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In the darkness of his room the dark lord stood in total solitude. Beside him, the place where Alastor used to sleep with him every night, was empty, it looked as if it had not been touched all night, in its place was a stuffed animal in the shape of Alastor, a stuffed animal that him husband had made to comfort him during the nights he missed him in case he did not return after his work at the radio station.
The clock struck six in the morning, he wanted to go to sleep, but it seemed almost impossible to do so, his thoughts drifted from one side to the other, he couldn't get to sleep. He decided to get out of bed, putting on his duck-shaped slippers, that animal he adored so much and that now not even that could help him with the tiredness he felt since the last extermination, the extermination in which Adam died; who would have thought that that little girl would have made it.
As he made his way to the kitchen, the moonlight mesmerised him as he walked near the balcony, the balcony he had previously told his daughter she should improve so she wouldn't fall, ironically after the destruction of the hotel it was the only thing left standing. As he leaned against the balcony looking up at the hellish sky, feeling the thin air hitting he face, causing small strands of his dishevelled hair to move in time with it. He couldn't help but remember that night meeting Alastor in that very spot, they had learned to tolerate each other's presence for Charlie's sake, one might even say, on Lucifer's part, that he had begun to feel safe, happy with the presence of the deer-like demon.
—It's a fine evening, don't you think so, your majesty? —he uttered in a low tone, as if he wished the conversation to be a secret between them. Lucifer was clearly surprised at the red-haired man's sudden appearance, but his smile was impossible to hide; he returned his gaze to the hellish streets, filled with chaos, a chaos he had grown accustomed to seeing millennia ago and resigned to the fact that he could not change it.
—It definitely is, Al, he was unable to say more. —That night he had been flooded with memories, memories of his ex-wife, the woman who had abandoned him for seven years. Lucifer was easy to read, he'd never been good at hiding his emotions at all, it didn't go unnoticed by Alastor, who moved a little closer to the shorter man, coming to lean against the balcony to get more level with him.
—What are you thinking about? —The question took the blond by surprise and he didn't know what to say at that moment. He had an internal dilemma, between telling him the truth or making an excuse, he didn't love Lilith anymore, but sometimes it was inevitable to think about her, after all, the traumas of abandonment that provoked him were not easy to forget either.
—Lilith — he said, limiting himself to that name alone. Alastor knew what he meant, the name of that lady made his being boil inside him, it had been impossible for him to forgive that woman who had caused so much damage to the person who had made him think of love.
He clenched his fists tightly, clenching his cane, he could break it if he continued to apply that force.
—She never deserved you, Lucifer —his voice had a slight hint of static in it, betraying the annoyance he felt. Lucifer knew he shouldn't have said that name, he knew Alastor's reaction, his feelings had been stripped of any barriers as the two of them got drunk in the moonlight, he knew the hatred the sinner had gained after hearing all his sorrows.
—You know? —Lucifer turned to look at Alastor, who had taken the floor again before the blond could say anything—In all the time I've had the misfortune of living with you, I've noticed how sweet you are, too sweet for my taste, but... —The red-haired man deigned to look his king in the eye, in an attempt to show that his words held sincerity, that they came from within his heart. His ears had lowered, letting his radio-like voice drop a little—I would like you to stay by my side, I can protect you from being hurt again — his hands rested on Lucifer's gently, caressing them—It's all right if you don't accept my feeling, if you hate me after this, but my greatest wish is to protect you, to protect your heart from any pain.
The cheeks of his whitish skin soon formed a slight yellow hue, the blood had accumulated in that area. He felt his face boil. He reciprocated his grip on his hands, looking up, looking the sinner in his eyes.
Lucifer was caught between sincerity and the desire to be with the speaker, the one who had made his heart flutter even in the lack of wind. His eyes bore into the other's, searching for a suitable response. He longed to protect Alastor as well, his gaze lowered slowly, looking only at his feet.
«How could I protect him if I can't protect myself» Lucifer thought, feeling the weight of his own vulnerability.
The other's words echoed in his mind, "I can protect you from being hurt again." Lucifer remembered the times his ex-wife had hurt him, betrayed by that woman who only ended up seeing his power and not the angelic being that, somewhere, was still hidden within that façade of self-centeredness.
The sinner felt a shudder run through his skin as he felt the touch that the ruler had reciprocated at his hands. Lucifer's heart was pounding.
