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Lucifer forces a smile as he looks around the lobby. Unlike the last event Charlie hosted, today's theme was “heaven”. It was to try to show sinners where they would be “ending up” once they got redeemed.
Some angels were even here to speak with sinners. Lucifer was trying to keep his head down and not get noticed by Sera. Things were still tense between them, even after everything good that Charlie had done.
Lucifer's eyes jerked away from Sera when she turned to look at him, wishing he could climb the stairs and hide away in his room once again.
He knew that his daughter was only trying to get people excited about the idea of being redeemed. But seeing all the pastel colors, whites, golds, and blues felt like a rock settling in his stomach.
At first, it had reminded him of the sloth's ring, similar with an almost tired feeling to it at first but the longer that he sat there, the more suffocating he felt. Like a rope was wrapped around his neck that was slowly growing tighter with each minute that passed.
It was like the whole place was mocking him. From the feathers lightly falling from the ceiling to the dazzling, blinding lights that hung up all around the room. It all set on his stomach, unsettling him.
A waiter walks by Lucifer, not seeming to notice he was even sitting at the table. He reaches out and makes sure to pluck a glass off the tray.
The liquid inside was red. He rotates his hand, watching as the liquid circles in the glass. It was as if the sun had melted into his glass.
Truly, Ambrosia was the drink of ‘gods’.
It was even a miracle that he was even able to drink something like this again. Heaven had hordes of the stuff. Everyone there had unlimited access to it. And Charlie had somehow gotten Sera and Emily to bring a small amount, that wouldn't hurt sinners down here.
For him, it was another sin disguised to be heavenly. One that he would willingly indulge in. Even if the taste of it now made his skin crawl.
Lucifer eyes skims over the crowd. Many held some drink in their hand, diluted to not be as potent for them to drink, but enough to feel the full effects of Ambrosia. He wondered what it tasted like for each of them.
The fallen angel brings the glass up to his lips, letting the liquid slide down his throat. For him, the taste wasn't truly pleasurable. The sweetness of his drink gave way to a bitter taste that left him breathless.
Lucifer sighs, sitting the drink back down on the table.
“Does she really think this will redeem someone's soul?” Someone nearby whispers. Lucifer couldn't help but look over to the sinner that he had heard speaking.
“She thinks she can get someone redeemed with this?” Another sinner snickers. “It's funny watching her try.”
Lucifer balls his hand up and looks away from the sinner he had been looking at. His eyes drift from his drink to the table.
Some things don't change, do they? No matter how hard they try, there would be sinners that didn't care or believed in it. Only showing up to watch their downfall. It reminded him of someone else.
His eyes glance up, looking across the room at the figure in red. Lucifer has been trying to keep a comfortable distance between the two of them after the memories had been revealed to each other during the last event. But he always seemed to go back to the other.
Alastor was standing there, talking with Rosie. The sun kissed drink sat firmly in Rosie's hand as they smiled and laughed with each other. As they spoke, Lucifer watched as he raised a small golden yellow square to his mouth. Nectar most likely. Another item heaven had brought along.
He wonders what his food and drink would taste like. Would it be the iron-copper taste of blood? Or possibly sinners meat? Maybe even venison. He did seem to like his deer meat, no matter how raw it was.
Lucifer feels his heart squeeze at the simple action.
It had been one night. He lied to himself saying that was it, but he knew it wasn't the truth. Over the course of living at the hotel, Lucifer had grown comfortable with the other present. He even looked forward to their little spats.
And Lucifer falls easily, doesn't he? He allowed his emotions to dictate him more than anything else.
I mean, he had been locked up in the palace for almost 8 years after Lilith left.
“Dad!” Charlie voice whines as she makes her way closer to him, breaking him from his daze of staring at Alastor.
He blinks, eyes looking back up at Alastor to notice him looking over his way, right before turning his head away.
Lucifer does the same and turns his head to look at Charlie. A weak smile appears on his face, only for her to have a bright smile on her face.
“Hey Char-Char.” He says, feeling a bundle of nerves growing larger in his chest. He felt like his throat was tight, even as he looked at his little girl.
Vaggie stood behind Charlie. Her shoulders were more squared and her eyes seemed to continuously glance around. Her arms were folded in front of her stomach, fingers nervously tapping on her other arm.
Looks like he wasn't the only one feeling very awkward at this event.
Charlie drew his attention away from her girlfriend and back onto her when she spoke again.
“You're hiding in the corner again.” She pouts. His shoulders fall a bit at the disappointing sound in her voice.
“I prefer ‘observing from a safe distance’.” He says, eyes glancing over to where Sera and Emily were before looking back at his daughter. “Sounds more purposeful, doesn't it? Regal even. Less like I'm avoiding social interactions.”
Vaggie gives him a flat look as she crosses her arm, only for her to glance around the room once again.
Charlie on the other hand lets out a huff, most likely not liking how he was speaking.
“You're supposed to be enjoying yourself.” Charlie says as she leans on the table. Her eyes glance at the drink that sat there as her smile falls into a frown. “You were the one who had this idea.”
Lucifer swallows a breath as he sits up taller. He could feel his face burn with embarrassment. Perhaps this had been his idea, but he had thought of it for his daughter's sake, not for his much he wanted to see ‘heaven’ again.
“Technically yes, perhaps. But I would say I merely offered an idea.” He says, clearing his throat. “With several disclaimers, of course.”
