Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It had been a few months since the Hazbin Hotel was expanded by the arrival of two new residents. But, unlike the other residents of the hotel in search of Redemption, these ones will never join Heaven… for the simple reason that they were born in Hell! It's been 5 months now since Angel Dust gave birth to two little twin girls, Misty and Mitten! His daughters and Husk’s, the hotel bartender! He was one of the rare Sinners to have been able to give birth in Hell and the two kitten-spider hybrids had been born here, within the walls of the Hazbin Hotel, with the help of the King of Hell himself, Lucifer!

Now, the two little ones were recurring faces of the hotel. They were often seen in the lobby with their feline father, in a bassinet on the bar, or with their spider father who amused himself by dressing them up like little dolls when they weren't playing with Fat Nuggets, Angel's piglet. Like kittens, they had quickly awakened and starting to crawl. Much faster than Charlie according to Lucifer's memories. But both parents couldn't be more proud of their little girls and everyone at the hotel loved them.

Charlie, of course, had been more than happy to have babies to look after, giving them lots of toys and doing several very supervised Redemption activities, saying that working with babies could help, and Vaggie was careful to make sure no one hurt them. After all, Vox was still at war with them… but Cherri took it upon herself to protect her little goddaughters by blowing up any drones she saw and, if anyone stared at the kittens for too long, she would intervene and if not, she would have fun with Angel dressing them up. Niffty would only get near them if Husk and Alastor were around, being far too unstable to be left alone with the babies even though she frequently put on her ‘cockroach shows’ for them, entertaining the kittens who were always trying to catch those strange puppets.

And the Radio Demon… he didn’t really approach them. Alastor was just watching them from afar or out of the corner of his eyes. He seemed interested… but he never tried to interact with them in any way. Whether positively or negatively! It was more curiosity about something new in the hotel that Husk and Angel had created!

Quite the opposite of Lucifer!

The King could spend hours watching the two babies wake up day after day, he would offer himself almost immediately when Angel needed a babysitter and he would use his magic to amaze them or he would play with them, allowing them to play and chew on some of the many rubber ducks he created. It was obvious that he had fallen under the spell of the kittens, even having made ducks in their likeness which he then gave to the parents,… and for those who knew him, the reason was more than clear!

The little twin girls reminded him of Charlie!

He'd never made the slip of calling one his daughter, but Husk, Angel, and Cherri were having fun betting on how long it would take him. Lucifer was clearly nostalgic for the time when his precious daughter was a baby like the little kittens, smiling tenderly whenever he saw them and often getting lost in his memories, even telling many anecdotes about the Princess' early years.

**********

That day, Lucifer had brought back from the palace outfits that Charlie had worn when she was younger and that he had found 'by chance' while tidying up… according to his own words. While Husk and Alastor had rolled their eyes knowing that chance had nothing to do with it, Angel had found it amusing to dress his twins in the princess's outfits. Or at least, little Misty had the whole outfit. Mitten, because of her four arms, could only wear the hats, bonnets or accessories that Charlie had when she was a baby.

''And a little Mitten Apple!'' Angel smiles after putting a red wool baby hat that looks like an apple on the black-furred kitten. ''Awww look at you, you're beautiful, sweetie!'' he chirps, taking out his compact mirror so his daughter can look at herself.

Except that the kitten stands up on her paws and arches her back, not recognizing her reflection.

''Oh!'' the spider laughs, putting the mirror away before picking up his baby in his arms. ''Ooh, you little crazy girl! Always ready for a fight!''

The little girl meows, holding out one of her hands to her spider dad… before her pupils round when she notices the pompoms on the hat. She starts to play with it, making her father laugh, when Lucifer lets out a little ''Tadaaaa!'' as he finishes dressing Misty.

''Awwwww! Look how cute she is!'' he chirps, lifting up the pink kitten dressed in a fluffy yellow duckling onesie.

The little girl looks at him, not seeming to understand what is happening, but she is not alarmed, accustomed to the King's face. Above all, he smiles and his eyes are as bright as rubies. It’s like he has hundreds of little hearts floating around him.

''Aww! Look at how cute you are, my Char aaaAAAAAh… Chachat! ''

Everyone turns to him, surprised, while the King finds himself all stupid with the baby in his arms. Little Misty just blinks, meowing innocently while Lucifer strokes her cheeks while nervously looking around, especially seeing the intrigued looks of the other residents.

Didn't he just do that?

Then, wanting to end the awkwardness, he forces a nervous smile on his face and continues, cradling the little kitten in his arms.

''Yes! Chachat is French for kitty, like the kitty cat I helped give birth to but not gave birth to, ahahahah! ….''

Except the more he talks, the more confused he gets, Alastor visibly holding back laughter as he drinks a glass of whiskey at the bar.

''Dad, are you sure you're okay?'' Charlie asks as she approaches, her father's cheeks turning golden as he blushes, his angelic blood easily coloring his face in shame.

''Uh yes uh…'' he stutters as he plays with the fluff of the duckling onesie… before he hands the baby to his daughter. ''You know what? I'm going to take a break!''

Once the kitten is in the princess's arms, the King gets up, picking up one of the clothes and quickly heads towards the stairs. Pulling his hat over his eyes, he practically rushes towards the elevator, getting in as fast as he can and quickly pressing the button to go back up to his floor.

''Dad…'' Charlie sighs as Misty starts to play with her braid and Vaggie joins her to comfort her.

'' Ah! '' Angel says, jumping up with Mitten held in one of his arms, pointing at both Husk, who jumps and wonders what, and Cherri. ''I won, losers! Now, bring out the cash!''

His friend rolls her eyes, digging through her pockets.

''Damn, just a day away!'' Husk grumbles, putting down the glass he was cleaning to dig through his pockets as Alastor watches the scene with interest.

'' Now that's interesting… '' he says with a smirk, Niffty looking at him without understanding what he's talking about.

In his room, Lucifer has taken off his King's clothes to put on an extra-large sweatshirt that he puts on when he wanted to be comfortable. Lying on his bed, he holds a small onesie over his eyes.

Charlie's first!

The tiny baby outfit was made of extremely soft fabric and was a pretty apple red color with gold snake embroidery on the buttonhole, the buttons being little apples, and the collar decorated with little musical notes. Their symbols to him and Lilith! … And when he lifts the little piece of clothing to his nose, he still smells his little girl's baby scent. A delicate scent similar to apple blossoms. A scent that Charlie had kept for years…

He didn't know exactly when his daughter had stopped having her baby scent. When Lilith took Charlie with her, the little princess still had that smell… but when Lucifer was able to see her again, Charlie was no longer a little girl but a teenager in full identity crisis and who was in a phase where she saw everything in black. Luckily, it hadn't lasted long… but even though he laughed about it now, Lucifer was hurt that he hadn't seen his baby grow up. He felt so nostalgic for when he was pregnant, feeling the little life growing inside him, and then the first days of his daughter's life. His baby that he had brought into the world…

Sometimes, he even wondered if that wasn't what had driven Lilith away: that he was able to carry and give birth to a living child… and not her! As a result, when Charlie had started wanting to spend time with him, Lilith had loaded him with work and prevented Charlie from coming to see him… but since the little princess always managed to find her father in his workshop or between different meetings, she had ended up leaving with her daughter.

Lucifer sighs, clutching the onesie to his chest.

''I just wanted a family…''

'' Oh, so you don't have one anymore? '' a voice exclaims, making the King yelp in surprise as he straightens up.

His horns sprout from his head and his wings spread out, ready to attack the intruder… who happens to be Alastor.

''Oh…'' Lucifer calms down, returning to his normal form. ''Have you decided to make fun of me or do you have another idea in mind?''

'' Am I not allowed to be surprised by our King's slip of the tongue? '' he says, joining the Devil, sitting on the bed next to him. '' Is this what we call… hmmm… Oh yes! A baby fever? ''

Lucifer blushes, clutching the onesie in his arms and turns his back on Alastor.

'' It seems that this happens when someone close to us has a baby. I’m guessing seeing Husk and Angel's twins is the cause. ''

'' Oh shut up!!! '' snaps the Fallen Angel, turning around, furious. ''You don’t know what it is! You don't have any kids!''

'' Indeed. I've never felt the need to be physical with someone. So it's complicated to have a child without being intimate, isn't it? '' the Radio Demon smiles.

Lucifer glares at him, annoyed… before sighing as he looks at the clothe in his hands.

''I don't know what's gotten into me, Al…'' he says, trembling. ''When I see these little ones… I see Charlie again… my baby… my baby that I didn't see grow up…'' he says, holding back from sobbing as he clutches the garment to his face.

Alastor's smile seems to soften as he brings his hand to Lucifer's cheek to caress it.

It must be said that their relationship had evolved a lot without anyone at the hotel knowing! For Charlie and the other residents, Alastor and Lucifer don't like each other! Hatred may have been a little strong, but at best they were tolerant of each other, each making sure to help Charlie even as they continued to insult each other whenever possible. The young princess even came to wonder how she was going to be able to make them get along… without knowing that in reality, they had already made peace.

It began a month after the Extermination which destroyed the first Hazbin Hotel.

Alastor had returned as if nothing had happened after the hotel was rebuilt, giving no explanation for his sudden disappearance and resuming his role casually by continuing to snap at Lucifer, criticizing everything he did and playing on the guilt of the King who had left his daughter alone for many years instead of supporting her. Except that one evening when they were alone at the bar, the Radio Demon had told the last bad joke and the King, furious, had violently pushed him away. Except that instead of fighting back, Alastor had found himself doubled over and his shirt immediately covered in blood! The shock had been such that Lucifer had forgotten his anger and taken the Sinner to his room to see what was going on. As soon as he had managed to control the deer demon who was delirious with pain, he had been able to see the problem: a large gash made by an angelic blade!

And Lucifer could still feel Adam's angelic power on the infected edges of the wound that had suddenly reopened when he had jostled Alastor! Considering the size of the wound and the obvious brutality of the attack, it was even a miracle that the Radio Demon was still able to stand!

Seeing the opportunity to put this Sinner in his place, Lucifer made a deal with Alastor. He would heal him with his angelic blood which had exceptional healing properties and wouldn't tell anyone anything and, in exchange, Alastor would simply have to stop putting him down in front of Charlie and the others! The proud demon had growled with rage, not wanting to bow to the King of Hell who was, in his opinion, nothing but a ridiculous little pretentious person… but he had no choice. Already being discovered by Lucifer was a real shame but he didn't want the other residents to know that he had been injured and therefore appeared weak!

He would rather die a second time!

So the deal had been reluctantly made, and for several weeks Alastor had tried to ignore Lucifer, knowing that he would have a hard time not putting the little king down, especially in front of the others… until Charlie decided to put them together in all the activities so that they could strengthen their bond. At first, it had been… rather catastrophic! Alastor had purposely angered Lucifer by innocently sabotaging everything the King did or straying during trust exercises, bringing down the Fallen Angel each time. But when Lucifer started threatening him to break the agreement and reveal everything to Charlie, the Radio Demon had to make an effort… just like Lucifer did to please his daughter.

However, neither of them expected that, in the end, these exercises together would not be so terrible!

When Charlie had suggested that everyone introduce the others to their favorite style of music, Alastor had been surprised to see that Lucifer enjoyed listening to jazz to calm down. When it had been their turn to prepare the residents' meal, the King had been impressed that the Radio Demon was a real chef and that, instead of giving him a vile meal to get revenge, he had paid close attention to his personal tastes, putting less spices since Lucifer had more of a sweet tooth. When Angel had also been surprised that the Overlord had made something edible for the Fallen Angel, he had simply replied:

‘‘ No matter how entertaining it would be to see our Shortness burn his mouth, there is no better reward for a cook than to see that you enjoy eating what he has prepared. ’’

So much so that Lucifer also made an effort to offer a less sweet dessert to Alastor which was the complete opposite in terms of taste. He even had to ask the Cannibal Overlord, Rosie, if she had any recipes for cannibal desserts. Little by little, they had ended up getting closer, Alastor starting to compliment the King, who responded with little attentions like bringing the best coffee or asking Ozzie, who had imps who frequently went to Earth, to bring him earthly ingredients so that the Radio Demon could remake his mother's recipes. Finally, instead of fighting when they were alone, they had started to talk about their past.

Lucifer had learned that Alastor had never truly known love since the only person who had loved him was his mother… and she had died when he was a teenager. He found himself alone with his father who beat him because he didn't find him strong enough… until Alastor killed him! From then on, he had promised himself to never be weak again and had done everything to be the most powerful in Life as in Death. The Fallen Angel then understood that the Radio Demon had forged his character in such a way as to show no weakness, refusing affection since he had been repeatedly told that it was a weakness. He had therefore never been loved and had never loved himself!

Understanding a little better what made Alastor the 'pretentious asshole' he is, Lucifer had told him what had happened in Heaven, that he had taken part in the creation of the World with his brothers and his father by offering the Light to pierce the Darkness. His first creation was the Morning Star, the one that named him! He had then helped create the stars then the Moon and finally the Sun, helping to establish the cycles of day and night to allow the rest of the other creations: the plants and the animals! However, once he had brought the Light, he had been put aside, his brothers and the other angels saying that they no longer needed him while his head was still full of ideas! He could only observe, no one listening to his proposals, telling him that it was not a game…

***************

“I knew it wasn’t a game!” he had been telling while Alastor simply listened to him, drinking his coffee in silence for once since he was rather interested in the story. “But we had a blank page in front of us! We could do whatever we wanted! We could make this world a real dream filled with magic! … but they said it was ridiculous, whimsical…” he said before sulking. “I think they were mostly jealous because my platypus was able to join Eden and not some of their creatures.”

The Radio Demon suddenly spits his coffee back into his cup before slapping his hand over his mouth, clearly holding back a laugh. The King of Hell frowns at his reaction. It wasn't the first time Alastor had laughed at him… but it was the first time it seemed uncontrolled.

“What’s wrong?” Lucifer asks, forcing the red demon to try to control his laughter as he places his coffee on the coffee table.

“ You mean… this is your fault… that this poor creature looks so ridiculous? ” Alastor asks, having trouble keeping himself from snickering and annoying Lucifer.

“ Hey! He's not ridiculous, he's adorable! I created him from two cute animals! They're the ones who found him weird! And Adam's the one who chose that weird name. I would have found something else…” he grumbles.

This time, the Overlord is unable to stop himself from laughing, his body almost doubled over with hilarity… but the Fallen Angel doesn't feel offended. In fact, Alastor's laugh finally seems natural and not petty or mocking. 

And instead of making him angry, it made him blush and his heart start beating with affection. It was the first time Alastor seemed sincere and it didn't seem like an overacting act. 

***************

From then on, Lucifer had started to question his feelings. He felt like what he felt for Lilith was fading away to be replaced by what he felt for Alastor… and that scared him. It must be said that his story with Lilith had started so quickly and had ended so brutally… he had indeed had an affair with Eve a little after Lilith's umpteenth miscarriage but it hadn't lasted since she had suddenly disappeared and Lucifer had felt bad for having cheated on his wife at such a time… but Lilith had gone out of the palace to forget and he had found himself alone with his own sorrow. Eve had just offered him the affection and support he needed at that moment… Fortunately, Lilith hadn't held it against him, the succubus having seen it as proof that he was superior to Adam. So that had inflated his Pride and he had stayed with his wife… until Charlie came into the world and Lilith slowly pushed his little girl away from him. 

Could he trust Alastor? A Sinner who hadn't fallen by chance! He was a serial killer after all! … But he kept a certain ethics. And Lucifer remained the King of Hell! If Alastor became dangerous or tried to hurt him, he could annihilate him without problem! … But would his heart support it? … And what would the other Sinners say? Lilith was still very loved since she was considered the one who had developed Hell before disappearing! What would his people say if he started to frequent an Overlord? But that didn't stop him from wanting to be closer and closer to Alastor and from catching himself forgetting his wedding ring…

And for his part, Alastor also found himself tormented.

In his entire existence, he had never truly known love. His mother was the only one who had ever loved him, but she had died far too early, leaving him with a father who had no affection for him. A father who had only taught him violence, hatred and contempt. Emotions that Alastor had kept his entire life and which had made him the terrible serial killer that he was. A killer who struck quickly and without hesitation, leaving no trace behind him. If he hadn’t been spotted by those hunting dogs while he was getting rid of another corpse, he could certainly have continued for a few years. Maybe he would have died of old age… who knows… but he did not regret his life choices at all! They had made him what he was now: one of the most powerful Overlords of Hell! 

The terrible Radio Demon! A name that still today made the entire First Ring quiver with fear!

So Alastor had never felt the need to have anything other than Control and Power! Two things he had easy access to in Hell!… and yet, the more time he spent with Lucifer, the less control he felt he had! At first, he only made fun of him, taking him for a little pretentious in every sense of the word,… but after the Extermination, not only had the King discovered his injury and forced him into a deal in exchange for his angelic blood to heal him, but Charlie had also forced him to spend time with his father. And the more time he spent with the Fallen Angel, the more he found himself enjoying their meetings and feeling affection for the Sovereign of Hell! 

Something he had never felt! Especially not for a man! 

He had Rosie to talk to about his problems and these strange feelings that he shouldn't feel, that he felt like he was losing control… but Rosie was still a romantic at heart. She had told him that what he felt was affection! That he felt affection for Lucifer and that Lucifer felt affection for him! But it was ridiculous!!! The King had surely done something when they made this deal! It couldn't be otherwise! He, Alastor, the Radio Demon, didn't feel affection! He couldn't allow himself to have such weakness! He couldn't love! No matter how much a small part of him wanted to believe it, he knew that it was impossible… even if he couldn't help but continue to have little meetings with the Fallen Angel. But he convinced himself that if he did this, it was only to weaken the King! If Lucifer became attached to him, he could use that affection for his own interests… and not because he too wanted to be with the King!

If he was really honest, everything really changed when Angel found out he was pregnant!

It had been a shock to everyone when Lucifer had managed to feel the little soul in the Sinner's belly, especially since it was common knowledge that Sinners couldn’t reproduce! The Hellborn could and were spread out over the other Rings but the Sinners, stuck in the First Ring, normally didn’t have this possibility! … or so everyone believed. Because, according to Lucifer, the reproduction of Sinners was possible but under certain very specific conditions! 

Conditions that Husk and Angel had perfectly fulfilled!

The porn actor had been terrified by this news, fearing for his and his baby’s life when Valentino would learn it… and above all, the idea of ​​having to give birth had panicked him. Pride wasn’t known for its doctors, they were pale copies of those of Sloth and only thought about making money rather than really healing! 

How could he have a baby under these conditions?

The rest of the conversation had then been… unrealistic for Alastor!

*****

• 14 months ago :

“You don’t have to worry, Angel! I’ll be able to help you!” Lucifer assures, surprising the other residents and the future parents. “I know exactly what to do!”

“ Ha! That’s funny! ” Alastor laughs, unable to help himself despite the deal with the King. “ I’m sure I’d be much better than His Highness! ”

“And how?” the king grumbles, annoyed. “Have you ever had children?”

“ Oh hoho! No, Heavens no! ” the Radio Demon mocks, crossing his legs and playing with his staff that Lucifer repaired for him a few weeks ago. “ But in my time and in small communities like the one where I grew up, women gave birth at home. When I was younger, it wasn't uncommon for my mother to help a friend give birth and I sometimes accompanied her. So I’ve already helped a few mothers give birth. ” he said, intriguing Charlie and the others, before he smirked. “ His Highness may think that having helped the Queen give birth makes him an expert! ”

Lucifer chuckles while rolling his eyes.

“Of course not. Lilith’s miscarriages always happened in Sloth with Belphegor.” he said as if it were obvious, shocking the residents who learned that the Queen had suffered several miscarriages… but none expected him to say: “If I know what Angel is going through, it's because I went through it too! And giving birth to Charlie alone in the middle of Extermination, I can tell you that you won’t forget it!”

“ WHAT!? ” Charlie gasps, reminding her father that she didn’t know the details of her birth.

Just that she was born during an Extermination that had been brought forward before they resumed their original rhythm of a year, a month after her birth.

Seeing all the eyes on him, Lucifer had blushed violently… before confessing:

“We tried several times in a… classic way… but Lilith was never able to carry a pregnancy to term. Heaven was so afraid of the children we would have that they cursed Lilith, saying that if she did not want to become the mother of Humanity, she would never be a mother…” he sighs, remembering the sorrow of each miscarriage. “So… after several tries… we decided that I would be the one to carry our baby.” he says, surprising those who listen to him.

“But… Dad…” Charlie gasps, unable to believe it, so Lucifer takes her hands and explains:

“I’m an angel, duckling. We don’t really have a defined gender. We can change as we want. So, to have you, I took on a female body, I carried you… and I gave birth to you.” He says, fearing his daughter’s reaction… but Charlie forces him to look at her.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“It wasn’t important!” the fallen angel trembles, looking ready to cry as he imagines his daughter hating him, being disgusted like Lilith said she would be. “You had a mother and a father! You didn’t need to know that Lilith wasn’t the one who gave birth to you!… and… I…”

He suddenly found himself in his daughter's embrace. Charlie's eyes were filled with tears. She now understood much better why her father had always been closer to her, why he was always overprotective of her, why he had no trust in Heaven and why the Exterminations were always a stressful time for him.

“Dad… it wouldn't have changed the love I have for Mom… but… you should have told me… I would have understood some things more easily. I would have understood why Heaven scared you so much… I would have understood… I love you, Dad…”

Lucifer trembled as he felt his daughter in his arms before holding her as tight as he could, as if he never wanted to let go of her again. But, as he looked behind her, he saw Alastor's gaze which seemed to change, as if he saw him differently… and he did!

***************

Because of his mother, whom he had loved more than anything, Alastor had always had a deep respect for women. He knew that every woman had the possibility of becoming a mother and it was for him the greatest miracle. They possessed the power to create life and they suffered when they brought these little lives into the world! For that, they could only be respected!

Men, on the other hand, were just an extra piece who rarely took care of children! That's why most of his victims were men! The few women he killed were bad mothers who beat, sold or killed the children they had or those of others! These women did not deserve to live! No more than men who abandon their children!

For him, Lucifer had always been in this category! He was a father and hadn't fought to keep Charlie, giving himself a clear conscience by playing the model dad who adored his daughter. But he was only the Devil himself! … or at least, that's what he believed! Because knowing that Lucifer had carried and given birth to Charlie changed all of Alastor's convictions!

Lucifer wasn't a father who had given up without a fight! He was a mother! A mother who had given life to her child alone, in the middle of the Extermination, and who had her child taken away from her by a woman who had not been able to give birth to a living child! Alastor then understood that Lucifer had not exaggerated when he said that it was his wife who didn’t want their daughter to see her father after the divorce. Lilith had pushed her husband out of their daughter's life! She had wanted to take her place as a mother and break the bond between Lucifer and Charlie! A bond that a mother and her child weave during pregnancy!

For the first time in his life in Hell since he made that damn deal, Alastor regretted his actions! 

But since he would never admit it in front of the others, the Radio Demon had continued to ignore or tease (although more gently) the King when the others were around… but he had stopped saying horrible things to him when they were alone. He had apologized, which was already shocking… and had even ended up talking about his greatest shame: his deal with none other than Lilith the Queen of Hell herself!

***************

While they were both in the King's suite, Lucifer was more than shocked by Alastor's words.

“W-what?… You and Lilith…”

“ It wasn't with a light heart. ” the Radio Demon sighed. “ I… my last confrontation with the Vees had almost been fatal for me even if these idiots never understood anything. Even if my name remains feared, I was losing my powers! I had to do something and… the Queen appeared to me like that, suddenly, to offer me a deal! She gave me back my powers and, in exchange, I just had to watch over and help her daughter! "

“And you said yes?"

“ It seemed like a fair deal! I just had to watch the princess from afar like her mother asked me to… but as the years went by, I found myself having to be close to Charlie! No matter how much I wanted to, I had to have her within sight, be able to see her! I couldn’t get away from her anymore! I figured that by helping her at the hotel, I would fulfill the contract… but it doesn’t work! ” the demon sighs, resting his head in his hands. “ The deal must be too vague or… ”

The King almost feels hurt. He knew that Alastor surely wasn’t helping his daughter for nothing… but that it was because of a deal made with his ex-wife… he felt betrayed!

Furious, his voice full of venom and looking away, he snarls:

“What are the exact terms of the deal?

Alastor is surprised by the change in the Fallen Angel's voice but now that he has said too much, he cannot keep quiet.

“ Powers as powerful as those of my great glory in exchange for the protection of the Princess… "

“What exactly did you promise her, word for word!?" the King gets angry, alarming the Radio Demon who sighs before thinking.

“ I, Alastor the Radio Demon, of sound body and mind, have sworn to offer guidance, advice and protection to Charlie Morningstar, the Princess of Hell, to her mother… and we have sealed the deal with a handshake… ”

Lucifer grumbles, putting his head in his hands.

“What a fucking idiot you are! You can't get any vaguer than that!” he says angrily, Alastor frowning at these words. “You swore to offer guidance, advice and protection without any compensation! No matter how many times you help Charlie, as soon as she needs help, you will be drawn to her! Even Charlie can't break that deal! It's her mother who must do it since you swore to her!”

The Radio Demon sighs as he rolls his eyes, almost helpless. So he was fooled in style! Even though he started to like Charlie, he didn't want to be a slave!

How was he going to get out of this? 

Annoyed, the Sinner grumbles as he puts his head in his hands… before freezing.

“ Wait a minute… ” he exclaims, attracting Lucifer’s attention. “ This deal has to be broken by Charlie’s mother, right? ”

“Yes, I just told you so.”

“ So… you can break it! ”

“Excuse me!?” the King says frowning.

“ A mother is the one who gives birth to a child! ” Alastor explains with a knowing smile. “ But you’re the one who gave birth to Charlie. So you’re her mother! ”

“ I’m her father! ” the fallen angel yells, spreading his wings and letting his horns grow.

“ It’s just a matter of naming. Because in fact, you’re as much Charlie’s mother as Lilith can be. ” the Radio Demon insists. “ And I made this contract with Charlie’s mother without ever naming her! So maybe you could free me from my chains. ” he says, pointing at his neck. 

Lucifer glares at him, trying to be furious,… but in reality his heart tightens.

From the vague terms of who the Sinner had made this deal with and the particular nature of Charlie's birth, it was true that he could free Alastor from this deal! Biologically, he was even more of a mother than a father… but if he freed the Radio Demon, there would be nothing to keep him in the hotel. He would simply leave, as he had come, and they would never see him again! And the very idea of ​​it seemed like an angelic stab to his heart! … but who was he to deny Alastor that? All he wanted was for the Demon to be free to make his own choices! 

Currently, Al was indirectly Charlie's slave! Something his little girl wouldn't stand for if she knew! 

Sighing, Lucifer stands up, taking his angel form with his six wings spread, his eyes having reversed their colors, his horns with a fiery orb above his head and his tail whipping the air. Reaching towards Alastor's throat, he closes his fist and the deep blood-red chain appears in his hand. He feels Lilith's power… but he isn’t worried about it, knowing what he's doing.

"I, Lucifer Morningstar, mother of Princess Charlie Morningstar,…" he begins, the chain changing from red to gold as the deal passes from Lilith to Lucifer. "… am satisfied with the services of Alastor the Radio Demon,… and release him from his contract!"

The collar around Alastor's neck opens, making the Sinner gasp, bringing his hand to his throat as he feels like he's breathing for the first time in years. He even falls to his knees in shock!

The gold chain evaporates in Lucifer's hands who lowers his eyes, holding back tears despite his chest that hurts.

"Here… you're free… you can go!" he says, surprising Alastor who raises his head towards the Angel who has gone to a shelf to retrieve a duck that he hugs against him.

" Is this… is this really what his Majesty wants? "

"Why the hell do you care?…"

" I want to know if our King really wants me to leave. " he says as he gets up but in an unusually calm, even hesitant tone.

" What's the point since you want to leave!? " Lucifer yells as a few tears escape him. He expects to hear mockery and scathing retorts, preparing himself to have his foolish heart broken once again…

" Before, maybe… " Alastor admits, rubbing his throat. " But… now I just feel… free… "

The fallen angel is surprised by these words and turns to look at the Sinner. He still has his incessant smile… but he seems calmer, less cynical… more natural.

" I know I can leave now… " he says, joining the King, one of his claws going to his cheek to wipe away one of the tears that are there and that, for the first time, brings him no amusement. " … but I don't want to anymore. "

"What?"

" I don't feel trapped anymore. I don't want to run anymore. " the Radio Demon admits, placing his hand on the Angel's cheek, whose cheeks are turning golden. “ If His Highness allows it, I would like to stay here, at the Hazbin Hotel. With Charlie… and with him. ” 

Lucifer finds himself shaking at these words that make his heart beat so hard it could explode as tears stream down his golden cheeks.

But this time, they are tears of joy!

He then throws himself at Alastor, taking his face in both hands, and roughly pulls him towards him, finally giving in to his desire to kiss him. The Sinner lets out a few static noises as he finds himself frozen, his eyes momentarily taking the shape of radio dials… before they move apart. Lucifer freezes when he realizes what he has done and steps back, placing his hand over his mouth.

“Sorry! I… I don't know what got into me!… I… Oh fuck, what an idiot!” he panics, hiding his face which seems as bright as a lantern as his white face turns so golden.

But Alastor's hands push his away, forcing the Devil to look at him… before he leans down and awkwardly places his lips on Lucifer's. The Radio Demon clearly doesn't know what to do, trembling, before he pulls away, lowering his head.

“ Fuck… I'm ridiculous… ” he whispers, his ears flattening against his head in shame.

The Fallen Angel blinks, surprised, before smiling between amusement and tenderness.

“Clumsy is a more accurate word.” he says, catching Alastor's attention.

They then look at each other like two idiots, not knowing what to do… before they give in to their desires, Lucifer jumping to Alastor's neck and initiating the kiss to teach him, forgetting their differences and their chaotic beginnings, ready to try to follow their hearts.

*****

And now here they were, both free but hiding like teenagers because they didn't want anyone to discover them and put into words what they were both experiencing. They didn't need labels. They just wanted to be together and accept how they felt about each other. And above all, since then, the King no longer wore his wedding ring at all! 

What was the point since he no longer loved Lilith? 

His heart now belonged to the Radio Demon!

Lucifer then turns completely towards Alastor and buries his face in the chest of the Radio Demon who caresses his hair. He was now much more attentive to the suffering of the King which is more akin to the suffering of a mother.

“ You were robbed of many years with Charlie. You didn't see her grow up while you gave birth to her. Seeing these little girls just makes you want to do it again. To try to do what you couldn't do with your child. ”

“But it's not fair to Angel and Husk! I feel like I'm doing the same thing to them,… Taking their daughters away from them…”

“ Come on, don't talk nonsense! ” Alastor exclaims calmly, hugging the Fallen Angel. “ If Angel and Husk felt deprived of their twins, they would have said so. You're just being a weird uncle, if you will. ”

“How should I take this?” the Devil gets annoyed, looking up at the Sinner who lets out a slight laugh, brushing aside a lock of blond hair.

“ As His Majesty wishes… ” he says, leaning towards Lucifer. 

He glares at him… before suddenly getting up to kiss the demon. Alastor expected this kind of reaction, having noticed that Lucifer was really lacking affection and touch starved. He had been alone for so long that he no longer really knew how to interact with people and, like many, he preferred to act rather than get lost in explanations… even if he was as talkative as his daughter when the subject fascinated him or stressed him out. The King then wraps his arms around Alastor's neck to keep him close to him, almost sighing with relief when Alastor wraps one arm around his body, the other passing through the angel's golden hair to bring him closer to him.

As their relationship evolved, the Radio Demon had come to accept that the King entered his personal space, seeing no inconvenience since Lucifer was his! Until now, sexuality had never interested Alastor. He was a male demon who had made his desire for power his one and only motivation, refusing the attempts of seduction from women (and even men like Vox) since he felt no romantic or sexual attraction. When he had tried to explain this to Angel so that he would stop trying to find his 'type', the porn actor had declared that he was asexual… but he didn't care about these labels. He didn't want a relationship with anyone other than the one who had managed to reach his heart: Lucifer!

And the King usually let him decide how far they would go in their intimacy, not seeking to deepen the kiss until Alastor wanted it. When he felt the Radio Demon's tongue on his lips, he opened his mouth and let himself be laid on the bed as the kiss became more passionate. His hands immediately opened the Sinner's red shirt to slip into the Friuli fur that covered it, Alastor responding to the stimuli by caressing one of Lucifer's legs. The Fallen Angel let out a moan as he felt the hand go up his thigh but his lover suddenly stopped as his hand was under his clothes, on his hip, and he straightened up, smiling carnivorously as a simple thread of saliva still linked them.

“ Tell me, my King… why do I get the impression that you’re not wearing anything under that grotesque tracksuit? ” he asks with a look that says it all, Lucifer smiling teasingly while sticking out his little forked tongue.

“Who says it’s just an impression? And don’t say it doesn’t do anything to you! I can feel your claws on my skin.” the angel almost purrs as he runs a hand through Alastor’s hair.

The Overlord growls playfully before kissing the King roughly again, making him moan without much difficulty as his hand continues to move up Lucifer's body. He just discreetly snaps the fingers of his other hand so that his shadows close all the curtains and make sure that none of his voyeur rival’s drones will surprise them.

All he wanted was a special moment with his Ange!

Chapter Text

A good two months had passed since that slip of the tongue. Angel and Husk's twins were now 7 months old and their feline and spider DNA meant they couldn't stay still. It wasn't uncommon to find them bickering, biting each other's ears or pawing at each other. Mitten was usually the one leading the fight, with Misty often getting stuck and meowing to call her parents for help.

But even though it kept the residents busy, there was still some concern about Lucifer's health!

For a few weeks now, he had been suffering from violent nausea that could surprise him both in the morning when he got up and during the day at the slightest strong smell. His stomach felt totally out of whack. He had tried to hide it but Charlie had quickly noticed that her father was sick. So she did everything she could to calm Lucifer's nausea by having breakfast with him in his room so that he wouldn't have to smell the smell of coffee, by keeping him away from places that might smell strong and Alastor had taught her how to make a tea to stop the nausea. A recipe from his mother according to what he said.

But for as much as Lucifer's stomach seemed upset, the Fallen Angel found himself frequently having cravings. During meals, he took larger portions than usual and it was not unusual to see him snacking on something during the day. It could be an apple to a nice plate of pancakes or even, to the astonishment of the residents, a little cold meat.

Lucifer, who was known to swear by sugar, found himself salivating over meat that was sometimes bloody!

Needless to say, it was quite the talk of the hotel.

“If our short king wasn't single by choice, I'd say Charlie will soon have a little brother or sister.” Angel chuckles as he separates Mitten and Misty, the little black kitty meowing at the top of her lungs as she reaches out to her twin who is snorting now that her sister is no longer on her.

“Don't talk bullshit, Angel. You'll make a fuss over nothing.” Husk sighs as he looks at his partner from the bar.

“What? I feel like I'm seeing myself again when I was pregnant with these two!” the spider laughs as he points at the two kittens, the younger one jumping on the older one to bite her ear. “Mitten! Leave your sister alone!”

“Seriously, Tony! This is no joke! the bartender growls, using the abbreviation of his real name to show his companion that he is serious even if the latter is more busy separating their daughters. “You know that parenthood is a sensitive subject for Lucifer! If you start spouting crap like that, the King might take it badly! And then, Charlie would be the one to yell at us!”

“Oh please!” the porn actor sighs as he joins him, leaving the twins to bicker and chase each other on all fours like kittens. “Everyone knows it's just a joke! Lucifer isn’t the Virgin!”

“Damn it, Anthony, …”

“And stop with your ‘Anthony’! You know I'm telling the truth!” the youngest gets annoyed.

“For the hotel, maybe! But not the rest of Hell!” the feline fumes, putting down the glass he's holding. “If Velvette hears you say that and she spreads your fake news, what will we do? Huh? How does Lucifer explain that it's just a stupid joke? And Vox! He's been looking for revenge since Valentino's death! This kind of twisted information is water to his mill! And even without those two, I know someone who would love to have this kind of information if it would weaken the King! And he's right here, at the hotel! On the same floor as Lucifer, no less!”

Suddenly, the sound of the elevator silences them, especially when Alastor comes out humming, obviously being in a good mood today after finishing his radio show. Husk signals his companion to be quiet, not wanting to create stories that his boss could use against the King, and retrieves a bottle which he keeps away from the others, knowing that at this hour the Radio Demon would ask him for a glass of his favorite whiskey. Angel chuckles a little but shrugs before looking down… but his blood runs cold not seeing his daughters.

“Misty? Mitten!?” he cries, looking for his daughters but not seeing them anywhere. “ Hey! Where are you, i miei gattini!? ” he panics as he starts looking for them, alarming the father who quickly gives his drink to Alastor.

“ Are you fucking serious!? You had to keep an eye on them! ” Husk fumes as he leaves the bar to help Angel look for their kittens.

Alastor frowns as he calmly drinks his drink… when his attention is caught by something up above.

“ Oh! ” he suddenly exclaims, intriguing the parents. “ It seems that these little ones have already understood that to survive in Hell, you have to elevate yourself higher! ” he said, pointing at the ceiling.

The couple frown at his words before looking at the ceiling… and Angel immediately clamps his hands over his mouth to stop himself from screaming as he feels like his heart is going to stop in horror as Husk is left with wide eyes and dangling arms.

There, clinging with their little kitten claws, Mitten and Misty are almost at the top of one of the hall's large columns! The youngest seems much more comfortable climbing with her four arms while her sister seems to be struggling with her hind legs to reach her, her little wings flapping in the air and being of no use to her.

“Oh, porca miseria…” their spider dad chokes when he sees his babies so high.

“Oooooooooh! They climb high, the little kittens!” Niffty chirps, coming out of nowhere.

Except that Misty must have had enough of being behind Mitten because she tries to catch up with her… except that her little claws don't want to hold her and the kitten ends up falling! Angel screams in horror but Husk opens his wings wide and takes off in a fraction of seconds, catching the little girl in midair.

“Damn! Wait a bit to do acrobacy! Your wings are practically marshmallows!” he grumbles while hugging the little one, more because he was very scared than because he is really angry.

The little pink kitten trembles in all her limbs, nestled against his fur, calming the adult feline who calmly returns to the ground while rocking her.

“It’s okay, calm down. Papa’s got you.”

His spider lover sighs with relief as he joins him to pick up their eldest daughter, the little one appearing to cry as she reaches out to her other daddy, while Charlie and Vaggie arrive, alerted by the screams.

“What's going on?” the princess worries as Angel cuddles his little Misty and kisses her all over her face, reassured, while Alastor still watches the other kitten.

“ Angel's spider genes seem to have awakened in his daughters. ” the Radio Demon replies, intriguing the two young girls who look up.

Charlie gasps in horror when he sees the kitten on the ceiling and some of the new residents come to see what's going on. Husk, meanwhile, joins the little stuntwoman in a few flaps of his wings.

“What are you doing? Come here!” he grumbles as he grabs her.

But little Mitten starts to meow very loudly, clearly not very happy that her father has caught her, and hangs on with all her might.

“Hey! Let go! You're too little to play spider!” her father scolds as he tries to get her to let go without much success. “Mitten! Let go!”

The little girl continues to protest with loud meows.

“Hey! Where are you going like that? You want to run away already?” Husk growls before finally managing to get his youngest daughter back in his arms even though she meows, clearly unhappy. “Look at this tiny piece of meat! It's not even a year old that it's galloping around and grumbling!”

Mitten meows, obviously very upset, as her father brings her back to the ground. Angel can't help but chuckle, reassured now that his twins are back on the ground, and picks up his youngest daughter in his arms.

“Oh, you're just like your papa, aren't you?” he chirps while rocking his little girl. “A little grumpy girl!”

“ Hey! ” the feline barks… but his young lover begins to sob with relief.

He had been so scared! His twins were his whole life! He couldn't imagine himself without them now…

“Awwww, Angel…” Charlie softens when she hugs him.

Alastor can't help but burst out laughing even though Vaggie and Husk glare at him as the twins look at their tearful parent before looking at each other, seeming to question the other about what's going on as a few tears fall on their heads. Mitten even starts to meow while trying to claw at the drops of water that fall on her while Misty snuggles up against her daddy.

But as the Radio Demon laughs out loud at Angel's nervous state,…

“Alastor!”

The clear, sharp tone brings a certain chill to the living room and everyone turns to see Lucifer standing at the entrance to the elevator. The King isn’t wearing his formal attire since he had violent nausea again this morning, finding himself slightly disheveled while wearing a red outfit with golden apple motifs. He seems almost angry as he stares at the Overlord.

“ Oh… what have I done to make His Majesty angry? ” he asks with a sneer. “ These kittens don't need me to put themselves in danger. ”

“What? What are you…?” Lucifer chokes before getting annoyed: “ Argh! Whatever! Come with me, we have to talk!” he orders, surprising everyone.

“Daddy, you can very well…” tries Charlie but her father gets annoyed:

“ No! Only Alastor! So hurry, Bambi! I haven't got all day! ”

The Radio Demon pins his ears to his head, surprised like the others, … then he puts his glass on the bar and walks towards the Devil. He gets into the elevator with Lucifer and leaves the King pressing the button for their floor. As soon as the doors are closed, Lucifer loses his serious face and seems nervous, tying knots with the hood cords of his garment. 

“ Awww, what’s bothering you so much? ” Alastor sneers, thinking that Lucifer just wants a moment alone… but when he sees the tears ready to flow down his lover's cheeks, he falls silent.

**********

After a few moments, they arrive at their floor and Lucifer heads to his room without a word. Alastor stays a little behind, surprised. He doesn't understand what's going on, but he sees that it's serious… and that worries him a little. Refraining from any remarks, he calmly follows the King to his suite.

Once there, Lucifer goes to his bed and calmly orders:

“Close the door…”

Alastor obeys, asking his shadow to make sure no one will be able to hear what they are going to say, before joining the Fallen Angel to sit on the bed next to him.

“ Well… I'm here and no one will hear us now. So tell me, what's going on? ” He says calmly even though a slight worry can be heard in his voice.

Lucifer sniffs, hiding his body as best he can, alarming his lover, before he inhales and exhales deeply to calm himself down.

“First of all… I… I don't want you to feel trapped… I… I swear I didn't do it on purpose… I… maybe subconsciously I wanted this but… I would never have…”

“ Lucifer! ” the Radio Demon fumes, alarming the King,… before he calms down. “ I won't get mad, I promise. Now tell me what's wrong. ”

The two men look into each other's eyes… then Lucifer sighs while reaching into one of his pockets. He then takes out a white and blue stick which he hands to the deer demon who retrieves it. He observes it, trying to understand what it is for.

“ What is it? ” he asks, the Angel blushing so much that he could shine… before sighing:

“It’s… it’s what we call… a pregnancy test…”

The Radio Demon tenses at these words, letting out a few crackles of static. Of course, these devices did not exist in his time… but he had heard about them because the Hellborn were reproducing and his ears, always searching for something interesting, had heard discussions of future imp mothers.

But he never thought he would hold one in his hands! Especially when the one who had put it in his hands was the only one he had been intimate with!

Shaking his head to come back to his senses, he turns to Lucifer who wraps his arms around his body shaking, ready to cry.

“ And… that… that means…? ” he asks, refusing to understand, which annoys the King who grumbles while looking at the sky.

“ Are you really stupid or are you doing it on purpose!? ” he rages, his cheeks becoming more golden with embarrassment, before showing the small screen on the stick. “ Two lines, that means it's positive! I'm… ”

The anger suddenly calms down and he sighs before explaining:

“I'm pregnant…”

The words are said… but they sound so wrong! Alastor couldn't believe it!

He had never thought of having a child in his life and even less after his death! He was one of the worst Sinners of Hell! There was just no way he could fulfill the conditions Lucifer had told Husk and Angel about!

He was the Radio Demon! He couldn’t afford any weakness!

And yet…

“ Are you sure? ” he asks, looking at Lucifer with an unreadable expression.

With his damn smile, the only way the King could understand what Alastor was feeling was in his eyes… but they seem empty! Impossible to tell if the Sinner is happy or furious! The Fallen Angel sighs and lifts his sweatshirt, showing a slight swell on his normally very thin figure, before he places his hand on his belly. After a few moments, a golden glow can be seen on the white skin despite the King’s trembling hand. Alastor tenses, remembering that trick when Angel got pregnant about 16 months ago.

Lucifer struggles to stop himself from crying, unsure whether to be happy or terrified.

“Here it is, your proof… my magic reacts to the soul that develops within it…” he trembles before looking up at his lover. “And before you dare ask the question, I have no doubts! It’s yours!”

Alastor tenses, not knowing how to react to this announcement. He certainly didn't expect that, clutching his hands on his knees,… and the Fallen Angel felt tears welling up in his eyes at his lover's lack of reaction. But what did he hope for?

Alastor was a Sinner! An Overlord, what's more! A power-hungry man who had certainly calmed down since he was in a relationship with him… but he was still an Overlord, always looking for powers to accumulate! Certainly not the type to be burdened with a child! A child had no interest for him! Even if it was the King's child! They weren’t married and he would have no rights over the child! He couldn’t brag about having fathered one of the heirs of Hell! And even if he said so, the baby would only be the second-born. Charlie would be the direct heir to his throne, the legitimate child he had with Lilith! A bastard baby would never be seen as the rightful heir!

Sniffling as he realizes he's screwed up again, Lucifer forces a smile and, trying to keep his tone confident and nonchalant, he exclaims:

“Don't worry! I just wanted to let you know but… you won't have to take care of this child!”

Alastor frowns at those words as the Angel continues: 

“None of us knew this could happen! We… we just made a mistake… I'm not asking you for anything, Al… I just wanted you to know… because… you know how hard it was for us to have Charlie with Lilith… so… I can't abort! Just the idea makes me sick! Every baby is a miracle! I… I can't kill my baby…”

Emotion makes him tremble, tears threatening to run down his cheeks. He's terrified of raising a baby alone, especially after what happened with Lilith, and he was terrified of Charlie's reaction when she found out. He was afraid that she wouldn't take it well since she was still hoping for her mother's return! It was one of the reasons why he hid his relationship with Alastor. But now…

He suddenly chokes when he feels a hand on his cheek, a thumb tenderly wiping away the tears that were falling.

“ You are truly Charlie’s opposite. Where she sees everything positive, you can't help but see everything dark for no reason. ” the Radio Demon laughs.

“What?…”

“ I know I'm not a paragon of kindness or that I don't look like a father, but I am a man of honor, Lucifer. ” Alastor explains before he places a hand on the king's belly. “ I would never ask you to choose between me and the child. Especially not after what happened with Charlie. And I promised you that I wouldn't abandon you. You'll have to kill me a second time. So, even if it wasn't planned, I wouldn't abandon you.… nor our child… ”

Lucifer is frozen at Alastor's words… before his hormones betray him by making him cry and he jumps on his lover's neck, crying with joy and relief, before kissing him full on the mouth, mumbling relieved thanks which make the Radio Demon laugh.

