Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Alastor walked into the lobby of the Hazbin Hotel, whistling lightly, eyes scanning around the blessedly empty room. Alastor wasn’t in much of a mood to deal with the chaos that usually came with his position as Hotelier - not when he was floating on the high of another kill. He licked over his lips, checking to make sure there was no lingering blood there. He’d treated himself and Rosie to a late night snack with the leftovers of his prey. 

He locked the door behind him with a lazy flick of his wrist, dousing the lights in the large room before moving on to the others adjacent to the lobby, verifying that all was in order as he made his way towards the top of the building. 

It was through this nightly routine that Alastor stumbled upon a rather small annoyance in the library. 

“Do be so kind as to remove your feet from the upholstery.” Alastor used his microphone to push Lucifer’s boots off the sofa.

“Why do you care?” Lucifer mumbled against the throw pillow that he was facing, stubbornly pulling his feet back onto the cushion.

“This is my establishment.” Alastor spoke in a tight voice.

“On the contrary,” Lucifer rolled over onto his back, and Alastor was instantly intrigued by the dark circles under the typically pristine angel’s eyes. “It’s Charlie’s.”

The devil placed his hands behind his head, elbows stretching out on either side of his face as he crossed his legs defiantly, daring Alastor to question him once more. 

“And I am the overseer.” Alastor stated distastefully, looking at the dusting of brimstone on the bottom of Lucifer’s shoes. He summoned forward several tendrils of shadow that unceremoniously yanked Lucifer off the couch entirely, where he hit the ground hard, yelping. 

“What the heaven ?!” Lucifer snapped, looking up from beneath disheveled hair.

Alastor hated the small thought in the back of his mind that perked up, intrigued by the way the other’s hair looked hanging down over his forehead. 

“You are dirtying my furniture.” Alastor stated firmly, using a gloved hand to dust off the cushion before sitting down himself, primly crossing his own legs and looking down at the other. 

The king was, apparently, feeling very stubborn, it would seem, seeing as how he stood up with a glare, petulantly climbing on top of the couch, stomping his feet around and getting sulfur positively everywhere.

“You didn’t even make the furniture.” Lucifer snapped. “That was me . You were decidedly absent, which is no surprise, seeing as how you got your ass handed to you by Adam of all people.” He rolled his eyes, and Alastor’s patience evaporated. 

His grip more than firm, Alastor reached for Lucifer’s calf and yanked him down, hard, where Lucifer sprawled - unfortunately - partially over Alastor’s lap, red eyes wide. 

“At least I was there for the battle.” Alastor snarled, eyes glowing pink. “Which cannot be said of you until the last possible moment. Truly, Lucifer, deus ex machina means absolutely nothing when it comes to a child who needs their parent.” 

Lucifer flinched, scrambling away from Alastor to fold his arms. “Well, seeing as how you aren’t a parent, I don’t think your opinion matters all that much.” 

Alastor clicked his tongue, annoyed. “Perhaps not. But I have plenty of experience being the child of an absentee father.” 

“I'm not an absent father.” Lucifer growled, gesturing wildly with exasperation. “I'm literally staying here.” 

“Yes.” Alastor hummed. “But where were you before?” 

“You do realize Charlie isn't a child, right?” Lucifer rolled his eyes. “You get that she's like - significantly older than you, yeah? My adult daughter has not needed me in her life constantly for a very long time.”

Alastor blinked, taking in the absolutely devastated tone of Lucifer's voice by the end. “Does anyone need you, Lucifer?” 

Lucifer flinched, standing up suddenly. “Oh fuck you, Alastor.” 

The king's horns grew on his forehead and he began pacing. 

“Pass.” Alastor stated, tone unamused. “Answer the question.” 

“Why?” Lucifer scoffed. “It's not as if you care , Asshole.” 

“Correct.” Alastor hummed. “But seeing as how I am supposed to be helping the hotel and you are currently moping about at-'' Alastor glanced towards the clock, frowning, “-Three in the morning, I can only assume that you require assistance.”

“I don't need your help .” Lucifer snarled. “I don't need anyone 's help, for that matter.”

“Is that why your wife left you, then?” Alastor held his hand out in front of him, lazily looking over his claws - frowning when he noticed a speck of dried blood on the knuckle. It seemed he hadn’t cleaned up after his earlier kill as well as he’d thought. Without overthinking it, Alastor lifted his hand and lazily dragged his tongue over his fingers, cleaning himself up.

“I-” Lucifer’s voice shook mildly, and Alastor looked up at him curiously, that curiosity only increasing as he realized Lucifer’s eyes were tracing over Alastor’s hand where he was cleaning it. 

Interesting . 

“Lucifer?” He asked once more, dragging his tongue out again, this time very purposeful and slow, intrigue only growing deeper in his mind as Lucifer’s eyes followed the motion, the lightest of blushes on his cheeks. “Are you going to stare at me or answer the question?” Alastor moved his hand to his microphone, twirling it curiously, disrupting whatever spell he’d somehow worked over the other. 

“Oh shut up.” Lucifer scoffed, cheeks settled into a deeper blush that he attempted to distract Alastor from with a truly pathetic excuse. “You do realize grooming oneself in front of another is rather uncouth, yes?” 

“This from the miscreant who tracked sulfur all over the sofa?” Alastor gestured lightly to the seat, displaying the dusted boot prints there.

Lucifer didn’t comment, merely turned away, folding his arms with yet another scoff. 

Alastor let himself melt into the shadows, rising before Lucifer once more in a fluid motion, towering over the King’s smaller form. 

“Woah-” Lucifer immediately took a step back, but Alastor summoned several blackened tentacles that pushed against Lucifer’s back, boxing him in. “What are you-” 

Alastor reached his cane out, using the end of it to tip Lucifer’s head up, forcing eye contact. “I believe I asked you a question, Lucifer. Multiple in fact, all of which you have yet to answer.” 

Lucifer slapped the cane away. “You do realize I am your king , right?”

“A technicality, I’m sure.” Alastor shrugged. “Currently you seem like more of a child than anything else. A child who has stayed up far past his bedtime.” 

The blush was back on Lucifer’s cheeks, and he spluttered indignantly. “You can’t speak to me this way!” 

“But I can.” Alastor stated in a firm tone. “And I will. If you wish to be treated like a king, act like one. My subservience does not come easy, and you, you ill-mannered, moping mess , have not earned it.” 

“I am not moping.” Lucifer took a step closer to Alastor, closer than Alastor was used to people other than his closest friends standing, and his ears twitched at the discomfort of the intrusion. He would not, however, afford Lucifer with the sight of seeing him discomfited.

“Then go to sleep and leave my furniture alone .” Alastor took the natural segue into moving, reappearing in the armchair adjacent to the sofa. “Or sit down and deal with whatever it is keeping you awake so that repeat instances of this problematic and rather pathetic performance will not occur.”

“I’m not going to spill my thoughts to you, Jackass.” Lucifer grunted, slapping aside the tentacles still around him and moving towards the couch, sitting down despite his declaration. 

“I see.” Alastor hummed, straightening his bow tie and preparing to stand. “Well then, I suppose I did all that I can to assist, and I will simply leave you to-” 

“I mean what ?!” Lucifer’s voice was tight with defiant anger. “You think I’ll just tell you all about how depressed I am all the time, or the fact that Charlie forcing me to rethink my entire stance on sinners is making me recall every scream I’ve heard here for the last 10,000 years? I’m most definitely not going to answer your questions about my wife leaving, seeing as how I don’t even let myself actively think about it. And the thought that I would ever tell you of all people about my lack of importance in a realm where I am literally omnipotent is absolutely ludicrous.”

Alastor blinked at Lucifer with confusion that steadily grew into exasperated understanding. “Very well then.” He rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me about it. In fact, how about you continue to not tell me about what’s bothering you.”

“Well I’m certainly not stressed out of my mind regarding Heaven and Adam’s death.” His voice was sharp as he glared at Alastor. “If only you weren’t so bloody useless in your fight, I might not have had to step in.” 

Alastor clenched his jaw, his form flickering at the barb. “It is a good thing you aren’t talking to me then.” Static rose all around him as he stood up, walking past Lucifer. “Seeing as how I’d rip your throat out if you said such disrespectful bullshit.” 

“Aww,” Lucifer mocked. “Did I hurt the little Fawn’s feelings?” 

Alastor’s back was absolutely rigid and he snapped his neck around without moving anything else to glare at Lucifer. “ Don’t call me that.” 

“Why not?” Lucifer leaned back against the couch, placing a boot on the coffee table. “If something is bothering you, you simply must tell me. Didn’t you know? Sharing feelings is apparently something required of us in this room.” 

Alastor took a deep breath, reminding himself that harming Charlie’s father would be counterproductive to running the hotel. “Goodnight, Lucifer.” 

He made to take a step forward towards the door, but before he could blink, red and golden smoke was swirling in front of him, Lucifer having appeared. “Who said you could leave?” 

“I don’t require permission.” Alastor slipped into the shadows, intent upon materializing away from the room, but he had only made it a few feet before something was yanking him back out of the cool shade, causing him to crash face first against the floor.

“What the-” Alastor looked up from the ground, his monocle precariously close to falling off. 

Lucifer crouched before him, tipping Alastor’s chin up further with his hand. “Do you honestly think there is any power you possess that I cannot match or overcome?” 

“You certainly have never made an obvious effort to resist before.” Alastor narrowed his eyes, recalling the distinct way that Lucifer had allowed himself to be tugged about by Alastor’s tentacles multiple times in just the last ten minutes. 

“Perhaps because I was under the impression that you were smart enough to know the difference between what I will and won’t allow.” Lucifer clicked his tongue. “It would seem you lack the intelligence I thought I saw in you.” 

“Oh don’t be ridiculous.” Alastor tried pulling away from Lucifer’s grip on his chin, but Lucifer tightened his hold. “You mean to tell me that you’ll allow me to manhandle you, but leaving instead of listening to you insult me is too far?” 

“Hm.” Lucifer hummed. “Not how I would phrase it, but I suppose that is one way to put things.” He leaned in, bringing their faces disturbingly close together. “Manhandling has never bothered me much.” Lucifer practically purred, and Alastor found himself holding his breath. “But hypocrisy - hypocrisy bothers me very much.”

“And in what way did I display hypocrisy?” Alastor questioned. 

“Why your manners, Little Fawn.” Lucifer adjusted his grip, patting Alastor’s cheek with such condescension that Alastor’s blood boiled uncomfortably. “You insisted that I treat you as my de facto therapist, insisted that I spill all sorts of personal things, yet you act as if that gives you an exemption from doing the same.” 

“You did not ‘spill’ anything, though.” Alastor rolled his eyes. “You were quite clear on that front.”

“Perhaps.” Lucifer hummed, finally leaning back and allowing Alastor to breathe. “A matter of perception, I suppose. Regardless, you really ought to consider the impudence of neglecting to finish something that you started.” 

“And you really ought to consider,” Alastor’s shadow reached out, gripping roughly against Lucifer’s wrist and pulling it away, allowing Alastor to kneel back on his knees, adjusting his position, “That you are unwanted because you are a walking contradiction incapable of owning up to your own truths.”

Lucifer raised his brow, looking down at Alastor in silence for a single second before bursting into deep laughter, the kind that caused a person’s breathing to change, the kind that meant Lucifer clutched at his side, hunching over - seemingly incapable of stopping. “You- you think-” 

Alastor took the king’s hysteria as an opportunity to stand fully, adjusting his clothing. Presentable once more, he made to step around Lucifer, only for the other’s hand to reach out and grab his elbow, finally managing to calm his laughter. 

Alastor glared over his shoulder, annoyed by the other’s continued refusal to let him leave. “ What ?” 

“You think I’m unaware of my contradictory nature?” His eyes, despite the humor in his tone, displayed a raw pain that Alastor was surprised to see. “Alastor, I am neither a man nor a woman. I am both the brightest angel and the literal devil. I am Pride, yet no one has ever been more humbled. I am a king, but no one follows me. I am full of more power than anyone you have ever met, but I have always been powerless to act. It is not that I am incapable of living my truths, Alastor. It is that reality is not built to accept that more than one truth can exist at the same time.”

Alastor listened to the king, mind running in circles around every word the other spoke, fascinated by the raw admissions the other was finally giving Alastor. 

“And these are the thoughts keeping you awake?” Alastor finally managed to ask. 

Lucifer snorted, the sound miserable - almost painful, even. “No.” 

“What then?” Alastor prodded, sensing the vulnerability Lucifer was so close to revealing. 

Lucifer’s eyes studied him for a long moment before he sighed, giving in. “The reality that my bed is empty and void of the one person who I had thought accepted my contradictions - that is what keeps me awake at night, Alastor.”

Alastor had expected that such a reason would prove disappointing - that something as benign as lost love and loneliness would prove trivial and not worth the level of discontent the other was displaying. 

But to Alastor’s absolute surprise, a twinge of genuine sympathy rose inside of him.

Perhaps it was due to Alastor’s having earned the answers - to feeling confident that he was the single soul alive currently in possession of them. Or perhaps, it was due to something deeper - something more . Because within Alastor's soul, something was resonating - not a loneliness , as Lucifer had just expressed - but perhaps something closer to an alone- ness, similar in concept, but different in meaning. 

Alastor was not a person who ever felt lonely. To feel lonely would require a need for deeper attachments than those he had felt a draw to form in the past. He did not and never would, he was rather confident, crave companionship in the same way that others did - had never felt the need to seek it out. He had welcomed it when it was earned and given from those he deemed worthy - Rosie, Niffty, Mimzy. But he had never sought it out. 

But even from within Alastor’s mother and from the other three women Alastor considered his darlings, Alastor had never found someone who understood him - who comprehended the complexities of his mind - the complexities or the contradictions. And this lack of understanding often resulted in a feeling of being entirely alone - resolved and content as he could be, but alone nonetheless. 

Alastor studied Lucifer’s eyes as the fallen angel’s expression shifted with discomfort - with uncertainty at having expressed himself, and the rarest feeling known to Alastor filled him completely - empathy. 

“Then perhaps,” Alastor found himself responding, voice void of all mockery or malice - full instead of a sincerity he so rarely used. Even his filter was gone, though he did not intend for it to be so. He turned it back on before continuing, “It is time for you to fill your bed once more.” 

Lucifer’s eyes widened, pure shock filling them as Alastor bent into a deep bow, not allowing time for the king to speak before he did so once more. “Goodnight, Your Majesty .” 

This time, when Alastor disappeared into the shadows, Lucifer let him go.

Chapter Text

If Alastor’s goal had been to help Lucifer sleep, though Lucifer highly doubted the other had ever intended to help - regardless of his statements, he had failed - completely and utterly. Because after Lucifer was left alone in the library, all his mind could think about was the other’s parting words. 

Then perhaps it is time for you to fill your bed once more. 

What had that even meant ?

Was Alastor suggesting Lucifer take up a paramour? Was he suggesting Lucifer sleep his way through Hell? Or was, and Lucifer knew the idea was absolutely ridiculous , but was Alastor offering himself ? 

The idea seemed truly preposterous. After all, Alastor more than hated Lucifer. But then, wasn’t Alastor’s insistence on speaking about Lucifer’s feelings preposterous of an idea enough that it bore admitting perhaps Lucifer did not understand the other at all ? 

Lucifer turned over in his bed, groaning into the pillows. 

It had been two bloody weeks since then - two! And still he was tossing and turning with the additional confusion of whatever Alastor had intended heaped onto Lucifer’s already long list of reasons for never getting any bloody sleep. 

His phone activated into the quacking sounds of his alarm, an alarm Lucifer stubbornly refused to admit had never been necessary, as he had never actually been asleep when it sounded. With a lazy flick of his fingers, Lucifer shut off the alarm, not even bothering to pick up the phone physically. 

With a sigh, Lucifer materialized across the room, knowing if he tried crawling out physically, he’d never make it. He could feel the deep pit within his gut that meant the depression was strong with him that morning. 

He stared at his reflection in the mirror for several seconds, cringing as he noted the dark circles sunken into his skin. With a concentrated hum, Lucifer directed his sorcery towards covering his appearance, a glamor settling into place to mask over his exhaustion. He was still mortified that he’d let it drop in the library the other night, thinking everyone else was asleep. He hadn’t realized Alastor was off terrorizing the streets - consuming who even knew what or whom. And when he had interrupted Lucifer, the other had already seen Lucifer’s glamor-less disarray before Lucifer had even realized it was gone. Alastor might have been a prick that night, but it certainly could have been a lot worse, considering the nightmare Lucifer knew he looked without his mask of sorcery. 

Sighing once more, Lucifer snapped away his sleeping clothes - replacing the yellow duck patterns for his typical look, summoning his outfit from his wardrobe back at the palace, and making sure he smoothed over every inch of white fabric, ironing out every wrinkle with magic. When his clothing was smoothed over, Lucifer examined the rest of his look, debating for a second whether or not to add his hat only to forgo it in the end in favor of a more casual look.

His lack of hat, however, meant that he had to focus on styling back his hair. When that was finally done, and he had reassured himself once more that his glamor was in place, Lucifer picked up his cane and squared his shoulders, leaving his room with a determination to continue fooling those around him through an air of nonchalance and formality. 

Lucifer walked downstairs and towards the hotel kitchen with a whistle, breathing in the rich smell of coffee as he turned the corner, only to pause in his step when he noticed who it was brewing that morning.

Fuck . 

Was it too late for him to turn around? Where was Charlie? Usually Charlie was bustling about the kitchen, making sure that everything was prepared for the day - that everyone was set to be fed and taken care of. After all, since news of Sir Pentious had come down a week ago, the hotel was suddenly bustling with people - perhaps not full to capacity yet, but no longer just a handful of people. 

Fuck .

Lucifer didn’t trust himself alone in the same room as Alastor. He took a step back, only to yelp as his back met with something cold. He flipped around to see just what was stopping him, only to blush as he realized he'd bumped right into the chest of Alastor’s shadow. With an eerie grin, the creature reached out, gripping Lucifer’s shoulders and turning him around, giving him a push towards the kitchen once more. 

Lucifer panicked, digging his boots in on instinct, forcing the shadow to push him further into the room through a much more concerted effort. 

“You know,” Alastor’s light voice came from across the room as he poured out not one but two mugs, stirring copious amounts of sweetener into one of them. “Normally people who are capable of walking utilize the practice.” 

Lucifer felt the unique rose gold blush that was his alone spreading over his cheeks, and he cleared his throat, attempting to appear less affected than he was. 

“Yes, well - normal people don’t have wings.” He declared, forcing his out of his back, flapping a few inches above the floor. 

Alastor finally turned around, raising a brow at Lucifer. “Well now, it’s not every day I get to meet the King of Hell’s eyes on the same level.” He held one of the two cups out. “Won’t you oh so powerful one, accept this meager offering?”

“Oh, shut up .” Lucifer huffed, landing on the floor again, wings gone in an instant as he took the coffee from the other. “First of all, humility looks awful on you. You know you make the best coffee.” He sipped at the drink, enjoying the way the hot liquid ran down his throat. “Second, I think I liked you better when you weren’t blowing smoke up my ass.” 

“Funny,” Alastor moved over to sit at the counter, sipping his own drink. “I wasn’t aware I was doing anything to your ass, seeing as how you’ve been avoiding me since our late night in the library.” 

Lucifer’s grip on his drink fumbled and he coughed around the liquid currently in his mouth. 

Was that an innuendo? Surely that was, right? 

Lucifer blushed deeper, forcing his breathing to calm. “I have not been avoiding you.” 

The lie fell flat; he knew it did - even without the look of utter exasperation in the other’s eyes. “If humility looks poor on me, dishonesty looks worse on you.” 

“Bullshit.” Lucifer shook his head, dismissing the statement. “I am not the father of lies for nothing.” 

“I believe we’ve already established, Lucifer, that you ,” Alastor wiggled his fingers in an odd gesture towards Lucifer, as if referring to the entirety of him. “Do not best represent the ideals of a father.” 

Ouch .

Lucifer winced, rubbing over his chest. “Yes, well we all become our parents in the end, don’t we?” 

“I will have you know,” Alastor stated in a cool tone, “That I have neither hit a woman nor a child during the entirety of my existence, and I resent the implication that being the son of an abusive bastard would indicate I am bound to that same fate.”

Lucifer’s eyes widened, his coffee forgotten in his hands as he stared at the other who had just admitted something entirely more personal than Lucifer could have expected from him - unbidden as well. 

“You said your father was an absentee parent.” Lucifer whispered. 

“Yes.” Alastor nodded, “I did. But that was owed to my mother leaving him when I was a child. What is your excuse for being absent from Charlie’s life?” 

“This again?” Lucifer’s jaw tightened. “I’ve told you already, Charlie is an adult who doesn’t need her father around as constantly.” 

“Even inconsistency should look more present than you have been, Lucifer.” Alastor accused, and Lucifer balked at the statement, needing a change to the conversation before he did something drastic.

Like pouring his coveted coffee all over the demon who had made it. 

“Where is Charlie this morning?”

Lucifer knew instantly that his question was some sort of mistake, seeing as how absolute victory flashed over Alastor’s features. “Why, I should think that a father who is, in fact, present in his daughter’s life would already know that answer.” 

“Oh forget it.” Lucifer huffed, making to leave the other - pushed past his tolerance for the conversation. Who was he kidding ? Alastor was not interested. Lucifer had been an absolute fool for even considering the idea. “I’ll go find her myself.” 

He was almost to the door when the shadows beneath the doorway rose up into the tall form of the Radio Demon, still clutching his cup and sipping lightly. “That would prove to be rather difficult as she is not, in fact, here .” 

Lucifer had to swallow as he was forced to register once more just how distinct the height difference between him and the other was. There were so many things that height could prove beneficial for. 

Lucifer cleared his throat. “Then where is she? And why was I unaware of this?” 

“I don’t believe anyone was under the impression you were unaware of these plans, seeing as how you were present for the formation of them, yesterday during the staff meeting.” Alastor leaned against the doorframe lightly.

Lucifer’s stomach dropped, mortification settling in. “Oh.”  

“Oh, indeed.” Alastor handed his mug off to his shadow, which moved around Lucifer to bring it to the sink. “So the question becomes, Lucifer, what has your mind slipping out of focus so hard these days?” 

You . 

Lucifer's cheeks filled with a blush at the immediate thought in his mind. It was not entirely inaccurate. Ever since the demon’s insistence that he open up, Lucifer had been distracted. The simple possibility alone that Alastor had been hinting at sharing Lucifer's bed had forced Lucifer to see the demon in a different light. And he liked what he saw. 

But even if he hadn't been distracted during the meeting because he was staring at the way Alastor's hair was pulled up for once, it wouldn't have been out of the realm of possibilities for Lucifer to miss the details anyway. He had a tendency, when he was stuck in his own mind, to zone out of the world. Time meant little to a being who had lived longer than all of human history. 

It was one of the reasons why Lilith had left him. Lucifer had never intended to be an absent partner or parent. It was just that he sometimes lost himself in his own mind and… drifted . 

It had been easier to stay present since coming to the hotel, and part of that was absolutely due to the demon in front of him. Alastor had a way of inserting himself into Lucifer's attention - poking, prodding, and pushing all of his buttons. 

A few pointed snaps sounded in front of him, and Lucifer blinked, noting the way Alastor’s sharp claws hovered in front of his face. 

“What?” Lucifer blinked. 

Alastor gave a great heave of a sigh. “I would greatly appreciate it if you would focus when we are together.” Alastor stated, tone full of annoyance. 

“I am focused.” Lucifer attempted to deny his inattentiveness.

“And once more we return to your wretched dishonesty.” Alastor huffed. “Very well then, seeing as how conversation with you is pointless , I suppose there is nothing left to do other than see to the business Charlie assigned us both. I do so look forward to telling her about another task you failed to deliver on.”

“Wait.” Lucifer stumbled forward. “Business? We have business?” 

“I don't think there is much of a we anymore, now is there?” Alastor clicked his tongue. 

“I-” Lucifer had to walk quickly to keep pace with the demon who was moving towards the lobby. “What are we supposed to be doing?”

Alastor paused in the middle of the room, turning around to look at Lucifer unamused. 

“Remodeling.” Alastor declared, lifting his arms and rolling his neck. “ Expanding.”

“What?” Lucifer blinked. “Why? I thought Charlie liked how we built it.” He pouted. Had he not done a good enough job the first time?

“Your tendency to sully your craftsmanship with sulfur aside,” the demon stated blandly, “And perhaps the overuse of certain motifs in the wallpapers, your construction has been more than adequate.”

“Then what…?” 

“It is simply that there are more sinners coming here to stay than even we anticipated. Sir Pentious’ redemption changed things. And, since all of the current residents are gone on Charlie’s ‘field trip’, the hotel is empty and free for reconstruction.”

“Right.” Lucifer hummed somewhat uncertainly. He'd never been the best with change. And he'd gotten rather used to the hotel as it was. “So we’re just adding rooms?” 

“No.” Alastor shook his head. “Charlie is hoping for more room for activities.” Alastor corrected. “With so many residents it's become clear that there is an increased need for harmless distractions.” The demon huffed as he observed Lucifer’s blank stare. “Is this truly news to you? What were you focused on during the meeting?” 

“Distractions.” Lucifer’s eyes widened as he blurted out the word, blushing yet again with embarrassment. 

“Yes, quite obviously.” Alastor rolled his eyes. “But what distractions?” 

“No, I uh-” Lucifer cleared his throat, looking away. “I meant. Distractions, as in the harmless ones the hotel needs. Yup! Haha!” 

Alastor narrowed his eyes. “Lucifer, you cannot avoid whatever is distracting you forever. Out with it!  What is distracting you?” 

“You are.” Lucifer huffed, taking great pleasure in the way Alastor reared up, eyes wide.

“I beg your pardon?” 

Lucifer twirled his cane with a flourish, vanishing it to put his hands on his hips and take a step closer towards the other, smug expression on his face. “Say, Alastor? What would you say if I told you that you are the source of my distractions?” He didn’t mean for his voice to be as much of a purr as it was.

“I-” Alastor’s composure seemed shaken for once.

Good . 

Lucifer chuckled, standing back. “After all, aren’t we supposed to be working ?” 

Understanding flashed across Alastor’s face, shifting into a glare as he realized he’d just been played. Instead of pressing the topic, he moved on, back to business. “Where is that damned cat?” 

“Keekee?” Lucifer gasped, offended. “Don’t call her that! Just because she’s in Hell doesn’t mean she’s damned!” 

