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Lucifer yawned and stretched against the back of the couch, joints popping. He stretched his wings, flapping gently, watching as a few feathers fell as he did so.
The sun was setting slowly in the sky, falling as much as a sun could in hell; it was never truly dark here.
The members of the Hazbin Hotel, staff and guests, were winding down for the day, ready to settle into their rooms for the remainder of the night. Lucifer was more than excited to do so himself, ready to settle back into his duck workshop within his room with his husband by his side.
Speaking of his husband. .
Lucifer smiled as his eyes found Alastor, coming down the stairs, Nifty at his heels. They were engaged in a conversation, and by the looks of it Nifty was taking the lead, jumping up and down as she excitedly rambled to her boss.
Held carefully in Alastor's arms, soft duck print pajamas and downturned soft ears, was Rhoda. Tiny and soft, Lucifer felt nothing but pride as he watched his newborn cradled and scrunched comfortably in Alastor's arms.
He remembered when Charlie was small enough to hold like that, and oh how he had missed it. Rhoda was premature and tiny, and both of her fathers preferred to keep constant vigilance over her, which led to her almost always being cradled in someone's arms.
Heaven's above she was adorable.
Lucifer was harshly pulled out of his thoughts as there were three knocks on the front door, and he looked up. Charlie and Vaggie were bent over future hotel plans on the couch, while Cherri Bomb and Angel were crowded around the bar, helping Husk clean up from the day.
That left Lucifer to answer the door, and as much as his social anxiety pulled at him, telling him to simply stay where he was and wait for Alastor to arrive fully downstairs to open the door, he found himself standing with a flap of his wings and making his way to the door.
It was most likely a new sinner requesting to stay at the Hotel, Lucifer knew. Ever since Pentious's redemption three years ago, and Baxter's following not soon after, proving that Redemption was not a one time thing; hundreds or even thousands of human souls have come and gone from the hotel, looking to get to the pearly gates.
While Lucifer wasn't exactly the biggest fan of Heaven, he wouldn't deny Sinners the chance to find solace there, and it solved his over-population problem! It was a win-win, as annoying it could be sometimes to watch hundreds come and go.
Lucifer transferred his apple cane to be held in his tail, and he pulled open the massive double doors that welcomed people into the hotel, familiar intricate apple and circus motifs that had been created by his own magical hand.
Lucifer swiftly put on his Customer Service Voice, smiling, standing tall, (though, that still didn't accomplish much.) “Hello! Welcome to the Hazbin-”
Lucifer stopped dead in his tracks, voice faltering as he stood staring at the girl on the other side. Long blonde hair, thin frame, a small black smile painted gently on her face.
Lilith.
Lilith.
Lucifer attempted to take a step back, but without the support of the cane he was so used to having in his hand at all times since his injury during The Fall, his bad knee buckled and he stumbled back, falling over himself. His cane fell from his tails grasp, and rolled too far out of reach.
Lucifer hitting the hardwood floor caught the attention of the other hotel staff, making them look over at the door. Charlie audibly gasped, shaky and loud.
Oh God, Charlie. . .
She resented Lilith.
It was inevitable, in Lucifer's opinion, that after so many years worth of missed calls, of texts, of voice mailed pleas to come home, that Charlie would grow a hatred for her unfortunately absent mother.
But of course, Charlie's hatred went far beyond that. She was angry with Lilith, for how she left her dad, for how she kept her away from Lucifer as a child, for how she just left all the people of hell, her subjects! She was angry about everything.
“Charlie, Luci!” Lilith stepped in, not a single falter in her step. Her hair glowed and moved with the wind that wasn't truly there, just the way Lucifer remembered. Same smile, same warm eyes and soft face, same soft lips he had grown so familiar to kissing.
He felt sick.
Lucifer scrambled up to his feet, tripping over his bad leg as he moved. Charlie was at his side the second he was standing, pulling him up, allowing him to lean onto her while he got his footing.
The entire Morningstar family was within three feet of each other.
Well, not the whole family. God, Alastor and Rhoda were both across the room. Lucifer could only imagine what Alastor was thinking, what he was feeling while watching this. Thankfully, Rhoda was too young to be able to properly fathom the insanity of this situation, of what was happening around her.
“Don't you-” Lucifer straightened out, leaning against Charlie, his tail flicked behind him, horns rising, and he could easily assume his eyes were glowing red. “Don’t you dare call me that. It's Lucifer, to you.”