“ Calm down. Everything is fine. ” he assures, stroking the blonde hair of the Angel who cries in relief, his face buried in his chest. “ I'm here. I will never abandon you. Neither of you. ”

The Fallen Angel sighs while smiling. He wouldn't be alone to have his baby. Alastor would be with him… and he hopes that this time, it won't be like with Lilith. Fortunately, this time there would be no hard feelings because he was able to bring the child into the world.

Alastor's hand ends up moving towards Lucifer's womb and his palm rests on it, his thumb caressing the very slight bulge there. Even though he doesn't want to admit it, he's terrified since he never had an example of being a good father…but his morality prevented him from even imagining that he would leave the mother of raising his child alone!

“ Should we tell Charlie about this? ” he asked calmly.

The King tensed, alarmed as he realized that he was going to have to tell his daughter about it. His sweet little princess! How would she react when she found out that he was in a relationship with Alastor and that he was pregnant by him? She was hoping so much for her mother to return and for them to get back together… but he knew that was impossible.

Lilith had caused him too much suffering! Even if he had had wonderful moments with her and he wouldn't regret their marriage or their child since he had been very happy, her sudden and unexplained departure had completely broken his heart! A heart already fragile… and that he was rebuilding little by little with the love of his daughter, the residents of the hotel who treated him more and more like an equal and who gave him back his taste for life… and now, there was Alastor. A real pretentious asshole who had ended up offering him something he had never offered anyone: affection! And even if Charlie had wanted them to get closer… perhaps what they were experiencing would be too close for her! And that wasn't all…

“I’d like to wait a little longer…” Lucifer mumbles, intriguing Alastor.

“ Well, I would have thought you’d be the type to shout from the rooftops that you were going to be a mother. ”

“I’d be a father!” the Fallen Angel fumes as he pulls away, glaring at his lover… before sighing as he lowers his eyes. “And… when you’ve lost so many children… you learn to be careful.”

The Radio Demon lowers his ears, feeling embarrassed to have forgotten what his companion had gone through before having Charlie, then he caresses the King’s cheek.

“ Forgive me. I should have thought of that. ” he says, making the Angel smile, before continuing: “ In that case, when do you want to announce it? ”

Lucifer sighs, placing his hand on the one Alastor placed on his womb, and thinks.

“In… about a month. Lilith always lost our babies at 3 months at the latest… so… if we get through this, everything will be fine.”

“ Then it will be our secret. For a month. ” The Overlord smiled, tilting his companion's chin up. “ It's quite exciting, don't you think? ”

Lucifer couldn't help but laugh, amused to see that Alastor was taking things this way, before smiling as he looked at his belly and their intertwined hands. Their little secret was there, totally unexpected… but no less desired, almost hoped for.

“We'll get through this.” He smiled, placing his hands on Alastor's, accentuating the contact even though he knew the baby didn't feel anything yet.

While the month had seemed very long for Alastor, it had gone by almost too quickly for Lucifer! He had discreetly gone to see Belphegor, the Sin of Sloth, so that she could confirm his pregnancy and if it was viable and so far, all the lights were green. But even if Lucifer was happy that his future baby was doing well, he was also terrified.

Now that he had passed the three-month mark and the risks of miscarriage were minimal, he was going to have to tell his daughter everything!

Especially since even if he tried, his body was really starting to want to betray him. His womb was starting to round out, forcing him to wear larger clothes, the nausea was becoming more and more frequent to the point of sometimes confining him to bed and on the other hand he was eating more and more. And above all, things he wasn't used to!

**********

That morning, Alastor had been interrupted in his breakfast by Lucifer, the Fallen Angel looking desperate and asking him if he knew where to find raw meat! Something he normally hated but craved so much it made his stomach ache. So that's how the King and the Radio Demon found themselves sharing the Overlord's breakfast: a freshly killed deer! With a few sweet touches, of course!

Alastor can't help but smile as he eats calmly and genteelly while Lucifer seems to have forgotten good manners. He doesn't tear large shreds of flesh, but he cuts large pieces, almost salivating just looking at the bloody meat, before putting one in his mouth. He then seems in seventh heaven as he seems to melt into his chair, uttering a sort of moan.

“I don’t know if I should love you or hate you…” he mumbles, his mouth full.

“ Oh, that’s up to you! ” the Radio Demon laughs as Lucifer grabs a jar of strawberry jam in front of him, scooping up a spoonful of the sweet, fruity jelly that he puts in his mouth, mixing the flavors and visibly enjoying it. “ But I don’t know what’s more disgusting right now. ”

The Angel glares at him before giving him the finger.

Suddenly, a knock sounds on the door.

“Alastor?” Charlie's voice calls out.

The two demons freeze and Lucifer makes a portal appear to his room before running away with his plate and his jar of jam. Alastor removes the other traces of the King's presence and just in time before the young princess opens the door.

“ Charlie! What a pleasant surprise! ” the Radio Demon smiles before pointing to the empty seat in front of him and inviting: “ Would you like to join me? Very fresh breakfast this morning! ”

“No, thank you…” the young girl smiles nervously, slightly disgusted by the blood dripping on the table, as she enters holding a paper in her hand. “Actually, I'm looking for my father. I knocked on his room but I got no answer. Did you hear him get up earlier this morning?”

“ Oh! So our King has disappeared? ” he said in a mocking tone as he stood up. “ Personally, I didn’t hear anything but I didn’t know I was his chaperone! ”

“Alastor…” Charlie sighs but her friend joins her, patting her head.

“ Don't worry, my dear! I'm sure your father is doing just fine. He'll suddenly reappear with his silly smile and you can tell him about your new ideas! Unless you want to talk to me! ” he says as he reaches for the paper, expecting a colorful drawing as usual.

“It's not… new ideas.” she says, pointing at the paper… which happens to be a letter with a gold-edged envelope. “It's a summon from Heaven. They want to see Dad at the Embassy today.”

Alastor freezes, letting out a bit of static.

“ Oh!… That's unexpected. We haven't had any signs of life since the last Extermination. ”

“I know…” Charlie sighs, nervously playing with the envelope. “And they're asking to see Dad…”

“Who's asking to see me?” Lucifer exclaims as he arrives at the door, surprising his daughter.

“Oh! Dad!” she smiles… before frowning. “But… where do you come from?”

“From my room.”

“What? But…”

What is it?” the King wonders as he sees the letter, reminding his daughter why she was looking for him.

“Oh! Um… it’s… a summon from Heaven…” she says, handing it to him. 

Lucifer tenses, visibly horrified, before snatching the envelope from his child’s hands and opening it, beginning to read. His hands are shaking, wondering what will hit his head this time…

“Lucifer Morningstar, hereby, blah blah blah…” he mumbles as he reads, grumbling more than anything else.

Charlie and Alastor watch him with interest, waiting to see what's going on, but as he finishes reading, the King turns the letter over, looking for another piece of information before he sighs.

“Damn, they suck! They can't say what they want clearly!” he growls, folding the paper. “They always have to use big words, roundabout sentences,… That’s really them.”

“ What does Heaven want from us this time? ” Alastor asks nonchalantly but he is actually quite nervous.

He may know that Lucifer is strong, but it was still Heaven! And Lucifer was pregnant!

“From what I read between the lines, they want a meeting. They must have turned the Exterminations problem around and they want to convince me to let them do it again.”

“Do you think so, Dad?” Charlie worries, knowing that after the last Extermination the hotel would inevitably be Heaven's first target.

“Don't worry, duckling.” her father smiles as he joins her to place his hand on her cheek, his child getting down to his level. “Last time, they took advantage of Lilith and I being in mourning to get us to accept the Exterminations. But this time, I have you, sweetie. And I will never let them hurt you again.”

With these words, he kisses his daughter's forehead and then goes back to his room to change. Charlie can't help but tie her fingers in knots… but if she had looked at Alastor, she would have seen in his eyes that he was also worried.

**********

After a few minutes, Lucifer changed into his usual white suit even though he feels it's starting to get a little tight. He just hopes his belly isn't too noticeable for now despite his tight suit.

“I'll have to find the one I wore when I was expecting Charlie.” he realizes as he places his hand on his growing womb.

Buttoning up his white jacket, he just hopes everything will go well. Who knows with Heaven after all…

“ Lucifer… ” Alastor exclaims as he appears behind the King. “ Let me come with you! It's not safe for you to go alone! Especially right now! ”

“Al, I have no choice.” he sighs as he turns to his lover. “I have to go alone! Do you know what I'd look like if I showed up in front of them with a Sinner?”

“ That the King of Hell comes with protection? ”

“No! That would mean war for them!” Lucifer fumes as he grabs his top hat and puts it on his head. “And we want to prevent the Exterminations from starting again! Not start a war!”

“ Oh! That would be very entertaining! ” the Overlord sneers, his smile becoming more cruel, but the Fallen Angel grabs his hand and places it on his womb.

“What about our baby then? Do you see it born in the middle of war?” he sighs, hoping to convince his lover that they have no choice. “Believe me, a conflict with Heaven will never be resolved before its birth.”

Alastor growls, annoyed because he knows Lucifer is right, … before he sighs, resigned.

“ Be careful then. You know better than anyone what they can do. ”

“I know… but they don't know what I can do for my children!” the King smiled, confidently straightening his suit. “Besides, go back downstairs quickly! Charlie might surprise you here!”

“ Aren't you tired of playing hide and seek with her? ” the Radio Demon gets annoyed, making his companion sigh and massage his temples.

Look, I have to go to a meeting with Heaven so I don't want my daughter to surprise us and take hours to explain to her!” he says before promising. “I'll see about it as soon as I get back! Okay? A few more hours and I'll tell her everything! About you, me and the baby!”

Alastor looks at the King with a frown, rather annoyed… then he sighs.

“ It’s not like I really have a choice. I don't want to deal with the Princess's wrath if I were to tell her myself that her father and I became so intimate that we’re going to have a baby. ”

“Ah! Well at least that will keep you quiet while I piss off some Seraphim!”

Smiling and sticking out his tongue, Lucifer heads for the door. Alastor sighs and melts into his shadows to return to the hall seemingly nothing.

When he arrives, he sees Husk at the bar as usual… but today, the feline had to watch his little twin daughters. The two little kittens are in a small bassinet hanging on the side of the bar and sleeping more or less peacefully while their father rocks them with one hand and hums.

“ Are we at the babysitting station today, Husker? ” Alastor snickers, attracting the attention of the feline who growls slightly before answering:

“Angel has returned to the studio. He wants to see about going back to work part-time.” he explains before turning to the improvised crib.

His two little girls are both asleep, Misty having put her head in the crook of her sister's neck while Mitten makes little paw movements. Suddenly, the youngest sneezes, disturbing her sister who meows while trying to push her away but the little black and white kitten just stretches and yawns.

“Easy.” their father whispers while resuming the rocking movements, calming the little pink kitten who falls back to sleep.

Leaning against the bar, Alastor cannot prevent a fond smile from appearing on his face as he observes the two babies. He still finds it hard to believe it… but in a few months, he would be the one to have his own baby. A child he didn't think he wanted…and yet, now that Lucifer had told him he was pregnant, he couldn't help but wonder what that child would be like.

Would it be like him, with deer attributes, or more like its other father, like Charlie looked like her father? Would it have his shadow powers? Wings like Lucifer? Would it be as powerful as both of them?

Who would have thought that this kind of question would be running through his mind when he had spent his existence killing?

“ Hey! Why are you looking at them like that!? ” Husk fumes, his fur bristling in anger as he stops himself from pouncing on the demon who possesses his soul.

He wasn’t going to react instinctively like when his twins were born but if he tried to touch them, Radio Demon or not, he was going to kill him!

“ Come on, my dear Husker! Let’s not get upset! ” Alastor sneers as he straightens up. “ I told you when I spared you! Your little twins are very endearing! I don’t plan on hurting them. ”

The feline still growls, his tail whipping furiously in the air,… but when Charlie enters the lobby, he calms down. The Radio Demon would never attack the little ones while the young Princess was here!

“Alastor?” she calls as she joins her partner. “Has Dad left yet?”

“I was going, Char-Char!” Lucifer exclaims as he exits the elevator and calmly descends the stairs.

As his daughter runs to join him, Alastor can't help but stare at the Fallen Angel's silhouette and, although barely perceptible, he could see the changes that pregnancy was causing.

He just hoped that Heaven wouldn't notice! Considering what they had been able to do to Lilith…

“Are you sure you don't want me to come with you, Dad?” Charlie worries, not really knowing what Heaven could want with her father after so much silence.

“Duckling, as much as I'd love for you to show how serious your project is, I doubt they'll want to talk about this. And you have your hotel to run. I'm the King of Hell and I have to run that! But this time, they're going to see what I'm made of!” he smiles, making his horns appear as he smiles with all his teeth.

“ Probably of those gross things full of sugar! Or very small itty bitty tiny things like our worthy sovereign! ” Alastor exclaims, having fun emphasizing the term 'small' as he looks at Lucifer between a slight spread of his fingers, annoying the Fallen Angel.

“Oh you, go fuck yourself!” he growls, giving the Radio Demon the finger. “Okay! I'm going because Heaven is rarely patient, believe me!”

Looking up as he passes his lover who is grumbling in annoyance, he crosses the lobby, twirling his cane between his fingers before leaving the hotel. Charlie can't help but bite her lip, worried about her father,… but she doesn't know that her hotelier was even more worried than she was, even if nothing except a slight twitch of the eyelid proves it.

Chapter Text

The downtown area of ​​Pentagram City is rather quiet today. It remains noisy since we are still in Hell so everything that can happen down here happens… but it isn’t the chaos it could be. And Lucifer is quite grateful for it! At least there are few demons and Sinners in the streets so he walks calmly through the streets without worrying.

Who would dare attack the King of Hell afterall?

After a few minutes, he arrived in front of the Heaven Embassy. The once immaculate and respected building was now covered with various posters and numerous tags such as pentagrams or insults such as ‘Die in Hell, Angels!’ and the windows are broken. The last Extermination having been canceled by the Hazbin Hotel, Heaven had lost the little respect it had here below. Angels could be killed, it had been proven and broadcast!

So why fear retaliation?

Lucifer doesn't know whether to laugh or be embarrassed so he shrugs it off and calmly walks in. He walks into the deserted hall that has been ravaged, the sofas having been overturned or ripped open and graffitis covering the walls. Only the doors of the meeting rooms are intact since a powerful protective spell protected them. The King observes the carnage before smiling lightly. 

“Well there we go! Here, we really are between Hell and Heaven!” he exclaims as he arrives in front of the central office.

The little bell is still there by some miracle. Lucifer nervously grips his cane as he stares at it, starting to panic.

Why would Sera summon him this time? What could she possibly want from him and what heinous blackmail would she still try to do? He had already had a hard time convincing her to spare the Hellborn when Charlie had come into the world, so how was she going to react now that the Sinners were ready to fight back?

He starts panicking… but his hand instinctively goes to his womb. This gesture makes him realize that he still has something to protect. His daughter, the Hazbin Hotel, his new family with the first residents of the hotel, Alastor… and his future baby! Taking a deep breath, he calms down, straightens up and rings the little bell on the desk. The golden paper of the Heaven Embassy appears in front of his nose with the feather, waiting for his signature to open the door to the meeting room.

“Really, I wonder what’s the point of this bullshit for them?” he grumbles annoyingly, grabbing the pen, signing angrily.

The signed paper flies away and the largest doors open.

“Oh!… the Great Hall, of course…” Lucifer mumbles as he straightens his suit before entering said room, straightening his hat too and trying to look noble.

Except that when the doors close behind him and he opens his eyes, he froze, choking and drops his cane in shock.

There, in front of him and with Sera standing to his right, stands a pale-skinned, blond-haired angel with a face very similar to Lucifer's although his features seem more drawn and more serious, harsher. His blond hair styled in the same way as the King and is crowned by a large halo whose center resembles a four-pointed star framed by two V-shaped branches whose tip reaches just between his eyebrows, like a helmet. He wears a long white robe with royal blue sleeves with gold details on the chest that represent a long sword. The close-fitting garment highlights his slim and slender figure although he seems hunched under an invisible weight. His blue eyes with golden sclera show a certain coldness although sadness is also visible as he stares at the King of Hell.

“Lucifer…” he said in a calm voice that was meant to be serious as he straightened up to his full height, placing his joined hands on the table while blinking slowly.

“Michael…” Lucifer gasps as he recognizes the Chief of the Archangels and his twin brother… before a second archangel dressed in a green dress with white and gold details in the shape of a fleur-de-lys appears to his left.

Although also taller than Lucifer, it was obvious that the latter was very young, whether it was by his dark blond hair as curly as a cherub's or his round face whose beautiful olive green eyes seemed between mischievous and innocent, not hiding his emotion when he looked at the Fallen Angel before him. Even his halo seems to show that he is younger by its simple appearance which simply resembles a crown.

“ Gabriel!? ” the King chokes, recognizing the youngest of the Archangels and the Messenger of Heaven.

“Hello Luci…” the latter smiles, greeting his older brother.

But when Sera and Michael glare at him, he clears his throat, looking away, embarrassed.

Lucifer finds himself paralyzed! What does that mean? Why were two of his brothers there?

“ WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS!? ” the Fallen Angel yells, alarming the angels. “ What the hell are you two doing here? Since when have you been meddling in Hell's affairs!? ”

“Since a Morningstar decided to disrupt the balance of things by killing Angels and rehabilitating Sinners.” Michael replies coldly.

Lucifer frowns at this answer.

“You’re kidding me! Are you still on this fucking bullshit!? ” he gets annoyed, Gabriel blushing while Sera grimaces at the crude terms, the Chief of the Archangels sighing.

"Lucifer, please…"

“Oh yeah, that’s right! The Antichrist will destroy the world and blah blah blah blah!” he fumes, making large, exaggerated, annoyed gestures, remembering that Sera had used those same words to justify Lilith’s curse. “Wow what an Antichrist Charlie is, it’s true! Oh Satan! Look at her! Torturing souls and preparing her people for uprising against Heaven! Oh wait, no!” he fumes, facing his Archangel brother. “Currently, your antichrist of a niece is doing exactly what you keep telling Humans about, and I quote: ‘ Saving your soul through a second chance! ’! So for the last time, Michael, what scares you about the children I have? Why are you threatening me!? Why!? ” the King of Hell gets angry, slamming his fists on the table, cracking the marble, his horns growing on his head and fire starting to burn between them.

Sera glares at the Devil while Gabriel looks ready to cry. Only Michael remains very expressionless as he stares at Lucifer who fumes while glaring at his brother… before straightening up.

“Ugh why do I ask? I know why!” he grumbles as he calms down, his horns retracting, before continuing: “Because you don't want any flaws! You want to control everything! You want everything to be perfect according to YOUR plans! And that scares you! What you don't understand or that is beyond your control, you eradicate it!”

The youngest Archangel would like to intervene but Sera puts her hand on his shoulder, telling him to be quiet, while the Fallen Angel rushes towards Michael to face him.

“Charlie has extended an olive branch to YOU ​​by proposing her plan of Redemption before she decided to take up arms. But it was only to DEFEND HERSELF ! And did you only agree to listen to her to avoid that?” he asks, his red eyes diving into his brother's blue ones. “Oh no, it’s true! The Angels are above all Father's soldiers, armed to the teeth and who give no fuck! All I wanted was a family here, where you sent me without a glance, with the love of my life! Whereas you…” he said, pointing at the Archangel. “… you're always depicted as slaying me when I have a dragon form! A form I've never used! And after that, I'm the monster!? ” he says indignantly, his throat tight even if the anger is more visible on his features.

“Calm down, Lucifer!” the youngest archangel warns as he flies to join them. “In your condition, this is not recommended!”

Lucifer is horrified at his words, immediately calming down under the shock, and he fights with all his might not to touch his womb. Maybe they were talking about something else… and not about his… but the looks of the Angels tell him that yes, they are talking about his future baby!

His arms immediately tighten around his womb to protect it before he starts to growl.

“ How do you know that? ” he hisses, furious, as Gabriel and Michael look away.

Sera sighs and, pointing to the chair at the other end of the table, she asks:

“Lucifer… sit down. The discussion is serious.”

The King of Hell refrains from responding disdainfully to the Seraphim who had been his best friend when he was in Heaven… before sighing. Furious, he goes back to sit on the chair at the other end of the table, facing the Angels.

“Is that why you summoned me? To talk about my new pregnancy?”

“It’s just one of the points of the meeting.” Michael answers, straightening up. “But the main thing is the Exterminations…”

“Why am I not surprised?…” Lucifer mumbles, spinning his cane in his hands.

“… and the Sinner who showed up in front of Sera and Emily after the Extermination where Adam was killed!”

“Huhhuh…” the Fallen Angel mumbles, not paying attention, before the words make sense in his head. “ Wow! Wowowow! Excuse me! What? What do you mean? What Sinner?” he asks, looking at Sera.

“Someone named Sir Pentious.” the Seraph answers, paralyzing the former Archangel. “He appeared suddenly, with no idea how he had arrived in Heaven… and his soul resembled the one of a Winner.”

“And why didn’t you start with it?” the King gasps, incredulous, wondering if this is a joke.

“We wanted to understand how a Sinner had been able to ascend to Heaven.” Gabriel explains before Sera continues:

“Emily immediately accepted the idea that this Sinner had been rehabilitated but it had never happened before. We couldn't be certain that it wasn't a mistake, that this Sinner should never have ended up in Heaven… but even if Sir Pentious keeps some reflexes due to his life in Hell, his name is indeed on the book of Saint Peter and his soul remains pure despite the tests we made him pass.”

Lucifer freezes at these words, incredulous.

He didn't have a good memory for names since he often made mistakes with the names of people he didn't see on a daily basis. He was only just starting to remember the names of the residents of the Hazbin Hotel. But when they had rebuilt everything after the Extermination, Charlie had not stopped talking about a certain Sir Pentious who had sacrificed himself for them. She had even asked to pay tribute to him by making a giant portrait that stood in the hotel’s lobby. He had also learned that Egg Boi Frank was the only one of his henchmen to have survived, having failed to follow the others in the airship, and that was why Cherri Bomb was taking care of him.

But according to Sera's words, Pentious wasn't dead! He had been redeemed! He had ascended to Heaven! Just like Charlie wanted!

“Redemption is possible…” Lucifer gasps as he realizes what that means. “Charlie has succeeded… Her plan is working! WOOOOOOOHOO!!! ” he exclaims, overjoyed, standing up suddenly, making his chair tip over with a loud crash. “ My daughter’s Redemption plan is working! And bam! Take THAT, Heaven! ” he sneers as he looks at the Angels in front of him, sticking his tongue out at them as he rubs his thumb from the top of his throat to the tip of his chin.

“ Lucifer! ” Michael snarls, making him swallow his smile. “This is serious business!”

The King sighs loudly as he snaps his fingers to raise his chair before sitting back down.

“If you want to talk about organizing the Redemption, you should call Charlie too! She runs the Hazbin Hotel!” he said, slumping back in his chair, one of his hands absently going to the swell of his womb to calm himself.

“There is no question of organizing the Redemption yet!” Michael exclaimed, surprising his twin. “The main topic of our meeting concerns the overpopulation of Hell and the resumption of the Exterminations.”

“ WHAT!? Why!? ” Lucifer was indignant, straightening up.

“The Pride Ring is still overcrowded!” the Chief of the Archangels sighs. “You can send all the Hellborn to the other Rings and let the Sinners kill each other, there will always be too many of them and more of them without effective regulation.”

“But damn it, Michael! You just told me that the Redemption works!” the King of Hell exclaims, incredulous. “It will take a little time but if we let Charlie do it, I am sure that…”

“A single rehabilitated Sinner isn’t enough, Lucifer! A mistake is always possible!” Sera indignantly says, freezing the Fallen Angel. “One time is not enough to prove that the Redemption is possible and safe! It is not a risk that…”

“One time isn’t enough?” Lucifer gasps, his fists shaking on the table as his eyes stare into space. “One time is not enough… after what you did to me, you still dare to tell me… THAT ONLY ONCE IS NOT ENOUGH!?! ” he screams, his horns sprouting from his head, his six wings sprouting from his back and his eyes turning red as fire shoots from his mouth, alarming the Angels before him as his chair starts to burn. “ I always obeyed your damn rules when I was the Bringer of Light!!! I followed this damn protocol word by word throughout Creation! I have never made the slightest mistake! I may have created imperfect things but just like you all did! The only real mistake I made was falling in love with Lilith and wanting to give Humans Free Will! The right to choose just as we had the right to choose! I only made ONE FUCKING MISTAKE!!! And I was banished, disowned, fallen! If I am who I am today, it’s because YOU decided that one mistake was enough! My daughter's girlfriend was left for dead in MY kingdom because for ONE time she showed compassion instead of stupidly killing a Sinner! AND NOW YOU DARE TO TELL ME THAT ONE SINNER IN HEAVEN IS NOT ENOUGH!? ”

“ Lucifer! ” the Chief Archangel shouts indignantly, his halo and eyes shining brighter as his six white wings with blue edges spread behind him to try to impress his brother.

“ SHUT UP, MICHAEL!!! ” the Devil rages, snapping his fingers.

A band-aid in the shape of an apple then sticks to his brother's mouth, preventing him from speaking, much to Sera's indignation and Gabriel's horror, who panics:

“ Lucifer, stop! We don't want a war!”

“ Then leave my Kingdom alone! ” Lucifer growls, furious and clearly showing that he won't listen to another word. “ This Sinner is proof that Redemption is possible! You just have to give my daughter time! Charlie is capable of successfully solving Hell's overpopulation problem by rehabilitating Sinners like Pentious! So remember that if I see the slightest Exorcist here below, I will KILL it!!! And if you dare to do ANYTHING to one of my children, I will come myself to set fire to your fucking Perfect Paradise, IS THAT CLEAR!? ”

“Lucifer!” Sera indignantly says but a savage growl from the King of Hell silences her.

Gabriel trembles, having never seen his brother like this,… but he can understand it.

He had never agreed with the decision to curse Lilith and, indirectly, Lucifer's children. The arguments about raising an army of monsters led by an Antichrist seemed hollow and stupid to him! He knew his brother and knew he was just full of carefreeness and love! He was sure that Lucifer hadn't tempted Eve with bad intentions. He couldn't say the same about Lilith, especially knowing where she was now, but not Lucifer!

The proof is that he did not defend his Sinner subjects… but his children! His family!

Lucifer still growls as he looks at the angels before him, his tail whipping the air furiously as his gaze could almost kill them… before he takes a deep breath in and out to calm himself.

“If that's all you have to say to me, we'll leave it at that!”

“Lucifer! Be reasonable!” Sera tries but the Devil glares at her.

“Oh but I am reasonable. And if you really want to be reasonable, you better keep your angels behind your golden gate and be ready to see more and more Sinners rise among you. Because Redemption is possible, whether you like it or not! And I will not make any more agreements for your Exterminations!” he growls. “Now leave me alone!” he concludes, giving them the finger before turning his back on them.

Without another word, Lucifer snaps his fingers to open the door and leaves, plunging the room into Hell in darkness and cutting off the communication.

**********

In Heaven, the three Angels are overwhelmed by Lucifer's reaction. While Sera is pale as a sheet, Michael finally removes the bandage from his mouth and sighs… before having a small smile.

“Took him long enough.” he says, intriguing his peers.

“Enough what?” Gabriel wonders.

“Time to finally grow up a little.” he laughs as he gets up. “Good. We just have to prepare ourselves.”

“Prepare the Exterminations?” Sera asks.

“No, Lucifer forbade us.” the Chief of the Archangels says, looking at the Seraphim. “As long as he doesn't invade the other Kingdoms, we have no right to enter his without his agreement. So we must set up the Redemption.”

“What!?” the angel woman is horrified as the Messenger of Heaven gasps and smiles.

“You can go warn our brothers, Emily and her new friend, Gabriel. And you can announce that the Archangels have a big announcement to make tonight!”

“I'm flying, Michael!” Gabriel smiles as he opens his six green wings wide and flies into the corridors of the Infernal Embassy.

“Michael…” Sera tries but the archangel places his hand on her lips.

“Let's give them a chance, Sera. Lilith is no longer in Hell manipulating the masses. Let's see how Charlie and Luci run their kingdom without that succubus behind them! And besides, this Pentious is not dangerous.”

Smiling, Michael calmly leaves, flying away straight with his hands behind his back and leaving Sera alone. The Seraphim is not reassured, still remembering the chaos that the Fall of Lucifer had caused and how difficult it was to protect Heaven and the righteous souls who were there. She doesn't want to go through that again… and seeing Lucifer stand up to them and have another child makes her feel like Heaven is in danger!

She would submit to Michael's orders and the Archangels' decisions… but she wouldn't abandon the Exorcists! With Hell, it was better to be careful!

At the Hazbin Hotel, Charlie's mood seems to have affected all the residents. Even little Misty and Mitten looked nervous, hiding under the couch Angel is sitting on. The Princess paces back and forth, frequently looking towards the window, trying to see her father's silhouette.

“Sweetheart, calm down.” Vaggie sighed as she joins her. “I'm sure your father is fine and that he won't be long.”

“I hope so… but why does Heaven suddenly wants to see him when they've been playing dead for months?”

“I don't know…” the former Exorcist sighed, unable to answer.

Leaning against the bar not far from them, Husk could only bite his lip, worried.

So far, the Exterminations had left him indifferent. He expected so little from life that he let fate choose what happens to him even if he always tries to play his luck… but now, he was no longer alone.

Looking up into the living room, he sees Angel sitting on the couch with Cherri who has managed to calm their little twins out of hiding and breastfeeding them. Both kittens have their eyes closed, their little ears wiggling contentedly as their little hands clench in their dad's fluffy spidery chest.

“Hey, Mitten. Easy. You'll choke if you drink so quickly.” the young spider demon whispers, stroking his younger daughter's cheek to calm her down. “There, this way it's better.”

“If someone had told me that one day we'd see you as a baby expert, Angie, I would have asked for the drug that made them see that.” Cherri laughs even though she is clearly touched.

“That’s for sure.” Angel laughs even if he doesn't take his eyes off his babies. “But luckily, Val can't reach us anymore.”

“Let him rot where he is, that bastard!” Husk says, getting annoyed as he leaves the bar to join his companion, getting the attention of the two friends. “What did your new boss say?”

“For now, Fizz wants me to take care of the little ones.” he says, one of his hands grabbing one of Mitten's hands. “But he agrees that I start playing again from time to time and I can say no if there's a problem with the babies.”

“Well, he is a Hellborn. He doesn't have the notion of contracts like a Sinner would.” Cherri snickers.

“It's not so bad.” the feline sighs as he strokes Misty's head who starts to purr.

Angel can't hold back a little laugh at his baby's cat-like behavior but he can't resist kissing his twins' foreheads.

As Vaggie continues to try to calm her girlfriend down, Alastor calmly returns from the kitchen, wiping his hands with a rag that he then throws over Husk's head.

“Hey!”

“ So? Do we have news of our Shortness? ” he asks with a mocking tone that annoys the young angel as the princess shakes her head.

“Still nothing… it's even a little worrying, don't you think?” she asks her friend.

The Radio Demon shrugs as he joins her and places his hand on her shoulder.

“ I'm sure your father is doing just fine, my dear. He is the King of Hell after all, as small as he is. If Heaven didn't know it was inferior to him, they wouldn't have made a deal so that he couldn't intervene during the Exterminations. ”

“You're right… but with Dad being sick these last few months… he's only just starting to stop having nausea…”

Alastor refrains from saying what he knows, that it wouldn't weaken the King in any way since on the contrary he now had a new motivation to stand up to Heaven, but he promised Lucifer that he wouldn't say anything. It wasn't his role… even if it wouldn't have bothered him before. Only this time, he didn't want to make his angel angry.

Who knows in what state he would come back from this meeting with Heaven. No need to annoy him further, especially in his condition!

Suddenly, the front door opens, alarming everyone,… and Lucifer enters, his hat pulled down over his eyes, his fists clenched and his face closed. A rather rare expression for him but which showed without a shadow of a doubt that he was furious.

“Dad?” Charlie exclaims with worry, making him look up at her… before his lip trembles and his eyes fill with tears.

“ CHARLIE!!! ”

Immediately, the King of Hell throws himself into his daughter's arms, hugging her tightly and mumbling incomprehensible words with his face pressed against her chest. His cane and hat lie carelessly on the ground, abandoned since he no longer wants to be the King of Hell but just Lucifer Morningstar, a father who wants to spend time with his daughter!

“Oh dad…” Charlie sighs, feeling her heart tighten at seeing her father in this state. “What did they say? Do they want to resume the Exterminations?”

Lucifer remains a few more moments pressed against his daughter… then he moves away with a sigh.

“There are so many things to tell you, duckling…” he mumbles before grimacing and clutching his belly.

“Dad! Are you hurt?” she worries, Alastor also tensing when he sees where his lover places his hand.

“No, Char-Char… it’s just my nerves… and I’m hungry…” the Fallen Angel sighs as he drops onto the couch next to Angel who has just finished breastfeeding his twins.

The Radio Demon holds back a laugh and snaps his fingers, his shadow appearing with a warm bowl that he picks up. Clearing his throat, he bows down to be at Lucifer's eye level.

“ If His Highness is interested, I made gumbo for lunch! ” he said, pointing to the dish filled with rice with pieces of meat and shrimp bathing in their sauce.

“You made it cannibal style?” Vaggie growls, not noticing the King who has sparkling eyes and salivating mouth.

“ Oh, Heavens no! This is my mother’s recipe! ” the Radio Demon replies as Lucifer picks up the bowl without further questions, to the amazement of the other residents.

The Fallen Angel had never forgotten to criticize what the Overlord was doing, always saying that he was trying to poison him! And there he said nothing?

Lucifer scoops a little of everything into the spoon and tastes the still-hot dish… and seems to melt, moaning with pleasure.

“Fuck, it’s so good…” he sighs, chewing carefully, letting the taste invade his mouth.

“ Yes, it’s a recipe that’s passed down from generation to generation! ” he says simply, as if nothing had happened, before looking at the King with a slightly amused look. “ Alas, the only thing she wanted was for me to pass it on to the child I would have had! ”

“Awwww!” Charlie softens while the others chuckle without noticing the looks exchanged between the Fallen Angel and the Radio Demon.

If looks could kill, Lucifer's would certainly murder Alastor while the latter smiles with a look that says it all… for those who know. Even the angel’s chewing is slower, signaling to his lover that he is playing a dangerous game.

While he understands his impatience, he also had to understand that this was not something he could announce like that!

“Dad, what happened? Why did Heaven summon you this morning?” Charlie asks, bringing him back to the present moment.

Her father sighs, annoyed as he remembers what was said earlier,…but his daughter had to know! After all, it concerns her directly! Swallowing what was in his mouth, he begins:

“There were several subjects. The first is that they wanted to restart the Exterminations…”

“ WHAT!? ” Charlie yelps horrified, everyone else gasping at the news (except the twins who don't understand what's going on) but the King places the bowl on the coffee table with a smile.

“ But! I didn't accept any agreement for them to start again and for one simple reason.” He says as he stands up, smiling as he looks at his daughter before announcing: “Redemption is possible!”

“What!?” the princess gasps, believing it to be a sonorific mirage as everyone looks at the Sovereign with huge eyes in shock.

“You did it, my Char-Char!” he insists. “One of the Hotel’s Sinners has been rehabilitated! He is currently in Heaven! Sera herself told me!”

“But…” she trembles, incredulous, looking all around her, trying to see if a familiar face has disappeared. “But… but who!? ”

Lucifer smiles even more… before pointing to the wall where the large portrait of Sir Pentious sits!

Everyone gasps, incredulous even if they understand very well what this gesture means. Vaggie and Husk find themselves with their arms dangling, Niffty jumps laughing and clapping with joy, Alastor remains straight as an I with slight crackles escaping him, Angel clasps a hand over his mouth while the others hold his twins and Cherri has the eye fills with tears.

“Fuck… it can’t be!…” she chokes but Lucifer puts his hand on the Sinner’s shoulder.

“I was surprised too. But Michael and Gabriel were there so I'm sure it's true. Gabriel isn’t the Messenger of Heaven for nothing.”

“The Archangels Michael and Gabriel were there!?” the former Exorcist gasps, incredulous since their appearances in Heaven were extremely rare.

But before Lucifer can answer, he realizes that he didn't hear a voice. The voice of the main one concerned by this matter of Redemption!

Charlie literally stands frozen, her eyes huge as she stares at the portrait. She trembles and starts to cry.

“Char-Char? Duckling…” Lucifer whispers as he joins his daughter.

The young princess gets up and approaches the portrait, placing her hand on the canvas as if she was trying to see if it was true. As if the portrait was going to speak to her, tell her what she wanted to hear… before she turned back to her father, crying.

“Sir Pentious… is in Heaven?…” she asks, her voice trembling, making the Fallen Angel smile with tenderness as he joins her.

“It seems that his sacrifice was enough to make him a Winner and not a Sinner!” he says, taking her hands. “And you're the one who helped him, duckling. By showing him that he could be something else.”

Charlie stares at her father with shining eyes… before a tearful laugh escapes her and she jumps on Lucifer's neck, crying with joy.

“ He did it! He was rehabilitated! I knew it! I knew it was possible! ” she exclaims, ecstatic with joy,… before suffocating with horror as she stands up. “But… but if they talk about resuming the Exterminations…”

“They won’t, Charlie!” the King insists, taking his daughter’s face in his hands. “There is a rule common to Hell and Heaven: it is forbidden to enter one of the Realms without the agreement of its ruler! You were able to go up to Heaven to speak in front of the Heavenly Court because they gave their agreement on the condition that you always be under the supervision of an angel! The Exorcists could enter because I had made a deal that gave them permission to come and kill the Sinners here on earth while sparing the Hellborn! But they broke that deal by killing Dazzle! And I don't plan on giving them a new one! If any Exorcists dare to come back here, I will kill them myself!” he rages… before Charlie hugs him, laughing.

“You’re the best, Dad!” she exclaims, making her father blush, before letting go of him to run to join her girlfriend. “You hear that, Vaggie! We did it! Redemption is possible! ”

“I heard, sweetheart. It's great.” the young woman smiles, touched by the joy that radiates on the princess's face who jumps with joy, unable to contain herself.

“Ooooooooh Satan, that's great!!! Oh! Damn, this changes everything!” she exclaims before heading to her activity board to start planning what she will need to do to continue rehabilitating the Sinners now that she knows about Pentious.

She speaks so fast that no one understands what she says as she moves her documents and writes down new ideas but no one thinks to stop her.

Charlie was like that: passionate!

But as Lucifer smiles at his daughter's joy, he suddenly feels Alastor's hands on his shoulders. Intrigued, he turns around… and almost holds back his laughter when he sees in his lover's tense smile that he is worried. But after all, like all Sinners, Alastor had a certain fear of the Archangels.

“ Do the Archangels know? ” he suddenly asks.

“Yes… but believe me, it's not in their interest to try anything!” the King replies. “I threatened to set fire to Heaven if they…”

“Know what?” Charlie asks, turning back to them, seeming to remind the couple that they are not alone.

The others all look at them with a funny face. It must be said that Alastor touching Lucifer without the King trying to kill him was strange. But on top of that, they seem close enough to have secrets, it was suspicious.

“What are you hiding? What’s the secret?” Niffty asks, circling the two men, smiling as if she understood but wanted to hear it.

The couple look at each other, Alastor smiling confidently while nodding his head. Lucifer, for his part, sighs while running his hands through his hair… but, after all this good news, it could only go well… right? Breathing in deeply, the Fallen Angel searches for his words then, breathing out, he begins:

“There… there is something else… that the Archangels know and that you must know… it was not really planned but… it happened and…”

“ Lucifer. ” Alastor sighs, calming his companion with his presence.

He reassures himself as best he can by telling himself that this time he will not be alone. Breathing in and out deeply, he opens the jacket, showing his shirt too tight at the stomach, and raises his head by pulling the garment with one hand to accentuate his curves while the other rests on his womb announcing:

“In six months now… the throne of Hell will have a second heir!”

“ WHAT!? ” Charlie exclaims as everyone already gasps at the announcement before she looks between her father and her hotelier, not understanding. “But… what…?… why did Alastor know and not us?”

“ I only know for a month, my dear Charlie. ” the Radio Demon says. “ It's the privilege of the King's companion to know in advance that he's going to be a father, isn’t it? ”

“ AL! Don't tell her that way! ” Lucifer is indignant as he turns to his lover who smiles, proud of himself.

And it's shock when the words are said!

While Niffty gasps with a big smile at the idea of a new baby joining the hotel, Vaggie finds herself paralyzed and even horrified, unable to believe what she hears. Charlie's father, and Alastor together!? And they were expecting a baby!? Husk is stiff as a post, incredulous,… then he heads towards the bar, grabbing the first bottle and drinking it straight from the bottle. He couldn't believe that! He imagined things because he was so sober! There was no way Alastor could have feelings.

“Damn, you two don’t do things by halves!” Cherri exclaims, crossing her arms over her chest, not really knowing how to react.

“No but, Sugar Tits, you don’t understand!” Angel says indignantly, drawing attention to himself. “ How is that possible, you two!? You can't stand each other, you're always insulting each other, we could do a deadpool by betting on who will kill the other first… and now you're telling us that our Short King deflowered the big bad Radio Demon!? ”

“ Angel! ” Vaggie yells while Alastor growls but the porn actor gets angry:

“But WHAAAAAT!? A kid isn’t made by playing scrabble! Or I've never seen a game of scrabble ended with that… Oh fuck, now I want to know everything! ” the young man exclaims, giving his twins to Vaggie before rushing towards the King who backs away a little, not knowing what to expect. “So? Does Smiles have a big cock?”

“ I don’t see why that matters to you, Angel Dust! ” Alastor growls, while Lucifer blushes brutally.

“Hey! Don't be a virgin!” the young spider demon smiled, crossing his arms with a smirk while holding the demon's gaze. “Now, tell me how it feels like to be ridden by the King!”

“ I beg your pardon!? ”

“Charlie?”

Lucifer's trembling voice interrupts the exchange and makes everyone realize that they haven't heard the main person concerned react.

Charlie is literally frozen, her eyes wide with shock and her mouth wide open. Niffty perches on the chair to be at the princess's height and waves her hand in front of her eyes to make her react… but nothing! It's as if Charlie is no longer in her body!

“Charlie?” Vaggie worries as Lucifer runs to join her.

“Duckling, answer us!” he worries, taking her hands… but Charlie reacts by quickly removing them as if they were burning.

She stares at her father with an expression of shock and betrayal, blinking slowly,…

“I… I must be alone!” she says as she starts running towards the stairs.

“ Charlie!!! ” Lucifer panics as he follows her.

But his daughter rushes into the elevator and closes the doors before he can reach her.

The Fallen Angel finds himself paralyzed in front of the closed doors, starting to tremble… before tears begin to flow down his cheeks and he grabs his hair and screams in despair. He ends up falling to his knees and sobbing uncontrollably, Alastor immediately joining him to calm him down. The scene remains supernatural for the residents of the Hazbin Hotel… but they see in the Radio Demon's gestures that he is sincerely sorry for Lucifer. He even takes his hands to stop him from tearing his hair out.

“She hates me… my daughter hates me… I can't lose her, Al! I can't! ” he manages to articulate between two tearful hiccups.

“ Come on, this is Charlie we're talking about. ” the Radio Demon tries as he kneels next to his tearful Angel. “ She doesn't hate anyone!… or very few people! And you're not one of them! ” 

Lucifer tries to control his tears but he throws himself into his lover's arms, sobbing like a child. His hormones and his fear of losing his daughter don't allow him to calm down. The Hazbins feel saddened to see their King in such a state, Angel remembering having been so sensitive when he himself was pregnant… and even then!

He didn't have an older daughter who learned at the same time that her Redemption project was working, and that she was going to be a big sister in a few months and that the baby's other parent is none other than the man who has helped her run the hotel since the beginning!

The Spider Sinner picks up his kits in his arms, knowing that Lucifer adored them, and approaches slowly. Alastor looks up at him… but he understands when he sees the babies reaching out to Lucifer and meowing.

“Hey, Luci…” Angel tries, drawing a tearful look from the King, before he points to the little girls. “The twins don't like to see you cry.”

Luci looks down at the kits who seem to want to join him before he opens his arms, allowing Angel to hand the little ones over to him. As Mitten meows trying to figure out why his face is wet, Misty stands up as best she can to lick his cheek while purring. Their presence calms Lucifer even though he's still crying as he cuddles them against him.

“I'll talk to her.” Vaggie suddenly says as she passes by them before heading towards the stairs.

Once she reached the top floor of the hotel, Vaggie packed up her wings and calmly walked into the suite she was sharing with Charlie. She doesn't find her girlfriend looking out the window so she heads to their bedroom. She knows her well enough to know where the princess has taken refuge.

And when she enters the room, she sees that someone is curled up in the blanket and hears the sobbing of the young demoness. Even Keekee and Razzle seem saddened to see their young mistress in this state and give her a pleading look. Smiling, Vaggie went to the bed and sat on it, petting the key cat with one hand while the other rested on her girlfriend's shoulder.

“Charlie…”

“Tell me it's not true, Vaggie… tell me I'm hallucinating…” Charlie cries, making her girlfriend sigh.

“Sorry, sweetie, but we all heard the same thing. Your dad is pregnant and Alastor is the father.”

Charlie starts to growl in annoyance, pulling her hair before sighing.

“Fuck, it can’t be true… How did I not see anything?” she mumbles, snuggling further into her blanket. “If they’re already being intimate like this… it’s because they’ve been together for a while! I don't know about my dad but Alastor isn't the type to end up in someone's bed on the first night! And it's been three months since Dad was… How the fuck could they do this to me? ”

“Charlie, no one saw anything… not even Husk or Niffty who have known Alastor for much longer than us.” Vaggie sighs as she grabs the blanket and drops it to look her girlfriend in the eye. “I guess what you did to bring them together worked better than expected…”

“Vaggie…” the princess grumbles, her eyes turning red with annoyance.

“What I mean, Charlie, is that you couldn't have seen anything. It's not your fault… nor theirs…”

“ Vaggie! ” Charlie says indignantly, throwing the blanket away, furious. “All I wanted was for them to become friends! For them to stop arguing! Not for them to become lovers and have a baby! ”

The fallen angel looks at her girlfriend with a neutral gaze… before smiling.

“Honey…that bad kind of denial isn’t for you.” She says, brushing away a lock of blond hair to see her face. “You know better than anyone that love cannot be controlled. Look at us. The Princess of Hell and a former Exorcist!”

“That has nothing to do with it…” the said princess grumbles, looking away and pouting.

“On the contrary, Charlie, it has everything to do with it. Your dad hated Sinners and Alastor is one. We all know they couldn't get along.”

“And who tells you that Al isn’t using my dad!?” panics the blonde, realizing that she is talking about the Overlord who still has a deal with her. “He uses people's weaknesses to force them to make deals they can't get out of! He did it for the Extermination! Maybe the baby is just a way to keep my dad under his control!” she panicked as she got up.