“Yes, well,” Alastor huffed. “I can never find her when she is required, and I-” 

“Required?” Lucifer scoffed. “When have you ever required the Hotel Key, Alastor? She comes when she’s needed.” 

Alastor glared. “Just locate the beast.” 

Lucifer rolled his eyes, turning towards the lobby and whistling, tone filling with his pet-voice. “Oh, Keekee!” He called out. “Where’s my good girl, Keekee?” 

Almost instantly , Keekee was running into the room and leaping up into Lucifer’s waiting arms. Lucifer showered her in affection before turning back towards Alastor with a smirk plastered over his face. 

Alastor rolled his eyes, clear annoyance in them. With an impatient grunt he held his hands out with an obvious gesture to communicate his wish to hold the cat himself. 

Lucifer transformed Keekee, twirling her in his hands just like he often did with his cane, shaking his head. “You ought to ask nicely if you want something, Alastor.” 

Alastor’s stare was deadpan as he impatiently snapped, hand reaching out once more. ‘Give me the key, Lucifer.” 

Lucifer took a step towards him, as if considering it before snorting. “Nah.” 

With a twirl of his feet, he spun towards the grand staircase, channeling great swirls of sorcery through the feline object in his fingers, imagining the building expanding, feeling out the energy within Keekee and around him as it built up. 

“What are you doing?” Alastor snapped. “There are specific plans-”

“I'm proving that I'm the king.” Lucifer shrugged, ignoring him. “Creation is easy for me.” 

“Be that as it may ,” Alastor growled. “Charlie has a very specific vision for the changes she wants. As you were not paying attention, I ought to be the one to take care of them, seeing as how I remember them, not you. There is a layout and-”

“ Fine .” Lucifer rolled his eyes, turning back towards the demon. “If you remember them so clearly, I’ll simply have to borrow your mind.” 

“What-” 

Alastor took a step back as Lucifer lifted into the air, wings out, flapping over to Alastor’s side in an instant. He reached out, gripping the back of Alastor’s neck. 

“What are you doing?” Alastor tried pulling away again, but Lucifer's grip was firm as he rested his forehead against the other's, eyes closed to form the connection he needed. 

The first touch of their minds was subtle, a brush of contact like dipping his toes into cold water or stepping just beneath the shade on a too-hot-day. Alastor’s mind recoiled on instinct, just as elusive as the shadows he was prone to. But just as Lucifer had grabbed hold of the demon within his shadows in the library the other night, Lucifer’s own mind, full of the light of an angel and the flames of the devil, snapped out and tugged the shadows into himself, bridging their thoughts together. 

Instantly, Lucifer’s world exploded as Alastor's thoughts crashed through his awareness like a discordant symphony. He pushed through the melody of them, calling forth the images he was looking for - the images of whatever it was that Charlie had requested of them. 

They hit Lucifer suddenly, images of poorly drawn schematics done with far too colorful crayon. With exasperated fondness, Lucifer gripped Keekee tighter, utilizing the image in Alastor's mind to follow Charlie's wishes. 

Alastor had fallen into rare silence, no longer protesting Lucifer's invasion of his space.

Lucifer scanned through the images in his mind, gripping Keekee firmly as he brought the schematics in Alastor’s memories to life. All around them the hotel changed, the harmless distractions Charlie wanted forming - gaming tables, a small gym, a pool, a room for arts and crafts, even a theater. Lucifer created all of them, not even paying attention to where Charlie wanted them, simply utilizing Alastor’s awareness to craft as was desired of him. 

His mind wandered slightly as he did so, and he held back a sigh of frustration as he realized that was the case. It would seem that Lucifer was in need of his own harmless distractions - the kind that proved capable of grounding him. Lucifer was odd, he supposed, in that distractions kept him more focused than the absence of anything to do. 

On a whim, Lucifer attached behind a bookshelf in the library a hidden doorway through which he carefully enchanted a near perfect replica of his workshop at the palace. He would have to stock the workshop later, but just creating a space where he could pursue his own interests without leaving the hotel should prove useful in helping him stay more present. 

His hidden workshop complete, Lucifer concentrated back on his connection to Alastor, scanning for any details he’d missed, drawing up short when the image of a bayou suddenly flashed through his mind. Lucifer was confused as to why Charlie wanted such a specific replica of Earth’s nature, but he didn’t think twice as he began crafting the unique area. It was an actual challenge for Lucifer to create the pocket dimension required, to make the terrain bigger than the actual space it was contained in, as well as all of the portal points around it that would connect it to the hotel.  

It was a challenge but it was not an impossibility, and the uniqueness of the request was fun for Lucifer. Plus, the images within Alastor’s mind were so distinct that Lucifer could only imagine they came from personal experience, and Lucifer found himself suddenly determined to outdo himself beyond what Alastor would expect of him. He wanted Alastor to have to stand back after this and admit that Lucifer was King for a reason. 

The bayou was larger than Lucifer intended, an actual river of flowing water in place that transformed into a swamp in some areas. But what made the creation Lucifer crafted carefully truly unique was the wildlife he filled it with. He didn’t just make the trees and plants typical of the Gulf Coast - he filled it with everything required for the thriving ecosystem - the fish, the birds, the insects, the alligators - though they were tamed of course. Lucifer couldn’t exactly have Charlie’s guests being bitten - and even the more regionally uncommon species, such as the white-tailed deer and other mammals that he knew in reality were capable of rising to the challenge of the environment.

He finished the unique pocket-environment off with a satisfied hum that bordered on smug and pulled away from Alastor’s mind, whistling as he released the active magic around them, placing Keekee lazily over his shoulder. 

Alastor blinked over at Lucifer, and Lucifer was more than a little entertained by the dazed expression there. 

Take that you pompous demon.

“Right then.” Lucifer landed back on his feet, wings pulling in once more. “If there’s nothing else, I’ve got some other stuff to take care of.” 

Lucifer turned away, moving towards the staircase. 

“Hold on-” Alastor protested, calling after him as he finally came back to himself fully. “I need the cat, still.” 

“Why?” Lucifer asked over his shoulder, turning just slightly. “I took care of everything.” 

“Because I have to verify-” 

“Nah.” Lucifer shook his head. “Trust me, Al. It’s all taken care of.” 

Instead of continuing to walk away, where the demon could still pester him, Lucifer decided to take the more dramatic exit, teleporting his way to the library instead and examining the secret area he’d made himself contentedly. With a simple wave of his hand the bookshelf became fully intangible and he walked through.

There was an instant peace that came with the familiar decor around him - even if it was only a replica, and Lucifer transformed Keekee back, setting her down to wander as he began carefully taking stock of everything he would need to continue his preferred projects. 

It was only hours later that he would finally wonder just where exactly it was that he’d created the hotel’s new ecosystem. Perhaps he should have paid more attention.

Alastor glared after Lucifer as he left him in the lobby, fuming with annoyance - an annoyance thick with multiple reasons. 

Alastor truly could not stand the vile creature. He was far too conceited and an utter annoyance. Not only had he completely taken over the creation Alastor had actually looked forward to, but he’d inserted himself into Alastor’s mind .

Alastor shivered, and he hated himself all the more as he registered that his bodily reaction was not an unpleasant or uncomfortable one. He liked the feeling of the connection Lucifer had forced on him. His mind had positively exploded in constellations at Lucifer’s touch. He could practically smell the cosmos, lingering in the back of his mind, and he craved more. Lucifer might not show his power often, but by connecting himself to Alastor in such a way, Alastor would now forever be incapable of denying the incomprehensible force within the devil. It was mind shattering, and Alastor could only wonder with horror what the other had seen in his mind.

A glance around the lobby itself proved to Alastor that Lucifer had somehow called upon the schematics in Alastor’s mind - not a single thing lingering in the lobby that should not be there. And a brief perusal of the connecting rooms showed Alastor that every single addition to the hotel that had been planned had been created. Truly the hotel had become more of a rehabilitation resort, just as Charlie had desired. 

But Alastor was annoyed . Alastor had needed Keekee. And Lucifer had denied him the power Alastor had required.. 

With a grunt of anger, Alastor made his way through the hallways to his rooms. If it wasn’t for Adam and the wound that had lingered over Alastor’s chest for far longer than he cared to acknowledge - a wound that, even sealed as it was now still plagued him at times - he wouldn’t require Keekee’s assistance in creation. But seeing as how Alastor had missed out on the initial creation of the hotel, and he’d been too weak on his own to fully replicate his rooms from before, he had been desperately counting on the excuse this opportunity provided him to use Keekee.

Alastor huffed with annoyance and he pushed open the door to his truly dreadful accommodations, preparing to be underwhelmed as per usual - only to freeze in his tracks, jaw dropping with confused awe. 

Oh . 

The door swung shut behind Alastor, and he took a shaky step closer towards the opposite side of his sitting room where what had once been a regular door leading to his bedroom was now a significantly wider open-archway that shimmered with golden light around the edges, through which he could clearly see the breathtaking view that even in all of his own planning, he had never expected to see realized with such flawless execution.

Alastor’s fingers trembled as he pulled his mic into the shadows, vanishing it from sight - passing by the armchairs next to his fireplace and his desk to press his fingers lightly against the almost rippling surface of the translucent barrier between him and the expansive bayou on the other side. 

The power in the portal thrummed with energy, and Alastor held his breath as he stepped through the liminal gateway, shivering as he was transported in a single instant to stand atop damp grass.

The humidity was instant, sticking to his skin like it belonged there, and Alastor took in a deep breath, legs shaking as the overwhelming scent of home washed over him. A splashing sound came from nearby and Alastor shifted his gaze towards the river in front of him, watching as the large shape of an American Alligator made its way out of the water, moving with prehistoric grace towards a felled log nearby.

Alastor could only stare with awe as he watched his favorite living creature move about before his very eyes. How was it even possible that it was here? The twittering sound of a bird flying overhead drew his attention away, and he followed the sound, desperate to lay his eyes on whatever had made it, only to draw up short as a fish leapt out of the water, catching his eye instead. 

Alastor felt a dampness on his cheek, and he lifted his hand to brush away what he assumed was built up humidity, only to pause as another droplet brushed against his knuckles.

Oh . 

Alastor had not cried since long before his first life had ended. Yet there he was, standing in an impossible place, positively overcome by an emotion he had long thought inaccessible to him. 

He could practically hear his mother’s laughter floating through the cypress trees around him, dancing on an impossible sourceless wind, and his knees finally buckled, sending him to the ground where he hunched over, breathing deeply, tears dripping onto the already damp dirt to wonder how this was real.

But loathe as he was to consider it, there was only one explanation, one possible way as to how this nostalgic miracle could exist within his rooms. There was only one answer. But the thought that Lucifer Morningstar - the first Fallen Angel and Devil King of Hell himself - would sacrifice his time, effort and magic to bring Alastor’s sanctuary to life seemed too preposterous to even warrant a second’s consideration. Yet what other conclusion could there be for this breathtaking impossibility, if not Lucifer?

But why ?

Why would someone who hated Alastor so obviously turn around and give him a gift he had no idea how to repay? Was Lucifer simply hoping to hold this over Alastor’s head? Did he know that Alastor had been weakened by Adam to such an extent? Was this gift a mockery ? 

Did it even matter ? Whatever Lucifer’s reasons for this gift, Alastor would never give it back. This was his sanctuary now, and he would be damned all over again if he let anyone take it from him. But in order to secure that reality, Alastor would have to find a way to make the situation even. 

Alastor hated very little more than he hated being in someone's debt. He already had a chain around his neck, from a source that was already troublesome enough. To be indebted to Lucifer Morningstar was not a position he wished to remain in. And so, only one solution remained. 

Alastor would have to find a way to pay the contradictory king back. The only problem was, Alastor had absolutely no idea what it was that could match the infinite value of what he’d been given. 

Chapter Text

Lucifer was living in a perpetual state of confusion. 

What had already been a confusing chapter in his life before the remodeling of the hotel had only increased tenfold. There were multiple reasons for his confusion, but for one, Lucifer had somehow misplaced an entire ecosystem. 

After a full day of reveling in the existence of his new workshop, Lucifer had set out around the hotel in search of what he knew to be a glorious bit of sorcery. Only, no matter how much he searched through the public halls of the hotel, he could not find it. Which had left him absolutely mortified. He had created the thing! So why hadn’t he paid attention to where he was creating it?  

For an entire week, Lucifer had searched for the missing bayou before he tentatively asked Charlie about it, although not in so many words. 

Lucifer had approached his daughter with as neutral a smile as he was capable of, subtly inquiring if ‘all’ of her requested commodities had been placed as she’d requested and if they were all serving her well. He expected her to tell him no, to inform him that the nature park was missing, at which point Lucifer could have sought out Keekee to fix whatever portal or connection to the hotel he had failed in polishing the first time. 

But Charlie had turned to Lucifer instead, giving him one of the brightest smiles he’d ever seen on her face, nodding vigorously.

“Oh, yes!” She’d told him excitedly. “Everything is absolutely perfect, Dad! Everyone just loves the new parts of the hotel.”

Lucifer hadn’t been able to think of a way to ask about the location of the bayou that wouldn’t display his mortifying lack of awareness, and so he’d simply told her that that was ‘very good’ and quickly changed the subject. Besides, the location of the creation couldn’t elude him forever . He was certain of that. He would find it eventually, and when he did he would simply act as though he had always known right where it was.

But even the mystery surrounding Lucifer’s missing biome did not hold a candle to the other major cause for Lucifer’s seemingly irrevocably confused state. No, that was owed to a far more troublesome source.

Alastor . Alastor was the source of the major confusion in Lucifer’s life. 

Lucifer had expected that, after invading the other’s mind and flaunting his powers so blatantly, a wall would be placed between them once more. A wall that would allow Lucifer to breathe and get over whatever attraction he’d begun feeling. 

But there was one major problem. Alastor was not ignoring Lucifer, nor was he anywhere near as outwardly antagonistic as Lucifer had expected him to be. He was… it made no sense, but Alastor was being almost… kind .

And certainly it had to be a trick. It had to be! 

There was no other conceivable explanation for the way that Alastor always had a cup of coffee waiting for Lucifer in the mornings. Or the way that, even though the demon had quickly discovered Lucifer’s new workshop, he hadn’t messed with it - nor invaded it. In fact, Alastor treated Lucifer’s workshop with a level of respect that Lucifer could never have predicted even if he was Nostradamus himself. 

Because not only did Alastor not destroy anything, he frequently checked in with Lucifer regarding whether or not he required any supplies! And when Lucifer, simply to test the demon’s sincerity, had told him he required the rarest collection of paints from Sloth, only two days had passed before a carefully wrapped box was seated atop his workshop bench - no strings attached, no traps or bells or whistles - just the paints, exactly as Lucifer had requested. 

But it hadn’t stopped there. Because why should it!? 

No, Alastor had taken to… to complimenting Lucifer. 

It was absolutely horrible ! 

Lucifer didn’t want to know what Alastor thought about his cartwheeling-bubble-blowing duck! He wasn’t looking for approval! But Alastor, when he had sought Lucifer out to inform him that dinner was ready, had taken the time to stop and tell Lucifer that his creation was entertaining ! 

Nobody had ever complimented his ducks. Lilith always told Lucifer that they were a waste of time and that if Lucifer paid ‘half’ as much attention to Hell’s politics as he did his ‘inane tinkering’ the Morningstar family ‘might actually have a modicum of respect.’ 

So to have his unfortunately very attractive sort-of-enemy and competition-for-his-daughter’s-affection suddenly compliment the one thing Lucifer had never had support on, well, it was driving him into more confusion than he knew how to deal with. 

And so Lucifer did what he had always done best; he hid at every available opportunity. 

Instead of even attempting to go to bed at night, anymore, Lucifer simply spent the hours during which others slept, tinkering away, carefully painting and enchanting his creations - clinging to the sense of calm they afforded him. And if he occasionally placed a glamor over himself, disguising his presence in his workshop when he felt the Radio Demon approaching, that was Lucifer’s business. 

Alastor was actually going insane . 

Which was a hilarious claim to make, seeing as how Alastor was well aware that he was already a walking cocktail of mental issues.

But nonetheless, Alastor was going absolutely, mind-shatteringly mad with frustration - and it was all because of Hell’s absolute mess of a King. 

Alastor was at a complete loss for what he was supposed to do. 

He was trying to be nice! Him! Not polite - nice ! Which was absolutely ludicrous. Alastor was an overlord - the Radio Demon. He wasn’t fucking nice. But there he was, going out of his way to cater to the childish monarch’s whims and fancies - even though the other was clearly avoiding him. 

Following the return of Alastor’s sanctuary, he had spent approximately two days observing Lucifer, almost immediately discovering that the angel had created his own sanctuary, tucked away in the library. Immediately Alastor’s mind had latched onto the sanctuary as a potential option for evening the score. Lucifer had left his workshop surprisingly bare and a full day’s observation had informed Alastor that the other had severely understocked it. 

So Alastor had immediately set about assisting Lucifer with filling it with everything he would need for his superfluous but rather fantastical little creations. They were pointless, meaningless little toys, but it was obvious by the spark in Lucifer’s eyes every time he finished one just how much they excited him. Alastor had assumed that Lucifer was going to hide away entirely after he began tinkering away, but animation was returning to the king with every new creation. His presence around the hotel was growing more fixed, and his ability to focus and pay attention was improving, so clearly supporting Lucifer in his private little endeavor was a benefit to all. Charlie’s smiles around her Father had certainly grown more sincere and relaxed.

And Lucifer had responded very well to the paints Alastor had procured - which had been no easy feat, mind. He’d had to ask Carmilla for the contact information of her hellborn suppliers, who had more than made the process excruciating. But deep down, Alastor knew the hassle of obtaining the supplies was nowhere near to matching the priceless worth of the complex and intricate pocket-world he’d been given. 

So he’d determined that his next attempt to repay the king ought to be full of as personal a magical creation as Lucifer’s had been. And along the same lines as the paints, Alastor wanted to provide the king something that could continue to aid him in his pastime pursuits. 

It was beneath this rationale that Alastor spent several days carefully planning, crafting and programming a personalized radio for the king. One that would be using several of Alastor’s private frequencies to operate, frequencies he fine tuned to Lucifer’s personal tastes - known to him through a solicitation he made to Charlie, requesting a list of Lucifer’s preferred musical genres. Lucifer’s daughter had been admittedly rather perplexed when Alastor had made the request, but she would do anything to help those around her get along, and when Alastor had grudgingly admitted that the list was necessary for a peace-offering he had planned for the king, Charlie had gone above and beyond to procure a comprehensive list for Alastor.

Alastor’s initial readthrough of the list had led him to believe that he girl could not be serious about a large number of the selections - after all, nobody could be that big a fan of polkas . But, apparently Lucifer was. And the rest of the list was just as eclectic in taste as everything else Lucifer seemed to surround himself in. The king apparently also had a great fondness for classical music, and there were more than few selections of modern ‘rock’, foreign pop and even the most heinously pointless collection of songs titled, to nobody’s surprise, ‘The Duck Song’ - a numbered group of songs which, upon Alastor’s perusal left most of his remaining brain cells fried.

Nevertheless, Alastor took great care to tune his frequencies into the human world, locating and replicating each song on Charlie’s list, programming them into his carefully crafted radio.

When the project was finally complete, Alastor approached the entrance to Lucifer’s library carefully, sending his shadow inside the workshop to check that Lucifer was currently absent, and slipping inside himself when the shadow signaled that Lucifer was not inside. 

Alastor’s eyes scanned over the room, searching for the best place to leave his gift. A part of him was worried that if he simply left it sitting on the workbench, Lucifer would immediately dispose of the item. But too obscure a location and Lucifer might miss it completely. His eyes rested on a standing shelf next to an ornate table, and Alastor hummed, walking over and carefully adding the top shelf’s decoration down a rung so that he could pull from the shadows his creation and place it on the shelf there, fusing the radio to the shadow it cast, locking it in place on the wood. He knew Lucifer would still be capable of removing it, even with the sticking enchantment, but perhaps the effort that would take would dissuade the other from rejecting the gift. 

Alastor ran his finger lightly over a picture frame on the wall next to the shelf, studying Lucifer’s smiling face and gave a small huff. “I’d like to see you try and avoid me now .” He huffed, turning his back on the room and walking away. All of his efforts had left him rather hungry, and Alastor knew just where to find fresh venison. 

Lucifer stared after Alastor as he left the room, finally releasing a shaky breath, his glamor lifting slowly. He held his hand up to his cheek, feeling the heat of his blush against his fingers.

What in the Heaven was going on?

With a nervous energy, Lucifer carefully approached the shelf to better see whatever it was that Alastor had left for him, a small gasp slipping from his lips as he took in the absolutely stunning radio there. 

Tentatively, Lucifer reached his finger out to trace over the delicate shape of the device. It was completely unique; of that Lucifer had no doubt. The general shape was that of an apple, the obvious home-made gift Alastor had prepared for him designed after Lucifer’s common motif. But it still held the charm of the early 1900s in its design, nothing overtly modern about it. Yet it wasn’t the apple or it being a radio alone that called out to Lucifer, it was the ornate decorations atop the radio. 

From the center of the apple, just like with the fruit itself, a plant stem rose upward. However, where a leaf would usually rest, the shape of a delicate flame resided instead, the focal point for all of the rest of the design. Because also sprouting out of the top, on either side of the stem, were long, majestic antlers - very familiar antlers. Lucifer had only seen Alastor’s full transformation once or twice, but he recognized the shape of them. The final piece of the radio, the connecting point to all of the uppermost decorations, was a golden snake, exactly like the one on Lucifer’s hat - the one that decorated his horns like a halo when he transformed. The snake wrapped around the innermost prongs of the antlers, joining the whole creation together where the stem of the apple and its flame rose right up through the center.

The radio was absolutely breathtaking, and Lucifer’s fingers couldn’t help but trail down the body of the creation, sliding over the delicate dials so like Alastor’s eyes and the wide ornamentation that was clearly fashioned after Alastor’s smile. The whole creation was magnificent to behold, at the same time that it filled Lucifer with nervous apprehension.

Why had Alastor given this to him? Radios were a receiving device, but could this object also serve as a listening device for Alastor? Was Alastor attempting to spy on Lucifer? Was that what his whispered parting words, though he hadn’t known Lucifer could hear him, had meant? 

Tentatively, attempting to check for any hidden traps, Lucifer moved over to twist the dial, eyes widening as the device buzzed with static, seemingly coming to life to begin playing soft music - music that Lucifer immediately recognized. He knew the deceptively calm beginning notes of Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto, “Summer” very well. He had been there the first time the piece had ever been performed, and he could still recall with stunning clarity the adrenaline in the audience as the once radical Four Seasons program music had filled the air. 

And just as when Lucifer had first heard the music, his fingers began twitching with a burning desire to play the music himself - a desire he only resisted for a mere minute before he was summoning his golden violin and joining in, time melting around him as slipped into the flow of one of his favorite pieces ever, melting into the warm embrace of the music’s melancholic calm that always burst into a juxtaposed and turbulent passion that spoke to the contradictions in Lucifer’s own soul.

He let the music fill him, let it comfort him at the same time that he let his emotions bleed out with desperation and a wild need to be heard. By the time the song concluded, Lucifer's fingers and arms were aching in the best way possible - full of the accomplishment that came from giving all of himself over to the music. Sweat beaded and dripped down his brow, accompanied by a wide smile he could not begin to deny. 

When was the last time he had played? 

He lowered his instrument, carefully setting it atop his workbench as the radio switched over into another of his favorite songs, albeit one he felt far less compelled to play, thinking about the question. 

There was a time during Lucifer’s existence when it had been rare to find him further than five feet away from his treasured violin. He used to stand next to Charlie’s crib on the nights she couldn’t sleep, playing lullabies for her until she fell back asleep.

Lucifer’s wide smile dropped into a frown as he ran his finger along the neck of his violin, realizing that it was after Lilith had left him that he had stopped playing. And the answer to his question, the question of when he had last played was - as seemed to be his answer often these days - Alastor . 

The last time Lucifer had played, but perhaps more importantly, the first time Lucifer had played in decades, had been the day he’d met Alastor. And now, there Lucifer was, having played once more because of Alastor once again.

Lucifer’s legs felt weak and not finding himself capable of even walking towards his chair or stool, he sank down to the floor, leaning his back against the wall as tears began to drip down his cheeks. He closed his wet eyes, listening to the sound of the radio switch over to yet another of his favorites songs, heart aching. He missed music, but even more, he missed the companionship that came from having a muse. 

Lucifer bit his lip, thoughts drifting over to a thought he had been trying not to think of all day. Tomorrow was his and Lilith’s anniversary. He’d been trying so, so hard to avoid the shadow it cast over him, but there it was once more with a violent grip on his heart. 

Lucifer wiped miserably at his cheeks, mind drifting away with memories. 

When Lilith had first left, Lucifer had naively spent the next few years believing that she was going to come back. For roughly six years, Lucifer had moved about life with almost a denial of sorts, thoughts wrapped up in the belief that Lilith was merely taking a break, merely exploring. But then, one day, news reached Lucifer that Lilith had begun a serious relationship with a Succubus out in Greed.

That was the first time Lucifer was forced to stop and acknowledge, with a pit of unease in his stomach, that maybe he had not understood what Lilith had meant when she had separated from him. 

For a full decade, Lilith remained in Greed, living with her new love, and then, one night full of acid rain, Lilith had appeared back in the palace, crying because her Succubus had met an untimely fate. She fell on her knees before Lucifer, begging him to do something, to somehow bring her love back. But if Lucifer had been capable of that, he wouldn’t have ever agreed to the exterminations - bargaining for the lives of the Hellborn. He would have told Heaven where to stuff it. 

Lilith had fallen into his arms that night, seeking comfort, but when she’d tried to fall into his bed as well, Lucifer had stopped her - worried that Lilith was there for the wrong reasons, that what she was looking for in Lucifer would not help her wounded heart. He hadn’t meant it as a rejection of her ; he had missed her so much. But he did not want Lili there because she was seeking comfort, he wanted her there because she was seeking him. 

But it seemed his refusal of her advance was too much for her, and the next morning she was gone, and within months she had moved on once more - first out in Envy, then Sloth - until nobody knew where the queen was or with whom she was intertwined with. And whatever restlessness Lucifer had thought Lilith was working out of her system was nothing more than a myth.

She was not coming back, least of all to Lucifer.

