Demon of the Airwaves - Redpandamaa (2024)

Chapter 1: And so it Begins

Chapter Text

Alastor's POV

He did his best to blink the haze from his eyes as he held his hand to his chest as he stood in the hotel kitchen. It had been two days since the battle, and his wound still hadn’t healed. Not only that, it showed no signs of improvement at all! His chest was being held together by magic and shadow. Green stitches, imbued with his magic, held the wayward skin together while his own shadow was tightly wrapped around his torso to keep his blood from leaking through. Regular bandages hadn’t been enough to keep the scent of blood away. He needed to make sure no one found out about his… situation. He was all but a sitting duck and there was no way he was going to allow anyone to know that.

He had never felt pain like this in Hell. The feeling of helplessness as his blood seeped out of him, almost unable to keep any part of it inside. He’d spend two days with this feeling and it reminded him too much of dying. He hissed through clenched teeth, forcing his smile to stay in place as he thrust those unpleasant memories back. At least when he had died, the excruciating pain had been short lived. Once the hunter had realised he was human the bullet which ended him had come quickly.

He forced his hand away from his chest. It wouldn’t do to have anyone find him like this. Adam had infused his attack with angelic power, a death blow for most sinners. It was no small hellish miracle that he was standing in the hotel kitchen as his shadow tentacles helped him prepare food. His hands shook too much to trust them while cooking. He managed to keep anyone from noticing the tremors when he was around them, but only just. The little magic it took to manipulate the tentacles was taking its toll on him, but it was better than the burning in his chest when he strained too much.

How am I alive?

He didn’t have an answer. By all rights he should have died from the blow that came after his cane had snapped. Rosie would say he has the devil’s luck… but no, Lucifer had terrible luck there must be some other force at play. He wasn’t the only one who had been lucky during the battle. Many of Rosie’s cannibals had barely made it after receiving wounds from angelic weapons. Lucifer was tending to the last of them today. He was the only one who could rid a wound of angelic influence. He may have been gracious enough to heal Rosie’s people because they had helped Charlie when she had needed it, but he would never do the same for him and he had nothing to offer other than leaving the hotel, and that was out of the question.

Should he even attempt to ask for help the irritating stump of a king would lord it over him like a carnival prize. His position was already shaky, since his return while he still retained his status, he had done nothing to expand his powers only focusing on defending the hotel. Because of that he couldn’t afford to look weak in front of anyone. Not the King of Hell not even Rosie or her cannibals could know. Even if he did ask, he wasn’t even sure Lucifer could help. He had seen many of Rosie’s cannibals injuries while still influenced by the angelic magic the weapons contained, and his own wound was very different. There didn’t seem to be any angelic power that he could feel but still the stupid wound refused to heal. He growled under his breath and regretted it immediately. The low reverberation in his chest aggravating his already painful gash caused black spots to bloom across his vision once again.

I can’t ask for help.

I can’t lose control.

He sighed and allowed himself to frown briefly.

I can’t die like this.

A little more, hold on for a little while longer. Surely this would start to heal in a couple days. If it didn’t, then… well then he would be forced to ask. By then he’d have no other option, he would have to cash in the favour he’d gotten out of Charlie. That way he wouldn’t owe anyone. Even knowing that was an option, he was reluctant to act. He doubted he would ever get Charlie to agree to a deal again, but he couldn’t die here and he certainly wouldn’t be indebted to the pint sized loudmouth.

He could feel his magic waning quickly as he cooked. It was taking less and less time for him to wear out each day that passed. Even with hiding out in his swamp and resting between meals he found that he was burning fumes by late afternoon. He’d end up missing out on his own evening meal tonight, he was too exhausted. He already was worried he wouldn’t make it back to his room before he passed out. Luckily he had made lamb stew and cornbread. It was an easy meal to serve. The table was laid thanks to Nifty and he would just put the pot in the middle for the ravenous horde to serve themselves and devour while he slunk off to sleep.

Carefully he made his way over to the door to check if the coast was clear. There would be too many questions he didn’t want to answer should Charlie find him using his tentacles to cook. She already had too many questions about why he had been missing so much since returning. Seeing no one, he brought the pot of stew and basket of cornbread over and slowly made his way to the dining room. Each step sent a jolt of pain through his chest. He grit his teeth and forced himself to breathe through his nose so he didn’t hiss in pain. One foot in front of the other . He told himself. Finally making it to the table he put the pot and cornbread in the centre. He pulled his tentacles back and slowly made his way to the lobby.

“Niffty dear, could you let everyone know dinner is ready?” He asked when he happened upon the chaotic mess of red that was stabbing at the floor. She looked up at him with a grin then scurried off. He sighed in relief as he let his face relax slightly, keeping his grin in place.

Good, I won’t have to walk up the stairs now.

He let himself sink into his shadow reappearing deep in his pocket dimension swamp. It took too much energy to travel this way, but at least it wasn’t painful. He usually didn’t sleep this far in, but should his sleep slip from rest into unconsciousness, he didn’t want anyone barging in because of the smell of blood that would result from his lack of ability to control his shadow. He closed his eyes, embracing the abyss of sleep and hoped that he wouldn’t wake up in a pool of his own blood again but somehow he doubted it.

*

Lucifer's POV

“Woah! Uh… Guys! you need to see this!” The spider demon known as Angel Dust called loudly to the room as he got up quickly from the couch. It would have been more accurate to say he stumbled off the couch and had only gotten to his feet as fast as he had due to his extra arms. It was the worry that was heavy in his voice that really had their attention. Angel Dust was holding his phone in his hands, a stunned and horrified look on his face.

Oh that can’t be good. He thought as Charlie tugged his sleeve and dragged him over to the spider demon.