Charlie rolled her eyes. She lifts her elbow to lean it against the table with a sigh.
“Well, you could at least try?” She questioned, eyes turned to Lucifer. “Maybe talk to someone? Dance? Smile? Anything really.”
It was like he could hear a clock ticking as the seconds grew longer between the three of them the longer he didn't respond.
Charlie stands back up straight and reaches out to grab a hold of his hand. Her larger hand held his tightly as her thumb brushed over the back of his hand.
“You don't have to pretend like you are waiting for a trapdoor to open up under you and swallow you whole.” Charlie says.
“Well, maybe then I would have a convenient escape route.” Lucifer mumbles, trying to lighten the mood just a bit.
From behind Charlie, he could hear the small snicker of a laugh from Vaggie. This had caused Charlie to glance back at her, ready to say something, but Lucifer instead pulled her attention back to him.
He reaches up with his free hand and softly placed his hand onto her cheek, letting his thumb run over it, the same she had with his hand moments ago.
“I'm fine Charlie. Truly. I'm here to support your dream, so you don't have to worry about me.” Lucifer says softly, trying to fake a smile.
“I'll always worry about you, dad.” Charlie whispers back to him. It caused him to flinch just a bit and almost pull his hand away from Charlie once again.
He didn't like to think that he was adding more stress onto his daughter's plate. Especially after the last time he had tried to help. The words still rang in his ears some nights.
Vaggie seemed to have noticed his hesitation because she moved to place a hand on Charlie's shoulder. He lets his own hand fall away from her face so she could turn to look at her girlfriend.
“Hey. He's trying his best. This place is…” Veggie's eyes sweep over the place before finishing her sentence. “A lot. For some of us at least.”
Charlie lets out a soft sigh and nods her head.
“I know.” She whispers. She takes her girlfriend's hand with her free hand. One of them was still wrapped around him. “I just want you both to feel like you belong here.”
Charlie squeezed their hands and gave both of them a soft smile.
“We both appreciate it, more than you know.” Lucifer says, leaning into his daughter. He squeezes her hand back. “But this doesn't come easy to me.”
Charlie's expression softens. It was almost heartbreakingly soft. It felt like Lucifer was getting his heart torn out of his chest. He wished there was more that he could do so she didn't look that way, but he already felt at his limits for trying to mask how he felt during this event.
“Okay.” Charlie says, perking up a bit more. She drops both of their hands and claps her hands together. She turns to look at Lucifer. “Then I'll help in another way!”
“Wait-” Lucifer tries to say and reach out for his daughter, but she was already buzzing with excitement.
“I'll be right back!” She says, bouncing off to another place. Both him and Vaggie watches as she leaves, only speaking again when she was a good distance away.
“… You do know who she is going for, right?” Vaggie asked, turning her eyes to Lucifer.
“Yes.” Lucifer sighs, placing his forehead down onto the table. “God help us all.”
Vaggie let out a soft chuckle, only stopped by another voice being heard.
“What was she thinking about inviting him here?” Someone whispered. Lucifer raises his head, eyes ready to scan around the room. “It will give sinners the wrong ideas.”
Lucifer sees Vaggie body stiffen up. She turns her head towards Charlie as if ready to get back to her side.
“Hush! He's right there!” Another voice, more female sounding whisper's yell, but his sensitive ears were able to pick it up, even over the music. It was hard to tune something out like that.
Reminded him too much of Heaven.
“And? What's he going to do? Smite me? You heard what Vox said, he can't hurt sinners. It's his punishment — watching the evil that he created and not being able to do anything about it.” They said with a bellowing laugh. Lucifer hand balled up into a fist as he takes a deep breath.
“Hey, don't listen to them.” Vaggie says, moving in closer to him.
He tried to smile at her, but he knew she could see through it.
Vaggie was a sweet girl. He was terribly sorry for her having to be a part of Adam army. She never deserved anything like that.
Which it was his fault in the first place that Adam even thought to make an army. All of it was his fault, wasn't it?
With how much of a fuck-up he was, he was glad that Charlie had someone like Vaggie.
“Maybe God never truly loved him. That's why his own daughter has to do what Heaven would never let him do.” Another sinner says. Their laughter joins in with the first one.
Vaggie gives Lucifer a worried look, but he forces a smile to stretch across his face.
“I'm fine.” He says. “I've heard it all before.”
Lucifer picks up his drink and lets the bitter taste slide down his throat.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
Was it all just sleight of hand?
Another trick that fate has played on us again
Lucifer leans his body against the balcony as he looks down at all the angels below him. His chin rested in his hand.
What even were they celebrating today? Some sort of new accomplishment for creating something new in the universe?
As his blue eyes scan over the crowd, he notices a few angels glancing up at him before leaning over to say something to another angel.
Lucifer glances away, letting his eyes wander over the event again till his eyes land on the golden food in the far corner of the room. He could go for Nectar right now. He hadn't had some in a couple of days. But…
He glances back over at the angels that had been whispering. He couldn't be sure if they had actually been talking about him, but he had a feeling that they were.
And yet…
Lucifer takes a deep breath and pulls away from the railing. His hand sliding behind him on it as he walks over to the stairs leading down into the main part of the event.
Lucifer kept his eyes down as he walked through the crowd. He could practically hear the way that the other angels were talking about him as he made his way through the crowd.