Lucifer had finally accepted that roughly a decade ago, but he had not known how to move on. He did not know how, as Alastor had suggested, to fill his bed once more. Lucifer opened his eyes once more, blinking through the blurry tears there to stare at his hands, clutching at the phantom memories wrapped around his finger like the golden ring there that he hadn’t been able to let go of. 

The music shifted around Lucifer once more, and as another melody resonated within him, Lucifer finally found his resolution. 

With a firm grip, Lucifer pulled his wedding ring from his finger, clenching his fist around it to keep it safe as he stood up, teleporting for the first time in weeks back to the palace where he walked with a purposeful gait through the halls to the twin workshop near his bedroom, flinging open the wide doors. He approached the overflowing wardrobe there, digging inside until he found the black and silver box near the bottom of one drawer.

He pulled the small case out and flipped it open, staring at the duck that had once been given back to him with a small roll of eyes. Lilith had thought his ducks were a waste of time, and when he’d offered her one that could act as an amplifier, she had given it immediately back, stating that she did not require anything to enhance her powers. Lucifer looked at it once more, at the decorations he’d carefully painted and formed so long ago and finally acknowledged that whatever love Lilith had felt for him once was gone long before she had ever walked out of his life. 

Lucifer pulled out his ring, using his magic to expand it and shift its size, moving it to rest around the head of the duck, fusing it to sit like a crown atop the rubber head before setting the duck back in the box and closing the lid tight. 

He held the box in both of his hands, took a single breath, and lit the box on fire.

 Alastor had felt his radio frequencies activate much sooner after he dropped off the radio than he expected, but he had kept them obscured from his consciousness - affording Lucifer the privacy he deserved. He did not even allow his shadow to check in on the king, despite his burning curiosity to know what Lucifer thought of the gift. That curiosity had only increased over the hours, but Alastor was making due with distracting himself, first with his fresh dinner and now with a quiet stroll downstairs. 

The majority of the residents were beginning to trickle upstairs as the evening was coming to a close. Dinner had been held roughly an hour earlier, though Alastor had not attended, content to enjoy his venison alone upstairs. 

Alastor walked into the newly created theater, pleased to see Charlie had already begun wrapping up the evening’s exercise. The Princess of Hell was currently moving about the theater checking in with each of the more at-risk residents to verify what assistance they would require overnight. 

It was a rather perplexing reality for Alastor to exist in these days. 

He truly had held no belief that the hotel had been capable of working, but with Sir Pentious having redeemed himself, the game had indeed changed, and some of Alastor’s beliefs had been required to change with it. 

Not that Alastor had any desire to redeem himself - Heaven’s no. Alastor was quite content living in Hell. But the concept that it was not a permanent destination for everyone was a rather intriguing reality, and though Alastor had not come to this hotel willingly, he did feel a draw to remain, regardless of the parameters surrounding his being stuck there. His coping enjoyment of watching people slip into failure was becoming a genuine entertainment in watching people do the impossible. 

Alastor paused as his eyes fell upon the sight of Lucifer, casually seated in one of the front rows of the theater where he was speaking to one of the sinners. It was rare for Lucifer to directly engage beyond what was required of him, and Alastor hung back, curious to observe the situation. 

“So you were a farmer?” Lucifer was asking the bee next to him, tone mildly intrigued. 

“Not exactly.” The woman hummed. “I was a beekeeper, actually. My flower farm started by accident.” 

“People have flower farms on Earth?” Lucifer’s tone was genuinely surprised. 

“Oh yes.” The woman hummed. “Though it’s not the most common. I got into it because of my bees.” She sighed. “I miss the little things.” 

Lucifer tilted his head. “But if you’re a bee, doesn't that mean bees played some sort of role in your death?” 

Alastor rolled his eyes at the king’s rather insensitive question. Luckily the woman Lucifer was talking to wasn’t as offended as another might have been - as Alastor would have been.

The woman laughed. “Oh, very much so. But I can’t hold it against the little guys. It’s not their fault they followed their nature.” 

“Huh.” Lucifer blinked, shaking his head. “Well I’m sure if you love nature so much, the hotel’s latest addition must be a favorite place of yours!” 

Alastor’s back went rigid. Surely Lucifer didn’t mean that , right? 

“I’m not sure what you mean?” The woman tilted her head. “Are you talking about the pool? It certainly has been enjoyable. But I do miss my plants.” 

“No.” Lucifer shook his head, brow furrowed. “I mean- well I mean the nature realm I created? I made sure to include a wide variety of plants and animals - there were even insects.” 

Alastor’s heart stuttered with something like disappointment. Had Lucifer not made his sanctuary with Alastor alone in mind?

“We have a nature realm?” The sinner’s eyes widened with something like breathless excitement. “Where?” 

“I-” Lucifer’s brow furrowed with confusion and he turned to call out to his daughter. “Charlie! Remind me, where is the bayou?” 

Charlie paused, the clipboard in her hand dropping slightly as she turned to look at her father with complete confusion. “What’s a bayou?” 

Lucifer stood up, gesturing widely. “The place with all the trees? And the water? I filled it with all sorts of animals, even alligators! Just like you wanted?” 

Charlie’s eyes widened and she tilted her head. “Like I wanted?” 

Lucifer flinched, embarrassment filling his eyes, a blush on the tips of his ears. “Wasn’t it part of your remodeling plans?” 

Charlie shook her head slowly. “I didn’t order anything like that.” She looked around the room, searching for one of the others who had been present in the meeting, clearly hoping to find someone who could explain whatever it was Lucifer was talking about. 

Her eyes landed on him. “Oh! Al! Do you know what a bunyoo is?”  

Alastor wanted the ground to swallow him whole, and though his shadows could have, could have taken him up to the very bayou in question and helped him calm down from the confusing hurt and turmoil inside of him, he kept his voice calm and moved forward. 

“I am very familiar with what a bayou is, my dear. I grew up surrounded by them. They are a natural region on Earth.” He shrugged. “But as for Lucifer’s mystery nature park, I’m afraid I have absolutely no idea what he’s-” 

“Don’t lie!” Lucifer growled, putting one hand on his hips and walking towards Alastor, pointing an accusatory finger his way with the other. “I saw the plans in your mind.” 

“Did you now?” Alastor’s voice was sharp as he glared towards him. “Would that be during the moment when you non-consensually invaded my mental faculties?” 

Charlie gasped, leaving the sinner she’d been talking to behind to walk over. “Dad you didn’t !” 

Lucifer’s eyes widened in horror, realizing just what mess he’d walked himself into. “Wait- hold on-” 

“Yes. He did.” Alastor nodded, gravely, impulsively digging Lucifer’s hole deeper. “He required a peek into my mind, seeing as how he was not paying any attention during the staff meeting where we planned the remodeling.” 

“Dad-” Charlie whispered, hurt in her tone. She didn’t say more, but there was an obvious accusation in her gaze.

“That’s not-” Lucifer cleared his throat, expression imploring. “That’s not exactly what happened. I didn’t mean to, that is-” 

“Now, now, Charlie.” Alastor shook his head, taking pity on the mess he’d intentionally created. “I’m certain your father didn’t mean anything by it. Surely we all get distracted at times.” 

It was that distractible nature that Alastor was banking on at the moment, having thrown Lucifer under the bus for the sheer purpose of distracting everyone nearby from the existence of Alastor’s very real, very private bayou.

“But still-” Charlie tried to protest, clearly seeing Alastor as a wounded and wronged creature.

“No, no.” Alastor waved his hand. “I’ll hear nothing more of it. There is no necessary reason to cause a fuss.” 

Lucifer’s expression flashed with anger, but he said nothing. 

Alastor hummed. “In any case, I believe I will be retiring early this evening.” He nodded his head lightly. “Do take care everyone.” 

“Wait- Alastor,” Lucifer tried to call after him, something almost frantic in his tone, but Alastor was not in the mood to hear whatever the other had to say.

The shadows carried him upstairs, where he materialized, already partially transformed. He tossed his mic aside angrily, beginning to pace back and forth with anger. Here Alastor had been, spending all of his time and energy over weeks to repay the devil himself back for something he hadn’t even meant to give Alastor! 

Alastor’s shadow appeared, and Alastor ignored it in favor of continued pacing. But he did note the way that the shadow picked up Alastor's cane, carefully laying it down in a safer position than Alastor’s furious toss had left it in. Alastor’s attention itched towards the biome across the room, but he did not want to go inside it, not right now - not when he knew it wasn’t special . 

He had half a mind to rip it out of the hotel himself. 

A knock sounded on his door, and Alastor froze in his pacing, angrily glaring towards the sound. Whoever it was could fucking wait . Alastor had no intention of speaking to anyone. 

He resumed his pacing, snarling when the sound came again, this time accompanied by a voice. A stupid, apologetic voice that sent Alastor’s ears curling back against his head. 

Lucifer pounded on his door. “Alastor- I know you’re in there! I need to talk to you!” 

Alastor looked towards his shadow, furiously gesturing. The shadow rolled its eyes and moved across the room, slipping beneath the crack of the door to step into the hallway. 

“Oh-” Alastor could make out Lucifer’s voice. “Hi. Can you let me in?” 

There was a momentary silence, and then Alastor stared horrified as the doorknob turned. 

What the-

He furiously tried signaling his shadow. What was it doing? He had sent it out to dissuade Lucifer from entering - not invite him in! But Alastor’s shadow ignored him, allowing Lucifer entrance to Alastor’s sanctuary. 

In a heartbeat, Alastor was across the room, hulking over Lucifer’s form. “Get. Out .” 

Lucifer blinked up at him, cloven foot halfway in the door. His hat was gone, though his cane remained in hand. “You invited me in?” 

“I most certainly did not .” Alastor snarled. “The cretin that is that vile thing ,” He gestured to his shadow which quickly disappeared, guiltily, “Took liberties it was not afforded.” 

Lucifer tried to look past Alastor, but Alastor side-stepped, blocking his view. 

“Look,” Lucifer said slowly. “I just think we need to talk. Can I come in? Just for a few-” 

“ No .” Alastor shook his head, trying to push Lucifer out. “These are my rooms and I-” 

Lucifer disappeared in red and golden smoke, reappearing behind Alastor inside his room.

“Oh, for god’s sake .” Alastor snapped. “First my mind, now my bedroom ? Where else are you planning on invading?” He slammed his door closed, resigned to the fact that, for now, he was stuck with the devil. 

“So it is in here.” Lucifer was staring at the other side of the room where the bayou began. “Can I see it?” 

“Will you take no for an answer?” Alastor gritted his teeth.

“I mean…” Lucifer shrugged. “Not when I made it.” 

“I will have you know,” Alastor snapped, “I was planning on making it without your assistance. I’ve made one before. You merely hijacked-” 

Lucifer ignored Alastor, moving towards the archway and stepping through. 

Alastor clenched his fists, following after the aggravating being, snarling when he was on the other side of the portal. “It is rude to invade someone’s private areas without permission.” 

“Except I didn’t know it was going to be private, did I?” 

Alastor felt another flash of disappointment. “Well, that is not my fault, is it? You were in my mind. Surely you could have verified the details. Or are you incapable of using your brain even when connected to someone of superior intellect?” 

Lucifer turned around to glare at Alastor. “I had thought I was creating a public area. In fact, I could still easily disconnect the dimension from your rooms in a heartbeat, Alastor. I could place them where more appreciative people could-”

Alastor’s patience broke completely, green flames swirling to life around him, shadows from beneath all of the trees nearby rippling into dark shapes as his neck twisted. 

“Just try and take it from me.” His teeth sharpened even further, and bloodlust surged in his veins. 

“Oh do calm down.” Lucifer sighed exasperated. “I simply mean that-” 

Tentacles of shadow ripped from Alastor’s back, and he shot them forward, grabbing hold of Lucifer’s neck, tugging him forward sharply.

To his credit, even with a tentacle leash around his neck, Lucifer looked completely unbothered. “You really don’t want to do this.” 

“Try me.” Alastor growled.

“Can’t we just talk about things?” Lucifer threw his arms up exasperated. “I wanted to thank you for the radio and-” 

Alastor’s patience snapped at the reminder of his gift for the other that apparently had been entirely unnecessary. He yanked hard at Lucifer’s neck and the other yelped slightly as he was dragged forward.

“Seriously?!” Lucifer glared, voice somewhat strained, due to the too tight shadow around his neck. “Can’t we just-” 

“ No .” Alastor’s mind was full of rage and he needed to vent it. And if the king ended up maimed in the process, all the better. His form twisted further, growing larger. 

“Fuck-” Lucifer grunted as the shadow tightened further, teleporting out of the shadow’s grasp, cane digging into the damp ground. “ Fine then. Have it your way.” 

Alastor’s expanded body loomed over Lucifer, casting a large shadow over the king. Alastor dug his claws into the ground, anchoring himself as the tendrils of shadow on his back formed into sharp points and darted out towards Lucifer, attempting to pin him to the ground like the pathetic bug he was. 

But Lucifer merely sidestepped as they drew near, batting them away with his cane that was suddenly enveloped in golden light, a light that burned through the shadows, severing each of them where they fell to writhe on the ground before dissipating.

Alastor glared, preparing to bring the shadows of the trees forward, but before he could, Lucifer’s form was flickering out of view with an intense burst of speed, and within the space of a single second, there was a hard impact against Alastor’s back, one that, despite Alastor’s hulking size, pushed him forward, claws scraping against the ground, unable to gain purchase as he crashed into the water of the river.

A glance towards where Alastor had been, once Alastor was gulping in a breath of air, his large form dripping as he surfaced above the water once more, afforded him the sight of Lucifer, wings out, leg still angled where he had kicked Alastor’s back.

Alastor’s back was positively aching, and he would not be surprised to learn that the fallen angel had broken some of his ribs. His chest was also twinging, the scar from Adam’s attack burning slightly. 

“Still sure this is a good idea?” Lucifer flew closer, twirling that pompous cane in the air like this was a performance for him and not a battle. 

Alastor seethed, shrinking his body back to his normal form and slipping beneath the water, melding into the shadows beneath the waves. He knew Lucifer could pull him out of the shadows, but he was hoping that the way light refracted beneath the surface of the water would afford him a small measure of security to move as he gathered his thoughts, searching for an idea of how to counter Lucifer’s powers. 

He called out to his shadow, communicating his attack plan as soon as he had it, demanding with crystal clear clarity that the ghastly thing obey him this time. Thankfully, when Alastor finally burst from the shadows and water, his shadow followed his instructions - utilizing the distraction of Alastor’s motion to slip into Lucifer’s shadow unnoticed, lying in wait. 

Alastor summoned even more tentacles as he shot up from the water, sending them towards Lucifer in a violent barrage, each of which Lucifer flew around, swooping gracefully through the air, not even bothering to sever the shadows this time - evasion his only game at the moment. 

“Are you even trying?” Lucifer taunted Alastor. “Even Adam put up a better fight.” Alastor’s jaw clenched with absolute fury, and Lucifer gasped with fake surprise. “Oh. I’m sorry. How could I forget? Adam beat you.” 

Now , Alastor signaled his shadow, bursting forward with great speed at the same time, drawing all of Lucifer’s focus towards himself.

Lucifer lifted his hands, preparing to physically ward off whatever Alastor’s attack was going to bring this time, but halfway through the motion, Alastor’s shadow wrapped its umbral grasp around Lucifer’s shadow, tugging hard and locking Lucifer in place.

Lucifer gave a small huff of surprise, looking down, searching for what was binding him. That break in the angel’s concentration was all Alastor needed as he closed the distance between them, claws wrapping tight around Lucifer’s ankle and yanking the king down hard to the ground. 

Within the span of three seconds, Alastor had one hand wrapped in Lucifer’s hair while the other pressed down between Lucifer’s shoulder blades, shoving him into the first as Alastor knelt over his back, breathing hard, water dripping down off of him to mar the pristine colors of Lucifer’s clothing. 

“Yield.” He demanded of the other, victory singing in his blood.

“Why?” Lucifer scoffed. “I’m not defeated.” 

Alastor tightened his grip, shoving Lucifer harder into the dirt, grinding his face against it. “ Yield .” 

A low moan came from the other at Alastor’s motions, and for some reason Alastor felt like blushing - despite knowing that it was clearly a moan of pain. And surely that pain meant that Alastor’s triumph was near, that the other would submit to him. 

He watched with satisfaction as the other attempted to free his hand, only able to wiggle a few fingers as both Alastor and his shadow tightened their grip, leaving the other to do little more than squirm. 

With a surge of recklessness, Alastor leaned down, hovering nearer to Lucifer’s back as he whispered mockingly into his ear. 

“Perhaps if you were….better rested , Lucifer, you might find it easier to fight me off."

Lucifer’s already frozen body jolted slightly with something like surprise at Alastor’s words, breath hitching.

“Alastor-” The other’s voice was full of something desperate, and Alastor felt an odd sort of flutter pulse through him at the tone, an odd sort of pleasure and rush that only grew as he tightened his claws in Lucifer’s hair, pulling him up.

Something in his blood was singing for more, but he wasn’t sure what it was, wasn’t sure what more he could want, when the other was a breath away from giving in, was a breath away from admitting Alastor had won and-

Alastor’s thoughts cut off with a grunt of pain as something sharp pierced into him from behind.

Alastor’s grip in Lucifer’s hair tightened with agony as his other hand lifted to press against his chest where the end of Lucifer’s cane was sticking through, drenched in his blood. For a single second he thought the pain of it might not be that bad, and then the location of the wound ripped through his mind, the tendrils of shadow on his back ripping out and anchoring all around him as he tried to breath through the utter agony that overcame him. 

Lucifer’s cane had pierced directly through the center of the scar left from Adam’s holy attack.

With a genuine snarl of pain, Alastor’s fingers clawed over his own chest, attempting to pull the fabric of his shirt away from where he was burning. 

“Woah-” Lucifer was distantly speaking to him, but Alastor couldn’t fully make it out. “Hey, Alastor-”

Alastor could barely even breathe, and his powers flickered all around him. Lucifer took advantage of the break in Alastor’s concentration to teleport away from his grasp, but he didn’t go far. Instead of leaving, Lucifer fell to his knees before Alastor, eyes bleeding with concern as he moved closer. 

Lucifer reached out to touch Alastor, and Alastor let out a wounded cry that was full of equal amounts of fury.

“Hey-” Lucifer’s hands lifted in surrender. “I just want to see-” 

“ You fucking did it.” Alastor snarled. “What do you need to see?” 

Lucifer shook his head, an unmistakable genuinity in his gaze. “Whatever I did to you, it wasn’t this .”

Alastor was still burning, the moisture from his dip in the water beginning to feel like acid against the edges of the wound. With a rabid growl, Alastor spelled away his shirt and coat, trying to better examine just what exactly was wrong with him and how to fix it. 

“ Fuck -” Lucifer gasped as soon as Alastor’s chest was open to his gaze. “Alastor, you have a holy wound?” Lucifer’s hands darted forward again, attempting to touch Alastor’s skin, but Alastor jerked away again. 

“Don’t touch -” 

“You need help , Alastor.” Lucifer snapped, real anger in his tone. “Don’t be stubborn, and let me help you!” 

“YOU did this!” Alastor roared, pointing out that simple truth once more.

“I only reopened a much more serious wound.” Lucifer stated in a clear tone. “Holy wounds can only be fully healed by holy powers. Even if you thought it was healed, it wasn’t fully. God- no wonder your presence hasn’t been as potent lately.” Alastor hissed, furious to hear that it had been noted. “I thought that you went down far too easily in the library. Fuck-” Lucifer tried reaching out again. “Al, you need to let me heal you.” 

“ No .” Alastor denied immediately.

“Why not?” Lucifer groaned, exasperated. “Just let me help -” 

“I don’t need to be more indebted to you!” Alastor admitted without meaning to as another burning wave of pain crashed over him. But even if he didn’t want to admit his debt to either of them, it was the truth. Because even if he was angry that the bayou hadn’t been intended for him, the reality was, it was his , and Lucifer had given it to him. 

“Indebted-” Lucifer blinked, brow furrowed. “Alastor what the fuck do you think you owe me?” 

“Forget it.” Alastor seethed, hating how pathetic he was. “I’m not letting you help-” 

“Please, Alastor.” Lucifer’s voice was etched in panic now. “I didn’t mean to hurt you-” Alastor scoffed, and Lucifer finished his thought. “ This badly. Obviously we were fighting, but I never meant for this . Please!” 

Alastor bit back a whimper at another wave of pain, desperation forcing him to ask a question. “What would I owe you?” 

“Nothing!” Lucifer shook his head. “Alastor, I’m not looking for-” 

“This is Hell, Lucifer.” Alastor scoffed. “Everybody always wants something. And even favors given seemingly free of charge always come back around. So what do you want ?” 

“Just-” Lucifer seemed to be desperately searching for some kind of answer. “Just don’t tell Charlie!” 

Alastor blinked, the words surprising him entirely, temporarily managing to distract him from his pain. “What?” 

“I don’t-” Lucifer bit his lip, looking away. “Just don’t tell Charlie we fought.” 

Alastor scoffed. “These two favors are not equal.” 

“They are!” Lucifer grunted, looking back, determination in his eyes. “Charlie hates when we fight. And, well, she wanted me to apologize - I wanted to! I told her I was going to. But if she knows we fought instead? She’ll be so upset, and I just don’t-” 

Alastor did not have the patience to deal with Lucifer’s ramblings, not when it felt like his skin was being melted around the edges of Lucifer’s cane. He would not let Lucifer heal him for free, but if this was truly a deal the other was willing to make, Alastor would not refuse it any longer. 

“Fine.” He gritted out through his teeth, “You heal me of this..” He hissed as another wave of pain settled in, “ affliction , and I won’t tell Charlie that we fought. Deal?” 

Lucifer nodded eagerly, moving forward without delay, declaring his agreement. “ Deal .” 

Alastor tried to reach forward to shake his hand, but Lucifer shook his head. “No need to formalize-” 

Alastor grabbed the king’s wrist, pulling Lucifer’s palm directly against his chest, above the wound, glaring into his eyes. “There is always a need to formalize, Lucifer.”

Lucifer sighed, realizing Alastor was serious and nodded. “Fine.” 

Viridescent and aureate light burst into being all around them as the deal was finalized, the ground shaking in response to the surge of supernatural energy filling the air. The light hadn’t even settled before Lucifer’s palm against his chest was glowing hotter than the wound beneath it, pushing a surge of healing energy through Alastor’s body. Yet despite the heat of Lucifer’s magic, it did not burn. Instead, despite the impossibility of it, Lucifer’s touch soothed through Alastor’s pain.

Alastor sighed with a shaking relief as the edges of agony pulled back from his mind.

Lucifer’s free hand moved around Alastor’s back and carefully pulled his cane out of Alastor’s skin, more golden magic working to close up the wound as he did so.

“I’m almost done siphoning.” Lucifer whispered gently, his tone equally soothing as his hand pulled a writhing ball of golden energy out of Alastor’s chest, though Alastor noted the color of whatever lingered from Adam’s energy was nothing in comparison to Lucifer’s light all around them.

Alastor’s gaze traced down over Lucifer’s hand as he shook away Adam’s power, turning it into nothing more than golden dust. Lucifer’s mouth opened as if to say something else, but Alastor’s eyes widened as he looked at Lucifer’s hand and he moved his hand forward to grip Lucifer’s wrist, lifting his fingers up for examination. 

“Your ring-” Alastor whispered, perplexed by the way his heart was pounding with something foreign - something he didn’t understand. “It’s gone.” 

He shifted his focus from Lucifer’s finger to look into his eyes, tracing his gaze over the blush rising on Lucifer’s cheeks.

“I-” Lucifer swallowed hard. For a second it seemed like he was planning to respond to Alastor’s comment, but instead he cleared his throat, bringing the focus of the moment back to business. “The siphoning is done. But we still need to purify your system.” 

Alastor was disappointed by the change in topic, which confused him greatly. But he was also confused regarding Lucifer’s meaning. “Purify?” 

“Yes.” Lucifer hummed, pulling his wrist away from Alastor’s grip and tucking his hands onto his lap, nevermind the red blood he was dragging all over his white pants. 

“Purify what?” Alastor frowned.

“Your blood.” Lucifer stated simply, leaning back, vanishing his cane. 

“How?” Alastor felt a wave of apprehension sweep over him.

Lucifer looked up at Alastor, head tilted with a confused sort of surprise, like he thought whatever the answer was was something obvious. “With my blood of course.”

Alastor’s mouth flooded with instant desire, his eyes flickering down towards Lucifer’s neck with a deep wanting. “What do you mean?” 

Lucifer rolled his eyes. “Considering you’re eyeing me like a piece of meat, I think you know exactly what that means.” 

Alastor had to swallow around another wave of desire, as his mind recalled the fleeting tastes of angels’ blood he’d had in the past, of the indescribable power and potency locked within it. He breathed in sharply through his nose, stomach dropping as the sharp scent of apples filled the space between him and Lucifer. He could already imagine the bitterness of both flavors coming together on his tongue - the flavors of blood and Lucifer .

Alastor wanted- no Alastor needed it. 

He’d never even thought to covet Lucifer’s blood before, spill it - certainly. But drink it? Be allowed access to it? In a deal nonetheless? 

Lord have mercy . 

Just what had Alastor gotten himself into this time?

Chapter Text

The back of Lucifer’s neck felt too warm as he looked up at Alastor across from him. 

The deer demon’s chest looked significantly better, and Lucifer was pleased to see that what had clearly been a scar before was closing up entirely over the demon’s chest. Lucifer’s magic superior to whatever lingered behind from Adam. But examining the demon’s chest without the rush of adrenaline was making Lucifer think about all sorts of things he did not want to at the moment, like the tuft of fur blended seamlessly into Alastor’s skin, or the well defined abdomen bracketed by a slender waist. 

Lucifer swallowed, clearing his throat. “Right then. I think you’re good to move. We should go somewhere where you can sit down.” 

Alastor raised his brow. “Can’t I just ingest the blood now and be done with it?” 

Lucifer snorted. “Not unless you want to sleep here.” 

Alastor blinked at him. “Why would I sleep? I’ve tasted an angel’s blood before, Lucifer. It was no different than any other-” 

“Yes, but I’m not a regular angel.” Lucifer cut him off, something tight in his tone.

So Alastor had sampled other angels before? Lucifer hated how jealous that made him feel.

“No.” Alastor hummed, “I suppose not. You’re fallen .” 