“What is it Angel?” Charlie asked as the lanky demon held out his phone for the others to see, one of his many arms hitting the play button on the screen. He could make out the outline of the old hotel on the video; it seemed the recording was focused on the roof. His eyes widened as he stared transfixed as they watched an aerial recording of the fight, specifically the one between Adam and Alastor. But who had time to record the fight instead of helping? He was impressed the deer was holding his own. Something about the demon’s movements seemed off, almost like the Radio Demon was focused on keeping Adam occupied rather than trying to defeat him. Odd. He had to admit, the deer demon manoeuvred almost effortlessly as he danced around Adam, who became more and more frustrated. His breath caught as he watched the Radio Demon’s cane snap like a twig. Shiiiiiit was all his brain was able to think before the second blow landed. He was no fan of the Radio Demon… but the red menace took the blow like a champ somehow actually surviving the impact. The long gash in Alastor’s coat, which was quickly steeped in blood, spanned from his lower rib cage all the way across his chest to the demon’s shoulder. There was a lot of blood - too much blood to think he managed to survive without intervention - not even taking into account that that blow had been packed with angelic power. They all watched in horror as Alastor sank into his shadow and the video ended.

“Oh no, oh sh*t, how is he okay?” Charlie grasped his arm tightly as she rocked back and forth, breaking the stunned silence they had fallen into. There’s no way he could be. He thought to himself but kept quiet. He couldn’t think of a single thing he could say to Charlie without making it worse.

“Well we now know what happened. He’s still with us because he ran. Thank f*ck.” Charlie’s girlfriend Vaggie muttered quietly. He couldn’t share the sentiment, but he was glad she had phrased it in a way to reassure Charlie that the demon was alive. Vaggie leaned in and hugged Charlie to add further comfort to her words. His darling daughter abandoned his arm in favour of hers. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t hurt when she abandoned him. He could understand why she did, but it still hurt and he forced himself not to show it.

How is he functioning? He forced his thoughts back to the bigger problem at hand. Adam had used a power infused blow of angelic steel. By all accounts the Radio Demon should be dead if what he just watched was what actually happened. The irritable demon shouldn’t be able to stand and move around like nothing is wrong. Yet somehow he has been doing just that for the last two days. No Overlord should be able to survive that blow let alone walk it off. Hell, most of the Ars Goetia would struggle and many would have fallen. He hated to admit it, but he was impressed. The wound would be painful on its own, but the angelic power would make it feel like the demon’s whole body was on fire. How high was that demon’s pain tolerance?

“Dad?” Charlie asked quietly. Her arms still wrapped firmly around her girlfriend.

“Yes sweetheart?” He braced himself for the request to help he knew was coming.

“I- I know you don’t like Alastor… and he will probably not want the help either… but, could you try? Please?” Her watery puppy eyes melted all of his reservations about lending that forsaken demon a hand. She didn’t often ask for his help, but when she did… They were never small requests. Getting her a meeting with Sera seemed like a walk in the park compared to what he faced now.

“I will check on him. I won’t let the bastard die on you, sweetie.” He gave her a smile and brushed a few hairs behind her ear. Now where would he find one idiot Radio Demon? His nose told him the kitchen was most likely, given the inviting smell that had started to drift into the lobby. He resigned himself to the inevitable confrontation and set off in that direction. A mass of red skittered across the floor past him, halting briefly to announce “Dinner time!” Before doubling back the way it came.

I will never get used to that one.

Alastor would be cleaning up while the rest ate. He’d heard from Vaggie that Alastor never joined them for food, opting to not subject them to see what forms of raw meat he chose to eat. He looked back and gave Charlie a small smile before he made his way towards the kitchen instead of the dining room. He wasn’t sure how he was going to succeed in convincing the stubborn demon to accept help. He braced himself for a verbal and probable physical fight as he entered the room.

There was no noise in the kitchen, odd for the Radio Demon, there was always a low hum present when he was nearby. He scanned the room. It was tidy, but he spotted a knife, cutting board and a bowl on the counter. He wouldn’t have thought much of it if he didn’t know how pristine the demon liked things. No way he’d leave dirty dishes. But with no other signs of life or a pile of crumpled Radio Demon, he resolved that Alastor was not in the kitchen.

He made his way to the dining room. He didn’t notice the demon there either as he scanned the room. Not here then. He locked eyes with Charlie and she looked at him expectantly. He frowned and shook his head slightly before he looked at the stairs. Looking back at her, so she understood he was still looking for the annoying deer, he flashed her a little smile and made his way across the lobby to the stairs.

Had the slippery bastard skulked off without even saying goodnight? That would be unusual for the prim and proper demon. The thought was enough to make his stomach tighten. He was starting to worry in spite of himself. He quickly made his way up the stairs. He’d become familiar with the layout of the hotel while he remained there after the battle so he was aware of where the demon’s room was. He had been avoiding the side of the building with the radio tower in order to maintain the peace between them in the aftermath of battle. He stopped at the unassuming door. He took a deep breath and knocked.

He waited for an answer.

He knocked again and waited again.

Was he even in there or had he passed out somewhere? He sighed and tried to feel the demon’s presence. It was weak but it was definitely in there.

“Alastor, I’m coming in.” He announced before he tried the knob. He wasn’t surprised it was locked. It wouldn’t stop him, he had told Charlie this moron wouldn’t die, and he would keep his word. He let a little of his magic flow into the lock, until it clicked and he let himself into the room only to pause in the doorway in shock.

Why is there a swamp?

He blinked in confusion at the blue hue illuminating the room. Of all the things he thought he’d see in this room, that was not on the list. Nor would it have been on his third or fourth list of possibilities. Swamps were anything but neat and orderly. The only one who could even remotely claim to be in control in a swamp was nature, and everything bent to its will. Even more confusing, was that he could feel Alastor’s presence from within said swamp.

“Alrighty then.” He muttered and stepped inside. He was greeted by curious fireflies as he carefully made his way through the swamp. He could feel the presence getting closer the deeper he went. He passed what appeared to be a small house but that wasn’t where he could feel the irritating demon so he pressed onwards into the thick brush without further thought.

“Alastor?” He called out when he started to be able to hear the familiar radio static which indicated the other demon’s presence. He pushed his way through the heavy vegetation and was suddenly in a clearing. He barely kept himself from falling to his knees at the sudden change in resistance. He glanced around the small area. There was a swirling shadow on the opposite side of the clearing that seemed to perk its head in alarm as soon as he stumbled in.