Lucifer half a mind to hide his wedding ring bound hand behind his back, to hide his new relationship from his old one, but he didn't. He almost wanted Lilith to see his rings.
His rings that so clearly didn't belong to his marriage between the two of them.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Charlie's voice was full of venom, her horns appearing on her head, mirroring her father's, head upturned, eyes cold.
“Do I need an excuse to see my daughter and husband?” She stepped forward, reaching out to rest a hand on Lucifer's shoulder. Lucifer jerked his body away, stepping back, running into familiar soft arms behind him.
Alastor.
Alastor took one of Lucifer's hands in his own, passing his radio staff towards him as a replacement of his apple cane (which, by the looks of it, Angel had since picked up from the floor and leaned against the bar counter.)
“I am not your daughter, and he is not your husband. You left us.” Charlie stepped forwards, hand held to her chest, sadness in her eyes that Lucifer had rarely seen before. “You do not get to come back here all- all peachy like nothing happened!"
Charlie stepped back again, standing by her dads side once again. Lucifer watched as Alastor let go of his hand, moving to stand just a little closer to Charlie; a silent show of his support in the moment, that he was here if she needed support.
Lucifer could never be more grateful that he was there for Charlie then he is now.
“Oh, but, Luci, you're still wearing your ring!” Lilith picked at her back nails, taking another step forward. She seemed to be growing more nervous now, hands rubbing together, a nervous habit she had developed all the way back in Eden.
“No, I'm not. I threw my ring away a long time ago.” Not the exact truth, but also not a lie. His old golden wedding band was lying abandoned and dusty in a drawer somewhere in the palace, forgotten and uncared for. “Please, I already told you, don't call me that.” Lucifer scowled as he heard his own desperation leak into his voice.
Lilith, of course, didn't seem to be taking a hint.
A hint that she was not welcome, that after everything that they had all been through both because of and without her, it wouldn't be that easy to be in their lives again; if at all.
From where he was standing between Lucifer and Charlie, Alastor raised his hand to be resting on Lucifer's shoulder, his own ring clearly on display.
Lilith's eyes widened when she saw it, and she gasped, eyes focusing on identical ruby engagement rings and golden wedding bands that sat on both Alastor and Lucifer's hands
“But- Lucifer? Ten thousand years? And you just threw it all away?” There was sadness in her voice and Lucifer felt as though he might be sick right there, he felt so inclined to scream and yell like a child, to collapse to the floor overwhelmed.
“I didn't throw it all away!” Lucifer tightened his grip on Alastor's cane, his claws leaving small marks in it. “If I recall, you were the one to walk out. Do you know how bad you hurt me? How long it took me to even feel like living again?” Lucifer's voice was raw and ragged, his emotions showing as he spread his wings in defense, an age old instinct he had been created with.
The sparkle in Lilith's eyes faltered, she stepped back, her hand outstretched.
“Do you know how many years Charlie and I spent apart thanks to you? How- How many years have I spent alone in that big Palace?” Tears pricked at Lucifer's eyes, the flame held in between his horns dimmed.
“How many years Charlie spent without a parent in her life? She was alone, Lilith, when she needed us the most!” Lucifer inhaled, his voice shaking. “And now I am finally fucking happy. I have an amazing husband, two wonderful children, and I finally feel cared for, for the first time in so long.”
Lucifer stared into such familiar eyes, eyes that he had loved and sought out in a crowd once upon a time, eyes that he missed and cried out for on dark nights alone in a cold empty home.
Eyes that he now wished he would never see again.
Lucifer felt as though his voice could break glass with the next words he spoke, and he was positive he had never heard a silence as deafening as this.
“I don't want you here,”
Lucifer turned his head away, hiding the pinpricks of tears gathering in his eyes. Alastor's hand snuck up, wiping his cheeks gently, and Lucifer dared to look up, and couldn't help but let a ghost of a smile reach his face as he met his husband's eyes.
“Get out.”
Lucifer whipped his head back around, tired eyes finding his daughter.
He had never heard such anger in Charlie's voice. Such pure anger against one single person, disgust dripping in every word she spoke.
“Charlie, I just-”
“Now.”
“Fine.” Heels on the floor, arms crossed across her chest. “You won't ever be a true family without me. Not anymore.”
Lucifer turned into Alastor's arms as he heard Lilith's voice ring out. He hid his face in Alastors coat, not caring how fucking pathetic he knew he must look. Alastor squeezed Lucifer's shoulders tightly, a grounding feeling that Lucifer was so grateful for.