The confession echoed in the air, laden with promises and fears—Protect me.... —Lucifer murmured, remembering his own inner struggle—Since I began my existence in this place, with this power.... —The weight of his immortality loomed over him—I grew accustomed to not being able to defend myself against those who seek me for their personal interests, beyond me.
The speaker did not seek him for his divinity, but for the 'humanity' the blond possessed, Lucifer closed his eyes, sensing the paradox of his existence. What could he offer in exchange for Alastor's protection?
—Al...—-Lucifer whispered, looking up, gazing intently into the reddish eyes that the taller one possessed. A smile formed on his lips, —I want you to protect me.—The request was sincere—Not for my power, but for me.
It did not take a kiss to prove to seal the promise of love they had formed. Lucifer brought Alastor's hand to his forehead, showing the respect and affection he had built up over the past few months.
«Away from the troubles of the world», Lucifer thought before returning to the reality of that memory of the time he felt loved again.
The memory of that night enveloped him every time Lucifer came to miss his beloved, with that he could feel his presence, he could feel that he was with him at every moment. He stepped away from the balcony, his smile trembling, it was hard to keep it after this. He missed Alastor quite a lot.
He returned to his goal: the kitchen, he wanted a glass of water, maybe that would help him sleep, it didn't hurt to try. As he reached the stairs he caught the shadow of his lover out of the corner of his eye, turning instantly in search of the freckle.
dor.
—Alastor? —His ryes had lit up as she had sensed his presence. Turning around there was simply nothing, he sighed.
«I must have just been hallucinating.» He descended the stairs holding on to the banister, the darkness not quite allowing him to see where he was stepping, this ensured that, should he fall, he would have something to hold on to. He was lucky he hadn't slipped, he chuckled as he remembered a time when he and Alastor were going up to their respective rooms, Alastor had slipped that day in their rooms. He couldn't forget the annoyed and embarrassed look on the face of his then new friend.
It had been a heavy day at the hotel, Lucifer and Alastor had been the last to stay up. They were supposed to have taken care of some business, though they ended up drinking at the bar inside the hotel.
—Alastor, are you sure you can walk? —The blond was already a few feet ahead of Alastor, who was trudging up the stairs.
—Lucifer, you... —He let out a hiccup, before continuing the sentence—Don't worry about me. I'm perfectly fine.
The red-haired man staggered up the stairs, stumbling a few times, but at no point had he fallen. It wasn't until he reached the second to last step, being waited on by the sovereign to make sure he didn't hurt himself. It was there that Alastor had finally stumbled; he had not lifted his leg properly, causing his foot to catch on the previous step.
Lucifer, like a good friend, had begun to laugh, at no time stopping to help the deer. His face showed his annoyance just by the sight of his furrowed brows, while his ears betrayed the shame of having fallen in the most stupid way possible.
—Lucifer... —His static voice rang down the hallway, a clear sign of annoyance. Lucifer knew it was time to walk away.
The ruler let out a light chuckle at the memory of the scene, though it would have seemed to have done him no good, in the end he carried him to his room, tucking him in so that he could finally sleep.
He had finally reached the top of the stairs, entering the kitchen. He took a glass of water and, before he could drink it, he noticed a box of tea, one that Alastor had bought him months ago, those teas helped Lucifer sleep. He hadn't finished the box yet because he didn't need to, sleeping in him husband's arms had been enough for him to fall asleep, but now it was gone.
He grabbed a stool and climbed onto it to get the box. He opened it, there was a variety of teas, though in the end he decided on peppermint, remembering that it was the first sachet Alastor had given him during a night when it had been impossible to sleep.
He began to heat the water by placing it in a mug, and soon poured the tea into the cup, accompanying it with a spoonful of sugar. He didn't mind leaving the kitchen a bit tidy, he would get up earlier to tidy up later. He sat in one of the armchairs in the lobby sipping his tea, appreciating the silence of the hotel in the early morning.
The silence began to disturb him, though it was something he used to remind him husband of, too - after all, he was quite fond of moments of silence anywhere. Next to him, there was a radio, one that belonged to Alastor.
He turned it on.
All he heard was the sound of static as he turned the radio to Alastor's channel. He was no longer on the air. He let out a heavy sigh, carrying a cassette to place in that radio, listening intently to the demon's words. It was one of his favourite programmes, one of the few where he managed to record his voice, that day he had decided to sing, a plus for his recording, "Cannibal" was the song chosen for the occasion. In a way, Lucifer loved it, the thought of being devoured by his loved one, plus Alastor knew that every chance he got he tasted his angelic blood. The first time he had sex with Alastor was when they both realised that it was something they both liked; a perfect combination, while one liked to devour, the other was a cannibal. He even came to feel that the song was dedicated to the blond.