“Alastor?” He called out again. The shadow arched as if it was hissing at him.

Definitely his.

“Go. Away.” Alastor’s voice emitted from within the shadow but the demon didn’t appear.

“As much as I would love to do that. I can’t.” He inched closer to the shadow which was now spiking around the edges in irritation. “I know you’re hurt and Charlie has asked me to check on you.”

“I’m fine. Go. Away.” Alastor replied from within his shadow. He noticed the radio noise seemed to be missing from his voice.

“Somehow, you hiding in a shadow doesn't inspire confidence in that statement.” He stopped in front of the swirling ball of black. “Now get out here so I can make sure you won’t die and get back to spending time with Charlie.” He huffed and tapped his foot to vent his irritation.

Stubborn bastard.

“I won’t die.” Alastor grumbled as he slowly sat up from within his shadow. The famous smile seemed strained as he sat there. The crimson horror remained where he was, allowing him to look down at the taller demon for once. The prick enjoyed lording over him, and would take every opportunity to get in a dig at his height. Seeing that Alastor wasn’t making a move to stand, meant things were worse than he was letting on and probably a lot closer to what he feared. He’s in a lot of pain.

“I told Charlie I’d make sure of that. Your word isn’t enough for me to go back and give her the all clear.” He shook his head and folded his arms, giving the demon below him a slight glare. There really wasn’t the usual venom behind the look. The deer before him was a mere shadow of the usual Radio Demon.

Alastor kept his smile in place but his eyes narrowed threateningly. He knew better than to make a move forward yet. A downed animal could still bite and they were more likely to lash out in panic. Not that Alastor would ever admit to feeling such an emotion, but in this state he didn’t need to admit it - it was clear.

“Adam got you good, didn’t he?” with no response from Alastor he traced on himself the wound he had seen on the video. “Split you from here to here, didn’t he? You’ll need me to take the angelic power from the wound before it will heal.” He bit back any teasing in his tone. He wanted Alastor to know that his wound was no secret, it also allowed for the implications that the rest of the hotel knew as well.

“Heh.” Alastor choked back a cough in an attempt to laugh. “Surprisingly it seems that part has been taken care of without your help.”

“Eh? Show me.” The statement didn’t make sense to him. How could Alastor have gotten rid of the angelic power on his own? He decided not to focus on that. He had managed to get Alastor to admit he was injured, and that was an astounding victory over the demon. The next step was to find out the extent of the damage.

“No.” Alastor growled. He watched as Alastor’s eyes scrunched in an attempt to hide the pain coursing through him. While normally he would have revelled at being the one able to help, but the longer he stood there, the clearer it was becoming that Alastor was barely hanging on. The worry began to sink deeper as Alastor made no further movement or attempt to speak.

“Has it healed at all? Or are you just slowly bleeding out?” He knew he could force Alastor to show him, but it would earn him no benefit. He needed the other to open up. Charlie wanted them to get along and this was the best olive branch he’d get where he had the upper hand. The demon had protected Charlie from Adam before he had gotten there. It made his chest tighten to think he could have lost her without him. If only for that, he owed Alastor a debt, and one that he might be able to clear now if he could get the stubborn fool to agree.

He pulled on his patience and waited for an answer.

“No. It hasn’t healed.” Alastor finally answered. The statement seemed to sap a lot of Alastor’s energy as his ears drooped against his head. Victory! He grinned and earned himself another glowered smile from the one below him. He sank down to his haunches, eliminating the height difference.

“Show me.” He purred and his smile spread, unable to contain the glee he felt as the other had all but admitted defeat.

Alastor’s smile twitched, betraying his frustration. His shadow had pulled itself in closer to him while his ears had gone back to full attention as if he was a threat to the demon. He waited for a response, he had made more progress than he had hoped for already and was rewarded yet again for his patience. Alastor reached up and undid his tie before opening four buttons on his shirt to pull it open enough to see the top half of the wound. He had expected to see blood and broken tissue across the demon’s chest. Only what he was seeing was just blackness. He glanced up at Alastor who sighed. The blackness, which must have been his shadows, slowly dissipated to reveal bare chest.

How the f*ck is he not dead!

His eyes widened in shock. Alastor’s chest was dominated by an angry oozing line of blood, held together by neat green stitches. His chest was also littered with so many much older scars. The life he had as a human had not been a kind one. Charlie was right to be worried. This moron had been ignoring the obvious need for treatment. He grit his teeth, from what he knew of mortals, their habits from life often carried over. Chances are, it was something he had picked up when he was human in addition to his stubborn pride. There were many sinners who had been conditioned to take care of their own wounds so they wouldn’t inconvenience others.

“You aren’t going to like what I’m going to ask next, but I need you to agree to it.” He looked up at Alastor. He wanted to be able to get a full look at the wound, but he could make due with the few inches he could see. It just meant that he’d have to physically touch the other.

“What is it?” Alastor growled but didn’t hide the wound or pull away.

“I’m going to have to put my hands on your skin around the injury in order to heal it.” He watched Alastor as he spoke, expecting some sort of rejection or outburst. The deer’s ears flattened against his skull.

“Fine.” The answer was almost whispered and came a lot faster than he was expecting. It seemed that Alastor had resigned himself to getting help when he had exposed the wound.

He leaned forward and let his fingers brush the abnormally warm skin gently before he concentrated. He was met with resistance. Alastor’s own magic responded to him like an invader. It was an abundant and wild power that resisted being tamed. In all his years, he’d never come across anything quite like it. It was an exciting challenge to dance around Alastor’s magic as it tried to stop him at every turn. It felt like he was trying to tame the sea just to be able to investigate the wound. Even in the state Alastor was in, it almost felt like there was no end to the wild power bubbling just below the surface of the deer. No wonder he’s got issues with losing control.

The idea of someone with less resilience trying to contain what he felt within Alastor left a bitter taste in his mouth. Many of the other Overlords would revel in the chaos. While the Radio Demon had risen quickly, the Overlords he had targeted were particularly nasty ones. He had directed the unrelenting force within himself to, in his own way, make Hell a better place. Alastor certainly had a twisted moral compass but he at least had one. Someone like the Vee’s would have used the power to seize control, wiping out everything in their wake and then try to push further still.

