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Lucifer leaned back in his armchair, clear signs of anxiety making his face crumple in on itself. Charlie wondered if he knew that one of his sclera had gone a deep red. She reached over to rest a hand on the one tearing the fabric on the arm of the chair.
“Don’t worry dad,” She comforted, a bright smile lighting up her face. “It’s going to go great, I just know it!” Charlie’s heart soared at the immediate effect of her words. Her father inhaled a deep breath and returned her smile with one that bordered on shy.
“Thanks sweetie. Are you sure it’s not a problem?” Lucifer asked for the nth time.
“pft. Don’t you worry about a thing! I’m a pro at this.” She replied playfully. Charlie could feel Vaggie’s tension next to her. Her girlfriend was more wary about the idea but Charlie knew that they could do it, especially if they worked together.
Lucifer finally stood from his chair and kissed her forehead lovingly. “Good luck, Char. I know you can do it. I’ll be ready.” Charlie preened under the encouragement, distantly relieved at the easy affection that resulted from years of rebuilding and effort.
“You can count on me!”
The first step was convincing him to leave the hotel in the first place, which already proved to be a feat. Alastor drummed his fingers over his microphone and looked at Charlie as if she had grown two heads overnight. “Wouldn’t you agree that I am better served here while you’re away?”
Damn his logic. Charlie straightened her posture and rested her fists on her hips. “It’s only for the afternoon, I really need your help on my….research.” She really should have thought of a more believable excuse before approaching Alastor.
The Radio Demon quirked an eyebrow and stared at her for a moment. She could practically feel his gaze as he read into her expression. Dammit, two minutes in and he was already suspicious. Curse his natural paranoia.
“Please?” Charlie finally said, employing her best puppy dog eyes. Those typically didn’t work on Alastor they way they worked on Lucifer. But the closer he became to them as a family, the more his walls has softened. So long as no one pointed out that fact, she would use it to her advantage.
Surprisingly, Alastor hummed and eventually caved. Which was a relief because she was beginning to worry Vaggie would attempt to drag him out. “Well, consider me intrigued in your suspicious activities. Lead the way, my dear.”
Charlie breathed a sigh of relief that was all too conspicuous but as long as Alastor was intrigued, he’d be distracted. Which was the whole point of this affair.
They left the hotel with no further incident. Alastor walked behind her with a song playing over his radio waves. He hummed along as they walked closer to the city. She was happy to see his shadow was with them too, chirping along as it hid inside her own shadow. The presence of the creature told her it wasn’t left to spy.
Charlie yelped when Alastor was suddenly at her side. “Where are you leading us, princesse? I must say this is out of the norm.”
Charlie’s mind raced as she thought of an excuse. The more Alastor’s gaze bore into her the more she began to panic. think think think
“Lu Lu World!” She blurted without further thought.
If Charlie was half as good at reading Alastor’s expressions as she thought she was, she could tell he was thoroughly unimpressed. “Charlie-” He drawled. She could tell he had a lot more to say but since he and Lucifer had confessed to their relationship, she could tell he tried harder to connect with her. Alastor cleared his throat. “Alright. But how about a short cut?” He suggested before they were enveloped in the shadows.
Charlie was an odd duck, Alastor knew that from the start. However, this was odd even for her. The princess was pointing out all of the hidden details in every nook and cranny of the park her father built. Alastor tuned her out a little bit ago, having already received a similar tour from the man himself.
Alastor recalled that day. Lucifer had brought them here after hours so they were alone. They walked the park hand in hand and spoke about nothing and everything. He could never admit it, but it was one of the finer times they’d spent together.
He tuned back in when Charlie hesitantly grabbed his wrist. “This way!” She directed, giving him a smile that mirrored Lucifer’s. He allowed her to lead him where she pleased. It was clear she had ulterior motives for this whole trip but she happened to catch him in an amendable mood.
It would take all the tortures of hell to make Alastor admit it, but the day turned out to be one he enjoyed. Charlie happily showed him everything she could, recalling stories from her youth when Lucifer built the park to her wishes. Similarly, he watched as Vaggie listened with a dopey smile on her face. A smile that spoke volumes about the way she felt about the princess.
It was a smile he knew he had worn many times before, hidden in the bayou with the King of Sin in his arms. When did he become this? So weak to the affection of the Morning Star?