“Being fallen might have twisted me into the devil,” Lucifer glared, “But the potency of my blood has not diminished; If anything, it has only grown stronger.” He stood up, attempting to dust the mud off of his clothing, sighing when he realized he was going to have to send his clothes in for dry cleaning. A manual clean was preferable in cases like this rather than a magical one; just as food prepared by hand was always better than enchanted food. “ So. Where would you prefer to be knocked on your ass?” 

Alastor sighed, standing up in turn. “If you are insisting on a change of location, then we aren’t doing anything or sitting anywhere until we have showered.” 

Lucifer’s jaw dropped as the other walked away from him. “Sh-shower?” 

“Yes, shower .” Alastor scoffed. “You have heard of cleaning up, surely.” 

“Y-yes, but t-together?”

There was a burst of static as the radio demon stopped walking, turning around with wide eyes, head tilted oddly. “Why would we shower together ?” 

Lucifer’s cheeks burned. 

“I- Well. You said- I mean-” He gave a soft whimper of embarrassment and looked away. “I simply misunderstood.” 

“Quite obviously.” Alastor scoffed, turning back around. “But you aren’t touching any of my furniture until you are clean. So do not return until then.” 

Lucifer stepped forward to protest the other’s audacious command, only for the other to disappear with the shadows. Lucifer sighed, not interested in pulling the other out of them again. He didn’t want to fight. 

With a huff, he teleported directly into his own shower, removing his clothes with an annoyed flick of his fingers. He showered quickly, not interested in delaying the rest of the evening. He used a burst of magic to dry himself off and then stepped out onto his apple shaped mat and stared into the mirror thinking.

The night was almost over, and he was frankly exhausted. Plus, if Alastor was about to consume some of Lucifer’s blood, Lucifer was most likely going to feel a little faint, and he wanted to be comfortable for that. And on top of everything else, Alastor’s bayou was warm.

Mind made up, despite the vulnerability and ridiculousness of it, Lucifer dressed himself in his favorite set of yellow pajamas. The top was a simple yellow shirt with a large cartoonish duck in the center of his chest. And the bottoms were made up of multiple heart prints, and probably a lot shorter than was considered polite for Alastor’s company. But Lucifer honestly didn’t really care.

He finished the outfit off with a set of yellow duck slippers and teleported back to the bayou where he set off in the direction Alastor had been walking prior to letting the shadows transport himself. 

Lucifer had just reached a bend in the river when he noticed a flicker in the nearby shadows.

Lucifer paused, tilting his head and searching for the creature he could sense there.

“You can come out.” He called.

It took a few seconds before the creature responded, tentatively rising up and walking closer. It seemed almost nervous, penitent even. 

Lucifer wondered if it felt guilty for the way it had pinned Lucifer through his shadow.

For some strange, inexplicable reason, Lucifer did not feel comfortable letting the sentient creature wallow in guilt. 

“You’re a pretty skilled thing, aren’t you?” His voice came out in a bit of a coo - not unlike how he would speak to Keekee or Dazzle. Although, there was a fair bit more sophistication in his tone, something mildly more mature. 

Almost bashfully, the shadow curled in on itself, and Lucifer giggled. “I’m not upset with you. You were only following your master’s orders.” Lucifer impulsively stood on the tips of his hooves and booped the creature right on its nose. “I was actually rather impressed. With both the idea and execution.” 

Impressed and far too turned on for his own good. But that was neither here nor there. 

“I don’t suppose you can take me to Alastor?” Lucifer asked the shadow after it calmed itself, Lucifer’s touch having sent an odd sort of vibration through its inky form.

With cool fingers, the shadow reached out, taking Lucifer’s hand and leading him down the path, shadowed thumb dragging over Lucifer’s smallest finger almost reverently as they walked. Lucifer had to swallow as he realized the creature was tracing over the location Lucifer’s ring had been. 

The trees arched overhead on either side of the path, almost like a tunnel which they passed through, and Lucifer couldn’t help but smirk at the beauty of it all. He really was quite good with creation. 

The trees opened up into a small clearing and Lucifer blinked as he registered the large wall-sized portal there. He didn’t remember making a portal quite so large, but he couldn’t deny its reality. Had Alastor managed to alter Lucifer’s portal? If so, Lucifer was more than surprised. To alter Lucifer’s magic would have been no small feat, but the result was absolutely breathtaking. 

The wall-like portal, upon closer inspection, was acting more like a row of wall-to-ceiling windows, the entirety of Alastor’s bedroom visible on the other side. There was a rustic charm to the decor Alastor had selected, at the same time that there was something eerie about it all. It looked like the inside of a cabin, dark wood lining the walls and floor, and between Alastor's large bed and the fireplace was a deerskin rug - a white-tailed deerskin rug. Lucifer narrowed his eyes with suspicion. Had Alastor been hunting ? There were several racks of antlers decorating the walls, and more than one skull. 

It was a rather bizarre sight, truth be told. But the more Lucifer thought about it, the more he concluded that it made sense. He knew Alastor was a cannibal, so why shouldn’t he have expected that to extend to the cervid creatures after which Alastor’s demonic form was crafted? It was a rather obvious detail in hindsight.

Lucifer was shaken from his thoughts by a tug on his hand as Alastor’s shadow led Lucifer to the portal, indicating that they were heading to Alastor’s bedroom.

Lucifer stopped walking, apprehension settling in. “Hold on- I probably shouldn’t-” 

But the shadow nodded eagerly, turning back around to Lucifer.

Lucifer bit his lip nervously, so focused on wondering whether he should follow the creature or not that he missed the way that with an exasperated sigh-like motion, the creature closed the distance between itself and Lucifer. 

With a yelp, Lucifer blinked rapidly, absolutely perplexed by the way that the shadow had just picked Lucifer up like he was nothing, carrying him over his shoulder. 

“Woah there!” He protested, feet kicking lightly, one of his duck slippers flying off at the motion. He immediately stopped kicking, panicking over the loss of his footwear, but with his back turned he couldn’t see where it had gone. 

Lucifer probably should have examined in closer detail why it was that he didn’t teleport away or use greater force to escape the shadow. He was more than capable of it, but there was just something about both Alastor and the man’s shadow that always disarmed Lucifer’s ability to rationalize. 

He shuddered as the shadow carried him through the portal, the brush of his own magic mixed with Alastor’s washing over him - a definite sign that the other had in fact altered Lucifer’s gateway. But whatever reaction he had had to the feel of the portal was insignificant to the way that Lucifer’s mind blanked out immediately as he breathed in the aroma of Alastor’s den. 

The room was full of a warm musk-like scent, leathery and rich. It enveloped Lucifer’s mind, causing his eyelids to droop slightly with an instant sort of lethargy that he had no idea how to defend against and next to no motivation to do so. He wanted to curl up in the scent. 

His thoughts were interrupted with a jarring gasp of breath as Alastor’s shadow dropped Lucifer on the man’s bed. He had been dropped face first which meant he was immediately assaulted with a deeper concentration of the scents trapped in Alastor’s bedding. Lucifer had to bite his lip to keep himself from drooling out as he salivated. The bed indented behind him, and Lucifer snapped his head around nervously as Alastor’s shadow crawled over to hover above him.

Lucifer’s mind fuzzed out of focus. 

Oh fuck . Was Alastor’s shadow planning on ravishing him? What the fuck was happening? 

He immediately tucked his legs up, attempting to crawl away from the creature, only to have shadowed hands grip his elbows tight, dragging him closer.

“Uh- um-” Lucifer spluttered. “What-” 

Oh . 

Lucifer’s panic eased into utter confusion as Alastor’s shadow wrapped one arm around Lucifer’s waist, tugging his back against its chest as the other hand slipped into Lucifer’s hair, not pinching or squeezing, but rather gently caressing. 

Alastor’s shadow was cuddling him. 

Lucifer’s entire neck flushed at the attention, eyes rolling back at the gentle feel of his hair as it was played with. Every bone in his body seemed to melt into a relaxed state, one he was entirely unfamiliar with in recent years, and his eyes drooped once more.

The shadow adjusted them slightly as Lucifer blinked sleepily - him! - Leaning its back against Alastor’s pillows and sandwiching Lucifer’s hips with dark legs on either side, boxing him in to hold against its body. 

The new position afforded Lucifer with the ability to actually look around Alastor’s room for the first time since entering it, and though his mind was fuzzy with both the shadow’s touch and Alastor’s natural scent, Lucifer was able to make out further details, eyes drawn over to one of two doors in the room, under which he could see steam billowing out. That must be Alastor’s bathroom then. 

Lucifer’s other senses came back to him, ears finally picking up on the sounds of water running as well as smooth jazz playing. Lucifer truly must have slipped into a deep trance if he hadn’t noticed the sounds before. They were nice, but more importantly, they were accompanied by a rich voice - one which Lucifer barely recognized but knew to be Alastor’s natural voice. 

He had heard Alastor’s true voice, if only for a few words, that day way back when in the Library, when the deer demon had first flipped Lucifer’s world on its axis. And that same voice was singing along to the jazz playing on the other side of the bathroom wall, completely unperturbed and unguarded. Lucifer suddenly felt a rush of guilt, unable to deny that he was breaking a boundary of privacy he hadn’t intended to. 

He hadn’t meant to end up in this situation. He hadn’t planned on giving in to Alastor’s shadow. But the reality was he could have stopped it. He still could - but despite knowing Lucifer was being more sinful than he had been in a long time, he could not find it in himself to stop what was happening, and the consequences could be damned - damnation was his purview after all.

He wasn’t sure exactly how long he laid back against Alastor’s shadow, allowing its impossible fingers to touch him in the gentle ways he craved - hovering on the edge of sleep and listening to Alastor’s forbidden voice, but it was long enough that there was no excuse. 

He heard the water trickle off, body freezing with anticipation as Alastor rustled about for a moment before swinging his door in, a billow of steam accompanying his exit from the bathroom as he sang the final notes to his current song.

“ And I’m feeling go-”  

Alastor’s eyes landed on Lucifer, the singing and music cutting out with what could only be described as a static explosion and the sound of a record scratching. 

Lucifer’s eyes could not help but drag down the dripping chest of the demon, tracing droplets of water to the top of the towel snug around Alastor’s hips. Lucifer was forced to swallow as he looked back up, clearing his throat and attempting to act casual. 

“Help?” 

Alastor’s eye twitched as he glanced over Lucifer’s position within the shadow’s grasp, a confusing mix of emotions there that Lucifer couldn’t fully put his finger on. 

“What,” Alastor spoke with icy calm, “The fuck are you doing?” 

Lucifer cleared his throat. “Well, I was accosted by-” 

“Not you .” Alastor snapped, cutting Lucifer off and stalking forward, eyes centered in on his shadow. 

Lucifer felt the creature behind him squirm slightly, but before either of them could move further, Alastor’s claws were wrapping tightly around his shadow's ankle and yanking it forward, completely dislodging Lucifer in an unseemly lump.

“Ow-” Lucifer grunted, turning back around in time to see Alastor’s claws wrap around the creature's neck, pinning it to the wall. “Hey!” Lucifer panicked, scrambling forward to grab Alastor’s elbow. “What are you-” 

Alastor shook Lucifer off, glaring at his shadow. “Why won’t you listen to me?” 

“Alastor!” Lucifer moved forward again, gripping hard at the demon’s shoulder. “It’s fine . I didn’t mind-” 

“ I mind!” Alastor finally dropped his shadow, turning around to glare at Lucifer. “You don’t belong to it .” 

Lucifer’s eyes widened, and then narrowed almost immediately. “I don't belong to anyone, Alastor.” He stepped forward, standing on the tips of his feet. “Something you always take special care to remind me of.” 

Alastor’s expression was intense as he stared down at Lucifer. “That is what I just said. You don’t belong to it.” His gaze snapped back to the shadow that was rubbing at its neck. “And you are to stop disobeying me, or I’ll stick you in a room so bright you won’t be able to move .” 

Lucifer winced with sympathy as the shadow nodded frantically, disappearing.

Alastor turned back to Lucifer, expression tight as he ran his gaze over Lucifer’s body. “It is obvious that my shadow is responsible for your entanglement , but that does not explain why you are half-naked.”

“The only one half-naked,” Lucifer rolled his eyes, “Is you , Alastor.” 

“Then you really ought to look away ,” Alastor bent down, voice far too low as he spoke nearer to Lucifer’s ear. “Unless your plans require me to be undressed.”

Lucifer’s throat went dry, mouth popping open with surprise. His stomach fluttered with something like butterflies. “Y-you do realize that sounds rather sexual, yes?” 

Alastor chuckled, leaning back. “You would think that. Wouldn’t you?” 

He turned his back on Lucifer, and Lucifer couldn’t help but stare at the smooth skin of his torso as the other opened up what looked to be a closet, hand reaching for his towel and pulling it away, dropping it on the floor. The brief look Lucifer was afforded displayed for him the sight of the cutest, fluffiest tail he had ever seen in his life.

Lucifer immediately whipped his gaze away, covering his face with an embarrassed yipping sound, mortified at how warm his cheeks were beneath his touch. Listening to Alastor uninvited was nothing compared to the invasion of privacy watching the other change would be.

Lucifer was pretty sure there had been a sofa near the fireplace, but he didn’t know how to navigate the room without looking, something he refused to do. And so, needing to do something other than stand there awkwardly, Lucifer crawled back onto the bed, kneeling lightly atop the mattress, facing the portal wall.

The view from Alastor’s bed was truly stunning, the sight of the bayou absolutely breathtaking - though the distinct scenery outside the portal had certainly veered into more of a swamp. He could make out the shape of a bridge, crossing over the narrowest part of the river. Lucifer did not recall creating the bridge himself, which meant that it was another of Alastor’s additions to the area, and it led across the water towards a section of swampland that contained what appeared to be some kind of gazebo. He could just make out the shape of a table and chairs there, though the details of them were too far for even Lucifer to make out with total clarity. 

Lucifer startled as a tendril of shadow rose up from beneath him, wrapping around his torso and pulling him against the mattress, as another wrapped around his ankle and yanked his leg back. 

“What-” 

“I believe-” Alastor’s voice came through the air, low and clearly annoyed, “That I have warned you before about dirty footwear on furniture.”

 As he spoke, his claws wrapped around the edges of Lucifer’s single slipper and tugged it off, baring Lucifer’s hoof to the warm air. “At least you have the decency to groom your body.” 

Lucifer kicked back against the other, flustered, scrambling forward against the bed and tucking his foot beneath him as he turned to glare at the other, words escaping him entirely as he dragged his eyes over the other’s casual wear. 

Alastor had followed Lucifer’s example and, in place of a more formal outfit, had dressed himself in sleepwear, although his was far more modest than Lucifer’s. A long, striped red robe was fastened over his body, the sash of it hanging down his legs. And between the lapels of the robe, Lucifer could see a high collared black pajama shirt that was clearly part of a matching set, seeing as how the same colored fabric stretched down beneath the robe over Alastor’s legs. 

With Lucifer atop Alastor’s bed, the reality of their situation suddenly felt far different from what it was. They were not a couple going through a nightly routine, nor was this the type of social visit that could be classified as a slumber party. Lucifer’s being there was only intended as a means to healing the other fully.

Alastor eyed him rather unimpressed. “Is there a reason for you only possessing one foot covering?” He tossed Lucifer’s slipper away and folded his arms. 

Lucifer glared, folding his own arms defiantly. “I lost it.” 

Alastor’s eye twitched. “How can you lose a slipper? Were you not wearing it when you broke in here?” 

“First of all,” Lucifer moved off of Alastor’s bed and walked towards the portal, gesturing out there. “I did not break in here. I was carried rather forcefully by your shadow.” He made to step out, shocked when Alastor’s arm suddenly wrapped around his waist, tugging him back. 

“What are you-” 

“You are not getting your feet dirty if you intend to come back in here.” Alastor stated firmly, moving over to his couch where he plopped Lucifer down on it and crossed the room towards a cabinet, digging through for something. “The second?” 

Lucifer blinked at him. “What?” 

Alastor lifted a glass out of the cabinet and walked over to Lucifer, seating himself next to him on the couch. He crossed his legs, the glass hanging down over his knee. “You said ‘first of all’, which implies there is at least one other point you wished to make.” 

“Oh.” Lucifer blinked. “Right. Ahem . Second, I was wearing it. But it fell off when your shadow grabbed me. I don’t know where it went.” 

Alastor looked at him for a moment before sighing and snapping his finger. 

In an instant, his shadow was back, posture contrite as it waited for instructions. 

“Find it.” Alastor demanded sharply, and the shadow was instantly gone, off to search for Lucifer’s missing slipper. 

“Um.” Lucifer cleared his throat, not sure what he was supposed to say now. He glanced towards the glass in Alastor’s hand. “Usually people drink out of glasses. Is there something special about just holding that one?” 

Alastor’s face scrunched up with obvious exasperation. He turned his gaze to Lucifer like he was missing something very obvious. “Do try to use your brain, Lucifer.” He wiggled the glass between them, gesturing. “Just what are you here for again?” 

Lucifer looked at him, then down at the glass, and then back up. 

Oh . 

“Oh, that’s for me .” He stuttered, reaching out to take the glass, running his thumb along the rim, brow furrowing. “You don’t want to drink from the source?” 

Why did the possibility that that was the case leave him disappointed?

“I have class and style.” Alastor huffed, lifting his nose. “Besides. If you fill the glass for me, you can leave, and whatever drowsiness I experience can be done so in peace.” 

Lucifer frowned. “You’ll probably need more than one glass, Alastor. I don’t know just how tainted Adam left your blood.”

Alastor froze, posture rigid as his eyes flickered towards Lucifer. “I have to drink more than one?” 

Have to .

Lucifer felt annoyance rise up in him. He would think a known connoisseur of blood would be far more excited about tasting him than this. It was almost insulting. 

“I don’t know . I need to monitor you.” He glared. “Besides. I never said it would make you drowsy .” 

“You said I would fall asleep on the grass if we remained out there.” Alastor pointed out.

“No.” Lucifer shook his head. “I asked if you wanted to sleep there. There are multiple responses you could have to the blood. I don’t know which way it will affect you, just that you will be affected. As such, I suggested an alternative that would provide the necessary comforts in case it goes that way.” 

Alastor’s fist clenched. “Fine then. If you would be so magnanimous as to-” 

His words were cut off as Alastor’s shadow reappeared on the rug, holding up a very drenched, very muddy duck slipper. 

Lucifer immediately gasped. “Oh no-” He reached out to take the thing, but Alastor swatted his hand away. 

“You just focus on filling the glass. I’ll take care of this.” He stood up, indicating for his shadow to follow him into the bathroom. 

Lucifer watched them go with a frown, one that only grew as a few seconds later the shadow was running back out to pick the other slipper up off of the floor and carry it inside. 

Lucifer shook his head, shrugging in order to set the glass down carefully on his lap, pressing his claw against the vein on his wrist to carefully cut open his skin, dripping his golden blood into the waiting glass. 

It filled slowly, Lucifer having to keep his claw pressed into the wound in order to keep it open, but that also helped him control the flow of it. The glass was a little over halfway full when Alastor walked back into the room, freezing in the doorway. 

Lucifer looked towards him, watching carefully as the demon’s nostrils flared, breathing in the scent of Lucifer’s blood, eyes flashing. Something fluttered in Lucifer’s gut and he looked away. 

Maybe it was a good thing that he was using the glass.

“Almost done.” Lucifer told Alastor in a deceptively calm tone. “Do you have something I could drink? Juice perhaps?” 

Alastor eyed him with something dark in his eyes, crossing over to the cabinet once more and rifling through.

Lucifer watched the demon pull out several bottles, mixing them into some sort of cocktail that he carried over to Lucifer lightly. Lucifer looked down at the glass in his lap and determined it was probably full enough. He pulled his claw out of his wrist and brought it up to suck off the sticky texture of his own essence, licking over his wrist as well. 

His eyes lifted to meet Alastor’s, and excitement thrummed inside of him at the blatant hunger thick in Alastor’s gaze as it dragged over Lucifer’s mouth. 

Lucifer cleared his throat, holding the glass of his blood up to trade Alastor for the cocktail glass the other had brought him. Wasting no time, Lucifer brought the drink up to his mouth and washed the taste of himself away quickly. 

Alastor’s eyes were trained on him as he brought the glass of Lucifer’s blood up to his own lips, preparing to drink. 

Lucifer was impressed that the other planned on sampling it while standing. Clearly the other felt like he had to stubbornly prove something. Lucifer truly didn’t know how the other would react, but he was eager to find out. He set the cocktail glass aside and leaned back into the cushion, prepared to observe the Radio Demon. 

Alastor held the glass beneath his nose, simply breathing in the scent of the blood, and though he tried to hide it, Lucifer could see the way his grip trembled. 

That’s it , Lucifer thought smugly. That reaction was what he’d been hoping for. 

Alastor knocked the glass back, and Lucifer waited with bated breath for the demon’s response. At first, as Alastor lowered his head back down from where he had tipped it to drink, Lucifer thought that somehow the other had remained unaffected - that his sheer will had been enough to keep him steady. 

And then the growl ripped from Alastor’s throat, and a tongue far longer than Lucifer had realized the other possessed, slipped out of his mouth and into the glass, licking over every inch voraciously. The demon’s eyes were glowing, and his antlers grew to a truly impressive length, the sight of which had Lucifer’s heart pounding with satisfaction. 

Alastor’s tongue retracted and he glared down at the polished glass like it was a betrayal, dropping it annoyed when he realized it was empty, wild eyes searching for something.

They found it in Lucifer.

In a move Lucifer could barely track, Alastor was across the space between them, claws wrapping tightly around Lucifer’s forearms to yank him up off of the couch. One arm wrapped around Lucifer’s waist, pulling him tight against Alastor’s chest, as the other fisted into Lucifer’s hair and yanked back hard, giving Alastor access to Lucifer’s neck. The demon didn’t waste a single second before he was piercing into Lucifer’s skin, chasing after the blood he seemingly could not resist. 

Lucifer bit back a moan, hands balling into fists around the lapels of Alastor’s robe, clinging for something to brace himself with. His skin was on fire where they were connected, and it was taking everything in his power to stay still and let himself be devoured as the demon’s tongue moved over his skin, as his hand tugged at Lucifer’s hair. 

Lucifer’s legs shook as Alastor continued drinking, and his mind started to feel fuzzy - no doubt a combination of blood-loss and the alcohol in his body having an increasingly smaller amount of blood to absorb it.

His knees buckled lightly, and Alastor’s grip around Lucifer’s waist tightened, lifting him into the air as the demon moved back to sit on the couch, dragging Lucifer to straddle his lap. Though Lucifer certainly felt the instinct, there was nothing sexual about the way he moved in closer to the other’s body. He simply did not have the energy to hold himself up and Alastor was so very sturdy, and so very warm. 

He managed to take hold of his own magic, pulsing it out to examine Alastor, sighing with relief as he felt the last of Adam’s touch burn away beneath Lucifer’s blood. The reality of that meant that he could stop Alastor at any time. The other had drank enough, Lucifer had given him enough. But the problem pulsing through Lucifer’s mind was that Alastor wanted more, and Lucifer wanted to give it. 

If Lucifer were anyone else, he would be dead.

Sure, Sinners could regenerate - higher demon’s too. But the level of regeneration that would have been required from the total draining of Lucifer’s blood would have been exceedingly high. 

He didn’t know how long the pair of them remained there, Alastor gorging himself on Lucifer’s blood, and Lucifer replenishing himself as quickly as possible, but it was long enough that even the bayou had fallen into the complete darkness of night. 

Eventually though, even the Radio Demon managed to find himself full.

Alastor pulled back from Lucifer’s neck, eyes still glowing. Lucifer could see in Alastor’s eyes that the demon was completely intoxicated, a fact which was further proven as Lucifer tried to back away only for the demon’s grip to settle around Lucifer’s thighs, holding him tightly against his body. 

Lucifer blinked nervously at the drunken clinginess the other displayed. It didn’t bother him, but it did leave him confused as to how he was meant to respond. His eyes scanned over the room, settling on the dark shape hovering near Alastor’s bed, and he called out, voice scratchy and dry. 

“Drink?” 

Alastor’s shadow took a tentative step closer, and when it was clear Alastor was too buzzed to make any kind of complaint, the shadow scurried over to the cabinet, mixing several different substances into a tall metal shaker which it hurriedly brought over to Lucifer. 

Alastor allowed Lucifer to lean back enough to grab the tall drink, and Lucifer immediately began drinking. It was clear, immediately, that Alastor’s shadow had absolutely no idea how to make a drink. There had to be at least 4 different types of clashing alcohol in the drink, and he had no idea what had been included in the mixer. But it was still a liquid, and it burned down Lucifer’s throat in a way he needed just then. He should have summoned a glass of water or juice himself, though. He was a lightweight on a normal day, but he knew that with all of his blood loss he was going to become truly wasted in a matter of minutes. Between him and Alastor, one of them probably should have attempted to remain sober. But, Lucifer had already made several poor decisions that night. What was one more? 

He floated the shaker aside, setting it next to the glass from his earlier cocktail and turned back to examine Alastor, carefully cupping his cheek so he could examine his face closer. 

Alastor immediately turned his nose into Lucifer’s wrist, skimming his breath over his skin as he hummed. Lucifer blushed, sliding his hand away from Alastor’s nose to tip the demon’s face up by the chin, studying the faraway look in his eyes. 

“Alastor, can you talk to me?” Lucifer hummed, deciding he really ought to attempt conversation before his own inebriation cut in. 

The Radio Demon tilted his head, considering Lucifer, blinking slowly. 

Well, it seemed the demon was at least capable of listening.

“How are you feeling?” Lucifer asked the demon quietly.

To Lucifer’s surprise, Alastor’s face slipped down into a pout and his eyes shimmered with tears. 

“Um-” Lucifer panicked. “Hey, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” he glanced down at Alastor’s lap, trying to see if he was hurting him somehow. 

The demon sniffed, big eyes wet and imploring as he spoke softly. “Are you really going to take my ‘gaters away?” 

Lucifer’s panic evaporated, replaced instead by a sudden rush of fondness that threatened to consume him. “What?” 

Alastor summoned a tentacle up to his face that wiped over his cheek, his own hands never leaving Lucifer’s waist where he still held firm. 

“You said you were going to take my bayou away.” Alastor’s lip wobbled. “But I haven’t named any of them yet. They’re so pretty,” his eyes blinked widely, “Almost as pretty as you . But you’re going to take them away.” 

