Oh, uh, yeah, it’s good, but I can pour you a shot and see if you like it,” Lucifer replied, taking another sip as the taste tinted his mouth.

 

“I’m afraid I’ll pass on that offer, I shouldn’t want to pass out here,” Alastor denied the offer, but immediately grabbed the king by his front lapels and pulling him almost off his seat.

 

“I’d rather try it another way.”

 

Before Lucifer could object, Alastor pulled him in to a drunken kiss, Alastor tongue finding it’s way quickly into Lucifer’s mouth to taste the brandy. Lucifer moaned softly into the kiss, the contact being comforting after being so long without a partner. Lucifer was overwhelmed by the taste of whiskey in the Radio Demon’s mouth, and it was probably enough to get Lucifer drunk on just the taste. But before he could really get into it, Alastor pulled out of the kiss, disappearing into the shadows.

 

Never a dull fucking moment in this hotel, it seemed.

Notes:

hope it was worth the wait.

 

who am I kidding that was a lot of radioapple

Chapter 16: Siblings Are Just Another Breed, Man.

Summary:

Lucifer gets an ominous text, and Mav has crisis over daddy issues. Ta-da.

Notes:

HAPPY CHRYSLER EVERYBODY

if you dont know what that means you need to watch that and bring life to your world

 

anyway since i apparently enjoy torture here you go

Lucifer woke up in the morning quickly, sitting up as though someone had shot a gun down the hall.

 

“Holy shit, why’d I sit up that fast? ” He questioned, talking to the abyss, “I’m literally in my room.”

 

He sighed, checking his phone to see if anyone had texted him. When shown his empty background, he turned the screen off, but as soon as he did, the phone buzzed and the screen turned right back on.

 

(666)-258-6978 (Lilyyyyy): Lucifer.  We need to talk.  Meet me back in our old quarters. Do not, under any circumstances, tell Charlie.

 

Lucifer clicked on the notification so fast that Salem, Massachusetts would start the witch trials again against him. The singular text message, after years of silence, felt like a ghost coming back from the dead. His fingers hovered over the keyboard as he clicked on the Reply button, but he immediately clicked off and put his phone back down on the nightstand.

 

“Why now…? Why, when everything is going perfectly, for once in my father-damned existence…?” Lucifer groaned, getting out of bed and grabbing a suit.

 

-

 

Maverick held up two hangers, weighing each one before laying them down on their bed.

 

“This one’s giving ‘I couldn’t give a fuck about what you think of my outfit, I’m comfy,’” Mav contemplated, smoothing out a sweater and fixing a wrinkle on red cargo pants.

 

“But this one is like - badass central…” They continued looking over to an M-line tank with a black sheer T-shirt. Gold pants that resembled jeans, along with a red and white bomber jacket completing the look.

 

Mav groaned, facepalming. “Curse indecisive tendencies.”

 

Finally, they decided on outfit 2, figuring that 1 would be used for a weekend. Mav knew that they were going to start their “lessons” with Alastor any day now, so might as well dress right so he doesn’t make a whole day on why the fashion in the 1920s was superior. Although, thinking about it, Maverick wouldn’t exactly mind a fashion history lesson…

 

As soon as they finished getting dressed, Mav checked themself out in the mirror. “Alright, not bad, it looks good!” they complimented, twirling to see all angles.

 

“They would have never let me wear this back at home,” Mav reminisced, “They would’ve actually called me a slut! And to think they can’t do shit to me anymore!”

 

Mav froze, sitting on their bed. “They can’t… hurt me anymore. I’m not under their thumb anymore.”

 

They looked down at themselves, immediately feeling nostalgic over things that…just made the dark outlines instead of nothingness.

 

Like when Mom had gone with Maren to do a vendor sale for her mother’s side job, and Maren had gotten to buy a little too.

 

Or when her stepfather had taken her to Home Depot with him, letting her pick out whatever color she wanted for the new room he built her.

 

Or when Maren’s actual dad had let her do his makeup, the picture still on Facebook to this day.

 

“Were they really all that bad?” Mav whispered to themself, “They took me places, built me a room, took me to Disney on Ice every year…”

 

Your mother yelled at you in the car that you were unable to have empathy, Maverick’s mind echoed, Your stepfather watched you as you cried while running laps and continued to give you more laps to do. Your biological dad left!