“Baby, even you don't believe it.” Vaggie laughs as she joins her. “And you didn't see them when you left. Your father was in tears and Alastor comforted him. Like, truly comforting him.” she assures, her girlfriend frowning in astonishment. “I've never seen him be like that and even Husk was surprised. Alastor really cares about your father, sweetheart. And your father cares about him.” she affirms, making Charlie lower her eyes.

The princess seems a little ashamed…

“But… my mother, Vaggie… if she comes back and…”

“Charlie, I know you're still hoping but… it'll be almost 9 years since your mother was last seen in Hell. She never gave you any news, neither to your father.” the angel sighs as she caresses her girlfriend's cheek. “Even if she came back, I doubt she’d want to go back to your father. And… your parents have been at odds for years, from what you’ve told me. So… maybe it’s time for your father to move on. He’ll never forget your mother, that’s for sure!” Vaggie reassures, seeing Charlie’s horrified face. “And you, he loves you more than anything! He’ll never be able to deny what he and your mother went through. But he has the right to be happy too, don’t you think?”

Charlie looks at her girlfriend before looking away, playing with her hair.

If she was honest, she had never seen her father happier than since he lived in the hotel and she had seen him blossom more and more during Angel's pregnancy as he helped and that he shared with him what he had experienced during his own pregnancy. Maybe learning that her father had carried a child had changed Alastor. The Radio Demon had always been friendlier to women… but maybe it wasn’t so much gender as motherhood that mattered to the Sinner. The rare times he spoke of his past, Alastor often spoke of his mother. She had been an important person to him… so maybe knowing that her father had carried her like a mother had changed the way he saw Lucifer… and wasn’t that what she wanted?

That Alastor found something that made him want to change and become better? And that his father is happy again and not withdrawn into his mansion?

Arriving in front of the door of Lucifer's suite with his shadow holding a plate of pancakes and a new bowl of gumbo, Alastor knocks calmly.

“ Lucifer? Can I come in? ”

“Leave me alone…” sobs the King's voice behind the door.

But the Radio Demon opens the door and enters, retrieving the two dishes as he advances into the room, his shadow closing behind him.

He can't help but chuckle slightly when he sees the Fallen Angel completely wrapped in a sort of night robe made of soft, yellow fabric and whose hood resembled a duck's head . Even though he had already seen Lucifer in this outfit, he still found it ridiculous… but when he heard his Angel crying, he made no comment.

“ You hadn't finished your gumbo but it's better to eat it hot. And since you gave your pancake recipe to Husk when Angel was pregnant… ”

“I'm not hungry…” Lucifer mumbles, almost curling up into a ball.

“ Don’t lie, I could hear your stomach rumbling from downstairs. ” Alastor sighs as he puts the two dishes on the nightstand before pushing back the hood, revealing the King with a face covered in tears. “ Lucifer, you're eating for two now! ”

“My daughter hates me, Al…” he sobs, fresh tears streaming down his cheeks.

“ She was just shocked, Luci. It’s a lot of news all at once. ” the Sinner assures, wiping away the tears with his claws. “ She needs to process all this and she’ll come back to you. Like she always does. She needs you no matter what she says. Just like our baby needs you to eat. ”

Lucifer sighs, his depression seeming to want to come back to haunt him and let him waste away… but even if it didn’t bother him since he was an angel and therefore he couldn’t die, it wasn’t the same for the baby he’s carrying. His hand goes to rest on the slight swell, his magic reacting to that of the little soul developing, then he takes the bowl and begins to eat the still-warm gumbo. Even if he sighs with contentment when the taste explodes in his mouth, he can’t stop his tears. So it is while sniffing that he finishes his second bowl of gumbo which he gives back to Alastor before he hands him the pancakes.

“ You actually want to make me fat! ” the King gets annoyed, wiping his tears with his fist.

“ Do I need to remind you that your breakfast was interrupted by Charlie and that you left right after? So you have two meals to catch up on. " the Radio Demon says with an amused smile at Lucifer's pout.

Charlie had the same!

But before the Angel can say that he is no longer hungry, his stomach betrays him by gurgling.

“Hey! Which side are you on?” he growls, placing his hand on his stomach, Alastor unable to hold back a burst of laughter.

“ Come on! Think about the baby. ”

Lucifer glares at him before picking up the plate of pancakes that he begins to eat… before frowning.

“ A problem? ” Alastor wonders, wondering what could upset the King. “ If it makes you feel any better, I followed the recipe carefully. I put in the colossal dose of sugar that you indicated and… ”

“Do you still have that sauce you got from Cannibal Town?” the angel suddenly asks, intriguing the cannibal who frowns.

He snaps his fingers, revealing a small bottle containing a red liquid.

“ You mean this? ” he asks… before Lucifer snatches the bottle from his hands.

He opens it and pours the contents over the pancakes, the thick liquid mixing with the syrup under the almost disgusted gaze of the Deer Demon… but when the Fallen Angel takes another bite of pancakes with this strange mixture, he begins to sigh with contentment. The Overlord's ears twitch nervously at this sight before asking:

“ You know that it's a blood sauce? ”

“If you knew how much I don't care.” his companion mumbles as he takes another bite of his sweet-savory dish, visibly enjoying it as he lets himself fall onto the pillows.

“ Okay… ”

Alastor can't help but wrinkle his nose even though he knows that Lucifer didn't control these food cravings. The baby influenced his tastes and, having his DNA, he wanted cannibal food! So he was going to have to get used to seeing his Angel make these strange sweet and salty mixtures.

Suddenly, there are knocks on the door and…

“Dad?…”

“Charlie!?”

Lucifer immediately puts down his half-eaten plate, Alastor grimacing at the strange garnish leaking onto the plate, before rushing towards the door which he opens. The young princess is there, nervously playing with her fingers and not really seeming to know what to say.

“I… can I come in?”

“Of course, duckling! Come in!” her father smiles as he steps aside.

Alastor quickly snaps his fingers so that his shadow moves the plate of pancakes away to avoid disgusting the young demoness before turning innocently towards the two Morningstars.

“ I'll leave you alone! ” the Sinner says as he starts to leave but…

“No no no! Stay, Alastor! … it concerns you after all…” she says as she grabs her hotelier's arm to bring him back into the room.

Lucifer trembles, his hands resting on his womb, as his companion joins him, placing his hand on his shoulder as they face Charlie.

The blonde nervously plays with a lock of hair even though she can't help but watch the interactions between her father and Alastor. Even though the Radio Demon can't stop smiling, his gaze seems more uncertain. As if he doesn't control anything… something Alastor hated and avoided as much as possible! He would never have put himself in a similar situation without certainty of control with a deal or something like that… and her father never did deals! And he didn't seem under contract… but just in love, happy… something Charlie hadn't seen in years.

“Dad… Alastor…” she begins, Lucifer tensing as he expects the worst. “Do… do you love each other?”

Alastor frowns, surprised by this question, before he looks down at Lucifer.

“ I can't really use that term, Charlie. ” he said, intriguing the two Morningstars before continuing calmly: “ I don't know what it is to love. So I don't think I can love… but I have affection for your father. That's for sure. A deep affection that I've never felt for anyone. If that's what you call love,… then it is. ”

Lucifer is frozen by this confession from his lover since he had never told him that he loved him… but he smiles as his eyes fill with tears.

“Al…” he gasps as he jumps at her waist, holding out Alastor whose cheeks turn red as Charlie watches everything carefully. “I love you, I love you, I love you! I haven't felt this way since Lilith!”

“ Lucifer, you're childish… ” the Radio Demon grumbles as he looks away but he doesn't try to chase his lover away.

Charlie giggles, unable to help but find them adorable… before throwing herself at her father's neck, surprising him enough for him to let go of Alastor.

“Charlie?”

“I just want you to be happy, Dad… and if it's with Alastor and your new baby…” she begins but her father is horrified and turns to her, taking her face in his hands.

“ Charlie! Duckling, don't ever think that I'm replacing you with this baby!”

“ It wasn’t even originally planned. ” Alastor sneers, annoying Lucifer who glares at him.

“You, shut up for two seconds!” he growls before turning back to his daughter. “Sweetheart… I loved your mother with all my heart, I swear… It still hurts me to think how it all ended…” he sighs, his eyes starting to fill with tears, but he pulls himself together and looks at his daughter. “But the fact that I love Alastor and have a baby with him doesn’t change what I feel for you! You’ve always been everything to me, my baby. From the moment you started living in my womb and took your first breath, you became my world. My Charlie… I could never replace you with anyone… all I want is a family… with you… with Al… and with this baby…”

“Dad…” Charlie smiled, hugging him. “If I had known all this sooner…”

Lucifer smiles as his daughter calms down in his arms, reassuring him as well. Alastor smiles softly and tenderly as he watches the father and daughter reunite before she looks down at Lucifer's belly.

“Um… can I?” she asks, shyly raising her hand, amusing the Radio Demon who puts his hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing.

“Of course, Char-Char!” Lucifer smiles, taking his daughter's hand to place it on his womb. “The baby has to get used to its big sister's touch.”

Charlie's eyes start to sparkle as she realizes that indeed, if her father was expecting a new baby, she was going to become a big sister! A dream she had when she was very young before abandoning it when her parents started arguing. And there, her hand placed on her father's little 4-month-old belly, she can't help but smile, crazy with joy.

“I can’t wait for the baby to be here, Dad.” she whispers, Lucifer smiling as he places his hand on his daughter's.

Suddenly, Alastor slips between the two Morningstars and, suddenly hugging them, he declares:

“ It seems I was right from the start, Charlie! You can now call me Dad! ”

“ Oh, you're not going to do that again, asshole! ” Lucifer fumes.

But as Charlie laughs while being held in her father and Alastor's embrace, neither of them notices that they are being watched. And by none other than one of the latest arrivals at the hotel: Baxter! The fish-like Sinner tenses, in disbelief of what he has discovered, before moving away as quickly as possible so that he isn’t found sneaking around. He quickly goes to lock himself in his room… and smiles as he takes out his phone.

He looks for a contact marked ‘Boss’ and starts a video call. After a few rings, Vox appears, slumped in his chair with an annoyed expression.

“What do you want?” the Overlord fumes, recognizing one of the many souls he has under his thumb.

“I may have something to permanently discredit the King and the Radio Demon’s little project, sir!” the scientist smiles, attracting the TV Demon’s attention.

“Seriously!? So what?!? Tell me!”

“We’ll have to wait a bit to get some file photos, sir, but in a month or two, Alastor and Lucifer will be the laughing stock of Hell!” Baxter promises, annoying Vox.

“I hope so because otherwise…”

With a snap of his fingers, Vox makes an electric blue chain appear around the Sinner’s neck, who tenses when he sees the proof that he is under contract appear.

“I've been wondering for a while what use you still have for me, so if you don't have anything to show me within three months, you're good to die a second time, is that clear!?”

“Very clear, sir…” Baxter trembles, feeling a little electricity tickle his neck.

“Perfect! And don't call me back until you have proof!”

Vox hangs up, freeing his slave who breathes again when the chain disappears.

Chapter Text

Husk and Angel's twins were now 9 months old and Lucifer's fourth month of pregnancy was now well underway. He now had a small round belly, as if revealing his pregnancy had helped him accept it. And since his nausea was no longer so violent, he finally kept what he swallowed in his stomach and, as a result, he began to gain some weight. Especially since Alastor responded to the slightest of his food desires, both cannibalistic and sweet!

Lucifer had then discovered that the Radio Demon knew a lot of recipes, both savory and sweet, and their baby seemed to enjoy New Orleans dishes such as jambalaya, gumbo, cornbread and peach cobbler… but he also had cannibalistic tastes, much to the King’s dismay! But in his misfortune, he could count on Rosie. The Cannibal Overlord had also been informed since she was the closest thing to a family for Alastor and she was more than happy to help her friend find the best meat for the King and the baby while keeping the secret.

Result: Lucifer's womb began to round out!

For now, slightly larger clothes are enough to camouflage his new shapes so as not to alert anyone other than those in the know, but he should soon see something much larger. Until then, he had many other things to think about,… like starting to prepare for the baby's arrival!

Today, Lucifer has isolated himself in his room, a sketchbook in front of him. Chewing on the tip of his pencil, he ponders what he's already scribbled. They are mainly small, fluffy-looking creatures, each with their own positive and negative points. Some are insistently crossed out, showing a categorical refusal.

“Come on… I managed to imagine Razzle and Dazzle in a few minutes.” he mumbles as he looks at his sketches. “Charlie already had her own companions at birth, there's no reason this baby shouldn't have some.”

Grumbling, he searches through his notebook for ideas.

When he was pregnant with Charlie, he had imagined little stuffed animals for her, Razzle and Dazzle, which he then brought to life to protect his little girl and be her playmates. So he wanted to do the same thing for his second baby! He didn't want any favoritism between his children! The problem was that he couldn't find an interesting design! He didn't want to make copies of the stuffed animals he had made for his daughter. It wouldn't be fair to Charlie who was still crying for her little Dazzle, nor to the baby. He wanted something unique, like the little dragons had been! And although he loved ducks (as his notebook full of sketches of his projects can attest), he couldn't just make stuffed ducklings. These little ones would later be charged with protecting the baby!

So they had to be cute to please a child and become its playmates but with great power possibilities to be able to act in case of danger!

So he had made sketches of several powerful creatures that he had tried to turn into stuffed toys, whether it was a Cerberus, a Basilisk or a Chimera, he had even tried a Hydra or a Sphinx… but so far, none of the drawings that he realized suits him. Either they weren't cute enough from his perspective, or the result was too weird to be possible! In other words, he was at a standstill!

“Focus, Lucifer… find something…” he mumbles, his hand resting on his womb as if hoping the baby would help him.

He knows that it can’t be… but he’s really out of ideas.

“Fuck, come on… but what kind of father am I!” he groans as he lets fall his head first onto his desk with a sigh.

“ Are you talking about Charlie or our fawn? ” Alastor's voice asks, making him jump.

“Damn! So you don't know how to knock before coming into a room?” the King annoys, turning towards his lover who smiles mockingly.

“ I did but I got no response. ” he said, making the Fallen Angel sigh.

“What do you want?”

“ Me, nothing. But Charlie would like you to do one last check of the hotel before the arrival of this little angel that Heaven sent us. ”

**********

Indeed, a few days after Heaven summons, Gabriel had appeared at the door of the Hazbin Hotel. Being the Messenger of Heaven, he had the right to come and go between the Kingdoms to deliver messages or prophecies. And this time, he had a big announcement for Lucifer!

Heaven announced that it was ready to set up a real Redemption program in collaboration with Princess Charlie Morningstar! Charlie then became the Ambassador of Hell to Heaven and Heaven had appointed Emily the Angel of Joy to be the Ambassador of Heaven to Hell and the two girls were to work together to allow the Redemption of Sinners. The project had, of course, to prove its effectiveness in order to permanently cancel the Exterminations. For now, they were on hold for a renewable period of one year. For a year, Emily and Charlie should meet every month to review the progress of the project and the residents' progress. If there was any evidence of a noticeable change, Redemption would officially be seen as the solution to the overpopulation of the Pride Ring!

And today was Emily's first visit to the hotel!

**********

“Oh yeah… I forgot…” he sighs, wondering how he could have his head in the clouds so much. “Well. Anyway, I can't do anything.” he says, closing his notebook.

“ Charlie is waiting for you in the lobby. ”

“And you, won’t you help?” Lucifer wonders while changing, wanting to be presentable.

“ I have a meeting with Rosie before doing my radio broadcast this morning. ” Alastor explains, adjusting his bow tie.

“And that's more important than the hotel?” the King sighs, annoyed that Alastor doesn't show more interest in Charlie's project when he often joked that she had become like his own daughter.

“ My dear, you don’t know Rosie well enough yet. I'm sure she's already prepared several things for the baby and she's going to spoil this child even before it's born. If I only missed one appointment, I doubt she would take it very well. ”

Lucifer frowns, finding the argument very weak… but he sighs while massaging his temples, trying to calm down.

His hormones were starting to take a toll on him and he could go from happy to sad to angry in a snap of his fingers. So he always made sure not to lose control even if it was quite difficult with Alastor who didn't really change his way of interacting with him. He was more attentive, that's for sure… but the Radio Demon remained what he was and taunting Lucifer was his favorite game! The fact that the Fallen Angel is pregnant doesn’t change anything!

“Okay… then get out of my sight before I get angry…” Lucifer sighs, knowing that if he started a fight with Alastor, it would get out of hand.

“ As His Highness wishes! ” the Sinner sneers as he leaves the room, letting his companion get dressed… before he suddenly leans over and exclaims: “ Oh! I forgot! I prepared beignets and jambalaya if our baby gives you trouble again. ”

“I can manage without you, you know?” the King gets annoyed as he finishes buttoning his shirt even though it's starting to feel a little tight around his womb.

“ Of course! That's why you woke me up at 3 in the morning because you wanted raw meat. ”

“ Hey! If you weren't a fucking cannibal,… ” the Fallen Angel begins to rage but Alastor takes out his pocket watch and exclaims:

“ Oops! I'm going to be late! See you later, Lucifer! ”

“ Hey! Wait a minute, you fucking asshole! ” he fumes as he abruptly goes out into the hallway.

But the Radio Demon has already disappeared… and he finds himself face to face with his daughter.

Charlie is a little surprised to see her father so furious.

“Dad?”

“ Charlie! ” Lucifer horrifies before he grumbles, hiding his face in shame. “Sorry, duckling… I was trying to catch up with Alastor…”

“Oh…” the young girl understands before smiling, wanting to reassure her father. “He told me he wouldn't be here this morning but that he would try to come back before Emily arrived. Don't worry, Dad. I know Alastor. He'll keep his word and help us present the hotel…”

“That's not really why I'm worried, sweetie…” the King sighs, running his hand through his hair, intriguing his daughter. “It's mainly that… that bastard keeps playing with my nerves!!! ” he rages, his horns starting to grow. “ When it's not my size, he likes to remind me that our baby is developing tastes similar to his and criticizes when I eat too much sugar while on the other hand, he keeps stuffing me with his mother's recipes! ”

“Dad, calm down.” Charlie interrupts, putting her hand on her father's shoulder, immediately calming him down, before smiling. “I'm sure Alastor doesn't mean any harm. He's just… like that!”

“I had noticed…” Lucifer mumbles, crossing his arms.

“But… I think above all that he hasn't really grasped the changes that this implies yet and that he doesn't yet realize that he's going to become a father…”

“ Well, he'd better realize it quickly! ” the Fallen Angel complains indignantly, pointing to his womb. “In 5 months, the baby will be here and…”

“I’m sure he’ll realize it soon, Dad.” the young Princess laughs, taking one of her father's hands, the other resting on the swell where her little sibling is. “As soon as the baby starts moving, it will be more real for him. I'm sure of it!” 

Lucifer pouts, annoyed… but he sighs, knowing that Charlie is right.

As long as the baby didn’t move, there was little evidence of its existence. And Alastor didn’t seem to understand the point of ultrasounds. So even if he acknowledged Lucifer’s pregnancy, he didn’t change his habits.

“Can you help me get everything ready?” the young princess asks, breaking him out of his thoughts. “I want to make sure I don’t forget anything during the meeting with Emily.”

“Of course, duckling! The hotel must show itself in its best light!” the King smiles as he straightens up. “And I might as well keep up with all the latest news too. We’d look foolish if the King of Hell didn’t even know what was going on in his daughter’s hotel.”

Charlie can’t help but laugh, making her father smile as they walk down the hallway.

Throughout the morning, Charlie, Vaggie, and Lucifer had been walking around the hotel making sure everything was in order while Cherri had been checking the surroundings to make sure Vox wouldn't try to attack today. Sure, it was still Hell! But it would be better if Emily sees a safe hotel and where Redemption-seeking Sinners were safe!

And as long as Alastor was out, they couldn't count on him!

After lunch, Charlie had received a message from Archangel Gabriel telling her that Emily was waiting for her at the Heavenly Embassy. She wanted to see a bit of Hell before seeing the Hazbin Hotel just like the Princess of Hell had seen Heaven before the Heavenly Court. Even though it might be dangerous for an angel now that the Sinners knew how to kill them, if the Heir to the Throne of Hell accompanied her with her Exorcist girlfriend, there would be no problem!

While waiting for Charlie and Vaggie returns, Husk finishes cleaning the bar while Niffty runs after the last cockroaches she sees. For their part, Angel and Lucifer are trying to feed the twins. They had started teething some time after the announcement of the King's pregnancy and the spider demon had therefore stopped breastfeeding them to make them eat solid food… or at least trying! Because if Misty had accepted and started eating the baby food offered to her, Mitten absolutely refused to open her mouth. No matter the plane games or the grimaces or whatever, she would turn her head away and cry and scream and thrash around furiously and have complete tantrums.

As a result, they were still making bottles for Mitten.

Angel can't help but sigh as he looks at his little black-furred daughter in Lucifer's arms as she calmly suckles on her bottle.

“I wonder if she’ll ever want to eat solids…” the porn actor sighs as Misty’s mouth opens wide when he brings her the spoon. “Misty already eats without a problem… why not Mitten?”

“All babies are different.” the King smiles as he rocks the little black and white cat who tries to hold the bottle on her own. “Charlie also had trouble eating solid foods. Lilith could never stay calm during those times, so I coped. She ended up eating on her own when Lilith stopped trying to join in on the meals. It was calmer… I don’t know…”

“Do you think Mitten refuses to eat because of what’s going on at the hotel?” Angel wonders, Misty meowing to remind him that she’s hungry.

“Maybe. Babies are sensitive and with the agitation that my pregnancy and the Redemption cause…”

A chirp from Mitten makes them look down at the little girl who pushes the empty bottle aside to look at her nanny and her spider dad, seeming to ask them what's going on. The two adults smile at her, Lucifer putting down the bottle before he puts her back in his lap, the younger twin reaching out to her parent who smiles at her.

“Wait a minute, little tiger! I'm finishing with your sister.” he laughs before focusing on Misty who opens her mouth wide to eat.

Unable to get her dad's attention, Mitten turns to her nanny before looking down at Lucifer's womb, placing her little hands on it. The Fallen Angel feels himself melt with adoration at this gesture, unable to hold back his tears under the hormones, before the little one looks at him meowing, seeming to question him.

“Yes, Mitten. My baby is here. And in a few months, you'll be able to meet it.”

“You'll have someone to play with, right, my little furballs?” Angel chirps as he takes Misty out of her high chair, kissing her on the cheek before picking up Mitten. “Come on, now to nap time!”

“See you later, my little kitties!” Lucifer smiles as he kisses the foreheads of the two babbling babies before Angel goes back upstairs with them.

Smiling when he sees the Sinner with his two babies, the King walks towards the bar and sits on a stool, one hand resting on his womb. Husk notices this and, after serving him some apple juice, he asks:

“So? Does it change from the first time?”

“Oh… it’s been a long time ago…” Lucifer sighs, taking the glass to take a sip. “But… we were pretty confident with Lilith at this point. None of the previous pregnancies had been further than the third month so we figured we had managed to cheat in Heaven.”

“I guess that alone was a small victory.” the bartender says, putting away the bottles of alcohol.

“You could say that.” the King laughs, stroking his womb. “After losing so many babies, every pregnancy is a real miracle…”

The feline smiles as he looks at the spark and tears of joy in the Fallen Angel's eyes before placing his hand on Lucifer's shoulder, making him look up at him.

“After everything you've done to help us with Angel and the twins, we’ll help you. Everyone is willing to help you. This baby will arrive completely healthy.”

The King smiles and nods, thanking him without a word.

The front door opens and Alastor calmly walks in, humming, holding a few bags in his hands. 

“Finally!” Lucifer annoys, attracting his companion's attention. “You shouldn't have been gone long and it took you all morning! Where have you been?”

“ Awwww! Were you worried? ” the Radio Demon sneers as he joins him.

“ Fuck you!… ” he exclaims before sighing. “Alastor, you don’t have a phone, we can’t reach you as we want! You can understand that, in my condition, I need to know where you are and what you are doing!”

“ Come on, I'm a grown up man! ” the Sinner laughs as he puts the bags on the bar. “ Rosie gave me some fresh meat and some catalogs so we could see if she had anything she could get us for the baby. ”

“And it took you all morning?” Husk wonders as Lucifer looks at the bags, curious.

“ Of course not! Only an hour or two! ” Alastor exclaims, making a sign that his henchman understands as he turns around to pick up his designated bottle. “ But while I was on my way back, I ran into that dear Vox! And that idiot decided he wanted to challenge me. So I had to give it a good correction before I could come back. ”

“ What!? ” Lucifer chokes as his lover picks up the glass that Husk serves him. “You fought with an Overlord!?”

“ If we still consider this stupid screen as an Overlord! Without Valentino to bring them people with his constant desires, the Vees are nothing more than imbeciles who hold on to Power as best they can. ” he says while drinking his whiskey as Angel comes back into the hall after putting his babies to bed. “ Velvette is trying to do something but she hasn’t understood that her subscribers haven’t given her their soul! She may have hundreds or millions of them, but they don't give her any power! Just a little fame! And Vox doesn’t even make an effort anymore! ”

“However, Vox remains an Overlord, just like Velvette, and they are still associated no matter what you say!” the King said indignantly, standing in front of the larger demon. “And what do I do if they kill you? Am I raising my child alone again?”

“ Awww, stop being dramatic, Lucifer! If anyone was in danger of being killed, it's Vox! Velvette doesn't give a damn about these fights! ” the Overlord of the Radio snorts.

“ Well, let him try to touch you again, that bastard! ” Lucifer gets angry, intriguing the three Sinners. “ That pain in the ass has been attacking my sweet daughter's hotel for a year now and if he keeps attacking my family, I'm going to… ”

“ In your nervous state, you'd just make him die laughing. " Alastor sighs.

“ Excuse me!? ”

“ Lucifer, you are pregnant and very emotional recently. There's no chance that Vox will be scared of you, and even if you did attack him, you wouldn't do him much harm. ”

“ Hey! Know that I'm the King of Hell, asshole! So you owe me absolute respect! ” Lucifer indignantly points at the chest of the demon dressed in red in front of him.

Except that just then, two wet spots appear on his clothing at chest level. Alastor can't help but stare, intrigued, while Husk and Angel are frozen by what they see. The bartender remains shocked by the suddenness of the thing while his young lover cannot help but giggle. The Fallen Angel hears the spider demon and turns towards him, surprised.

“What’s the matter?”

“ It looks like you have a slight problem. ” Alastor said simply, pointing to his companion's chest without touching him.

The latter frowns and just looks down… before immediately understanding, blushing suddenly.

“Oh!… I just lost all credibility, didn't I?” he blushed, hugging his arms to his chest like a woman would hide her nudity.

Angel can't help but burst out laughing, remembering similar moments when he was expecting his twins.

“Sorry, Lu, but there…” he laughed… before Alastor turned around and roughly grabbed him by the collar, causing the stool he was sitting on to fall with a loud noise as Lucifer jumped at the suddenness of the attack.

“ Angel! ” Husk worries as he sees his boss glaring at his young lover, his eyes shaped like red dials on a black background and his smile becoming more cruel.

“ Didn't you hear his majesty, Angel? This is your King and the mother of my child! You owe him RESPECT!!!! ” he growls, letting out static and seemingly parasitizing the air around them.

Lucifer can't help but blush at Alastor's words, wondering if he really heard or if he's daydreaming.

“Wow! Relax, Smile! I didn't mean any harm! I went through that too, I’ll remind you!” Angel protests, shooing the Overlord's hand away as Alastor's shadow detaches itself from his body and Husk approaches with a cloth. “I breastfed my daughters until they had teeth, mind you! So I know what lactating is!”

“ Then you better not make fun of him! Or I'll finish you off personally! ” the Radio Demon threatens.

The porn actor simply gives him the finger before looking at Lucifer.

“Hey! Do your job instead of pissing me off, daddy-to-be.” he said, pointing behind them.

The Deer Demon frowns before turning back to his companion.

Lucifer had opened his shirt, revealing that his breasts were starting to look like those of a woman and that a whitish liquid was oozing out and running down his chest. Trying to wipe it with the cloth Husk gave him, the Fallen Angel's eyes are filled with tears and his face is almost downcast.

“ Lucifer? What's wrong? ” Alastor wonders, placing his hand on the shoulder of his companion who sniffles while wiping his tears.

“Nothing… I… I don't even know why I'm crying…” he sighs, trying to calm down but his tears come back when he feels the milk running down his chest. “Damn… Charlie is going to come back with Emily to talk about Redemption and I can't even control my body! Why does it have to happen now!? And my bloody nerves are on edge! Shit!!! ” he gets angry before bursting into tears, unable to contain himself.

The Radio Demon tenses at this reaction and starts to want to run away… but Husk and Angel glare at him, making it clear that he must comfort his companion.

“Mood swings.” the Spider Sinner whispers, pointing at Lucifer with one hand while the other simulates a rounded belly while his feline companion adds, pointing at Alastor:

“Your problem.”

The red demon growls as he looks at them before calming down as he looks at the King who tries to control himself… in vain.

“ Come on, Lucifer. It's just a hazard of pregnancy. It's not your fault. ” he tries, stroking Lucifer’s hair who tenses up at his words.

“You’re right… it’s not my fault…” he mutters, Alastor smiling proud of himself before his lover turns to him, furious: “ It’s your fault!!! ”

“ I beg your pardon? ” the Radio Demon chokes but the Fallen Angel gets angry as his horns grow on his head and he rages, showing his womb:

“ It's because of you that I'm in this condition! That I'm pregnant and with emotions as stable as a house of cards in the middle of an earthquake! If you hadn't c…! ”

“ Oh no no no! ” Alastor says indignantly, slapping his hand over Lucifer's mouth to silence him. “ As far as I remember, you weren't against what led to this pregnancy! ”

“Ooooooh this is getting juicy!” Angel smiles, resting his elbows on the bar and his head in his hands, suddenly seeming very attentive.

“Are you serious?” Husk grimaces, looking at his young lover who smiles with a look that says it all.

“Aw come on! Knowing what makes Al hard is interesting, right?”

“I’ll pass!” the feline exclaims indignantly as Alastor’s shadow suddenly passes over them holding Lucifer’s red bathrobe.

His arrival stops the couple's argument and Alastor retrieves the bathrobe to hand it to his companion.

“ Calm down. It's neither your fault nor mine. ” He says calmly, knowing that if he insisted, Lucifer would completely lose his temper and with his emotions ready to overflow, it wouldn't be good for anyone. “ Your body changes just to make our baby grow. You explained this to Angel yourself! ”

The Fallen Angel glares at him… before sighing as he retrieves the bathrobe to cover himself.

“I know… I've been through this a few times… Lilith always had a surge of hormones after miscarriages, but since she couldn't stand me trying to comfort her, she would go out partying without me. And… when I got pregnant with Charlie,… she accused me of being unbearable on purpose… if Belphegor hadn't assured her that it was normal and that I couldn't control myself…”

“Seriously?” Angel whispers, looking at his partner. “Luci carried a baby for her and that bitch didn't even support him?”

“She has a past, Tony.” the bartender whispers. “Don't forget that she had many miscarriages.”

“And? That’s exactly why she should have understood that it wasn't easy!” the porn actor fumes indignantly, but his partner signals him to be quiet.

“ Come on, forget it and come. Let's go get you cleaned up and you can get some rest. ” Alastor insists, grabbing his shoulders to guide him towards the stairs.

“But… Charlie and Emily…”

“ They’ll understand. What would be a shame is to make a bad impression by starting to cry for no reason in front of little Seraphim, don't you think? "

“We'll warn them.” Angel promises, giving them a thumbs up, Husk nodding and smiling.

Lucifer hesitates again… then he sighs, clutching the robe as Alastor leads him towards the elevator.

Once in his room, Lucifer had to cry again because his chest hurt now. Alastor had then offered to take a bath to relax his sensitive breasts and, after several minutes of arguing with a tearful Fallen Angel, the latter had finally given in on the condition that the Sinner stay with him.

Sitting next to the bathtub, Alastor found himself massaging Lucifer's neck to calm him down while the King was immersed in the hot water.

“ Isn’t it better this way? ” he asks, the Angel nodding with a contented sigh. “ There you go, no need to get upset. ”

“But Charlie…”

“ … is a big girl! She can handle this first visit without you! ” Alastor assures, wanting to be reassuring.

“But I’m the King of Hell! I should be here!”

“ Lucifer, you’re pregnant and with your emotions spinning faster than a weather vane in a storm. Give yourself time to calm down first and we’ll go see Charlie and her angel friend. ”

“Promise?” Lucifer asks, his big eyes filling with tears making Alastor chuckle.

“ Okay, I promise. But calm down. It’s not good for you or the baby. ”

The Fallen Angel sighs and lets his companion massage him to calm him down.

**********

After a few minutes, the King's chest hurts less, allowing him to finally really calm down. Getting out of the bath, he dries himself off while Alastor goes to get him some clean clothes. Alone in the bathroom, Lucifer observes his body, seeing the changes he has undergone since the beginning of his pregnancy. His chest was becoming softer and filling with milk to feed his baby when he would be here while his womb was rounding, showing that the little life inside was growing.

Lucifer remembers when he was pregnant with Charlie and he marveled at all the changes… while Lilith refused to look at him for more than a few minutes, not wanting to know what he was feeling,… she had calmed down a bit when Charlie had started to move but now that he thought about it, Lucifer wondered if Lilith had really wanted Charlie…

He is suddenly taken out of his thoughts by two hands that rest on his, on his womb.

“ I can practically hear you thinking from the bedroom, mon Ange. ” Alastor laughs, placing his head on top of Lucifer's. “ So don’t think about Lilith anymore. She had her chance, she let it pass. ”

“However, the Sinners swear only by her…” the King sighs but his lover laughs.

“ They are just idiots who need to put a face to a name. Lilith is just a succubus who showed herself to everyone. But you can believe me, if there is a name that is known on Earth, it is yours! I didn't even know the Queen existed before I arrived here. ”

The Fallen Angel blushes even though he knows it is true.

Even if he had faded from the Regency of Hell with his depression, it was still his name that the Sinners knew when they arrived here. It was his name that was known as well on Earth as in Heaven and in the 7 Rings! He remained the King of Hell whatever people said! And Lilith had disappeared for 9 years! He had to forget the past and focus on the future. A future that consisted of Charlie, her hotel, the Redemption, Alastor… and their baby!

“You're right.” He whispers, wiping his eyes that were starting to water. “Let's not think about her anymore! Let's think about the Hotel! Do you know if Emily has left?”

“ Not yet. We haven't been gone that long. ” Alastor assures, motioning for his shadow to come closer. “ Knowing Charlie as I do, she must still be talking to her in front of the schedule. If you don't delay getting dressed, we can see her before she leaves. ” he says, picking up the clothes that he hands to his companion.

“Delicacy is really not your strong point…” Lucifer sighs, picking up the clothes, looking at them… before nodding. “But you have good taste in clothes.”

“ So get dressed quickly, so we can go see them. ”

With his words, the Radio Demon exits the bathroom, leaving his companion alone. The King sighs, a little disappointed by Alastor's nonchalance… before he takes the soft and absorbent fabric top that was given to him. If he ever had another lactating, it would go unnoticed.

**********

A few minutes later, Alastor and Lucifer calmly exit the elevator, the Radio Demon standing straight as the King of Hell adjusts his bow tie one last time. They already hear Charlie explaining something and a young girl's voice marveling, obviously just as cheerful as the Princess of Hell.

When they arrive in the living room, they find Charlie, Vaggie and a third young girl with long periwinkle hair with white tips in a mostly white and blue dress with simple patterns on the hem. Apart from her clothes whose colors seem far too pure for Hell, she also has six large wings carefully folded in her back and a white halo that looks like a tiara that leaves no doubt that she is an angel. Besides, her sweet smile and her innocent look only confirm it.

The couple must be making noise because Charlie turns towards them.

“Dad! Alastor!” she smiles, surprising the young Seraph who turns to see the Princess of Hell running to hug her father. “Angel and Husk told me. Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, yes, duckling. I’m fine.” he assures, stroking his daughter’s hair. “Just some tiredness and stress. But Alastor helped me.”

“Thanks, Al.”

“ No need to thank me, Charlie. It was quite natural. ”

Lucifer's gaze is suddenly drawn to the curious one of the little angel who is staring at him… before she takes on a slight golden hue when she sees that she is surprised. Charlie turns towards her and, smiling, she introduces:

“Dad, this is Emily the Angel of Joy! Emily, my dad Lucifer Morningstar, the King of Hell.”

“Sorry, I couldn't help but stare at you.” the little Seraphim admits, playing with her fingers as discreetly as possible. “It's just that… in Heaven, you are described as such a monstrous and abject being… but you aren’t so different from the portrait in the Archangels Hall.”

Lucifer can't help but giggle at Emily's frankness but he shrugs, used to it.

“Heaven has a very strong opinion of me, I know. But no, I haven't changed that much.” he says nonchalantly, turning around. “The most noticeable differences are my fangs, burns, horns, and tail.” he said, showing off his sharp teeth, black arms, and growing horns and tail. “Well, let’s not talk about it anymore! That was a long time ago!”

“ Welcome to the Hazbin Hotel, Miss Emily! It is a real pleasure and an honor to welcome one of the Seraphim of Heaven here below! ” Alastor greets politely as he bows, taking the young angel's hand to kiss her, making her blush at a politeness she didn't think was possible in Hell, before straightening up. “ So what do you think of our dear princess’s project? ”

“Oh! This hotel is amazing!!! ” the young girl marvels while starting to smile in a way quite similar to Charlie’s. “Redeeming human souls instead of exterminating them, that’s what Sera should have done from the beginning! But now that we have proof that Redemption is possible, the Archangels have accepted the establishment of a protocol in Heaven!” she explains while looking at the princess before heading towards the schedule. “And all these activities allow Sinners to question themselves in order to help them change! I understand how Sir Pentious was able to be rehabilitated so quickly!”

“He really invested himself in his Redemption when he agreed to join us.” Charlie smiled as she looked at the portrait of her friend who she now knows is safe and sound in Heaven.

“It’s more than Sera could believe!” the Seraphim continues, flapping her wings happily in excitement. “It’s a real revival for Hell and Heaven! We won't need to kill each other anymore! We can learn to live together! Prove that souls can atone for their sins and be forgiven! Sir Pentious is proof of that!”

Lucifer smiles, happy to hear such joy in his daughter’s voice and such hope in Emily’s… when he suddenly freezes.

“A revival?” he exclaims then, starting to think and mumble to himself. “Renewal… rebirth… hope… Oh fuck, that’s it! ” he suddenly smiles as he punches his fist into his palm, surprising everyone around him.

“What is it?” Charlie wonders but her father takes her face in his hands and kisses her cheek, overjoyed.

“Thanks, duckling! You’re the best!” he exclaims before rushing towards the living room with a snap of his fingers, his notebook appearing in his hands.

All smiles, he kneels down at the coffee table and puts down his notebook, opening it to a blank page and begins to scribble passionately. The girls turn to Alastor who shrugs, not understanding what is happening.

“Dad?” Charlie wonders as she approaches with Emily and Alastor, Vaggie looks at the others questioningly but they also shrug.

Lucifer doesn’t listen to her and ignores everyone, seeming focused on what he is doing, his tongue sticking out of his lips as he draws, erases, starts again then he stops, looks at what he has done… and smiles with all his teeth while restraining himself from pawing the ground with joy.

“That's it! Oh fuck, it's perfect!!! ” he exclaims as he gets up, overjoyed.

“ What’s happening to you? ” Alastor sighs as he joins his companion.

Lucifer, smiling brightly, turns his notebook over to show what he has just drawn.

It looked like a chick with large wings with feathers that looked like plumes of flame. Its tail looked like a fluffy plume of smoke and three flame-like feathers stood on its head. Another drawing shows the same chick with its wings open, showing that it can fly, and featuring more detail on its chest which resembled a plastron with star-like details. Some head drawings on the side show small variations that suggest there could be two different creatures.

It was clearly a stuffed toy version of a phoenix!

“Awwww!” Charlie and Emily soften when they see the little thing while Alastor frowns.

“ What is this supposed to be? ” he asks with obvious nonchalance.

“This, my dear Alastor, is the sketch of our baby’s future companions.” The King replies, smiling proudly.

“ Excuse me? ” the demon wonders while the princess smiles, having understood what her father is talking about.

“When I was expecting Charlie, I imagined little companions for her in the form of stuffed animals that I then brought to life to make her guardians. Their role is to always take good care of her and protect her, which they have always done very well. Isn't it right, my Razzle?” he chirps as the little dragon joins him with a smile, happily accepting the scratches under his chin, before he continues: “And I want our baby to have its guardians too and this is what they will look like!”

“Why phoenixes?” Emily wonders, making the Fallen Angel smile as he explains:

“The phoenix, my precious Emily, represents Renewal, Rebirth and Hope! Three things that this baby also represents to me.” he says as he places his hand on his womb.

“Awwww, Dad, that's so cute!” Charlie chirps, her Angel friend also having hearts in her eyes as Alastor rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

“ Well… as long as they're not ducks! I'm pretty sure that before long, those stupid birds will be on every possible object for a baby. ” he says nonchalantly.

“ Hey! Ducks aren't stupid, you…! ” Lucifer begins before he freezes, choking slightly.

“Dad?”

“Lucifer?”

Charlie and Emily rush to the King's side while he just dropped his notebook.

His two hands are going to rest on his stomach, alarming Alastor whose ears are moving nervously. Truth be told, the whole hotel seems to have stopped breathing, wondering what is going on. Lucifer doesn't move anymore, staring into space without saying a word as his hands rest on his stomach, seeming to inspect it for something.

“Dad, what's wrong? You're scaring me!” Charlie worries, seeming to bring her father back to his senses as his eyelids blink rapidly and his pupils dilate again.

“Charlie… Alastor… give me your hands…”

The two concerned look at each other and approach, holding out a hand to Lucifer… who places them on his womb. The gesture is intriguing enough to attract those in the hall, with Angel and Husk hanging back a bit while Vaggie joins Emily and Niffty perches on the couch to get a closer look, trying to figure out what's going on… and Baxter, Vox's spy, has hidden behind a pillar and is discreetly recording the scene. Of course, Alastor appears blurry since his powers interfere with the video but the main thing is that he sees Lucifer.

“ Can I know what you’re doing? ” the Radio Demon gets annoyed, hating not understanding.

But before Lucifer can get annoyed by his companion's impatience, a strange sensation is felt under the hands of Charlie and Alastor. The young princess gasped as the Sinner let out a violent static noise as he pulled away, his eyes having taken the shape of radio dials in shock.

“ What is it? ” he asked, alarmed, making Lucifer chuckle and shake his head.

“Calm down, you big idiot. It's just your baby saying hello.”

Charlie gasped with a smile, having the confirmation of what she had understood, while everyone smiled, delighted for the future parents… except that the future father is completely frozen.

“ The… you mean that…? ” he stuttered, making his companion smile and nod as the young princess knelt down to be at the height of her father's womb.

“Hello, baby! I am Charlie! Your big sister!”

Vaggie smiles, touched by seeing her girlfriend so happy, while Emily smiles like a little sun under the adoration of this scene. Lucifer, him, looks at his companion and holds out his hand.

“Come on, Alastor, come closer! It doesn't bite!”

Alastor seems to hesitate… then he approaches, grabbing his companion's hand who places it on his womb while smiling. After a few moments, he feels a movement against his palm again.

A movement so slight that it was impossible to tell if it was a kick or something else… but the baby was really moving!

The Radio Demon remains expressionless at first… then he smiles more tenderly, his palm seeking a more obvious contact before he places his forehead against Lucifer's, making the Fallen Angel laugh. Although fatherhood had never been in his plans, now that he felt the little life growing in his companion's body, Alastor only feels happier. He even comes to wonder how some men could not want their children, the flesh of their flesh, if it could provoke such a pleasant feeling.

Chapter Text

Lucifer's fifth month of pregnancy was going rather peacefully. Mood swings were still frequent… but all it took was one movement from the baby for the angry King to calm down and marvel at feeling this little thing growing inside him, getting stronger every day. Husk and Angel's twins were also intrigued by this little life they felt in the belly of their favorite nanny.

Misty wasn't very comfortable, backing away as far as possible as soon as she felt a movement in Lucifer's belly. It wasn’t normal to her that it was moving inside… but her sister Mitten didn't care. She was really curious about this little thing that was moving, that was alive but that she couldn't see. She even meowed sometimes, as if she was trying to talk to the baby. It was so adorable that Lucifer would always start crying or babbling when he saw her do it and the baby seemed to like it and it would move even more.

Now that the baby was making itself felt, the Fallen Angel had noticed that he or she reacted to certain voices. Lucifer's of course, which made the little one cuddle against his palm, but also Charlie's. The child became very restless when it heard its sister, visibly trying to get to know her since the only way to calm it down was for Charlie to stay nearby and for her to caress her father's belly… or Alastor's help was needed. The voice of the Radio Demon seemed to be a voice that calmed the baby as soon as it heard it. Lucifer had noticed this one evening, when the child was very agitated. It clearly didn't want to sleep and used his belly as a punching bag. Alastor was doing a nighttime broadcast as it sometimes happened so the King had turned on the radio and was listening to what he was saying. He had simply chatted about the hotel's latest and sung a few songs… and the baby had immediately calmed down at his voice. Its restless movements had softened, as if it were listening attentively to Alastor's words… then, its father had felt it nestle against his hand and, given the lack of movement, the baby had fallen asleep to the calm songs of the Radio Demon.

When Alastor had returned to their room after his broadcast, he had been pleasantly surprised to find Lucifer asleep with his little radio near his belly, as if to make sure the baby heard the Radio Demon's voice. From then on, Alastor's show had become the evening show to put the baby to sleep when the father himself was not there… which was quite rare!

Unbelievable as it may seem, Alastor had changed a lot. Outside the hotel, he was still a powerful, power-hungry, and cruel Overlord that you shouldn't mess with if you value your afterlife… but as soon as he returned to the walls of his new home, the Radio Demon became a completely different person. He was attentive to Lucifer's needs, could spend several minutes feeling the baby move in his companion's belly, and he found himself more pleasant company, even for Husk. It was something that no one who had known Alastor in his early days would have believed they would see with his eyes, and yet fatherhood seemed to change him.

He didn't want to be like his father, so he did everything he could to avoid that by being a present father.

Charlie continued to manage the hotel but increasingly let Vaggie take charge so she could spend time with her father. She wanted to make sure he was okay for the arrival of her little sibling, offering to do prenatal yoga to help him relax and breathe properly or they would go buy things for the baby. Stuffed animals, toys, clothes like those adorable onesies that looked like fawns or ducklings in a fabric as soft as plush. The nursery wasn’t finished yet but it would be well filled. Charlie's old crib had been repainted and, whenever he had time, Lucifer worked on the two little phoenixes that he was going to give his baby, his daughter sometimes helping him to see the colors or fabrics to use.

He had even already chosen the names: Hustle and Bustle! Considering all the changes caused by the arrival of this little one, the names couldn't be more perfect!

