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She's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.
Lucifer, being a seraphim, is no stranger to beauty. He's seen all sorts of things, like the stars coming into creation, shooting through the expanding universe. Nebulas swirling with colors unheard of, planets forming with crashing cacophony of sounds. Galaxies abound in the massive dark nothingness, and when the Earth was forming, he thought it was beautiful too. The lush plant life of the Garden, so vibrant with greens and reds and yellows; the blue sky, the white fluffy clouds, and the various animals coming into existence and beginning to establish the food chain.
The Angelic Council decided to try something new. The creature they brought forth from the leftover stardust was called "Man". He looked similar enough to the angels, except no extraordinary magic, no extra eyes, no extra limbs, no wings... In fact, he was...rather unremarkable. And for a while, he wandered the Garden, with the Council instructing him on his purpose in life, to procreate, to have children, who's children would have children, and so on and so forth. And the Man -- later named "Adam" -- was becoming rather...brash, in his importance. He swore to do well, that he would be the greatest of all of his species, and after a while, the Council created a "Woman".
And she is beautiful. The pale, unmarked skin, the exceptionally tall, slender frame, her long blonde hair falling down to her feet, and eyes so blue that they put the skies and oceans to shame, Lucifer is entranced the moment he sees her. When she opens her eyes under the soft sunlight filtering in through the willow tree, the dust fading as her body takes shape, plush pink lips open to inhale the sweet scent of wildflowers, and Lucifer wants very much to share her experience. What is it like to breathe for the first time? He's forgotten, but watching her taking in her surroundings with the innocence of new life, he wants to experience everything with her.
"Adam is in charge now." Sera's voice breaks Lucifer from his thoughts, and he blinks quickly, glancing over at her. She, too, stands watch above on the clouds, as Lilith gets to her feet and shakily makes her way to the nearby river to touch, to drink, while in the distance Adam is approaching. "They will begin mankind. We must not interfere any more than what is necessary."
"But...what if they need our guidance?" Lucifer asks, puzzled.
"They must find their own way," Sera decides. "If they truly are ever in need of us, then they know to pray. Come." Her six wings outstretch, much larger than his own, and she looks like she's ready to cover the whole area with her shadow if she wishes. "Let us return."
And yet, as they fly back to Heaven, Lucifer can't help but look back towards Earth. Adam has finally reached Lilith, and they're standing a bit awkwardly several feet away from one another; while Adam seems a bit hungry, his eyes gazing over Lilith's form with blatant desire, Lilith is holding herself tall and regal, examining Adam with own her own shrewd interest.
(*)
It doesn't go well.
Adam, apparently, is too forceful with his new mate. "Wife", he calls her, but the way he says it, it leaves a bad taste in Lucifer's mouth. There's so much...blatant disregard for Lilith's role in Adam's life, in the role she has in making sure mankind continues. He talks over her frequently, every time they try talking at all; he wishes only to do what he wishes to do, what he finds entertaining, and he gets huffy and immature when Lilith tries to do something that she enjoys. They argue frequently, to the point where Adam starts calling her names in a harsh tone, and Lilith continuously pushes him away when he tries to touch her.
Disrespect, Lucifer realizes, after several days of watching them in secret. Adam is disrespecting the Wife that the Council worked so hard to create just for him. How could anyone disrespect such a creature of loveliness? Her strength and independence just heightens her beauty. And she is endlessly curious, always wanting to explore, wanting to learn, wanting to make the most of her days in the Garden beyond allowing Adam to try and be intimate with her. The way she interacts with the world that had been so painstakingly created for them is filled with love, and the first time he hears her singing to the birds, a soft vocalization, he feels his whole body growing warm, like he's falling asleep under the sun and it's a soothing lullaby.
Things come to a head when, after one argument that results in Adam trying to hit her, Lilith flees the safety of their home. She runs into the deeper part of the forest, and Adam simply turns his back, going into the fields for his own amusement. Without hesitation, Lucifer flies after Lilith, just to try and make sure she's safe.
He finds her by a beautiful lake, underneath another willow. Her head is bowed, face hidden in her hands, and the sobs that escape her are so heart wrenching that Lucifer feels his eyes grow wet and hot. Seeing her so distressed makes him yearn to make her smile again, and, after a moment of hesitation, he decides he cannot sit by and watch her cry. So he lowers himself to the Garden, picking some nearby jasmine flowers and moving closer, until the sound of a twig snapping under his feet captures her attention. When she looks up, she doesn't look frightened to see him, and he takes his hat off, because it feels proper to have his face in full view of this goddess.
"Who are you?" she asks, wiping at her face with some confusion and wariness.
"I am Lucifer," he says. "I'm a seraphim, from Heaven."
"Heaven?" Her eyes widen, flicking up towards the sky, but she would not be able to see the realm. It's impossible. "You're an angel?"
"Yes."
"Adam says the angels made us..." Her voice is soft, wondering, before her brows pinch as she frowns. When she turns her attention back to him, Lucifer almost feels guilty, though for what, he has no idea until she speaks again, reproachful. "If the angels made us, then why is Adam so unkind?"
"I don't know," Lucifer admits. "I wasn't allowed any input on Mankind. I'm quite young by angel standards, I've only made some of the animals." Case in point, as he looks over the lake, he sees a duck paddling through the water with a small horde of her ducklings, and he points. "I made those."
"...The ducks?"
"Yes! They're my favorites. They make funny noises, and their feathers are waterproof. And their feet are webbed, so they can swim." He feels very proud for that, before he turns back to Lilith, and when she simply gazes back at him, he offers her the stalk of jasmine flowers. "I brought this for you."
She blinks. "Why?"
"Because you're sad... And it makes me sad, to see you sad." And he feels so shy all of a sudden, unsure of whether or not this was proper. "I thought... Well, I think the flowers are beautiful. And you are far lovelier than any flower in the Garden, but they could enhance your beauty and sweetness if you had some too... I'm sorry, I-I've never done this before..."
Her features soften, and when she smiles, it feels like air being pushed into his lungs before she holds her slender hands out. "May I see?"
He almost stumbles, he's so eager to be a little closer, but not wanting to frighten her. As they exchange the flowers, her hands touch his, and the jolt of electricity that shoots through his skin is an entirely new foreign sensation, and he wants more of it.
Lilith brings the flowers to her face, sniffing them delicately, before offering Lucifer a wider smile. "They're beautiful," she agrees softly. "Thank you Lucifer."
He swallows, feeling his face burning. "You're welcome, Lilith."
She pats the space beside her. "Would you like to sit with me?"
Oh, nothing would make him happier than to spend time with her, talking to her, studying her, despite knowing that Sera and the Council would be unhappy, if they knew what he was doing. He isn't supposed to be here. He isn't supposed to be interfering with Heaven's plans, and yet, Lucifer cannot bring himself to care; he can only smile. "Yes, please."
After all... He wasn't doing anything wrong, was he? Only offering comfort to Lilith. What could possibly go wrong?