 

But at least he cared! Maverick’s other half of her brain argued, Sure! I’m mad that he left, but there’s nothing I can do! And if I’m mad at him while I got to see him? Then it would just ruin the one part of the year’s memories that I have that are good!

“This is not helping me…” Maverick sighed, “I’m in a redemption hotel. The least I could do for Charlie is get my shit together.”

 

Maverick wandered down to the lobby, her eye catching on the fact that Charlie was in here. Maybe she could give some advice.

 

“Charlie!” Maverick exclaimed, running over, “Could we talk a sec?”

 

“Oh, of course!” Charlie smiled, leading the teen into the foyer, “What’s up?”

 

“So, I did some reading and I found out that Lucifer wasn’t exactly around all your childhood, right?” Mav interrogated, careful not to seem too factual about it.

 

“Yeah, Dad wasn’t always around,” Charlie nodded, “Why? Is he being distant here? I could go talk to him-”

 

“No, I just needed to make sure I knew what I was talking about before I asked for advice,” Maverick clarified before starting, “When I lived on Earth, I lived with my Mom and stepdad. It was tricky. But. I still had my dad. I loved going to his house, and I always thought I would move there as soon as I hit sixteen. But, one thing led to another, arguments about an Uncle, job difficulties, and my dad moved pretty far away. It then started that I got to see him once a year.”

 

Maverick swallowed the lump in their throat, not letting this turn into some big tear fest, “I really missed him. But I was furious at him for leaving - when he could’ve gone back to his job, stayed with one of his friends who would’ve happily taken him in… But he chose to live with his girlfriend. Who I love, mind you, but I just feel like… I don’t know, if I got mad, then the time with him would be ruined, you know?”

 

Charlie put her hand on Maverick’s shoulder, the action unexpected but comforting. “Y’know, now that Dad’s back, I’m so happy he wants to be part of my dreams and support me. But, I’m kind of still mad at him that he wasn’t there to help me in the first place. Everyone’s allowed to have an opinion on something, and that may be ours, and it’s not wrong to have it. I’d tell you to go and tell him how you feel, but…” Charlie scratched the back of her neck, “I guess that wouldn’t be possible. So, the best thing we could probably do is just have you talk this out. So we can work through this when everyone involved in the drama won’t get in the way down here.”

 

“So you’ve talked to him? What did he say?” Maverick leaned forward in interest.

 

“Well, I didn’t imply that,” Charlie smiled, trying to deflect, “But I’m just saying that it’ll be a good idea to maybe involve you in the hotel therapy sessions?”

 

“Oh, no, that’s really not necessary,” Maverick tried to deny, but Angel yelled over from a couch not too far away.

 

“Cinn, the therapy here would cost more than your room. Accept that ya get it for free, and let it do it’s thing.”

 

“Who in the hell is Cinn?” Mav raised an eyebrow.

 

“Cinnamon,” Charlie and Angel replied at the same time, with Charlie rolling her eyes jokingly and Angel just purely clarifying.

 

“Let me guess,” Maverick sighed, “Red panda. Cinnamon color.”

 

“Ding ding ding, toots,” Angel snapped his fingers into finger guns, “You earn nicknames down here. Have fun with it.”

 

“Alastor gets the Radio Demon, and I get Cinnamon?” Maverick groaned, “Fine. I’m earning a new one with the public, though. I am not having someone random call me Cinny on a street. Cinny makes it sound like I’m a hooker.”

 

“Does not! It’s cute!” Charlie argued, booping Maverick’s nose.

 

“Is not!!”

 

“Oh, is too!”

 

“Is not!”

 

“Ah,” Angel Dust sighed, “Sisters.”

Notes:

sorry bout the wait yall I had absolutely no time to work on this before break, and yesterday was... chaotic.

anyway dont forget comments feed the children (and my soul which mav will definitely have trouble with)

OOPS WHO SAID THAT BYESIESSS

Chapter 17: Φωνάζοντας όσο πιο δυνατά μπορείς σε μια βιβλιοθήκη

Summary:

Maverick has her first “official lesson” with Alastor, but the theme goes a little astray when Maverick overhears a few things they shouldn't.