For the first time in years, Lucifer felt loved, supported, and like he had found a family again. Not only Charlie and Alastor and their future baby… but also the residents of the Hazbin Hotel. Now, all he cares about is that his baby being born safe and sound!

That day, Lucifer adjusts a beautiful red tunic over his round belly for the umpteenth time. He was really starting to need new clothes… but for now, the most important thing is his meeting with Belphegor at the Sloth Ring! As for Charlie's pregnancy, the Sin of Sloth was the one taking care of this new pregnancy. She knew all of Lucifer's medical records and, whatever people said about her Sin, she was efficient in her job.

The only downside was that Alastor couldn't go with him!

Like all Sinners, the Radio Demon was stuck at the Pride Ring. Even though Lucifer was King, it was a rule he couldn't break. Or Alastor would have to become more than a Sinner and an Overlord… but Lucifer shakes his head, refusing to think about that. He wouldn't go too fast this time! No matter how much he loves Alastor!

Calming down quickly, the King straightens his outfit one last time and exits his room, a hand on his belly. For now, the baby is calm but he knows that won't last. He just hopes that they will be calm during the appointment. Last time, Belphegor had almost wanted to anesthetize the baby so that it would stop moving.

“You're the type to do as you please like Papa Al, huh?” he says as he strokes his belly, the baby moving a little at his voice. “Try to be nice to Aunt Bel this time. I would like to have a first clear picture of you to show what you look like.” he says as he enters the elevator.

Taking out his phone, he types a message before exiting the elevator a few moments later, arriving in the lobby.

“Thanks for coming! See you tomorrow!” Charlie's voice exclaims.

The King hides behind a pillar while the other residents leave for their free time. He sees the Sinners who get into the elevator without seeing him and silence begins to invade the lobby.

“MITTEN!! Damn, Husky, you had to watch her!” Angel's voice exclaims, alarming Lucifer who comes out of his hiding place to see the little black kitten who has perched once again on top of a pillar.

“Hey! I can't be behind the little ones and Niffty at the same time!” the cat dad gets annoyed as he returns, holding Niffty in one hand and little Misty in the other.

But then the kitten's claws decided to let go, the little girl letting out a panicked meow before falling. Angel screams and Lucifer immediately reacts by snapping his fingers. A golden ring appears under Mitten and the little girl disappears into it… before the same circle opens again just above the couch and the hybrid baby falls right… on Alastor! The Radio Demon hadn’t noticed the commotion, too busy scribbling in his notebook… until a small black and white ball of fur landed on his head.

“ OW! Mmfff! ” he complains, dropping his notebook and pencil to rub his aching head, releasing static as Mitten rolls on the cushions.

“Oh shit! Sorry, Al, didn’t see you!” Lucifer chuckles as he joins Charlie who sighs in relief at seeing the little Hellborn safe and sound, the kitten laughing even now that she’s back on the ground.

“ Oh for sure… ” the Radio Demon mumbles as he gets up, letting Angel retrieve his daughter, before heading to the bar, massaging his head.

“You little rascal! Aren’t you tired of playing squirrel?” the porn actor growls while looking at his baby, the little one simply smiling at him while purring. 

Lucifer goes to sit on the couch to relieve his ankles which were slightly swollen… before his gaze is drawn to the notebook that Alastor dropped.

The Radio Demon sometimes took it out when he heard something that interested him and wrote it down, taking notes that he reread during his broadcasts. Normally, he wouldn't let anyone touch it. Not even Lucifer! So seeing it there and seeing Alastor at the bar gulping down a whiskey to try to recover from the shock, he smiled mischievously. This is such a great opportunity!

Casually, Lucifer snaps his fingers and the notebook floats to his hand. After a last glance to make sure his lover won't see anything, the King begins to leaf through it innocently. At first, he only finds Al’s notes about the residents and things that had caught his attention… when suddenly, he sees different notes that have nothing to do with the hotel. There are different words noted such as 'snake', 'apple', 'light', 'shadow', 'prince', 'victory', 'success' and annotations on their etymology before associations are made below… by being classified by gender! Girl or boy!

Lucifer gasps as he realizes that it's not just a whim of Alastor's that only made sense to his former serial killer brain! These are names! Names for their baby! Names invented from what symbolized them the most! Alastor had never talked about it, acting like he didn't care… but in reality, he was preparing the child's arrival in his own way! Even Lilith hadn't done that when they were expecting Charlie! She had just let time pass and, in the end, he was the one who named their daughter.

The Fallen Angel looks up to see his lover rubbing his temples, growling at Angel that he must have given his kittens lead for them to weigh so much while being so tiny… before putting the closed notebook down with a smile. A hand rests on his stomach, smiling, caressing it gently as he feels the baby move to seek contact.

“It seems your papa can’t wait to meet you. You know that?” he whispers, receiving a light kick in response, making him laugh.

Suddenly, a pastel pink portal opens in the lobby, alarming the residents who wonder what is going on.

“Ah! It’s for me!” Lucifer says as he gets up. “I asked Belphegor to use a portal so I don’t have to go through the Rings and risk being discovered.”

“Oh! Of course!” Charlie smiles as she joins her father to place her hand on his belly, feeling the baby move under her hand. “Be good to Aunt Bel, baby. She just wants to see if you're okay.”

“ Is that really safe? ” Alastor grumbles as he gets up to join his companion. “ Couldn't she come here? ”

“Al, we've already talked about this!” the Fallen Angel sighs, knowing that his lover doesn't like knowing that he's in a ring where he can't access it in case of a problem. “Belphegor can't bring all her equipment here! It's easier if I go to the Sloth Ring.”

“ I'm not sure that using your magic in your condition is recommended! ” the Radio Demon growls, taking his hand, but Lucifer smiles, gently squeezing his fingers.

“That's why Bel is the one who summons the portal! That way, I just have to go through it and it's safe.” he assures before moving towards the portal.

The couple stays hand in hand… but when Lucifer crosses the portal, he is forced to let go of Alastor whose fingers seem to stumble on an invisible window. Even if the Sinner tries to not show it, the King sees that he is worried and that he wants to accompany him… but it is impossible! Smiling, Luci puts his fingers on his lips and blows a kiss to his companion before the portal closes, leaving the Radio Demon alone in the lobby with Charlie.

“Don’t worry, Al!” the princess assures as she joins her friend (or father-in-law? She herself doesn’t really know.) “Aunt Bel will take care of Dad and the baby. In a few hours, he will be back safe and sound with new pictures of the baby.”

“ As if that couldn’t be done here… ” Alastor gets annoyed, unable to help himself.

His instinct had been screaming at him for some time to protect his doe and their fawn! However, in the other Rings, Lucifer was left to himself, out of reach! … but he was still the King of Hell! And whether Alastor liked it or not, Lucifer was free to go wherever he wanted in his kingdom…

“What's this notebook?” Cherri Bomb asks as she picks up the notebook abandoned on the couch… before a shadow snatches it from her hands. “Hey!”

“ That's no touching, walking bomb! ” Alastor growls as he picks up his notebook and puts it in his jacket pocket.

The Sloth Ring had always been one of Lucifer's favorite rings. The colors were so calm and relaxing, in soft and pastel hues. And even time seems slower, calmer and more serene than in the other rings. And Belphegor, although a fan of napping 12 hours a day like all felines, knew everything it took to relax someone. Both with medication and gentle methods.

When he entered the Sin of Sloth's office, Lucifer was immediately soothed. The baby also reacted to the change of atmosphere by starting to wiggle gently.

“Shh… easy, sweetheart.” he whispered, caressing his womb.

“Is your little breakdancer acting up again?” a voice laughed, making him raise his head.

A large, round demoness with a cat-meets-goat appearance stretches and yawns before joining him, her red goat hooves clicking on the ground.

Her head is that of a black cat whose turquoise eyes, a mixture of goat and cat eyes, stand out clearly and a midnight blue goatee is under her chin. Locks of the same color are visible under her white nurse's headdress, from which two long twisted goat horns protrude. She wears a uniform similar to the nurses of the First World War, which is quite funny since they were called 'White Angels'… and Belphegor was as black as night, from the tips of her feline ears to the tip of her goat's legs! A real black cat! Although she is one of the shortest Sins and her waistline makes her appear stocky, she is still a head taller than Alastor.

Lucifer can't help but smile as he looks at the Sin of Sloth approaching him.

“Hello, Bel! No, they’re pretty calm today. But I think the change of atmosphere disturbs them every time.” he says, stroking his belly.

“It's definitely a Sinner's baby. The atmosphere of my Ring should calm them down instead.” Belphegor chuckles, letting a slight goat bleat escape her. “Well! I'll assume that if this Sinner has seduced you, it's because he's worth it.”

“Bel…”

“Not another word! That's Ozzie's Sin!” she laughs before placing her hand on Lucifer's shoulder, guiding him. “Come on! Let's go see how the new heir is doing.”

The King of Hell can't help but smile, knowing that Bel was more of a mouthful than a gossip. She said it was too tiring! But she was his friend and his doctor so she would do her job, just like she had when he was expecting Charlie.

**********

After a few minutes of taking his blood pressure, measuring his waistline, checking his reflexes and having him step on the scale, Belphegor lets Lucifer lie down on her examination table.

“Relax while I look at all this. Your blood pressure is a little high.” she said, sitting down at her desk and starting to write down the new data in her file.

“Emily's last visit was two days ago and bounty hunters attacked the Hotel while she was there. If Alastor hadn't been there to stop them quickly…”

“Holy shit, Lucifer…” the Sin gets annoyed, rolling her eyes before looking at her patient. “You're pregnant! You should rest!”

“Charlie needs me…”

“Charlie is a big girl! She knows how to take care of herself! The proof is that she came back to see me two weeks ago to renew her contraception.” she mumbles, caught up in her thoughts.

“Excuse me!?” Lucifer chokes but his friend doesn't pick up and continues:

“All that to say, Luci, that your daughter is no longer a baby that you have to take care of all the time! On the other hand, the one that is still in the drawer could use you to take care of yourself a little more! It would be a shame to nail you to bed for the last few months because you only do what you want, wouldn't it?”

The Fallen Angel pouts… then sighs as he lies back down, his hands caressing his womb.

“I suppose…”

“Good! Apart from the slightly high blood pressure, everything seems fine to me.” the cat-goat demon reassures as she types on her computer before getting up. “The growth curve is even impeccable! Now it's time to see this little tadpole, if it will stay still.”

Belphegor brings the ultrasound machine closer as Lucifer lifts his tunic, showing his rounded belly, so his friend can put the gel and then the probe before looking at his screen.

“So… it should be… Ah! There it is!” she smiles before snapping her fingers.

A screen of pastel flames appears before Lucifer's eyes, allowing him to see. And there, carefully nestled in its parent's womb, the little figure appears. The contours are a little blurry even if we quickly spot its two arms, its two legs and it seems to have small ears on its head. Or in any case, the future dad is convinced that the baby will have this physical trait of its other parent. The Fallen Angel may have seen it several times, but his eyes fill with tears again when he rediscovers his baby.

“Hello, duckling…” he whispers while caressing the top of his belly.

The baby reacts by moving slightly, snuggling as close as possible to his daddy's hand. Even the Sin can't help but smile.

“Its size is good, it's reacting well, I don't see anything wrong… And since this little fidget is calm today, I can offer you something, Luci.”

“What?” the Angel wonders, turning to her.

“We can try to see if it's a boy or a girl.”

Lucifer freezes at her words and sits up, overwhelmed.

Back when he was expecting Charlie, that wasn't an option. He had to wait until the end of his pregnancy to discover that he had a little girl!

“Can we do that?” the Pride Sin asks, making his friend smile.

“Technology has evolved in 200 years, Luci. Now, we can determine the gender of the baby by different means. So if you want, I can try to see if Hell will have a little prince or another little princess.”

Lucifer feels his head spinning before he looks at the ultrasound. The baby moved slowly, as if he or she was awaiting judgment. Did he want to know? Or did he want to wait like he did with Charlie?

He begins to weigh the pros and cons, remembering Alastor telling him that gender didn't matter, that he was just happy to be a father soon… then Charlie looking for neutral tones for the nursery, he sees her hesitating in front of little clothes that are too cute but too gender, trying to remain neutral so that her gifts are as much for a little brother as for a little sister. And he thinks back to when Angel had asked if they'd ever thought of names… and the first names he'd found in Alastor's notebook!

“I'm rather curious now that you told me.” he smiled, blushing before looking at the Sin. “Do you think you can see it?”

“We can try.” she smiled, moving the probe. “If the baby doesn't move too much and gets into a good position…” she said, trying to get the best view of the fetus, Lucifer tensing impatiently. “So…”

Alastor humming out of his radio tower, his mood having calmed down a bit after having a rather pleasant broadcast. Even Vox had been quiet today, just buzzing his drones around the tower to film him… but those piles of bolts had joined the others in the pile for spare parts.

But when he arrives in their room at the end of the hall and doesn't find Lucifer, the Radio Demon gets a little annoyed. So he goes down to the hall, finding Angel playing with his daughters by waving a feather in front of their noses, Husk taking inventory of the bar, and Charlie and Vaggie talking to each other, probably trying to plan tomorrow's schedule.

“ Where's Lucifer? ” he suddenly asks, drawing attention to himself.

“Oh, Alastor! Dad hasn't returned yet.” Charlie smiles as she joins him, pulling out her phone and rummaging through her messages. “He said he had to stop by and see Aunt Bee before he went home.” she said, showing him the message that her father sent her about twenty minutes ago.

“ Oh!… Still needs more sugar, I guess… ” he mumbles, rather annoyed.

Alastor didn't really like the other Sins since his was simply Pride… but Beelzebub was the one that made me the most uncomfortable! Even Asmodeus, the Sin of Lust, didn't repel him as much. The problem wasn't the Sin… but her rather canine form.

Alastor had never been very fond of dogs but since he had been killed because of these hunting dogs that had spotted him while he was getting rid of a corpse, he had a holy horror of them! Unfortunately for him, Beelzebub was one of Lucifer's closest Sins friends since both had a very sweet tooth!

“I'm sure Dad won't be long. He probably wanted a little treat after his appointment. And we all know that his cravings can't wait right now.” Charlie smiled.

“ Oh I know that only too well… ” Alastor mumbled as he headed towards his armchair where he settled down.

Snapping his fingers, he summons his coffee mug and, taking out his notebook from the other, he begins to scribble while drinking his hot drink.

If he didn't want to think about Lucifer alone in the other Rings, he had to take his mind off things!

**********

Alastor doesn't know exactly how long he's been lost in his thoughts, but all he knows is that he's being brought back to Hell by the feeling of a small hand holding his pants. Looking down, he sees little Mitten looking at him with her innocent orange and pink eyes full of questions.

Husk's child didn't seem to be afraid of him! On the contrary, he intrigued her given how she observed him!

“Mitten!” the feline father annoys as he joins them and picks her up in his arms. “Stop running away like that.”

“ Your daughter seems like the type who doesn't get scared easily, my dear Husker! ” the Radio Demon laughs as he looks at the little girl who slowly moves her feet while looking at him. “ It could take her far if she knows how to use it wisely. ”

“Yeah yeah, don't play shrink with them! She's still just a kitten, she doesn't understand anything.” the father grumbles as his daughter turns to look at him.

“ Oh she seems to understand very well. She's smarter than her father, it seems. ”

“Hey! Don't play baby expert with me, asshole! We'll see how you are with yours and if you continue to… OUCH!!! MITTEN!! ” the feline yells, trying to push his daughter away, the baby laughs and pulls his whiskers. “ ANTHONY, FUCK, COME HELP ME!”

Alastor bursts out laughing as he sees his slave struggling with the kitten until Angel arrives, picking up his younger daughter, laughing, while his older daughter is chewing on a tooth toy.

“Hey, crazy girl! Your Husky daddy is sensitive about whiskers!” he says, pinching Mitten's muzzle while Husk massages his cheeks.

Misty, she, simply observes by starting to beat her little wings even if they are still too weak to carry her… before she notices her sister's tail beating the air. Her eyes round and she jumps on her, biting her hard enough for her twin to meow and try to jump on her.

“Hepeep! No fighting!” Angel scolds, separating them, the babies looking at him in surprise.

“Is everything okay?” Charlie worries as she joins him, leaving Vaggie to finish writing down the schedule for the next day.

As the young princess takes one of the twins to help her friend calm them down, Alastor can't help but watch them with interest even if he does everything he can to keep it from being seen.

In a few months, his own child would be here. It seems quite surreal to him, especially when he sees the misery that Husk's little twins put him through,… and yet, he can't help but wonder. What will his little one be like? Would it be more like him? More like Lucifer? These are the kinds of questions he never thought he would ask himself… and yet, here he is wondering if his child will have his hair, Lucifer's eyes, if it would look like Lucifer like Charlie looked like him or if he would take more from the Radio Demon… and thinking of names…  if Vox saw him like that…

Suddenly, a honey-colored portal opens in the hall and Lucifer passes through it, smiling, his arms full of boxes of cakes. Beelzebub appears vaguely on the other side of the portal and greets his friend with a smile.

“Congratulations, LuLu!” she says before closing the portal.

The Fallen Angel heads to the bar and puts the boxes down as his daughter joins him after returning Misty to Husk, the pink kitten placing her hands on her dad's cheeks and meowing.

“Dad! What did Aunt Bel say? Is the baby okay? And why did you have to go to Aunt Bee's? Is this all for you?” Charlie asks, curious while she looks at the boxes her father has brought back.

“ Oh, I wouldn't be surprised… ” Alastor sighs, putting his notebook in his pocket before getting up.

“Everything's fine, Char-Char.” Lucifer assures, turning to his daughter. “The baby is growing well and Bel hasn't noticed any problems. And no, the cakes aren't just for me! In fact… I have a little surprise!”

Everyone frowns as the King places all the boxes on the bar and opens them before gesturing that they can approach. Niffty is the first to perch on the bar as the other Hazbins join them to see what has been brought back from the Ring of Gluttony.

There were several small cakes with a fairly thick white topping decorated with small gold, pink and blue pastilles and with a golden question mark on top. Charlie gasps when she realizes what it is, as do the others who smile, while Alastor takes one to look at it from all angles, wondering what is special about these little sugar concentrates. 

“ What is this? ” he asks while his companion smiles.

“Take one each! And you'll find out at the same time!” the Fallen Angel said, visibly having trouble restraining himself from ecstasy given the way he smiled.

“ Lucifer, I hate sugar! ”

“Please make an effort this time.” his companion insisted while making eyes at him.

The Radio Demon growls before sighing, wondering how he could have weakened himself to the point of falling for a simple look from his angel. Without noticing Baxter who has slipped into the living room to wait for the King to return and who turns on his phone to film, the Hazbins all pick up one of the cakes, Niffty snickering and pawing impatiently and the kittens trying to catch the ones their parents are holding, while everyone looks at Alastor who stares at the pastry with obvious disgust.

“ Unless Beelzebub has gotten into cannibal cakes, I refuse to eat that! ” he grumbles as his fingers stick to the sugar.

Lucifer sighs, annoyed by the Sinner's stubbornness, before shrugging.

“Then don't eat it… but at least look inside.”

“ What? ”

“Break it and look!” he insists as Angel holds back a laugh at Alastor completely lost.

“We should all find out at the same time.” Vaggie suggests, seeing Charlie stamping her feet impatiently.

“Oh yeah! Let's all find out at once!”

“She looks like a kid in front of her birthday presents.” Angel whispers as Husk shrugs, struggling to hold Misty with one hand so she doesn't fall.

“Come on! Everyone on 3!” the Princess exclaims, Alastor rolling his eyes at such childishness while Lucifer seems to beam with joy. “1… 2… 3!”

All at once, the Hazbins cut the cakes in half, Husk being forced to bite into it since one of his arms is occupied by his little girl.

And the inside of the pastries is composed of a generous sponge cake of a pretty pink!

As Alastor frowns at this choice of color, Charlie gasps before screaming with joy while jumping and running to hug her father.

“Oh Dad, that's great!!!” she exclaims, making Lucifer laugh, before Vaggie approaches in turn.

“Congratulations!” she smiles as Angel looks at his daughters with a smile.

“Hey, my kittens! Soon there will be three of you!” he chirps, pointing to the pink sponge cake, but Mitten is just interested in the cake she puts in her mouth, just like her twin who tries to catch the cake from her feline father.

“Looks like we're in the same boat, huh?” Husk snickers as he approaches Alastor.

But the Deer Demon frowns, visibly completely lost. The feline frowns in response… before understanding.

“Oh fuck, you didn’t understand anything.” he exclaims before biting his lip to stop himself from laughing even though his eyes are visibly mocking.

“ I didn’t understand what, Husker? ” he growls, drawing attention to them.

“Something’s wrong?” Lucifer worries, his hand going to rest on his womb as if to protect it, but the bartender points at his boss saying:

“He didn't understand what that means!”

“Is that true?” Charlie is surprised, joining her hotelier who is looking at the pink sponge cake without understanding.

“ What is there to understand other than it's a mass of sugar and coloring? ” he asks, his companion and Vaggie placing their hand over their mouth to stop themselves from laughing while the young princess bites her lip, embarrassed.

“Oh nothing, Smile! Just the most important thing!” Angel said before finally bursting out laughing as he joined his partner, giving the other half of the cake to Misty, Mitten’s mouth being completely covered with white chocolate.

“ Is someone going to tell me what's going on!? ” the Radio Demon fumes, his eyes turning black with rage as he begins to double in size, clenching his fists, crushing the cake halves roughly.

Vaggie can't help but chuckle, amused at seeing Alastor completely lost, but Lucifer simply pulls a picture out of his pocket and hands it to his companion with a smile.

“Here's the latest photo of the new princess of Hell.” he says simply.

Alastor lets out a static noise, the lights flickering for a moment, before he returns to his normal size as he stares at the Fallen Angel.

“ Wh-what? ”

“These are cakes that Aunt Bee makes mainly for the Hellborn and we buy them when we know the gender of a future baby and want to announce it to our loved ones.” Charlie explains as she joins them, pointing at the sponge cake as she continues: “The color inside tells you if it's a girl or a boy.”

“Pink means it's a girl!” Angel laughs as he places Mitten on the bar before licking the end of a napkin to wipe his daughter's mouth.

But Alastor doesn't react to the obvious mockery in the young porn actor's voice.

Slowly, he grabs the ultrasound that Lucifer hands him, trembling as he looks at the blurred contours of the baby. He recognized the silhouette of a child with its two arms, its two legs and its small head, he could recognize hooves on its feet but nothing seemed to tell him that this child was a girl or a boy. And yet…

“ How…? ” he begins, wanting Lucifer to explain, which amuses the Fallen Angel who takes his hand and places it on his belly while explaining:

“She was rather calm today so Belphegor was able to look at her from all angles… and she is sure of it. It's a little girl!”

Alastor remains frozen, his smile much smaller in shock as he stares at his hand placed on his Angel's stomach… before the baby starts to move. A girl! His little girl! A slight laugh escapes him as his smile becomes sincere, his eyes starting to shine slightly.

“ A girl… Lucifer, I… ” he tries, suddenly unable to find his words, before he grabs his companion's chin so that he raises his head and kisses him on the lips.

Everyone is surprised because Alastor wasn’t so demonstrative in front of the others. But right now, he's too happy to care. Lucifer smiles against his lips as he places his hands on the Radio Demon's cheeks while Charlie softens seeing Alastor and her father being so happy about the baby's upcoming arrival.

She is also overjoyed! A little sister! She would have also been happy with a little brother but now that she knew she was going to have a little sister, she was already imagining everything she was going to be able to do with her, how she was going to be able to dress her, what she was going to be able to offer her and even what little details she was going to be able to add to the painting in the nursery. Vaggie can't help but smile as she watches her girlfriend look so happy… when she notices movement on the stairs.

**********

Baxter quickly locks himself in his room with a smile and connects his phone to his computer. Quickly, he loads the video he has just filmed, cutting out the unimportant moments and mainly keeping the images where Lucifer appears, heavily pregnant and where he and Alastor are close, discovering the gender of the baby they were expecting.

Once his video editing was completed, he put it in a folder called Anti-Hazbin where several other proofs of the King's pregnancy had been collected. There were both videos and photos of Lucifer with Alastor and Charlie in situations that could not be confused. The pregnancy and the relationship between the King and the Sinner were more than obvious!

Surely something that would please his boss! Especially given Vox's hatred of the King and the Demon of Radio!

“With this, I’m sure I can negotiate my freedom!” he smiled, certain he had a big case.

But just as he’s already gloating, his room’s door slams open, making him turn around with a scream, as Vaggie stands in front of him, her spear pointed at the Sinner and her wings spread.

“What are you doing?” she rages, realizing that he’s up to something.

“Me? Nothing!” he tries, trying to hide his files… but the former Exorcist grabs his arm and pulls him away from the computer. “Hey! It’s mine! You have no rights!” he rages, struggling.

“Vaggie? What’s going on?”

Charlie enters the bedroom, having followed her girlfriend when she saw her running away at full speed up the stairs. Baxter freezes when he sees the princess and then, trying to appear innocent, he rushes towards her begging:

“Princess! Your friend doesn't respect my privacy! I work! I have contracts to respect and my clients don't want their project to be known to everyone!”

“Oh!… Vaggie, it's not…” she begins but her girlfriend turns to her and is indignant while showing the screen and the Sinner's hellphone:

“That piece of shit works for the Vees! He's been taking pictures of your father for months and he put them in a folder to send them to Vox! They want to reveal your father's pregnancy!”

And indeed, on the screen, the folder is open with all the photos and videos. And when Charlie takes the phone that her girlfriend hands her, the messages with Vox are more than clear.

Baxter was a spy!

“But… but what… why?” the princess trembles as the other Hazbins approach, having seen the two girls suddenly move away.

“Why? You dare ask why!? ” the fish indignantly retrieves his phone, furious, before answering: “Because I want to be free! I am a genius who sought the protection of an Overlord without knowing that in Hell, a contract does not end when you want it to! But Vox promised me that if I helped him sink this fucking pathetic project, he would release me from my contract! This damn hotel must sink! And I must regain my freedom!”

Suddenly, Alastor’s laughter begins to echo in the room, the Overlord looking absolutely hilarious as he holds his sides.

“ Ha! You are really stupid! ” he laughs as he wipes away a tear. “ Vox was a decent Overlord, but he's on the decline now that Valentino is dead! Neither he nor Velvette will let go of a soul that belongs to them! Their positions are too unstable! ”

“You're lying! He promised me! We have a deal!” Baxter fumes, not wanting to believe that a genius like him could have been fooled.

“ Velvette discovered at the last meeting that her subscribers, as she calls them, do not count as contracted souls, which means she is much less powerful than she thought. ” the Radio Demon declares, looking at his nails. “ And Vox is going around in circles with his little TV shows. And you really think they’re going to let you go just because you’re going to help them shut this place down? ” 

“Oh? Because you really think you’re going to get away with it when Hell finds out?” the scientist sneers. “The King of Hell fucks with one of the Sinners he hates so much and who happens to be the great Radio Demon! The most sex-allergic Sinner known in the Ring! And the sugar on the cream, our stupid ruler has become very weak for having allowed himself to be impregnated with a bastard baby by an Overlord who almost got killed by the Vees!” he sneers, confusing those who weren’t aware and who turn to the Radio Demon. “Because maybe you almost killed Vox, but Valentino and Velvette really kicked your but last time too! They even thought you were dead since you were gone for 7 years! I’m sure that the Sinners will never accept the new heir knowing who it comes from after that!” he taunted, annoying the Overlord who growled, his eyes turning black.

Except that suddenly, a ball of fire passes right between Vaggie and Charlie, alarming the two young women and the Sinner who moves out of the way at the last minute. The projectile passes through the screen without issue, the computer crackling as sparks escape from the enormous hole in the screen. Everyone turns towards the one who started this… and who happens to be Lucifer!

The King of Hell is visibly furious, his eyes having turned a sparkling red, his horns having burst forth to their maximum size with the orb of fire between them, the snake and the apple having taken place like a crown or a halo at their top, his tail whipping the air with a terrifying noise and a furious growl escaping him. His hand still radiates magic, showing that it was him who sent this fireball. Alastor can't help but take a step back, like everyone else, impressed by the pure rage that seems to emanate from the Fallen Angel's body. The latter lowers his hand and advances towards Baxter, his fists clenched and with such determination that Charlie doesn't even think to try to calm him down. Once in front of the Sinner, Lucifer growls.

“How… did you… dare… to name… MY BABY!? ” he roared, his hand lunging towards the fallen soul, grabbing him roughly by the neck and lifting him from the ground. “ GO ON!!! Dare to tell me again that my baby is a bastard! DARE TO SAY IT AGAIN, YOU FUCKING SHIT!!!”

In fury, Lucifer lands a powerful punch in Baxter's jaw and the Sinner flies until he crashes violently against the wall.

“Dad!” Charlie alarms, the other Hazbin being surprised by the dimension that the situation is taking as the King violently throws himself at the scientist, pinning him to the ground and squeezing his neck so hard that he could rip his head off.

“You’re not talking about the child of a simple Hellborn! You're talking about the second Heiress to the Throne of Hell! Your King’s child!!! MY CHILD!! ” he rages as he lets go of Baxter’s throat but his fists start to hit the Sinner with all his fury. “ AND NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO SAY SUCH THINGS ABOUT MY CHILD!!!”

As everyone is alarmed, wondering if Lucifer is going to kill the Sinner, Alastor stands there staring at the Fallen Angel with a tight smile and a surprised look… before smiling in a carnivorous way, a little blood flowing from his lips as a growl resembling a purr escapes him, surprising Angel who is close enough to hear it despite the furious screams of the King.

“ Oh fuck… ” he growls before wiping his lips, composing himself as best he can before daring to get closer to Lucifer, surprising the others.

Before the furious Fallen Angel can finish Baxter, Alastor's hands suddenly slip under his armpits and lift him up without difficulty, cutting short his fury as he is pushed away from the Sinner who moans, half unconscious.

“ Alright, this jerk has had enough! Come with me! ” the Radio Demon said, taking the King in his arms as if he were a child before walking away into the hallway.

“What? ALASTOR, LET ME GO!!!” Lucifer gets annoyed, struggling in his lover's arms.

But he ignores him as he walks down the hallways, his shadow having already called the elevator where he enters without a word before pressing the button for their floor.

“Alastor?” Charlie calls, trying to follow them but the doors close in front of her without her having any explanation. “Okaaaaay… what just happened?”

Angel starts to giggle, having recognized the look of the Radio Demon, before innocently approaching the young princess.

“Doll, I think your daddy and Smile are off for a little bedroom sports session if you know what I mean!”

“Angel!” Vaggie says indignantly.

“What!?” Charlie blushed, still having a hard time thinking that her father and Alastor could be so close even though she has long known that babies aren't made by magic.

Still half-dazed, Baxter tries to get up… except that suddenly, a large eye and a big smile appear in his field of vision, paralyzing him.

“Oh you, you're a real Bad Boy!” Niffty sneers, looking at him intensely before grabbing his collar. “I won’t let you go!”

“What?” the Sinner panics before the little maid takes him with her.

“Oh!… I don't know if Tuna-Face wouldn't have preferred to be killed.” Husk mutters, grimacing.

**********

“ALASTOR LET ME GO!!!! ” Lucifer screams, struggling as the Radio Demon drags him through the hallways to his suite. “ I have to finish off that little shit who thinks he can do whatever he wants and say such horrible things about my baby! ” he rages as he is pushed back into the suite, towards the bed, while the shadow locks the door to prevent anyone from entering without invitation. “ I’m going to make him regret the day he was born, that little bast…” he continues… before Alastor’s lips eagerly settle on his. 

The usually calm Sinner finds himself deepening the kiss right away, Lucifer blushing brutally as he moans, surprised, and his body neglected for months igniting at these more intimate and almost hungry contacts. But even if the King's body would tell him to give in, Alastor's behavior is too unusual for him to let himself go so he pushes him away.

“Wow! Hey! What's gotten into you?”

“ Awww! Do I have such an effect on you? ” the Demon Deer sneers, amused.

“Don’t fuck with me!” the Fallen Angel is indignant as he grabs his collar with one hand, raising the other in a sign that he won't hesitate to hit him. “You've never been like this since we've been together! What's gotten into you to jump on me like that?”

“ Oh, it's so simple! ” he said, taking Lucifer's hand in his, intertwining their fingers, before continuing: “ Watching you fight is already extremely entertaining… but seeing you pregnant with my child fighting to protect our baby, this heats my blood! ” he almost purrs in the Angel's ear, who turns as golden as a gold coin again, before he kisses his neck. “ You have such a presence when you stand up for our child! A real lioness! ”

“Al…”

“ Let me show you, mon Ange! Let me show you what it does to me! ”

Lucifer can't help but shiver and let a small moan escape his lips at Alastor's words and the feeling of his lips on his neck.

The Radio Demon had never been one to let himself be carried away by these instincts… but their relationship had changed him. Sure, he hadn’t become a sex addict but he didn’t have as much repulsion for these intimate moments anymore. He was still old-fashioned enough to never talk about it and to let it be the secret of their bedroom… but Lucifer wasn’t against it. It even made it more precious since Alastor would have never hesitated to brag otherwise. That he wanted to keep it a secret proved that it meant more than just sex to him! And that he wanted to initiate their intimate relations was something that also excited the Fallen Angel…

Shivering, he turns his head towards Alastor, accepting a passionate kiss like the Radio Demon rarely did, before he pulls away just enough to meet his lover's red eyes.

“Are you sure you’re not the Original Temptation?” he asks, making the Deer in front of him smile.

“ I must have had a good teacher. ” he says in a low voice that makes the Devil tremble and moans softly as he runs his hand through his red hair. “ Do I have your permission, my King? ”

“Only if you’re careful…” Lucifer breathes, having trouble containing his excitement at Alastor's touch. “Don't forget that I am carrying our little girl…”

“ It would never occur to me to hurt our little princess. ” the Radio Demon assures as he caresses his companion's womb where their baby moves gently. “ Especially not after seeing how you defend her! ”

The King lets out a small laugh before kissing Alastor full on the lips and throwing himself at his neck, his lover lifting him without problem in his arms. The passion between the two quickly ignites as the taller of the two leads them to the bed before laying his Ange on the mattress and slowly beginning to undress him, delighting in the noises he provokes in Lucifer as his hands caress his body and especially his womb where their child is developing.

The rest of what they did, however, was unwitnessed, with Alastor's shadows isolating the couple from the outside world. Even Lucifer's moans could only be heard by the Radio Demon!

It was a movement under his hand that woke Alastor up a little later. Slowly opening his eyes, the Radio Demon quickly noticed that he was in their bed in Lucifer's suite, his little lover still in his arms and his hand resting on the rounded belly where their child was developing. It was her movements that woke him up.

Alastor couldn't help but smile more sincerely as he observed the tight skin and felt the baby's slight kicks or headbutts. Their little girl! He had a hard time believing it… but Belphegor was sure of her results. A new little princess for Hell… and Alastor was more than delighted. Even if he wouldn't have loved their child any less if it had been a boy, the fact that it was a girl seemed to reassure him. He had always been gentler and more gifted with the female gender… surely because he had no respect for men. He doesn't think he would have hurt his son if he had one… but he's relieved that it's a daughter.

Slowly straightening up while still keeping one hand on Lucifer's womb, he turns to his companion… to see him reading in his notebook! And given the last things he wrote in it, Alastor feels his cheeks turn red.

“ Lucifer! Give me that back! ” he exclaims indignantly but he suddenly takes a white wing in the face.

Smiling mischievously, Lucifer voluntarily spreads his wings, pushing aside his partner who begins to make static noises in annoyance.

“ Lucifer! Stop acting stupid and give me that back! ”

“Why?” the Fallen Angel asks, making a pencil appear in his hand and starting to take notes.

“ Lucifer! ”

“Oh calm down, Bambi, I'm almost done.” he says in a calm tone that annoys his partner… but Alastor growls while waiting behind his Angel's wings.

Lucifer smiled at him before continuing his reading, ignoring the Sinner's glaring.

After a few minutes that seem like an eternity to the Radio Demon, the King of Hell smiles and circles something in the notebook before straightening up, putting his wings away to show the page to Alastor, saying:

“I like this one!”

The Deer Sinner frowns at these words and picks up his notebook to look at what is written… before smiling more tenderly as he looks at Lucifer.

“ I think we found her name, mon Ange. ”

The Fallen Angel smiles and looks down at his womb, placing both hands on the swell.

“We got your name, my little apple.” he chirps, caressing his belly with his thumb.

Alastor places his hand between his partner's, feeling their little girl move, before leaning over to kiss where she wiggles. Lucifer feels his heart swell with adoration as he sees how much Al already loved their baby. Their precious baby daughter.

Chapter Text

Lucifer's seventh month of pregnancy was also a significant month for Husk, Angel, and their twins. This month, on July 14th, little Misty and Mitten would turn 1 year old! It would be their first birthday, and Charlie was determined for it to be a grand event at the Hazbin Hotel. She had been planning the kittens' party for weeks, with everyone having a specific task… except her father.

It wasn't that she was sidelining her father, but with his very advanced pregnancy, Lucifer had to be extremely careful. The baby was weighing very heavily in his pelvis, kicking frequently, and was starting to have trouble doing somersaults, as she sometimes seemed to get suddenly stuck, which made her panic given how much she struggled at those moments. His new little girl's acrobatics could then be very painful for the Angel, who didn't even dare imagine what would happen the day she couldn't move as she wanted and would turn into the right position. Luckily, he had Alastor to massage his back or help free the little one when she was in a strange position. Being limited in his movements, Lucifer took the opportunity to finish the plush toys for his baby or served as a babysitter for Misty and Mitten with the help of Razzle, and it wasn’t uncommon to see him asleep on the armchair with the twins asleep on his chest or in the crook of his arms.

Everyone was relaxing now that there were no more Exterminations, focusing on Redemption to prove Emily, who supported the project, right. The Hotel was finally starting to work, attracting new residents, and their peculiar family was gently growing with the babies. Even though Lucifer's pregnancy had to remain a secret, requiring a pact with each new resident after the incident with Baxter. Not a soul contract, as that went against what Charlie wanted, but a contract that prevented them from talking about what was happening at the hotel with their King. Whether in writing or orally, they couldn’t talk about Lucifer's pregnancy!

In any case, not until the King announced it himself!

The Hazbins had no reason to worry about the future… but in Hell, peace is never eternal.

That day, Alastor had gone for his usual stroll through the streets of Pentagram City, and after a visit to Cannibal Town to chat a bit with Rosie, he was calmly returning to the hotel, humming softly and smiling mischievously when someone recognized him. He quite enjoyed hearing the fear in the whispers of people who knew and feared him! It showed that no matter what some said, Radio wasn't dead!

Alastor was the proof!

Humming, he calmly returned to the hotel where activity was a little higher than usual. It had to be said, the twins' birthday was in two days, and Charlie wanted everything to be perfect! The young princess was, in fact, running everywhere to make sure everything went smoothly, everyone completing the task assigned to them. Only Lucifer was doing nothing, strolling through the lobby, holding his belly. He seemed to want to help but was always gently pushed away… though it seemed hard for him, judging by his saddened face. Alastor frowned at this and joined his companion, gracefully avoiding little Niffty, who was scurrying everywhere.

“ Something’s wrong, mon Ange? ” he asked, reaching Lucifer's side.

The Fallen Angel startled a little, not having heard him, before smiling.

“Hello, Al.” he says before sighing. “Not really, but… I'd like to help Charlie. Since this morning, she's been running around, and she refuses to let me help her with anything.”

“ Charlie probably wants you to rest. Our little girl requires a lot of energy from you. ” Alastor replied, placing his hand on the King's round belly.

“I'm not helpless, Alastor! The little one is calm, I can perfectly well help a little!”

“ Of course but… ”

“ Alastor!!! ” Charlie exclaims, running to join them. “It's great that you're back! You'll be able to help me!”

“I can help you too, duckling!” Lucifer exclaims as he takes his daughter's hand.

But the young Princess smiles and puts her hand on his shoulder saying:

“Dad, I don't need you to tire yourself out. Rest, we've got this!”

“But…”

“ Hey Charlie! We need help! ” Angel calls as he and Cherri try to hang a banner.

“I'm coming! Are you coming, Alastor?” she asks before running away.

“ I'll be back, mon Ange. ” Alastor smiles as he strokes Lucifer's cheek before walking away after Charlie.

Lucifer reaches out to stop them… before sighing as he strokes his belly.

He felt rejected!… But he was the King of Hell! He should be able to help his daughter!

Continuing to walk through the bustling lobby, the Fallen Angel looked for something he could do to help. Niffty was running everywhere, cleaning with a broom and bucket, Charlie and Alastor were helping Angel and Cherri hang banners, and Husk was receiving crates of alcohol. The cat took a few and lifted them with difficulty before returning to the bar to put them away. Lucifer smiled, seeing an opportunity to help, and headed towards the crates. Normally, he could lift all that with a snap of his fingers, but with his pregnancy, his magic was a little weaker because his energy was mainly used to allow the baby's development… but he remained the King of Hell, and he wasn't going to let himself be defeated! He bent down as best he could to grab a crate, weighing it a bit before lifting it as best he could without it pressing on his belly. Immediately, his back started to hurt, telling him he was carrying too much between the baby in his belly and the crate in his arms, but being as stubborn as he was proud, Lucifer headed towards the bar with his load, ignoring his body.

“Husk?” he called out, reaching the feline… except that his little girl suddenly decided to kick him right in the spine.

The pain was such that he couldn't hold back a cry, nearly collapsing, his hands letting go of the crate to grab his womb and his back. Fortunately, Husk had heard him call and, thanks to his reflexes, caught the crate before it crashed to the floor. However, the Fallen Angel's cry alerted Charlie and Alastor, the Radio Demon dropping what he was doing to join his companion.

“ Dad! ” Charlie fretted, moving so quickly that she bumped the stepladder where Angel was perched.

The young actor let out a cry of surprise when his perch lost balance and fell… right next to Niffty, who, fortunately, was unharmed, but her bucket of water violently overturned, splashing her and leaving her soaked from head to toe. Fortunately, Angel managed to catch himself on the edge of the balcony, finding himself hanging feet in the air, but his dancer's grace and spider genes allowed him to elegantly descend to the ground.

In any case, the most important thing was the King's health!

“Dad! Are you okay?” Charlie worried, joining her father as Alastor massaged his lower back.

“Yeah… just a misplaced kick…” Lucifer breathed, almost feeling better when his spine no longer sent him electric shocks of pain.

“Is everything okay?” Vaggie worried, returning from a corridor after hearing all the racket.

“No damage!” Husk replies as he puts the crate down with the others.

“I've done bigger stunts than that, sweetie!” Angel laughed, adjusting his top.

“I'm all wet…” Niffty complains as she pushes her hair out of her face.

“But what happened?” Charlie asks her father who stretches before explaining:

“It's nothing, duckling. I was bringing this crate to Husk and…”

“ What!? ” his daughter gasped, freezing her father. “You… you…” she trembled, looking at her father then the crate… before indignantly exclaiming: “ Have you lost your mind, Dad? ”

“Charlie…”

“ Why did you carry that crate? You could have hurt yourself badly! ”

“I just wanted to help you…”

“ But damn, Dad, I don’t need you! We never needed you for the preparations! ” the young princess snapped, running her hand through her hair, without noticing her father's horrified face, before sighing. “Dad… go back to your room!”

“Duckling…”

“Go back to your room, please! We already have enough to deal with here!” Charlie snapped, walking away.

Lucifer froze at his daughter's words, which seemed to stab him in the heart… before he looked away, heading towards the elevator.

“ I'll finish up with Charlie and join you. ” Lucifer froze at his daughter's words, which seemed to stab him in the heart… before he looked away, heading towards the elevator.

Once locked in his room, Lucifer began to tremble uncontrollably as his breathing became erratic. The voices in his head started telling him horrors again.

Useless!

Worthless!

Incapable!

Fat whale!

You're good for nothing! You're just dead weight!

You should be helping your daughter, and she's still helping you!

And Alastor hasn't touched you in months! You disgust him! Look at yourself and you'll see!

Lucifer trembled as he walked towards the full-length mirror and looked at himself. Until now, he had rather enjoyed seeing his body change to grow their baby… but now… when he examined himself… his belly had almost tripled in size and his hips had widened, deforming his normally slender silhouette. He could only wear sweats or comfortable clothes because of his sensitive breasts and overly large size… if he lifted his garment, he saw the wide stretch marks on his belly and sides… did he have them for Charlie? It had been so long that he couldn't remember if he had had such marks on his body… but at this precise moment, the only thing he could think of was how ugly he was!

He, Lucifer the Morningstar, the Lightbringer, the most perfect Angel in Heaven, was now nothing more than a fat, ugly Fallen Angel!

He knew his baby was still growing inside him and that affected the size of his belly… but who was to say he would get his figure back after childbirth? He was an angel, true… but an angel disowned by Heaven! He kept most of his powers, but how could he be sure he wouldn't stay like this?

Fat… ugly… depressed… a real wreck!

Mocking laughter echoed in his head, making him feel as if he heard those he called his friends mocking him behind his back.

“To think that's supposed to be our King!” Angel's voice sneered before Husk's added: 

"What an image we're sending to Heaven with that!"  

"Is that what Heaven was afraid of? A miniature whale?" Cherri Bomb's voice mocked. 

"The Bad Boy has turned into a little ball!" Niffty's laughed. 

"I don't need you, Dad! You're useless to me!" Charlie's voice exclaimed indignantly, stabbing him in the heart and making him cry. 

"That's truly pathetic." Alastor's voice declared before his laughter resonated with all the others.

Lucifer trembled, even choked, as his reflection seemed distorted and he saw malicious smiles swirling around him. It became deafening, forcing him to cover his ears.

“Shut up… shut up shut up shut up shut up! SHUT UP!!! ”

In a fit of rage, Lucifer punched the mirror, which shattered, leaving cracks radiating from its center… but fortunately, the voices stopped. Breathing heavily, he stared at the shapes the broken mirror projected… before bursting into sobs.

Who on earth was he trying to fool? The title of King of Hell had been granted to him because he was the most powerful… but now, he was nothing more than a miserable fallen angel who had weakened over the years, divorced, rejected by his daughter… and carrying the baby of a man known for being a unscrupulous manipulator! He had let himself waste away after Lilith's departure! And his new pregnancy didn't help! How could a Sinner like Alastor love someone as miserable as himself? Even his own daughter didn't want to see him anymore!

Trying in vain to wipe away his tears, Lucifer snapped his fingers to cover his mirror before lying down on his bed, his head filled with dark thoughts, wrapping himself in his duck bathrobe to completely hide his body. This body, once perfect, now destroyed by the years and deformed by pregnancy! A body that could only disgust everyone since he disgusted himself! Sobbing, he finally fell asleep, exhausted… but with his heart broken.