“Did you see the embroidery that he added to his robes?” One angel whispered. Lucifer runs his fingers over the cuffs of his robe. Uriel had helped show him how to embroidery, and he had begun to do it into his robe, but it seems like that had caused other angels to notice how ‘different’ his robe was.
“Seems like he's trying to catch everyone's attention with them.” Another angel snickers. Lucifer lowers his head, trying to become invisible as he tries to move closer to the table.
“What a freak.” He heard another angel whisper. He wasn't even sure if it was aimed at him, but it felt like an arrow pricing through his heart.
Lucifer sucks in a breath trying to keep himself steady as he wraps his arms around himself, still trying to get across the room as fast as he could.
“Can't believe he's God's favorite angel.” Someone sneers as he moves past them. He could feel the tears wanting to build up in his eyes.
He moves the pink cuffs of his robe to try to wipe away any that had fallen, only to stop and look at his cuffs once again. He shakes his head and buried his hand back into his crossed arm.
Did everyone see him like that? Was he worthless to all the other angels? He wanted to do what was right, but was he only ever causing problems? Not even God cared enough to have his speaker reach out to him anymore.
It left a bitter taste in his mouth.
At once, the crowd seems to go quiet. There was a stillness in the air, like everyone else was holding their breaths while waiting for something.
Lucifer's head raises as the crowd parts to show his older brother walking towards him. Michael had his hands behind his back as he looked down at him.
Lucifer should be happy that his brother was here, but the quiet from everyone had his heart racing.
Why now of all times? Was something happening? Did something happen?
Michael never came to events unless he and Gabriel forced him to. He much rather be in his office, finishing off paperwork for God's newest project.
Thinking of, where was Gabriel? He hadn't seen him in a while. Had he ditched and left Lucifer alone to struggle, too?
Michael holds out his hand with a smile. Lucifer looks at it and then back up to his brother, confusion written on his face.
“Come brother.” He says tilting his head to the side that has Lucifer freezing. “God has a new project for us.”
He reaches out and grabs hold of his hand as he tries to smile to show just how happy he was, but it was the furthest from the truth of how he was feeling.
An uneasy feeling settles over him, as if something bad was going to happen at any second. But he forced through the feeling and made sure to wear an excited and happy look on his face as they walked through the crowd.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
Two heads in the sand
I hear you talking but I just can't understand
Alastor looks over in the direction of Charlie as she moves in closer to him and Rosie. He had seen her and Vaggie speaking with Lucifer and had been curious on just what they were talking about, but it wasn't his place to make the first move.
After everything, he was still trying to piece together what exactly he felt for the blonde.
On Earth he had a sort of obsession with trying to find out exactly who the blonde from his fading memories had been while also trying to figure out a way to gain power when he came to hell. Because he knew at the end of the day he would always end up here.
Yet when he had come to hell he had put that silly notion away. He had other deals he had to deal with first.
His eyes glanced over to Rosie as she smiled as Charlie walked up to the both of them.
“Hey Alastor. Rosie.” The princess of hell said as she nodded her head to both of them. Alastor nods his head back.
“You look like you could use some help, princess. How may we be at your service?” He asked, pushing himself off the wall that he had been leaning on.
Charlie's eyes flicker from Rosie and him. He could see the way that she bites the inside of her cheek. Pausing before lifting her hand to scratch at the back of her neck. Her eyes glance down to look at the ground.
“I'm sorry to ask you about this, Alastor.” Charlie says, glancing back up at Alastor with a small tilt of her head. “But we'll…”
Charlie bites her bottom lip as she sucks in a deep breath.
“You and my father have grown closer recently and well…” The blonde female cast her eyes over to where Lucifer was sitting all alone. He was staring at the glass of Ambrosia on the table with his head in, his head leaned against the table. Vaggie stood with him, but she was looking over at Charlie, looking rather uncomfortable herself.
His ear twitched, being able to pick up small bits and pieces of what some surrounding sinners were saying. It almost made him laugh at how easily some words could unravel the fallen king.
“Do you think you could talk to him? I don't think he's enjoying the event, and I really want him to enjoy some part of it.” Nervousness laced her voice as she spoke. Her words begin to ramble together, almost. “I don't know how, but it seems like you can get him out of his shell.” Charlie says, snapping Alastor's attention back towards her.
His eyes widened a bit, glancing back at Lucifer and then back at Charlie.
From beside him, he could hear Rosie chuckle, and he almost had half a mind to narrow his eyes at her as she did so. If she so wanted, she could force him to do Charlie's request. Luckily, it didn't seem like she was going too.
Alastor takes a sharp breath in, holding it for a second. He hadn't been expecting Charlie to ask him something like that, especially after the past couple of weeks.
“I'll see what I can do.” Alastor agreed, turning back to look at Charlie. Her smile widened as she nodded her head.
Charlie talked with him for a couple of more minutes, telling him about the dance that would be happening before moving away.
Alastor didn't immediately go over to Lucifer. Instead, he finished off the nectar he and Rosie had been talking over. He even ended up grabbing himself a drink of Ambrosia.
Once his conversation with Rosie was done, and he had taken a couple of sips of his drink, he turned his attention to the lone king.
His fingers tapped against his glass. Waiting for the perfect time to move over and join him. And what perfect timing it would be when many sinners and angels were on the dance floor, ignoring everyone.