Notes:

holy shit i cant believe ive done 17 chapters holy cowwww

tiny is mighty btw something small could ruin it all :)

Maverick was looking over Angel’s shoulder, watching as he scrolled on HellTok. It had started as a friendly pillow fight over Angel calling Mav and Charlie sisters, but had ended with Charlie deciding to take a nap because it had turned into a pillow turf war, and Angel crashing on the couch, Mav deciding to just sit with him.

 

“Did you know that blobfish-”

 

Angel scrolled quickly, landing on a video of a sinner doing a pole routine.

 

“They should have their hand lower, it’d give them more grip,” Angel muttered, making comments as the video went on.

 

“Probably makes the move smoother,” Mav mumbled back, practically falling asleep.

 

The duo watched the phone until a disapproving tut made Mav’s eyes shoot open.

 

“Angel, Maverick does not need your technology to rot their brain.” Alastor loomed above, staring disapprovingly at the device.

 

“Can’t rot my brain if I wasn’t even watching it,” Mav defended, their voice slightly slurred from the rest.

 

Alastor rolled his eyes and flicked his wrists, his shadow pulling Maverick off the couch to their feet, with the teen objecting quickly.

 

“Time for a little field trip,” Alastor announced, pulling Mav to his side.

 

“Where the hell are we going…?” Maverick fixed their matted fur from the nap, looking up at Alastor.

 

“That would ruin the surprise, wouldn’t it?” Alastor replied.

 

-

 

“Woah,” was all that Maverick could manage when they saw the cathedral worth of books, the dust on the room sitting atop of everything like a dusting of snow.

 

“See? Those droning pieces of metal could never compare to this, dear,” Alastor smirked, “And we have access to it all.”

 

“Is this all… yours?” Mav whispered, running a finger down a book nearby reverently.

 

“Well, my own library is quite extensive, this isn’t mine,” Alastor walked over, inspecting the book Maverick had touched before putting it back with a pointed look, “Your first lesson: to be able to harness magic, you must be able to understand its roots. We are finding a Grimoire focused specifically on botanomancy.”

 

“On what the fuck?” Mav raised an eyebrow, completely not understanding what Alastor was saying.

 

Alastor sighed, “Botanomancy, my dear, is-” 

 

“It’s been seven years, Lucifer! You think I’m here for hugs and hellos?” A voice yelled from the room next door, making Alastor freeze and Maverick tense.

 

“Hush,” Alastor whispered, walking closer to the wall near the doorway into the next room, while simultaneously motioning for the teen to follow. 

 

Maverick moved silently as well, following Alastor, but the guilt in their gut outweighed the fear.

 

“Well, assuming that you left, you’d think you’d be back for your daughter? Do you know how hard it was to look Charlie in the eyes every day when I know that you abandoned her? That you left her for the same place you and I had gotten kicked out of?” Lucifer yelled back, his voice wavering slightly.

 

“The silly hotel Charlie is running is the problem, Lucifer! Now that Adam is dead, Lute wants blood! She will not hesitate to involve the Archangels to twist it! I’m trying to keep the peace, and all you are doing is messing things up! Involving yourself in the  hotel, parading around sinners? What are you, a charity?”

 

“Being responsible where others weren’t there isn't a ‘charity’, It’s stepping up!”  Lucifer argued.

 

“Stepping up to take care of a stray because you feel guilty you couldn’t even raise your own daughter right? That’s what it is, right?  It wouldn’t really matter who it was, would it? You’re just looking for an excuse to make yourself feel like you aren’t worthless!” Lilith yelled, “Why are you spending your energy on a soul that will just die in the next extermination anyway?”

 

Maverick froze, the pure, melodic voice assuring every fear they had. “Alastor, can we please go now?” Maverick pleaded, pulling on the coat next to them.

 

Alastor narrowed his eyes. “Not yet,” he replied coolly.

 

“Don’t you dare-” Lucifer started, his voice growing slightly polyphonic, but Lilith cut him off.

 

“I’m done talking to you about this,” Lilith sighed, “When Heaven destroys that hotel, and those in it, don’t run to me.”

 

Alastor put a hand on Maverick’s shoulder, making less of a comforting gesture, but rather, rooting Maverick to the spot, which you could interpret as comforting if you squinted hard enough.

 

“I am teaching you one thing here,” Alastor whispered harshly, “The company we keep is a hard choice. Idolizing authority figures… often leads to disappointment. Wouldn’t recommend it, dear.”

