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Lucifer watched the people passing him by as he sat on a bench. For once he was missing his usual poise because he knew no matter how long he spent among them that he would never be one of them. No matter how many friends he found or what kind of family he built for himself here on earth Lucifer would always be on the outside. The was other. Alone, and never meant to be anything other than the devil that he was.
Movement closer to him pulled his attention from his dejected musings and raised his eyes to meet those of a woman who was watching him with a concerned yet oddly unattracted expression.
Lucifer quickly morphed his expression into a smile and drawled a fascinated “Hello.”
The woman smiled more gently in return and answered, “Hello. I couldn’t help but notice that you’re looking a bit down. Is everything okay?”
Lucifer inwardly growled but instead forced a laugh, “I’m just lovely, though I must say, not as lovely as you!” He winced slightly in self-disgust. The devil himself reduced from his usual suave persona and lowered to using terrible cliché pickup lines. Lucifer had to admit that he was off his game.
The woman cocked her head and studied him carefully. “Mind if I sit?” She did so without waiting for him to answer and the two sat in silence for a bit, simply watching life passing around them.
Finally, Lucifer broke the silence, “Is there something you desire from me?”
The woman glanced up at the taller man, “not at all. You just looked like you needed some company. No one should be alone on days like this, don’t you agree?”
Lucifer turned to face her more fully and asked, “Tell me, what do you think of the devil?”
She wrinkled her slightly tilted nose. “You’re not about to try to convert me, are you? Because I’ll tell you now that I am completely and proudly pagan.”
Lucifer’s lips quirked up more genuinely this time. “No, no. I’m simply curious as to your opinion.”
His companion sighed. “I assume that we’re talking biblical Christian type devil here?”
He nodded solemnly.
“Well I can say that I was raised Christian. Grew up smack dab in the middle of the bible belt.” Here her previously slightly noticeable southern drawl deepened to betray her origins as she continued, “I know what they teach about the devil,”
Lucifer almost cringed before she went on.
“and I don’t but it.”
His spine snapped straight, and he regarded her intently. “What?”
She grinned and repeated slowly, “I don’t buy it. The devil wasn’t evil. That was never his job. The key is right in his name. Lucifer. Light bringer: one who gives knowledge. Supposedly, against the will of god, one angel turned humans from stupid animals and into what we are today. Some of us are good, and some are but, but in the end, if it weren’t for Lucifer, then we wouldn’t be human. What he gave us was choice, and it was a gift, and we should all be eternally thankful to him for it.”
Lucifer’s mouth gaped slightly, and he sputtered, “you what now?”
The woman laughed. “You don’t agree?”
“No, no! I didn’t say that! I’ve just never heard anyone say it like that before.”
“Well then you’re talking to the wrong people, my friend. There are plenty more people who agree with me. Personally, I could talk your ear off all day about my ‘strange’ opinions on things,” Here she laughed again before continuing, “but I’m sure that you have other things that you should be doing, and I really need to get to work.”
Lucifer laughed now as well. “Trust me, nothing could be more interesting to me right now than this conversation. What was your name by the way?”
“Cassie.” She held out a hand. “nice to meet you, and I hope you’re feeling better now! I really do need to get to work, though.” Cassie and Lucifer both stood from the bench and she turned to continue on her way.
“Wait!”
She turned to him with curious eyes and he hurried to say, “If you ever need anything, come to Lux and give any of the employees your name.”
Her brown eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”
He gave a gentle smile. “Lucifer.”