“I’m not going to take the-” he tried to soothe Alastor, but Alastor shook his head wildly, standing up so suddenly that Lucifer had to wrap his legs around his waist with a shriek. “Alastor!” 

“Shh,” Alastor shook his head. “Let me show you, Lucifer, just how pretty they are. I’ll share with you, if I have to. But you can’t take them away!” 

Alastor began walking towards the portal, not setting Lucifer down.

“Alastor, I can walk-” 

“You’ll get dirty.” Alastor clicked his tongue. “You’re too perfect to be dirty.” 

Lucifer must be drunk already, he decided. There wasn’t really another explanation he could think of as to why he was suddenly imagining such pretty compliments from the other’s sinful lips. 

“But I-” 

“ Shh ,” Alastor said again, stepping over the threshold of the portal, a pair of boots summoning onto his feet mid step to protect his own cloven-feet from the mud of the swamp.

Lucifer tucked into Alastor’s chest, allowing himself to be carried like he weighed next to nothing, like he wasn’t a king and the man holding him didn’t hate him. 

The night air was peaceful, fireflies flickering all around them as Alastor crossed over the bridge, taking Lucifer into the heart of the swamp, by the gazebo Lucifer had spotted, green torchlight coming to life as they approached. 

Alastor carried Lucifer up to the table and set him down gently on a plush chair, standing back. “Stay here.” He ordered him, pressing a red claw directly in the center of Lucifer’s forehead and stepping away.

“Where are you going?” Lucifer noted that there was a slight slur to his voice now, and he blinked. He was almost out of sobriety it seemed. 

“To get my babies.” Alastor hummed. “They don’t bite me. They like me.” 

Lucifer didn’t have the heart to tell Alastor that they didn’t bite because Lucifer had tamed them. Somehow he was far more content to lay his head down on his arms and watch the Radio Demon scramble towards the water in his nightclothes, fully believing that the large reptiles there liked him.

Alastor blinked down at his wet boots and then back at the water he was standing in, trying to figure out just why he was there. One minute he was clicking his tongue and calling out meaningless words, and the next it was like he was waking up, wondering just what in the world he was up to. A glance towards the water showed that a small congregation of his alligators was swimming towards him. Had he been calling for them? He scrunched his face up in contemplation regarding why he would be doing such a thing.

The last thing he remembered clearly was knocking back the glass of Lucifer’s blood. 

His eyes widened again.

Had he actually fallen asleep? Had he sleep-walked to the water? Wasn’t Lucifer supposed to be watching him? What was- 

He looked around frantically, eyes falling on Lucifer’s relaxed form where the devil watched Alastor from the gazebo. Alastor’s eyes narrowed as he tried to process just how they had ended up outside. 

One of the alligators rubbed its side along Alastor’s leg eagerly, and Alastor couldn’t help but smile fondly. 

“Hello, Little one.” He whispered. 

“Al!” Lucifer called out, and Alastor turned hesitantly towards the voice. “Did they come?”

Alastor looked down at the alligators around him, puzzled. Was he fetching the alligators for Lucifer ? 

He supposed there was only one way to find out. He cleared his throat and began walking back towards the gazebo, heart skipping a beat as the alligators around him followed him towards the king who had created them. 

They were almost to the gazebo when Lucifer grinned, lifting his arms up. “Come get me.” Lucifer spoke excitedly. “I want to pet them.” 

Alastor stared at the king and the arms that were making a grabby motion towards him. “Why?” 

“Because!” Lucifer’s eyes were wide and imploring, and the slight slur in his voice told Alastor that the king was drunk. “You said they don’t bite.” 

“ Me .” Alastor snapped. “They don’t bite me. And why must I pick you up?” 

Lucifer frowned. “Because I’m too perfect to get dirty. Remember?” 

Alastor had no idea what the other was talking about but he grunted, moving forward despite his better judgment. It was better off for him if Lucifer didn’t track mud everywhere. “Fine.” 

Lucifer’s smile was positively resplendent as Alastor approached, allowing the other to climb onto his back. He truly could not fathom what he was doing. His mind felt almost buzzed, and the usual voice in his head telling him not to do things was gone, leaving instead this far-too-agreeable version of himself behind.

He carried Lucifer down the gazebo towards the ground where the alligators were laying out in various positions, and with a snap of his finger, Alastor summoned a large blanket, carefully setting Lucifer down atop it.

Lucifer immediately crawled to the edge and clicked his tongue towards the alligators, and the creatures nearby immediately turned, approaching Lucifer eagerly. 

Alastor’s mind filled with a sense of apprehension. The alligators had never bitten him, but would Lucifer be alright as well? 

He felt stupid for being worried a moment later when more than one alligator was bundled around Lucifer, the king of hell scratching the scales of their underbellies with soft little noises of contentment. 

Alastor’s heart flickered in his chest as he watched what might just be the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. 

Horrified at the thought, Alastor shook his head, attempting to force some sense into himself. What was his problem? What had Lucifer’s blood done to him? And why was Lucifer so drunk? 

“Say, Al?” Lucifer called out, and Alastor turned reluctantly to look at the king.

“What?” 

Lucifer grinned, crawling forward towards Alastor, where the demon had eventually sat down on the blanket as well. Alastor’s body immediately froze nervously, anxious about what the other was thinking. 

“If you think they are pretty,” Lucifer’s voice was a slurred purr, “And you think I’m pretty,” Alastor’s eyes widened. How did the other know that? What had he done to give that information away? Had the other read his mind again while he’d been blacked out? Had he wiped his memories? “What if I looked like them?” 

Alastor had so many questions he needed answers to, but the king’s question resonated in his mind. “What do you mean?” 

Lucifer’s smile was wide as he giggled, but that giggle slipped away on the wind as Lucifer’s shape shifted, a large albino alligator seamlessly taking form in front of Alastor.

Holy fuck , Alastor’s breath caught in his throat. 

Truly he had to be seeing things.

“You-” He couldn’t even speak. Unable to resist, Alastor stretched his hand out and carefully ran it along the top of Lucifer’s transformed head, scratching lightly. A soft little chuffing sound came from the devil’s form, and Alastor hesitated. Lucifer clearly had a problem with that hesitation, as his head bobbed up into his hand again, the rest of his reptilian form moving forward to rest against Alastor’s legs. 

Only thirty seconds passed like that before the rest of the alligators around them slowly moved forward, sidling up against Lucifer’s white body to lay down with him, tails curling over Alastor’s legs, one nose pushing up against Alastor’s free palm. And Alastor’s heart positively pounded with emotion. 

What was he feeling? 

What did the rushing sound in his ears mean? 

Why did he almost feel like crying, at the same time that he wanted to laugh? 

He looked down at his king, and the congregation of alligators sleeping against him, and a whisper slipped from his lips. 

“Please don’t take them away from me, Lucifer.” 

The albino crocodile opened his eyes again, head moving further up Alastor’s lap, scales catching on the fabric of Alastor’s robe. “I don’t intend to.” 

Alastor shook his head. “That’s not good enough, Lucifer. I need them. I need this place.” 

“I’m not going to-” 

“Please, Lucifer.” Alastor’s voice was broken, earnest. He didn’t remember consuming any alcohol, and he’d never really been drunk before, but he certainly felt out of his senses as he pleaded with the other. “I’ll give you anything in return.” Alastor promised. “Just- make another deal with me. Promise me.” 

There was a brief second of silence, one wherein Alastor held his breath. And then golden and red smoke was shining in Alastor’s lap, dislodging the other alligators as Lucifer returned to his normal form once more, carefully climbing up into Alastor’s lap.

His arms slipped around Alastor’s neck, and his bright eyes looked up at Alastor with something pure and open. “Anything?” 

Alastor’s stomach did an odd little flip, and suddenly everywhere Lucifer and he were touching seemed to burn. For the first time, perhaps ever, Alastor was not indifferent to the thought of more - or the possibilities of what more of another’s skin would feel like, of what could be felt and heard and tasted were he to give himself over to foreign desires - to Lucifer . 

“Anything.” Alastor vowed, with no trace of regret or doubt. 

Lucifer studied Alastor’s face, seemingly weighing how sincere Alastor was, and to Alastor’s relief, Lucifer hummed, a small smile in the corner of his lips. 

“Very well, Alastor. Let’s make a deal.” 

“You vow never to take my bayou away…” Alastor presented his terms, and Lucifer followed suit.

“And in return, you help me sleep.” 

Alastor’s mouth popped open in surprise. “You would trade that vow for sleep ?” 

Lucifer gave a slow nod, eyes burning with something resolved. “I want to sleep, Alastor. It’s been so long, and I’m so so tired.” 

Alastor scanned his eyes over Lucifer’s form, thinking about the night he had found Lucifer in the library, and the dark circles hidden beneath the king’s mask. He thought about every time he had found one of the residents asleep in public areas, and it hit him that never once had he seen Lucifer sleep - not even with his shadows. Not in his workshop, not on a couch, not on the rare occasions he'd had need to step into Lucifer’s quarters. He had thought Lucifer’s feelings had only plagued him that one night in the library. He had thought Lucifer’s thoughts were plaguing him that one time . 

“How long has it been?” Alastor asked, voice thick with a burning need to know. 

Lucifer sighed, deep in his chest, looking up towards the stars. “Long enough that I don’t even know.” The king answered honestly, staring up at the galaxies he had once helped form. “Years - decades, even.” 

Alastor’s heart rose in his chest and he reached out, cupping Lucifer’s cheek, turning his gaze back to Alastor’s. “I vow,” Alastor whispered, “To help you sleep for as long as you desire my aid.” 

Lucifer’s eyes widened, mouth open with surprise, like he hadn’t believed the other would agree to his terms. “You will?” 

“Yes.” Alastor brought his other hand up to Lucifer’s cheek. His desire to touch the other had come from nowhere, but it was a compulsion he did not have the mind to ignore. “My sanctuary, for your sleep.” 

Lucifer let out a shaky breath, eyes staring seemingly into Alastor’s soul and then he pushed closer, a whisper on his lips as those same lips acted on an impulse Lucifer seemed defenseless to resist. 

“It’s a deal.” Lucifer Morningstar, Devil King of Hell and Son of the Morning Star vowed, sealing his promise with a kiss.

The touch of his lips was light against Alastor's, but warm - warmer than anything Alastor could recall, and the scent of him filled him with a deep thirst he did not understand. There was a hint of alcohol mixed in with the taste of apples, a confirmation Alastor didn’t require that Lucifer was just as intoxicated as Alastor was. But he brushed aside the niggling concern in his mind in favor of pushing back a curl of Lucifer’s hair and kissing him in return. 

There was a push in his mind to take things deeper, to get carried away and lost in the other, but even if he was likely to give in to that call, the opportunity lost itself as Lucifer collapsed against Alastor’s chest, breathing deeply, completely and utterly asleep. 

Alastor blinked down at Lucifer, utterly stupefied as to how the other, who had apparently not slept in decades, had fallen asleep in an instant. The breaking of Lucifer’s kiss afforded Alastor the fading sight of the green and golden lights formed through their deal. 

Alastor slipped his arm beneath Lucifer’s legs, carefully cradling him as he pulled the pair of them into the shadows, both resurfacing on Alastor’s mattress where Alastor spelled away his wet boots and pushed down his bedding, tucking both himself and Lucifer into the sheets. 

Lucifer rolled into Alastor in his sleep, and Alastor allowed it, embracing the other protectively in his arms. 

His mind was cloudy, and his chest was pounding with odd feelings he couldn’t name. But somehow, as Lucifer’s scent filled Alastor’s room, as the sound of his gentle breathing drifted through the air like a melody. Alastor’s own breathing shifted, unconsciously harmonizing with Lucifers - and the gentle sound proved the final draw to his own exhaustion, sleep claiming him with a final, unfinished thought. 

Lucifer Morningstar might just be someone I could l-

Chapter Text

Lucifer’s consciousness arrived in as contradictory a way as everything else in his life. His body and memories reacted slowly to his awakening, but his mind was instantly on guard. Because as much as his instincts were taking his return to awareness lethargically, his mind was on full alert - searching for whatever dark sorcery had made it possible for Lucifer to have been asleep in the first place. And the memories that were hovering just out of reach were too slow to catch up to him. 

So he had to rely on his senses, breathing in the warm scent of wherever he was, latching onto the familiar notes that denoted he was somewhere the Radio Demon had been recently. His hand fumbled over the surface beneath him, grasping around warm, plush bedding. So he knew he was in a bed. His eyes finally opened, searching through the almost purple sheen of night to look around at the dark wood of the room and its rustic decor. 

Lucifer was in Alastor’s room; Lucifer had been asleep in Alastor’s bed. 

Lucifer attempted to sit up, his body responding in an almost delayed manner as he did so - causing the motion of it all to take far longer than he was used to. Carefully, he scooted back against the pillows, leaning against the headboard as he tried to make sense of what was happening. 

A green fire was crackling across the room, filling the air with a comfortable warmth. A glance towards the portal wall showed him that the bayou was still covered in the darkness of night. Which surprised him. He felt far more rested than only an hour or two of sleep could have afforded him. He stretched his arms out, yawning. 

Alastor was nowhere to be seen, and the door to the bathroom was wide open, indicating that it held no occupant. 

“Alastor?” Lucifer called out, voice cracking dryly from disuse. 

Just what had happened since he had fed Alastor? 

Fuzzy memories flooded his mind, and he could distantly make out images of drinking, followed by a gazebo outside, but his thoughts could not think further past that. The drinking he recalled certainly would help explain some of his headache and the lack of clarity to his thoughts. 

Lucifer swallowed around his dry throat once more, wishing he had something to drink. He could summon his own glass, if he wanted, but the thought of attempting to conjure anything right now felt like it would take far more energy than it was worth. 

So he tried calling out again. “Alastor?” 

The deer demon still didn’t appear, and Lucifer felt a spark of worry. Had the other gotten into some sort of trouble since Lucifer’s memories grew hazy? Was Lucifer able to sleep in the other’s bed because he was incapacitated somewhere? Lucifer certainly wasn’t the most selfless person out there, but abandoning the other to a cruel fate and stealing his bed seemed pretty low, even for an inebriated state. 

A small rippling of motion in the far corner of the room caught Lucifer’s eye and sat up a little taller. 

“Alastor? Is that you?”

It wasn’t. But it was Alastor’s shadow. The creature inched forward just a little, and Lucifer breathed out in relief. 

“Oh. It’s you!” He gave the creature a big smile. “Come here?” 

The shadow creature immediately shook its head, a frantic sort of panic in its eyes, before it disappeared entirely.

“Wait-” Lucifer tried to call out and stop it, but it was no use. The thing was gone. 

Lucifer sighed again, crossing his legs beneath the blankets to ponder just what he ought to do. He still didn’t feel up to moving, perhaps the lethargy of being entirely drained of blood - probably three times over at least, with how much he could recall having to replenish as Alastor drank - had left him weaker than he would have expected, and the alcohol wouldn’t have helped. 

A rippling motion and clattering sound at the portal to the bayou drew his attention, interrupting his indecision. Though what he saw there only served to greatly increase his confusion. 

“Um-” He blinked down, utterly perplexed, as two very small creatures  bustled across the floor towards the bed. 

Lucifer felt a spark of apprehension fill him as the foreign little things approached. Were they there to serve some dark purpose? They certainly seemed to be one with the shadows. Had they been sent by Alastor? Did the other know Lucifer was in the demon’s bed? Was he about to be rudely kicked out? 

Lucifer braced himself, ready to fight back if they tried anything threatening, but then the scent of rich coffee and bacon made their way into his senses. 

What ? 

The two creatures reached the side of the bed, and Lucifer got a better look at them. They appeared to be some sort of shadow puppets, the stitching over their bodies immediately reminding Lucifer of voodoo dolls. And they were each certainly very distinct from the other. The one who reached his side first had two long horns stretching up from the top of her head, horns that began angling inwards slightly the higher they went. Her left eye was wide and round, and her right was covered by a large X. The little puppet reached a small hand up, and Lucifer’s eyes were drawn towards the large mug in her hand, where hot steam rose up from what appeared to be mouthwatering coffee. 

The second little creature was slower than the other, his legs much smaller and thicker. His horns were a lot shorter than the first’s, shorter and much simpler, but decorating the creature's chest, amidst all of the stitching lines, was an almost comically large bowtie. When the creature reached Lucifer’s side, he gave Lucifer a very large, very wide smile - like he couldn’t be more proud of himself, as he lifted a large plate high up in the air, displaying for Lucifer a plate of perfectly cooked eggs and bacon in the shape of a smiling face.

Lucifer’s stomach grumbled, but he looked between the two of them, completely confused.

“Um-” He spoke softly. “What’s going on?” 

“I should think that would be rather obvious.” 

Lucifer’s eyes snapped up to the archway of the large portal, staring as the shadows dissipated around Alastor. The other’s expression was much calmer than Lucifer expected, seeing as how Lucifer had stolen his bed. But it was also full of mirth. “They brought you breakfast.”

Lucifer couldn’t think of anything to say, simply staring at Alastor utterly perplexed as Lucifer took the mug of coffee from the rather insistent creature by the bed. A light blush dusted over his cheeks as he watched Alastor take a light sip from a mug in his own hand, smirking at Lucifer.

Lucifer’s eyes glanced lightly towards the second creature as he began awkwardly clambering onto the bed. His small legs and very full hands made the task rather difficult, especially as he had chosen to climb up at a location that meant he would also have to scramble over Lucifer’s lap. His little feet kicked behind him, and one hand came off of the plate to grope at Lucifer’s leg, searching for some sort of anchor to aid him in the process of pulling himself up. 

Lucifer, on instinct, began to reach one hand out to help, but he stopped when he caught sight of the determined expression on the little guy’s face. So, Lucifer held himself back and allowed the creature to do it himself. He couldn’t help but admire the little guy, and thousands of years living with a fascination of onomatology slipped a name into Lucifer’s mind: James - ‘holder of the heel’. The little thing might not be holding a heel, exactly, but his determined grip on Lucifer’s leg cemented the idea in Lucifer’s mind and it took root. 

Lucifer held the mug of coffee in both hands and turned his attention back to Alastor where the other was still sipping at his coffee. 

“Seriously, Alastor. What is this?” 

“Why it’s breakfast , My dear. Surely you’re familiar with the concept?”

Lucifer gave a small huff, taking a sip of his coffee and glancing outside. “I don’t really see how it can be breakfast in the middle of the night.” Even with how dark the trees were beyond the portal, Lucifer still could make out the sight of a distinct shadow moving. Why was Alastor’s shadow hiding outside? 

His internal question was pushed aside as James finally finished his ascent onto Lucifer’s lap, hopping up on his thick stitched legs and placing his hands on his hips with triumph, beaming up at Lucifer. 

Lucifer gave the odd little thing a small smile that sent an impossible blush over James’ stitched cheeks. 

“This is the first meal you are eating following your awakening.” Alastor stated blandly. “Therefore, it is breakfast.” 

Lucifer rolled his eyes, watching as James moved around Lucifer’s legs to plop down at his side, tucking his little feet under the blankets and looking up at Lucifer with wide excitement, gesturing to the plate of food. 

Lucifer picked up the silverware there and began breaking apart the fried egg on the plate. “Typically breakfast doesn’t count if one has only gotten a few hours of sleep.” He began lifting the food to his mouth, bending over awkwardly to try and lean above the plate, not wanting to let go of his coffee mug. 

Alastor scoffed. “I hardly think twenty-seven hours can be classified as a ‘few’, Lucifer.” 

Lucifer’s head snapped up to look at Alastor, blinking in shock. “What?” 

“You heard me.” Alastor rolled his eyes. “You’ve been asleep for just over twenty-seven hours.” 

The silverware clattered back onto the plate, and Lucifer straightened. “Bullshit.” 

Alastor sighed, exasperated. “Be careful with your food, Lucifer.” He paused, taking a sip of his coffee, before lowering it once more and smirking. “Niffty is a great cook.” 

There was a motion of shadows rising next to Alastor and two more shadow dolls materialized at Alastor’s side. 

The first to ripple into existence had what looked to be four horns. Well, three and a half. Of the creature’s two main horns, the right one was severed halfway up and very jagged. But on either side of the creature's head, stretching up and out as if they were an elf’s ears, were two more horns. If the creature’s shattered horn was somewhat off putting, the creature's face was even more disconcerting. Instead of having an even pair of eyes alone, a third eye rested above the being’s right eye, tilted at an odd angle, like the patchwork stitching down its face had added it in as an afterthought. The creature still flickered with shadows, ones almost like flames that pushed up its shoulders not entirely unlike the gothic era’s architecture. The creature began walking forward immediately, holding two objects Lucifer couldn’t quite make out in the lingering darkness of the room. 

The second of the new puppets to appear was perhaps the tallest of the four, but he was also the most portly. A very large jug was held in his hand, from which Lucifer could tell more steaming coffee was held. If the first of this new puppet group possessed gothic-like shadows on its shoulders, this second one’s shoulders were clad in gothic spaulders that stretched upwards like great wisps of armor. But for all that the creature could have appeared intimidating, the image was dispelled entirely by the carefully crafted heart stitched upon his stomach, and the goofy way his tongue lolled out of his mouth, all four of his eyes trained on the pot in his hands - clearly tempted to tip it back and slurp up the coffee for himself.

Lucifer’s observation of the new arrivals, and his consideration of Alastor’s words were shoved aside as James bristled at his side, reaching over for the plate and dragging it onto his own, smaller lap. Lucifer blinked down at him, thinking the little guy’s ascension must have truly exhausted him if he was willing to risk Alastor’s wrath to eat the food Niffty had prepared. Except, James didn’t pull food onto the silverware for himself. No, he carefully scooped the bite Lucifer had already prepared back onto the utensil and then lifted it up in the air, sending Lucifer an incredibly expectant look, poking at the corner of Lucifer’s mouth.

Lucifer blinked, taking in once more that expression of pride on James’ face, the one that gave off the appearance that he had made the food himself. A tug on Lucifer’s sleeve drew his eyes down towards the first puppet that had entered who was gesturing for Lucifer to take a drink of the coffee. The third puppet had finally drawn close enough for Lucifer to see what it was holding, and Lucifer’s eyes narrowed as he registered that it was holding a glass of water and pills.

Lucifer’s narrowed gaze lifted up to Alastor. Niffty wouldn’t have known that Lucifer was going to wake up with a headache. But Alastor would have. James poked at Lucifer’s cheek again, and Lucifer could smell the rich spices on the eggs. Niffty was a great cook. But the spices on the eggs? Those screamed creole. 

Alastor’s shadow once more was visible on the other side of the portal, and Lucifer could see the way it was observing, clearly from a distance, worry on its shaded face, and that expression provided Lucifer all he needed to come to a firm conclusion. 

“Niffty did not cook this for you.” 

Fuck . Alastor flipped around, back going straight. Fuck fuck fuck . 

How did Lucifer know?

Alastor thought he had been doing a good job hiding the fact that he had cooked for the king. He’d been positive the truth wouldn’t rear its head. “Well, no .” Alastor kept his back straight, glancing to his right where he saw one of his blasted dolls licking into the coffee jug. He glared at it furiously, and it immediately lowered the jug, eyes looking away nervously. “Niffty cooked for you .” 

“Uh- huh .” Lucifer intoned flatly, and Alastor could hear the sound of chewing, signifying that Lucifer had finally accepted the food from Alastor’s minion. “And pray tell-” He finished chewing. “What is Niffty doing up in the middle of the night?”

Alastor waved his hand, moving over to sit on his couch, keeping his back turned. “Oh, who knows? Perhaps she was on a bug hunt.” 

“Mhm.” Lucifer took a moment to drink some of his coffee, and Alastor followed suit, sipping his own. Unfortunately, it seemed Lucifer was not intending to drop it. “And tell me, Alastor. When did Niffty start using so many creole spices in her eggs?” 

Fuck . 

“If you are implying that I cooked for you, Lucifer, you must know. I would never make such a simple meal.” 

But of course, Alastor had. He had made the meal, and the only reason it was simple, was because it was safe . He knew Lucifer loved pancakes, but that was the extent of the other’s breakfast preferences. He hadn’t paid much attention otherwise. But he had no idea if Lucifer would want his typical sugary concoctions coming off a hangover. So, Alastor had played it safe. And in doing so, apparently, he had been caught. 

“Am I to believe then that Niffty also prepared the coffee?” Lucifer sipped the liquid in question. “Or have you given me enough of your perfect coffee in the past that you aren’t ashamed of the kindness in that act?” 

Alastor’s head whipped around. “I am not ashamed of anything.” 

Lucifer raised a brow, and Alastor took in the way that the plate of food was back on his own lap, utensil currently settled on the plate so that Lucifer’s left hand could remain free as he petted over the top of Alastor’s puppet’s head , directly between the horns. The creature there looked rather flustered and pleased with itself, cheeks as red as the bowtie on its chest. 

Alastor clenched his jaw angrily, hating the smug expression in Lucifer's eyes.

What was it with his creations and their habits of pampering Lucifer? 

He had forbidden his shadow from getting within ten feet of Lucifer for this very reason! But here another of his creatures was sat, gaining the covetous attention of Lucifer. Not that Alastor coveted such blatant affection. Of course not. He was beyond that. 

“Are you alright over there?” Lucifer removed his hand from the creature's head, to pick up the strip of bacon, the satisfying crunch of it sounding from across the room. A small little hum of satisfaction slipped past his lips, and Alastor hated the way his ears twitched with excitement that the other enjoyed his food. 

“I am perfectly fine.” Alastor said, jaw tight. “I am merely tired.” 

Lucifer cleared his throat, looking awkwardly to the side. “Did I keep you from sleeping?” 

Alastor raised his brow, chuckling. “No. I got plenty of sleep.” 

Lucifer pushed the last few bites of eggs around on his plate, yawning. Alastor studied that yawn, perplexed. “Are you still tired?” 

Lucifer froze, eyes flicking up to Alastor with a guilty expression. “It’s just been a long time.” 

“Yes.” Alastor hummed. “I believe you said decades, no?” 

Lucifer spluttered. “I told you that?” 

Alastor tilted his head, something occurring to him that he should have considered sooner. “Do you….not remember?” 

Lucifer took what appeared to be the last bite on his plate, setting the utensil down and then scratching at the back of his neck. “It all gets a bit fuzzy around when we left the couch.” His face scrunched up, clearly attempting to piece more thoughts together. “I think I remember a little about-” his eyes widened, clearly remembering something, and Alastor wished he possessed the ability to look into minds so that he could know which part of the night had put such a delicate blush on Lucifer’s cheeks. 