 

“I-” Maverick started, their voice catching. They were interrupted though, by a dramatic open of the doors connecting the two rooms, an exhausted Lucifer stepping through.

 

“Fuck,” Lucifer muttered, before noticing the figures leaning against his bookshelf, his more demonic traits immediately showing with tall horns, white & red wings, and eyes reduced to pure red light.

 

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Lucifer fumed, marching towards the duo.

 

“Simply utilizing the library you had given me access to,” Alastor replied offhandedly, while Mav practically shook at his side. This was a side of Lucifer Maverick had seen once or twice before, when Lucifer was really mad at Alastor but Maverick had never seen said anger directed at them.

 

“I’m sorry, please, I didn’t mean to,” Mav stammered, lifting their hands slightly placatingly, “I didn’t want to-”

 

Lucifer deflated once he saw the fear in Maverick’s eyes, remembering how their stepfather had been and what had happened in their house. If a human had seemed scary at the time, then Lucifer…

 

“No, It’s okay Maverick, I would never-” Lucifer reached out, but they pulled back, to Alastor’s amusement.

 

“The summary for today’s lesson - is that power and status are lovely things, but one must always be careful about the company one keeps. Even the brightest lights,” Alastor’s eyes bore into Lucifer, “cast the darkest shadows. It is best to know exactly who holds the leash, wouldn’t you agree?”

 

“Maverick,” Lucifer started, his voice trembling, reaching a hand out. “She didn’t mean—”

 

“I’m ready to go now, Alastor,” Maverick interrupted, their voice hollow. They didn’t look at Lucifer. “I think I’ve learned enough for today.”

 

Alastor chuckled darkly, his shadow rising to engulf them. “I suspect you have, my dear. I suspect you have.” Lucifer lunged forward as the shadows swirled. “Wait! Maverick, please—!”

 

But the mentor and mentee disappeared, leaving the King of Hell to his own guilt. 

 

“I am so fucked.”

Notes:

:)

yes thats all i have to say for myself

yes i enjoy ruining mavericks relationships

no i dont plan on fixing it anytime soon

Chapter 18: Vines Wrap Around Whatever's Available

Summary:

Alastor offers a twisted version of comfort to Maverick. And he would've gottn away with it too, if it weren't for those meddling kids (Charlie and Vaggie), and their little father too!

Notes:

heyo!

The wind on the roof of the Hazbin Hotel was howling, but it was nothing compared to the storm brewing inside Maverick.  Alastor stood near the edge, his coat flapping violently in the wind, his smile stretched wide and terrifying. He didn't offer a handkerchief. He didn't offer a hug. He offered a target.   He had conjured a series of shadow puppets—grotesque, distorted figures that vaguely resembled the shapes of angels, or perhaps just generic demons. They stood in a circle around the teenager.   "She called you a stray," 

 

Alastor’s voice wasn't loud, but it cut through the wind like a knife. It was amplified, distorted, echoing in Maverick's ears from all directions. "A charity case. Something to be pitied until you are inevitably... discarded."   

 

"Shut up!" Maverick yelled, tears streaming down their face, hot and angry. They wiped them away furiously, but they kept falling.  

 

"Why should I?" Alastor tilted his head, his eyes glowing with radio dials.

 

 "Is it not the truth? You heard her yourself. Even the King couldn't deny it. To them, you are fragile. Weak. A pet."  Maverick gritted their teeth, the grinding barely a soothing release for the pain. "I am not... weak."  

 

"Then show me!" Alastor roared, his voice dropping into a demonic bass that shook the floorboards. "Use it! Don't let those tears go to waste on pity! That burning in your chest? That is not sadness, my dear. That, is power."   

 

Alastor snapped his fingers, and one of the shadow monsters lunged at Maverick.  Instinct took over. Maverick threw their hands up, screaming in frustration. But instead of cowering, they shoved that feeling—that horrible, gut-wrenching feeling of being unwanted, of being the "problem child" in every house they lived in—outward. 

 

The roof tiles shattered. Thick, crimson vines erupted from the concrete like jagged spears. They weren't the pretty, green vines of nature. These were twisted, thorny, and pulsing with a sickly red light. They impaled the shadow monster instantly, tearing it into wisps of smoke.  