The recording ended. He let out a heavy sigh, finally taking out the cassette and carrying it back to his room. He began to change the radio stations until he came to one dedicated solely to music. He entertained himself for a while on that station, due to the time the songs were totally quiet, that's why he loved the night, his mind could get lost in all his thoughts and no one could interrupt him, who would be awake at this hour? It was very rare that anyone would be. He took a sip of his tea, letting the taste spread across his palate.
In the midst of his thoughts he began to hear a melody, one he had heard before. He came back to reality, listening carefully, it was impossible not to know what it was, after all, it was the song he used as inspiration to create the date for Alastor, the date where he had the chance to ask him to marry him.
—Alastor! —Lucifer was running in the direction of the deer. It wasn't even necessary to look at him to notice the excitement in his voice.
Lucifer didn't mind interrupting a conversation Alastor was having with the cat demon, even the radio demon didn't mind every time Lucifer made his presence known.
—What is it, mon chéri? —He set his glass aside, turning his full attention to the sovereign.
—Come with me! I have something for you — The little king's joy was impossible to control. He tugged his partner, forcing him to walk—I'll get it back to you later, Hask! —He didn't purposely misspell his name, it was normal for the constant confusion.
—Excuse me, but you have to see this! —He quickly created a portal to the castle, to an area Alastor had never visited, because it didn't exist before. Before entering, he spread his wings, shielding the sinner's eyes so that he would remain a surprise—Don't cheat, eh — his grin was wide. He guided Alastor through the area, taking care not to let him stumble.
Alastor could hear the sound of his feet touching the grass of the place, where the hell was he? He wanted to take his boyfriend's hands away from his eyes, but he had to be patient, he didn't want to make him sad.
Finally they stopped, the sound of falling water was majestic, a light breeze could be felt, though Alastor wasn't sure if the breeze was coming from Lucifer's flapping wings.
—So, do you like me, my little deer?— "Little Deer," a nickname Alastor didn't entirely like, but he wasn't complaining either if the nickname came from his beloved. The red-haired boy looked around, the water was crystal clear, he could see the rocks that lay there, the grass looked soft he didn't hesitate to break away from Lucifer's grip to remove his slippers; the feel of the grass on his hooves was actually relaxing, almost therapeutic. He let out a light sigh before cupping Lucifer's cheeks, giving him an Eskimo kiss.
—It's... perfect, my king. I thank you.
Lucifer could take no more, he threw himself at Alastor, pressing kisses all over his face. It was nothing new for the pale-skinned one to give sudden displays of affection, Alastor had no choice but to accept those kisses and hugs, always holding his arms in such a way that he could keep Lucifer carrying him.
—I made a few desserts! I didn't make them too sweet for you to enjoy as well —Lucifer's smile never faded. Alastor loved seeing him being so happy, it warmed his heart in a way he had never thought would happen. Lucifer climbed down from Alastor, leading him to a tea table under one of the trees. He let Alastor sit down first, before bringing desserts and a pot of coffee inside, he had prepared the coffee just the way Alastor liked it, the ruler would be able to tolerate the unsweetness of the coffee, he just wanted to have a moment of happiness with the man.
That lunch had passed normally, a conversation initiated by Lucifer, and Alastor simply listening. The desserts and coffee made a nice contrast, one that Alastor liked, only when it came to Lucifer's desserts. He loved hearing the sound of his voice, watching the angel's cheeks and corners fill with the sweet, wiping it away like a small child's, Lucifer didn't complain.
A perfect moment for lovers.
When he finished, Lucifer made it all disappear, taking it all back to the kitchen with his magic. Instantly he copied Alastor's earlier actions, taking off his high heeled boots, it was quite tiring to walk that way. He tugged the opposite, pulling him down to the grass beside him.
—Lucifer! —shouted the speaker as he lowered his ears, he usually tolerated the sudden actions of the short one, but this was one of the few things he tolerated.
Lucifer automatically took action at that, cupping his cheeks and placing a kiss on his lips, a tender one, with no double entendre; he gently caressed his cheeks, treasuring every moment he spent with the sinner, even though he knew the likelihood of losing him was very low, after all, an immortal angel and a sinner unable to die unless by the fault of an exterminator, was an eternal match, the perfect match for the angel.
