Chapter Text
MARITAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
- INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS
This document serves as a binding legal agreement between the parties involved. The agreement will clarify the separation details and establish the terms for custody, visitation, and other relevant matters.
1.01 IDENTIFICATION OF PARTIES.
This agreement is made between Lucifer Morningstar, hereafter referred to as “Husband,” and Lilith Morningstar, hereafter referred to as “Wife.”
1.02 DATE OF SEPARATION.
The date of separation of the parties was October 25th, 1925.
1.04 MINOR CHILD(REN) OF THE MARRIAGE.
There are/is 1 minor child of the marriage of the parties. The minor child(ren) are/is as follows:
NAME DATE OF BIRTH
Charlotte Eve Morningstar August 12th, 1532
- CUSTODY AND VISITATION.
2.01 CONFIRMATION OF PRIOR ORDER.
The parties’ custody and visitation order, filed on October 19th 1925, in the parties’ dissolution case, shall be confirmed and incorporated by reference as the custody and visitation provisions of this agreement.
2.02 CUSTODY.
Lilith Morningstar and Lucifer Morningstar have agreed upon the visitation of Charlotte Eve Morningstar for Lucifer Morningstar.
2.03 PARENTING TIME/VISITATION.
(Name) Lucifer Morningstar shall have parenting time/visitation with the minor child(ren) as follows: Set up 3 weeks in advance, and only for 2 days
2.04 NOTICE OF CHANGE OF RESIDENCE.
Neither party may change his/her residence or that of any minor child of the
parties without 21 days' prior written notice to the other party.
- CHILD SUPPORT…
—
Summer: 1926
The golden portal shimmered as Lucifer stepped through it, changing into his human disguise. He formed a cute button nose and pointy elf-like ears, his eyes turned to a sky blue, his skin gained more color, and he grew just a smidge taller. Still an angel, and a powerful one at that, this was easy for him. He changed his clothes into a more suitable outfit for this time period.
He scanned his surroundings. He was in a bayou or swamp of sorts, getting mud all over his boots with every step.
It could be good to be invisible for a bit to figure out the mannerisms of this period in time. He thought. Especially since I’m going to be staying here for a while.
Doing just that, he found his way out of the bayou and started to walk around town, trying to get a feel for the locals.
I don’t know what Lilith was thinking, suggesting I interact with the mortals. He grimaced as he watched a plump white man, who smelled of booze, shove a dark-skinned child out of his way, but into the street, not caring as the small girl almost got run over. He glanced around and saw that no one batted an eye at this, only went on with their days.
He sighed and watched the girl for a few moments longer, making sure she was okay, before walking through the streets once more.
I hope this was a good idea.
—
Alastor’s fingers danced across the keys of the piano in the speakeasy, a joyous laugh escaping his lips. He’d needed this. He felt all the stress he’d had over the past few weeks leave every bone and muscle in his body.
After Alastor had finished the song and ordered a whiskey, his dear friend Mimzy walked up to him, face flushed with the amount of alcohol she’d consumed.
“Alastor~” She crooned, leaning up next to the bar, missing and having to fumble a bit so she wouldn’t fall. “You look so happy an’ I haven’t heard you play like that in ages! Did ya’ end up getting that radio job you’ve been wanting?”
“Ah, so nice of someone to take notice!” Alastor grinned as he sipped his whiskey. “Yes, I did end up getting my radio job!”
“Well, with all ya qualifications, they’d be daft not to hire you!” Mimzy tilted her head to the side. “Say, you ever seen that newcomer b’fore?” She slurred her words as she pointed to a small man sitting on the barstool, looking around at the joyful faces with a contented smile on his face.
Alastor tilted his head, scanning through his memories to find he had no recollection of the man. He knew he’d remember such angelic features. Those soft blue eyes, coupled with light blond hair and round, rosy cheeks. He was slender, but not unhealthy, wearing a loose-fitting light pink suit jacket paired with white pants and button up shirt and a dark red tie.
New around here, he assumed, shrugging and going back to Mimzy, who was outwardly staring at the poor man like a hawk circling its prey.
“No, I don’t believe I have,” He hummed and sipped his drink again.
“I’m gonna go talk to him,” She patted him on the arm and walked over to the unsuspecting man.
Alastor chuckled to himself as he watched their interaction. It was clear to everyone but Mimzy that the man was very awkward and very much not wanting her advances.
Alastor decided to take pity on the strange man and walked over to the other side of the bar.
He patted Mimzy on the shoulder and spoke, “Mimzy, stop bothering this poor man.” Alastor looked to the other man. “I’m sorry about my friend here, she’s had too much to drink.”
“Have not!” She protested.
The man gave them a warm chuckle and a kind smile. “Ah, it’s fine, my good man.” He waved them off. “It’s happened at least 3 other times tonight alone. Though the others didn’t have someone to help -ahm- shoo them away, so to speak, so you have my gratitude for that.”