“All along again?” Alastor asked, moving beside Lucifer as he watched angels and sinners moving around the dance floor.
“Perhaps I’m waiting for the right company.” Lucifer says in response. He doesn't look away from the dance floor, just yet.
Alastor wondered what exactly the other male was thinking about.
“Well” Alastor says. “Hopefully you've found it.” Alastor raises his glass to his lip. His eyes glanced out at the crowd.
Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lucifer glance up at him. He could see the way his fingers twitched, and his eyes didn't stay in one place for a long amount of time.
“I'm trying to.” Lucifer says softly. Only for his eyes to widen and quickly look over to him. “I mean-” He cuts himself off with a shake of his head. “Not that I expect anything from you.”
He swallows and rubs a palm of his hand on his pants.
“Or anyone really.” He breathes out, letting his shoulder slump down. It was one of the nights where Lucifer wasn't wearing that ugly hat of his. So he was able to run a hand through his hair as he watched frustrated surrounds him.
“I shouldn't have said that. It was foolish of me. Forget I-” Lucifer shakes his head, cutting himself off again.
“I'm sorry. It's been a tough night.” Lucifer says, letting his hand fall back to being wrapped around the glass of golden liquid that he carried in his other hand.
It wasn't often that Lucifer acted exactly like his daughter but seeing him like this definitely reminded Alastor of the way she trips over her own words from time to time.
The corner of his grin tugs at his smile, making it grow even larger.
The radio demon doesn't say anything. Instead, letting the awkwardness shimmer. He watched as the blonde shifted from leg to leg.
Alastor lets his gaze drift for a moment out to the crowd. Charlie and Vaggie were both dancing together, and of course Angel Dust had somehow pulled Husk to dance with him too. One of the angels, Emily, he believes, was dancing with another blonde angel.
Everyone looked like they were having a fun time. Except for…
Alastor turns back to look at the king of hell. He now held his glass in one hand and had the other wrapped around his stomach.
“So, what does ambrosia taste like to you?” Alastor finds himself asking as he watches Lucifer finally take a sip of his drink.
“Curious are you?” Lucifer pauses, and Alastor couldn’t help but watch as he raises the glass to his lips and takes a small sip of his drink.
“Ask me again later.” Lucifer finally turns to look up at Alastor. “Perhaps if you stay around, I’ll tell you.”
Alastor lets out a soft chuckle. His smile feels a lot softer as he looks at Lucifer. He moves his hand to hold his cane behind his back.
“I’ll keep you to it then.” Alastor says, making a note in his mind that the next time they were alone together, that he would ask.
“Hmm.” Lucifer says, turning back to look at the crowd of people. He could see his eyes search for Charlie till they finally landed on her. His eyes don’t turn away from the couple.
The music shifted to something more angelic. Instead of a heavy drum beat there was this light almost weightless feeling to the music. It felt like how prayer felt at the dinner table. A bit too weightless and heavy all at once. It smelt and tasted good at first, but the more you listen, the harder it got to chew.
The sinner raises his glass of Ambrosia to his lips, trying to ignore the taste all together.
“Tell me Alastor.” Lucifer finally spoke. His voice barely being heard over the music. “Since you seemed so curious about it earlier, I have to ask. What does Ambrosia and Nectar taste like for you?” Lucifer questioned, turning his earlier question around on him.
Alastor paused. He looks down at the drink in his hand. He moves his hand to swirl it around with a soft sigh. Letting the question sit between the two of them as he took another sip of his drink.
“It tastes like my mother's Sunday cooking.” Alastor says as his eyes glance at the drink in his hand and to the table of desserts that had been laid out. “It’s warm… familiar… tasteful. Has that sort of southern touch that you miss after each bite.”
Alastor turns his head to look at Lucifer and then to his glass that he held in his hand. Not much of it was left, but he was pretty sure he hadn’t seen him pick up another glass or even go to grab a thing of nectar. Curious.
He turns away from looking at him.
“It goes down smoothly, but there's something that makes it burn as it does.” Alastor states.
There's a lull in their conversation. He could see Lucifer looking at his drink with a considerate look. As if he was trying to find some sort of answer from the liquid that would solve all of his problems.
Alastor's eyes turn back to the dancing. The music swiftly moves from one song to another. The sound of the choir never seemed to stop, sending a shiver down his spine.
“Do you ever find yourself choking on nostalgia, Lu?” Alastor finds himself asking out of the blue. The words slipped from his lips a lot faster than he had expected.
“Constantly.” Lucifer's soft but almost broken voice whispers. Neither made eye contact as the music continued to play, and the people continued to dance and smile.
The two of them look onward, standing in the quiet that seems to grow between the two of them.
Alastor looks at his own glass before taking another sip of it as the taste of his mother's food fills his senses.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
Flying high with both eyes closed
Almost touched the sun, I guess we got too close
Alastor sat at the dining table. His small feet kicked back and forth. His eyes watched his mother gracefully moving around the kitchen. She had a glass of sweet tea on the counter that she had been sipping out of as she made dinner.
The smell of spices filled the house, making his small stomach growl.
As if sensing it, his mother finally turned around with two plates of food. She sits one in front of him and her own across the table. He had to grip his pants to keep from picking up his fork and diving in to eat his food.