He shifted his focus to search out lingering angelic power. Unlike what Alastor had claimed there was angelic power in his body. What he found was familiar, however he couldn’t place it. It felt different from all of the other wounds he had treated over the last few days. He wasn’t sure who’s magic it was, but he was certain it wasn’t Adam’s like it should have been, given who had inflicted the injury. It felt startlingly like the wild magic was working against the angelic - the two cancelling out any progress like an equal force. That really didn’t make much sense to him. No magic should be able to rival that of angelic, no matter how much of it there was.

He tried to pull the lingering angelic influence from the demon in front of him but it refused to budge. He frowned and pulled again, harder this time, and the angelic magic sparked back at him, telling him he was not wanted. Alastor growled to keep from making a pained noise almost as if he had felt it too. He would have been amused at the more yelp-like noise it was if the situation was different but he was perplexed at the rejection he had gotten from the angelic magic Oookay… what the actual f*ck? Angelic magic had never resisted him before.

He dug deeper, not trying to pull the angelic out but just feeling it out. He could still feel resistance from it as he searched, but at least he was permitted to follow the path the angelic power was taking. His breathing started to increase as the dark panic of uncertainty set in his veins. It was everywhere and he wasn’t certain even he would be able to get rid of it. The angelic magic had seeped into all corners of his blood and held fast to their unwilling host. How is he still alive? As he searched further he was left with more questions. Not only was the angelic power everywhere, stranger still was that it didn’t seem like it was trying to harm Alastor. The f*ck is going on?

“You… uh, didn’t happen to feed on any of the exterminators or drink any angelic blood?” He mumbled as he scrambled to try and figure out what could have caused such a reaction. He had noticed that some of the cannibals had resisted the angelic magic that would have ended them because they had previously fed on the exterminators. But what he had felt with them was nothing like what he was sensing now. Even though he knew this theory was grasping at straws, it was the only theory he had.

“No… I was focused on keeping up the barrier and fighting Adam. I was unable to draw blood or taste it, unfortunately. Why?” Alastor’s head tilted and his ears shifted nervously. Okay, they are actually kinda adorable. Wait what? No. He needed to focus on the problem at hand; everything else could wait. Why had angelic magic invaded Alastor’s system and why wasn’t it trying to kill him?

“Very strange.” He mumbled. Could it be the wild magic that’s countering it? Slowly converting the angelic power to its own? It would explain why he knew the power wasn’t Adams but couldn’t figure out whose it was. It was a solid maybe for a theory. The magic in Alastor was strange, and it was holding strong against the angelic. Where did it come from though? It wasn’t the usual demonic energy he felt from sinners. Something to do with the reason sigils appeared sometimes? He’d have to look into what they were from, but probably some form of occultism.

“I apologise, I had tasted angelic blood prior to the fight. It was from the exterminator who died on the previous extermination day.” Alastor confessed quietly after a few moments. He was probably trying to figure out what was happening to himself as well. This man rarely let his control slip, being in a situation with so many unknowns must be a little overwhelming. He was frankly quite surprised the other wasn’t asking him about the reason for this line of questioning.

“I don’t think that would be recent enough to count.” He frowned. There were many parts of the Radio Demon that were shrouded in mystery, maybe this was just another one of them? It certainly was a mystery, but one that for the movement, wasn’t a priority. “There is angelic magic in you, but it doesn’t actually seem to be trying to harm you. It and your normal magic seem to be cancelling each other out. Without any magical boost to heal, you’re basically a human who’s been losing a lot of blood and not resting like they should. Good news is, I should be able to get this sealed at least so that you won’t bleed out, but you’ll owe me dinner.” He managed to finally explain to the oddly quiet demon in front of him.

“Pardon?” Alastor stiffened under his touch and his ears flicked forward, stretching as high as they could go, on full alert. Okay, maybe he’s dazed from the blood loss. It would probably do the other good to get something to eat as well.

“Dinner.” He repeated, trying not to smirk or laugh as Alastor’s right ear quivered slightly giving away what Alastor’s face wasn’t. “I’m missing dinner with Charlie to help you. I’ll be starving by the time I’m done so make lots.” He explained when he felt he wouldn’t betray his inner amusem*nt. When he isn’t keeping them still his ears are unbelievably amusing. It probably was the reason that Alastor kept them as still as possible, they really did betray his emotions.

“I… suppose that can be arranged.” Understanding dawned on the startled deer as he spoke slowly.

“Good. Now this will go faster if you can keep your powers from fighting me.” If he didn’t have to split his attention between fending off the wild magic and healing the gaping hole in Alastor’s chest this shouldn’t take too many hours.

Alastor blinked and his ears twitched in confusion but it wasn’t long before Lucifer started to feel the resistance from the wild magic recede. It didn’t look like a pleasant process for Alastor, his ears had flattened to the point parts of his hair stood higher than them. His signature grin was now only a thin curved line. What startled him the most was his eyes. Alastor’s eyes were open but were faded radio dials as if his eyes couldn’t focus. It was the most vulnerable he’d ever seen the feared Radio Demon. The shadow that clung to Alastor had gone all prickly like it was trying to guard the demon from him.

“Don’t worry Inky, I won’t hurt him.” He muttered to the shadow, surprised when he heard a faint chuckle from Alastor. Time to get to work.

*

Alastor's POV

His shadow was the only thing keeping him from falling over. He was grateful that he still had enough control to do that. He had to rely on its innate desire to protect him to do it but it held him close and kept him off the ground. Lucifer might not be paying much attention to him, but he felt too exposed and laying on the ground was, frankly, out of the question if the man was going to hover over him. At least in this position he could fool himself into thinking he had some degree of control over the situation.

Once he had convinced the storm inside him that was his magic to calm down enough to let the other in, a pressure was released and he felt the fallen’s magic surge through him. Lucifer’s magic was strangely warm and comforting like a summer nap in the shade. The foreign sensation had lulled his guard long before he had even noticed it was down. He didn’t have the energy to bother to change the situation. Instead he decided to just enjoy how it reminded him of some long forgotten memory he couldn’t even place, just the feeling was the same.