 

 "Good," Alastor purred, stepping closer. "Again. She thinks you will die in the next extermination? Prove that you are the one who does the killing."   

 

Another shadow lunged. Maverick swung their arm, and a vine whipped out, covered in thorns the size of steak knives, decapitating the shadow figure.   

 

"I'm not a stray!" Maverick screamed, the ground trembling as more vines tore through the roof, spiraling around them like a protective cage.   

 

"No," Alastor whispered, leaning down right next to their ear, his hand resting on their shoulder, claws digging in slightly. "You are a weapon. And weapons do not weep."  

 

-

 

Down on the top floor, Charlie was pacing. She had heard the shouting from the library—she couldn't make out the words, but she knew her Dad’s voice when he was upset. And then, the slamming of doors.  

 

 "I should go check on him," Charlie worried, biting her lip.  

 

 “Babe, give him a minute," Vaggie advised, sharpening her spear on the couch, "If he was yelling, he probably needs to cool off."   

 

Suddenly, with a boom, the chandelier in the hallway shook, dust falling from the ceiling.   "What the hell was that?" Vaggie stood up instantly, spear ready.  

 

 "That came from the roof," Charlie realized, her eyes widening. "Is the hotel under attack?"  

 

 Without waiting for an answer, Charlie sprinted toward the stairs, taking them two at a time, Vaggie close on her heels. The sounds of destruction got louder as they ascended—cracking stone, whipping wind, and... screaming?   Charlie burst through the door to the roof, ready to fight off an exterminator or an invader.   

 

"Stop! Whoever you are, get away from—"   Charlie froze. The words died in her throat.   It wasn't an attack. Not in the way she thought.   In the center of the roof, surrounded by a writhing nest of terrifying, blood-red thorny vines, stood Maverick. But they didn't look like the shy, sarcastic teenager Charlie had been joking with earlier.   Maverick’s stance was aggressive, hands raised like claws, controlling the vines that were currently ripping apart shadow demons. They looked... dangerous.   But what made Charlie’s blood run cold was Alastor.   The Radio Demon was standing directly behind Maverick, looming like a shadow. He wasn't helping them. He was conducting them. He was whispering into their ear, his smile sharper than the thorns, feeding off the misery radiating from the kid.   

 

"Again!" Alastor commanded, and Maverick let out a guttural scream of effort, a massive vine smashing a chimney stack to dust.   

 

"Maverick?" Charlie whispered, horrified.   

 

Vaggie stepped up beside her, her eye widening. "Este hijo de puta... Alastor, what are you doing to them?!"   

 

The shout broke the trance. Maverick whipped their head around, the red glow in their eyes fading instantly into panic as they saw Charlie. The vines, sensing the loss of focus, slumped lifelessly onto the roof, one of them narrowly missing Alastor.   

 

"Charlie?" Maverick gasped, their chest heaving. They looked down at their hands, then at the surrounding destruction. "I... I didn't..."   Alastor straightened up, dusting off his coat as if he hadn't just been psychologically torturing a teenager in his free time. He turned to the two women, his smile polite but his eyes deadly.  

 

 "Ah! An audience!" Alastor exclaimed, clapping his hands. "Just in time for the end of the first act. Maverick here is a natural, wouldn't you say?"  

 

 "You..." Charlie stepped forward, her demon horns poking out slightly as her protective instincts flared. "You're hurting them! Look at them, Alastor, they're terrified!"   

 

"Terrified?" Alastor laughed, a static-filled sound. "No, my dear. They are motivated. Unlike your father, I do not coddle potential until it rots."  

 

 Maverick flinched at the mention of Lucifer, looking away from Charlie.   "Mav," Charlie softened her voice, ignoring Alastor and walking slowly toward the vine cage. "You don't have to do this. Whatever he’s telling you, it’s not—"   

 

"Don't," Maverick stepped back, putting a wall of thorns between themself and Charlie.   Charlie stopped, hurt flashing across her face. 

 

"Mav?"  

 

 "Just... leave me alone, Charlie," Maverick muttered, their voice cracking. "I'm tired of being the one everyone has to worry about. Alastor is... he's teaching me how to not be a burden."   

 

"By turning you into a monster?" Vaggie snapped, glaring at Alastor. 