“Say grace before you touch your food, Al.” His mother's soft voice says to him. It made a soft smile spread across his face at the action. Was that part of being a parent? Knowing your kids so well?
“Yes mama.” He whispers. He presses his small hands together, but his eyes don’t close as he looks at them for a long moment before beginning to speak.
His voice was small, almost a whisper, as he said grace.
“Speak up honey.” His mom says, causing him to look up at her. “The Lord won’t hear you if you whisper like that.”
Alastor’s hands drop to his lap, his brown eyes glancing around the dining room. He bites his bottom lip, trying to keep his questions at bay, but they seem to rise in him and spill out before he could stop them.
“Does he really?” He asks, as his eyes narrow at a picture hung up on the wall of his father. “To every word you say?”
“Well, of course he does.” His mother says with a small laugh and shake of her head.
“Even all the bad things? The lies? The swearing? The yells?” He asked, eyes turning to look back at his mother. There was a pause between the two of them. Neither saying anything for a long moment.
“I don’t know what you are trying to imply, young man, but God certainly hears it all.” His mother says. He could see how her hand tightened around her silverware, eyes not meeting his.
“Then why doesn’t he stop it? Why does he let us do those things?” Alastor pressured. His curiosity and pride slowly consumed him the more that they spoke. Why wasn't his mom answering him? She usually knew the answer to everything.
Only Alastor could hear the fork slip out of his mother's hand and crash onto her plate.
“Alastor!” She yells, standing up to lean over the table, slapping a hand down onto the table. “You do not question God in this household. He has a plan for every single one of us. Do you understand me?”
Alastor looks up at her with wide eyes. His heart begins to pound in his chest.
Fear? Why was he scared right now? Why was his mom upset? All he was trying to do was ask questions.
Alastor swallows his breath and nods his head slowly. He picks up his fork.
“Yes mama.” Alastor says, raising his fork to his mouth and shoving it inside of it. The one warm feeling the food would bring now had a bitter, almost acid taste to it.
But Alastor doesn't pause and pushes through the feeling to continue eating.
“Good” His mother says calmer now, she slowly lowers herself to sit back down in her seat. “Eat up before your father gets home from work. You know how upset he gets when your supper’s gets cold.”
Alastor paused. His throat felt tight, and he felt short of breath.
“Yes mama.” He whispers again as he takes another bite of food. But this time, instead of filling his body with warmth, dread fills his stomach.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
Now I'm dancing on my own
But the music’s not as good when you're alone
Lucifer stood in the middle of the lobby, looking around at all the leftover decorations. He had told Charlie he would get things cleaned up after the event, but now, not even halfway through it, he was regretting doing so.
He loved his daughter like no other, but sometimes he questioned why he did certain things for her.
Not to mention how Alastor was also hanging out in the lobby. He could feel the way his eyes burned into the back of his head, making his shiver. It felt like the eyes of God. Watching for one wrong move.
Lucifer bends down to pick up another feather and throws it into the trash bag.
The click of a lighter fills the room, followed by the smell of burning tobacco.
“I’m surprised you haven’t left yet.” Lucifer says, moving to stand back up. He moves towards another pile of trash and begins to clean it up.
“And miss watching the King Of Hell clean up fake feathers off the floor. Much more entertaining than whatever else I could be doing.” Alastor says with a soft chuckle.
“You know, you could always lend a hand.” Lucifer replied with a small groan. He finally turns to look at Alastor, eyes narrowing at the cigarette in his hand.
“Nonsense.” Alastor replies, moving the hand he was holding the cigarette in around. Smoke drifted through the room, overtaking the smell of roses and wine.
With a small role of his eyes, he turns away from Alastor once again, letting silence spread over their conversation again.
Lucifer lets out a deep sigh. He runs a hand through his hair as he looks at all the decorations in the room and the work he still had to do.
If it was up to him, he would burn all of these decorations. No need to look at them anymore. He could easily do it with a snap of his finger, but then Charlie would be disappointed in him.
“What are you thinking about?” Alastor says. Lucifer could feel the male walk closer to him as he spoke. Smoke grew thicker around him.
But even still, the blonde doesn’t answer right away. He moves to start cleaning up one of the fold out tables they were using for the event.
“Just how strange all of this…” Lucifer uses his hand to gesture in the room that they are in. “Feels. It's almost so… wrong. It doesn’t truly feel like Heaven.”
“And why not?” Alastor asked. His voice was low. There was a sort of restraint in his voice that gave Lucifer pause. He raised his eyebrow and took a soft exhalation. Almost ready to explain.
“… I don't know.” Lucifer says softly. He wraps an arm around himself, looking at the leftover decorations. “Everything feels so precise… perfect… like I'm out of place for just being here.”
“Then perhaps what you need isn't to think about it.” Alastor says, voice simple with a hint of playfulness, like he was enjoying watching Lucifer spiral.
Lucifer turns around, ready to give him a piece of his mind to kick him out of the hotel.
Only when Lucifer finally turns to look at Alastor, he is met with the other male holding out his hand. The surrounding music had softened into an easy on the ears jazz song, no doubt Alastor’s doing. He wasn’t even sure when that had happened.
“May I have this dance?” Alastor asks. His smile was tight as he looked at Lucifer.
The blonde raises his hand, hoovering it over the other, but not quite yet laying in it against the others.