Some part of him so desperately wanted Lilith to see this display of affection, and if Lucifer knew him well (and he did,) he would say that Alastor was thinking the same thing; Alastor famously hated any public displays of affection.
A familiar blow of wind, chilling all the people within the room to their bones, and Lilith was gone.
Charlie let out a shaky sigh, horns retreating back into her head, her demonically induced height returning to her usual height. Lucifer turned his head, looking at his daughter, moving himself away from Alastor to hold his daughter's shoulder gently.
“I'm so sorry, Apple, I didn't know that she would come back here. I had no idea-” Lucifer cut himself off, eyebrows furrowing. What could he say in this scenario? Would could he possibly do, offer or say to make any of this better?
“It's fine, dad.” There was sadness in Charlie's voice as she turned to look at him, and Lucifer never wished to see that look of despair on her face again.
“No, its no-”
“Dad, please. It's not your fault, I promise.” She moved to pull him into a strong hug, one that Lucifer returned quickly, being careful to not press Alastors staff too hard into her skin.
Lucifer's cheek pressed into hers, and he inhaled the familiar smell of strawberry shampoo that Charlie had loved since she was just a little girl.
“You didn't ask for her to come back here.” Her voice was a whisper, shaky, and Lucifer leaned back, still holding his little girl in his arms. He reached up to wipe away a tear falling down her cheek, and she leaned into his hand.
Alastor rested his hands on his husband and adopted daughter's shoulders, pressing a kiss to the side of Lucifer's temple. “Don't listen to what she said, either of you. She does not know what she is talking about, my dears.”
Lucifer inhaled, nodding, downing out the noise as the rest of their friends came to their sides, gentle hugs and reassurances being shared.
Lucifer wouldn't let this get to him.
He was strong.
That night, Lucifer was working on making a new duck at his small desk in his and Alastor's room. Alastor was laying on the bed, Rhoda asleep on his chest, a book open in front of the deer demon.
Lucifer sighed quietly, resting his head in his hand, blonde bangs drooping in front of his face. He inhaled, blowing out sharply to move the hair off his eyes, not surprised when it fell right back to where it had been before.
“Talk to me, darling. I know something is wrong.” Alastor set down his book and reached out his hand, an invite for Lucifer to climb into bed with him. Alastor stayed as still as he could while he moved, careful not to jostle the baby asleep on his soft chest.
Lucifer just sighed again, and stood up, heading over to the bed. He sank into the spot next to Alastor, snuggling into the deer's side, warm blankets and pillows more welcoming than ever before. He let his hand play with their daughters hair and small ears, the softness being welcomed by his fingers.
“I just. .” He paused, and let his hand rest on top of Alastors, both on top of Rhoda's back. “Seeing her was upsetting. She came trotting back in the fucking door like nothing ever happened!” He was careful not to be too loud, but he couldn't keep the anger out of his voice.
“Y'know, I always thought, maybe, if she ever did come back, we could've made up and she could be a part of our lives again, but. . .”
Alastor nodded, kissing Lucifer's head. “I understand. Well, I mean, I don't, not really, you know I don't understand romance that well, but. . I understand what you mean.” Alastor scratched the soft fur behind Rhoda's left ear, smiling softly as her face scrunched and her ear flicked. “She came in and called you a damn nickname, a nickname that I call you, I would be lying if I said my blood didn't boil a little with that.”
“I was afraid that she was going to threaten you, or Charlie, or Rhoda.” Lucifer could hardly hear his own voice, but he knew that Alastor and his animal ears heard him.
Alastor smiled sadly against Lucifer's hair, pressing his cheek into soft blonde curls. “You know I wouldn't have let her, sweetheart. She may be more powerful than me, technically, but you know I would not let her away alive if she threatened any of my family.”
Hearing Alastor call them his family still warmed Lucifer's heart. Two years ago, when Alastor and Lucifer got married, Alastor had also officially adopted Charlie as his own. Charlie had been ecstatic.
Back then, it had just been more for precaution, in case something ever happened to Lucifer and, despite Charlie being an adult, people in hell or (God forbid,) Heaven tried to do anything to or against her as a child of the Devil.
But, over time, their relationship grew as Alastor fell more and more in love with her father and with the concept of being a part of a family.
Charlie was just about as ecstatic then as last year when the two of them had told her she was going to get a sibling, an extension to a family that finally felt whole again after so many years.
“I love you. Thank you, Alastor. For everything. For being here.” Lucifer closed his eyes, holding his family close, wishing for the moment to never end.
“I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, love.”