**********

When Alastor returned to their floor a few hours later with two plates of jambalaya, he was surprised to find the door to Lucifer's suite closed. Since the beginning of the pregnancy, this had become their shared room, as Lucifer had his scents and all his landmarks there, which could be comforting during a pregnancy. The adjoining room, which had been a study for the Fallen Angel, had been converted into a nursery for the baby when she arrived. Alastor's room was still there, next to his radio tower, for the times he stayed up too late… but Lucifer had never locked the door before!

Intrigued, he puts the plates on the floor and knocks on the door… but no one answers.

“ Lucifer? ”

No answer.

“ Lucifer, I know you’re here. ”

Still nothing.

“ Lucifer! ” he insists, trying to mask his worry with annoyance.

“Leave me alone…” his companion’s voice finally answers.

It’s trembling, as if he’d been crying, but at least Lucifer answered him.

“ I made jambalaya tonight. I brought you a plate since you didn’t come to dinner. ”

A silence of a few moments follows then the King answers:

“I’m not hungry…”

“ Come on, mon Ange, don’t talk nonsense. You’re bound to be hungry since you’re eating for two… ”

“ Well not tonight! I’m not hungry! ” the Fallen Angel snapped, surprising the Radio Demon. “ I don't want anything, you hear me! Neither jambalaya, nor pancakes, nor anything! … Leave me alone now… I want to be alone tonight.”

Alastor frowns… before sighing.

“ Very well… if you ever need me, I'm here. And I'll leave this here, in case you're hungry later. ”

Taking only his own plate, he walked down the corridor and slammed the door to his tower as if he had gone to his studio. As he expected, a few moments later, the door slightly opened, and Lucifer retrieved the plate before closing the door again. His behavior was truly strange…

Slightly alarmed, Alastor looked down at his shadow at his feet. With a gesture of his hand, he projected it onto the wall and commanded:

“ Watch him and come get me at the slightest change. ”

The shadow nodded and slipped towards the room, leaving its master reassured. Lucifer wasn't completely alone, even if Alastor wasn't by his side. Calmly, he returned downstairs to the other Hazbins.

Lucifer didn't know how much time had passed, but night was well advanced. Like every evening since she started moving, the baby was wriggling a lot in his belly. She was clearly looking for her other father! She wanted to hear his voice! And she might also be hungry. Even though he had accepted the plate Alastor had brought him, he had quickly been disgusted, his mind unable to stop replaying that he was fat, ugly, a real pig!

Groaning, the Fallen Angel sat up, leaning on the pillows, to caress his womb with a sigh.

“I know, duckling… I know you want your papa… but… I… I can’t face him tonight… and… my heart hurts too much to swallow anything… I…”

Lucifer couldn't help but sniffle, wiping his eyes, his thumb caressing the mound of his belly, trying to calm the fussing baby.

“How could Al still love me when I’ve become so pathetic?… I… I know it’s normal when you’re carrying a baby… but… who the hell says I’ll get my figure back after you’re born?… and all because I can’t control anything anymore… what a pathetic king I am… at the same time… I never wanted to be King of Hell…” he trembles, his tears still flowing.

But as he started to get lost in his dark thoughts again, a violent pain spread through his belly, bringing him back to the present moment as he tensed, both hands on his mound.

His little girl had continued to fuss while he was talking before trying a somersault… except that, as many times in the past few weeks, she was now stuck. Unable to move as she was completely crooked in his belly, she struggled to try to free herself.

“ Ow! Argh! Calm down, duckling, calm down…” Lucifer pleaded, trying to make her move.

But the baby moved so much that his muscles were totally contracted with pain, and it was impossible to make her move. And he couldn't even try to reach for the radio to see if Alastor was still broadcasting, knowing his voice always calmed the baby!

“Oooooow fuck… Al… Alastor… Alastor!…” he whines, begging anyone for his companion to hear him and come help him.

Without him noticing anything, the Radio Demon's shadow detached itself from those in the room before sneaking into the corridor.

**********

" And that's how our Hell news briefing ends! " Alastor exclaims, crossing his legs on his armrest. “ And now we can… ”

He is suddenly interrupted by the appearance of his shadow who seems worried. The Sinner understands immediately and straightens up in his chair, exclaiming:

" Dear listeners, we regret to inform you that our program tonight will have to be interrupted. Good night, everyone, and see you next time! "

Immediately, he cut off his microphone and merged into the shadows to join his companion. Even though Lucifer hated it, he entered the room uninvited, his blood freezing as he saw his partner curled up on his belly, groaning in pain.

" Lucifer! "

"Al?…" the Angel breathes as Alastor joins him, gently cradling him close, stroking his blond hair to calm him.

" Shh… I'm here… tell me what's wrong. " He said calmly, forcing his partner to look him in the eye.

Lucifer moaned at a frantic movement from the baby and winced:

“She… she’s stuck… I… I can’t get her to move… help her… she’s going to hurt herself… ARGH! ”

Alastor lets out a slight laugh, amused that the King is more worried about the baby than his own comfort, before he helps him get comfortable on the pillows and then he places his large hands on Lucifer's womb. He quickly locates the little one's head and legs and feels her panicked movements.

“ Shh… calm down, princess. You're hurting your mother by being so agitated. ” He says, ignoring the Fallen Angel's furious gaze, as he gently runs his thumb over where he feels the baby's back to calm her down. " There, nice and gentle. Papa will help you but calm down. "

As always, the Radio Demon's voice calmed the child, who stopped struggling. Alastor's caresses also relaxed Lucifer's muscles, who sighed with relief, and he finally freed the little one… but this time, he didn't try to put her back as she was, head up.

He lets her flip head down!

"Al, what are you…?" Lucifer panicked, feeling his baby's feet at the top of his belly.

" That's the position she wants to take. " Alastor says as he caresses his companion's belly, calming their little girl who finally settles down peacefully. " She's obviously very impatient to meet us. "

"But… it's too early! She's too small! She…" the Fallen Angel sobbed, distraught… but the Radio Demon took his companion's face in his hands, resting his forehead on Lucifer's, stroking his cheeks with his thumbs.

The gesture was so gentle that the king sighed with relief, seeking more contact with his lover's hands, letting a few tears stream down his cheeks. As soon as he noticed his Angel crying, Alastor began to lick his cheeks.

It was an instinct from his deer side that the Sinner had begun to develop when he started his relationship with Lucifer, but which had grown stronger with the pregnancy. Whenever his companion was distressed, he would lick his head or face to reassure him. And even though it had seemed strange at first, Lucifer had grown accustomed to it. He even began to laugh at the sensation of his lover's tongue on his skin… but he saddened, feeling Alastor's hand on the mound of his belly.

"Al… stop…" he mumbles, intriguing the Deer who moves away to look at his companion.

" What’s wrong, my dear? "

"Nothing… but… you don't have to force yourself… I know you don't like contact…"

" What are you talking about? I don't hate our physical contact. Quite the opposite! " the Radio Demon laughs as he caresses his lover's body, making him shiver… but Lucifer pushes him away.

" Stop! How could you love the whale that I've become? I'm a fucking walking disaster! I know the Radio Demon has no mercy but… please… stop acting like nothing has changed… I’d rather you be honest than stab me in the back…”

Alastor frowned at these words before a whistle from his shadow made him look up to see it remove the blanket and reveal the broken mirror. A broken mirror… denigrating words… it didn't take long for the Sinner to put two and two together.

Lucifer was in the midst of a self-loathing crisis!

And although normally Alastor would have loved to play with his partner's insecurities to make him angry before moving on to more carnal fun as he had done several times before (notably during their first time), he saw although that wasn't the right thing to do. Lucifer was on the brink! His eyes, full of tears, seemed clouded by the veil of depression. Alastor thought that was behind them… but it seemed that this damn disease clung to his companion like a tick!

But the Radio Demon did not intend to let his little King down! His Angel! The only one who managed to make him feel affection, love and the mother of his child!

" Lucifer, look at me. " He says simply.

The Sin of Pride tenses up, fearing the worst… before turning to the Sinner. Alastor grabs his chin and begins to look him over from head to toe, observing him carefully as if he were looking for something. He even pushes the covers aside, not wanting anything between him and the Fallen Angel who trembles as he tries to hide his body with his arms… but his rounded belly stands out perfectly under his light duck-patterned dressing gown.

"Alastor… what are you doing?" Lucifer trembles, feeling his tears invade his eyes as he feels totally exposed.

Alastor continues his observation, smiling as he sees his companion's cheeks turn golden, before he begins to stroke his messy blond hair.

“ Hhhmmmm… ” he hummed, thoughtfully, running the delicate strands through his red claws. “ Golden hair that feels like silk… ” he said simply before delicately caressing the Fallen Angel's cheeks. " … a porcelain white complexion except for two beautiful apples on those adorable cheeks… " he continued, running his thumbs over the red marks that were beginning to be camouflaged by the golden hue spreading across Lucifer's face. " Eyes of gold and rubies… and a body capable of the greatest wonders. " he concludes, moving his hands over his companion's body.

The King shivers at the touch of his lover's hands on him as his eyes stare at the red demon in front of him.

" I don't see anything hideous here, my King. "

"Al… I'm huge…"

" You're pregnant, Lucifer. " Alastor corrected, one hand chasing a rebellious blond strand while the other rested on the Fallen Angel's belly. " Your body is doing the most beautiful thing. It’s creating Life! " he insists, taking one of Lucifer's hands to place it where he feels the baby. " There, it's our baby. Our little princess. And in a few months, she will be here thanks to you. "

"But…" Lucifer tried again but he was silenced by his companion, who lifted his nightshirt to see his belly, stroking it gently and tenderly.

Coming from the Radio Demon, this was more than surprising!

" Your body should be worshipped, Lucifer. " he insisted, leaning down to kiss the mound where their baby was growing. " No one would suspect that such a small body could contain such powers and yet, here we are. Lucifer Morningstar, King of Hell! " he smiles, amused to see his lover pout annoyed by the comment on his size, before continuing by kissing his Angel's round belly again. " You are one of the most powerful beings in Creation and without a doubt the most incredible. You are a mother who brings life and loves his children more than anything, ready to protect them even from Heaven! Whoever dares to say that you are miserable is an imbecile! "

Lucifer blushed, Alastor's words striking him straight to the heart… but he looks away.

"Charlie doesn't think the same way you do… she finds me useless…"

" Not at all. You're getting it all wrong, Luci. " Alastor assured him, forcing him to look at him. " Charlie loves you and she knows you'll always be there for her. She was just really scared for you and her little sister. "

"Scared? But I didn't even get hurt."

" If you saw the amount of books about pregnancy Charlie reads whenever she can. " the Radio Demon laughed, remembering a day when he found the princess with a huge pile of books next to her in the living room. " As I know her, she must have scared herself with what was written in the 'risks during pregnancy' chapters. She just wants you to take care of you and the baby. She was abrupt… but she was just really scared for you. ”

Lucifer froze, distraught at the idea that he might have scared his beloved daughter… but Alastor cupped his face and placed a light kiss on his lips.

" It's okay. Tomorrow, she won't even think about it anymore. " The Radio Demon assures before deepening the kiss, the Fallen Angel moaning immediately, especially given Alastor's caresses on his body. " So relax and let me worship you, mon Ange. "

His gaze clouded by the desire that flooded his body, the King grabs his lover's face and kissed him deeply, giving his consent without a word. The red demon smiles against his little angel's lips before beginning to undress him, with the simple goal of proving to Lucifer how perfect his body is, how perfect he is and what he represents to him.

The next morning, Alastor woke up at dawn as usual. The fact that he had slept less last night changed nothing. Especially if it allowed him to observe his Angel completely relaxed and asleep. Their two hands rested on Lucifer's belly, the baby inside moving so gently that she must still be sleeping for some time, while his claws played with the Fallen Angel's blond locks.

Lucifer finally seemed at peace and far from all his problems… but it was only temporary! Alastor knew very well that as soon as he woke up, his Angel would start again, that he would get lost again in the dark thoughts of depression. Of course, he could continue to reassure him… but that would only remain temporary, again and again. He had to find another solution for Lucifer to understand that his pregnancy changed nothing and that he was loved no matter what. For the well-being of his Angel and their little princess.

Knowing very well what he had to do, he gently got up so as not to wake Lucifer, then, with a snap of his fingers, he put his clothes back on and summoned his small voodoo doll-like minions. The little black and white monsters cackled softly as they headed towards him, but he simply pressed his finger to his mouth to signal them to be quiet… before pointing to Lucifer.

“ Stay close to him and prevent him from brooding. ” he orders in a low voice.

They cackled softly, nodding, before jumping onto the bed to watch the sleeping King, leaving Alastor silently exiting the room. Once in the corridors, he wanted to go up to the top floor… when he heard noises in the lobby. Cautious, he teleported there, ready to attack the intruder… who turned out to be simply Charlie, seemingly lost in thought as she once again reviewed what she had planned for the Twins' birthday. She was so engrossed in her notes that she didn't notice Alastor until he cleared his throat.

“Oh! Alastor! Hello!” she greets before joining him. “Tell me, did you see Dad last night? I didn't see him again after… the incident in the hall.

“ That’s precisely why I came to see you, my dear. ” the Radio Demon replies, leading his young associate to the living room armchair. “ You see… the incident had some… negative effects on your father. ”

“ What!? Was he hurt? Why didn’t he tell me!?” Charlie panics as she stands up… but Alastor forces her to sit down again.

“ Don’t worry, Charlie, it’s not physical. ” he assures before continuing: “ Let’s just say… that he felt sidelined and that this caused him a deep self-loathing. ”

“What?…” the young woman gasped in horror.

" Your father may be physically strong despite his size, but he remains very fragile psychologically. " the Radio Demon explains. " You know how much he cares about you and you must have seen that when he loves, he doesn't do things by halves. But, because of this, his exile from Heaven for a mistake and the failure of his marriage to your mother have deeply marked him and, even if he will never admit it out of pride, he can't help but feel like a failure. The fact that you didn't let him help you yesterday made him feel like a miserable wretch. "

"But that's not that at all!" the young princess indignantly exclaimed, getting up. “I never wanted to put him aside or prevent him from helping me, Alastor! But he is pregnant! He can't just do anything even if he is King of Hell! If you knew all that can still happen before childbirth!"

Alastor listens with half an ear to Charlie's ramblings, smiling, both amused by her rather irrational fear but at the same time reassured that he wasn’t mistaken.

At the same time, it wasn’t complicated: Charlie was even more readable than a picture book!

Delighted to see that the young woman has understood the situation, he gets up to stop her before she starts pacing.

“ Charlie, my dear. Your father is a depressed man who needs to know that people care about him. ” he says, gently taking the young lady's chin between his fingers. “ I managed to comfort him last night so he could rest. But I think what he needs most is to hear that his beloved daughter still loves him. ”

" But of course I still love him! He's my father! He's the one who gave birth to me! And he's expecting my little sister! I can't imagine a better father than him!" Charlie exclaims, her eyes clouded with tears at the thought of having hurt her father.

" Then come with me. "

With these words, Alastor leads the young princess to the elevator.

**********

Lucifer groaned slightly, stretching as he woke up. The baby was still calm, which was rather miraculous… but what woke him was the sensation of cold, as he was sure he had fallen asleep in his lover's arms.

“Alastor?…” he calls, his voice groggy from sleep as he gets up… before a black and white creature jumps into his arms, making him jump.

But he quickly calmed down, recognizing one of his companion's little minions.

“Oh well, hello there!” he smiles as he strokes the strange little demon’s chin before others approach him. “What are you doing here? Where is your master?”

The little monsters couldn't answer him but started making soft noises, circling him like cats, making him laugh as he petted those that snuggled into his neck or against his belly. When they weren't summoned for battle, these little creatures were quite pleasant to be around… even if they sometimes bit anyone for fun, as some Sinners at the Hotel had found out the hard way.

As he wonders what could have made these little ones so cuddly today, the bedroom door slowly opens, making him look up to see Alastor enter.

" Wait a moment, my dear. " he says calmly before turning to the King, smiling more calmly when he sees him awake and surrounded by his minions. " Slept well, mon Ange? "

"After what happened last night…" Lucifer chuckled as the Sinner joined him, the little minions moving aside as their master rested his forehead on his lover's, before conjuring his staff.

" Good. You have visitors this morning. "

With a flick of his staff, he made a nightshirt appear on the Fallen Angel's body, making him more presentable, before calling out: 

" You can come in, he's awake! "

The door slowly opens and Charlie enters, visibly worried.

"Dad?”

"Charlie? What's wrong, duckling?" Lucifer fretted, throwing off the covers and wanting to get up, but his daughter stopped him by taking his hands.

“Dad, I… I’m sorry about yesterday. Alastor told me that it really affected you that I wouldn't let you help us.” she apologizes, ignoring her father who glares at the Radio Demon before he looks back at her. "Actually… it's not that I don't want your help. I'm actually really happy that you stayed at the hotel to help me! Thanks to you, Heaven has agreed to listen to me and now Emily and I can work seriously on this! We're even already talking about trying to re-judge a few promising residents to rehabilitate them!"

Lucifer smiled, amused and touched by the passion his daughter put into her project, but Charlie quickly saddened, remembering the previous day.

"But… you're pregnant, Dad. And I know you're the King of Hell but… I'm afraid that if I ask too much of you, you'll hurt yourself or hurt her." she explains, placing her hand on her father's womb, the baby moving gently at her touch.

"Char-Char, I've already been pregnant with you. I know my limits…" Lucifer tries, but when he sees his eldest's eyes shining with tears, he lets her continue:

“I know you want to help me, Dad, and I know you’re capable of many things… but for now, she needs you. I love you more than anything, Dad, and I want you to be happy. I want her to arrive healthy, and for you to be the best father for her, just as you already are for me.”

“Charlie, I wasn’t there for you when…” the Fallen Angel trembles but the young princess squeezes his hands with a smile.

“Of course you were, Dad. You are the one who gave birth to me! You have always loved me even when I rejected you because I thought you didn't believe in me. I know you would have wanted to do more, and I understand now that you always did your best to protect me, and that my projects scared you. Mom just didn't understand… but now, you're here for me! Not her! You make mistakes, but who doesn't? At least you're here, and you're trying. That's all I ask of you.”

Lucifer freezes at Charlie’s words, his eyes starting to shine with tears.

He had always thought Charlie was angry at him for being an absent father, for letting Lilith take care of her and for isolating himself when he found himself alone… and yet, here she was, telling him that she had always loved him and that she wasn’t looking for Perfection like Lilith or like Heaven! She just wanted a father who loved her and who told her she had the right to dream! And Lucifer was already doing that!

Letting a few tears of joy roll down his cheeks, the Fallen Angel smiles and opens his arms.

"Come here, duckling." he simply said, making Charlie smile as she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him as tightly as she could without hurting him. "If you knew how much I love you, sweetheart."

"I know, Dad."

Alastor listens without a word, letting the father and daughter reunite, to sort things out. He knows that they need it for the rest of his partner's pregnancy to go as smoothly as possible. He could see on Lucifer's face that the King of Hell already felt lighter, smiling with pure joy as he felt the love of his eldest daughter in her embrace, while the dark thoughts of depression were relegated far into a corner of his brain.

"So? How's that birthday party coming along?" Lucifer asks, wanting to know if yesterday's incident had caused any problems.

"Oh, everything’s ready!" Charlie assures as she steps aside, smiling like the happiest person alive. "We finished decorating last night and we kept the little ones away from the living room so they didn't see anything. I can't wait to see their faces tomorrow!" 

" If they understand anything. " Alastor chuckles, suspecting that Husk and Angel's twins are too young to really understand what a birthday is.

"They'll understand that they're loved by everyone here! That's the most important thing for a child to develop perfectly!" the young woman smiles, her father laughing at her words straight out of a young parenting book, … before she gasped, straightening up suddenly. "Oh fuck!"

"Charlie? What's wrong, duckling?" Lucifer worries but Charlie starts to smile with all her teeth.

"Dad! What if we organized a baby shower for you?” she suggests, surprising her father and intriguing Alastor who tilts his head.

" A… what? What the hell is that? " the Radio Demon asks, reminding the Morningstars that he is not aware of this kind of practice.

“It's a party you usually have before the baby is born. It allows loved ones and friends to give gifts to the future parents and the baby, and it's an opportunity to celebrate the upcoming arrival of the little one.” Charlie explains, intriguing the Sinner who tilts his head, clearly not seeing the point of such a thing.

"Char-Char, you don't need to do that…" Lucifer smiles, amused by his daughter's enthusiasm but not wanting her to tire herself out.

"But I want to, Dad! It will be the first party I'll organize for my little sister!" the young princess marvels before gasping. “ Oh Satan!! My little sister's first party!”

" Charlie… " Alastor tries but the blonde takes her notebook and a pencil out of her pocket.

“Okay, we have the Twins’ birthday tomorrow but I can get started the next day!" she smiles as she starts writing down the ideas she has. "We could invite Rosie and all the Sins! It would be a nice family reunion to prepare for the baby's arrival! We could try to come up with a theme or something, decorate the hotel with symbols that symbolize the two of you or flowers that symbolize birth, don't you think?" she asks, looking at her father, but before he could answer… "Oh! I have to talk to Vaggie about this!"

As Charlie disappeared down the corridor, still marveling to herself, Alastor rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

“ This poor girl will end up exhausted from running around. ”

Lucifer chuckled softly, massaging his temples with one hand, the other resting on his womb, before shrugging.

"What do you want? She's passionate." he said with a smile before letting out a slight cry of surprise and looking down at his belly, smiling. "Yes, that was your big sister, baby apple. She's ready to spoil you even before you're here. She can't wait to meet you."

" She's not the only one. " the Radio Demon smiled, joining his companion, placing his hand on the mound to feel their little girl stirring.

The Fallen Angel smiled, placing his hand on Alastor's, suddenly feeling much better.

His depression wouldn't leave him alone, that’s for sure… but he knew he was loved, surrounded. Unlike his first pregnancy, where he had minimal support from Lilith, he now had his precious daughter, her girlfriend, the Hazbin Hotel's first residents, the Sins who were more than happy to have a new niece, the Overlord Rosie who answered all his incongruous demands for human flesh… and last but not least, Alastor.

His baby and he were loved! No matter his appearance!

Chapter Text

The last few months had passed rather calmly. Vox and Velvette still buzzed around the hotel like annoying little flies, trying to put Alastor down, but they didn't alarm the residents much. It had to be said, they had bigger fish to fry!

Firstly, there were Misty and Mitten, who were starting to walk on their own and needed constant supervision. Now mobile, they were getting into all sorts of mischief! Especially Mitten, who was a true little terror, growling at those who scared her or tried to take her toys. Even Alastor had felt her little claws and already sharp first teeth!… But most importantly, and the subject of many conversations,, the King's upcoming birth!

Belphegor had tried to convince Lucifer that he should go to the Sloth Ring to give birth… but he had refused! He wanted Alastor by his side during their baby's birth, and it was non-negotiable! Since the Radio Demon was confined to the First Ring, he would therefore give birth at the hotel, in his suite, with his companion as his only helper! Lucifer being as stubborn as he was proud, the Sin of Sloth had finally told them everything needed for a home birth, and everything had been prepared, just waiting for the first contractions to be gathered in the couple's room. Belphegor had also reviewed Alastor's knowledge of childbirth to ensure there would be no problems, as Lucifer was likely to get carried away by his emotions when the time came, and the Radio Demon needed to be able to both calm him and take care of the baby while remaining calm under all circumstances. She had left her personal number in case of extreme emergency, but the latest examinations were all positive.

The little one had remained head-down, she was of a correct size, Lucifer and she had no health problems, and Charlie made sure her father and Alastor remained calm by doing yoga sessions with them. The Radio Demon found it ridiculous, but if it calmed his pregnant companion, he was willing to be ridiculous for a few moments.

The entire Hazbin Hotel was now ready to welcome the baby! All that was left was to wait for her to be ready to join them… though in the meantime, she already seemed to be giving her parents a hard time.

It was another moan from Lucifer that woke Alastor. Even though night in Hell is never completely dark, he could tell it wasn't time to get up yet. A quick check of his pocket watch confirmed it was barely one in the morning. Far too early to start the day, even for him. Sometimes, it was even the time he went to bed… but he heard his companion again, grumbling, tossing and turning in their bed.

Lucifer hadn't slept well that night. The baby hadn't stopped wriggling, kicking him in the ribs, and her head rested heavily in his lower abdomen. He was nearing his due date now, and the little one was starting to run out of space; her presence was impossible to ignore.

When he rested quietly, the Fallen Angel could clearly see his baby's slightest movement distorting his skin. He felt every tiny movement, whether a kick or a caress. The problem was that it kept him from sleeping. Especially when the child rested heavily on his hips, causing him severe back pain that he struggled to alleviate. Even Alastor's massages wouldn't bring real relief at this stage. Their little girl was simply there, impatient to join them, and she was making it perfectly clear.

When his Angel sighed loudly as the pain released him for a few moments, Alastor fully turned towards him and pulled him against his chest, nestling his nose in his companion's blond hair before affectionately licking his hair.

“Did we wake you up?” the smaller one worries as his partner opens his eyes with a little chuckle.

“ No, I always sleep with one eye open. Serial killer reflex. And I've never needed much sleep. ” he said before placing his hand on Lucifer's womb.

The little girl immediately reacted to her second father's touch, moving to snuggle against his palm, though the Fallen Angel felt she kept her hand pressed against his, seemingly seeking contact.

“So you wanted a cuddle, my little apple?” he smiled, tears in his eyes, placing his second hand and tenderly cradling his belly, his thumb caressing his skin as the baby gave a delicate kick. "You love your dads, don't you? As soon as you're here, I'll spend my time cuddling you. Just like I did with your sister."

" And knowing Charlie as I know her, she won't let go of her little sister once she has her in her arms. " Alastor says even though Lucifer ignores him, too focused on his womb. " Try to sleep. I felt you restless all night. "

The Fallen Angel yawned, nearly dislocating his jaw, and let his companion lie him down and cradle him close.

After a few moments, Lucifer's breathing deepened, indicating he had fallen back asleep. Alastor smiled, seeing his companion finally resting… when a pained grimace appeared on his face as he caressed his belly. The baby must still be acting up! So the Radio Demon placed his hand on the firm mound where their little princess was stirring, and he began to hum softly.

Hey humble man, hey Dapper Dan,

You both got your style,

but brother,

You're never fully dressed without a smile…

As always, the child calmed at his voice, and she must have finally fallen asleep, given that her movements became gentle. Lying back down next to Lucifer, he continued softly to ensure their little girl would stay asleep and not wake her other daddy.

You're clothes may be ''Beau Brumelly,''

They stand out a mile,

but brother,

You're never fully dressed without a smile…

Lucifer's face slowly relaxed as he snuggled against Alastor, seeking his presence. The Radio Demon thus continued to hum softly, closing his eyes, letting his microphone broadcast gentle songs he had performed so that his Angel and their princess could sleep.

Alastor isn't sure how long he dozed. Maybe 5 minutes, maybe an hour?…  All he knows is that a sudden movement from Lucifer brings him back to Hell.

A violent pain suddenly spread through the Fallen Angel's belly, violently contracting his muscles, which became as hard as stone around the baby. The sensation was so sudden and brutal that Lucifer woke abruptly and couldn't hold back a groan, clutching his womb.

“ Lucifer? ” Alastor alarmed, sitting up and raising his hands, ready to support his spouse, who was breathing deeply to calm the pain.

“It's nothing… it'll pass… I'm fine…” the King assured, caressing his belly to relax it before sitting up, though he remained curled in on himself.

Lately, he'd been having constant false contractions, a sign his body was preparing for childbirth. They were becoming more than common at this stage and were almost as painful as real ones, though his memories of Charlie's birth were starting to be a bit hazy. Especially since back then, he was more focused on his baby arriving amidst an Extermination rather than comparing contractions… but he was convinced it was nothing. Alastor, however, was less certain… but Lucifer was stubborn and hormonal. The slightest annoyance could turn into a disaster! In other circumstances, the Radio Demon would have found it amusing… but with the birth approaching, he preferred to keep his partner as calm as possible.

Once his muscles relaxed, Lucifer could breathe properly again, but mostly groaned. His body was now sore and tense. Alastor saw this and began to massage his shoulders and then his lower back to relieve him. But even though it felt good, the Angel brutally pushed the covers away, annoyed.

“I need to move, that'll calm her down.” he said as he slowly stood up.

He is forced to remain still for a few moments, his legs adjusting to the weight they had to carry and his spine relieved of the pressure from the baby, whose head rested heavily on her father's pelvis.

“ Are you sure this is a good idea? ” Alastor asks, getting up as well, joining the little King who is cradling his womb. “ You're all tense. Let me run you a bath at least. This will do you good. ”

Lucifer sighed, annoyed at being coddled like a chick… but the idea of relieving his muscles with hot water appealed to him.

“Okay… let’s take a bath…” he says, amusing his lover who leaves him to go prepare everything in the bathroom.

The Fallen Angel smiled, rather amused to see the proud Radio Demon attending to his every need, but he looked down at his belly, stroking it. He had a sixth sense screaming that something was about to happen… but he attributed it to stress.

Perhaps he should do prenatal yoga with Charlie later?…

**********

At this stage of pregnancy, Lucifer found nothing more divine than a hot bath. His body, entirely immersed in the water, relaxed under the warmth, bringing him such relief that he could lounge there for hours.

This morning was no exception!

Lying in his bathtub with just his head resting on the edge, he sighed in relief, watching the ripples in the water and the plastic ducks floating, and smiled, stroking his belly where the baby moved gently. He even amused himself by placing a plastic duck on top of his belly, laughing when the baby kicked to make it tip over. But even though he seemed to be doing well, the Fallen Angel couldn't help but worry. He hadn't paid attention before, but now that he was alone in the bathtub, he noticed that the 'false' contractions were now coming at more or less regular intervals. Roughly every 20 or 30 minutes! This was the first time it had happened like this, and especially for so long! Had labor begun?

“No… you’re stressing for nothing, Lucifer…” he breathes, trying to convince himself, before looking at his womb. 

He then feels a tiny hand rest against his, bringing tears to his eyes.

“Daddy loves you, baby apple… more than anything in the world… just like your sister…” he whispers softly, caressing his belly. “You’ll see, Hell isn’t that bad. It’s true that it’s not easy every day but you won’t be alone. The Hazbin family is as diverse as it is united. They're all eager to see you.”

The little girl moved gently at her daddy's words, even though she was starting to run out of room to move as she wished. Lucifer almost felt like he could hold her in his arms, so thin did the stretched skin of his belly seem.

But as he gets lost in his thoughts, a new pain suddenly spreads throughout his back before tightening his womb for a few seconds before he can breathe again, making him moan as he tries to massage his back.

“Oooow… can’t wait for you to come out, little apple…” he whispered, trying to push away the pain.

When it was bearable enough for him to move, Lucifer tried to get out of the bathtub alone, but the baby's weight unbalanced him several times.

“Alastor?”

“ Just a moment, mon Ange. ” the Radio Demon's voice replied.

After a few moments, Alastor enters the bathroom and understands when he sees his companion's pout.

“ Can’t get up anymore? ”

“Shut up! It's your baby that's preventing me from being more mobile.”

“ It’s funny how it only becomes my baby when your pregnancy gets on your nerves. ” the Demon chuckled, joining him, offering an arm that Lucifer used to pull himself up.

As soon as he was standing, Alastor's shadow put his red bathrobe on him, while his spouse led him out before helping him dry his hair. The Fallen Angel tried to tie the bathrobe… but Alastor knelt before him, surprising him, and kissed the mound where his child lay. The baby moved gently at this, making them both smile.

“ She won't be long now. In a few days, she'll be here. ” the Sinner marvels, making his partner laugh.

“She's as eager as you are, seeing how much she's wriggling.” He says, supporting his very heavy belly, their little girl snuggling closer to his hand. “We can't wait to meet you, little angel.” the King whispered, cradling his belly as Alastor stood up.

“ Come on. Charlie brought breakfast while you were taking your bath. ”

Lucifer suddenly looks down at his belly, intrigued,… before chuckling.

“Someone's hungry, seeing how much she's moving.” he says, making Alastor laugh.

The couple left the bathroom and, after putting on a long apple-patterned tunic and a comfortable pair of maternity leggings, Lucifer joined Alastor in the small living room. The Radio Demon settled for a mug of black coffee while the King devoured the duck and apple-shaped pancakes his daughter had made for him. The shape was more something he did for Charlie when she was little, but the fact that his princess had made them for him almost made them better. 

“Aren’t you eating?” Lucifer is surprised when he sees his companion with just his coffee which he drinks while reading the newspaper.

“ I have to meet Rosie before going to Carmilla's meeting. Knowing her as I do, she'll have saved me something for breakfast. ”

“Oh right…” the King sighs when he remembers that his partner would have to leave for several hours. “Do you really have to go?”

“ Carmilla insists that we discuss the new agreements with Heaven to see what changes it might bring to the Overlords' soul contracts. And I have to stand up to Vox and Velvette! ”

“Yes, of course…” the Fallen Angel sighs, slowly chewing his pancakes.

The idea of Alastor not being at the hotel saddened and worried the future dad. With the birth approaching, he wanted his companion to stay close… but he didn't want the Radio Demon to feel trapped. So he preferred to let him live his afterlife as he wished… 

“How… how long will you be?” the King asks, making Alastor smile as he appreciates seeing his companion being so dependent on him.

“ Oh, not long. A few hours at most. ” he answers, folding up his newspaper. " I'll have breakfast with Rosie, and if Velvette and Vox behave, the meeting can be over in a short hour. Otherwise… two or three hours. ”

“I see…” Lucifer sighs, pushing his empty plate away even though he now has a knot in his stomach.

A horrible feeling tells him that Alastor should stay at the hotel but how could he force him?

That wouldn't be fair to the Radio Demon!

As he tried to calm himself, a movement under his hands made him look down. Their little girl was gently stirring, as if she sensed her daddy's worry and was trying to reassure him.

“Awww, little apple, what's wrong?” he cooed, attracting his lover's attention, who looked up at him. “Would you like Papa Al to stay at the hotel? Do you want both your daddies with you? We love you very much too, my duckling.”

“ She'll be more of a fawn than a duckling, don't you think? ” the other father laughs, earning a glare from his pregnant companion.

“Maybe, but I want to call her 'duckling'! And I'm the one carrying her so I get to choose what I call her!”

“ We made her together as far as I know. ”

“ What are you implying, you… Ow!”

Alastor tensed, seeing Lucifer tense up, clutching his womb and breathing deeply. Immediately, he put down his mug and dropped to his knees in front of his lover.

“ Lucifer? Are these contractions? ”

“It's nothing…” Lucifer mumbles as he caresses his womb, breathing like Charlie showed him in her yoga classes. “Nothing serious…”

“ Are you sure? ”

“Alastor, it's my body! I've already given birth to Charlie, I know how to recognize real contractions!”

“ If you say so. ” Alastor said, getting up, picking up his mug of coffee and drinking it calmly.

Lucifer smiled, watching his companion… though he couldn't help but feel nervous. Contrary to what he said, he had been feeling contractions for several hours now… but they were coming back more or less regularly. He also remembered that with Charlie's birth, they had been much closer together than this. Here, he could go between an hour and half an hour without contractions.

His body was just acting up! They would eventually stop! That was for sure! His little girl wasn't going to be born today!… was she?

Several hours later, life at the Hazbin Hotel had quietly resumed. Charlie organized activities before letting Vaggie supervise, Husk tended the bar, Niffty cleaned (when she wasn't spotting Baxter in a corner), and Angel watched Misty and Mitten with Lucifer. As the proud papa filmed his twins playing, the King smiled, observing the kittens who were starting to walk on two legs instead of four… but at the same time, he was nervous.

The contractions hadn't stopped! Far from it!

Throughout the morning, they had continued, eventually coming in regular waves, and they were even starting to get closer! Just between the last two contractions, he had lost two minutes! And of course, it had to be the day Alastor wasn't at the hotel! Lucifer knew, like the others, that Alastor was at Carmilla's for a meeting with the Overlords and would return in a few hours at the latest. It depended on whether Vox and Velvette caused trouble or not. And Alastor didn't have a phone for him to call!

"Of course, it had to be today…" Lucifer thought, irritated and worried.

He didn't want to give birth to his baby alone! Charlie's case was exceptional since he had been in labor throughout the Extermination, and Lilith had taken refuge in the other Rings as usual. This time, there was nothing that could prevent his companion from being there!

So Lucifer would give birth with Alastor by his side! He could hold on until his partner returned!

But as he smiled, watching the Twins begin to walk, Misty using her wings for balance while Mitten flapped her arms, a new contraction spread through his belly, long, intense, and pushing the baby against his cervix, making him groan because he didn't expect it to hit so soon! This immediately alerted Angel, who stopped his video..

"Luci? Is everything alright?" he asked, seeing the King breathing deeply as Charlie had shown in her yoga sessions.

“Oh… it’s nothing, Angel… she just decided to cause some ruckus… she barely has any more room…” he smiled, cradling his belly, starting to breathe more calmly after the contraction.

He put on a brave face, but he couldn't help but worry. His contractions continued to get closer! Labor was progressing, and much faster than he wanted! He couldn't give birth without Alastor! He had to wait a few hours!

He had been able to wait until the end of the Extermination to give birth to Charlie; he could wait a few hours before giving birth to his new little girl!

Smiling, he slowly stood up and stretched slightly before exclaiming:

"Okay! If I move, she'll calm down. I'll see if Charlie needs me."

Angel smiled at him… but as soon as Lucifer turned his back and walked away, the porn actor frowned. He could see that their King wasn't well, that he couldn't stay still since he seemed to have been pacing ever since Alastor left the hotel, that his belly seemed lower than the day before, and he remembered very well being like that just before his kittens arrived. Was Lucifer in labor? He wondered but couldn't say for sure. Maybe it was just a false contraction. Especially since he knew the Fallen Angel wanted Alastor to be there! If he started raising false alarms, he would panic half the hotel and stress Lucifer unnecessarily!

He had to wait and see!

**********

Lucifer is really starting to wonder if fate is against him or if his body has truly decided to betray him at the worst possible moment! His contractions have grown closer and more intense, pushing the baby more and more violently against his cervix. 

And Alastor is unreachable!

To avoid dwelling on it and keep his mind occupied, Lucifer threw himself into several activities: helping Charlie review everything for her meeting with Emily the next day, tidying the nursery to make it ready, and finally, bringing his sewing box to the lobby lounge to finish the phoenix plushies for his new little girl. When Charlie saw him, she immediately joined him to help, with Razzle and KeeKee staying by their side.

The Fallen Angel holds back a laugh seeing his daughter so concentrated on what she's doing that she doesn't even realize she's sticking her tongue out as she finishes sewing a sparkling red button onto the little phoenix's face with yellow thread.

"There it is!" she smiles, tying the knot to secure it all before grabbing a small pair of scissors to cut the excess thread. "Done! What do you think, Dad?" she asks, turning the plushie for her father to see.

Lucifer can only smile tenderly, looking at the plushie with its soft orange down, except for its belly which is very light yellow with sparkling white and blue star patterns, just like the inside of its large wings, though the stars there are red and orange. Its head feathers are a gradient of colors ranging from red to blue like the hottest flames of a fire, and its neck is elegantly adorned with a starry scarf held by an apple-shaped brooch.

"Bustle is very elegant." he smiles, reassuring his daughter who smiles proudly looking at the little phoenix with Razzle happily flapping his wings, before he adds the final touch to the second plushie.

The other little phoenix also has a downy feel, but its own is a beautiful blood orange with a red belly dotted with orange and gold stars, while the inside of its wings is a flame blue with sparkling white stars. The gradient of the feathers on its head is reversed from Bustle's, going from blue to red, and its scarf is a beautiful chocolate brown with musical note patterns and held by a deer head-shaped brooch.

“And there’s little Hustle!” he smiles proudly, biting off the last thread with his teeth before placing it on the coffee table, Charlie doing the same so they can look at the two little phoenixes.

“Awwww, they’re adorable!” the young princess coos. “Are you planning on bringing them to life as soon as the baby is born?” she asks but her father shakes his head.

“They'll remain as plushies for a few weeks but stay close to the baby, just like Razzle and Dazzle did. The energy of your little sister needs to infuse them so they know they are linked to her. Only then will I bring them to life.”

Razzle, meanwhile, starts flying around the two toys, smiling, visibly eager to have new companions. The two Morningstars burst out laughing seeing him start trying to befriend the little phoenixes… when Lucifer lets out a moan, clutching his womb. A new contraction violently pushes the baby, who is clearly unhappy that her first home is being disturbed in such a way

“Ow! Ooooow…”

“Dad?” Charlie worries as she sees her father grabbing his belly, grimacing.

“It's nothing, duckling… your little sister likes to remind people that she's here.” he says simply, taking a deep breath before smiling at his eldest, taking her hand. “You can't wait to meet your big sister, huh?” he says, placing his daughter's palm where the baby is moving.

As Charlie smiles at her father, caressing his belly to feel her little sister wiggle, Angel bites his lip, embarrassed, watching them from his stool at the bar.

He is now sure Lucifer is in labor!

He had watched him carefully for hours and could clearly see that the Fallen Angel was having increasingly close contractions. He put on a brave face whenever someone caught him grimacing… but it was clear to the porn actor that the King was scared!

He wanted Alastor! He needed the Radio Demon's presence!

A ring on his phone makes him look away. Opening his mobile, he sees a message from Fizzarolli, his new boss. He was asking if he could come to the studio later for a shoot now that he had started working again… but when he looks back at the lounge, he sees Charlie getting up to find Vaggie and, as soon as she's gone, Lucifer allows himself to grimace, cradling his womb, breathing deeply to chase away the pain. Seeing this, Angel takes a deep breath and types his reply.

Impossible. Need me at the hotel. Sorry.

Fortunately, Fizz isn't Val! The imp sends him a quick message saying he'll manage and to take care of his babies. Angel smiles, relieved he doesn't have to explain himself, before putting away his phone with a sigh and nervously tapping on the bar. This immediately draws the attention of his partner, who has just finished cleaning glasses.

“What's wrong with you?” Husk worries, attracting his young lover's attention.

“Nothing…” the porn actor sighs but the cat gets annoyed:

“Tony, I know you. When you can't stay calm, something's stressing you out. Like when you went back to work after the girls were born. So tell me what's bugging you!"

Angel still hesitates before looking at Lucifer, who has started making a small fabric flower since he has his sewing supplies on hand.

“First, promise me you won't freak out!” he whispers, intriguing the feline who frowns.

“When you start like that, I have every reason to freak out.”

“Husky kitty…”

“Okay, okay, I promise. I won't freak out.” the bartender sighs as he leans on his bar. “Come on, spill it.”

Angel checks one last time that Charlie and Vaggie aren't around before leaning towards Husk.

“I'd bet Lucifer is in labor.” he says simply.

Immediately, as his lover thought, the feline's eyes widen in shock, and his tail begins to twitch nervously.

“ Are you fucking serious!? ”

“Shh!!” the spider indignantly exclaims, clapping his hand over his lover's mouth.

Luckily for them, Lucifer is too focused on what he's doing to listen to them.

“Damn, Husky, thank goodness I asked you to not freak out!”

“"And how am I supposed to not freak out knowing my boss's baby is about to be born?" Husk grumbles before looking at the King, who seems lost in thought. "We have to tell Charlie!"

"No! Husky, look at him!" Angel whispers, turning towards the Fallen Angel who is looking down at his belly, stroking it, visibly nervous. “He's scared to death! He wants Al to be here! After Charlie's birth, he wants their baby to be born with both parents by his side! You can understand that, right?”

Husk frowns… before sighing.

He can't deny that he understands Lucifer. He himself had been very nervous during the twins' birth. He had felt the need to protect Angel from the moment he knew he was in labor. And Angel had needed him during their daughters' birth. Lucifer had already had to give birth alone, so it was normal for him to be afraid of reliving that without the support of the other parent.

“Even so, we can't leave him like this, Angel.” he says, watching the King, who must be having another contraction given how suddenly his body tenses and his face tightens. “I don't know how long he's been like this but it could be dangerous for the baby in the long run.”

“I know, but he’s not the Sin of Pride for nothing! He'll never admit he's in labor until Smile is there. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t have his number.”

The feline looks at his partner with a meaningful expression before running his hand through his hair.

“At this time, there's a good chance that he's still at Carmilla's. The problem is that when she's in a meeting, she's unreachable. So we can't ask to see her so she can warn Alastor. Especially since we're not allowed to talk about it outside the hotel.”

The young spider Sinner thinks about what they can do to help their King… when he freezes.

“Husky! You used to be an Overlord! You know where the meeting is!”

“Maybe, but I don't see how that helps us.” the bartender grumbles, nervously tapping his claws on the bar.

“Well, go there and get Al!”

“What!?” Husk chokes before getting annoyed: “Tony, even if I was an Overlord, I'm not one anymore! I could never get in!”

“Husky, we have to warn Al! It's our best shot!” Angel almost begs, showing how worried he is.

His lover stares at him without a word… before sighing, putting down his rag.

“I'll see what I can do.” he said as he left the bar before he was grabbed by the porn actor who gave him a hug.

“You're the best, my big tomcat!” he smiles before kissing him on the cheek.

The feline purrs at the affection he receives before walking away, calmly leaving the hotel.

As soon as the door closes, Angel joins Lucifer, who has dropped what he was holding to massage his belly with both hands. The Fallen Angel sighs, grimacing as the contraction finally leaves him, but he is worried because he can clearly feel them getting closer and his baby is at its lowest, its head pressing heavily against his cervix.

“Luci?” Angel calls, pulling him from his thoughts.

“Oh, Angel… do you need something?” he asks, straightening up as best he can.

“It’s more up to me to ask you that.” the spider sighs, settling down next to him, trying to make Lucifer react. “Are you sure you're okay? You look weird.”

“I'm fine.” the King assures with a slight smile. “It’s just the little one who’s restless today.”

“Are you sure? Couldn't it be contractions?”

“Oh no, it's nothing!” Lucifer laughs nervously as he looks away, focusing instead on his womb, which he caresses. “It can't be that… Alastor's not here… she can't come into the world when he's not here… he promised me he'd be with me when she arrives…”

As Lucifer gets lost in his mantra to try and convince himself he's not in labor, Angel can only sigh. For once, he would have preferred to be wrong. As he grabs his phone to ask Cherri to come back and watch the twins, he hopes Husk will return quickly. With Alastor!

Husk moves calmly through the streets of Pentagram City, though he's walking at a much faster pace than usual. He doesn't want to attract unnecessary attention, especially since he's now known as a Hazbin, but he hurries to the offices where Carmilla holds the Overlord meetings. He never thought he'd take this route again… but he doesn't have time to be nostalgic about the good old days when he was still powerful!

Once in the alley, he observes the building, trying to recall his memories to locate where Alastor might be. He knows he can't get in… but he remembers that the meeting room was in a large glass room. If he could get Alastor's attention, he might be able to make him understand the urgency.

“Remember, Husk…” he mutters, trying to recreate what he did for years before losing his soul to Alastor.