“You don’t know what you are asking.” Lucifer says. His eyes flickering back up to look at Alastor.
The air between the two of them seems to stall, like a breath of air would cause everything to come crashing down around them.
For a second, Lucifer somehow felt like the two of them were back in the speakeasy on earth. Alastor's strange warmth seems to roll off of the other in waves.
“Maybe not.” Alastor says. “But I’m asking anyway.”
Lucifer smiles, letting his hand fall into Alastor as the music swells around them. A large smile falls onto his face as Alastor pulls him in.
“Just the right music for a waltz, would you say?” Alastor asked, causing Lucifer's eyes to snap up and look at the other male. He goes to open his mouth to say something, but Alastor didn't let Lucifer get the chance too.
He places his hand against Lucifer's back and pulls him close, forcing him to place his hand onto Alastor's shoulder.
The king watched with bated breath as Alastor took one more inhale of his cigarette before letting it drop to the floor.
“See if you can keep up.” Alastor says, pulling Lucifer close to him.
The last bit of smoke escapes his lips as Lucifer's chest presses against Alastor's. Surprise floods the other body as his vision gets consumed by the red of Alastor.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
If love burns too bright, it burns out in a minute
At least that's what I tell myself
Red was what he saw first when he opened his eyes. Dark blood-red skies.
He pushes himself to sit up on his knees to look out at the place that he was now, only to be met black. For all he could see around him was this ink black substance. Like it was some sort of sea of ink.
It smelt of brimstone and ash, and it clung to his tongue as he woke. It was as if it was trying to drown him in it.
The sweetness that he had grown to love in Heaven now tasted burnt. It consumed all his senses and left him feeling hollow.
Lucifer sits back in his seat. Eyes focused on the desk sat out in front of him. He could vaguely hear the radio playing, but he was long-lost in his thoughts about that day.
Nothing he seemed to do could distract him long enough to stop the memories playing in his head of his first day in Hell. It looked much different from the Hell he now knew.
He would raise his hand to cough into them. Only to be treated with the sight of the liquid slipping from his hand, revealing charcoal black hands that now belonged to him. His once pearly white skin had been damaged as he had been cast out of Heaven.
Lucifer could feel the uneasy feeling growing in his throat. It felt tighter and tighter. His stomach felt like it was twisting up into a knot. Heat blossomed in his chest.
He slams his hand over his own mouth as he leans forward onto his other hand, wings spread out behind him as he heaves into his hand.
And then all of a sudden, he feels his body empty itself. His body convoluted as he threw more of the black substance up.
He pulls his hand away, only to see the liquid slowly trailing down his hand. It rushes to his elbow before dripping back into the black void he sat in.
Tears rushed down his face. His body ached.
Lucifer titles his head back to look up at his office ceiling. He crosses his arms over his chest. It felt uncomfortable to think back to that day, but for some reason he couldn't seem to escape those thoughts today. They crashed into his thoughts, forcing him to look at them. To remember how it felt to wake up with red sky's over him and a black void of liquid surrounding him.
It slipped through his fingers as he looked at it. Everything starts to blur as more tears build up in his eyes. He balls his hand into a fist as a cry breaks through his body.
He raises his head to look up at the red sky above him. Eyes gazed over as they looked at the heavenly sun in the sky.
“They always said that I was your favorite angel. Your good angel.” Lucifer paused, feeling his throat tighten with tears.
“Your morning star.” His voice broke as he looked back down at his hands. A small cry broke past his lips again.
“Or was I just something that you created to build your narrative? To teach them all a lesson, just so they would behave. I was never anything more, was I? Always just another part of the story. Never a son.” Lucifer whispers.
Lucifer leans forward onto his desk, arms crossed and forehead laying against them as he takes deep, steady breaths to try to pull himself back together.
He and Lilith had a date tonight. He couldn't be acting like this.
The blonde closed his eyes, trying to get all the bad thoughts to disappear. But each day it gets harder and harder.
It swallowed and consumed him. Pulling him further into his misery. Scratching and biting to let it completely consume him.
Loud static erupts in his office. It made him jump, eyes flying open as he turned to look for where that sound had come from.
“My, my. It's terribly quiet down here, isn't it?” A smooth, static laced voice spoke from the radio.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
And it crept up on us, in the way that it does
And the moment disappeared
Lucifer's mouth hangs open, even as he easily slipped into the familiar rhythm that was a waltz. One that he knew well and had danced to so many times. But that didn't help calm his racing heart and the butterflies in his stomach.
“Relax your shoulders.” Alastor says, and Lucifer could feel the soft touch of Alastor's thumb swiping against his shoulder blades. “You're far too tense.” Alastor says.
“Sorry.” Lucifer says, finally closing his mouth and swallowing his saliva. “Force of habit.”
“From Heaven or Hell?” Alastor shoots back. Almost immediately as he leans Lucifer into a turn.
The music in the room was soft as the two of them gracefully danced across the floor. Each step pulling the both of them closer to each other.
“Does it even matter?” Lucifer replies after a long pause. His voice was hard, as if the words couldn't fully come out.
“It does to me.” Alastor says, pulling the blonde along the dance floor, trying to cover up how truthful what he had just said was. Hoping to play it off as some cruel joke.
He watches the way his eyebrows rise up in confusion. His mouth opens for a second only to close again.