He wasn’t sure how long had passed since Lucifer had started to heal him or if he’d even been fully conscious the whole time and yet that didn’t seem to concern him as much as it should have. He blinked as the fog in his brain was clearing quickly due to the blaring circus music that was peeling out from Lucifer’s pocket. He hadn’t heard it begin, but it needed to stop. His ears were pulled back to try and block out some of the noise. He wasn’t sure why Lucifer made no move to answer it. Both of Lucifer’s hands were on his chest and glowing with a faint golden light and his focus was solely on the wound in his chest.

“Your Majesty, are you going to take that?” He asked with a huff. The noise was getting unbearable. It must be Charlie calling, only she would just let it ring as long as possible and then call back to have it ring some more.

“Oh, you’re awake.” Lucifer sounded surprised. Damn, I must have drifted off. He forced himself to not frown. Lucifer looked up at him with a small pleading smile. “If I stop, then we will end up back at square one. It’s in my left pocket if you wouldn’t mind answering. It’s probably Charlie.”

“...” He loathed the technology, but it wasn’t like one could carry around a proper phone. He let a frustrated breath out of his nose and carefully reached into the king’s pocket. Turning the device towards himself he pressed the green receiver on the screen with disdain as his smile faded to an almost straight line.

“Dad! Everything okay?” Charlie called out from the device. The worry was heavy in her voice which made Lucifer frown. He had been able to hear her clearly from where he had the phone. He shook his head slightly and he held the phone up to Lucifer’s ear.

“Heeeey Char-Char. Yeah, everything’s great.” Lucifer used his annoying sing-song voice. It hurt his ears to hear it almost as badly as the circus music. He closed his eyes doing his best to get the pounding in his head to cease. He no longer felt as though his body was trying to incinerate itself but he could tell his chest had yet to seal back together. His breath still caused his ribs to rattle painfully.

“You managed to talk to Alastor?” her voice was still laden with worry only this time it was directed at himself. He could feel his expression soften even with the pain. The darling girl was far too open and optimistic for the likes of Hell.

“Yep! And we aren’t even trying to kill each other.” Lucifer boasted proudly causing his eyebrow to twitch. His eyes snapped open and he had to bite down on his tongue to keep from groaning as Lucifer leaned forward into his wound unintentionally as he shifted position on the ground.

“Are you still with him?” He could hear the expectant puppy dog eyes in her voice. Lucifer looked over at Alastor giving him the opportunity to answer himself.

“Unfortunately.” He grumbled loud enough for her to hear and forced his radio filter over his voice. There were only so many answers that he could give to that question without Charlie becoming more concerned. He knew that more time had passed than she would expect their conversation to be because Lucifer had been surprised he had woken.

“Hey, I could stop right now!” Lucifer interrupted in outrage before Charlie could answer. Well now she knows her father is helping. He sighed. She would have questions… How had Lucifer known where his injury was? Did that mean Charlie did too? There wasn’t anything he could do about it right now so he pushed it from his mind.

“Can you?” He taunted, knowing that per what Lucifer had said before he had answered the phone, they’d be back to square one. He heard Charlie laugh with relief through the speaker at their banter.

“... Quiet crankypants, I liked it better when you didn’t talk back.” Lucifer scolded him, this time pressing on his chest intentionally. He grit his teeth and glared up at Lucifer. While Charlie thankfully couldn’t see them, he had no intention of letting on quite how bad the situation was. He needed to end the call soon, he didn’t feel like he would be able to maintain his usual voice much longer, and if that dropped he was certain she would soon join them in his swamp.

“As you can see Charlie dear, we haven’t killed each other… yet.” He masked his pain with the sweeter tone he reserved for her. He could hear the sigh of relief over the phone.

“Ah, okay. Please try not to.” She laughed nervously.

“You still owe me dinner.” Lucifer grumbled at him with a pointed look but he finally eased the pressure he was putting on his chest. He didn’t know what possessed the King to bring that up now, it wasn’t something that Charlie needed to be privy to.

“And I am a man of my word.” He answered honestly. Charlie’s nervous laughter stopped. Maybe she would assume they had struck a deal in order for Alastor to agree to healing. He doubted a meal in exchange was even remotely fair, but Charlie did know how often he brought up deals.

“I’ll make sure he’s right as rain for you Charlie, don’t worry duckling.” Lucifer quickly filled the silence.
“Okay Dad. I love you.” Her sickeningly sweet optimistic tone was back. He watched as Lucifer visibly melted as she spoke to him. He shook his head slightly and rolled his eyes. Lucifer shot him a glare before he brightened once again and replied.

“I love you too Char-Char.” Lucifer’s face was almost blindingly bright with emotion. It felt wrong to him, hearing Lucifer say those words but while he was looking at him. He slipped the device back into Lucifer’s pocket. He didn’t say anything, not that there was anything to say.

He closed his eyes and relaxed into his shadow. His ears twitched each time that Lucifer moved his fingers, but otherwise remained still until the other finally announced he was at a point he could stop. It felt good to be able to breathe without feeling like he would fall apart. He opened his eyes feeling the warmth in his chest fade as Lucifer stood up and stretched. He quietly redid his shirt and tie, looking up when a small pale hand was held out in front of him. He could get up on his own, but he decided to humour the short man and took the hand offered.

“Now.” Lucifer proclaimed and in a swirl of red smoke the two of them were in the kitchen. “Food.”

“Any requests?” Thanks to the healing that Lucifer had done, he felt worlds better than when had been cooking supper for the rest of the hotel. He could tell there was still more work that needed to be done, but he didn’t feel like he would collapse or that he needed to use his shadow to do the heavy lifting. He was also in need of food himself. His preference would have been something that had only just stopped breathing, but he didn’t have the energy for a hunt. Something from the kitchen would have to do.

“Something quick and plentiful.” The other man shrugged. Lucifer’s pristine white suit now had been tarnished by his blood. The king’s knees, shins, left pocket and cuffs all stained a dark and drying brown-red which brought a smirk to his face.