“What are you thinking about?” Vaggie asked quietly beside him, knocking him from his reverie. He looked sharply to his left. The angel looked up at him with a knowing smirk.
Alastor clicked his tongue and looked away from her, feeling thoroughly caught.
It had taken quite the miracle on Charlie’s part but with enough convincing she was able to drag Alastor onto a few rides. She didn’t care what he said, she knew he had enjoyed a least a couple of them.
She continued to check her phone, waiting for the go ahead from Lucifer. She chewed on her lip at the absence. Charlie was good at distracting but her talents only went so far when Alastor was involved. On cue, the Radio Demon cut into her thoughts.
“Well, as entertaining as this was, I believe its time for me to head back before your father lights the kitchen on fire.” He said with a recorded laugh track.
“Wait!” Charlie called out a little too frantically if Alastor’s raised eyebrow was any indication. “uhhh. Are you sure you don’t want to try the teacups?”
“Charlie, my dear.” Alastor responded with a suspicious grin. “What is it you’ve been hiding all day? Secrets aren’t your strength and I am beginning to wonder what this charade was all about.”
Charlie hemmed and hawed for a moment, wringing her hands as she attempted to formulate a believable excuse. “Well uh…Dad-no. I uh...”
“What about your father?” Alastor asked, taking a step closer. “Did he put you up to this?"
Before Charlie could answer, Alastor’s shadows swallowed them all and brought them straight back to the hotel. “Al, no!”
They materialized inside the hotel lobby. All of the lights had been dimmed save for a few scattered candles. Alastor examined the room, finding it completely empty. “Another outage?” He wondered aloud to himself.
Charlie and Vaggie stood behind him nervously. “Al, we should go back…” Charlie suggested but Alastor just hummed.
“I am not sure what you’re up to, my dear, but this is incredibly suspicious.” His attention was captured by a familiar shadow on the wall by the stairs. The glowing red eyes and outstretched horns told him it was Lucifer’s. The shadow walked along the walls and took his own shadow’s hand, kissing the back of it before leading it upstairs.
“Oh.” Charlie breathed. “It’s time.” Alastor looked back at her in confusion but she simply waved her hand to direct him to follow.
Alastor followed the shadows as if in a trance. The shadows walked together happily, chittering to each other while they led Alastor through the winding halls and stairwells of the hotel. They brought him to his own door and slipped underneath.
Alastor stared at the doorknob for a heartbeat before he threw it open. He was surprised to see that his bayou was lit up with sparkling fairy lights strung in the trees. The lights melded with the fireflies that lazily floated about. They were always Lucifer’s favorite, he’d often lay on their blanket and compare them to the stars he used to create.
The shadows stepped off the wall until they were almost corporeal. They chittered and danced together as they led Alastor deeper into the bayou. He could distantly feel the connection the shared, the phantom sensation of his hand being held and his face being kissed.
Alastor stopped in his tracks when the shadows melted back into the soft earth, leaving him alone with Lucifer. The devil stood beneath a weeping willow, dressed in a form fitting black suit that accentuated his bright red eyes and flaming horns. It was a look he was used to, Lucifer was on edge.
“Hey Al,” He greeted with an agonizingly soft expression.
“What’s all this?” Alastor asked, gesturing to the lights with his microphone. Lucifer’s shadow rose just long enough to gently push Alastor forward while his own shadow took his microphone.
Lucifer reached out to take Alastor’s hand. He smiled softly while he ran a thumb over his knuckles. Slowly, he sunk down onto one knee.
Alastor’s static rose in volume as he watched, his dead heart jumping into his throat. “I can’t keep it in any longer,” Lucifer began. “I had this whole speech planned but-” He chuckled to himself and looked away from Alastor’s intense gaze.
Alastor squeezed his hand, his own grip becoming shaky. “I’m always a fan of a little improv.” He encouraged.
Lucifer’s smile rivaled the sun. “I don’t think eternity is enough time to tell you, Al.” He laughed nervously before continuing. “Will stay with me? Give me the honor of sharing forever?”
Lucifer held out his other hand, in his dark palm he held a golden ring carved to resemble a feather. Alastor could feel the angelic grace that radiated from the band. “Will you marry me?”
Alastor had lived both his life and his death fighting. He trusted few and loved fewer. Never would he imagined himself in this position, much less with the King of Hell on bended knee.
And never did he imagine the decision to be so easy.
“How could I refuse?”