 

  Alastor placed a hand on Maverick’s shoulder again. "Come along, dear. The air up here is getting rather... stale. We have much work to do if you are to survive this cruel, cruel afterlife." 

 

  Maverick hesitated, looking at Charlie one last time—a look of desperate apology—before turning and following Alastor into the shadows.  Charlie stood on the ruined roof, the wind whipping her hair, staring at the spot where her friend had just been.   "He's twisting them," Vaggie growled, retracting her spear. "He's using whatever happened downstairs to get his claws in deep."   

 

Charlie looked down at the smashed chimney and the jagged red vines left behind.   "I need to talk to my Dad," Charlie said, her voice low and serious. "Right now."

 

-

 

Charlie didn't even use the stairs properly. She vaulted over the banister, landing in the foyer with a thud that cracked the floorboards, Vaggie right beside her. They didn't stop to check the damage. They sprinted down the hallway toward the library, following the trail of residual magical energy and the lingering smell of ozone and sulfur.

 

The double doors to the library were already open—or rather, one was hanging off its hinges, and the other was scorched.

 

"Dad!" Charlie screamed, rushing inside.

 

The library, usually a sanctuary of silence and dust, looked like a hurricane had passed through the emotional center of the room. Books were scattered on the floor, not from a fight, but from sheer, chaotic energy release.

 

And there, sitting on the floor in the middle of the mess, back against a heavy oak desk, was Lucifer.

 

He wasn't crying. He wasn't drinking. He was just... staring. He was staring at the empty space in the center of the room where the portal had closed minutes ago. His hat was on the floor next to him, his hair a mess, and his eyes were wide, seeing something that wasn't there.

 

"Dad!" Charlie slid to her knees in front of him, grabbing his shoulders. "Dad, hey! Look at me!"

 

Lucifer blinked slowly, his eyes shifting from the empty air to his daughter’s face. The red glow faded, replaced by a dull, tired yellow.

 

"Char-Char?" he croaked, his voice sounding like he hadn't used it in years. "You... you shouldn't be in here. It's dusty."

 

"Screw the dust!" Charlie shook him slightly. "Dad, what is happening? The roof is destroyed! Alastor has Maverick, and he’s... Dad, he’s hurting them! He’s turning them into some kind of soldier, and Maverick looked terrified! They wouldn't even talk to me!"

 

At the mention of Maverick, Lucifer flinched violently, pulling away from Charlie’s grip as if burned. He pulled his knees to his chest, burying his face in his hands.

 

"I know," Lucifer whispered, the sound muffled. "I know. I did that."

 

"What? No, Alastor is doing this!" Charlie argued. "We have to go get them back. Come on, get up!"

 

"No."

 

The word was quiet, but it stopped Charlie cold.

 

Lucifer looked up, his expression hollowed out by guilt. "I can't, Charlie. I tried to help. I thought... I thought if I could just be there for them, show them they weren't broken... but I just proved that everyone leaves. I scared them. I got angry at... at someone else... and I let that anger out, and Maverick saw, and they flinched. They looked at me like I was a monster."

 

He laughed, a dry, humorless sound. "If I go up there, I'm just going to make it worse. Alastor... Alastor might be cruel, but at least he's consistent. I'm just unstable. It's better if I stay away. It's better if I let them be."

 

Lucifer started to turn away, retreating into his shell, ready to lock the doors and isolate himself just like he had for thousands of years.

 

"So that's it?" Charlie asked, her voice trembling, but this time not with fear. With anger. "You're just going to ghost them?"

 

Lucifer paused. "I'm protecting them from me."

 

"No, you're not!" Charlie yelled, standing up. "You're running away! Dad, do you realize what you're doing? You're doing the exact same thing to Maverick that you did to me!"

 

Lucifer froze, his back to her.

 

"My whole childhood, Dad!" Charlie continued, tears pricking her eyes. "You thought you were 'protecting' me by staying in your room, by keeping your distance because you thought your depression or your 'evil' would hurt me. But it didn't protect me! It just made me feel like my dad didn't want me! It made me feel like I wasn't worth your time!"

 

"Charlie, I—" Lucifer started, turning around, pain etched on his face.

 

"And now you're doing it to Maverick!" Charlie pointed a shaking finger at him. "Maverick already thinks they're a burden. They already think they're unlovable. And if you sit here in this library and hide while Alastor twists their mind, you are proving them right! You are abandoning them exactly when they need you to fight for them!"