Jambalaya it is then. He began gathering ingredients and bringing them over to the counter next to the stove. He paused when he came across dishes drying on the counter. It wasn’t neat enough to be Niffty’s work. He guessed it was Charlie who had cleaned up after everyone. His eyes fell on his own favourite knife amongst the dishes. He smiled and started to hum as he collected it and the cutting board. There were a blissful few moments of silence from the blond who leaned back against the counter not too far away watching him work.

“What’s that you're humming?” Lucifer asked when curiosity got the better of him.

“An old song.” He answered simply while adding chopped vegetables into the pot.

“Obviously.” Lucifer scoffed. “It sounds happy.” He added after a moment.

He laughed then sang the words to the so-called ‘happy song’ knowing full well that it would stun Lucifer. “ Some day I’m going to murder the bugler. Some day they’re going to find him dead; I’ll amputate his reveille, and step upon it heavily -”

“Okay… I’m sorry I asked.” Lucifer’s jaw dropped at the lyrics and he held up his hands at the unexpected lyrics.

“ And spend the rest of my life in bed .” He continued even as the other protested.

“Wait… what?” Lucifer’s hands dropped to his sides and confusion set on his features. If the time he has spent around Angel had taught him anything, it was that it would be more awkward to stop there than if he sang the next few lines.

“ Oh! How I hate to get up in the morning. Oh! How I’d love to remain in bed; for the hardest blow of all is to hear the bugler call; you’ve got to get up, you’ve got to get up, you’ve got to get up this morning! ” He decided to stop there as he finished adding the meat, spice and rice to the pot.

“Only you would know a cheery song about wanting to kill someone.” Lucifer rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief.

“I know several.” He grinned and the radio in the corner of the room started to play some more of Arthur Fields’ songs. He hummed along as he stirred everything together. Lucifer seemed content to just watch quietly now and he was thankful for that. It gave him the time to ground his frayed and scattered brain. Control over his power and features came much easier to him now as he reset with the repetitive motions of cooking that his body knew how to do automatically. He was humming along to ‘When Yankee Doodle learns to Parlez Vous Francais’ when he heard something that shouldn’t have been there.

‘Rends-moi à nous!!’ a faint angry voice called from the radio. He froze for a moment before looking over at the offending object. That’s not part of the song. Something was wrong, radio was his medium, there weren’t any demons who might be able to influence it. Especially not this close to him without any other sign. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled and his ears twitched. It almost felt like his heart stopped beating for a moment as his brain placed what was said. He swallowed hard, he knew that voice but it was one he hadn’t heard aloud in almost a century. f*ck. He really didn’t need this new complication.

“What?” Lucifer’s voice cut through his thoughts.

“It’s nothing.” He responded and willed the song to change to some instrumental jazz as he tried to put the voice out of his mind. “Bad memories.” He added knowing there would be further questions if he avoided explaining. Nothing about that voice or what it was implying were things he would willingly get into anytime soon, and no way in Hell would he be talking about that time with Lucifer, he couldn’t even bring it up to Rosie yet.

“Ah, even the big scary Radio Demon is bothered by those?” Lucifer teased. It wasn’t his usual teasing and he hazarded a glance over at Lucifer who had his arms wrapped around himself.

“You would know better than most that you’d be hard pressed to find anyone down here who wasn’t.” He scooped a healthy portion of wonderfully spiced Jambalaya into a bowl before handing it to Lucifer. Times like these called for comfort food, not that it would take much convincing to get him to make jambalaya.

“Thank you.” Lucifer gladly accepted the bowl and dug in.

He didn’t need to wait for a reaction. It was his mother’s recipe, of course it was perfect. He got himself a bowl and leaned on the counter across from Lucifer. When the man wasn’t being obnoxious and over the top, he actually seemed capable of restraining himself to the point of being tolerable.

“My compliments, to whoever taught you to cook. This is amazing.” The shorter demon seemed torn between rushing through the dish to get more and savouring each bite.

“While I have my doubts my mother would appreciate garnering your attention. She would be pleased with the complement nonetheless.” He kept his gaze on his bowl as he smiled to himself.

“Ah. Not down here I take it? I’m glad.” Lucifer smiled gently. He looked up trying to find some hint that the other was teasing or trying to get a dig in at him, but found none. The other man seemed genuinely happy that his mother had ended up in Heaven.

“Me too.” He muttered sadly. He missed her fiercely but she was too good for this place. The heartache was worth the peace of mind that came with knowing that she never had to face an extermination day or be threatened into a deal. He had made sure in the years following his own arrival that should she somehow end up following him there, he had the power to protect her this time.

An oddly comfortable silence settled between them as they ate and he was pleased when Lucifer got himself seconds and then thirds. What an odd sight this makes. He was certain Charlie wouldn’t believe the two of them were able to peacefully eat together in the kitchen even if she should happen to wander in. He smirked at the thought.

“What?” Lucifer asked hesitantly with his spoon halfway to his mouth.

“I was just thinking.”

“Nothing murdery or otherwise death related?” Lucifer asked hesitantly. He chuckled at that response. Not that he’d blame the king for thinking that way, murder was on his mind a lot of the time.

“No, actually. I thought that Charlie wouldn’t believe this had happened if we told her about it.”

“She probably wouldn’t believe it even if she saw it.” Lucifer laughed. He shook his head, still amused at tonight’s turn of events.

She’d have a harder time believing that the two of us were laughing together.

As annoying as the short man was, he was powerful. He also had the potential to be useful. He had initially dismissed the hermit king, but the fight with Adam had driven home just how unfathomable the difference in their power was. Perhaps he would have to revisit his opinion of the other. This called for a cessation of hostilities for a little while as they figured out if the two of them could get along.

My, won’t Charlie be pleased.

Chapter 2: More than Meets the Eye

Chapter Text

Vox’s POV

‘Rends-moi à nous!!’