It was nice seeing the King of Hell being left speechless for once. It was always a pleasant look on Lucifer when Alastor could do something like that.
“You really can't turn it off, can you?” Lucifer asked finally. Eyes scanning over the other male.
“Turn what off?” Alastor asked with a tilt of his head, not really understanding what the other was referring to as he spun him out, watching as his tail coat flared out around him before pulling him back into his arms.
“Just,” Lucifer's eyes run over Alastor's body. “The showman personality that you have going on. It's like every word you speak is meant to be heard by some invisible audience. Even when there isn't one.”
“That's just who I am, Lucifer.” Alastor says with a roll of his eyes. He gently pivots the two of them as they face each other. He could see the flustered look on Lucifer's face as he glanced away for a split second as he took in a deep breath.
“Then maybe I should stop waiting for the curtain to fall.” Lucifer mumbles to himself, almost sounding sad about it.
Alastor takes a sudden step forwards, his hand tightens around Lucifer's and a smile lights up his face.
“Careful Lu. If you start seeing me for whom I truly am, you might not like it all too much.” Alastor says. Almost mocking the king of hell over feeling any sort of way for him. He knew he was deflecting, not wanting to deal with the truth of the matter. It was better for both of them.
Lucifer eyes jerk back to look at Alastor as he shifts their weight to turn them in time with the music.
“That's the problem, Alastor.” Lucifer says. “I already do.” His words were almost breathless. His hand lightly grips the back of Alastor's shirt. He took in a sharp inhale of breath, suddenly being on the receiving end of surprise, something that Alastor didn't come by often enough.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
In the desert of us, all our tears turned to dust
Now the roses don't grow here
[Narrative: Alastor slips his hand onto the radio equipment. He could feel the surge of power radiate throughout his body as he begins turning on. Seems like Rosie had made good on her part of the deal, for the most part.
The radio demon picks up a glass of bourbon, letting it slide down his throat with a satisfying sigh.
He sits his glass back down onto his desk and picks up his staff, holding it close to him as he sits down in his seat with a small flourish of his power. This illuminates the room in a green glow for a second.]
Alastor: My, my. It's terribly quiet down here, isn't it? It's been too quiet, I would say. Someone needs to give you a real show. Luckily, I'm here now. I'll give hell the proper show that it so desperately needs.
[Sound: Soft old-timey Jazz music.]
[Narrative: Still in his seat, Alastor lets his eyes look out to the sky above them. The red of the sky illuminated the rest of Hell.
Alastor hadn't been here too long and even with the power that he welded, he had to climb to take down the vermin overlord that littered the streets of hell.
And now he had enough reach and fear that sinners would whisper of the ‘Overlord Killer’. It was a tastefully delicious name, but he much rather be known as ‘Alastor, The Radio Demon's.
Hints why he was finally broadcasting to all the Pride Ring.]
Alastor: You’ve been silent for so long. Forgotten and ignored by your creator. But don't fret — even the abandon deserves an audience. So here, have this as a treat.
[Narrative: Alastor pulls out a cigarette and lights it with a snap of his finger. He leans his head back on his chair as the screams of an overlord he had killed not too long ago echo through the radio.
He wasn't sure it was possible, but the smile on his face seemed to grow larger as he listened to it. His fingers danced across his staff and he exhaled a long drag of smoke, letting it fill the surrounding space.]
Alastor: Just listen to that! Beautiful, isn't it?
[Sound: Alastor's dark, heavy, static filled laughter as the screams grew louder.]
Alastor: Tonight, dear listeners, we dine on Nectar. No, not the food of the Gods, but the nectar of consequences that have been made. Mixed with the flavor of what we have all earned.
Alastor: The show has just begun, so I do hope you stick around to see what happens.
[Sound: Loud static feedback.]
Alastor: And welcome to Hell's newest show! I do hope you enjoy it. This has been Alastor, the radio demon.
[Narrative: Alastor voice was overtaken with the sound of static as the program fades from him talking into the sounds of screams once again. Underneath it all, the faintest sound of Jazz could be heard.
Alastor closes his eyes as he listens and enjoys the sounds of screams.]
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
I guess that love does what it wants
And that's just too bad for us
Alastor looked at Lucifer for a long moment. He wasn't sure if he could catch his breath from the way that Lucifer had so easily said that.
Why was it him that the king of hell cared for? It didn't make sense to him. It couldn't just be because of the past that they shared together, that wouldn't make sense.
So what was it?
“A dangerous thing to do.” Alastor says, finally landing on something to say. He spoke softly between the two of them. His eyes scanned over the face as Lucifer looked up at him.
“I’ve done worse.” Lucifer says. Alastor could feel the light squeeze of Lucifer's hand around his own.
Alastor lets out a light laugh at how absurd this whole thing felt. To have the devil tell him that he has ‘done worse’ things then like a sinner like him.
“Not with me, you haven't.” Alastor says with a small click of his tongue.
“You're right. I haven't.” Lucifer says, but Alastor could see it in the way that Lucifer's next step was hesitant, unsure. It didn't fit into the rest of the dance and stuck out.
“Because with you,” Lucifer says, letting out a slow, steady breath as to steady himself. “I keep thinking if I mis-step, I'll lose something I'm not ready to lose.”
Alastor looks at Lucifer for a long moment as he leads. It wasn't anything flashy like they could have been doing.