 

She took a breath, her voice breaking. "If you let Alastor take them now... if you let him turn them into a weapon because you're too scared to show up... you are never going to get them back. They won't be the Maverick we know anymore. And you won't get a second chance like you did with me. You'll lose them, Dad. Forever."

 

The silence that followed was deafening. Vaggie watched, holding her breath.

 

Lucifer looked at his daughter. He saw the pain in her eyes—pain he had caused years ago, pain he was currently inflicting on another child he had promised to help.

 

You're doing the exact same thing to Maverick that you did to me.

 

The realization hit him harder than any angelic steel. He wasn't being noble. He was being a coward. And his cowardice was about to cost Maverick their soul.

 

"He told them..." Lucifer whispered, his voice changing. The self-pity began to evaporate, replaced by a simmering heat. "Alastor told them... that they were a stray. That I pitied them. That I would discard them."

 

"He said what?" Vaggie stepped forward, disgusted.

 

"He used my own fear against them," Lucifer realized, his hands clenching into fists until his knuckles turned white. "He listened to me fall apart... and he used it to convince that kid that I didn't care."

 

Lucifer stood up. The slouch was gone. The tired, broken man on the floor vanished, replaced by the King of Hell straightening his spine.

 

"You're right, Charlie," Lucifer said, his voice dropping into a dangerous, distorted growl. "I am not doing this again. I am not losing another kid to silence."

 

He snatched his hat off the floor, jamming it onto his head. He didn't bother dusting off his suit. The air in the room grew hot, the smell of sulfur intensifying.

 

"Where are they?" Lucifer demanded.

 

The roof," Charlie said, wiping her eyes. "But Dad—you have to be calm. If you go in there scary, you prove Alastor right."

 

Lucifer adjusted his cuffs, his eyes burning with a terrifying, focused determination.

 

"I won't be scary to Maverick," Lucifer promised. "But Alastor? Alastor is about to find out why you don't touch things that belong to the Morningstars."

 

-

 

The shadows on the roof were thick, like tar, swirling around Maverick and Alastor in a suffocating dome. Inside, Alastor was looming over the teenager, his antlers fully grown, his smile stretching past the boundaries of his face.

 

"Again," Alastor commanded, his voice vibrating the very air particles. "You are hesitating. hesitation is death."

 

Maverick was panting, on their knees, hands scraped and bloody from the rough roof tiles. "I... I can't..."

 

"You can," Alastor hissed, his shadow rising up to strike. "Because you belong to—"

 

"ENOUGH!"

 

The shadow dome shattered like glass. Golden light flooded the roof, blinding in its intensity. Alastor shielded his eyes, his ears pinning back as the light condensed into a small, furiously impeccably dressed figure standing ten feet away.

 

Lucifer Morningstar didn't look like a depressed recluse. He looked like the entity that had ignited the stars. His six wings were unfurled, glowing with holy fire, and his eyes were burning red slits.

 

"Lucifer," Alastor greeted, his voice dripping with static, though he took a subtle step back. "To what do I owe the pleasure? We are in the middle of a private lesson."

 

"Lesson's over," Lucifer growled, marching forward. "Maverick. Come here."

 

Maverick looked up, eyes wide and fearful. They scrambled to their feet, their instinct screaming at them to run to the golden light, to the safety of the King. "Lucifer, I—"

 

They took a step, but suddenly gasped, clutching their chest. A spectral green chain materialized around their neck, jerking them back violently. Maverick choked, falling back to their knees.

 

"Ah, ah, ah," Alastor tutted, wagging a finger. "We made a deal, my dear. A quarter of a soul. You don't get to leave until I dismiss you."

 

Alastor turned to Lucifer, his grin widening, radio dials spinning in his eyes. He grew in size, looming over both of them, shadows dripping from his coat like ink. "And I did not dismiss them, Your Majesty."

 

Lucifer stared up at the Radio Demon. And for a split second—just a fraction of a second—his brain betrayed him.

 

Oh no, Lucifer’s internal monologue screamed. Why does he have to look so terrifyingly majestic? Look at those antlers. The way the shadows frame his waist. The power radiating off him...

 

NO! BAD LUCIFER! He mentally slapped himself. He is torturing your ward! He is a psychopath! He is manipulating a child! Focus on the murder, not the aesthetic!