“Someone tell me what the f*ck that means!” He bellowed at the assistants scurrying about the room. It had been two weeks since that irritating voice had started to pop up. He had tolerated it initially, thinking it was just a glitch. Glitches happen all the time. Could be some new upstart trying to hack into their system to leech onto his power. Those happened now and then but he was quick to snuff them out. This was different. The voice kept happening and it increased in frequency. Now it was almost once an hour and he was thoroughly done with the noise.

It needed to stop now. It was bleeding through his broadcasts, popping up on Velvette’s posts and randomly appearing in Val’s films. Val was getting intolerable now that he had found out it was happening. He wanted to portray it as an attack from the washed up has-been Alastor. He couldn’t even do that, the radio wasn’t spared from the annoying interruption either. Whatever the Radio Demon was doing to keep the interruption from happening as often, he didn’t know but he wanted to find out. That demon wouldn’t tell him even if his life depended on it. His only option now was to find out where it was coming from and who was causing it. For that he needed to know what was being said.

“Ugh… sir?” One of the interns squeaked to get his attention.

“What?” He growled and focused on them.

“I-it’s French sir.” The intern mumbled nervously clutching the clipboard in their hands.

“And?” He snarled. That hadn’t been the question he had asked. He didn’t give two sh*ts what language it was he needed to know what it meant!

“Ugh… well you see, it - ugh, doesn’t seem right.” The intern hid slightly behind the clipboard.

“What do you mean?” He cooled his tone slightly, the idiot was wasting his time, but they did know the answer.

“Well, you see. The words mean ‘give me back to us’.” They shrunk from him, hiding further behind the clipboard as if the item would shield them. In the background the voice came again but each word was exaggerated with more intensity. Odd it hadn’t sounded like that any other time. Maybe it had reacted to the translation? If so, then that meant it was what the voice was trying to get across.

“The f*ck is that supposed to mean?” He grumbled immediately. Give me back to us? Who talks like that? They were in Hell, and there were lots of odd ways to say things, but he’d not heard of many things that referred to themselves as a collective.

“That’s what I mean sir. It isn’t right, but that’s what the voice is saying.” The intern cowered behind the clipboard. He rubbed the side of his screen. He hated having to think outside the box but what else could he do right now? He had no need of learning a second language when he was alive, and he refused to bother now. He did know that people found certain sayings perplexing that were used in English.

“Who do we know that speaks French? Maybe it’s slang?”

“I-i’ll go find out.” they yelped and scurried off.

He didn’t have time for this. Does it have something to do with her? It had suspiciously started not long after she had approached them. It wasn’t something that they could question her about either. She gave off the aurora of barely contained rage with a hint of disdain for having to sneak about in the shadows. He knew they were just pawns on her board. She saw them as expendable, but if her plans came to fruition, they would reap unimaginable rewards. A risk the three of them had decided was worth it but he was wondering now if that had been the right decision. Would she just wipe them out as well once she had gotten what she wanted?

He shook his head. No, this is for the best. I’ll get my revenge through her. He balled his fist, claws sinking into his palm. Alastor would pay. Their battle had almost ended him. He had only been able to get one hit in, but it had been a good one. One that had forced the smiling bastard to retreat. Something had distracted the Radio Demon to the point he had dropped his guard. He hadn’t been sure at the time what had happened, but in the days that followed he had investigated and everything pointed to one thing - howling. If he was right then it had been that noise that had distracted Alastor and allowed him to feel the flow of his blood on his claws. He needed to see fear in those red eyes and he felt sure he now had just the information that would allow him to see it.

*

Alastor’s POV

‘Rends-moi à nous!!’

The small device in the corner of the kitchen recoiled as if struck with an unseen force, a small trail of smoke rose from the speaker. Fury consumed him but he dared not let it out. His magic was clawing just below his skin to do get out, spurned on by his rage and frustration. Go AWAY! He fumed internally at the voice that kept sneaking onto the radio. A snarl escaped his throat as his claws sunk into the counter. It felt like his whole body was tingling as he did his best to ignore the persistent request. His shadow’s worried frown stared back at him as he forced his harsh breathing to slow. Something told him if he responded to it or even acknowledged the voice aloud, everything he had worked for since returning would crumble and he’d be dragged back there.

He’d worked too hard to escape the last time and he wasn’t one to try and fool himself into believing that he’d have a second chance to escape if he slipped up and was trapped again. No, he was convinced his escape had been a fluke, some miracle brought on by Charlie’s powers. He hadn’t been able to figure out how she had cast the lifeline for him, it certainly hadn’t been something she had intentionally done. No, given her shock at the time of his appearance and through his observation of her powers since, she was oblivious to how instrumental she had been in his escape. The static tendrils that had chased after him as he took his first steps in seven years had retreated upon seeing her. It had been clear in that instant she was the key to keeping him here, keeping him safe, and he had committed himself to her cause to establish any type of buffer between himself and that place. With everyone in the dark as to the reason he remained he protected himself further.

The thought of going back was enough for fear to root so deep down inside him he believed the irrational feeling. So he ignored the intrusion on his medium. He wasn’t hearing his human voice demanding his return. He hadn’t spoken French with anyone other than his mother since he moved out. Yet, now his screams were on the radio for everyone to hear in a voice he refused to use, in the language he kept to himself. No, it just wasn’t happening, no one would be able to connect it to him. He could avoid the pull that accompanied his screams. He needed to come up with a way to resist, to find a way out of the deal which held his soul trapped. It was the only way to sever the link to that place but try as he might, he hadn't been able to come up with anything.

“It would be helpful if I knew the terms.” He growled and fixed the deep gashes he had gouged into the counter. He had searched his memory over and over since he’d clawed his way back from the abyss that had ripped him apart. He had come up blank, at no point in his life or after, had he made a deal for his soul. Yet, the chain that he had dragged him off was irrefutable proof that he did, in fact, belong to another. He didn’t think it was something that one would be able to forget, and yet he had no memory of such a deal.

Even knowing who held the other end would be a start.