“About what?”

Lucifer cleared his throat. “You wanted to show me the alligators. That’s why we went outside.” He hummed lightly, “But I truly don’t remember anything after we made it to the gazebo. How did I end up here?” 

Alastor stood up and moved towards the bed, glaring at the small minion tucked into Lucifer’s side. His glare did not have the desired effect of making the creature move. Instead the little thing nuzzled into Lucifer’s side, seeking his protection. Alastor’s jaw clenched tighter. At least the other three miscreants had had the good sense to stay back. Though Alastor noted most of the coffee in the jug was gone. Clearly the one holding it had not been warned away from drinking it harshly enough. 

Alastor clenched his fist and turned back to Lucifer. “I carried you.” 

Lucifer’s jaw dropped. “Seriously?” 

Alastor sighed. “Yes, Lucifer. I carried you to bed, tucked you in and then we slept.” 

“But- we ?” Lucifer stuttered.  “ Together ? Why?” 

Alastor looked down at the angel in his bed and the demonic shadows all around him, snapping his finger. Instantly one of the ones on the floor moved over to grab the plate from off of Lucifer’s lap, placing Lucifer’s empty coffee mug on it as well and stepping back. The one with the pills stepped closer in its absence, pressing the glass of water into Lucifer’s hand, fumbling with the packet of pills. Alastor waved his fingers and a tendril of shadow pulled it from the minion over to Alastor’s waiting claws where he sliced through and held the pills out for Lucifer to take. 

Before Lucifer could take them, the minion on the bed reached for them quickly, scrambling over to try feeding them directly to Lucifer. Lucifer recoiled slightly as the pills were shoved past his lips, but he still drank them down quickly, lowering the empty glass once more. 

The last job of the minions completed, Alastor signaled them away and the three on the floor melted into the shadows, instantly obedient. But the one on the bed stayed at Lucifer’s side. Alastor glared at it, annoyed when it was once more unintimidated. 

With a growl, Alastor moved forward, grabbing the shadow doll by the back of its bowtie, lifting it in the air. 

Lucifer gasped, surging forward to wrap his arms around the creature’s waist and tug it back against him, cuddling it against his cheek. “Be nice to James!” 

Alastor gaped at him in shock. “Who the fuck is James?” 

Lucifer snuggled up to the creature. “This little guy! You’re already so mean to your shadow. You can’t be mean to James too !” 

Alastor pinched at his nose, utterly flummoxed. “I- Lucifer, what the fuck ?” 

“I’ll take him from you.” Lucifer glared. “He’s too sweet for your grumpiness.” 

“Then I’ll just fuse him to the bayou .” Alastor snarled. “And then you won’t be able to!” 

Lucifer suddenly crawled up on his knees, holding a far too-smug-looking shadow against his shoulder, glaring at Alastor. “I can dismantle whatever I wan-” 

Alastor felt smug satisfaction spread across his face as he cut the other off. “Except you can’t .” Alastor laughed, mirthlessly. “Because we made a deal. ” 

Lucifer rolled his eyes. “This little guy has nothing to do with healing-” 

“A second deal.” 

Lucifer’s eyes widened, jaw popping open. His hands dropped to his lap, and James scrambled up his shoulders to wrap around the back of his head, sticking his tongue out at Alastor. 

“That’s it.” Alastor snapped, his demon form erupting, tentacles surging out to grab hold of the shadow puppet and pull him down into the eldritch void where it lived. 

“Hey!” Lucifer protested, trying to grab hold of James , but Alastor stepped between them. “Bring him back!” 

“No.” Alastor shook his head.

“What are you going to do to him?” Lucifer looked worried and Alastor’s eye twitched. 

“I’m not going to do anything to it.” He clicked his tongue. “I am much too tired for this.” 

He was tired. He might have slept soundly with Lucifer next to him, but he hadn’t been unconscious for more than a regular night’s rest, and following his awakening, he had left his rooms to see to his business about the hotel and provide Lucifer with a cover story. He’d returned to Lucifer’s side in the evening, his shadow having kept watch - albeit from a great distance - during the hours he was gone, and after a few more hours reading next to Lucifer, Alastor had been able to sense a restlessness in the other’s breathing that signaled to him that consciousness was not far off. Which is when he’d gone to prepare food for the other. But the hour was late, and Alastor wished to retire once more. 

“I don’t believe you.” Lucifer folded his arms, pouting.

“I am a pinnacle of honest-” 

“Then who cooked for me.” Lucifer glared.

Alastor walked himself directly into that one. 

He gritted his teeth. “Immaterial.” 

“On the contrary .” Lucifer shook his head, speaking once more - purposeful. “Who cooked for me?”

Alastor snapped his finger, removing his robe and baring his sleeping clothes, pushing Lucifer aside to crawl into his bed. “ Nobody .” 

“Oh, so the food was immaculately conceived?” Lucifer rolled his eyes, tugging the blankets away from Alastor, clearly hoping to annoy him. 

Alastor grabbed hold and tugged them back, kicking his leg beneath Lucifer’s knees, and even though there was a blanket between them, the motion still toppled Lucifer over, where he plopped against Alastor’s chest. He placed his hand on Alastor’s shoulder and tried to lean back, but Alastor tossed an arm around Lucifer’s waist and tugged him against his body.

All at once Lucifer went absolutely still, conversation forgotten. 

“What are you doing?” Lucifer’s breath seemed trapped in his throat. 

Alastor vanished away his monocle and began playing his radio across the room.

“Keeping my end of the deal.” Alastor closed his eyes, attempting to stay calm.

“What deal ?” Lucifer spluttered. “Al, what did we agree on?” 

“You won’t take my bayou away,” Alastor yawned sleepily, “And I will help you sleep.” 

Even with his eyes closed, he could feel Lucifer’s gaze on him. “But I just woke up.” 

“If you don’t want to sleep,” Alastor dropped his arm from Lucifer’s waist and shrugged. “Then go.”

To Alastor’s very confused pleasure, Lucifer didn’t leave. Instead, he let out a single shaky breath and moved to the top of the blankets, carefully slipping beneath them to lay next to Alastor. 

Alastor hummed lightly, glad that the rest of their night was settled and decided upon.

Lucifer rolled over onto his side; Alastor felt the way the mattress moved. He could feel the other’s eyes on him once more, and Alastor braced himself for the reality that Lucifer was not done asking questions.

Surely enough, after a handful of moments, Lucifer whispered once more. “How did I fall asleep?” 

Alastor tensed, recalling the exact moment the other had collapsed against him, breaking their kiss. “We made our deal, and you fell asleep.” 

“What, just like that?” Lucifer scoffed, and Alastor opened his eyes to glare at the other, freezing when he realized that the other’s face was far closer than he had realized. 

“I-” Alastor cleared his throat. “We sealed it, and you fell asleep, yes.” 

His eyes flickered down to Lucifer’s lips, and he swallowed.

Lucifer seemed to notice the motion and he gasped lightly. “How did we seal the deal?” Alastor turned his head away, attempting to roll over, but Lucifer caught his cheek and turned him back. “Alastor?” 

Alastor sighed, resigned to his fate. “Shall I remind you?” 

Lucifer’s blush was visible even in the dark as his golden blood rose to the surface, painting his cheeks with a soft glow beneath the rosy heat of his skin. He gave a small nod. “Yes.” 

Alastor gave a soft hum and then reached out, cupping Lucifer’s cheek, having to move his arm around Lucifer’s to make the connection. They each rested there for a soft moment, hands on the others’ cheek, feeling the warmth of their skin. But after a moment, Alastor closed the distance between them and kissed the devil. 

It was a chaste kiss, a quick one. But it was enough that, when Alastor pulled away, he could see Lucifer’s blush had grown even deeper, and his eyes had closed, eyelashes fluttering back open to stare at Alastor. 

For a long moment, Lucifer debated saying something, and eventually, they finally slipped past his lips, decision made. “I slept through my anniversary.” 

Alastor was genuinely surprised by the information.

“Does that make you sad?”

Lucifer shook his head slowly, a soft smile curling against his mouth. “No.”

There was a secret in Lucifer’s smile, one that Alastor knew, if he had the courage to ask, Lucifer would tell him. But Alastor didn’t need to know - not then. He didn’t think he could handle it. Having Lucifer against him was a hard enough delight to swallow, and ultimately, he knew they had time. Time for whatever it was that was lingering in the space between them.

Alastor let his hand drop, curling it in front of his own chest, relaxing it on the pillow. “Goodnight, Lucifer.” 

Lucifer’s eyes were gentle as he hummed, moving his hand up into Alastor’s hair, surprising Alastor entirely as he caressed lightly, directly between Alastor’s antlers, petting him just as he had James. There was a knowing glint in his eyes as he took in Alastor’s contented expression, and he chuckled, pulling his hand back and resting it an inch away from Alastor’s on the bed. 

“Goodnight, Alastor.” 

Holding his breath, and summoning his courage, Alastor slid his hand forward the final inches between them and interlocked his pinky with Lucifer’s, closing his eyes tight so he wouldn’t have to see the other’s face. But the hitch to Lucifer’s breathing was enough of an indication as to how he was affected, and Alastor was glad he didn’t have to see it on his face too. 

He took one final steadying breath, and let himself relax into his bed - soft jazz pulling at his senses, lulling him towards sleep. And as the last of his consciousness was drained from his mind by the darkness of the night, Alastor whispered within his mind, one final thought. 

Goodnight, Mon Ange .

Chapter Text

The Ars Goetia Annual Moonlight Masquerade used to be both Lucifer's favorite and least favorite political event in Hell.

There were aspects of it that he greatly enjoyed - the dancing, performances, and chance to reconnect with those amidst the nobility of hell that he liked. But there were also aspects he greatly disliked - the fake smiles, mind games and the vast majority of the nobility who were always after something. 

Lucifer blinked as his feet landed on the top steps of Pandemonium, heart of the Demon Court, listening to the sounds of music from within the large building. His thoughts were more scattered than usual as he looked down at his body, taking in the elaborate gold and white suit he wore and feeling the slightly itchy edges of a mask on his face. 

The ball. He was there for the ball.

Lucifer cleared his throat and straightened his back, moving into the building and down the corridors towards the courtroom he knew would be enchanted into a ballroom. All eyes were on him as he moved, but he kept his gaze forward, not interested in observing the fake expressions on blurry faces as he walked by. 

He’d seen the expressions a million times over the last several thousand years; they were nothing new. Luckily for Lucifer, however, over those thousands of years, his presence at the event had grown into something far more cursory, into a mere formality that Lucifer could be free of if he simply played nice until the demonic hour passed, at which point he could slip away and return home to the palace.

Lucifer's steps halted and he frowned. Something about that thought felt wrong, but he could not put his finger on exactly which part that was. And the more he thought about it, the more frustrated he grew from the lack of clarity. With a brisk nod, Lucifer forced his feet into motion once more and crossed the final threshold into the grand center of tonight's festivity.

The enchanted ballroom was absolutely breathtaking, though that wasn’t much of a surprise. It always was. Firelights floated above the crowd, flickering with dozens of colors and shades, almost like constellations in the night sky. And the demons mingling around the room stood no less impressive, their ornate decorations and lavish outfits filling the room with a regal air.

But nobody was dancing yet, which was no surprise to Lucifer. Nobody would have dared take to the floor before Lucifer arrived. The masquerade might have grown to be known by its current name, but once, a long time ago, it was known as the King and Queen’s ball, and the tradition of opening the floor with a dance from Lucifer and Lilith had not faded with time. 

The thought of Lilith drew Lucifer’s gaze across the room towards the dais that held his throne, and once more a feeling of unease and wrongness fell over Lucifer’s mind - this time as his eyes settled upon the second throne seated next to his - Lilith’s throne. 

Lucifer shook the discomfort of his mind aside and crossed the room, climbing the steps of the dais to approach his throne. As soon as Lucifer was on the platform, a tall figure moved from behind the thrones, and Lucifer’s calm slipped away as he took in the pair of light violet eyes that stared at him with poorly concealed impatience. 

“Lucifer.” Lilith’s voice sang through the air. 

Hell’s queen clearly was attempting to appear graceful, but the smile on her face made Lucifer want to groan. Was even his wife intending on acting fake that evening? 

“Lilith.” Lucifer kept his tone calm, despite his frustrations, and held his hand out for her to take, guiding her towards her seat. But as he did so, Lucifer couldn’t help but internally recoil. Every feeling of discomfort that he had experienced since entering the building seemed stronger the moment their skin touched. Something was very wrong. 

As soon as they were seated, Lilith removed her hand from Lucifer’s, and the smile on her face grew even faker as she whispered harshly beneath her breath. 

“Why were you late?”

Lucifer opened his mouth to answer, sure that he had a reason. But his jaw snapped shut, and his brow furrowed as he realized that he could not recall what he had been doing before he arrived. He concentrated hard, attempting to recall what he had been doing, but the best he could manage was a collection of scattered images, the clearest of which was a swamp, but seeing as how there were no swamps of that sort in Hell, Lucifer was only further at a loss for answers. 

So, Lucifer simply shrugged instead, not bothering with the same fake smile everyone expected of him, allowing his authentic boredom to settle forth instead. 

“A bit of this and that.” He answered vaguely, before extending an olive branch. “I apologize for the delay, however.”

“If ‘this and that’ consisted of ducks,” Lilith's voice was tight. “So help me, Lucifer-”

Lilith’s frustrations regarding his hobbies was not a new thing; Lucifer had been hearing about them for a long time. But never before could Lucifer recall feeling such an immediate surge of anger rise up in him in response to his queen. 

Lucifer’s eyes widened, horrified by the visceral reaction within himself and stood up suddenly. “I am in need of a refreshment.” He needed to refresh - needed to calm himself down.

“Wait-” Lilith hissed, reaching out to grip around his arm, eyes flashing angrily. “The dance is starting soon.” 

“And I will be there.” Lucifer promised her, dislodging his arm from within her grasp. “But I need a drink first.” 

Lilith tried to protest once more, but as soon as Lucifer made it clear he was not going to relent, she dropped her rejections of the idea, putting upon herself instead an air of calm. Lucifer ignored her and every other eye on him as he began to cross the room in search of a drink. 

Lucifer blinked. 

His hand felt cool, and he looked down to inspect why that was, surprised when doing so afforded him the sight of a crystal flute between his fingers, filled near to the brim with glistening yellow liquid. 

What -

Lucifer’s brow furrowed. Was his teleportation power acting up tonight? There had been times in the past, when he had drunk too much or been otherwise inebriated, when he would find himself teleporting all sorts of places without proper forethought. Perhaps he had been drinking before his arrival? That would certainly explain his scattered thoughts and inability to recall what he had been doing prior to then.

Frowning, Lucifer swirled the glass in his hands, watching the way that light glistened upon the surface of his drink before he began to lift the object, intent on taking a sip.

Before he could bring it against his lips, however, a hand was snapping into his view and wrapping around his wrist in a surprisingly firm grip.

Lucifer’s gaze narrowed in on the red claws fastened around his skin, attempting to make sense of the very confused way this new touch felt right when so much about this night felt wrong. 

He shook off the feeling, throat filling with command. “Let go .” 

It was a good thing he spoke before he looked up, seeing as how the moment his eyes began tracing over the form of this audacious demon, who had broken all protocol to touch Lucifer, his mouth went dry. 

The demon was imposing, and his choice of fashion only solidified that fact. Despite the elegance of the blood red cloth draped over his body, the demon before Lucifer was clad in one of the most eerie masks he had ever seen. Lucifer could not tell if the mask was the skull of an animal itself or if it had merely been carved from bone, but in either case, it sat around the demon’s eyes, stretching upward and fusing into a set of long, dark antlers that stretched out atop the demon’s head. Below the mask and the long nose it rested upon, a wide, uncanny smile split across the demon’s face, but the congeniality in the demon’s mouth did not match the intensity of the gleam within the demon’s ruby eyes.

“I wouldn't drink that if I were you.” The demon’s voice cut through Lucifer’s appraisal, warning Lucifer in lieu of obeying him. His voice might have been formal and bright, but even so it carried with it the heavy weight of something sultry, something seductive. 

Something about that voice resonated within Lucifer as being familiar, in fact, contrary to the rest of the night, this particular interaction was flooding Lucifer’s mind with a feeling of Deja Vu. 

“Why not?” Lucifer found his voice, engaging in conversation with the demon, despite knowing he should cut things off.

The demon’s teeth seemed even sharper as his smile grew wider.

“It's poisoned.”

The demon’s grip shifted suddenly on Lucifer’s wrist, sliding up the back of Lucifer’s forearm to cup his elbow, applying pressure there to push Lucifer’s arm closer to the demon’s chest, before he reached out with his other red-tipped claws to pull the so-called ‘poisoned’ flute from Lucifer’s hand. 

Lucifer knew he should have pulled away the moment the demon increased the contact between them. There were already sure to be dozens of eyes watching this exchange from around the room, but Lucifer found himself completely tongue-tied and without a wish to move away.

“Poison will not harm me.” He whispered quietly, voice somehow void of his typical pride, settled instead upon a simple sincerity founded in fact. 

 “Perhaps not.” The demon chuckled, holding the glass away from Lucifer’s reach, inspecting it in the light. “But I cannot in good conscience allow my king to consume anything less than what he deserves.” 

Lucifer felt a blush rising on his cheeks as the demon winked at him from behind his mask. There was something about the way he spoke, the accent and odd filtered sound behind it that drew Lucifer into a realization. “You aren’t Hellborn.” 

“Correct.” The demon grinned down at him. “I am not. The name is-” 

“Lucifer.” 

Lucifer startled in the demon’s arms, not having processed until that moment that he was still within the demon’s odd hold.

Cheeks positively blazing crimson, Lucifer pulled away from the demon and walked towards his wife, apprehensive at the furious expression he found there. 

“It is time for our dance.” Lilith managed to keep her tone even, even if her murderous intent was clear in the glare that she directed towards the overlord who had dared touch her husband.

But as Lucifer turned around to peek at the demon’s reaction, curiosity only filled him further. Because the demon was not even slightly phased by Lilith’s obvious animosity. His eyes weren’t even settled upon her. Instead, they were trained upon Lucifer, watching him intently as he twirled his clawed fingers, guiding the properties within Lucifer’s drink to split apart. With a small smirk, the demon extracted a small stream of clear liquid from the top of the glass, dripping it onto a blood red handkerchief that he tucked away before lifting the now purified glass to his smiling lips to drink purposefully. 

Lucifer had to drag his eyes away from the sight and back over to his wife. He cleared his throat, holding out his hand. “Shall we?”

Lilith was not happy, but she took his hand, her grip bruisingly tight, letting Lucifer guide her to the dance floor where they took up their positions, waiting for the music to begin. 

A moment later, the orchestra seated along one side of the hall began playing, and Lucifer led Lilith into the first steps of a traditional waltz, doing his best, as always, to guide her how she wanted to be led.

Immediately, Lilith twirled around in Lucifer’s arms and from the location she stepped, plantlife grew out of the ground, a copy of herself growing as if from within the floor itself, twisting upwards like a creeping vine. Lucifer led the dance around Lilith’s creation as it lifted its hands to the ceiling and began singing - the composition of the waltz one of Lilith’s own.

The tone of the singing was somewhat operatic, and it swelled across the room in the siren song that Lucifer’s queen was known for, enchanting the attention of everyone present. Lilith bloomed beneath that attention, and Lucifer became no more than an accessory as Lilith soaked up the loyalty of the demon court.

Lucifer had never minded creating a space for Lilith to present herself before, but as he watched the way that Lilith didn’t even look at him this time, the way that she spun away from him - always expecting him to chase her, and the way that she treated him like a doll, Lucifer’s enthusiasm for the dance diminished, crushed beneath the vapid ostentation of Lilith’s performance. 

Why was Lucifer even there? 

There was a time when Lilith’s gaze would have been trained upon him and him alone, when the closeness of their bodies would have spoken of the other intimacies they shared, when Lucifer could have been a partner in the dance - the pair of them in perfect synchronization. But now, watching Lilith preen for the crowd, Lucifer wondered why Lilith wasn’t simply dancing a solo - a one-woman-ballet. 

Lucifer started to feel a tightness in his chest, and he looked down towards the floor, wishing he could sink into it. He wanted to flee from the coldness of this place and his empty relationship. He wanted to disappear. 

But he had made a vow. Lucifer had promised to love this woman before him with the entirety of his soul, and Lucifer would never be the one to abandon his commitments - never again, not when he knew what falling felt like. 

And so he remained, despite the panic and claustrophobia sweeping in all around him, Lucifer remained, twirling Lilith out once more, spinning her on display for the crowd, lightly maintaining his grip on her hands. Lucifer’s eyes moved down the path of his arm and studied the single place he was connected to Lilith, and he gasped.

His feet stuttered to a halt, eyes tracing over the sight of his empty finger. 

Lucifer dropped Lilith’s hand, holding his own up to the ceiling, studying the tips of his blackened fingers as they caught no light, his skin bare of the golden band that had rested around it for thousands of years. 

Lilith’s gaze was harsh as she registered Lucifer’s lack of motion, and Lucifer looked up to see her glaring at him with an annoyance so clear and so familiar that Lucifer could only wonder how he had never let himself process its meaning before. Memories were suddenly flickering into his awareness, memories of her walking away - of Lilith abandoning the dance that was their commitment, and leaving him behind.

“ Lucifer .” Lilith whispered harshly, but Lucifer could not understand the words she went on to say as the sounds around him began to distort with something almost like static. 

Lucifer looked away from Lilith, searching through the ballroom for the source of the change, eyes drawn to the way that the shadows of the crowd were swirling up to extinguish the fire-lights around the room, one by one. And as if through water, music began to register in Lucifer’s mind once more, but the tone of this new song was as dark as the room around him had become, something almost primal in its tone. 

Yet Lucifer was not afraid. What did Lucifer have to fear when all that he had once feared had already come to pass?

A green light suddenly began to glow behind Lucifer, and Lucifer watched the way that his own shadow was cast upon the floor as a result, the shape of it wrong for the form he currently held. Neither Lucifer’s wings nor his horns were out, but they were still shown within his shadow, stretching out at his sides and from atop his head. 

Mesmerized by the distortion, Lucifer turned around to see just what it was that was causing the glow of light, deeply curious as to what magic was responsible for the shadow that saw into his soul.

Lucifer’s eyes widened when his turning afforded him the sight, once more, of a bone mask above a too-wide-smile. 

The demon to which both belonged, watched Lucifer intently as he bowed low, extending his hand outward. And as Lucifer watched the gesture form, his mind flickered with recognition, scanning through scattered thoughts for a name that he should not know, yet knew all the same.

“ Alastor .” He whispered the demon’s name, and the demon’s smile widened impossibly further. 

“Might I have this dance, Mon Ange?”

Lucifer’s heart skipped a beat in his chest, and he could practically feel his stuttered pulse in his throat as he swallowed, reaching out and accepting Alastor’s hand.

There was no pretense or hesitation in the way that Alastor straightened and pulled Lucifer in tight against his body. Alastor clearly felt no need to disguise his possessive nature in the way that his hand spread out wide across Lucifer’s back, his fingers warm and strong around Lucifer’s as he signaled the direction he intended to begin the first step, indicating his intent to take the lead.

But despite the presumptuousness of the demon’s desire, there was nothing inside of Lucifer that did not wish to follow him, and so he stepped backwards, allowing Alastor to guide him.

It felt like there was an invisible string between their chests, a tether keeping them in sync as Lucifer continued to follow the other’s intentions. Yet more than that, there was an invisible connection because Lucifer no longer felt like his essence was contained to his body alone. There was no clear distinction between where he ceased and Alastor began; they were one. 

And within a single moment of the dance, it became clear that there was no need for Lucifer to indicate what he wanted or where he wished to go - Alastor had already begun leading him there, nothing more than looking into Lucifer’s eyes having been required to know what Lucifer desired, and the same was true for Lucifer. 

When Alastor’s eyes glinted with hunger, Lucifer’s neck and back were already stretching back, allowing Alastor’s nose to press into Lucifer’s skin as he bent him down, impossibly low towards the floor, hand curling around Lucifer’s thigh to provide the support necessary for Lucifer to defy gravity. 

Propriety was lost when that grip shifted, and Lucifer was led through a series of movements that pulled him back up to cradle within Alastor’s arms through a lift that Lucifer had never imagined he could be a part of. Alastor did not hold Lucifer like he was an accessory. 

Alastor held Lucifer like he was the object and key to all desire - like he was the forbidden fruit, and not merely its progenitor.

Very distantly, Lucifer had finally come to comprehend that he was dreaming, that the reason very little had made sense since the moment he had arrived on the steps of Pandemonium was because this was not real. He had never danced with Alastor. But everything felt far too lucid for Lucifer to ignore, and he couldn’t help but dread the moment that he was going to wake up. 

Because waking up would mean facing reality.

And so, Lucifer clung to the dream instead, allowing Alastor to pull him into the next musical movement, sinking into the nontemporal beauty of dreams where there was nothing in motion, yet still somehow stretched on around Lucifer, each sway of his body within Alastor’s rhythmic embrace a sample of eternity.

But though Lucifer desperately clung to those infinite moments, his dream state, as was always inevitably the case, was shattered as he woke up.

And this time, when consciousness returned to Lucifer, it did so in a flash and a gasp, his eyes snapping open. 

Lucifer’s heart was pounding in his chest, and he did his best to steady himself amidst the onslaught of all of his senses coming back at once. 

The dark shapes and sensations of his dream were still running through his mind, almost like an electrical current, and he took a deep breath, attempting to ground himself back in reality, this reality in which he and Alastor held some sort of deal, yet were not anything more . 

Yet there was one major problem to his attempt to focus on that reality. The demon’s phantom touch from within Lucifer’s dream still lingered, and the feeling of not knowing where he ended and Alastor began still burned in his mind.

Lucifer gave a small huff of frustration, attempting to roll over onto his stomach, but as soon as he attempted to move, something firm restrained him, keeping his body locked in place. 

Lucifer’s eyes blinked open and he looked forward, only to be assaulted by the sight of Alastor’s chest fur, peeking through the gap where the top buttons of his shirt had come undone.