He starts walking with his eyes closed, trying to immerse himself in his memories… before nodding and opening his wings wide. It wasn't his favorite mode of transportation, as he had never been used to flying in his life, but since they were a part of him after his death, he had learned to use them. With a powerful beat, the cat manages to lift off the ground and rise quickly before reaching the top of the building and heading towards the last tower.

**********

Sitting in his seat next to his friend Rosie, Alastor truly wonders if these Overlord meetings still hold any interest. The first time he attended, it was still a serious affair with Carmilla frequently updating on each Overlord's souls and territories… then everything changed with the arrival of Vox and the Vees. Since then, it's been a bit of seriousness and far too much pretentiousness! Between boasts of good numbers, the number of souls subjected to their programs, or their importance in infernal society, the Vees had always been more than unbearable! They thought themselves so far above the other Overlords that Vox and Valentino barely showed up anymore (except in exceptional cases), and only Velvette came to show off like the spoiled brat she was. Alastor would have thought Valentino's death would have calmed them down… but it was the exact opposite!!

“ What did he give you!? Huh!? ” Vox rages at the end of the table with Velvette glaring at them, the TV Demon furiously pounding his fists on the table as electricity crackles around him before he points at Alastor. “ What did that has-been bastard give you to be on his side!? Are he and his little princess buying you weapons!? Is that it!? ”

“Vox, I’m on no one’s side.” Carmilla sighs, remaining composed despite her peer's anger. “But the facts are there! You and Velvette lost a lot of souls with Valentino’s death and you did nothing to correct that.”

“ The only way to correct that, as you say, is to give me the head of that big whore Angel Dust, his damned cat, and that dagger-wielding maniac! They're why Val died! If that slut hadn't gotten knocked up by that fucking cat… ”

“ A little respect, please! ” Alastor exclaims, fiddling with his staff, drawing his rival's furious gaze. “ We’re talking about something that belongs to me. Just like Niffty belongs to me! ”

“ So you’re the one who asked them that! Isn’t it!? ” Vox rages. “ You’re the one who asked her to kill him! ”

“ Niffty does what she wants without me telling her anything. The only reason she followed Husker that day was by chance. ” the Radio Demon sighs, annoyed by the same chatter.

“ You old-timey prick! If you think that… ”

“Vox! That's enough!” Carmilla exclaims, stopping the argument. “The point is that you're going to have to get yourselves together if you want to keep your Overlord titles.”

“ Are you serious, old hag!? ” Velvette snaps indignantly, sitting up suddenly. “ You can’t do that! Have you seen my number of followers on Voxtagram!? ”

“Velvette, it has nothing to do and you know it very well.” the arms dealer sighs while Alastor shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.

As the two remaining Vees continue to argue with the Overlord, the Radio Demon begins to let his gaze wander, looking for the slightest interesting thing to distract him… when a movement outside catches his attention. And when he identifies Husk, his body suddenly tenses. The feline no longer came around since he lost his soul to him.

His presence couldn't have been a coincidence! And his gestures to tell him to join him are just further proof!

Discreetly, he looks left and right, then, as no one pays attention to him, he melts into his shadows and slips out of the meeting room. As soon as Husk sees Alastor disappear, he quickly returns to the alley, finding his boss who has just reappeared.

“ What are you doing here, Husker? Is there a problem at the hotel? ”

“We can't really say that…” the feline sighs, trying to find his words.

“ Husker, what’s going on? ” the Radio Demon fumes.

“Well… Lucifer is in labor.”

The red demon freezes and crackles at these simple words.

“ Excuse me!? ”

“He's having increasingly frequent contractions, but he's trying to hide it. He won't accept that he's in labor until you're at the hotel, so it had to…”

“ Couldn't you have just told me that!? ” Alastor rages, freezing Husk who raises his arms to protect himself… but the Radio Demon has much better fish to fry. “ Let’s go back to the hotel! Quick! ” he exclaims, dashing off towards the Hazbin Hotel.

The bartender is a little surprised by his boss's reaction… before he takes off in pursuit. Ignoring the demons and sinners who give them strange looks, wondering what could make two Hazbins run, Alastor thinks of only one thing: getting back to the hotel and his companion!

His little girl was going to be born!

Lucifer truly wonders if everything happening to him isn't a punishment from Heaven as he tries in vain to get rid of his back pain while another violent contraction pushes his baby against his cervix. He even wonders by what miracle the child hasn't passed it already. Sitting on the sofa, he cradles his womb, pressing lightly on his lower abdomen as if trying to prevent the baby from descending, while clenching his legs, refusing to accept the idea that their little girl was arriving when Alastor wasn't there!

But no matter how hard he fought to persuade his body to wait, the labor was progressing!

“Fuck, not now…” he mutters under his breath as a new contraction squeezes his womb, bringing a pained grimace to his face. “You can't come yet, duckling… not now…” he begs but he can't help but struggle as the contraction lasts much longer than the others.

And he barely had time to breathe a little before another contraction hit him, violently pushing the baby as if his body had decided it was enough.

“No no no… not now, not now…” he pleaded, but he knew it was useless. 

He felt the head starting to pass, preparing to be born whether her father wanted it or not.

“No no no no no, little apple… your papa isn’t here… wait a little longer, please…”

“Dad?”

Lucifer froze, hearing Charlie's voice, and turned to her as she joined him.

“Dad? Are you okay?” she alarmed, intriguing Vaggie who also approached.

“Uh yeah! Yeah yeah, sweetie!” he smiled, though he doubted he was convincing. “Everything's fine! Just a… a…” he tried, but a new contraction silenced him as he groaned, curling up over his womb.

“Dad!” Charlie alarmed, running to him, kneeling in front of him. “Dad, what’s wrong? What's going on with you?”

“Your daddy is in labor, dollface.” Angel exclaimed, joining them.

“ What!? ” the two young women gasped in horror as Lucifer shook his head.

“No… no no no…” he fretted, but the porn actor sighed.

“Stop it! I've been watching you for hours, and I saw you having contractions.”

“And you didn't say anything earlier!?” Vaggie is indignant as Charlie turns to her father.

“Dad, why didn't you say anything? Come on! We'll take you back to your room!”he young princess worried, helping Lucifer up, who groaned as the full weight of his baby pressed on his hips, gravity seemingly helping the little one descend.

“No… she can't come now… Alastor isn't here… he can't miss her birth…”

“That's why I didn't say anything!” Angel sighed. “He needs Al!”

“Dad, you can't stay like this!” Charlie indignantly exclaimed, but Lucifer shook his head, lifting his womb as if to prevent it from dropping.

“I want Al… I need him… our baby can't be born without him…”

Seeing her father so desperate, the young princess didn't know what to do. The Fallen Angel was as stubborn as he was proud; he wouldn't let anyone make him do what he didn't want!

And he refuses to give birth without Alastor!

Fortunately, before she could panic, the hotel door opened.

“ Lucifer! ”

“Alastor!” Lucifer exclaimed, lunging as best he could towards the entrance.

The Radio Demon quickly spotted him and ran to catch up as Husk closed the door behind them, smiling at Angel and giving a thumbs-up.

“ I'm here. As promised. ” the Sinner smiled, gently hugging the Fallen Angel, who inhaled his scent as if to make sure his companion was finally there. “ How are you feeling? ”

“Al… she… Argh! ”

The contraction hit him much harder than before, his belly seeming to clench with all its might to push the child as he gripped Alastor's arms, even digging his claws in, ignoring the others who were trying to understand what was happening to him. But before he had time to let out the scream rising in his throat, Lucifer gasped, feeling as if something had burst inside him, as a thick, clear liquid with slight traces of golden blood flowed between his legs.

“ Dad! ” Charlie cries out as Angel and Husk froze, Vaggie clapping her hand over her mouth in shock.

“What's going on?” Niffty asked, arriving.

Alastor, meanwhile, froze, understanding that Lucifer's water had broken. In other words, labor had definitely begun and even progressed significantly!

“Oh fuck… Alastor…”

“ Calm down, everything's okay. I'll take you back to our room. ” the Radio Demon assured, starting to lift his lover.

But the Fallen Angel screamed in pain, forcing him to put him back down on the floor.

“Dad! We need to get you back to your room!” Charlie worries but her father winces under a new contraction.

“No time… she… she's coming… she's coming now! Ow! ”

Alastor and Charlie caught Lucifer, who almost fell from the power of the contraction, before looking at each other. They were both equally lost… but it was clear to them that the baby wouldn't wait any longer. They nodded, understanding each other without a word, and the future father ordered:

“ Niffty! Bring us as many pillows and cushions as you can! ”

“On it!” the little maid exclaims, running off.

“Razzle! Go help her!” Charlie adds, the little dragon immediately following the little cyclops.

“I'll get the supplies! Husk, come help me!” Vaggie exclaims, dashing up the stairs.

The feline rushed after the young angel woman as Angel quickly typed a message, joining Alastor, who was supporting Lucifer, and Charlie, who was helping her father with his breathing rhythm to ease the contractions.

“Cherri will watch the twins if they wake up from their nap. Can I help with anything?” he asks.

The blonde looked up at her friend, already hearing Niffty cackling as she returned, before asking him:

“Help him breathe in rhythm with the contractions. I'll start preparing!”

“No worries, dollface.” the spider smiled, taking the young princess's place.

“I should call Aunt Belphegor, just in case!” Charlie then said, pulling out her hellphone.

“ NO!!! ” Lucifer freaked out, surprising everyone. “She… she'll want me to… me to give birth in her Ring… and… that, I… OW! Oh fuck!”

“ Come on, mon Ange, calm down. You're not going into the Sloth Ring. I'm here and I'm staying here. ” Alastor reassured, kneeling in front of Lucifer, finally seeing his face properly.

The Radio Demon wondered how Vaggie and Charlie hadn't seen that his angel was in labor, with his hair matted with sweat, his cheeks slightly redder, and his eyes showing he was in pain… but Lucifer was a master of manipulation.

Who knows what he might have done to hide his condition from his daughter.

Charlie, for her part, wanted to argue that Belphegor would just want to help them… but seeing her father cling to Alastor as much as possible, she sighed and put away her phone.

“I'll be quick!” she promised, more to Angel since Lucifer was more focused on his contractions, before moving away into the lobby.

She retrieved a clean tarp she had taken out for this morning's art activity with the residents before spreading it on the floor in the lounge, not far from the sofa.

“We have the pillows!” Niffty exclaimed, arriving next to her, several cushions balanced in her hands while Razzle held the duck-shaped pillow his father loved so much.

“Thanks, Niffty. Help me arrange them like a nest, as comfortable as possible!”

“Okay!”

As they began to arrange the cushions and pillows, Vaggie and Husk returned with supplies: towels, water they would heat if needed, plastic bags, disinfectant alcohol, and scissors.

“We have everything, honey.” the former Exorcist smiled, giving the towels to her girlfriend.

“Thank you, Vaggie! Please go help Alastor get Dad back here.” Charlie said, covering the cushions to protect them, making the nest as cozy as possible.

But as Alastor straightened up to help Lucifer, who was having more and more trouble keeping up with Angel's rhythm, his ears caught a small sound. A sound he knew very well, to his great annoyance.

“ Fuck, no way! ” he growls, intriguing the actor.

“What’s the matter, Smile?” he asked as Vaggie joined them, smiling, ready to help Lucifer.

But the Overlord simply entrusted the laboring angel to them before conjuring his staff into his hand.

“ Take care of him, I'll be right back! ” he says simply before heading towards the door like a fury.

“Wait, are you serious!?” Vaggie indignantly exclaimed as Lucifer froze, seeing his companion walk away.

“ Al! Alastor, come back! ” he freaked out, wanting to follow him, but a new contraction stopped him, making him let out a strangled groan as he held back a sob. 

“Hey, shh! It's okay, short King!” Angel assures, forcing Lucifer to look at him. “He'll come back, don't worry. He wants to meet your little princess just as much as you do.”

“But…” the Fallen Angel trembled, panicking, before grimacing under a new contraction. “Ugh! Ooooow… oh fuck, I… I feel her pushing! I need to push!” he complained, feeling his body working without him and trying to expel the baby.

“Breathe, Lucifer!” Vaggie worries, though she remained as calm as possible, Angel insisting that the King follow his rhythm. “Come.”

“Dad.” Charlie intervenes as she joins them, forcing her father to look up at her. “We're all here for you. Alastor will come back quickly, I'm sure!”

Lucifer breathed heavily, trying to fight his body's labor while trying to calm himself as he let his daughter and friends guide him to the improvised nest so he could give birth. But even though he vaguely heard them talking to him as they helped him settle in, he couldn't focus on their voices. All his mind could think about was that Alastor wasn't by his side as their baby was about to be born!

“Alastor… I need Alastor…” he mumbled, trying not to push even though he could distinctly feel the baby's head descending without him doing anything.

**********

Stepping out of the hotel with furious strides, Alastor fixated on the sky… before growling, recognizing the familiar sound: VoxTech drones! Of course, that pretentious Vox would have noticed his absence and sent his little robotic spies to observe his every move! But this time, Alastor wouldn't let him!

His daughter was going to be born today and no photo of Lucifer in labor or of their baby would end up in one of his rival's sleazy shows!

“ If you think I'm going to let you do this, Vox, you're kidding yourself! ” he growled, gripping his staff.

With a sweeping gesture, the Radio Demon unleashed his shadow, spreading it over a wide perimeter around the hotel, before he made a grand motion, raising a large dome of shadows covered in green symbols. The first drones began to crash into the dome while others started circling… before they were electrocuted or pierced by shadow tentacles. To ensure no image leaked, Alastor slammed his cane on the ground, sending radio waves through the shield. The images filmed by the drones then became unreadable, and some crashed to the ground.

“ You won’t get any pictures of her, you poor bastard! ” the deer demon growled before calmly returning to the hotel. 

He snapped his fingers, sending more shadows to cover the building's windows just to be sure, before serenely closing the door.

**********

“ UGH!!! ”

Lucifer suddenly tensed, one hand clutching his belly while the other squeezed the towels beneath him, his face contorted in pain as his body continued to push the baby.

“Dad, calm down!” Charlie panics, never having seen her father like this.

“It’ll be okay, short King.” Angel whispered, running his fingers through the King's hair to calm him, two of his hands gripping the Fallen Angel's as he groaned, struggling. “The little one's coming.”

“Alastor… where's Alastor?” he whines, trying to keep his little girl inside him.

Fortunately, the future father joined them as quickly as possible, making his staff disappear and discarding his coat onto an armchair. He knelt before his companion and placed his hand on his low belly, feeling the baby gently wiggling, as his lover opened his eyes.

“Al…” he smiles, relieved to finally feel him near.

“ I'm here now. Just like I promised. ” the Radio Demon assures before looking down at the rounded belly. “ Looks like she's eager to meet us. ”

“Just like her sister…” Lucifer breathed, looking at his belly, his free hand caressing it as Angel and Charlie smiled, seeing him finally calm down… before a violent contraction made him tense. “ UGH!! Ow! Alastor, she wants to come out! ”

“Alastor!” Charlie worried, but her hotelier took charge, as planned.

“ Breathe deep, Lucifer! ” he said calmly, removing his companion's leggings and underwear, soaked with amniotic fluid. “ I need to check your dilation, and then we can… ” he explained, spreading the Fallen Angel's legs… before freezing. “ Oh fuck! ”

“What? What's wrong?” Charlie panics, fearing the worst, while Angel tried to keep the King's attention on him, guiding his breathing rhythm during the contraction.

Alastor remained frozen for a few moments, but when Lucifer caught his breath, he came to his senses and looked up at his companion.

“ Lucifer… I saw her head! Her head is ready to come out! ” he announces, shocking those around them.

“I told you she wanted to come out…” the Fallen Angel whispers, caressing his belly.

“ It's more like she IS coming out! ” the Radio Demon snapped, examining his companion as Belphegor had shown him, realizing he had almost missed his daughter's arrival. “ You're fully dilated. You'll be able to push with the next contraction. ”

Charlie froze, realizing her little sister was about to be born right here and now… when she felt Vaggie's hand on her shoulder. Though she said nothing, the former Exorcist smiled, confident, as did Angel, who smiled at her before looking down at the King. Lucifer seemed nervous now, his hands clutching those of his daughter and the Spider Sinner.

“Final straight, Luci. One last effort and your little girl will be in your arms.”

“You can do it, Dad. She'll be here soon.”

The encouragement from his loved ones and their smiles visibly reassured the Fallen Angel, who calmed down, breathing deeply, waiting for the next contraction… except the baby seemed to have waited long enough.

“Oooooooow… Ow! Alastor!… I feel her pushing by herself… Ow damn! Al! ”

“ If she's pushing, Lucifer, help her! Push with her! She needs you to join us. ” Alastor exclaimed, his gaze darting between his companion and where the baby would emerge.

Lucifer took a quick breath and pushed, gripping Angel and Charlie's hands as he followed what his body told him.

It was time to give birth to his new little princess!

He groaned, feeling the baby's head begin to emerge as Alastor helped him keep his legs apart, already seeing the crown of the head.

“ Very well, Lucifer. Keep going. Breathe and push. The head is coming out. ”

Angel and Charlie helped Lucifer sit up as he wished, the young princess couldn't help but be worried seeing her father in this state. All her life, her father had been the epitome of power! And if anyone had doubts, one only had to see how easily the King had fought Adam. While everyone else had struggled against the First Man, Lucifer had merely played with him, taunting him and using only a tiny fraction of his powers. If his daughter hadn't stopped him, the King would certainly have killed Adam himself! So to see him like this, in such a position of vulnerability, was entirely new for her!

“ Just a little longer, Lucifer. ” Alastor urged, but Lucifer's muscles relaxed, letting him catch his breath as he fell back onto the pillows behind him.

Razzle began to fly above him, fanning him with a cloth, making Charlie smile, but his creator ignored him, breathing heavily, feeling the sweat on his body sticking his hair and tunic.

“ She went down well, her head is clearly visible. ” Alastor explained, drawing his companion's attention back to him. “ Try to do that again on the next contraction. ”

Lucifer nodded, breathing deeply, trying to focus only on the baby, when a new contraction hit him, forcing him to push. He felt his little girl moving and tried to spread his legs wider, hoping to help her come out. Alastor noticed the King's leg movements and grabbed his thighs to help him. The movement made the Fallen Angel groan since his entire body was now sore, but the new position seemed to help.

“ UGH!!! Fuck!!! ”

“ Keep going! Push! Harder! ” Alastor exclaimed, seeing more of the head emerge, but Lucifer screamed at the burning sensation it caused.

“Dad!” Charlie is alarmed, not really knowing what is happening, unlike Angel who is stroking the future parent's hair.

“Easy, Luci. It's nothing. You're doing great.” he assured, also reassuring the young princess. 

His friend had already gone through this. Twice even! Even if she couldn't understand what her father was feeling, she trusted them.

They were going to help her father have her little sister!

“ Get out of here! You have no business here! ” Husk’s voice suddenly growls.

Everyone, except Lucifer, turned towards the feline who was struggling to push back some of the new residents who had been alerted by the King's screams.

“Oh shit…” Charlie mumbles.

“We hadn’t thought about that…” Angel added as Lucifer collapsed onto the pillows, his breathing trembling from tears of pain. “Is there anything you can do, Smile?” he asks Alastor.

“ I’m a little busy, as you can see. ” he growled, annoyed, but not wanting to panic his companion who seemed to be having trouble processing the world around him due to the pain.

“I’ll handle it!” aggie exclaimed, summoning her wings and spear before running to join their bartender.

“Oooooh! Let’s stab a little!” Niffty giggled, pulling out her dagger before running after the Exorcist angel.

Charlie wanted to calm her, tell her not to hurt the residents… but she couldn't abandon her father when he needed her.

“Ooooooh… OW! Alastor? What's going on? What is she doing? ” the Fallen Angel suddenly panicked, alarming his companion who refocused on the birth.

“ It's nothing, don't worry. ” Alastor smiled, looking up, placing his hand on Lucifer's hand, which was on his womb. “ Our little girl is trying to help you get her out so she can meet us faster. She's just too small for it to be effective. ” he says, trying to be reassuring.

Lucifer froze and looked down at his belly with a slight smile.

“You’re so excited to meet us, duckling?…” he whispered, caressing the swell before a contraction makes him moan.

“ Then prove her right to trust you, King of Hell, and help her! ” the Radio Demon resumes, helping him keep his legs apart. “ Push! ”

The King of Hell glared at him for a few moments, clearly hearing that damned sarcasm his lover used to rile him up, before taking a deep breath through his nose and pushing with the rest of the contraction, struggling slightly at the burning sensation between his legs while squeezing Charlie's and Angel's hands. The spider Sinner helped him sit up as he wished, while the young princess grabbed a slightly damp cloth to wipe her father's forehead.

Alastor, meanwhile, remained outwardly neutral… but inwardly, he was filled with several emotions. Fear, because he knew his afterlife would change forever… but at the same time, he couldn't help but be excited when he saw his daughter's head becoming a little more visible with each of Lucifer's pushes. His child was being born before his eyes, and although he had never thought of becoming a father, the experience was far more exhilarating than he believed. Especially when he already recognized some of his own genes..

“ It seems this little Morningstar didn't inherit your golden locks, Lucifer. ” he says as his angel caught his breath after the contraction.

“She has your hair?…” he asks, surprised but smiling when Alastor nods.

“ And slight curls. Like my mother. ”

Lucifer smiles, touched by the emotion he hears in his companion's voice, before a contraction forces him to resume his first parental duty.

“Ooooooow… Ow! Owowow!!!! ”

“ Whining won't help, Lucifer. Push. ” ​​the Radio Demon insists.

Resting his chin on his chest and almost folding over, the Fallen Angel groaned loudly, feeling the baby emerge more and more.

Lucifer eventually stopped paying attention to anything but the movements of his child within him, ignoring his eldest daughter's and his companion's comments or Husk and Vaggie's grumblings as they pushed back the residents… when finally the head was free, causing him to collapse into Charlie and Angel's arms.

“ The head is out! And it seems I was mistaken, as she does have some blonde hair! ” Alastor exclaims, supporting the small head with his hand as the Fallen Angel looks at him. “ Once the shoulders are out, the rest will come by itself. ” he assures, reassuring the young princess.

“You’re almost there, Dad!” she smiled, stroking her father's hair, making him smile, but he straightened up, trembling, and reached out to his lover.

“L…let me touch her, please… I…I need it…”

No matter what Alastor told him, he had to feel it himself! Just like he had done for Charlie!

“ Help him, Charlie. Let him do it. ” the Radio Demon said, helping the King sit up with Angel.

He took Lucifer's hand and guided it between his legs, placing it on the small head. The future father froze, feeling the round mass under his fingers, feeling thick, slightly wavy hair as his companion had told him, as well as what felt like tiny, still-curled ears, two eyes, a small nose, and a mouth.

“Finally…” he breathed, relieved to finally feel this little head between his fingers, trying to visualize that tiny face by touch. “Here you are at last, little duckling…”

“ She’s almost here. ” Alastor smiled, the two future parents looking at each other with a certain emotion.

Their baby girl was right there, moments from being born!!

Charlie couldn't help but smile, seeing that the couple was truly happy to soon welcome their baby, just like Angel, who was even surprised to see Alastor, the terrifying Radio Demon and Overlord of unparalleled Cruelty, moved by his baby's imminent arrival. But the moment was cut short by a new contraction that forced Lucifer to push again, grabbing his thighs to spread them as wide as possible and try to help his little girl come out faster. He trembled, pushing as hard as possible, no longer hearing Charlie's encouragements or Alastor's advice, but only the frantic thumping of his heart, the whistling of his blood in his ears, and feeling the baby's movements within him… when a sudden movement made him let out a scream that could be heard across all Seven Rings as he finally felt the child being freed.

“ Dad! ” Charlie panicked as her father collapsed onto the pillows, breathing deeply.

But suddenly, the powerful cry of a newborn's first breath resonated through the lobby, freezing everyone present. Lucifer quickly raised his head at the sound, trying to see his little girl crying with all her tiny lungs… but Alastor seemed frozen by what he saw, which worried him.

“Alastor?…” he whispered, worried.

“Alastor, what's going on?” Charlie worried, wanting to join her hotelier… but Angel placed his hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t stress, doll. I just think Smile just realizes what's happening.” he spider said softly, a knowing smile on his face as he looked at the Radio Demon.

And indeed, after a few moments, Alastor begins to smile more tenderly as his eyes begin to shine with emotion. Something unthinkable just a few months ago.

“ She's here… and she's perfect, Lucifer. She's perfect! ”

And finally, he straightened up, revealing the tiny, wailing bundle in his hands.

She seemed tiny, fitting perfectly in the Radio Demon's large palms. Her flaming red hair was thick and slightly wavy, just as Alastor had described, but the tips of her hair and her small fawn ears were as blonde as Lucifer's. Indeed, just like the Morningstars, she had white skin with red circles on her cheeks, but with a small fawn muzzle, and like Alastor, her feet ended in red deer hooves, and the tips of her legs and arms were a soft apple red with light blonde gradients on her feet and fingers. She also had a small red fawn tail with blonde edges and light freckles under her eyes and on her muzzle. Screaming with all the might of her tiny lungs, she seemed to fight an invisible adversary, clenching her small fists.

Charlie gasped, smiling, as she discovered her little sister, her cries seeming to be the sweetest sound to her at that moment. Lucifer, too, gasped, his tears of pain replaced by tears of joy as he saw his baby alive, a perfect blend of himself and Alastor

“Oh hell…” he smiled, holding out his hands. “Give her to me, Alastor…”

The Radio Demon complied, gently placing the little girl against the Fallen Angel's chest, allowing him to hold his child in his arms as he marveled at the tiny life. He discovered she also had six small golden spots on her back, like a fawn's coat.

“Oh my little apple… you're finally here…” he sobs before kissing his baby's forehead and breathing in her baby scent.

The little girl still hiccupped a bit but eventually calmed down in her parent's arms, comforted by the heartbeat she had always heard while growing in his womb. Charlie couldn't help but cup her hands over her cheeks, melting with love for the baby in her father's arms, tears of joy streaming down her face.

“Oh Dad… she’s so beautiful…” she whispered, almost afraid that speaking too loudly would scare the baby or that her tiny ears might be too sensitive.

“She’s as gorgeous as you were when you were a baby…!” Lucifer smiled, continuing to cuddle his new little girl against him, taking her tiny hand in his fingers to count her small fingers as she cooed, squeezing his finger as hard as she could. “Al, look at her…”

The Radio Demon hadn't taken his eyes off the baby, still smiling much more tenderly than he ever had, his eyes filled with tenderness and adoration for this tiny being he had helped create. This expression made Angel smile widely… but he wisely refrained from commenting before standing up, drawing the attention of the seemingly distressed Overlord. 

“Relax, Smile!” the Spider Sinner snickers. “I’m just letting you have your little time with your family.”

Lucifer and Charlie paid no attention to the Sinner's departure, too busy discovering the new little Morningstar… until Alastor's large hand reached for the little girl, covering her with a soft towel to wrap her warmly, and his red claw stroked the newborn's tiny cheek. The little one tensed slightly at the touch before calming down as she recognized him, beginning to coo before lifting her other hand to grasp her second father's finger.

“So, that's it? Did you recognize Papa Al?” Lucifer whispers, delicately wrapping the little girl in the towel so that she doesn't get cold.

“ This little one seems to have inherited my intelligence. ” Alastor says but, despite the sarcasm he tries to put on, his voice trembles with emotions.

The Fallen Angel looked up at his companion with a meaningful look, but he shook his head with a small smile.

“You're impossible, you know that?”

Charlie chuckled, seeing Alastor's attempt to hide his emotions before a coo made them look down at the baby. The little girl snuggled closer to the chest of the parent who gave her life, babbling, squeezing her other father's claw as hard as she could.

“What's wrong, little sister” the young princess whispers, delicately stroking the baby's red curls… before realizing: “Oh! Damn! We didn't think to find a name for her!”

The couple exchanged a small, amused smile before Alastor replied:

“ Au contraire, Charlie. We chose a name months ago. ”

“Really?” the blonde wonders. “Why didn't you say anything?”

“It was a secret between me, Alastor… and her.” Lucifer smiled, looking at his little girl. “Isn’t it, my little apple? Shall we tell your big sister the name Papa Al found for you?”

The baby didn't react, seemingly falling asleep warm and safe in her daddy's arms, but her parents smiled, touched by her mannerism. They looked at each other, then Lucifer nodded, giving Alastor permission to reveal their little girl's name, before the Radio Demon stroked the baby's cheek with his thumb.

“ Welcome to Hell,… Pomalucia Morningstar! ”

Chapter Text

Several hours had passed since the birth of little Pomalucia. Alastor had to summon his shadow minions to ward off curious residents before he could bring Lucifer and their little girl back to the King's suite to properly care for his family. Even though it was difficult to let her go, the Fallen Angel allowed his eldest daughter to take the newborn so that his lover could wash him, removing all the sweat from his body and fluid traces from his legs, while Charlie and Vaggie gave Pomalucia her first bath.

The baby had been a little unsettled by being separated from her parents, starting to cry, but she quickly recognized her big sister's voice and allowed herself to be calmly washed. She was now all clean, dressed in an adorable white onesie with red apple patterns, golden snakes on the collar, and black buttons with a deer head engraved in their center. She had been laid in Charlie's old crib, carefully repainted and decorated with apples and water lilies, with her two little plush bodyguards, Hustle and Bustle. But once clean, Lucifer wanted his baby back, refusing to rest before the little one was in his arms. The Fallen Angel remained awake for a few more moments to once again observe his newborn, trying to notice every tiny detail, every little curl, every tiny spot on her adorable toddler face… before falling asleep, his daughter's tiny hand clutching his finger while his hand rested on her belly, needing contact with her, though she was also surrounded by the little phoenix plushies so they could absorb the little princess's essence.

The serene breaths of his Angel and his baby were like sweet music to Alastor's ears, the Radio Demon having remained by his small family's side. No one had asked him to… but he wanted to. He couldn't help but admire every gesture of his little girl, even if it was simply watching her breathe as her tiny hands each clutched a parent's finger. She seemed to need to feel that Alastor and Lucifer were there for her, and the Radio Demon couldn't help but feel emotions he thought he could no longer experience after his mother's death. And yet, there he was, attentively observing this little being he had created with Lucifer, feeling almost more complete now that he saw the little girl alive before him.

"How can something so small cause such changes?" he wondered aloud, stroking the tiny hand with his thumb. "How can this child make me feel all these things? Is this what Mother felt when she first saw me?"

Pomalucia suddenly wrinkled her nose, alerting Alastor, who wondered what was wrong, but she simply sneezed, waking Lucifer. The Fallen Angel smiled, looking at her and gently stroking her cheek, the little girl turning towards him even though she still seemed asleep, before looking up at his lover.

"You're still here?"

"Why would I leave? And… I think I'm a prisoner." the Radio Demon chuckled before gently lifting his red claw to show the tiny hand holding it.

Lucifer burst out laughing before looking at their baby. 

"So, my little apple? You're holding Papa Al prisoner?" he whispered, moving the little phoenix plushies closer to the baby, who rubbed her tiny muzzle into Bustle's soft yellow belly.

But when he looked up at his companion, the King grew concerned, seeing Alastor's smile much smaller than usual and his gaze appearing worried, uncertain.

Something the Radio Demon never showed!

"What's wrong?" Lucifer alarmed, drawing the Sinner's attention to him. "Do you regret it?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Alastor exclaimed, taking his Angel's hand in his. "I am very happy to have had this little girl with you. It's just…" he sighed, hating to show weakness.

"What? You can tell me anything, you know." the Fallen Angel said, smiling, hoping to reassure his companion.

The Sinner looked at him, his eyes being the only thing that showed he was in an internal conflict, as he never admitted any weakness… but he finally sighed before confessing: 

"I don't understand what I'm feeling right now." he said, intriguing Lucifer, but the Sin of Pride said nothing, letting him continue: "Until now, the only joy I felt was when other Sinners trembled at my sight and when I heard them suffer. I only found amusement in their screams and despair. And… the only fear I ever had was when I felt myself losing my power and had to accept that damned deal with Lilith!… And yet…" he breathed, looking down at the peacefully sleeping baby. "… when I see her like this… so small, so fragile… I feel an affection I've never felt for anyone. An affection as strong as the one I feel for you, but… different."

Lucifer held back a laugh, though he smiled tenderly, quite amused to see Alastor unable to accept that he was capable of love.

He accepted that he could appreciate someone, which was already a huge step for the Radio Demon, but he would never admit that he truly loved. He didn't even understand these feelings anymore!

But before the Fallen Angel could reply, Alastor continued: 

"I also feel… a terrible fear!" he confessed, intriguing his companion. "Something I haven't felt in years and shouldn't feel! I feel like if anything happens to her… I…" he trembled, his eyes showing fear as he looked at the sleeping baby. "Just imagining living without her terrifies me! But it makes no sense! I lived years without her! Why do I feel like I would die a second time if something happened to her?" he fretted.

This time, Lucifer couldn't help but laugh, but of course, Alastor took it badly, frowning as he looked at him. 

"May I know what's so funny?"

"Nothing. I just didn't think you could be such an overprotective daddy." the Fallen Angel smiled, intriguing the Sinner who tilted his head, wordlessly asking for an explanation. "What you're feeling is paternal love." he explained, looking down at their daughter. "You feel the need to protect your baby. Pomalucia is a part of you, and you need to ensure she outlives you, that she's well and happy."

Alastor tensed at these words, suddenly resembling a deer caught in headlights. 

"But… I am the Radio Demon! My existence is composed solely of violence and terror! Just this morning, Vox threatened to attack the Hotel again!" he panicked, letting go of Lucifer's hand to grab his hair. "Pomalucia will be constantly in danger!"

"Hey! Calm down, Bambi!" Lucifer indignantly exclaimed, grabbing his companion's hand to prevent him from tearing out his hair. "Do you think it's any less risky for her to be my daughter? I am the King of Hell! Even if a Sinner would never dare harm an heir of Hell, the same is not true for Heaven. Some high-ranking Angels only wish to see my lineage annihilated. If you only knew how hard I had to convince Sera to spare the Hellborn to protect Charlie…"

"And that doesn't scare you!?" the Radio Demon almost indignantly exclaimed, annoying the King who glared at him.

"Why do you think I didn't want Charlie to go to Heaven!?" he growled before sighing, looking down at his newborn. "Of course, I'm terrified… I'm afraid of Heaven… of making the same mistakes as with Charlie… but believe me, having this little part of you alive in your arms is the most beautiful thing." he smiled, stroking his baby's belly, which cooed in her sleep, smacking her tiny tongue on her lips. "It's terrifying, for sure, but she will bring you so much. A child's love, the joy of watching her grow and become her own little person. A person with her own choices, her own convictions… A free person!"

Alastor looked at Lucifer, surprised by his companion's arguments because he never would have thought that the King of Hell could view parenthood this way… but he smiled, looking down at their daughter.

Pomalucia may not have been born in a perfect place, nor with perfect parents… but Lucifer already loved her with all his heart, and Alastor was willing to try. He had never felt such affection and absolutely wanted to protect this little thing. No matter Vox, Lilith, the Exorcists… he could even burn all of Heaven if they dared to touch even a single hair on his little one! His Angel must understand this, as he smiled at him, taking his hand and drawing his gaze, and the couple looked at each other, smiling, promising that they would do everything to protect their baby.

Suddenly, knocks echoed on the door, startling both of them. They straightened up, slightly alarmed… but it was Charlie who entered, smiling. 

"Hi." she whispered, closing the door before joining them, reassuring them as she sat on the edge of the bed, observing her little sister. "Has she opened her eyes?"

"Not yet, Charlie." Lucifer smiled, looking down at the newborn, stroking her tiny hand with his thumb. "But some babies don't open their eyes right away. She's probably tired after the birth."

"Mainly because her idiotic mother didn't tell anyone she was in labor, so it took her hours to be born." Alastor retorted, annoying his companion, who glared furiously at him. 

Why did this Sinner always have to try and bring him down?

"Alright, two things, asshole!" he snapped, holding up two fingers before lowering one. "First, I'm her father just as much as you, even if I carried her! And second, you promised to be here, and you were unreachable! Would you have preferred I alerted you sooner and you missed her birth?" he asked, as Charlie placed her hand on her sister's belly, the baby softly babbling.

"Given how far along labor was when I got back, you must have already been having contractions before I left for the meeting!" the Radio Demon retorted, his ears lowering in annoyance at Lucifer's bad faith. "In other words, if you had told me right then that you were having contractions, I would have arranged to stay at the hotel! You wouldn't have needed to send Husker to find me!"

"What are you talking about? I was too busy slowing down the labor to send anyone!"

"Then let's thank his initiative! Who knows what your idiocies could have done to her?"

"Hey!" Lucifer snapped, his horns growing on his head. "She was in my womb, she wasn't in any danger!"

"Of course. That's why Belphegor told me to be extremely careful during the birth."

"Bel is too cautious. Look! Poma's perfectly fine!"

"Her name is Pomalucia!"

Charlie suddenly gasped, drawing the attention of both men, who stopped bickering and turned to see her smiling with sparkling eyes.

"Char-Char?"

"Dad, she's opening her eyes!" she marveled, looking at the baby.

Alastor and Lucifer immediately looked towards Pomalucia, who wrinkled her nose and yawned before trying to open her eyelids.

Chirping, she slowly revealed her small eyes, displaying blood-red sclera, vivid red irises, and pupils black like Alastor's… but it all seemed veiled. As if she had a thin film over her eye.

“What's wrong with her eyes?” Alastor alarmed, but Lucifer let out a slight laugh, amused to see the proud Sinner worrying so much.

“Calm down, it's normal.” he assured, stroking his baby's hand, drawing the attention of the little one who turned her head towards him even though her eyes weren't open enough for her to see clearly. “Hell is a little too bright for a newborn's eyes, so they have a small film to protect them for the first few days, and it eventually disappears. Charlie almost had blue eyes at birth before she got her beautiful red and gold ones."

Pomalucia must have felt the gazes on her since she insisted, wrinkling her nose as she forced her eyelids open wider. Her vision was blurry at first, noticing the silhouettes in front of her, but she struggled to make them out. It took her a few minutes to improve her vision and finally see the three smiling faces before her, making her wrinkle her nose as she looked at them, as if trying to understand who they were.

"Hello, my little apple." Lucifer whispered, capturing her attention before she noticed she was holding one of his fingers. "Do you recognize us? Are we as you imagined?"

The little one blinked as she looked at him before turning her head to look around, seeing Charlie, who was smiling at her, her eyes sparkling with adoration.

"Hello, Pomalucia." she whispered, leaning down towards her little sister to stroke her cheek. "I'm Charlie. I'm your big sister."

The baby just looked at her, blinking as her little legs gently wiggled, before turning towards Alastor, who was smiling at her tenderly. She wrinkled her nose as if trying to figure out who he was since he didn't look like the Morningstars, before looking at her hand that was clutching the red claw, then looking back up at the Radio Demon.

"Hello, little princess." he said in a soft voice that he rarely used.

That voice must have meant something to her, because her pupils widened before she looked at the three people in front of her, and a wide smile spread across her small face before she let out a little cry and became agitated, joyfully moving her little arms and legs and laughing happily.

"Awwww! That's her first smile!" Charlie cooed, her eyes sparkling with tiny hearts almost floating around her.

Lucifer clapped his hand over his mouth as he struggled to hold back tears of joy, his eyes shining, before he drew his baby closer to him.

"Aww, my Poma… my baby…" he almost sobbed before tenderly kissing the infant between her ears, making her chirp as she let go of their hands to place hers on her daddy's cheeks, which made him laugh with adoration.

Alastor said nothing, but his eyes began to glow, showing how touched he was.

He himself used to say that a smile was a very precious tool he used to keep control of the situation no matter what. But now, when he saw his little girl's smile and heard her laugh so pure, he realized it was a true weapon! How could anyone resist such a smile?

While Lucifer covered her face with kisses, Pomalucia chirped with pure joy, melting Charlie's heart, before the little one looked towards Alastor and squealed happily, reaching out to him.

"Ah? You want to see Papa Al?" the Fallen Angel smiled, sitting up on the bed and delicately taking the baby to entrust her to her other daddy.

"Uh… Lucifer, I'm not sure…" the Radio Demon worried before finding himself with the infant nestled in his arms. "Lucifer, I've never… what if I hurt her?…"

"There's no reason for you to hurt her, Alastor. You're her father! She knows she can trust you, just as she trusted me to bring her into the world."

The Sinner grumbled a little, but when he felt his daughter's tiny hand grab his coat, he looked down at her and watched the baby who was looking back at him. Intrigued at first, she began to smile again and chirped, reaching out her hand towards her father. Alastor froze… then his smile softened as the tears he had fought finally streamed down his cheeks.

"My little girl… my Pomalucia…" he whispered before leaning toward the little one, bringing the baby closer to kiss her on the forehead.

Pomalucia chirped softly, raising her hands to her father's cheeks, the Radio Demon letting out a light, emotion-filled laugh at the contact with his daughter. He felt an affection similar to what he felt with Lucifer or his mother, the only two people who had ever truly mattered to him… but what he felt for Pomalucia was stronger!

It was unique!

Despite the blood on his hands, despite the horrors he committed in life as in death, despite his disturbed mind that had never made him a normal man, despite behaving like the worst bastard towards Lucifer and Charlie, despite being a monster in every possible sense of the word, this little girl loved him! She loved him purely and simply… as his mother had loved him despite his flaws… because she was of his blood! And he promised himself to protect her with his life! What good was living if his child did not live? When he thought that he had mocked Lucifer… 

Charlie and Lucifer were a little surprised to see Alastor like this, as he always refused to truly show his affection in front of others, even though the pregnancy had changed that a little, and preferred to do it indirectly. His affection was mostly shown by ignoring others, letting them live their lives without interfering. But the two Morningstars looked at each other and smiled, knowing that Alastor wasn't pretending.

He truly loved his little princess!

The Radio Demon smiled, breathing in the scent of his child, registering it deep within his memory, just as he got used to his daughter's touch, memorizing how her fingers touched his cheek so he could always recognize her. Pomalucia chirped softly, snuggling against her father, seeming to enjoy the contact… before he pulled away, frowning.

"A problem?" Charlie wondered as Alastor gently passed his hand over the baby's little tummy.

She didn't seem to like that, as she started to whine and struggle.

"What's wrong with her!?" the young princess alarmed, the Sinner also seeming a little lost,… but Lucifer let out a slight laugh.

"Give her to me, Al. I know what she wants." he said, sitting up, his back propped against his pillows.

His lover handed him the baby, which he gently rocked as she began to cry, grabbing his garment with her tiny hands.

"Shhhh. I know, my little apple. One moment." the Fallen Angel whispered, holding the little one with one hand, the other opening his garment to reveal his chest.

"Dad, what are you doing?" his elder daughter wondered while Alastor tilted his head.

But their father and partner didn't answer them, delicately holding his newborn daughter's head with one hand to guide her toward his breast… and after a few moments, Pomalucia began to suckle. Charlie and Alastor were surprised before the princess started chirping with adoration as she watched her father breastfeed the baby he had just given birth to.

"There you go. You were just hungry, huh, little baby fawn?" he whispered, stroking the baby's cheek to encourage her to feed, observing her little ears wiggling and feeling her tiny hands clenching and unclenching on his skin and her little tail wiggling with contentment.

Alastor moved closer, a little surprised by the scene… but the amazement was quickly replaced by pride.

His partner knew exactly what their daughter needed and was capable of nourishing her.

As if seeing his baby suckle had lifted a weight he hadn't known he had on his shoulders, Alastor gently rested his head on Lucifer's, intriguing the King, before almost purring:

"You truly are incredible, Lucifer."

Charlie smiled at the sincerity of Alastor's words, as did the King of Hell, who relaxed, stroking their baby's red hair, before she joined them, resting her head on her father's, next to Alastor, a new family having just been created for the young director of the Hazbin Hotel.

The next morning, Alastor had left Charlie alone with Lucifer and Pomalucia while they slept. The young princess had handed the hotel's reins over to Vaggie for the day… but the Radio Demon was the Hazbin Hotel’s hotelier! He had to do his job!

"You could have stayed upstairs with Charlie and Lucifer." the former Exorcist asserted, finishing noting the day's schedule on the board in the lobby. "It's normal for you to spend time with your baby."

"Pomalucia is perfectly safe with her mother and sister. So I don't need to worry. On the other hand, I can't leave this project in the hands of a beginner for too long. What would the papers say?" the Radio Demon chuckled, annoying Vaggie, who shot him a dirty look.

"If you're going to be an ass, you can leave!" she fumed, making Alastor smile.

"And miss out on this hilarious spectacle of getting you riled up? Ha! Out of the question."

"¡Pobrecito va!"

Furious, Vaggie stormed off down the corridors while Alastor continued to meticulously walk around the lobby, looking everywhere. As if he had lost something. In any case, Angel really felt that the Overlord was searching for something.

"What's he doing?" he wondered as he finished buttoning Misty's little red dress, Husk finishing putting a small orange romper on Mitten, who was mumbling random syllables, before he looked up at his partner then his boss.

"Oh! Don't worry." the bartender grumbled, setting his daughter back down, the kitten beginning to laugh and babble, reaching out to her spider daddy. "He's just making sure there’s no trace of Lucifer's birth."

"Seriously?" Angel protested, grabbing small red and orange ribbons without noticing his daughters' interested glances. "OH! Smile!" he called out, attracting the Overlord's attention as he used two of his hands to block Misty's head, the other two starting to style her hair by tying the red ribbons. "Relax! Niffty swept, mopped, and even vacuumed! The lobby is clean! So, damn it, unstick your as… OW!!!"

Everyone jumped at his sudden cry as the young porn actor put his fingertips in his mouth and his youngest meowed, struggling with the ribbons that were styling her sister's hair.

"Damn it, Mitten, the ribbons are for styling your hair, not for playing…" the spider sighed before checking the small scratches on his fingers, Husk letting out a slight snort, even trying to camouflage it by drinking from a bottleneck.

Alastor, for his part, couldn't help but burst out laughing at the young Sinner's misfortune.

"I'm old enough to know what I have to do. I'd watch that little scoundrel first if I were you, my dear Angel." he replied, annoying the young man, who gave him the middle finger before removing the ribbons from his daughter's claws.

"Mitten, stop! You have all the toys you need!" he complained as Husk retrieved their youngest.

"Ba! Ba!" she chirped, reaching out her hands to her father.

"It's 'papa', little shrimp." the feline laughed, pinching the kitten's muzzle. "Will you repeat it? Paaapa."

"Ba!"

Angel chuckled at the baby's chirps, who didn't seem determined to articulate more, while Husk simply smiled.

He still found it hard to believe that these little girls were his and that they were growing up so fast, full of life and smiles that they offered him every time they saw him.

"We'll work on that, won't we?" he said, pinching the kitten's nose.

"Dream on, Husky!" Angel exclaimed, starting to style Misty's hair again. "It's Daddy Angie they'll say first!"

The feline shook his head, knowing that for Angel it was a game, but he said nothing. It didn't matter to him whether his daughters said his name or his partner's first.