They entwined their hands, further sealing the love they had sworn to each other that night. Everything seemed perfect. The sound of the birds Lucifer had rescued and sheltered there was perfect. Finally they broke away from the kiss, letting out a laugh, one quiet and the other very low.
Alastor let himself touch his ears, while the infernal king leaned against his chest, his favourite spot since he had discovered he had fur in that area. Alastor wasn't complaining, it was nice to have Lucifer there, to be able to see his face and stroke his head, a routine they had whenever they were lying on their bed or anywhere else. Doing those actions was therapeutic for both of them.
—Alastor...
He looked up into his opponent's eyes, his left hand went to his cheek—Something wrong, cher? —His voice had lowered in volume, appearing calm, even docile in his opponent's presence.
—What do you think of the marriage?
Alastor thought for a moment, it was difficult, at least for him, not because of the answer, he was quite clear about it, but rather because of the words he had to choose.
—Well, personally, it's not necessary for me. The fact that I can simply live with you every day of my life in death and cherish every moment we are together, I don't see the need to get married —he tried to be as honest as possible, trying to choose the right words. Maybe it didn't work, though, he could see Lucifer's puppy dog face.
—So you won't marry me? —From his bag he took out a ring, he had created it himself. It had a diamond in the centre, a red one, Alastor's favourite colour.
The stag's eyes opened wide, he sat up as best he could, not taking Lucifer from where he was. His words had vanished into thin air, not knowing what answer to give, despite not being someone who believed in marriage, he also wanted to fulfil he boyfriend's whim. He couldn't help but notice Lucifer's little pout, he frowned, which was accompanied by a slight blush.
—If you want to get married, we will, mon chéri. If you're happy with that, I'll be willing to comply — the smile on Lucifer's face comforted him. He didn't hesitate for a second to put on the ring, indicating the newly formed engagement.
Lucifer was truly happy with Alastor. He loved his every move, always elegant and delicate. The way he walked, always hopping in little hops, even if he didn't realise it, had never gone unnoticed by Lucifer, what had once been a tease, was now something he treasured quite dearly, something that could only cause him tenderness.
He placed a kiss on Alastor's nose as he wrapped his arms around Alastor's neck. One of her hands tangled in his hair from the movement she caused by stroking one of his ears.
—You make me happy, Alastor.
The sovereign's smile was present at the memory of that day. He looked at his ring, the one given to him at the time of his marriage to that demon. He always appreciated that Alastor, even after the marriage was consummated, kept his engagement ring, a tender gesture from the ruler's perspective.
He did not know at what point his vision began to blur, but tears had already begun to fall down her cheeks, soaking her clothes, some even spilling into her tea.
«No, no. Not now» he began to wipe the tears from his cheeks, to no avail, after all no matter how much he wiped the tears kept falling. Little sobs began to accompany the crying.
«I was supposed to be over it» he dropped his cup, letting it fall in his attempt at self-comfort. Hearing the noise, he panicked, quickly grabbing fragments of the broken mug, trying to clean it up as quickly as possible, he was too sensitive to think that, with his powers, he could repair it.
He hadn't heard anyone approach him. He jumped as he felt a touch on his shoulder.
It was Husk.
He slept in the canteen, it was his "room" most nights, always for getting drunk and sleeping there, no one had the heart to have taken him to his room. Lucifer wiped away his tears keeping a shaky smile, it was hard to keep it and it was obvious.
—Husk! Hey... What are you... What are you doing up at this hour? -The shards of the cup were still in his hand. His free hand was trying to clean up the mess his face was now.
—Don't you think it would have been easier to repair the cup with your powers? -The feline had pointed to the shards while keeping one of his eyebrows raised.
Lucifer, upon realizing that, did not hesitate to do just as the winged cat had told him. As soon as he had repaired it, he went to the kitchen, to wash the cup.
Husk didn't usually meddle with the king's personal affairs, but he couldn't leave him like this either, having already seen him practically crying. He had been like this for months, and he had never gotten a word out as to why he was like this.
He walked into the kitchen, leaning against one of the kitchen cabinets, keeping his distance from Lucifer.
The blond hadn't noticed him again. The phrase "I'm fine" was running through his mind, in an attempt to keep the tears inside and not let them out again. It wasn't until Husk decided to speak.
—I heard the sound of the cup and woke up. Do you want to talk about what's wrong with you? —He used to complain about being the hotel's "psychologist", but he couldn't deny the concern he felt for the king either. Only this time, only this time would he take the initiative to ask what was wrong with someone else.