Lucifer exhaled shakily, eyes following the length of Alastor’s arm where Lucifer could see it was wrapped around his waist, and where he could feel the demon’s claws fanned out against his back - indicating the source of Lucifer’s restricted movements. 

Lucifer’s heart stuttered in his chest, cheeks growing warm. 

Just what were he and Alastor? 

They had a deal - more than one now. And they had a rivalry. They also had similar goals and sought to protect the same people. And what was more, there was clearly some sort of attraction between them, otherwise Lucifer could not fathom why the other would have kissed him last night. 

But none of those things actually combined into any sort of commitment or clear understanding between them. They might have a deal, might have kissed and cuddled…. But were they even friends? Most of their interactions were spent driving one another up the wall - poking and prodding and going out of their way to annoy one another. Well, that had been the case. Before Alastor had started being nice out of nowhere, aiding him, complimenting him and giving him-

Lucifer’s eyes widened. Could the radio he’d been gifted have been some sort of courting gift?  There was also the food that Alastor had definitely cooked himself, despite his protestations. And, well, Lucifer knew it was a bit of a long stretch, but was the argument that the Radio Demon had started the other night, the physical fight that had led to their first deal… could that have been some sort of archaic posturing?

Lucifer didn’t know. He had no sure way of knowing at the moment. But coming off of the dream he had just had about the demon, Lucifer was sure of one thing. He wanted a future where that dream could become his reality. 

Lucifer wanted a future where Alastor was the one at his side, buffering the parts of politics that Lucifer found overwhelming but knew Alastor thrived on. Lucifer wanted a reality in which he didn’t have to lead the dance, but was still considered an equal partner. He wanted to be the focus of the Radio Demon’s possessive nature.

So the question became, would Alastor ever allow that?

Lucifer huffed loudly, instantly freezing with regret when the sound caused Alastor to stir. Lucifer had not managed to sort through all of his thoughts, but the arm around Lucifer was already wrapping around him tighter, pulling him in closer - Alastor unconsciously seeking connection.

Lucifer blinked rapidly, unsure of where to place his own hands as Alastor leaned his face down into Lucifer’s neck, breathing deeply. 

“Um-” Lucifer breathed out, eyes wide as the demon’s mouth opened against his skin, nibbling lightly. “Uh!” 

Alastor froze against Lucifer, teeth partially indented in his skin. 

The other’s breathing sped up for a few seconds before it steadied once more, at which point the demon’s arm carefully pulled away from Lucifer’s waist, and his mouth retracted from Lucifer’s neck. Lucifer did his best not to mourn the contact.

“My apologies.” Alastor cleared his throat, rolling onto his back without ever making eye contact. 

Lucifer sat up as casually as he could, wrapping his arms around his legs and resting his cheek on his knees to watch the other. “It’s okay.” 

Alastor sat up himself, scooting towards the edge of the bed to swing his legs down. “You were able to sleep?” 

Lucifer let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and hummed. “Yeah. I forgot what it was like to dream.” 

Alastor finally looked over his shoulder, appraising Lucifer carefully. “Were they not favorable dreams?” 

Lucifer studied the other’s eyes, heart skipping a beat as he recalled the exact red look of them beneath a white bone mask. 

Lucifer’s brow furrowed. 

He had a very vivid mind. He could create and conjure just about anything. But something was tugging at his brain, something suspicious. And instead of answering Alastor’s question, Lucifer asked his own. 

“Have you ever been to a masquerade?” 

Alastor’s eyes widened in surprise at the question and then shrugged, walking away from the bed. “I’ve been to many parties throughout my existence.” 

“In Hell .” Lucifer attempted to narrow down the parameters of his question. 

Alastor stepped into his bathroom, and Lucifer scrambled after him, ignoring the social cue to leave the other alone. 

Alastor sighed, his expression exasperated. “Do you mind?” 

“Answer the question.” Lucifer pouted. 

Alastor turned to look in the mirror and picked up a brush, beginning to smooth his hair, ignoring Lucifer. 

“Alastor.” Lucifer whined. “It’s not a hard question.” 

“Fine.” Alastor grunted. “ Yes . I’ve been to a masquerade in Hell. Happy?” 

Lucifer’s heart skipped a beat, and he reached out to grab Alastor’s wrist, not unlike the way the demon in his dream had done to Lucifer’s. “What was your mask?” 

Alastor tried shaking Lucifer off, but Lucifer held firm, demanding his attention. Alastor stared into Lucifer’s eyes for a few seconds before groaning. 

“It was an animal skull made of-”

“Bone.” Lucifer hummed. “You fused it into your antlers.” 

“Indeed.” Alastor took advantage of the way Lucifer’s grip slackened with his receiving the answer and began brushing once more. 

“Overlords don’t often get invited to Demon Court events.” Lucifer pointed out. 

“True.” Alastor nodded. “But I stirred up enough attention to warrant consideration.” 

“Did you attend many then?” Lucifer crossed over to Alastor’s bathroom counter and leapt up, dangling his feet over the edge.

Alastor narrowed his eyes at Lucifer’s new position but simply sighed. “Masquerades?” He shook his head. “No. My first one was also my last.” 

“Why?” Lucifer spluttered, absolutely perplexed.

Alastor sighed, pinching his nose. “Lucifer. Do you honestly mean to tell me that you don’t remember?” 

Lucifer looked at him, blinking. “I- I dreamed about you.” He hesitated. “I think so at least. There was a moment in my dream that felt like deja vu. I met an overlord who stopped me from drinking a poisoned glass.” He kicked his feet lightly, leaning forward, palms flat against the counter. “He wore a bone mask.” 

Alastor hummed. “Yes. I did. And following my attempt to aid you, I was removed from the ball and blacklisted from further Court events.” 

Lucifer’s eyes widened. “What?! Why!?” 

Alastor glared. “I was hoping that you might be able to tell me , seeing as how it was done on your orders.” 

Lucifer could only stare at Alastor, utterly lost for words. “I didn’t order the overlord removed. I would not have done that.” He frowned. “Were you given a reason?” 

“No.” Alastor stated firmly.

Lucifer tried recalling any hint of what could have happened, but he suddenly gasped, coming to a different realization. “That’s why you hated me!” 

“Hate.” Alastor corrected on instinct, and Lucifer rolled his eyes.

“Yes, yes. Whatever. Hate . You thought I ruined your political ambitions.” 

“Hm.” Alastor didn’t give any more of a confirmation than that, but it was enough for Lucifer to grin. 

“Well, that’s easy then, Alastor. I’ll un-blacklist you. And ..” He took a deep breath, leaning in closer to the other, taking a gamble as he wrapped his leg around Alastor’s back, tugging him forward. “How about I grant you a personal invite from the King to future events?” 

Alastor’s eyes went wide, and his hands hovered awkwardly in the air, the demon clearly uncertain of what to do with them. Lucifer grabbed one of Alastor’s hands and guided it to his elbow, mirroring their touch from the memory interwoven in his dream. Alastor’s clawed fingers unconsciously clasped around Lucifer’s arm in the exact same manner they had done before. 

“To what end would you remedy this situation?” Alastor finally found his voice, and Lucifer took great enjoyment in the rough edge to his tone. 

Lucifer hummed lightly, as if thinking. “How about two things.” 

“I’m listening.” Alastor narrowed his eyes, waiting. 

“First,” Lucifer grinned, “You have to stop hating me now.” 

Alastor scoffed. “Oh, really ?” 

“Really.” Lucifer nodded, vigorously.

“Hm. And second?” Alastor asked without agreeing to the first. 

Lucifer leaned forward eagerly. “Spend the day with me.” 

Alastor seemed truly surprised by the request. “We have spent the better part of two days together.” 

“Mhm.” Lucifer nodded, throwing caution to the wind. “And I want more time with you. Only, on my terms.” 

“Is your sleeping in my bed not on your terms?” Alastor scoffed.

“That’s-” Lucifer blushed. “Neither here nor there. I want to spend the day with you. Where I want, and how I want.” He held his hand out, the position somewhat awkward with all of the other places their bodies were connected. “Deal?” 

“No.” Alastor shook his head, stepping back. “I’m afraid I can’t make that deal.” 

Lucifer blinked, absolutely confused and rather hurt. “Is spending the day with me that much of a pain?” 

Alastor rolled his eyes, snapping his finger so his clothing appeared in place. He smoothed over the edges of his coat. “Yes. But that isn’t why I am unable to complete your demands.” 

Lucifer’s heart sank, recalling the first part of his terms. “You- do you really hate me so much that you can’t make a deal to stop?”

Alastor clicked his tongue. “No, Lucifer. I cannot make a deal to stop feeling something that I am not actually in possession of.”

Lucifer’s eyes widened. “What?” 

Alastor shrugged. “Your condition is that I have to stop hating you, but I am incapable of agreeing, as I do not, in fact, currently hate you.”

Something warm filled Lucifer’s heart, and he softly returned the assurance. “I don’t hate you either, Alastor.” 

The other’s eyes widened, clearly not having expected the words. “Well then..” There was a long moment of silence before Alastor shrugged. “I see no reason that we cannot, free of a deal, spend the day as you wish. Do you?” 

“You-” Lucifer felt something flip inside of his stomach, something happier than he knew how to explain with words. “Do you mean it?” 

“Hm.” Alastor hummed, moving across the room and reaching on top of a large cabinet. Lucifer watched the man as he pulled something down, two things actually, that Lucifer immediately recognized. 

“My slippers!” He reached out for them excitedly, fingers wiggling. “You really did clean them up.” 

“I did.” Alastor hummed. “They were dirty due to my shadow’s actions. It was only right that I remedy the situation.” He cleared his throat. “You could take them back with you to your rooms.” 

Lucifer tilted his head slowly, suspicious of the way the other trailed off, but after a moment of no continuation, he couldn’t resist prodding. “...Or?” 

Alastor gave Lucifer a very studious look and hummed. “Or, you could leave them here to use at night.” 

If Lucifer’s stomach had done a little flip before, it was now positively sparkling with magictastical explosions. “Okay.” 

He felt stupid for not managing to put any more elocution into his response, but there was something far too disarming in Alastor’s expression. 

The man hummed once more, taking the slippers back from Lucifer and setting them carefully on a low shelf by the hamper. “So.” He straightened back up, turning to look at Lucifer and speaking in a calm tone. But his ruby red eyes were full of something far more expressive - something eager. “Where are we going?” 

Chapter Text

Lucifer could not stop smiling. He was practically twirling as he waited in the lobby, hovering near the front door excitedly. He was so excited to leave and take Alastor everywhere he had planned. They had split up roughly half an hour ago to get ready separately. Alastor had a few things to do around the hotel, and Lucifer had to go find something to wear. He hadn’t had a chance to take his usual outfit into the dry-cleaners yet, so he’d had to come up with something different. 

He’d gone for a significantly more casual look than usual, one that was not typical to Hell fashion, but he had a reason for that. His face split into an even wider smile, thinking once more about where he planned on taking Alastor. He couldn’t wait to see his face. 

Lucifer startled, turning around with a yelp as a hand landed on his shoulder. 

Charlie stepped back a pace, guiltily pulling her hand back and holding it up in an appeasing fashion. “Sorry, Dad! It’s just me.”

“Oh.” Lucifer dropped his guard as soon as he recognized his daughter. Just the sight of her filled Lucifer with a burst of happiness, somehow even stronger than what he’d already been feeling. “Charlie! Good morning!” 

Charlie's eyes widened at the level of exuberance in Lucifer's tone. “Morning, Dad. We missed you around yesterday.” She scratched the back of her head. “Is everything good?” 

Lucifer nodded vigorously. “Oh, yes. Everything is fantastic , Char Char!” Charlie's eyes widened at the nickname, but Lucifer continued on. “I accidentally slept through the whole day!” He laughed, still disbelieving of the fact.

“Oh.” Charlie's eyes widened, clearly surprised. “I thought maybe…” she trailed off slowly, tone nervous. Lucifer didn’t respond, waiting for her to find the courage to say whatever was on her mind. It took a moment but eventually she attempted to continue her thought. “I thought maybe, because it was your anniversary that you were…” She trailed off again, flinching at her own words.

Lucifer's heart softened, as did his smile. He unfurled his wings and lifted himself into the air where he could more easily reach Charlie, wrapping his arms tightly around her and hugging her close.

“I'm okay, Charlie.” He told her softly, his emotions swelling as he felt the truth of the words resonate within him. “I'm sorry for worrying you.” 

Charlie remained stiff against him for a few startled seconds before she melted, wrapping her own arms tightly around Lucifer, carefully weaving around his wings. “Worrying about you isn't a bad thing, Dad. It just means I care about you.” 

Lucifer hummed, touched by her logic and the heart behind it. 

“Thank you, Charlotte.” He pulled back. “I am okay, though.” He hesitated a moment, looking away nervously. “There - well there is something we should probably talk about though.” He managed to look back up at her and was relieved to see there was nothing but patient curiosity in her eyes. 

He took a deep breath, and then he spoke.

“I don't think you've noticed yet, but..” he held his hand up where she could see it, making sure she had a clear view of his smallest finger. “I took your mother's ring off.” 

Charlie's eyes widened, looking down at Lucifer’s hand for a long, breathless moment before her eyes moved up to meet Lucifer's. Lucifer braced himself for her anger. 

But all he received was a look of complete and utter happiness. 

“You're ready to move on.” 

It wasn't a question, but nor was it a judgment. It was a simple statement said with relief.

Lucifer’s eyes stung with emotion. His daughter truly was the best of Hell. 

“I am.” Lucifer swallowed his emotion, answering honestly. 

A part of him wanted to dig deeper into Charlie’s thoughts for clarification, wanted her blatant approval regarding this new stage of life that he was entering, but the other parts of him knew he did not need to. Charlie was an open book, and she was undeniably happy to hear his news. 

“That is amazing, Dad.” Charlie said sincerely, clapping eagerly before bursting into her typical go-get-’em proactivity. “Do you have anyone in mind? Oh, oh! should I ask Uncle Ozzie to set you up with someone?” A frown instantly settled on her face as she shook her head, rejecting the idea. “Or, hmm. I know! Maybe Aunt Belle?” she tapped her chin as she continued thinking out loud. 

Lucifer couldn’t help but chuckle as he interrupted her. “No, Charlie. That's alright. I have it covered.” 

Charlie stared at him confused for a handful of seconds before she gasped, bringing her hands up to cover her mouth. “Oh my god . You do have someone in mind?!” 

Lucifer’s cheeks filled with a blush, and he cleared his throat. “Well. I-” 

“Am I interrupting?” 

Lucifer’s wings tucked into his body as he startled all over again, falling towards the ground. But before he could crash against the floor, a very dark pair of arms was slipping around his body to catch him.

Lucifer blinked in surprise, turning to look at Alastor’s shadow as it set him down. The little rascal was really starting to feel like an old friend. Lucifer’s heart felt inexplicably fond, and he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could even acknowledge the creature, let alone thank it, it was skittering away. 

Lucifer’s eyes immediately sought out Alastor’s, as the Radio Demon had been the one to speak and startle him. The other stood a few paces away, dressed in his typical attire. But even through Alastor’s appearance of calm, Lucifer’s eyes were drawn towards the vein in the Radio Demon’s forehead that seemed on the verge of popping. 

Lucifer wanted to roll his eyes. He really was going to have to put his foot down when it came to interacting with Alastor’s shadows. Whatever envy Alastor felt for them, because Lucifer could easily recognize that as the sin in the demon's heart, he was going to have to get over it. Lucifer really liked all of Alastor’s little creatures and he wanted to interact freely with them. 

Lucifer folded his arms and glared pointedly at Alastor, mind made up. “Do I need to start a shadows’ union for James and Alden?” 

Alastor immediately stiffened, his eyes narrowing. “And just who, pray tell, is Alden?” 

Lucifer smirked. “An old friend.” He glanced down towards Alastor's feet where the creature in question was sticking its head out of the floor, somehow having sensed Lucifer was referring to it. 

Lucifer grinned and waved down at him. 

Alastor followed Lucifer’s gesture, putting things together, and grunted. “Absolutely not.” 

Lucifer smirked. “Yes.” 

“ No .” Alastor stepped forward growling.

Lucifer put his hands on his hips defiantly and countered him again. “ Yes .” 

“Lucifer,” Alastor’s growl was significantly louder and his antlers began growing, but before the demon could act on any of his anger, Charlie darted between Alastor and Lucifer, raising her arms with a panicked expression. 

“Woah, woah. Calm down, you two!” 

Even though Charlie was addressing both of them, she faced Alastor more directly, clearly considering him the bigger disturber of the peace.

Lucifer stuck his tongue out at the other, teasingly. Alastor’s eyes narrowed, but he did appease Charlie, calming down visibly - his antlers retreating and posture relaxing. 

“Apologies, my Dear.” Alastor straightened his coat, attempting to collect himself fully. “Your father is acting up.” 

“Uh-” Charlie let her hands drop and moved over to the side, still eyeing between them  nervously. “How? And who are James and Alden?” 

“ Nobod- ”

“Two of his shadows.” Lucifer cut off Alastor’s immediate attempt to avoid answering. “They are rather cute little guys.” Lucifer wiggled his brows teasingly at Alastor. “James even brought me breakfast in bed.”

Charlie gasped with delight. “He did?” 

“He did.” Lucifer hummed happily. “It was rather good , too. I think he might have made it himself, really. Seeing as how there was no one else who would have done so.” He dared Alastor to correct him. 

Alastor’s eye twitched, teeth gritting. “You know damn well that little miscreant did no such thing.” 

“Do I?” Lucifer’s voice was full of sing-song teasing. “Do illuminate me then, Alastor. Who cooked my breakfast?” 

Alastor’s glare was murderous. “Are you trying to cancel our plans?” 

Lucifer’s eyes widened. “What? Of course not!” 

Alastor scoffed. “You certainly appear to be attempting to sully my enthusiasm for whatever-” 

“No, no!” Lucifer shook his head and moved forward quickly, placing his hand on Alastor’s arm, looking up at him with wide, pleading eyes. “I’ll stop teasing. Don’t cancel.” 

Alastor reached to grab the back of Lucifer’s hand, prying his fingers off of his arm. Lucifer’s heart sank, thinking he was being shoved off. But to his absolute surprise, Alastor merely adjusted Lucifer’s position, tucking his arm around his elbow instead.

Lucifer’s pout immediately shifted into a large smile. 

Alastor rolled his eyes as soon as he saw Lucifer’s expression, and he cleared his throat, turning to Charlie. “Forgive us, Dear. We’ll be out of the hotel until-” He looked down at Lucifer, tone questioning. 

“All day.” Lucifer stated immediately, eagerly. He looked over to Charlie himself, noting with mild amusement the way that his daughter’s eyes were rapidly moving between Lucifer and Alastor, understanding in her eyes, though she clearly was having a hard time believing what she was seeing. “Don’t wait up?” 

Charlie simply stared, and Lucifer held back a giggle. He kind of liked the feeling that came with throwing people off with his and Alastor’s new….. arrangement.  

“R-right.” Charlie stuttered. “But, hold on. Are you two-” 

“Late?” Alastor cut her question off, glancing down towards Lucifer. “When did you say we needed to be there?” 

Lucifer blinked, then smirked. So Alastor wanted to dodge further questions?

“Oh, we can be there at any-” 

“Now?” Alastor cleared his throat. “Splendid. Well then, Charlie. We’ll be off.” 

He began moving forward, the stretch of his longer legs causing Lucifer to have to walk faster to keep pace with him. But he didn’t mind. He turned around waving over his shoulder with a wide smile, noting the way that other people had gathered in the lobby while he’d spoken with Charlie. More than one face was sporting a dropped jaw and wide eyes. Lucifer wanted to cackle. 

“Have a good day, Ducky.” He called out to his daughter, who looked after him utterly perplexed. 

Alastor pulled him through the front doors and swung his cane, slamming the doors to the hotel shut behind them, stopping in his walk to glare down at Lucifer. “Must you poke so many of my buttons in front of others?” 

Lucifer chuckled. “What, you only want me to play with your buttons in private?” 

A decidedly delightful blush spread over Alastor’s cheeks.

“ No .” Alastor scoffed. “But others do not understand our…. dynamic . I would not want people to misunderstand our arguments.” 

“And what is there to understand?” Lucifer snickered, slipping his arm out of Alastor’s elbow in order to walk slowly behind the other where he suddenly, without ceremony, slipped an arm beneath Alastor’s knees, knocking him down and catching his back against his other arm.

Alastor immediately flailed, but Lucifer clicked his tongue and launched into the sky, wings already out behind him. 

“ Lucifer! ” Alastor snarled, turning a venomous glare towards him. “What are you doing ?”

“Taking us to our first destination.” Lucifer hummed lightly. “Why? Would you like me to put you down?” Teasingly, Lucifer let go of Alastor, watching the utter surprise on the other’s face as he began plummeting back towards the ground. 

A wild peal of laughter trailed behind Lucifer as he twirled after the falling demon, catching him easily and flapping his wings in a strong gust to send them on their upward course once more. 

Alastor’s hands came to circle around Lucifer’s neck, and Lucifer couldn’t help smirk at how tight his grip was this time. 

“That was not funny.” Alastor hissed.

Lucifer giggled. “I disagree.”

Teasingly, he let his grip on Alastor start to loosen up again, just to see what the other would do. 

With a low growl, Alastor sent a flood of tentacles over their bodies, twining around the places where Lucifer held onto Alastor, threading them together. Lucifer could not have let go if he wanted to, not without destroying Alastor’s magic.

A final tentacle of shadow slid up Lucifer’s chest before wrapping tight around Lucifer’s neck and forcing Lucifer’s gaze down to meet Alastor’s eyes.

Lucifer’s breath was stolen at the serious look in Alastor’s eyes as he growled, void of his filter. “Don’t even think of letting go of me, Lucifer Morningstar.” 

Realistically, Lucifer knew that the statement was meant in the technical sense - the immediate sense of their current context. But the weight of it felt like so much more. 

Lucifer couldn’t find his words, so instead he merely adjusted his grip around the other, securing his grip beneath the blackened bonds Alastor’s had wrapped around him. Alastor seemed satisfied by the change in position and allowed Lucifer to look away, but the shadow around Lucifer’s neck remained, fastened like a collar, like a leash.

He swallowed hard, feeling the way that doing so pressed his skin tighter against the cool texture of Alastor’s magic. 

When it came to the time Lucifer spent in Alastor’s presence, he really ought to begin counting the moments that he was not blushing - they would be far less difficult to number. And once more that proved the case, his skin flushed from everything he was feeling.

“Where are we going?” Alastor finally decided to ask the question Lucifer had been expecting from the beginning.

Lucifer looked down at him. “It’s a surprise.” 

Alastor rolled his eyes. “Yes. Clearly. But I cannot fathom why this is required as our means of transport. Could we not have traveled by foot?” 

“No.” Lucifer shook his head.

“Very well then.” Alastor sighed. “If you simply tell me where, I can travel through the shadows and meet you.” 

“Your shadows cannot reach where we are going.” Lucifer told him, enjoying the way he squirmed annoyed. 

“Don’t underestimate me, Lucifer. There is not a single place in Pride that my shadows cannot gain entry.” 

“Exactly.” Lucifer hummed, waiting for Alastor to catch on as Lucifer flew up through the large pentagram in the sky above the city, Lucifer’s magic granting him access to leave.

“We-” Alastor shifted in Lucifer’s arms to stare below where the red sky was suddenly beginning to fade. “Lucifer what are you-” 

“Shh,” Lucifer quieted the other, furrowing his brow. “I have to concentrate quite a bit for this next part.” 

“What next part?!” Alastor sounded almost panicked, and Lucifer paused in his flying for just a second to appraise Alastor carefully. 

Lucifer’s hand was still bound to its grip around Alastor, and he allowed his arm to glow with some of his holy radiance, breaking through the shadow so he could lift his hand to tip Alastor’s chin up, forcing eye contact. 

Alastor looked over at him uncertainly, and Lucifer leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Alastor’s exactly as he had done weeks ago when he’d first felt the touch of his mind. He couldn’t help but yearn for connection with the other once more, but now was neither the time nor the place.

So he cleared his throat instead, cupping Alastor’s cheek. 

“Do you trust me, Alastor?” 

“No.” The Radio Demon responded immediately, zero hesitation, and Lucifer couldn’t help but chuckle. 

“How smart of you.” Lucifer leaned back, looking into the red eyes that had become one of his greatest comforts. “Then I suppose the better question is, will you trust me?” 

Alastor’s gaze flickered over Lucifer’s face, something scrutinous burning in his eyes. “Will you take no for an answer?” 

“Say the word,” Lucifer whispered honestly, summoning a golden portal next to them, one that led directly back into Alastor’s bayou, “And I will take you back.” 

“And if I don’t?” Alastor’s voice shook slightly, and Lucifer realized he was a whisper away from victory. 

He dropped the portal and smiled softly. “Then I will show you infinity.”

Alastor looked at Lucifer, searching through his red eyes for some kind of answer as to what that could even begin to mean, but that was the problem with infinity, wasn’t it? It wasn’t just that there was no supposed end to it - there was no beginning either. 

“Then show me.” He declared, heart catching in his throat as Lucifer flapped his wings once more, pushing them past the borders of Hell.

Alastor could only imagine the thing that Lucifer had been required to concentrate on was the protective light around them. Something Alastor was grateful for, seeing as how he had no idea if he could regenerate if he was not in Hell, and suffocation was not how he would choose to experience his ultimate demise. At least not suffocation in space. 

Though to die within the void all around him and Lucifer would not have been the worst thing either. Because Alastor could not define infinity any better than before, but he could feel it - stretching around him in every direction. He had a million questions he wished to ask Lucifer, but he could tell that the other had not been lying about the concentration required for their venture into the stars, and so he held back, cataloging them for later. And within the silence between them, Alastor lived within the moment - passing through where he could not be sure anyone ever had before - there was no mark to be left in the middle of nothing. 

Alastor could not have said how long they spent outside of his known understanding of the universe. He simply knew that at one point Lucifer flew them up among the stars, and in another they arrived somewhere. 

Alastor held onto Lucifer as the first fallen angel studied whatever location was below them, circling it before he hummed and flew downwards, the glow around him even brighter, protecting them as they entered this new place. 

Only it only took Alastor another moment, as Lucifer brought him down towards the planet, to recognize the blue sky of Earth, and he gasped - uncertain how it was that he could take so long to comprehend their destination. 

“You-” He gasped, and Lucifer chuckled. 

“Took you long enough.” 