Alastor grinned as he sat down on a nearby barstool, Mimzy forgotten. “Well, I can’t take all the credit. She has a way of charming her way into conversations, whether it’s wanted or not. I’m just here to make sure she stays out of trouble.”
“I must say, you are doing a very good job at that.” The man took a sip of his drink and leaned against the bar, looking out at the crowd of smiling faces with his own small smile. “I haven’t seen a crowd of smiling faces this large in years…”
“People have a way of making others smile in the hardest of times.” Alastor looked back over at the man over the rim of his glass.
“I guess,” He glanced over at Alastor, “Do you have a name, or shall I just call you my knight in shining armor?”
“Ah, yes!” Alastor held out his hand to shake. “Alastor, Alastor Heartfelt! And you are?”
The man seemed to hesitate before shaking his hand, “Lou Mange. Pleasure to meet you.”
—
Alastor saw Lou frequently that summer. He mostly wandered around the city, but sometimes Lou would join him for a drink, and they would talk long into the night, their drinks forgotten. After leaving the bar, they would laugh together as Lou walked him home through the streets of New Orleans. Sometimes Lou would join him for a nightcap, or they would simply read in the same room, enjoying each other’s presence.
There were a few close calls where Lou almost discovered Alastor's nightly activities (murdering people). Lou had a habit of taking late-night walks through the bayou, too lost in thought to notice Alastor hurriedly fleeing in the shadows. One night, Alastor finally mustered the courage to ask Lou about it, walking to the strange man who was sitting on the floor.
“Why are you wandering around the bayou this late at night?” Alastor had walked up to Lou and asked, instead of running off into the night for once. “You do know there’s a murderer on the loose?”
“I could ask you the same question,” Lou answered without even looking away from the firefly that had chosen to perch on his hand.
“Well, I asked you first,” Alastor retorted.
Lou chuckled and sighed, “Fair enough. I guess it’s because I missed the peacefulness of nature. Y’know how loud and crowded the city can get; so at night I come out here, just for a bit of peace.”
Alastor looked at him thoughtfully. Yes, he did know what Lou meant, for before he’d started killing, he’d go out to do the same thing.
“Why are you out here, though?” Lou patted the ground next to him, and Alastor sat down next to him, watching the fireflies fly around them, sometimes landing on Lou’s hands.
“It reminds me of my mother. She’d love you, I’m sure of it.” Alastor looked at the smaller man’s face. Lou had a lazy smile on, and it was directed at Alastor. For some reason, it made him feel like the fireflies that were slowly flying around them were suddenly in his stomach.
That’s new, He thought as he cleared his throat and continued. “I don’t see her much since she spends most days at home. The doctors can’t figure out what’s wrong, but it seems to be terminal.”
“I’ll have to meet her before she passes then,” Lou’s baby blue eyes, round and glassy, looked at him for a split second, but in that second, Alastor could see clear empathy in them.
“I’m sure she’d love that,” Alastor smiled softly.
—
Fall: 1926
“Hey, I’m leaving for a couple of weeks,” Lou said one day during a nightcap.
“Oh?” Alastor raised an eyebrow. “Have you finally gotten tired of the turmoil the New Orleans weather has on your ‘perfectly sculpted hair’?”
Lou laughed, but then looked sad for a moment. “No, I-I’m just visiting family. I haven’t seen them in a while, since before I moved here, actually, but I miss them terribly. So I arranged a little meet-up so I could see them again.”
Alastor looked at a loss for words at the sudden honesty. “I-uh,”
“You don’t have to say anything, I just thought I should let you know since I’m leaving tomorrow morning.” Lou rushed in to say.
Alastor only nodded and sipped at his drink before Lou decided to retire for the night and left his house.
“Hey, Lou?” He suddenly said, looking at his best friend. “Good luck.”
“Thank you, Al.” Lou looked genuinely touched as he walked out the door into the pouring rain.
I should give him an umbrella, He thought, but by the time he got outside with the umbrella, Lou was nowhere in sight.
Was I really about to offer someone else something of mine? He shook off the thought and walked to his room to retire for the night, not at all missing the comfort Lou brought to his home.
—
Alastor slid onto the piano bench of the speakeasy with a theatrical sigh, flipping his hair in a showy manner.
“You’re late,” Lou said, arms crossed, lips twitching upwards in a ghost of a smile.
“I was perfecting my look.” Alastor straightened his already annoyingly perfect tie. “Unlike some of us, I don’t just roll out of bed and hope for the best.”
Lou’s eyes narrowed, though a smile betrayed him. “If you spent half as much time practicing on the piano as you do on your hair, you might actually impress someone.”
“Maybe I’m not trying to impress just anyone,” Alastor replied, fingers dancing over the keys, a smirk growing on his face.
“Good, because your tie is already doing all the heavy lifting.” Lou laughed, flicking the garment a little.
—
Winter: 1926
“Maman? C'est moi!” Her son called as he opened the door. “J'ai amené quelqu'un pour te rencontrer!” Mom! It’s me! I brought someone to meet you!”