All that mattered to him was that his little twins were well and happy.

Suddenly, a knocking echoed on the hotel door before it opened.

"Heeelloooooo! It's me!" Rosie greeted cheerfully, closing the door behind her.

"Rosie! What a pleasant surprise!" Alastor exclaimed, joining his friend at the entrance.

"Alastor, my darling!" she exclaimed, joining him to hug him before she noticed Angel and Husk with their daughters. "Oh! Husker!" she smiled, heading toward the bar.

"Hi, Rosie." the feline replied nonchalantly.

When he was still an Overlord, she was one of the few with whom his relations were rather neutral… but unlike others who had forgotten his existence, Rosie always remembered him as the Overlord of Casinos and always gave him a minimum of respect. So he had all his respect for that.

"I see you're doing very well since the last time. Your arms are quite full now." the cannibal smiled, looking at the two kittens, Misty already arching her back while Mitten tilted her head to observe her, curious. "How adorable they are!" she cooed, bringing her hand closer to the less wary girl to scratch her chin.

The black and white kitten purred at the petting before grabbing the Overlord's hand, meowing, watching her long fingers intently under the fond gaze of the adults.

"This curious little one is Mitten." Husk introduced, stroking his daughter's head, who turned her head towards him as Angel finished styling their eldest's hair.

"And the little doll there is Misty." the spider chirped, taking his daughter in his arms to kiss her cheek, the pink kitten laughing and flapping her tiny wings.

"Aww, look at this little lady." Rosie cooed, using her other hand to stroke Misty's cheek while Mitten opened her mouth as if to bite the hand she was holding.

"Hey! Mitten, no!" her cat father scolded, pulling Rosie's hand away before taking the kitten in his arms. "We don't bite!"

"Where does that come from?" the young actor sighed, retrieving his second baby. "We don't have a cannibal in our house."

"Ma!" Mitten chirped, reaching out to Angel, who laughed before bringing her closer to his face.

"Naha! It's Daddy Angie, little furball." he chirped as the kitten placed her hands on his face. "Come on. Daddy! Daaaaddy!"

"Da!" Misty chirped, seeming to remind them that she was there and making her parents smile.

"Let's not stay in the entrance then! Let's go to the lounge!" the hotelier smiled, guiding his friend into the lobby, leaving Angel and Husk with their twins.

As Rosie settled into one of the armchairs, Niffty arrived with a broom.

"Hi, Rosie!" she greeted cheerfully.

"Niffty, my dear, could you go make some tea for our guest?" Alastor asked, arriving behind the little one, who turned around smiling.

"I'll go!"

Giggling as usual, the little cyclops dashed off down the corridors.

"My dear Rosie, what brings you to the Hazbin Hotel?" the Radio Demon asked, sitting opposite his friend. "It's not a neighborhood you frequent often."

"Oh, I just had a little something to see in the area." the cannibal smiled, casually looking at her perfectly clean nails. "It seems something happened here." she said, her tone becoming a little shorter, almost annoyed.

This tone immediately alerted Husk.

"Uh oh…"

"What?" Angel asked, setting their daughters on the floor before his lover leaned toward him and whispered:

"She's mad…"

"Oh really?" he wondered before turning to look at the Cannibal Overlord.

The demoness looked very calm, however… 

"Didn't you forget to tell me something, Alastor?…" she asked in a crisp, sharp tone like the fangs she innocently showed.

"What do you mean?" the demon wondered… but when he saw Rosie's smile disappear, he tensed up, knowing very well that meant his friend was furious.

"Don't take me for an idiot, Alastor! Even if yesterday's meeting was deadly boring, you would have stayed until the end, if only to enjoy annoying Vox. And yet, you left in the middle of a battle of arguments and very discreetly! Something you never do! Even Zestial and Carmilla were surprised!" she said, leaning on the armchair, clearly unhappy. "When Vox noticed, he sent drones to the hotel and complained throughout the rest of the meeting that he couldn't get close. And I wasn't born yesterday, Alastor. I didn't tell Zestial and Carmilla anything when they asked me if I knew what was going on, but I know very well the one and only reason you would behave like that."

Alastor tensed slightly, his ears twitching nervously, but his friend wasn't finished.

"Didn't you promise me I'd be the first to know when your baby was born?"

"Oh… that's quite possible…" he muttered, suddenly uncertain.

"Then why didn't you tell me!?" she flared up, alarming the Sinner couple, who moved away, worried by the shouting, as the Radio Demon flattened his ears against his head, but Rosie composed herself and ordered: "Then show me my new little niece so I can hold her before I get angry!"

"Now, Rosie, don't get upset!" Alastor exclaimed, getting up and taking Rosie's hand before explaining: "No one other than the first residents of this hotel knows about her birth. I admit I could have warned you sooner, but… Let's just say that given how everything unfolded, we were caught a little off guard."

"How so?" the cannibal asked, withdrawing her hand from Alastor's, showing him that the explanation better be convincing as Niffty brought the tea requested earlier.

"You see, my dear,…" the Radio Demon began, serving her a cup before sitting back down opposite her. "…Lucifer didn't see fit to tell me he was already feeling contractions before I left. Suffice it to say that the labor progressed for hours without him saying anything. If Husker hadn't warned me, I doubt we would be here talking so calmly."

"Especially when he's as serene as a crackhead on a trip." Angel snorted quietly, his lover signaling him to be quiet.

Rosie, for her part, put down the cup she had taken, visibly alarmed.

"Is everything alright despite everything?"

"I got back just in time. But Lucifer had to give birth right here." the Sinner explained, pointing to the now impeccable floor. "Fortunately, the baby arrived in perfect health, and Lucifer is resting with her right now."

The Cannibal Overlord sighed, reassured that everything was fine in the end… before frowning.

"In that case, why didn't you warn me!?" she asked, alarming Alastor, who flattened his ears against his head before smiling nervously.

"Oh… let's just say that… after all that, I didn't think about anything else but making sure Pomalucia was okay."

"Pomalucia?"

"That's the name Lucifer and I chose."

Rosie smiled, touched by the unique name that could only be a creation of Alastor's (since he liked names with meanings).

"Rosie? What are you doing here?" Charlie's voice wondered, attracting the attention of those present.

And the princess wasn't alone, as Lucifer stood beside her. The King was still in pajamas, but he wore an elegant red dressing gown to be presentable.

"Lucifer!" Alastor almost protested, getting up to join them, delicately taking his partner by the shoulders. "You should be resting! You gave birth yesterday!"

"Alastor, I'm fine! I don't want to be locked in my room for months like with Charlie." the Fallen Angel laughed before looking down. "And this little apple is a curious little one."

And indeed, in his arms, little Pomalucia was wide awake, observing everything around her with her big, curious eyes and gnawing on her small fist. She had been changed into a small apple-red dress with golden snake details on the hem and black deer antler patterns on the collar. Alastor couldn't help but smile at the sight, the baby beginning to smile as she looked at him…

"Oh my stars!" Rosie exclaimed, getting up and immediately heading toward the two Morningstars and her friend, who turned toward her. "There she is, the beautiful, cute, and tiny little thing for her Auntie!" she exclaimed, pushing the Radio Demon away with one hand to bend down to the level of the baby, who looked at her, surprised by this smiling person she had never seen. "Hello, you! Come into Auntie Rosie's arms, my treasure!"

Without asking Lucifer, the Overlord slipped her hands under the baby's armpits and lifted her up, straightening up. The King was a little surprised, while Charlie was a little embarrassed by the Sinner's behavior, but Alastor simply shrugged his shoulders to let her know that Rosie was like that. The cannibal lifted the little girl at arm's length, holding her like the ninth wonder of the world.

"Aww, aren't you more beautiful than your daddy? Yes, you are! Yes, you are!" she exclaimed, making her friend frown, but she only had eyes for the baby in her arms. "Luckily your mommy's genes make you all cute and beautiful like your big sister! Look at her, this little marvel, I could just eat her up!" she cooed before kissing Pomalucia's cheek, the little girl grimacing in surprise, before bringing her back correctly into the crook of her arms, letting the newborn grab her finger. "Yes, I think this is the most beautiful thing your genes can produce, Alastor!"

The Radio Demon was visibly annoyed, judging by the scowl on his face, his ears lowering slightly, but he refrained from making a comment.

Who knows how the cannibal would react if he dared to contradict her?

While Angel clapped his hands over his mouth to keep himself from laughing, Charlie smiled despite an obvious discomfort on her face, and Lucifer couldn't help but chuckle, although he tried to hide his smile behind his fist. Seeing someone put the Radio Demon down without him being able to say anything in return was quite entertaining. Pomalucia, for her part, observed the cannibal in front of her with wide, round eyes, surely wondering who she was and what she wanted… but her smiles and cooing finally made her smile. She started to squeal and move her arms and legs, reaching out to the cannibal, immediately melting the hearts of everyone watching her.

"Aww, what a pretty smile! Is that pretty smile for me, my little doll?" Rosie cooed, pinching the baby's cheek, making Lucifer smile as he approached to stroke his newborn's red hair.

"Do you like Auntie Rosie, my little apple?" he smiled, the little princess squealing happily at the attention she was being given.

"Of course! No one can not like Auntie Rosie!" the cannibal chirped as Pomalucia grabbed her fingers, laughing as she squeezed them in her tiny hands.

"It's impossible to resist such a pleasant and captivating Overlord, my dearest." Alastor affirmed, although his friend cast an annoyed glance at him.

"You're lucky your daughter is such an adorable little thing, Alastor!" the Overlord acknowledged, wiggling her fingers to make the baby laugh. "But don't push your luck for now! I'm still mad at you."

Husk and Niffty looked at each other, perplexed, and the feline barely managed to hold back a laugh while Niffty giggled behind her hands. But Alastor paid no attention to them and didn't acknowledge Rosie's anger. All he saw at that moment was that his little girl was happy. And that was all that mattered.

Suddenly, a knocking echoed on the door, startling everyone. New residents were still quite rare… unless it was a territory conflict, and there hadn't been any recently. And between Vox still engaged in open warfare, the newborn baby, and Lucifer still recovering for a few days until his magic returned to its usual level, they were more on alert.

Angel and Husk retrieved Misty and Mitten to hold them safely in their arms, and Rosie returned the little princess to Lucifer as Alastor and Vaggie headed towards the door. The former Exorcist held her spear ready just in case, while the Radio Demon opened the door… to reveal a small angel with periwinkle hair who smiled, a full file tucked in her arms.

"Hello!" she greeted, full of cheer.

"Emily!" Charlie exclaimed, the tension immediately dropping as the young Seraphim entered.

But she quickly noticed that the Sinners present seemed quite nervous.

"What's going on? Is everything okay?" she worried, remembering a few attacks.

"I apologize for welcoming you this way, my dear." Alastor excused himself after closing the door. "We had somewhat forgotten your visit today."

"Really? Why is that?"

A chirp from Pomalucia made them turn their heads toward Lucifer, who looked down at his baby, who smiled up at him, reaching for his face.

"Well, little apple? Are we already eager to talk?" he cooed with a smile, taking the infant's tiny hand between his fingers, the little girl laughing happily.

Emily then froze, her wings spreading out in shock as she stared at the baby in the King's arms… before gasping, her free hand clutching her cheek as a wide smile lit up her face.

"Oh, Great God!" she marveled, running towards Lucifer, setting her file on the coffee table as she went, and clasping her hands as she discovered the baby who looked up at her. "Awwww, she's so beautiful! What an adorable little angel!"

"A little angel from Hell. Right, Poma?" Charlie cooed, moving to her father's left to stroke her little sister's cheek, who chirped happily at her touch.

"Charlie, her name is Pomalucia…" Alastor sighed, wondering why everyone wanted to give his daughter a nickname.

"What a beautiful name!" the Seraphim marveled before she leaned down to the baby's level. "Hi, Pomalucia! I'm Emily, Seraphim and Ambassador of Heaven! I'm sure we'll get along well. Don’t we?"

Pomalucia blinked, seeming intrigued by the angel in front of her, before she turned her head toward Charlie and then back to Emily… before she smiled and reached out, seeing that the envoy from Heaven was just an angelic version of her big sister.

In other words, someone who would not harm her.

Lucifer must have thought so too, because to the great astonishment of the others, he offered:

"Do you want to hold her, Emily?"

"May I?" she marveled before calming herself. "I… I don't want to pressure you…"

"Come on, you're not pressuring me at all." he smiled, moving closer to the little angel and placing the newborn in her arms. "You just need to support her head well. But Pomalucia is very calm unless she sees something that intrigues her… and I think you'll be the one who intrigues her the most."

Emily was left frozen with the baby in her arms, seeming afraid to breathe… but little Pomalucia smiled and nestled against the angel, cooing. The Seraphim was surprised… then she smiled tenderly.

If the existence of this tiny thing wasn't proof that Hell could change…

Later, while Emily and Charlie were catching up on the latest progress of some residents, Pomalucia had met Misty and Mitten, the two kittens being intrigued by the new baby just as she was intrigued by them, and everyone had managed to hold the little princess at least once, even though Alastor remained attentive to the slightest suspicious movement. Finally, Lucifer had breastfed her again, and she had ended up falling asleep once her stomach was full.

"Who would've thought a baby could fall asleep so easily?" Alastor wondered as his Angel had just put their baby in her bassinet, which he had made appear in a quiet corner of the lounge, and covered her with a soft red blanket with deer patterns. "I thought babies just cried, and it took hours to…"

"Shhh!" the King growled in a low voice before he looked down at the sleeping newborn, arranging the Hustle and Bustle plushies near her. "She's not even 24 hours old. Everything is new to her. She has to discover the world around her, and it's exhausting." he smiled, stroking his daughter's little cheek.

The Radio Demon smiled, looking at their peacefully sleeping child, one of her small hands clutching Bustle's plush wing… when he noticed that Lucifer himself was starting to doze off, fighting to keep his eyes open and not fall.

"It seems Pomalucia isn't the only one who needs rest." the Sinner said, lifting the King into his arms, surprising him.

"Hey! What the…?"

"Rest, Lucifer. You need it as much as she does. You did give birth to our wonderful little princess, after all." he said in a calm tone, slipping his fingers through his companion's blond hair.

And before Lucifer could argue, Alastor began massaging his scalp, and the Fallen Angel immediately relaxed before falling asleep in his lover's arms.

"Sweet dreams, mon Ange." the Sinner whispered before rejoining Charlie and Emily.

"Do you understand? Even if I agree that Sinners must be saved, I also have to make sure that the Winners live happily." Emily explained, embarrassed. "And I think you can understand that it wouldn't be fair for a victim to be confronted with their torturer or killer."

"Yes… of course…" Charlie sighed, embarrassed that she hadn't thought of that. "Would it be possible to isolate those Sinners if they were to be rehabilitated?"

"That seems complicated to me. Heaven is a place where nothing is forbidden, and everything is perfect." the young angel explained, brushing a lock of hair away. "Except for the Archangels' Quarters and the Exorcists' Quarters, all the Angels can go wherever they want. It seems inconceivable to isolate a part of Heaven…"

"I believe you're racking your brains over nothing." Alastor intervened, settling into an armchair not far from the two young women, Lucifer still asleep in his arms. "True cold-blooded murderers like serial killers or those who enjoy torturing people have souls far too dark to ever hope to be rehabilitated. If one of them came here, it would only be for fun!"

"Are you speaking from experience?" Vaggie challenged, intriguing the young Seraphim, but Alastor simply laughed before adding with an evil smile:

"Exactly!"

Emily trembled slightly, as if remembering who she was talking to… but Husk intervened from the bar:

"What Alastor means is, don't bother with those guys! Anyway, even if they came here, they would never be rehabilitated. At worst, they'd stay here and rot until they die of boredom."

"Or get offed by Niffty!" Angel laughed, sitting on the floor not far from the sofa and playing with his daughters.

The one in question was dusting the furniture… even though, from time to time, she took out her dagger to stab an insect. The method was surprising for Emily… but she refrained from commenting. She didn't live here every day, so she didn't know exactly what was normal or not in Hell.

"Speaking of the Exterminations, what's happening with the Exorcists now that that asshole is dead and Redemption is official?" Angel asked, bouncing Misty while Mitten began to pull herself up on her little legs, chirping happily.

"Oh, they've resumed the role they always should have had. Some have been put back into Archangel Michael's squads, but most are monitoring Earth, standing ready to intervene at the slightest demon attack. I've heard that they've noticed comings and goings between Hell and Earth and that there are often deaths after these crossings, so they will be investigating that."

"And… Lute?" Vaggie asked, a shiver running through her as she thought of Adam's lieutenant.

"I only catch glimpses of her from time to time." the young Seraphim replied, a little saddened. "She refuses to make any effort with Sir Pentious. She yells to anyone who will listen that Heaven is going to collapse if they let us continue, or things like that… but Gabriel and Uriel always manage to reassure the Winners. And Pentious has always been adorable with everyone, so no one takes her seriously."

The Hazbins couldn't help but sigh, rather relieved. It was true that besides Vaggie, no one really knew Lute… but given the relentlessness she displayed during the last Extermination, it was understandable to worry.

Who knows what that enraged angel might imagine to avenge Adam's death?

**********

In Heaven, everything was peaceful, as usual. Angels flew calmly from cloud to cloud, laughing, having fun, singing, dancing, playing, or simply enjoying the bliss of being in Paradise after a life free of Sin. Normally, Sera would be more than happy to see the Kingdom of Heaven doing well… but that wasn't the case!

Since the arrival of that Rehabilitated Sinner, the Head Seraphim was no longer at peace. She felt like she could never rest, that she constantly had to be on guard. She felt a great fear at the thought that Sinners might rise to Heaven and completely destroy it… added to the fact that Emily was regularly descending into Hell…

Yet, she couldn't deny that Sir Pentious was making an effort. He regularly helped Emily or any Angel in need, he manufactured things to simplify the lives of the Cherubs, everyone liked him, and he had made friends. Notably, the young Molly, an Winner whose only family in Heaven was her mother and grandmother, the others all having belonged to the Mafia. So she would ask the Sinner Snake about her relatives, the two of them trying to see if he might have known them. That's what they were doing today, sitting in a park, this time Molly telling him about her twin brother, Anthony, whom she had discovered dead from an overdose in their room. And despite her almost constant surveillance of the Sinner, Sera saw nothing that could justify sending him back to Hell!

Everyone had eventually gotten past the fact that he was a former Sinner… or almost!

"He's going to cause the ruin of Heaven!" exclaimed a voice that forced the Head Seraphim to turn around.

Lute joined her, furious. Having been appointed Chief of the Exorcists after Adam's death, her gray wings now had golden patterns, as if to recall her rank, her gray uniform was now white with golden trim and a black sword on the chest, and her ripped arm had been replaced by a golden metal prosthetic. She had indeed attempted several attacks against the Hazbins, but when the Archangels announced the halt of the Exterminations and the work of Redemption, she had been furious! Since then, she had tried everything to convince them that the Exorcists should continue Adam's mission and annihilate all Sinners, that Redemption didn't exist, that Hell was eternal! But now, she no longer had anyone to listen to her… except Sera, who shared her worries.

"Sinners have no place in Heaven!" she continued, furiously looking at the snake. "His presence will give ideas to other Impures, and they will invade us!"

"Lute, I understand your fears…" the Head Seraphim sighed. "But this Sinner passed the Divine Judgment, and his soul was revealed to be pure. Even if I don't understand how it's possible, this Sinner has been rehabilitated… otherwise he wouldn't be here…"

"Like Lilith shouldn't be here?" the Exorcist growled, furious,… before Sera's hand clamped over her mouth.

"Silence, you fool!" the Seraphim whispered, looking around to see if anyone had heard them before leading the Commander away. "The Winners have already taken the news of Exterminations in Hell carried out by Angels very badly… if they learned that the Queen of Hell is here, it would cause a huge scandal."

"I was never in agreement with her presence here, but she's too powerful for us to send her away as simply as she arrived! She refuses to help us convince her offspring to abandon this project, saying it wasn't in the agreement!! And now that the Archangels have approved this idiocy, we can no longer descend to exterminate them! Why don't you use your position to convince them to let us do it!?" Lute protested, but Sera shook her head, resigned.

"It's no use. Lucifer was very clear during the last meeting. No Angel is allowed in his kingdom except Gabriel due to his title as Messenger of the Realms and Emily since she is the Ambassador of Heaven. And provoking a war would only cause unnecessary losses."

"Because you truly believe that the arrival of Sinners in Heaven won't cause any war?"

"As long as they respect the established agreements, we have no reason to attack them." the Seraphim sighed before looking at the Exorcist. "But keep your Exorcists ready just in case! You never know what to expect with Lucifer. But as long as he's pregnant, we can't have any discussion with him."

"Especially if that child is a Sinner's! Who knows what kind of monster that will create!" Lute vociferated, furious and disgusted.

Everything that came from Lucifer was an abomination anyway!

**********

Meanwhile, the points to improve for properly welcoming Rehabilitated Souls into Heaven had been reviewed and noted so that Emily could discuss possible improvements with Sera and the Archangels. Once the Heaven side was settled, they still had to look at the Hell side.

"So… we have all the current residents at the same level…" the Seraphim mumbled, making a quick sketch before adding a pink dot and continuing: "Only Anthony is slightly ahead, but since he's not participating much in activities anymore, he can be counted at the same level."

"Hey! Where do you get off saying I'm slacking, doll?" Angel quietly protested, leaning on the sofa next to the Angel. "I'm in full parent-mode!"

"I know, I didn't mean anything bad by it." Emily apologized, but Charlie intervened: 

"I don't think Angel taking care of his babies is a roadblock to his redemption. Even if he's not participating in activities as much, he's trying his best with his daughters, and he's doing well…"

"If you don't count all the times one of them ended up on the ceiling!" Alastor chuckled, Lucifer still sleeping in his arms, while the spider Sinner got annoyed. 

"Just you wait! I'll be laughing the day yours scares the hell out of you!"

"Now, now, there's no need to argue." Rosie intervened, bringing a beautiful tea set while Niffty placed a plate of cookies on the coffee table. "We are all here to help our lovely Charlie and her charming Seraphim friend avoid the Exterminations. This concerns all of us, so let's all try to do our part."

"As always, you've found the right words, my dear Rosie." the Radio Demon smiled, delicately adjusting the sleeping King so he could move without disturbing him.

"But of course. Keep up the charm." the cannibal said, serving tea to the Princess and her friend.

Suddenly, Angel heard meowing that made him turn his head to see that Misty and Mitten had spotted the bassinet and had climbed onto the edges to look inside. The little pink kitten seemed intrigued while her younger sister with black fur cooed, trying to reach something inside. Perhaps the phoenix plushies. Slight cooing also indicated that the baby was awake. He bit his lip, a little embarrassed, but as long as the new little princess wasn't crying, everything was fine. Especially since Alastor and Lucifer hadn't heard anything. Discreetly, he moved away and went to check if his twins were bothering the baby and thus avoid a crisis.

"Hey, what are you doing, i miei gattini?" he whispered, attracting the kittens' attention. "I know, she's brand new, but you have to leave Baby Poma alone or…" he began as he reached the bassinet, catching Misty on the way, before looking inside.

Except that immediately, he froze and screamed: 

"HOLY FUCK!!!"

Angel's scream was so sudden that everyone jumped, Lucifer waking up immediately even though he was completely lost.

"Huh? What…? What is it…?"

"Angel? What's wrong?" Charlie worried, while Alastor growled: 

"What the hell is wrong with you, screaming like that!? If Pomalucia cries, I swear I'll…"

Except that Angel raised his head, completely panicked, and exclaimed: 

"Guys! We have a big problem!"

These words had the effect of a bomb in Lucifer's mind, and he jumped off Alastor's lap to run to the bassinet, the others immediately following suit.

"What did your daughters do to mine, Husker!?" the Radio Demon growled, glaring at his subordinate before looking with the others into the bassinet.

And there, everyone froze!

Pomalucia cooed innocently in her bassinet, her two plushies still framing her, and her small hands reached out towards the people facing her… while a pretty golden halo with a center resembling deer antlers shimmered like a crown above her head, and six small, golden, sparkling wings were spread on her back! It was these little wings that Mitten was trying to grab!

"MY BABY!!!" Lucifer screamed, horrified, clutching his hair, his pupils retracted in terror.

Charlie and Vaggie were completely frozen, eyes wide, staring at the baby who continued to babble innocently, while Emily clapped her hand over her mouth, shock written on her face. Angel nervously bit his fingers, not knowing what to do, while Niffty and Rosie stared at the baby. While the Overlord was dumbfounded, a hand resting on her lower lip, the little housekeeper merely blinked, not quite understanding what she was seeing.

"Okay, that wasn't planned…" Husk mumbled, drawing his companion's gaze.

Alastor, for his part, was completely tense, his eyes having taken the shape of a radio dial in shock, while a slight static escaped him, his smile hardening as he stared at his daughter… and her angelic attributes.

His little girl was an Angel!

The shock was so great that after a few moments, Alastor's eyes rolled back, and he fell backward onto the floor, stiff as a board, with a loud thud that also drew the attention of Angel, Rosie, Husk, Niffty, and Vaggie.

"Ah, okay…" the former Exorcist sighed. "Well, there goes the Radio Demon…"

But Charlie, Emily and Lucifer didn't react, staring at the baby who cooed, unaware of the fear she was causing.

Chapter Text

Later, Pomalucia cooed innocently, lying on an examination table in soft pastel colors that floated in the air while Belphegor observed her closely. Charlie had immediately called her after recovering from the shock, and the Sin of Sloth had immediately dropped everything to come and examine the new little heiress. A baby born in Hell who suddenly has wings and a halo, that doesn't happen every day!

She frowned as she observed the halo and the wings that beat gently by reflex, slipping a claw into the golden ring to feel a slight resistance, as if it were truly part of the baby's head, who looked up at her at the touch.

"Resistance of the halo…" she mumbled, a flying pen noting her observations.

Then she delicately took a small wing between her fingers, her claws running softly over the shimmering feathers to see if they were real… and Pomalucia began to laugh as if being tickled.

"Sensitivity at the wings…"

The baby smiled and reached out, babbling, trying to grab Belphegor, who ignored her, focused on her examination to provide an accurate diagnosis. A little further away, Lucifer clung to Charlie, trembling, seeming ready to cry as he observed the Sin of Sloth's every action, flinching at every sound his baby made.

"Dad, calm down." the young princess sighed, stroking her father's hair. "I'm sure she's fine. Maybe… maybe she's a shapeshifter like you! And she wanted to imitate Emily."

"That's possible, indeed." Emily smiled, trying to sound confident… even though her Seraphim instincts left her with little doubt.

Meanwhile, Alastor was still unconscious, lying on the sofa with Niffty and Razzle fanning him to try to revive him. Although completely motionless and seemingly deeply asleep, he continued to smile as if wires were preventing his face from fully relaxing, and he emitted a slight static hum, like an old radio badly tuned. Sitting on the armrest with Misty on his lap, Angel couldn't help but snicker.

"Well, look at that! Who would've thought the Great Radio Demon could pass out so easily?" he chuckled as his little girl played with his hands.

"What would you have done if one of them had wings and a halo?" Husk grumbled, holding Mitten, who was kicking her legs and reaching out to the baby with golden wings, while his young lover grabbed one of his eldest daughter's wings and pointed, saying:

"Hey! This one already has half!"

"Angel, you know exactly what I mean! Those wings come from my side!" the feline sighed, moving closer to him, Mitten climbing onto his shoulder to continue staring at Pomalucia. "For Alastor and Lucifer, where do those wings come from?"

"You're forgetting our short King is an Angel. It's quite amusing, by the way, that the Radio Demon's daughter looks like an Angel when he brags about being the cruelest Sinner around!"

"Angel, you're being dense…" the bartender sighed.

In other circumstances, perhaps he would have laughed at the irony of the situation… but this was too serious! Even though he still held a certain grudge against Alastor since he owned his soul, Lucifer had become a friend. He knew, like everyone else, how much the King had suffered, and he had caught him several times trying to drink away his depression before he got together with Alastor. Husk knew that depression is an illness that is not easily cured, and Lucifer was far from being out of the woods.

The slightest severe shock could cause him to relapse! And even if the Fallen Angel himself was normally immortal, who knows what a desperate mind can come up with to hurt himself…

Suddenly, a slight growl cut through the static, silencing them all, because it meant the Radio Demon was coming to! Finally opening his eyelids, Alastor sat up, grumbling and rubbing his temples.

"Hi!" Niffty smiled, stepping aside.

"Alastor, my dear, how are you?" Rosie asked calmly, placing her hand on his shoulder.

"I… I don't know… I think for the first time in years, I had a nightmare…" he said, his voice trembling as he remembered. "Pomalucia… with angel wings and a halo…"

"That wasn't a dream, you big goof." Angel mumbled, making Alastor sizzle.

"What!?"

"Look over there." Husk added, pointing to Pomalucia on the examination table as Belphegor circled her.

The Sinner was not only alarmed to see the Sin of Sloth examining his daughter… but also paralyzed by the attributes the infant still possessed. Her shimmering halo and sparkling wings were similar to the earthly sun, bringing a soft, comforting warmth… but this only chilled Alastor's blood.

He hadn't had a nightmare! Pomalucia really had angelic attributes!

How was this possible? What strange trick of fate was this? How could the child of the Devil and a Sinner, born in Hell, have wings like the Born of Heaven? Was it a phase to chase away Lucifer's angelic parts, or would it be permanent? What consequences would this have for her if it were the case?

Alastor almost felt like fainting again as his head swam with questions and his heart seemed to beat too fast under a terror that chilled him… but he quickly composed himself, getting up, though slightly unsteady, and joined his partner.

"Lucifer!"

The Fallen Angel flinched slightly at the sound of his lover's voice before turning around to see him approaching.

"Alastor…" he breathed, leaving his daughter's arms to join him.

He immediately threw himself into his arms, clutching him as tightly as possible, burying his face in his chest, before beginning to sob from fear.

"Lucifer…" the Radio Demon sighed, not really knowing what to do, as his partner began to mumble:

"I don't understand… why does she have wings?… Charlie never had that… so why does Poma have wings?… And a halo?… Heaven will never let this pass… it's my fault… as always, everything is my fault…"

"Lucifer, stop!!" the Sinner protested, forcing the King to look him straight in the eyes, already seeing the veil of depression clouding his partner's vision when he should be the happiest with the birth of their daughter. "It's not your fault! You couldn't have known! And it may be nothing. We're probably panicking over nothing. Pomalucia will be fine, I'm sure." he insisted, his smile trying to be confident as he wiped away his partner's tears, although his eyes showed that he wasn't even sure of what he was saying.

But Alastor couldn't let Lucifer sink when their daughter might need him. He wouldn't let Depression separate his Angel from his children a second time!

Except that before Lucifer could reply, Pomalucia began to cry, alerting everyone, who turned to see Belphegor simply staring at the baby as she wept.

"Pomalucia!" the Fallen Angel panicked, running to his daughter with Alastor and Charlie, immediately taking her into his arms. "Shhh… Daddy's here, my little apple… everything's fine… don't cry, my baby…"

"What did you do to her, you wicked wretch!?" the Radio Demon raged, doubling in size, not caring that he was facing one of the Sins.

She looked at the baby with a sorry expression before sighing.

"It was a final test… and the result speaks for itself."

Without further explanation, she showed her claw, which was covered in blood. But not the red blood of a Sinner or black like the other Born of Hell! Blood as golden as liquid gold!

Angel blood!

Lucifer froze in understanding and looked down at his baby. Pomalucia was slowly calming down, but she continued to whimper, clenching her small fist… from which a few golden drops escaped between her tiny fingers! The Fallen Angel trembled, gently taking his baby's tiny fist, and delicately forced his daughter to open her hand. He then saw the small, clean cut on her palm, and the blood coming out was golden! Like his own… like Vaggie's… like that of all those who lived in Heaven, in purity and perfection…

"Pomalucia is an Angel! A Seraphim, no less, given the number of wings she possesses." Belphegor announced, looking saddened as she saw Lucifer's face crumble in horror. "I'm sorry, Luci…"

The King was paralyzed, his arms instinctively clutching his baby so she wouldn't fall… but he no longer seemed present. His mind, at least, seemed to have left his body, lost in his dark and horrible thoughts as he realized.

His baby… his Pomalucia… his little girl was an Angel!

Yet an Angel had no place in Hell unless they had committed a 'crime' against Heaven!… like him… or like Vaggie… but Pomalucia had just been born! She was still pure and innocent! Was that why his angelic side had emerged in his baby?…

… And what would happen now? …

Heaven would inevitably sense the presence of a new Angel! It was only a matter of time before they realized she was in Hell! Would they come and snatch her from his arms? Would they take her away to Heaven, ensuring he would never see her again? Or worse! Would they kill her because she was born of a Sinner and would therefore be an abomination by their standards? In all the scenarios he imagined, Lucifer couldn't see his little girl growing up with him.

He was going to lose her! Like he had lost everyone else before her! Heaven was going to take another child from him!

His ears began to buzz violently, the strident sound starting to turn into cruel laughter, as if Fate was mocking him and preventing him from hearing anything else, and his vision began to blur, but he didn't know if it was tears or if it was because he felt himself going, everything beginning to turn black around him.

"…ifer! Luc…! …cifer! Lucifer!" Alastor's voice suddenly screamed as he received a slap on the cheek.

With a slight cry of surprise, Lucifer slowly returned to his senses as his hand went to his painful cheek.

"Alastor!" Charlie protested, while Emily and Belphegor gasped at the Overlord daring to slap the King of Hell.

"The height of delicacy, Alastor…" Rosie sighed, stepping closer, kneeling to look at the Fallen Angel before smiling when Lucifer's eyes focused on her. "But I think it was effective."

"What?…" the King mumbled, making Alastor sigh in relief.

"Dad? Can you hear me?" the young princess exclaimed, stepping in front of her father.

"… Charlie?… But… what… what happened?…"

"You started having a panic attack, Luci." Belphegor sighed as Rosie straightened up, letting the Sin approach. "You suddenly stopped breathing and almost fainted."

"What?" Lucifer panicked before looking down at his arms, distressed,… but Pomalucia was still there, safely nestled against his chest.

The newborn looked at him with interest, seemingly not understanding what was happening… but her father especially noticed her small hand still covered in blood. Delicately, he took his baby's tiny hand between his fingers, slipping his index finger into the little one's palm, who began to whimper because she was in pain, before his magic made his fingers glow. Pomalucia looked at him with her beautiful eyes full of questions… but when her father released her hand, she was healed! The cut had disappeared! No longer in pain, the baby started cooing and laughing again, reaching out to her father… but Lucifer began to cry, hugging her close, burying his face in her hair and kissing her tenderly but desperately between the ears.

"My Poma… my little candy apple… I can't lose you… not you…" he mumbled, intriguing Alastor and Charlie.

"What are you talking about, Lucifer?" the Radio Demon worried, placing his hand on the Fallen Angel's cheek, forcing his lover to look at him.

"An… an Angel has no place in Hell…" he sniffled, wiping away his tears. "Heaven will immediately sense the presence of a new Angel, and it won't be long before they discover she's here! They'll come and take her! … kill her! … or take her to Heaven in the best-case scenario! And we'll never see her again!" the new dad suddenly panicked, holding their baby tightly against him, the little girl cooing as her parent ran his fingers through her curls, completely losing control of his tears.

Charlie was horrified before turning to Emily and Vaggie, the two Angels nodding with sad expressions, while Alastor tensed, his eyes taking the shape of a radio dial and static escaping him.

"They have no right! Who separates a baby from its parents!? It's inconceivable!" Rosie protested, while Husk and Angel looked at each other, looking saddened and fearing the worst.

"Unfortunately, it's one of the rules of the Three Realms." Emily sighed, making three representations of the different Realms appear. "Each creature has its own world to thrive in, and it must stay there. Living beings born of Creation live in the Realm of the Living, on Earth, until their death, then their souls are sent to the realm that corresponds to them. Those with a pure heart ascend to the Realm of Heaven with the Born of Heaven. Those who lived in Sin fall into the Realm of Hell with the Born of Hell."

While Rosie continued to protest that it was ridiculous, Alastor seemed to have left his body behind as his eyes showed a dial that couldn't tune in.

Could their little girl be taken from them? … Would the Angels take her with them to Heaven? …

"No! They won't have her!" he suddenly protested, forcing Lucifer to look him in the eyes, surprising everyone. "Pomalucia is Born of Hell! The fact that she's an Angel changes nothing! A Born of Hell stays in Hell! That's what your Head Seraphim keeps saying, isn't it!?"

The Fallen Angel froze, incredulous, then wiped away his tears.

"Well… yes, that's what Sera keeps repeating… but… no Angel has ever been born in Hell before!" he panicked, looking at Pomalucia, who stared at them without understanding, babbling innocently and chewing on her hand.

"There hadn't been Redemption before either." Niffty pointed out, surprising everyone.

"That Sinner makes a point…" Belphegor remarked as Charlie smiled.

"Niffty is right! If Sir Pentious could be rehabilitated, why couldn't an Angel live in Hell? Poma was born here! And you were an Angel! Just like Vaggie! And if we continue to get along well with Heaven, they'll help us!"

"Charlie… they're still struggling to believe in Redemption… they… they'll never accept it…" Lucifer trembled, terrified.

"In that case, they'll never know she's an Angel!"

Alastor's words were as crisp and sharp as the blades he used to kill his victims, stunning everyone.

"What?…" the King choked out, incredulous.

"Our dear Seraphim can correct me if I'm wrong…" the Radio Demon began, pointing to Emily before looking back at his partner. "… but even though the Supreme Angels can sense the presence of a new Angel in any Realm, it is impossible for them to know exactly where she is."

Emily froze as everyone turned to her, awaiting confirmation or denial, and thought for a moment before shrugging.

"It's true that when a soul becomes an Angel, we feel it the same way as when a cherub is born. And it's possible to feel this sensation several times a day, so I only really know the number of souls who have arrived at the end of the day, when the registers are brought to us." she explained, nervously playing with a lock of her long hair. "Personally… I confess I don't pay much attention anymore… Only Saint Peter remains very attentive and is able to differentiate between a new angelic soul and a newborn cherub since he has to ensure that virtuous souls arrive safely in Heaven. And even he cannot precisely pinpoint a soul. The only one who always knows where everyone is, is Archangel Raphael, since he is the Guide of Souls." she concluded, intriguing the Sinners as Alastor puffed out his chest, visibly more confident.

"That's what I thought." he said before taking Lucifer's chin with one hand to force his lover to look at him. "They therefore cannot know that Pomalucia is an Angel unless they see her or someone tells them. We'll just have to hide her until they tire themselves out looking for their lost Angel in the other Realms." the Radio Demon smiled, without noticing the grimace of horror on Emily's face. "We won't lose our little girl."

The Fallen Angel stared at Alastor, incredulous,… but his lover's words were spoken with such conviction that hope flooded his broken heart, and a smile finally appeared on his face.

"Do you promise?" he asked, his voice still trembling.

"I promise you." the Sinner smiled, wiping away his Angel's tears. "And we won't be alone in protecting her. Right, Charlie?" he asked, looking up at the young princess.

"Of course!" she smiled, joining her father, the other Hazbins smiling and nodding at her. "No one will know Poma is an Angel, Dad! Right, Emily?"

Everyone turned to the young Seraphim, who froze.

"You won't tell Sera, will you? This has nothing to do with Redemption after all." the young princess smiled, confident.

Emily felt her heart clench at the hope she saw in their eyes… but she looked away, ashamed.

"I… I…" she trembled, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks. "I'm sorry… but I can't keep the secret…"

"What?" Charlie gasped, everyone freezing in shock as the little Angel turned her head back to them, her face showing how upset she was.

"I… I know Sera might want to retrieve Pomalucia… but… I have to tell her everything that happens in Hell during my visits. If I hid even one piece of information from her and she found out… it would jeopardize the entire Redemption project…"

The young princess froze, understanding Emily's dilemma while Vaggie glared at her, rather disappointed,… but Lucifer, for his part, turned completely pale, hugging Pomalucia as tightly as possible against him, terrified.

For the first time since he had met her, he saw Emily as a potential danger! His instinct told him to keep his baby away from her!

Alastor, however, was furious! Not only had this little Seraphim scared Lucifer, but she could also be the cause of his daughter's loss! And he couldn't stand that!

"If you think I'll let you leave after confessing that!" he raged, furious, doubling in size, his antlers and fangs becoming threatening.

"Alastor, no!" Vaggie warned, knowing that attacking Emily wouldn't help anything.

The young Seraphim looked down, ashamed. She understood the Sinner's anger… after all, what parent would accept their baby being taken away from them? Even to bring them to Heaven! There was a reason for Guardian Angels…

Realizing what she was thinking, Emily froze, gasping.

"Wait a minute!" she exclaimed, intriguing everyone. "Maybe…" she began to think.

"Maybe what?" Charlie worried, joining her. "Do you have a way to help us?" she pleaded, moving closer to her friend from Heaven.

After a few moments, the little Angel smiled.

"I can't hide her existence from Sera…" she said, worrying Lucifer, before turning to the King, confident. "… but I think I have a way to make sure she stays with you. If you'll allow me…" she continued, holding out her hands to the Fallen Angel, who panicked, clutching his baby tighter against him. "I'll give her back to you very quickly, Lucifer. I promise you."

Alastor growled, as did Razzle, even if the little dragon sounded more like a hissing kitten… but Lucifer looked down at Pomalucia.

The baby seemed completely lost, her beautiful red eyes almost showing fear as she sensed her fathers' anxiety… but she reached out to him, seemingly begging him to protect her. Something Lucifer wanted more than anything… and something he couldn't do alone! Heaven could snatch his baby from his arms with a simple snap of the fingers! And neither Alastor, nor Charlie, nor even the Sins could do anything to stop it! But Emily…

Sighing, resigned, the Fallen Angel entrusted his newborn to the young Seraphim. Vaggie and Rosie had to hold Alastor back so he wouldn't leap at the throat of the one holding his baby while Charlie went to clasp her father's hands. Pomalucia, for her part, looked at Emily with her wide, curious eyes as she smiled and gently rocked her. Holding her securely with one arm, the young Seraphim delicately placed two fingers on the baby's forehead and traced a faint sign there.

"Pomalucia Morningstar, daughter of Lucifer Morningstar and Alastor the Radio Demon,…" she began in a soft but strong voice, a star-shaped symbol like the one on the front of her dress appearing on the baby's forehead. "… I, Emily the Seraphim and Angel of Joy, offer you my blessing…" she said, stunning Lucifer, who choked, realizing what she was doing. "… so that you may live your life happily with your family. Today and on my life, my protection will prevent anyone from separating you from your parents."

At her words, Emily brought the baby closer and gently kissed the mark on her forehead. A golden glow escaped from it then, dazzling the Hellborn for a few moments while Pomalucia was surrounded by a warm light… then everything stopped. Emily smiled, looking at the little princess, who simply looked back at her… before letting out a joyous burst of laughter, reaching out to the Angel.

"There." the young Seraphim smiled, returning the baby to her family. "Not even Sera can take her away from you now." she assured them as Lucifer retrieved his little girl, trembling.

The King began to cry with relief, hugging his infant close, kissing her tenderly on the cheeks while Alastor joined them to stroke his child's hair, who chirped with joy, reaching out to her second father. Charlie smiled, seeing her little sister back in her father's arms, but she looked up at her friend.

"What did you do?" she asked, making the little Angel smile.

"I offered her my blessing." she said, shrugging.

"Which means?" Alastor grumbled, suspicious, but Lucifer smiled, looking up at her.

"An Angel who gives their blessing… becomes the Guardian Angel of the person they gave it to." the King explained, his eyes watery and shocking the others around them. "And… even a Head Seraphim cannot override the protection of a Guardian Angel…"

Everyone looked up at Emily, incredulous.

"Emily…" Charlie choked, understanding, as did Alastor… but the Radio Demon didn't want to believe it.

"Why are you doing this? What interest do you have in antagonizing Heaven to protect the child of the King of Hell and a Sinner, Seraphim!?"

Emily was surprised by Alastor's reaction… but she understood his suspicion. In Hell, you get nothing for free, from what she had understood.

"I am the Angel of Joy." she said simply, shrugging. "My duty is to bring happiness around me. And your happiness is with Pomalucia. So I will protect her, as the Angel of Joy, as a Guardian Angel, and as a friend. Even if I have to lose my status as a Seraphim."

The Radio Demon still growled, remaining much taller, clutching Lucifer to him with one hand, the other acting as a barrier between the Angel and his baby… but finally, he calmed down, returning to his normal size.

"Angels are all idiots!" he grumbled, refusing to admit he was wrong.

For the first time in hours, Lucifer let out a sincere laugh, full of hope and happiness. Charlie also let out a small laugh while Angel, Niffty, and Rosie chuckled as discreetly as possible, Husk and Vaggie simply rolling their eyes.

Pride wasn't Alastor's Sin for nothing!

In Heaven, Sera continued to walk calmly through the streets, greeting the Winners and Cherubs she encountered, trying to be as serene as possible even though she couldn't help but be worried. As always, whenever Emily descended into Hell! Who knew what that despicable place could do to an Angel as pure as Emily? But Michael and the Archangels had all agreed to let her become the Ambassador of Heaven since she believed in Redemption.

Something Sera refused to believe!

Hell was a sad and frightening place where only the vilest creatures could live. It was from them that the Creator Angels had tried to protect Humanity by creating the Garden of Eden… but Lucifer and Lilith had destroyed that garden and cursed men! Since then, all those whose souls were stained with Sin, like Lucifer, had fallen there! If the slightest hope of saving them had been possible, Sera would have seen it long ago! Pentious was just a fluke!

Suddenly, as she tried to calm herself…

"Sera!" called a voice that made her turn around.

"Saint Peter?" the Head Seraphim wondered, turning towards the Saint who was flying towards her, his register carefully clutched in his arms. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you at the gate?"

"I was, but… something strange is happening." the Angel said, landing in front of his Superior.

"What do you mean?" she worried as he approached and opened his book to a page.

"Look! A name has been trying to appear on my register for a few hours." he said, showing the page, a name beginning with P seemingly wanting to appear. "I felt the existence of a new Angel, but I thought that… well… the soul might have gotten a little lost because it was young, as has happened before with children's souls. But since Archangel Raphael hasn't come to bring the soul back to me like the other times, I went to see him, but he didn't sense the soul on Earth. And it’s not in Heaven, otherwise it would have arrived at the Gate."

Sera froze, aghast.

An innocent soul hadn't arrived in Heaven? And it wasn't on Earth? How was that possible?

"Are you sure it's not a new cherub?" she asked, very serious.

"Certain, Sera!" Saint Peter trembled. "And… if it’s neither in Heaven nor on Earth… I'm afraid that poor soul might be…"

Unable to continue and unwilling to create a scandal with a word still prohibited by many Angels, the Saint checked that no one was paying attention to them… then he pointed to the ground. It didn't take long for Sera to understand what he was implying, and it chilled her blood while enraging her!