A long silence lasted in that kitchen, even making the cat-like man uncomfortable. The blond finally decided to speak.
—Alastor. —There was no need for more words, Husk understood why he felt worse than when he had arrived at the hotel. Husk was about to take the floor, but Lucifer was quicker at the moment. It's harder here... He didn't want to cry again, he didn't want to look weak in front of Husk and be a nuisance, but this whole situation was beyond him. He couldn't help but hiccup due to the crying, he hugged himself, burying his nails in his arms, he preferred that physical pain rather than the emotional pain he was now feeling—It was one thing when Lilith abandoned me, you know? —Husk turned his gaze to Lucifer, his ears lowered at the sight of such a pitiful scene, of a king crying over a love.
The blond began to assume a fetal position still standing as he continued in his embrace and self-comfort.
—But another thing is... — He let out another sob, he pressed his lips together biting them, as if that was enough to stop his tears—Husk, I promised to protect him, when we sealed our union, I promised to protect him, I promised nothing would happen to him. I couldn't even do that right —he finished, sitting down on the chair in the kitchen, curling up in it, hiding much of him face—I didn't get there in time, I couldn't be there when he needed me the most, and now he's...
His gaze was directed to that part of the lobby, there were paintings in honour of those who died fighting against the exterminators, one of the paintings was of Sir Pentius and his little eggs, there were various "offerings" for that snake demon; the other painting was one of Alastor.
Lucifer had had a painting made for the radium demon months ago, not knowing that this painting would be the very one he would place in his honour. Alastor's offering was still filled with gifts for Alastor himself, things they couldn't give him or tell him. Most of the things in Alastor's offering were from Lucifer.
His eyes filled with tears again.
Husk didn't even have words, he had never had to deal with someone in depression over the loss of a loved one. Not knowing what actions to take at that moment, the best he could do was to pull his chair closer to where the ruler was, giving him a small hug.
—I miss him, Husk. If I had arrived earlier he'd still be alive, he'd still be with me —He wasn't even able to look at his ring without bursting into tears, it wasn't supposed to end like this, they had promised to be together for the rest of eternity—And you know the worst thing? I didn't get a chance to say goodbye, by the time I got there he was gone....
They had already won the battle against heaven, Adam was dead thanks to Niffty. Charlie was devastated, not only by the loss of the hotel, but also by the loss of Sir Pentius. Lucifer tried to comfort Charlie, placing a hand on her shoulder; though there was one detail that did not go unnoticed: Alastor's ring had fallen off. He smiled tenderly, thinking to return the ring as soon as he saw it again, he was sure that Alastor had managed to escape.
However, he had not. As he approached he could see his broken microphone, Lucifer knew that thing was his source of power, warning signs lit up in the ruler, who began to remove the debris quickly, caring little that he had cut himself on some fragments of it.
What he had feared had come to pass.
The sight of Alastor's limp body shattered him, his world fell completely apart. Initially he did not want to, he refused to believe it had happened. He began to move the sinner's body.
—Alastor, Alastor! Alastor, Alastor! Wake up! This... This isn't funny —tears began to well up in his eyes, letting them fall on hus husband's body.
—Fuck, Al, don't do this to me. This is a joke, isn't it? Please wake up, let's go home. I'll... I'll make you jambalaya! I remember the recipe you told me... —His voice was cracking. To think that moments ago he was, relatively, fine and now he had to deal with the loss of the only one who loved him, romantically, without using him or seeking something with his power.
—Husk, I'm tired —Lucifer broke away from the comforting gesture, turning back into a ball—I'd like to disappear.
Husk began to feel heavy about the situation, he didn't usually give advice and this would be no exception. Lucifer had been relieved of a burden by the feline, something he'd been carrying around for a long time, but it wasn't enough to make him feel better overnight either.
The blond stood up, still crestfallen—Thanks, Husker... I... I won't tell anyone about what you did for me today —a comment he thought was appropriate, for he knew Husk was not someone who usually hugged to comfort others. Perhaps he was still too drunk to have the confidence to take that action.
He went back to his room, lay back down on his bed, resuming the position he used to take when Alastor slept with him. The tears did not wait to come, and as soon as his eyes closed the tears came again, letting out many things that his heart held in, though not aloud, something that might have helped him more when it came time to say goodbye to him.
After all, the "happily ever after" he had hoped to have with the radio demon was not possible, fate would not have it so. Perhaps, in another life, they could be together again and fulfil the promise of love they had made to each other.