 

"You think a quarter of a soul stops me?" Lucifer scoffed, forcing himself to look Alastor in the eye (and definitely not at the way his suit fit). "I invented the concept of the soul contract, Bambi. I know the fine print better than you know your own jambalaya recipe."

 

"Is that so?" Alastor challenged, leaning down, his face inches from Lucifer’s. The static was deafening.

 

Okay, he smells like ozone and old books and blood, Lucifer thought, his heart doing a traitorous little flip. This is unfair. This is harassment. I am going to smite him. I am going to kiss him. No, smite. Definitely smite.

 

"Yes, that is so!" Lucifer snapped, snapping his fingers. A golden scroll appeared in thin air, unrolling to hit the floor. "Hell Code, Section 8, Article 14: The 'Sanctuary Clause' regarding Royal domiciles."

 

Alastor blinked, the static pausing. "I beg your pardon?"

 

"You are operating within my house," Lucifer declared, walking past Alastor to stand over Maverick. He pointed his cane at the green chain. "And under the Hospitality Act of the Seven Rings, a host has the right to veto any transaction that causes 'undue distress or structural damage' to the host's property."

 

Lucifer looked down at Maverick, his expression softening instantly. "And this kid? They're under my protection. Which makes thm property of the Crown."

 

"That is a severe stretch of legal interpretation," Alastor narrowed his eyes, his claws twitching.

 

"I'm the King!" Lucifer threw his arms up, wings flaring. "I am the law! I interpret it however I want! Loophole established: Your lesson is endangering the structural integrity of my hotel and the mental stability of my guest. Contract suspended!"

 

Lucifer slammed the tip of his cane onto the chain.

 

With the flutter of golden glitter, the green chain shattered into sparks.

 

The pressure on Maverick’s chest vanished instantly. The sudden release of tension was too much. The adrenaline that had been keeping them upright evaporated, replaced by a wave of exhaustion so heavy it felt like gravity had doubled.

 

"Lucifer...?" Maverick mumbled, their eyes rolling back. Their knees buckled.

 

"Gotcha!" Lucifer moved with supernatural speed, catching Maverick before they hit the hard roof. He scooped the teenager up into his arms, their head lolling against his chest.

 

Lucifer held them close, feeling how light they were, how much they were trembling even in sleep. The rage flared up again, hot and righteous.

 

He turned to Alastor. The Radio Demon had shrunk back to normal size, looking mildly annoyed, like someone had interrupted his favorite song.

 

"You are lucky," Lucifer hissed, his voice low, "that I am holding a sleeping child. Because if I wasn't..."

 

I would probably pin you against that chimney and—NO. STOP IT.

 

"...I would unravel your existence thread by thread!" Lucifer finished, hoping his blush looked like rage-flush. "Stay away from them, Alastor. I mean it. The 'lesson' is over."

 

Alastor simply straightened his bowtie, his smile never wavering. "For now, perhaps. But they have tasted power, Lucifer. You cannot un-ring a bell."

 

"Watch me," Lucifer spat.

 

He turned on his heel, shielding Maverick with a wing, and teleported away in a swirl of gold and glitter.

 

The teleportation landed them gently in Maverick’s bedroom. It was quiet here, safe. Lucifer walked over to the bed, carefully pulling back the covers with magic.

 

He set Maverick down as if they were made of spun glass. He took off their shoes, fixed the pillow under their head, and pulled the blanket up to their chin.

 

Maverick stirred slightly, their brow furrowed in a nightmare. "No... don't wanna be a stray..." they whimpered.

 

Lucifer’s heart broke all over again. He sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to brush a stray piece of hair out of their face.

 

"You're not a stray," Lucifer whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "You're not a stray, Mav. You're... you're part of the family."

 

He sighed, rubbing his temples. He was exhausted. The adrenaline was fading, leaving him with just the confusing, messy reality of his life.

 

"Why do I always pick the complicated ones?" Lucifer muttered to himself, looking at the door as if he could see Alastor through the walls. "He's evil. He's manipulative. He literally tortured my kid."

 

Lucifer groaned, putting his face in his hands.

 

"So why did he look so hot doing the shadow-monster thing? I hate myself. I genuinely hate myself."

Notes:

a rollercoaster, huh?