She knew that Redemption wasn't possible! There were mistakes! That Pentious was a Sinner who should have died during the Extermination! Because of him, an innocent soul had fallen into Hell! She was certain of it! They had doubted the righteousness of their actions! Heaven was in danger!

These follies must cease! … but first of all, she had to save that poor soul!

"Thank you for warning me, Saint Peter! I'll take care of it!"

"Should I warn the Archangels?" he asked nervously. "If souls start falling into his kingdom, maybe…"

"No. Not for now. I'm going there with Lute to retrieve this poor soul. And, upon my return, we can discuss it with the Archangels. Go back to the gate and ensure that the other souls are safe upon their arrival!"

"Very well…" the gatekeeper Angel sighed before flying off to return to his post.

Sera, for her part, spread her wings wide and flew off to find the new Chief of the Exorcists. She finally spotted her a little further away with a rather stocky young boy with some adorable roundness, especially on his face, which gave him a youthful look. He had short blond hair and his eyes were a beautiful golden color… like his deceased father.

For this young boy in a white and gold cassock was none other than Abel, Adam's youngest son!

Since his father's death, he had been spending a lot of time with Lute, reminiscing about the memories she had with the First Man… but this time, Sera would have preferred him to be elsewhere.

"Lute!" she called, drawing the attention of the two Angels.

"Oh! Hello, Sera!" the young boy smiled, but the Seraphim ignored him, grabbing the Exorcist's arm.

"Your Majesty?" she was surprised, but Sera teleported her further away, to the middle of the Exorcists' training camp, ignoring poor Abel, who couldn't understand what was happening. "But really, what's going on?"

"Lute… an innocent soul has gone astray in Hell!"

"WHAT!?" Lute protested before growling. "I knew it! I knew that the arrival of those Scraps of Hell would only cause us problems!"

"Lute! That's enough!" Sera stopped her, dead serious. "We'll deal with this problem later! Now, we need to find Lucifer and get his right to search Hell to find this soul before it is definitively lost!"

Chapter Text

In Hell, Lucifer had managed to calm down enough to put Pomalucia back in her bassinet so she could take her nap. The precious little Angel had fallen back asleep without a problem thanks to her fathers' lullabies and was now carefully framed by Hustle and Bustle. But that didn't mean the King was ready to step away from the bassinet.

The Fallen Angel delicately held his baby's tiny hand between his fingers, Pomalucia making soft cooing sounds as she was deep in a gentle dream. He smiled tenderly, watching her, reassured to see her breathing peacefully and feeling her small fingers tightly gripping his, even though she was sound asleep. He wished he could stay like this forever… but a red hand covered the little one with a soft yellow blanket with duck patterns before stroking the baby's cheek, who smiled at the touch, while the other hand rested on the King's shoulder.

"Come on, calm down. We won't lose her. Emily did what was necessary." Alastor said, gently pulling his lover away from the bassinet, forcing Pomalucia to let go of her Angel-Daddy's finger.

"I know…" Lucifer sighed as the Angel baby smiled, burying her nose in Hustle's fluffy belly. "But… I'm afraid I'll do her more harm than good…" he confessed, intriguing his partner, who frowned and tilted his head. "Hell isn't an ideal place to live for an Angel… Poma would be much happier in Heaven, with other Angels, where she would know only joy and happiness… but… I can't stand the idea of her growing up away from me… even though I know it would be better for her…" the Fallen Angel wept, wiping his tears as best he could. "I'm just a fucking egoist…"

"Lucifer, hush! You're talking nonsense!" Alastor protested, forcing his Angel to look him straight in the eyes. "You are not selfish! You are a parent! A mother whose first years with her child were already stolen. You are fighting to recreate the bond between you and Charlie. It's normal that you want to protect the bond between you and Pomalucia."

"Even if her life would be better in Heaven?…"

"Pomalucia was born in Hell!" the Sinner insisted, wiping away the tears with his thumb. "She can never be happy in Heaven, even if she is an Angel! She has your genes and my genes. A pure creation of Hell! Not even Heaven could contain her."

Lucifer couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"It's true that if she's like you, she'll drive them crazy."

"Weren't you the one who drove Heaven so crazy that they became afraid of you?"

"Oh, go to hell!" the King protested, hitting his lover on the chest, making Alastor chuckle.

A whimper from their baby made them jump and look down at Pomalucia… but the little girl had simply dropped her plushie on herself. Lucifer snickered softly as the Radio Demon smiled and straightened the little phoenix, but when he wanted to move it away, his partner took the plushie from his hands.

"Leave it! Hustle and Bustle must stay as close to Poma as possible so that her energy impregnates them."

"Is that really important?" the radio host sighed.

"Yes, because they will one day have to protect her! Our daughter's energy needs to be deeply imbued in their bodies so that they are attached to her no matter what."

"Oh? So it doesn't work like ducklings who are stupid enough to attach themselves to the first thing that moves in front of their noses?"

"Hey!"

A coo from the baby made them look down at her again, but the little princess smiled, clutching the wings of her plushies tightly in her small fists, clearly caught up in a sweet dream. The two fathers smiled, looking at her, then Alastor gently pushed Lucifer away from the bassinet to let her sleep in peace.

They returned to the living room where everything seemed to have returned to normal. Belphegor had gone back to her circle, although she had asked Lucifer to notify her at the slightest change. While waiting to see, Emily and Charlie resumed their discussion about Redemption so that the young Seraphim would have things to present to Sera before speaking to her about the hotel and its residents… and thus about Pomalucia. Because even though she had given the baby her blessing, Sera's reaction upon discovering that the new princess of Hell was an Angel was unpredictable!

"I think Sera will be reassured to see that we are trying to think about the victims of possible Rehabilitated Sinners." Emily smiled, satisfied with the solution she and Charlie had found.

"I hope so too." the Princess smiled, crossing that point off her list. "Let's see… Oh! Were you able to propose the idea of having the most promising Sinners undergo a new judgment?"

"I proposed it to Azrael since he is the Judge of Souls. He didn't seem opposed, but he didn't tell me when he could perform these judgments."

"Oh? Azrael, always true to himself." Lucifer smiled, remembering his brother who seemed… dark for an Angel.

But what could one expect from someone sometimes called the Angel of Death?

"I mostly think he needs to manage to free all the Archangels at the same time, especially Uriel and Raphael. Raphael is often traversing the vastness of Heaven, and he is the one who most often approaches the souls arriving in Heaven. Uriel, for his part, is the Voice of the Ages. Only he can truly see the destiny of a soul and ensure that it will do no harm to Heaven even after its stay in Hell." the little Seraphim explained.

"Ah, those workaholics…" the Fallen Angel sighed, remembering when he was still in Heaven with the other Archangels.

The little Angel smiled at him, quite amused even though she admitted that she herself thought the Archangels worked too much… since no one ever saw them except the highest-ranking Angels.

***************

Knocks suddenly echoed on the door, intriguing Niffty, who put down what she was holding to go and open it. Except that as soon as she saw who was standing at the entrance, she slammed the door shut and began to growl furiously, pulling her dagger out from under her apron and alerting the others.

"Niffty, what's wrong, my dear?" Alastor asked, the little redhead barely diverting her gaze from the door, remaining in position.

"Angels! They want to take the Princess Roach!" she growled, the dagger carefully held in her hand.

Everyone froze, Lucifer seizing up in horror. He wanted to get up to retrieve his baby, but Alastor abruptly grabbed his arm.

"Lucifer!" he protested, forcing his partner to turn around, still holding one arm with one hand and grabbing his chin with the other so he would look at him, his claws digging into his cheeks. "Calm down! Pomalucia is sleeping, there's no reason for them to ask to see her! If you retrieve her, they'll immediately see she's an Angel! Let's see what they want, and we'll decide what to do!"

The King trembled, terrified, especially when the knocks echoed on the door again, and Lute's voice screamed with all her might:

"OPEN THE DOOR!!! Open the door for us, you scraps of Hell!"

Vaggie got angry hearing her former friend's voice, but she kept a good face when Charlie took her hand. The Hazbins turned towards the Fallen Angel, who was worried about the Exorcist's presence… but he knew that if they didn't answer, it would be more suspicious. Taking deep breaths in and out, he composed himself as best he could and nodded, looking at his daughter. She nodded in response and said:

"Vaggie… you can open it!"

Vaggie nodded and headed towards the door while Husk and Angel grabbed Misty and Mitten to keep the kittens quiet. Cherri joined the former Exorcist to retrieve Niffty and hold her back as the door opened. Everyone straightened up solemnly… before a shiver of horror ran through them when they saw that Lute was not alone!

Sera the Head Seraphim was with her!

The tall Angel bent down slightly to pass through the door, standing upright, casting no glance towards the Sinners while Niffty growled and seemed to hiss at her, ready to jump at her throat if Cherri Bomb wasn't holding her firmly. Lute, for her part, growled furiously, looking at the Sinner who had killed Adam before turning towards Vaggie. The two former friends glared at each other, promising they would meet again one day to settle this once and for all… then the new Chief of the Exorcists joined her superior, who stopped a few feet from the Hazbins.

"Lucifer…" she greeted coldly, her eyebrow slightly furrowed at seeing his attire.

"Sera…" Lucifer mumbled, clutching his robe around his body, hoping she wouldn't notice that his stomach was no longer as firm, and thus that he had given birth.

"What's going on, Sera?" Emily worried, approaching the other Seraphim. "Did I stay longer than necessary? I didn't mean any harm, we were just…"

"That's not why we're here." she cut in, raising her hand, silencing Emily, who backed away, looking at Lucifer, worried. "Lucifer… I know this isn't a good time with your pregnancy, but the situation is extremely serious." she said in a serious tone that worried the King. "We need you to give us your permission and your protection to search your kingdom."

The Fallen Angel frowned at this request, Alastor tilting his head to the side, clearly not understanding what was happening while Charlie and Emily looked at each other, shrugging.

"For what purpose?" Lucifer asked, placing his hands on his stomach to maintain the illusion while Sera replied sharply:

"An innocent soul is believed to have gotten lost here. Saint Peter sensed its presence, but it didn't arrive in Heaven, and Raphael didn't sense it lost on Earth. I'm afraid we've been misled by this Redemption business." she said, paralyzing Charlie and Lucifer, who looked at each other nervously. "Souls are getting lost between the Realms! We must correct this as quickly as possible!"

"Are we really sure this soul got lost here?" Alastor intervened, drawing the King against him, amused by the obvious disgust he saw on the Seraphim's face. "We've had Fallen Angels before, after all." he said with clear sarcasm in his voice, looking Lute straight in the eyes.

Lucifer hit the Sinner on the shoulder to silence him while the Exorcist growled furiously. Sera wrinkled her nose before sighing and tidying her hair.

"We are certain that this is a new, recently deceased soul and not a newborn cherub or a Fallen Angel." she replied, deliberately ignoring Alastor, whose ears flattened against his head in annoyance. "It can therefore only be a mistake that sent this poor soul down here. We must find it before any harm comes to it. You can understand this, Lucifer!" she protested, looking at the King, but he, exhausted by his earlier panic attacks, sighed, rubbing his temples.

"Sera, you're giving me a headache…"

Sera tensed at this response, wondering if Lucifer understood the urgency of the situation.

Meanwhile, the new voices intrigued little Pomalucia, who fluttered her eyelids and woke up. Rubbing her small eyes with her fists, the baby yawned softly before looking ahead… but she saw no one. She was a little surprised since, ever since she was born, she had always seen someone leaning over her bassinet, but she didn't panic since she heard talking not far from her. Cooing softly, she began to look at her feet, which she wiggled under her blanket… before Hustle tumbled onto her because of her movements. She let out a light laugh, pushing her plushie away with her hand, and smiled, looking at the two soft little phoenixes that framed her and seemed to smile back. Cooing gently, the baby reached out to them, and the two plushies fell onto her… but instead of crying, the little princess cooed happily, hugging them close. Without her noticing, her small hands began to shine with a beautiful golden color as they stroked the soft fabric.

"Lucifer, the situation is serious!" Sera protested, annoying her former friend, who glared at her.

"I mostly feel like you're looking for any excuse to continue the Exterminations!" the King snapped, sitting up before Alastor chimed in:

"If it's so serious, where are the Archangels? Michael could have made the trip, couldn't he?" he chuckled, outraging the Angels. "Oh, even better, let all five of them come! It'll be a beautiful family reunion, won't it?"

"Al…" Lucifer groaned, hitting him on the chest to shut him up.

"The Archangels are not yet aware. We are trying to handle this calmly rather than alerting all of Heaven. Hell may not operate this way, but we, in Heaven, are more orderly." the Head Seraphim replied, glaring at the Radio Demon.

"Would you like me to show you how orderly I am, my dear?" the Sinner growled, indicating that the Seraphim was testing his patience.

"Alastor, calm down!" Charlie worried, running to join her hotelier while Lute raised her sword.

But just as the tension became palpable, two fireballs suddenly flew over Lucifer's head, alarming everyone, before they began to circle the lobby, making little bird sounds.

"What?" Charlie exclaimed.

"What the hell is that?" Cherri shouted, looking at Angel, who shrugged.

"Ooooooh! It's pretty!" Niffty smiled before trying to catch one of the things.

"What in blazes is this? You've trapped us, haven't you?" Lute raged, furious, before throwing herself to the ground to avoid one of the phenomena.

The latter then brutally collided with Razzle, who was fluttering in the hall, and the two creatures rolled on the floor to Lucifer's feet. And there, the King gasped, seeing what had just caused all the commotion.

It looked like a fledgling bird, a little smaller than Razzle, with large wings whose feather tips seemed to be made of flames. Its plumage was soft and a beautiful blood-orange with a red belly sprinkled with orange and gold stars, while the inside of its wings was a flame-blue with sparkling white stars. The feathers on its head resembled flames that went from blue to red, while those on its tail seemed to be composed of white smoke, and it wore a scarf around its neck in a beautiful chocolate brown with music note patterns, held by a deer head-shaped brooch.

"Hustle?…"

The little phoenix looked up, hearing his name, and, seeing his creator, a smile appeared on his small red beak before he chirped joyfully like a chick, flapping his wings.

"But… how?…" the King choked out before another chirp made him turn his head to see a second little phoenix hovering next to them.

Just like its brother, its wing feathers seemed to end in flames, and its tail feathers seemed to be composed of white smoke, but its down was orange with a very light yellow belly with sparkling white and blue star patterns, just like the inside of its large wings, although the stars there were red and orange. Its flame-like head feathers were a color gradient from red to blue, opposite to Hustle's, and its neck was elegantly adorned with a starry scarf held by an apple-shaped brooch.

"Bustle!?" Lucifer stammered as the two little ones joined together, framing Razzle, who looked at them, smiling, and began to chirp joyfully, flapping their wings. "But… but it's impossible…" the Fallen Angel choked out, incredulous.

"Lucifer! What is the meaning of this!?" Sera protested, pointing at the little phoenixes flying with the little dragon.

The King of Hell looked up at the Seraphim, trying to find a way to justify the sudden and incomprehensible appearance of the little flame birds… when a joyful baby's squeal rang out.

And immediately, Lucifer felt his blood run cold!

Sera froze at the sound, as did Lute, while Hustle and Bustle immediately flew towards the bassinet. They then landed on either side, making it rock slightly, and the baby inside raised her hands to stroke their beaks, cooing happily.

"What?…" the Head Seraphim gasped.

That was all Alastor needed to teleport with his shadow right next to the small bed. Chasing away the two phoenixes and ignoring his daughter's laughs as she happily babbled, the Radio Demon began to carefully swaddle the little one to hide her angelic attributes. Fortunately, Sera didn't follow him. She stared at Lucifer, incredulous,… then she raised her hand. Only the Fallen Angel's soul reacted to her magic, proving what she had realized.

"So you have given birth…" she said in a calm voice.

The King sighed and sat down again, his legs trembling too much to support him.

"Yes. Yesterday. It's a little girl." he said automatically.

"And when were you planning to tell us?" Lute growled, disgust evident in her voice, while Lucifer glared at her.

"What? Did you want an announcement card?" he snapped as Niffty joined Alastor, her angelic dagger pointed at the Angels, and her furious gaze clearly telling them not to approach.

"I would have told you upon returning, Sera." Emily intervened, trying to diffuse the atmosphere. "It didn't seem that important at the moment since you were looking for a lost Angel…"

Sera looked at her protégé, seeming worried,… then she sighed.

"Indeed… even though the birth of a new Morningstar is a serious matter, the most important thing for now is to find this poor lost soul." the Head Seraphim acknowledged as Alastor finished swaddling the little girl. "Lucifer, you must let us search."

The King of Hell glared at them to hide how terrified he was.

After all, the Angel they were looking for was in the same room as them!

Turning back to Alastor, he saw that his partner had managed to block the baby's wings to hide them and to fold her halo as close as possible to her head. The little girl now seemed to have shiny antlers on her head… but it was still better than nothing. Pomalucia babbled happily, reaching out to her father, the Radio Demon seeming to struggle to contain the small, swaddled wings. But an Angel's wings are not meant to be covered! So he had to act fast!

"Very well…" the King sighed as his lover approached, holding their daughter as tightly as possible. "But you must not use this incident to resume the Exterminations!"

"Lucifer, if the Winners begin to fall to Hell instead of ascending to Heaven…"

"Wasn't it you who said that one time isn’t enough?" he taunted, Sera immediately falling silent. "That's what I thought. Since Sir Pentious has been in Heaven, if there were going to be a problem, you would have seen it already. But if another similar incident occurs, we'll be happy to worry more about it." the Fallen Angel smiled, amused to see Lute fuming with rage.

Sera sighed, running a hand through her hair, resigned.

"Very well. We will search Hell without harming anyone unless we catch a Sinner preying on this poor soul. Once we have found this Angel, we will report the incident to the Archangels but not to the Elders. Unless another similar incident occurs, we will not resume the Exterminations."

"Sera!" the Chief of the Exorcists protested while Lucifer smiled, extending his hand.

"Deal."

Resigned, Sera accepted Lucifer's hand and sealed the agreement. The Head Seraphim momentarily returned to her angelic form with eyes all over her body and her face resembling a bird's, while the King returned to his demonic form, his horns growing on his head and his six wings powerfully unfurling, just like Sera's. A powerful energy then buzzed in the air, forcing everyone present to close their eyes and cover their ears if possible. Alastor tightly held Pomalucia against him, his ears flattened against his head as he emitted a static hum… but the baby, for her part, watched what was happening with wide, round eyes.

After a few moments, the two parties released each other's hands and returned to their usual forms. Still exhausted from the previous day's birth, Lucifer even collapsed onto the floor.

"Dad!" Charlie panicked, joining him with Alastor, the Radio Demon holding their daughter with one hand.

"Lucifer!"

"It's nothing… I'm fine…" he breathed while Sera sighed, quickly tidying her hair.

Pomalucia, for her part, looked at this tall stranger with interest, especially at the six large wings on her back. Then, another winged person approached her, starting to get agitated as her two wings flapped furiously before Emily joined them, seemingly trying to calm her down. The beating of the Angels' wings seemed to marvel Poma, who cooed, reaching out to them.

"Pomalucia, be still." Alastor whispered, adjusting the baby, but the little girl cooed and babbled, struggling.

"Alastor? Are you okay?" Charlie worried, seeing her hotelier who seemed to be having trouble holding her little sister, intriguing Lucifer, who raised his head to see what was happening.

"Alastor, my dear, you're holding her wrong!" Rosie protested, approaching, wanting to take her little niece.

Except that as soon as she was less constrained, Pomalucia's wings began to move a little more, and she took the opportunity to spread them wide, as she had seen the others with wings like hers do. The action was so abrupt that Alastor couldn't hold her back, and the baby's instinct made her flap her golden-feathered appendages and, to her two parents' horror, they had enough strength to abruptly lift her from the ground to an impressive height.

"POMA!!!" Lucifer was horrified, seeing his baby take off, immediately alerting the entire lobby.

Sera and Lute gasped, seeing the baby with her sparkling wings and golden halo.

"Impossible…" the Exorcist was horrified while the Head Seraphim turned white as a sheet.

"How?…" she trembled, horrified.

Especially since now that she had taken off, Pomalucia was laughing out loud, her tiny arms flapping the air as if trying to stabilize herself even though she tended to spin around, and a great light shone all around her…

As if she had become a star!

The lights of the hotel, as well as the shadows, seemed to react to the power of the little one, whose laughter chimed like a thousand tiny bells, alarming everyone present in the hall. To be honest, they didn't know whether they should fear the light or the shadows more. The only ones marveling were Niffty, whose eye shone like a little girl's, and Husk and Angel's two twins, Mitten being open-mouthed with sparkling eyes while Misty smiled and meowed, reaching out and flapping her own wings, as if trying to imitate the little princess. Emily gasped, seeing the power emanating from the newborn, especially since she felt a strange sensation throughout her being. A sensation similar to the one she felt when a new Angel arrived in Heaven… but stronger!

As if the baby had the power of a thousand Angels! … But how was that possible?

Charlie immediately stood up, terrified, watching her little sister who was laughing out loud and flapping her wings, quickly finding herself at a considerable height with her little phoenixes flying around her, chirping joyfully.

"Dad, what do we do?" she panicked, turning to Lucifer, the King trembling so much that Alastor had to help him stand up.

He, too, felt that strange sensation… but unlike Emily, he had felt it before! Several times even! … and it terrified him!

"This can't be true…"

Except that before he had time to calm down, Pomalucia stopped shining and flapping her wings, then began to plummet like a stone! Despite his baby's laughter, Lucifer screamed, seeing her fall, fear making him forget his own powers, but fortunately Vaggie reacted quickly by opening her wings and immediately taking off, catching the little one in her arms before returning to Charlie.

"Thank you, Vaggie." the young princess smiled as her father ran to retrieve his baby.

"Poma… my baby… my little apple…" he sobbed, hugging her as tightly as possible, kissing her tenderly between her two ears, making her coo joyfully.

"Little troublemaker." Alastor smiled, joining them, stroking his daughter's little curls as she raised her laughing eyes to him. "Luckily for you, your mother is immortal, and I'm already dead."

"Damn, Al, do you think that's something to say?" the King protested, turning to his lover, who chuckled, amused.

But suddenly, a shadow fell upon them, and when Lucifer turned around and saw Sera, he was horrified, hugging his baby to keep her close to him.

He knew what was going to happen!

Sera, for her part, was paralyzed, looking at the Morningstar newborn. Pomalucia innocently raised her head towards the Head Seraphim with her wide, curious eyes, chewing on her fist while her father held her tightly against him.

"A Seraphim baby…" the tall Angel gasped, looking at the baby's six wings.

"Sera… I…" Lucifer trembled as Alastor held his partner and their daughter close to him.

"What is this ignominy!?" Lute protested, approaching, furious. "How can an Angel be born of a Monster and a damned scraps!?"

"Dare to repeat that, bitch!" Alastor protested, his eyes taking the shape of a radio dial.

The Exorcist responded by drawing her sword, ready to kill a Sinner, but Sera stopped her. She didn't take her eyes off little Pomalucia, terribly disturbed by what she saw. The baby clearly had infernal attributes like her eyes which promised to become as red as blood… but the most striking were her wings and her halo. Unlike most Angels who have wings as white as doves', the little princess had wings as golden as gold! Even in Heaven, this was not common. Some, like Adam and now Lute, gained them through their status… but those who had gold in their wings upon arrival were extremely rare!

To be honest, Sera had only seen it once… and that was on the wings of the Fallen Angel in front of her!

"Lucifer… how is this possible?…" she asked, her voice still muffled by shock.

"I don't know…" the King admitted, looking down at his baby who was looking at him, smiling, placing her tiny hands on her father's cheeks. "Pomalucia was born like any other newborn in Hell… like Charlie… and… these wings unfurled barely an hour ago…"

"An Angel born in Hell… but… it's impossible…" she choked out, looking at the little girl whose six wings were gently flapping.

"It seems that impossible is not Morningstar!" Alastor chuckled, attracting Pomalucia's attention, who smiled, looking at him.

Lucifer glared at him, growling at him to be quiet since it wouldn't help anything, before Sera uttered the words he dreaded so much.

"Lucifer! Give me that child!"

The Fallen Angel was immediately horrified, hugging his baby tighter to him, even taking refuge against Alastor's chest, whose antlers began to grow to appear more menacing.

"Sera, you're not thinking of…" Emily was horrified, hoping she was wrong, but the Head Seraphim insisted:

"This baby is an Angel! You know as well as I do that the place of Angels is not in Hell, Emily. We must bring this little one back to Heaven."

"You have no right!" Charlie protested, joining her father, forming a barrier between him and the Angel.

"We can and we will!" she exclaimed, extending her hand towards the King.

But suddenly, Niffty lunged at Sera, growling, alarming the Seraphim, who immediately backed away, before she drew the dagger, her hair all disheveled with anger.

"No one will touch the little Princess Roach!"

"Drop your weapon, you filth!" Lute raged, raising her sword, furious.

Vaggie drew her spear, ready to fight, while Angel and Husk retrieved their twins to put them in safety. Cherri, for her part, pulled out some of her bombs, ready to act,… but Rosie stopped her, placing her hand on her shoulder.

The situation was tense enough as it was!

Pomalucia became frightened, hearing the growls around her, Lute's outraged screams, and clearly feeling the fear of her father, who was holding her as tightly as possible against him. She began to whimper, worried, before starting to cry in terror. Immediately, a powerful wave of energy spread throughout the hotel, blowing out all the light bulbs from the overload. Everyone was scared and protected themselves from the glass debris, those with wings using them to cover themselves… before everyone's shadows seemed to come alive. The black masses then moved away from their original master and stood between Sera and the couple.

"What?…" the Head Seraphim gasped.

"Alastor, what the fuck are you doing!?" Lucifer protested, turning to his lover.

"I have nothing to do with it…" the Sinner choked out, incredulous, watching the black creatures that stood up, growling at the Angels.

"What?… But then who?…"

The King fell silent, aghast, which alerted his lover, who looked at him, before looking down, realizing that the only person who could have done this was the precious little thing in his arms. Alastor also understood it by observing what was happening before his eyes.

Instead of copying his own to serve him or hide him as he does when he uses the shadows around him, these shadows were the residents' actual shadows! They were a part of them! A more primal, more animalistic part that had awakened and taken shape in these creatures to protect Pomalucia!

His child was just as capable of controlling the Light as the Shadows!

Looking up at Lucifer, both look at each other, understanding that their daughter possessed a power that only they could comprehend and contain… and they couldn't help but smile, feeling proud that their baby had a part of their respective powers. But alas, Sera had understood it too!

"Lucifer Samael Venus Morningstar!" she exclaimed, paralyzing the King when he heard his full name used. "This child cannot stay in Hell!"

"On the contrary, her powers seem to tell me that she belongs right here." Alastor taunted as the shadows hissed at the Head Seraphim.

"Her powers are far too great to remain in this kingdom." she protested, her face showing that she was finding it increasingly difficult to remain calm. "An Angel's place is in Heaven! So we can resolve this calmly… or we will have to use force!" she threatened, which delighted Lute but horrified Emily.

"Sera!"

"No one touches the Princess Roach!" Niffty growled, her angelic dagger pointed at the Angels and her face contorted with anger.

Entrusting their two daughters to his companion, Husk began to growl, bristling his fur and fluffing his wing feathers. Even if he didn't like Alastor much since he owned his soul, the bartender couldn't let someone separate a child from its parents. Not when he was a father himself! Rosie had also stepped forward with Charlie and Vaggie, ready to intervene if necessary.

It was clear that no one at the Hazbin Hotel would let Sera take the little princess!

"Very well…" the Head Seraphim sighed, resigned. "Then it will be by force!"

Nonchalantly, she straightened to her full height… and spread her wings wide. The silvery reflections of her feathers brutally reflected the light, virtually blinding all the residents, the two twins beginning to cry, rubbing their eyes, and making the shadows hiss, immediately retreating, resuming their original roles. Alastor suffered the most from the Seraphim's technique, his eyes suddenly seeming to burn him as if he had been hit by acid.

"Sera, stop!" Emily protested, who, like Lute, did not suffer from the sudden light.

Although she couldn't see very well, Niffty reacted by instinct and leaped, screaming, towards the Angels, her dagger raised to stab anyone who dared try to approach the baby… but Lute reacted immediately, knocking the little maid farther away. Sword raised, the Exorcist threw herself at the one who killed Adam, and although the fight was unequal, the two opponents fought fiercely.

"Lute, no!" Emily tried before turning her attention back to Sera, who had reached Lucifer.

Weakened by the birth and the agreement he had made with his former friend, the Fallen Angel was unable to flee, and Alastor and his friends were still blinded by the brilliance of the Head Seraphim's wings. He could only hug his little girl tightly against him, hoping to protect her as Sera reached her hand toward the frightened infant.

"Sera, please…" Lucifer trembled, sobbing, terrified but feeling that she was using her powers to make him more cooperative.

But just as the Angel was about to take the little princess, Emily's symbol reappeared on the baby's forehead and violently pushed the Head Seraphim back, who cried out in astonishment, falling back from the shock.

"Your Majesty!" Lute panicked, leaving Niffty to join her chief, the other Hazbins slowly regaining their senses now that she had lost her concentration to keep them subdued.

Sera trembled as she straightened, recognizing the blessing of a Guardian Angel there, and turned towards her counterpart.

"Emily…" she choked out, horrified as the little Seraphim looked away. "What have you done?…"

"I did what I thought was right." the little Angel replied, daring to approach Lucifer to help him stand up, allowing the King to better hold his baby who was crying, frightened.

"Emily! You know as well as I do that an Angel does not belong in Hell! Her place is in Heaven!"

"Perhaps if she were an innocent or virtuous soul or a Heaven-Born. But Pomalucia was born in Hell, Sera! Her being an Angel changes nothing!" the younger one protested as Alastor and Charlie joined their companion and father to make sure everything was alright.

"Do you even realize what you've done?" Sera protested, eyes appearing on all her curls as she stood before Emily. "You have just condemned this poor child to a life of suffering here, in Hell, when her place is in Heaven!" she said, squeezing Lucifer's heart who felt she was speaking the truth… but the little Angel of Joy also took her semi-angelic form with an eye appearing on her chest and her halo.

"No, Sera! You're the first to say it when a child's soul arrives in Heaven! That their place is with their family and that we must try to reunite them! If Pomalucia goes to Heaven, she will be separated from her family! What she needs to be happy is her parents!"

"Emily!"

"Sera!!!"

The powerful voice that suddenly boomed paralyzed everyone. Even those who didn't know it couldn't help but feel crushed by the weight of the power it radiated. Even Alastor put his pride aside, unable to stand upright and confident in the face of this voice that preceded the appearance of a golden portal. Lute immediately fell to her knees and bowed, visibly terrified, as three winged figures appeared. Lucifer was paralyzed, recognizing them, as was Sera, who turned livid when the three Archangels Michael, Raphael, and Gabriel stood before her. Aside from Niffty, who didn't really understand who they were, all the Sinners backed away at their appearance. Especially since, judging by their faces, they were not happy to be there.

They even seemed furious!

Michael and Raphael both had set faces, looking hard as stone, and their gaze would chill anyone's blood! Even Alastor felt a shiver of terror, much to his shame, although the Archangels' eyes were not on him. Gabriel, for his part, remained just as imposing although his posture showed once again that he was young, his crossed arms showing his displeasure and the nervous tapping of his finger on his arm, as well as the twitching of his wings, revealing that he was struggling to contain himself. Pomalucia began to whimper, worried by the power she felt emanating from the Archangels, but Lucifer looked down at her and rocked her tenderly against his chest.

"Shh… don't cry, my little apple. Everything is fine." he whispered, stroking his baby's cheek.

The little girl calmed down and smiled at her father, who smiled tenderly back before looking up at his brothers. Fortunately, their anger was not directed at him.

"Michael…" Sera worried, turning to the Archangels.

"What is the meaning of this, Sera?" the Prince of Heaven questioned, his halo shining brighter with anger as several eyes appeared on his face, their gaze furious and moralizing. "I thought I told you that we respect Lucifer's choice! No Exorcist has the right to enter his Kingdom until we have ruled on the future of Redemption!" he reminded her, chilling Lute's blood as she lowered her eyes. "So how is it that Abel comes to me to tell me that Lute and you suddenly left?"

"Abel…" Charlie gasped, recognizing the name while a small smile appeared on Emily's face.

"We did not come to cause harm, Michael…" Sera began, knowing very well that she had already overstepped her bounds.

"In that case, is this related to the soul that Saint Peter was looking for earlier?" Raphael asked, but although innocent, the question was posed terribly coldly, showing his anger.

"I… indeed…" the Head Seraphim sighed, looking up at her superiors. "Saint Peter came to inform me of this situation…"

"Then why did you not see fit to warn us, the Archangels?" Michael resumed, furious and making her lower her head in fear. "And why did you come to investigate in Hell with Lute? Gabriel could have just as easily delivered the message!"

"Yeah, that's my job!" Gabriel snapped, his wings beating harder with anger.

Lucifer couldn't help but chuckle, seeing his little brother, still just a Cherub, acting this way when something displeased him. This intrigued Pomalucia, who looked at her father before looking at the Archangels… and she started to smile.

"Gabriel, calm down." Michael sighed, turning to his younger brother while Raphael continued:

"Sera, I hope you don't imply what I think."

"Raphael… if this soul is neither on Earth nor in Heaven… where else can it be if not here?" the Head Seraphim justified, still refusing eye contact.

Before the Archangel could answer, a soft baby's squeal caught their attention, making them raise their heads, losing their furious expression.

"No, no, no, shh!" Lucifer gently grumbled, hugging his little girl close to him to hide her.

Unfortunately, her six little golden wings were not very discreet, and her halo glittered gloriously on her head. The three Archangels froze, seeing the baby, Raphael and Michael being like statues while Gabriel gasped, putting his hands on his cheeks.

"Oh, Great Heaven!" he exclaimed, completely forgetting to hold himself properly as he flew straight towards his older brother, kneeling before him to get a better look at the newborn.

Alastor frowned, not knowing whether he should be amused or disconcerted that the Messenger of Heaven had the same kind of behavior as the two Morningstars, while Pomalucia smiled, looking at the Angel with the cherubic face.

"She's so beautiful." Gabriel whispered, stroking his little niece's cheek, who happily squealed, grabbing his finger, sensing that he would do her no harm. "Awww Luci, she has the same wings as you." he pointed out, smiling and stroking the little golden feathers with his other hand.

Lucifer couldn't help but smile, feeling nostalgic for the last time he had been so close to his little brother, before looking up at his other brothers.

Michael was surprised, staring at the baby in his twin's arms, but he clearly tried to remain neutral. He did not have the right to take Lucifer's side despite them having been close. He had to be fair and impartial! Raphael, for his part, seemed suddenly rooted to the ground, holding on to his pilgrim's staff as best he could. He was clearly disturbed… because he knew what this meant.

Seeing her chance, Lute straightened up and pointed at the King of Hell, vociferating:

"You see, Your Majesties? This monster Lucifer's child is an Angel! We did well to come down here! We were able to discover the deception before he uses her against us! We can surely still save this soul if…"

But Michael simply turned to her with a look as hard and sharp as a sword, paralyzing her enough to make her fall silent and drop to her knees to the laughter of Niffty and the mocking smile of Vaggie, before he looked at Sera.

"Sera?" he simply asked, awaiting her explanation.

"I don't understand it myself, Michael…" the Head Seraphim sighed, straightening up. "The fact is that this child is undeniably an Angel, and Saint Peter sensed an angelic soul that was not in Heaven. According to our laws, her place is in Heaven…"

"What!?" Gabriel choked out, turning towards the Seraphim before looking at Lucifer, who lowered his eyes, hugging his little girl tighter while Alastor pulled him closer, growling.

"And what is preventing you from taking her back to Heaven?" Raphael asked, his youngest brother struggling to contain his indignation as he mumbled.

Sera clenched her fists, trembling and her gaze sad. She feared what would happen if she answered.

"Well…"

"Because I don't accept it!"

Everyone turned to Emily, the little Seraphim standing straight and her gaze sure, daring to meet Michael's eyes.

"Emily!" Sera was horrified, but her young counterpart justified:

"It doesn't seem right to me that this child should be separated from her family on the pretext that she is an Angel. Pomalucia was born in Hell. Her parents are Lucifer and Alastor. She has a family, people who love her and who will take care of her even here. She must stay by their side!"

"Michael, in other circumstances, I would have been ready to listen to these arguments!" Sera exclaimed, raising her head before looking at the baby. "But this child possesses a power far too great for her age. Look!" she said, raising her hand.

Everyone looked up to see that she was pointing at the little Hustle and Bustle. The two little phoenixes were playing with KeeKee, the cyclops cat hopping, trying to catch them as they flew and chirped joyfully around her. Seeing her little companions again, Pomalucia smiled and cooed, reaching out to them, attracting their attention before they flew towards her to snuggle against her or into Lucifer's neck, who smiled at the little chicks.

"These… creatures… she managed to bring them to life!" Sera sighed, trembling.

"Really?" Gabriel marveled, gently reaching out to little Hustle, who let him stroke the top of his beak with a smile.

"She also has the power to control the Shadows and the Light. She doesn't control them, and that could be dangerous for…" she began, but Michael simply raised his hand to silence her.

"Sera… are you looking for excuses?" the Archangel asked, astounding the Head Seraphim while Lute tensed in horror.

"Your Majesty! These are not excuses!" she protested… but Raphael simply tapped his pilgrim's staff on the floor.

A golden portal opened under the Exorcist's feet, who was immediately sent back to Heaven despite her screams, to the laughter of Angel and Cherri while Vaggie smiled, delighted that her former friend had been silenced.

Now sure that they wouldn't be interrupted by Adam's former second-in-command, Michael approached his twin, who was trembling, worried about his baby, even though his gaze was hard and full of resentment as he remembered what happened the last time he needed his brother. That look seemed to hurt the Archangel, judging by how his gaze softened.

"Michael…" Gabriel sighed, saddened and wanting to help his brother.

His elder brother signaled him to be quiet, not taking his eyes off Lucifer, before looking down at Pomalucia, who was framed by her two little phoenixes. The little girl was chewing on her fist and cooing, observing the wings and the face of this stranger who look like her father. Despite knowing he was less powerful than an Archangel, Alastor began to growl, doubling his size, only one of his hands being necessary to hold both his daughter and his companion. Charlie dared to approach, her eyes turning red as her horns grew, standing ready to intervene if they tried to harm her little sister.

"Your Majesty!" Vaggie worried, wanting to avoid a confrontation that her girlfriend wouldn't survive.

"Be without fear, Vaggatha." he simply said, looking up at his twin. "Raphael? Is this soul lost?"

Raphael, in turn, approached, extended his hand without attempting to touch the baby, and made the little Pomalucia's soul shimmer, who laughed at the pretty light. The brown-haired Archangel smiled tenderly, seeing his lost older brother in this little one, before lowering his hand.

"I have no need to guide her anywhere else, Michael." he simply said, leaning on his staff, making Emily and Gabriel smile with pure happiness while the Prince of Heaven simply nodded.

"Then I have no intention of taking your child, Lucifer. Her being born an Angel changes nothing about the rules. The Hell-Born remain in Hell." he declared, shocking his twin who was already expecting the worst.

"But Michael…" Sera attempted, but Raphael prevented her from approaching by blocking her path with his staff.

"Sera, these rules date back to the founding of Heaven. If you are so certain that we must respect them without thinking, then you must accept that Angels can be born in Hell and stay there." the Guide of Souls simply declared.

The Head Seraphim was horrified while Gabriel quickly clamped his hand over his mouth to prevent himself from laughing, knowing that Sera could not counter her own argument. The Archangels' words reassured Charlie and Lucifer, who calmed down, but Alastor still remained vigilant. The King's three brothers looked at him, a little intrigued, but they all looked at each other with a smile.

"It seems our presence here is no longer necessary." the pilgrim Archangel calmly stated as his elder brother nodded.

"Lucifer!" he began, alarming the concerned one. "As you know, we must inform our brothers and the Elders of the birth of the new Princess of Hell. But you have our word that Heaven will not attempt to retrieve this little Angel. If her soul was able to be born in Hell, then things were meant to be this way!" he declared solemnly… before being interrupted by an annoyed sigh from his twin.

"Blah blah blah… and then I'm the one who's too theatrical? Can't you just say that without all the drama?" Lucifer smiled, amused.

"Dad!" Charlie worried, concerned that her father's words might outrage the Angels.

But Raphael and Gabriel chuckled, the pilgrim concealing his smile behind his staff while the young Messenger of Heaven clasped his hands over his mouth like a child, and Michael rolled his eyes.

"And here I thought Hell had taught you respect…"

"Except here, I'm the King! I command respect!" the Devil smiled, proudly showing his sharp fangs while Alastor rolled his eyes, returning to his normal size.

"Of course…"

"You, shut up!" he snapped, glaring at his lover, annoyed by his smug little smile.

A cooing from Pomalucia made them look down at her, seeing their little girl smiling happily, reaching out to both her dads. Alastor bent down to rest his forehead on his little Angel's, the baby cooing happily, placing her hands on her father's cheeks. While Gabriel's eyes began to shine with adoration, like Charlie's, who was touched by her hotelier's behavior, Raphael and Michael exchanged knowing looks.

"Well." the Prince of Heaven sighed, shrugging. "I suppose our presence is no longer necessary."

"But Michael…" Sera tried again, but Raphael took her by the arm, making a portal appear.

"Let's go back, Sera." he simply said, guiding her through the golden opening.

"Emily." Michael resumed, catching the little Seraphim's attention. "You will come directly to give me your report when you return. And you will add your goddaughter's name to those of the Heaven's Protégés."

"Of course, Michael!" she smiled, curtsying.

"Charlotte. Lucifer." he continued, intriguing the two Morningstars, who looked alarmed, but he simply smiled, nodding. "Continue what you are doing. Whether we like it or not, change must happen. And it seems that Redemption is a first step."

Charlie froze before smiling so widely that her cheeks almost hurt. She could barely stop herself from screaming with joy while Vaggie took her hand to pull her back to Hell. Lucifer smiled, seeing his princess so happy before looking up at his brother, nodding to thank him without a word since his pride forbade it.

Having nothing more to say, Michael turned around and headed towards the portal… before stopping.

"Gabriel. We must go back." he simply said with a serious but amused tone.

His younger brother, who was cooing with their new little niece, jumped at those words and flew towards the portal. Before crossing it, he turned to the Sinners and gave them a grand salute.

"Nice to have met you all!" he said before stepping through the portal, bringing the hotel's usual atmosphere back.

The tension suddenly vanished, the residents seeming able to breathe again. Charlie couldn't hold back her scream of joy any longer before jumping into Emily's arms.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Emily! Without you, Pomalucia would have been taken to Heaven by Sera!"

The little Angel of Joy smiled, happy to have helped her new friends, while Alastor blinked, looking bewildered, staring at where the Archangels had stood.

"Is it a genetic trait that makes all Morningstars, those in Heaven and those in Hell, behave the same way?" he asked, making Lucifer laugh, who shrugged.

"Officially, they're not Morningstars… but perhaps there's something our family passes down genetically."

"In that case, I hope Pomalucia inherited more from me, so she doesn't have such childish behavior." the Radio Demon said, annoying his companion, who glared at him.

Their daughter's cooing stopped the argument, making them look down at her to see the little one snuggling little Bustle in her arms with a big smile, the little phoenix cooing at the affection. Charlie smiled, hearing her, and moved closer to her father, bending down to her little sister's level.

"Awwww! You love your Hustle and Bustle, don't you?" she cooed, catching the baby's attention, who squealed happily, reaching out to her big sister.

The Crown Princess couldn't resist and gave a big kiss on her younger sister's cheek, who cooed. Alastor and Lucifer couldn't help but smile, seeing the two sisters interact this way, as did the other residents of the Hazbin Hotel, while Emily happily fluttered her wings, glad to have helped keep this family complete.

It seemed that the Light had managed to find its place in Hell after all, somewhere at the Hazbin Hotel…

In Heaven, Sera was outraged to see the three Archangels who seemed to completely ignore the problem. An Angel born in Hell and remaining there! It was completely irresponsible! But the worst part was that they were excited by the birth of Lucifer's baby!

"Did you see her tiny wings, Michael?" Gabriel marveled, his wings fluttering with excitement. "I've never seen wings so small! They're so cute!"

"Gabriel, calm down." Michael smiled, even though his smile was gentler as the young Messenger of Heaven continued to gush on his own, and Raphael joined them.

"You felt her aura like I did, Michael. Didn't you?"

The Prince of Heaven looked touched then and nodded.

"Lucifer had the same one… back then…"

"What!?" Sera was horrified at these words, reminding the two Archangels that she was still there. "This child is a Bringer of Light!?"

"Calm down, Sera. There was nothing to fear." the blond Archangel assured, placing his hand on the Seraphim's shoulder. "Her power seems significant because she is very small. But Lucifer will know how to control it without a problem."

"And her small, round cheeks!" Gabriel continued to marvel, small hearts seeming to float all around him. "She's so adorable! Do you think Charlie was like her when she was a baby, Raphi?" he asked, turning to his second eldest, the pilgrim laughing at his childlike behavior.

"Why don't you go ask Uriel? He can tell you."

"You're right! Quick, quick, let's go see him!" the youngest exclaimed, grabbing his arm and pulling him along. "I can't wait to tell him to see his face! And we have to warn Azrael! I'm sure even he would melt for this little fawn with her cute little ears!"

Michael burst out laughing, listening to his younger brother's chatter before following them, leaving Sera alone in the middle of the clouds.

The Head Seraphim was paralyzed with horror. How could Michael and Raphael be so calm? Lucifer had just given birth to an Angel in Hell! And not just a simple Angel! A Bringer of Light! Until now, there had only been one… and he was now King of Hell! That meant this child would one day be as powerful as her father!

It was inconceivable that an Angel with such power would be raised in Hell! It didn't matter that she was born there!

"Sera!"

The concerned one turned her head to see Lute flying towards her. Quickly landing, the Exorcist immediately questioned her superior.

"What happened? What did the Archangels do to Lucifer? Did they understand that we had to resume the Exterminations? And the baby, where is she?"

Sera raised her hand to silence her then sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"I thought they had moved on… that they understood he wasn't the same… but I was wrong…" she mumbled.

"Who is 'they'?"

"The Archangels. Michael decreed that even though Lucifer's baby was a Bringer of Light Angel, she must remain in Hell because she was born there."

"What!?" Lute protested, furious. "We can't let that happen!"

"I agree. The situation is too serious." the Head Seraphim exclaimed, determined. "For now, we cannot act. The ban on Exterminations prevents the Exorcists from descending into Hell, and the Archangels are on alert. But we will find a way to bring this Angel back to where she belongs. Right here!"

"The sooner the better! We can't let those scraps of Hell corrupt a Bringer of Light!" the Chief of the Exorcists growled.

The two Angels nodded, agreeing that they would have to intervene despite the Archangels' prohibition, before calmly returning towards the gates of Heaven.

If there was one place the Light needed to be, it was in Heaven! Not in Hell!