“I'm not unfamiliar with complicated steps. I've had practice.” Alastor says, trying to keep his voice neutral to not think about just who he had practice from.
Only for Lucifer to.
“… From whom?” He said softly. Almost innocently with a hint of curiosity, he asked with.
Alastor doesn't say anything right away. His throat almost felt tight as he thought back to that time with the TV head.
His hand tightens around Lucifer's hand as they side step with the music.
“Isn't that what hell is about? Everyone is using everyone?” Alastor asked. His voice is flat, but held an edge of them crossing into a territory that he didn't want to talk about.
“Alastor.” Lucifer spoke softly. “You assume the worst in people.”
“And you assume the best in people, something you share with your daughter Charlie.” Alastor states with a small click of his tongue, almost too sharp for the nice flow of the dance they had slipped back into. “But one day it's going to get you hurt.”
Lucifer's response came slower than Alastor would have anticipated. The words felt slow as they rolled off of Lucifer tongue.
Things felt like they paused for a long moment as the surrounding room seemed to fall away and all of Alastor's attention was on Lucifer now.
He could feel the way his hand grips onto his shirt. “It already has happened, Alastor.”
The music in the background begins to fade, and yet neither of them move away from each other. Their gaze stays locked with each other as their body begins to slow.
“Many times, in fact.” Lucifer softly says as the music in the background begins to slow. Yet the two of them didn't seem to be pulling away yet.
“You make it seem like you are proud of it.” Alastor notes. His voice is a hint softer as he watches Lucifer. He shakes his head and glances away for a second.
Alastor was curious as to what he could be thinking. He wanted to dive into his mind and explore every inch of it.
“I'm not. It's more of a simple truth.” Lucifer says simply. There was no defensive tone in his voice. It was just simple and true.
Alastor and Lucifer stood closer to each other. He could feel how Lucifer's chest was rapidly moving up and down as he sucked in a deep breath and then let out.
The moment lingers between the two of them. Their steps are careful as they dance with each other. Lucifer never tried to overtake Alastor and lead. Instead, he followed what Alastor had carefully crafted.
“This isn't how I work, Lucifer.” Alastor says with a shake of his head. Turning Lucifer around till his back was pressed up against his chest.
He leans his head down to speak into Lucifer's ear.
“You said it earlier. I'm a showman. I'm always on for an imaginary audience that could always be watching. I don't let myself feel things. I prod, I pry, and I ruin things before they can ruin me.” Alastor voice strains. His voice was a lot darker as he spoke. He could feel his wall being built back up to push Lucifer away. He didn't want to let Lucifer in, but somehow even against his will he had wormed his way in. It had been that way all the way back to their first dance on Earth.
He lets go of one of Lucifer's hands, spinning him out before pulling him back in.
“You're asking for more than you think.” Alastor replies, meeting Lucifer to trusting eyes.
Lucifer shook his head.
“I'm only asking for what you are willing to give. Nothing more.” Lucifer says.
“You act as if you are certain anything will come from this.” Alastor quickly says, back, becoming more drawn. His movement becomes less fluid.
“I'm not. But I want to try.” The king says. His eyes glance down at the ground as their feet slide across the floor.
Alastor doesn't say anything. Instead, he lets his eyes look over the other male. He watched as Lucifer's shoulders tightened, only to relax again seconds later. He could hear the soft sigh escape his lips.
“Look at us. Two men who know every step to a waltz and could do it blindfolded if dared to.” Lucifer says with a small awkward laugh. Sounding as if he was just speaking to fill the void.
“And yet we can't tell if we're running away or just circling each other.” Lucifer says. He pauses for a short moment. Alastor watches as his eyes drift from his face to their intertwined hands.
“I know how I feel about you, Alastor. They have only grown stronger since our first meeting on Earth. I know you don't have the best experience with these things, and I understand if you don't feel the same way. But…” Lucifer words catch in his throat. He couldn't continue on with what he was saying.
The words hung between the two of them. Alastor found himself thinking it over.
Why did this feel so different from the time with Vox? Was it because of how Lucifer was going about it? No, that couldn't be.
Perhaps it is because Lucifer was more powerful. Even if Lucifer couldn't harm him, he still could make his afterlife even more hellish if he so wanted too.
But that didn't feel like the full answer.
He had been obsessed with Lucifer since their first meeting. He has even killed a man for even slightly looking like Lucifer and spilling his drink on him. Something that at the time, he had assumed his faceless dance partner would never do.
Was that it?
Thoughts swirled in his head as he looked at the blonde. He shifted his weight on his feet, and it looked at any moment that Lucifer might disappear.
“Lucifer?” Alastor finally spoke. Voice soft.
The music finally stopped, but neither of them pulled away. They stayed pressed against each other. His own chest raises and falls, almost perfectly in sync with the blonde.
“Yes?” Lucifer asked, looking up at him, but Alastor couldn't find it in himself to meet his gaze.
“You never did answer me before.” Alastor says. Voice barely above a whisper to keep it steady.
“About what?” Lucifer asked with a soft tilt of his head, his eyebrows knitting up in confusion.
Alastor meets Lucifer's eyes once more. “What does Ambrosia taste like to you?”
A smile breaks out onto Lucifer's face, eyes shining up at him, and for the first time Alastor felt as if his dead heart had skipped a beat.
He wanted to continue to be the reason that Lucifer smiled like that.