“Ah! Mon Trésor!” Amélie Heartfelt beamed at Alastor as he walked through her bedroom door. “Comment vas-tu, ma chère? Bien manger, j'espère?” How are you, my dear? Eating well, I hope?
“Ah, maman!” Alastor laughed, holding his beloved mother’s hand in his as he sat down next to her. “Je vais très bien, maman. Comment vas-tu ? Vous vous sentez mieux?” I'm doing just fine, Mom. How are you? Feeling any better?
“Bah, these old bones still got some fight left in them!” She exclaimed, waving her hand at him. “Now you said you wanted me to meet someone? I hope it’s not another medical specialist.” She warned.
“Ah, no, Maman,” He chuckled sheepishly. “He’s a friend of mine. Lou?”
A small, but handsome young man walked through her door, a nervous smile on his face. “Evening, ma’am,” He held out his hand for her to shake. “Lou Mange, pleased to meet you.”
She smiled warmly at the newcomer and took his hand in hers, patting it softly. “Ah, I finally get to meet you! My dear boy has spoken so highly about you these past few months.”
Lou raised an eyebrow at that, but said nothing, only glancing over at Alastor.
Amélie looked over at her son, who looked almost caught when she said those words, with a small flush on his face and a frozen expression. “Ah, well, he’s one of the few friends I have, and I talk about them all equally as much!”
Amélie didn’t want to pass up the chance to tease her son a little bit, so she theatrically leaned in close to Lou, stage whispering, “All the time I tell ya! It’s so cute how his face lights up talking about ya!”
“Ma-”
“He talks about me?” Lou looked surprised for a second, but then grinned mischievously. “Oh, does he now?” He glanced over to Alastor, whose face was flushed a light crimson. Barely noticeable, unless you knew him as well as Lou and Amélie did.
“This was a bad idea…” He sighed as he rubbed his face. “I should’ve known the amount of embarrassment you too would create.” But Amélie and Lou paid him no mind, as they were swapping embarrassing stories about Alastor as though he wasn’t there.
—
Lou lounged against the doorframe, watching Alastor fuss over the battered piano.
“You know, most people play the piano—they don’t try to dismantle it,” Lou quipped, eyebrow raised.
Alastor shot him a sidelong glance. “If you’re so knowledgeable, why don’t you come fix this sticky key yourself?”
“I’d rather not risk catching whatever’s growing under those keys. Do you ever clean this thing?”
Alastor smirked. “Careful, your delicate constitution is showing. Maybe I should fetch you some gloves and a fainting couch.”
Lou grinned. “Chivalrous of you, but I manage just fine. Besides, I’d hate for you to strain yourself trying to impress me.”
Alastor’s hands paused above the keys, eyes glinting. “Trust me, when I want to impress you, you’ll know.”
—
“Nightcap?” Alastor suggested, as though he wasn’t already being partially carried by Lucifer because of how drunk he was.
“Nah, I think it’s bedtime for you, mister!” Lou smiled as he hoisted his friend’s body onto his shoulder in a fireman’s carry.
“Nooooooo,” Alistor whined, honest to god whined, and banged his fists against his back like a child,
“I’m literally supporting all of your weight right now,” Lucifer laughed as he unlocked Alastor’s door to his apartment.
“How come you never get drunk?” Alastor bemoaned as Lucifer tossed him unceremoniously onto his bed and knelt to take Alastor’s shoes off.
Angel biology. It takes a lot more alcohol than normal to get me drunk. He thought bitterly as one shoe popped off.
“I guess I’m just better at hiding it than you,” is what he said instead.
Alastor groaned, rolling his head around, as Lucifer was able to pop his other shoe off. “S’not fair!
Lucifer chuckled and stood up, face to face with Alastor. “What isn’t Al?”
“You're too pretty! Do you know what it’s like being around you all the time and not acknowledging how breathtakingly beautiful you are?”
Well, that was not the answer Lucifer was expecting, and it took a lot of willpower not to flush. Willpower, he didn’t have, apparently, as a steady red flush made it’s was onto his cheeks. He was never more grateful that he didn’t have gold blood in this form, especially when Alastor cupped his face and leaned in oh so close.
“...You are soooo drunk, Al,” Lucifer teased, poking Alastor in the stomach, willing his flush to go away. It didn’t, and Alastor took notice.
“Ah, I was wondering how the pink would tint your cheeks.” Alastor smiled as his own drunken flush became darker. “So pretty.”
Lucifer was about to say fuck it and kiss him silly when Alastor collapsed onto his lap, snoring softly.
Lucifer breathed out a sigh that was somehow simultaneously annoyed and endearing, because of course! God must be laughing in his face right now.
Lucifer tucked his best friend into bed and, since he was feeling bold, kissed his forehead goodnight. “Goodnight, my dear.”
He could’ve sworn he saw Alastor form a sleepy smile at the kiss, but it was probably his imagination.