Alastor glared. “Oh, I’m sorry .” He scoffed. “Was I somehow supposed to know the map markers of the fucking universe?” 

Lucifer snickered. “Hell isn’t that far from Earth, Alastor.” He made eye contact and winked. “It was hardly the universe .” 

“No.” Alastor seethed. “Just ‘infinity’ .”

Lucifer hummed. “Precisely. You do not need the universe to comprehend infinity, Alastor.” 

“Oh yeah?” Alastor mused, annoyed. “And how do you know that?” 

Lucifer didn’t answer him; he merely gave him a fond smile. “I will tell you, someday.” He stated vaguely. “If you earn it.” 

“ God you are insufferable.” Alastor grunted, looking away from Lucifer back towards the ground they were descending upon. 

“He is , isn’t he?” Lucifer hummed.

Alastor wanted to turn his face to glare at the other once more over his stupid joke, but he opted to ignore Lucifer entirely instead, breathing in the scent of the planet he once called home. It was different than he remembered. In good and bad ways. 

Lucifer’s descent increased in speed the nearer to the ground they got. “They can detect us if we’re too slow in descending.” He explained to Alastor, even though Alastor hadn’t asked.

“Where are we landing?” Alastor asked, reluctantly curious. 

“Where do you think ?” Lucifer stated like it was obvious, and perhaps it should have been. But Alastor was still attempting to wrap his mind around the fact that they were approaching Earth to bother thinking beyond that. 

But as they finally drew close enough that Alastor could start to make out the terrain and construction, his heart skittered to a stop. “New Orleans.” 

“New Orleans.” Lucifer confirmed. “We’ll have to stop away from the city, disguise ourselves and all that, but I thought maybe you’d want to come home.” 

Alastor’s heart was tight with emotion as he contemplated the words and their full meaning. “This day was supposed to be spent how you want it.” 

“It was.” Lucifer confirmed, flying them over the southern coast of the region, searching for somewhere secluded, his attention settling on a deserted beach. “And this is how I wanted to spend it.” 

Alastor furrowed his brow, trying to make sense of what the other could possibly gain from this. “What do you wa-” 

Lucifer sighed, glaring at Alastor as he closed the final distance between them and the sand. “You know, Alastor. Not everything I do for you is about obtaining something in return. Is it so hard to fathom that I might simply enjoy seeing where you lived?”

“You’ve been to Earth before.” Alastor rolled his eyes, eagerly standing on his hooved feet the moment he could.

Alastor wished his shoes were off, wished he could dig his feet into the sand like he used to do in mortality. But he wasn’t sure it would be the same with hooves, and he wasn’t sure what Lucifer would make of him if he tried it. 

Of course, all of his concerns were thrown out the window the second he turned back to look at the devil who had brought him there. 

Lucifer was bent over, working to tug off his boots, and Alastor rolled his eyes. Why the other was insisting on doing it manually when he could simply use magic was beyond him. He watched Lucifer hobble awkwardly, freeing his foot, and then he paused. Because Lucifer’s foot was not cloven - those were toes .

Lucifer stood back up, and Alastor’s breath stuck in his throat as he noticed the changes to Lucifer’s facial features. His eyes were suddenly a bright blue color, surrounded by white sclera. His cheeks had lost their signature circles, replaced instead by a rosy and subtle blush. And sitting between his perfect eyes, above a mouth filled with far less threatening teeth, rested the cutest little button nose. 

Lucifer caught his stare, and his lips - no longer ringed in black, but rather a shimmery sort of pink gloss, quirked into a smirk. “You good there, Al?” 

Alastor narrowed his eyes. “I am perfectly fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” 

Lucifer chuckled, snapping his finger and giving Alastor a whole new reason to stare. 

Lucifer was typically covered up very well - his sleeping clothing notwithstanding. But it appeared that the devil had thrown out common propriety now that they were in the human world. 

The shirt he wore was a light baby blue color with long sleeves. It billowed over his arms with something almost transparent about it, not even fully covering his shoulders, let alone his collarbones. And what was worse, the shirt barely went down half of his torso, baring to the entire world the fact that there was no navel on his stomach. 

And his pants - shorts , could Alastor even call them shorts when even that word didn’t seem sufficient to describe how high up Lucifer’s thighs they went? Alastor swore the entirety of the other’s legs were on display. 

He had to swallow again as he realized just how beautiful the other looked, and how distracting it was. Alastor was not someone typically affected by appearances, and though his thoughts were certainly filtered through the censure of someone accustomed to a certain style of life - he was not upset with Lucifer’s choice in clothing. He merely could not comprehend how he was supposed to behave around the other, when he knew exactly how warm those legs felt wrapped around his own in the morning, not to mention how delicious the other’s lips tasted and his blood. 

Fuck .

Alastor’s eyes flashed back up to Lucifer’s completely bared neck and the beast inside of his chest grated against his ribs, desperately wishing to reach out and claim the ambrosia that was Lucifer’s blood once more. 

Lucifer took a step closer to Alastor, and Alastor stepped back on instinct, terrified of what trap he might fall into if they were too close. 

“I have to do you.” Lucifer stated in what appeared to be an attempt at a calm tone, but it had no such effect on Alastor. 

“What do you mean by do me?” He spluttered, thinking about all the different ways that could go. Was Lucifer propositioning him? Was he suggesting they engage in coitous? There? On the beach? Where any mortal could walk by and see? 

Lucifer’s approach stalled and he looked up at Alastor with wide eyes, cheeks flushing crimson. Alastor tracked the color, noting the lack of gold amidst the red and he salivated once more. Did Lucifer taste different like this? 

“I didn’t mean-” Lucifer floundered. “I meant a disguise . I need to give you a disguise.” 

Alastor blinked as Lucifer’s meaning registered and then had to fight against his own blush. “I can do it myself.” 

Lucifer shook his head. “The kind of disguise you need is beyond you on the mortal plane. Your powers will be significantly limited up here.” 

Alastor didn’t like the sound of that, but he grunted and forced his posture to remain steady. “Very well then. Make it quick.” 

Lucifer bridged the last of the distance between them and cupped his cheeks. “May I peek into your mind?” 

Alastor’s skin was on fire everywhere they were touching once more. “Why?” 

Lucifer’s blue eyes were gentle as he answered. “I want to see what you looked like before you died.” 

Alastor’s heart stopped. “How would you find that out?” 

“I would simply look into your memories in search of your appearance. I promise I won’t linger anywhere. I just want to spend a day with you here, like you would have been in life.” 

“Why?” Alastor hated the insecurity that surfaced in his mind suddenly - one regarding whether or not Lucifer would enjoy his company better if he weren’t the demon that he was. Not that Alastor wanted to change. He wouldn’t - for anyone. But the eagerness in Lucifer’s eyes to see who Alastor was before Hell made Alastor twitch with something uncomfortable. 

Lucifer paused, appraising him and the apprehension he clearly wasn’t hiding well enough. “Because who you were will always be a part of you. And I-” Lucifer cleared his throat nervously. “I just want to know all the parts of you.” 

Alastor felt a tightness in his chest he couldn’t comprehend, and he attempted to chase it away with a nod of agreement. 

Lucifer’s eyes transformed into something eager, and he closed his eyes - bridging their minds. This time, Alastor knew what was coming, and even though he shored up no defense against it, he still wasn’t prepared for it. 

Lucifer invaded his mind - and just like the last time, he brought the cosmos with them. Only, they were different this time, now that Alastor had been within their grasp, had been flown through them like they were a stroll through the park. He breathed them in, shivering as the scent of them melded in with the brine and saltwater all around where they stood.

Lucifer breathed against him for a few soft seconds, just lingering on the edges of Alastor’s mind, and then he was pushing into his soul, digging into the root of Alastor’s identity, and Alastor felt his body shifting. 

Lucifer had flown up on wings to make the connection the first time, but this time he had merely yanked Alastor’s torso down to meet him, forcing him to bend awkwardly. Yet the longer they were connected, the less it seemed like Alastor had to bend. And Alastor realized after a belated second that the reason why was because he was shrinking down to his human height, a height that made the height difference between him and Lucifer less dramatic.

Unconsciously, Alastor reached out to press his hands at Lucifer’s side, freezing when he realized he did not have to angle the tips away from Lucifer’s soft skin, the claws he was used to were gone. He gripped harder as he realized that fact, thumbs digging into the space above Lucifer’s shorts, feeling the divot of his bone.

Lucifer pulled away from Alastor with a gasp, and Alastor dropped his hands immediately, feeling as though he had crossed a line. But Lucifer did not call him out on any misconduct. His eyes, instead, were trained upon Alastor with fascination, carefully stepping in a little closer to observe the form he had restored to Alastor.

“Still handsome.” The devil whispered, a bright smile stretching over his face. 

Alastor cleared his throat, adjusting the cuffs on the coat Lucifer had transformed for him as well. “Is this modern fashion?” He asked Lucifer evasively. 

Lucifer shrugged. “Probably.” 

Alastor narrowed his eyes. “ Probably ?” 

Lucifer twirled his feet in the sand. “Yup! Probably.” He tilted his head, glancing at Alastor’s feet. “Do you want them off?” 

Alastor felt embarrassed about his answer, but his desire to feel the sand had only increased as he’d watched Lucifer’s human toes wiggling around.

“Yes.” 

Lucifer’s face flickered with surprise at Alastor’s answer, but he immediately enchanted Alastor's shoes away, letting him sink his own set of human toes into the sand.

“Be careful though.” Lucifer warned, and Alastor raised his gaze confused. 

“Of what?” 

Lucifer shrugged, and the mischievous look in his eyes warned Alastor that the devil was up to no good. “I know a person who is very picky about dirty furniture. I would hate for you to get in trouble for tracking sand on his couches.” 

Alastor glared at Lucifer, stepping towards him. “You know what else he is picky about?” 

Lucifer giggled, twirling his feet in the sand gracefully. “What?” 

“Being made fun of .” Alastor pounced, picking Lucifer up as he twirled around again, to throw him over his shoulder, enjoying the way that the small king flailed about for a moment. 

“Wait! Al!” Lucifer gasped as Alastor began stomping inland. “Where are you going?” 

“To the city, obviously.” Alastor grunted.

“But-” Lucifer pouted. “We could play in the water for a bit.” 

“And end up with muddy clothes again ?” He shook his head. “No, thank you.” 

Lucifer huffed. “Alden carried me much softer when it did this.” 

Alastor froze in his tracks, processing the words. “ This is how my shadow accosted you?” 

“Mhm.” Lucifer hummed, arching his back slightly so he could lift his core higher, placing an elbow at the back of Alastor’s neck and leaning on his hand, kicking his feet lightly. “He did it better.” 

Alastor growled, beginning to walk again. “Must you antagonize me so?” 

Lucifer chuckled. “You know I must.” He leaned rather awkwardly in order to whisper near Alastor’s ear. “But if it makes you feel better, I still prefer the way you carried me that night.” 

“What night?” Alastor rolled his eyes.

Lucifer hummed, breath fanning over Alastor’s neck. “The night you bit me.” 

If Alastor had frozen in his tracks before, he absolutely skidded to a halt then. “The night I what ?” 

“When you bit me.” Lucifer’s tone was confused. 

“Are you-” Alastor frowned, thinking of that morning when he had embarrassingly woken to his mouth against Lucifer’s neck. “Do you mean this morning?”

“No- the other-” Lucifer suddenly went still against Alastor, realization settling in. 

“You don’t remember what happened when you drank my blood.” 

Fuck . 

Alastor cleared his throat, dropping Lucifer off of his shoulder and stepping away. 

“You mean to tell me,” Lucifer picked himself up and stomped after him, “That you don’t remember essentially ripping my throat out and draining the entirety of my body roughly three times over?”

Alastor’s stomach dropped, but he held himself steady as Lucifer reached his side to stomp in front of him and glare. “And if I don’t?”

Lucifer seemed close to implosion. “ Unbelievable .” 

He threw up his arms and stopped away, heading up the path angrily. “Unbelievable!?” Alastor snarled, annoyed that Lucifer was making this about him . “ You don’t remember making a deal that is going to bind us together for a really fucking long time!” He snapped. “And what is your excuse? You’re the one who went and got drunk - and not on blood ? What were you thinking ?” 

“ That ,” Lucifer turned around, pointing his finger at Alastor angrily. “Was Alden’s doing. It was kind enough to make me a drink but it was absolute ass at it. You’d think your copy would be better at making a drink, since you’re so fucking good at it. But no!” 

Alastor snarled. “His name isn’t Alden . And even if it was, you still drank it!” 

“Because Alden made it for me! What was I supposed to do? Dump it out?” 

“You’re the literal fucking devil, Lucifer! Use your fucking magic! Don’t drink the stuff!” He glared. “But no you always have to drink the stuff, don’t you? Like that stupid ball . How often do you let people poison you and do nothing about it?” 

Lucifer groaned, throwing his hands up in the air. “Seriously? Why make a fuss? Who poisoned me that night or any other night, for that matter, could have been anyone at the ball - or fucking everyone . Everybody in the Demon Court has wanted me dead at one point or another. It’s just the way my fucking life is , Alastor.” 

“But you’re the devil , Lucifer.” Alastor didn’t understand why he was so angry about this, but he couldn’t help it. Maybe it was his human form, channeling some of the dark energy he’d left in this region when he died. “You don’t have to let people walk all over you.” 

“So what?” Lucifer scoffed. “I should just crush everything beneath my heel and-” 

“It would be better than losing everyone’s respect-” 

Lucifer’s eyes suddenly flashed red, and he crossed the space between them in an instant, hand wrapping around Alastor’s neck. “Do not tell me what level of respect I ought to command.” His voice rang in a demonic chorus. “I got enough of that from my wife . I don’t need it from you.” 

“Then what do you need from me?” 

The question was out of Alastor’s mouth before he even registered the thought in his mind. Lucifer seemed just as shocked by it as he did. 

“I don’t need anything from you, Alastor.” He whispered after a long moment of silent contemplation, turning away once more. 

Alastor stepped forward and then hissed as he stubbed his bare toe on a rock. “ Dammit .” He hissed. He needed shoes. 

He looked back up, unfortunately resigned to the reality that he would have to ask Lucifer, but the devil was gone.  

Panic filled Alastor’s mind, and the blood drained from his face. 

Was he being abandoned ? 

He looked all around him, voice stuck in his throat. Had Lucifer brought him to Earth only to banish him here? Was it all a ruse? Had he placed him in human form to restrain more of his powers? Alastor tried to reach for his shadows, but nothing was coming from the ground. He could feel a flicker of power within his chest, the tendrils that he could often push out of his back, but they were nothing impressive as he currently was. 

His mind was spinning in a thousand different directions.

“Lu-” The word halted halfway through, Alastor’s paranoia making it hard for him to complete the word, and he forced his breathing to calm, listening to the sounds around him to ground himself. 

The wind pushing through the trees was the first thing he heard, the rushing of a river the second. He could hear some insects chirping about, but it wasn’t until he heard the very distinct quacking sound of a water fowl that his head snapped up. 

If he were Lucifer , that was the first place he would go. 

Determination surging in his mind, Alastor let the sound frequencies in the direction of the quacking pull him towards the river, eyes searching for the king who had left him on the path. But scan as he might, he could not find him. 

He glanced over the water, wondering if the ducks he had heard were a mere fantasy. It took him a moment to spot the answer to his mental inquiry, and his brow furrowed as he took in the rather tragic sight of multiple ducklings swimming aimlessly against a current that was far too fast for them, no mother duck in sight. 

Well, that wasn’t entirely the case. 

Because a very distinct, very white duck was swimming out to the creatures on the water, encouraging the young ducklings to follow it. Alastor rolled his eyes as he realized that Lucifer, King of Hell, had just abandoned Alastor in the middle of a decidedly important conversation to rescue a few ducklings in a random river on Earth. 

Fuck. 

Why did Alastor like this idiot? 

Alastor’s eye twitched as he processed his thought, and then he groaned, lifting a hand to rub against his forehead. For fucks sake . Is that what all these stupid sensations he’d been experiencing of late compounded into? The banal emotion too many throughout existence had relied upon like it was the answer to the universe? 

And if it was, was it seriously a flock of lost little birds that was going to spell his internal-revelation? 

Would it be Lucifer Alastor was falling for if it was any less? 

Lucifer made it to the edge of the river, and one by one, not a single one left behind, the group of eight ducklings made it to reeds on the shore, safe and sound. 

Instantly, Lucifer transformed back into himself, well his human disguise, turning beautiful blue eyes onto Alastor and cooing with delight. 

“Al! Al, do you see how cute they are?” He squealed. “I looked all over for their mom, but I couldn't find her. I think she died.” His excitement faded slightly. “I don’t know what to do.” 

Alastor sighed, absolutely despising the part inside of him that instantly had an answer. 

“Relocate them, obviously.” He stated noncommittally.

Lucifer tilted his head at him, processing his words. “But where? I don’t know what humans to trust.”

“I never said anything about humans.” Alastor scoffed.

Lucifer frowned. “I mean, I suppose I could ask Gabe if Heaven’s petting zoo is looking for a group of ducks. But, well, we haven’t been on the best of terms since the French Revolution. Long story.” 

Alastor’s eye twitched. Was he going to have to spell it out ? “Relocate them to Hell .” 

Lucifer suddenly laughed, the sound ridiculously loud. “OH, that’s funny , Al. To Hell , he says,” Lucifer directed the last part to the ducks. He rolled his eyes. “Al, there is nowhere in Hell for these little cuties to live safely. There is no suitable atmosphere or environment for them. Not a single sustainable-”

Lucifer’s words cut off abruptly, and his eyes widened. 

“ Oh .” 

There it was. 

Alastor only hoped Lucifer wasn’t going to make him-

“Are you implying what I think you are?” Lucifer was looking at him with an intense, barely contained excitement. 

Alastor huffed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“Alastor.” Lucifer stated his name like a reprimand and an order. “Are you offering?”

Why couldn’t Alastor just live in the shadows? Why was Lucifer always dragging him out of them? He didn’t want the limelight - well this limelight. He didn’t want any misguided kindness to be broadcast - that’s why he made sure to torture people publicly! He’d worked hard for his reputation, dammit! And one small, whimsical little idiot - no matter what political power he held - and his little flock of ducklings was going to-

“Alastor.” 

Alastor blinked as Lucifer suddenly reached up to cup his cheek, pulling his attention in, down on those perfect eyes that, even though they were transformed - Alastor could still see through to Lucifer’s soul. 

“Don’t make me say it.” Alastor managed to sound only slightly pleading, all of the begging in his desperation managing to stay out of his voice. 

Lucifer’s expression softened, and he sighed - the sound utterly exasperated. “You really can’t just be kind, can you?” 

Alastor’s lips widened into a smile, though it was probably far more wicked than it should have been. “I can be very kind.” Alastor stated through his smirk. “In many ways.” 

“Oh really ?” Lucifer teased. “Like what?” 

“Well,” Alastor shrugged. “I can be kind of charming.” Lucifer snorted, and Alastor continued. “I can be kind of a good cook.” Lucifer rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, especially for breakfa-”

“I can be kind of dangerous.” Alastor smirked. “And I can be kind of-” 

“An asshole.” Lucifer finished. “Yeah, yeah, I get it. Big scary Radio Demon Overlord - kind of a big deal.” He rolled his eyes. “Shall I interview you, you over-dramatic, egotistical nightmare? Is that how I’ll get an answer out of you?” 

Alastor snickered. “You think I want to be interviewed?” He clicked his tongue. “No, no, Lucifer. If you want an interview between us, I would happily host you on my-” 

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Lucifer threw up his hands, crossing back to the shore as he summoned a large box filled with padding. “Come on, Little Ones. Daddy’s gonna take you to a nice, cozy home far away from anything that can hurt you.” 

“I mean,” Alastor shrugged. “There are the alligators. They would proba-”

“Don’t make me smack you.” Lucifer shot him a dark glare. “If you even think of threatening my bab-” 

“I mean, if you’re going to put them in my bayou, then-” 

“I made it.” Lucifer told Alastor, standing back up as the last of the ducklings was safely set in the box. 

“Yes, and through our deal, you essentially handed me the deed. So.” Alastor shrugged. “My bayou, my wildlife.” 

“Oh.” Lucifer blinked. “Okay then. Well, that’s very nice of you to offer to let the ducklings stay rent free then. I’m sure they greatly appreciate it.” 

Alastor sighed deeply, folding his arms. “How exactly are you even planning on getting these miscreants there?” He scrunched up his nose. “I’m not holding them while we fly.” 

“Huh?” Lucifer blinked before gasping. “Oh! Yeah.” He gave Alastor a sheepish grin. “About that.” He snapped his finger and a golden portal opened up right in front of them, through which Alastor could see his bedroom. 

He gritted his teeth. “You mean to tell me that you could have portalled us here?” 

Lucifer shrugged. “You mean to tell me you didn’t enjoy flying through time and space?” 

Touch é.

“Just-” Alastor huffed, gesturing to the portal. “Just go .” 

Lucifer took a step towards it, and Alastor realized something important. “But put on some clean shoes!” 

Lucifer turned his head to Alastor exasperated. “Seriously?” 

“Yes!” Alastor suddenly roared. “Why is it so hard for you to understand that I like things clean ?” 

“OH, I don’t know. Maybe it’s because you’re a cannibal, murderer and wear the most tattered coat known to Hellkind!” 

“I eat my meals in as refined and orderly a fashion as everyone else, and my coat is a statement . So. Put on some clean shoes.” He gritted his teeth, and tacked on a very breathless, very annoyed, “Please .”

With a roll of his eyes, Lucifer snapped his finger, shoes instantly appearing on both his and Alastor’s feet. “Happy?” 

Alastor answered him by stepping through the portal first, relishing in the way that he instantly felt his powers anchoring him once more. He let them roll over him, his true form reclaiming his body like a glove. 

Lucifer followed a moment later, the box carefully stretched out in front of him. He didn’t even acknowledge Alastor as he walked past him through the portal to the bayou, carefully whispering sweet nothings into the box, approaching the river. 

Within moments, Lucifer - having transformed into a duck himself, once more - had led the ducklings through the surroundings of their new home and even picked out a spot for their nest, using magic to form it fully after shifting back. 

“I’ll have to see if Keekee will help amplify my magic later.” Lucifer told Alastor as he reached his side once more. “I made all sorts of wildlife for this area, but I didn’t create a mother duck suitable for ducklings.” 

“Hm.” Alastor hummed. “I suppose I’ll have to get used to you quacking about in your silly little transformed shape for the time being.” 

“Would you prefer a different form?” Lucifer raised his brow. “An alligator perhaps?” 

Alastor’s cheeks turned positively crimson as he recalled the last time Lucifer had shifted, and he attempted to shift the focus away before Lucifer could notice. “Is there anything you cannot shift into?” 

“Hm,” Lucifer thought for a moment, considering all of his options. “Well. I can shift into any mammal, reptile, bird or insect - though insects really aren’t my thing, so I don’t make a habit of it. And a lot of the mythological beasts on earth come from tales of my mutated shifts during summonings and other events. So..” Lucifer’s voice trailed out, and Alastor looked over at him, curious about what could have caused such a hesitation in the king’s previously eager one. Lucifer’s eyes flickered up shyly towards Alastor, and then he took a deep breath, voice resolved out of nowhere. “I suppose the only thing I can’t shift into is your lover.”

Alastor stared at Lucifer, eyes blank - thoughts crackling with static. 

What had Lucifer just said? “My what now?” 

A blush was on Lucifer’s cheeks, but he somehow was managing to speak clearly, no hesitation in his tone for once. “I cannot shift into your lover.” His smile turned positively wicked. “You know, love-er ? Like, someone you either love or just want to fu-” 

“Yes. Thank you, Lucifer.” Alastor grunted. “I know what the definition is.”

Lucifer shrugged. “Well then, now you know. I can shift into anything I want, except -” 

“So there really is nothing.” 

Lucifer’s jaw snapped shut and he snapped his gaze to look at Alastor, absolute shock in his expression. “What?” 

Alastor shrugged, taking pleasure in the fact that it was his turn to be the one doing the shocking. “You say that you cannot shift into my lover, but I don’t see why that is out of the realm of possibilities. Therefore, if that’s the only thing you suppose you cannot shift into, there truly must be nothing-” 

“Do you mean it?” Lucifer was suddenly far closer to Alastor than he knew what to do with. They were still outside, awkwardly standing in the middle of the path outside Alastor’s bedroom portal. Lucifer was still transformed, wearing that human outfit of his that made Alastor want to bruise him all over, just to see whether the marks would be more blue than the clothing, marks that he would leave in the shape of his hands. He could still see Lucifer’s neck, bared for all to see, and with the new information he had gained regarding what he had done to Lucifer the other night - the way that he had bitten into that neck? Alastor wanted to do it again, and he wanted to remember it. 

“We are already sleeping together.” Alastor managed to keep his voice steady. “And apparently spending our days together is something you desire - unless of course the abandoning of your plans regarding New Orleans indicate a lack of interest-” 

“ Fuck .” Lucifer frowned, reaching out to take Alastor’s hand, squeezing it lightly. “We can go back sometime. A lot has changed in a hundred years, but I would love to see if any parts of your city are the same. I want to see-” Lucifer bit his lip. “I want to see your history.” 

“You could do that at any point though.” Alastor told Lucifer with an exasperated sigh. “You could read my mind.” 

“Yes.” Lucifer nodded. “And I probably will keep asking. But, it’s not the same as learning who you are because you wish to tell me.” 

“Further evidence then.” Alastor shrugged, and Lucifer frowned, tilting his head in question. “That you are capable of becoming mine .” 

Lucifer’s eyes widened, and he gasped. Clearly Alastor’s more possessive twist on the concept between them had been unexpected. And he felt a wave of apprehensive guilt set in. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he could get out more than a word, Lucifer was interjecting.

“ Fuck yes.” Lucifer’s hands fisted around the lapels of Alastor’s jacket, tugging him down harshly. “You better think about this really carefully, Alastor. Because if you give me any of you, I’m not giving you back.” 

Alastor looked over Lucifer’s smaller form, the seemingly unassuming shape of him, as well as all of the softer edges, and he trembled. Because he had seen what was truly beneath it all. Alastor had seen power itself, and its name was Lucifer. 

Alastor’s lips stretched into a truly menacing smile, and he leaned down, looking the devil directly in his eyes as he whispered, just before sealing his promise with a kiss,

“Likewise.”