He hadn’t been able to see the one pulling the chain as he was thrown into that place. He had seen the chain, their magic was a deep blue. That fact had been clear in his memory as he had reappeared in front of the hotel. The only other clue he’d been given about how to get his soul back was a confusing note. He had known about the note, but he hadn’t been able to remember the contents. He had spent days trying to remember any part of that accursed note in the early days but nothing he had tried at the time had given him even a hint. No, it had taken being struck by Adam, almost dying and having Lucifer heal him for him to remember.

No puddle can contain what dwells within you. The swirling dark pools that comfort you are but the start. Embrace your waves and crash through the levees keeping you confined. Only then will what has never been yours be finally returned to you. Only then will you be able to claim the birthright denied to you and your family.

He wasn’t thrilled with the implications. It meant he’d never been in possession of his soul and there were only three people who might know the terms of the deal. One was unknown to him - the person who held the deal. One was dead a second time - the monster he had called father as a human. The third he had no access to and wouldn’t disturb their peace with his problem. Without more information all of his theories were sandcastles as the tide came in. He was being backed into a corner and the walls were closing in on all sides and his unknowing protector was losing her ability to keep the threat at bay. The only other thing he had been able to figure out about the note was that it had something to do with his ability to control shadows.

“Soooo this is where you’ve been hiding.” Lucifer called into the kitchen and interrupted his internal mulling over his problem. He sighed in relief for the distraction. The shorter man had been spending more and more time with him since his injury had been sealed. It was still healing, but it no longer pained him to move. Lucifer seemed to be enjoying their unspoken truce and how his treatment of the small man was no different than he treated the other residents. Lucifer didn’t seem to enjoy the attention he got from the other residents from his status and because of this had started to insert himself into his daily routine- Coffee, avoiding joining in on Charlie’s trust building exercises, one or two conversations during the day and on occasion drinks before retiring for the night. So long as Lucifer kept his manic energy under control, he was… tolerable.

“I’m not hiding.” He forced his voice to be cheery even as he spoke through gritted teeth without turning to face the king and turned the browning meat in the pan. It had turned a dark brown while he had been consumed by his thoughts.

“Sure, sure. If you say so. So if you're not hiding, what are you doing?” Lucifer asked and he heard the other hop up to sit on the counter. His eyebrow twitched, but the short blond had figured out there were limits that he could not press if he wanted to stay in the kitchen while he cooked. Sitting on the counter anywhere near where he was prepping or cooking was one of those limits. Happily at least the King had learned quickly not to do it again after being tossed by one of his tentacles back into the parlour with Charlie. It had amused him that Charlie had scolded Lucifer for intruding rather than himself for the violent treatment of her father. He had stopped directly and constantly challenging Lucifer, but he could still enjoy victory when Charlie sided with him.

“Cooking.” He sighed as he stated the obvious. He had taken to frequently making dishes for the hotel that required minimal prep, a low temperature and slow cooking process since his injury. Initially it had been because he couldn’t handle anything more than that. Now, it was to ensure he didn’t strain his chest and revert any progress that had been made. He was painfully aware of the limits of his own body right now. He had restricted himself to remain in the hotel as much as possible. It pained him, but he did as little as he could, using his shadows to dispatch the few threats that appeared. He maintained his current form as though his life depended upon it. He had started to shift during one of the skirmishes and had felt his body tear before he had gained an inch. His magic was making steady progress so long as he didn’t exert himself. King had fulfilled his promise to Charlie any further help would have him indebted to Lucifer, they had stopped being openly hostile but that was not an acceptable solution. While his magic was slower, it didn’t require him to offer anything up in order to be healed.

“That still sounds like hiding from Charlie’s trust exercises to me.” Lucifer teased. Charlie had stopped being so insistent on the two of them attending after Lucifer healed him. It hadn’t taken her more than a few seconds to sense the change in their opinions of the other. She had been overjoyed to find out that they were able to remain in the same room and be civil. Combined with how they seemed to be progressing more and more towards amiability daily, she had deemed their involvement in the exercises more a request than requirement and asked that they continue to work on what was developing.

“Do tell, why have you decided to invade my kitchen?” He asked as he shot a glance over his shoulder at Lucifer. The king was kicking his feet happily in his usual attire as he sat on the counter. The grin plastered on his face was unashamed of what he was about to say.

“Me? Oh, well. I am hiding. Other than your tower, this was one of the last places I thought she’d look for me.” The king had continued to assume the exercises were mandatory. Charlie’s conversation hadn’t exactly been explicit in her intent. He hadn’t corrected the man on the assumption.

“Stay away from my tower if you value the ducks that litter your room.” His eye twitched at the thought of Lucifer hiding out in his room without permission. In the last week Lucifer had discovered that Charlie wouldn’t go into his room, which Lucifer had interpreted as a ‘Charlie free zone’ and therefore safe for him to hide. She had explained to Lucifer that it was because she respected his privacy, but that word didn’t seem to be part of the king’s vocabulary. He could tell the man hadn’t trespassed as of yet, but he wouldn’t put it past him to do it in the future. Lucifer had best heed his current warning, no force in hell would keep him from tearing the ducks the small man treasured asunder.

“Hey! Leave the duckies alone!” Lucifer shrieked in alarm.

“You have nothing to fear, so long as you stay out of my tower.” He shrugged in response, maintaining his focus on the dish he was preparing rather than looking at Lucifer. He suppressed an amused smirk as he heard the other grumble lowly to himself at the threatened slight to his treasured possessions for a few moments before falling silent. The lack of noise reminded him he had broken the radio in the corner. He would have to fix the device later, in the meantime he hummed quietly to himself.

“I meant to ask; why do you have a swamp in your room? It really doesn’t exactly scream prim and proper.” Lucifer asked after somehow being able to remain quiet for several minutes. He sighed and debated on how he wanted to answer the question. A place he could easily hunt without bothering others? Well, that didn’t need to be a swamp. Neither did claiming it was a place to escape from the other residents of the hotel. The actual answer wasn’t exactly a secret.

“There are many reasons, but I suppose the simplest is that it reminds me of where I grew up. Also, it’s a bayou not a swamp” He answered honestly and reached for the measuring cup of stock to deglaze the pan.

“Sure. I would not have guessed you had grown up in a place like that. You seem too uptight to get dirty.”

“There is a time and place for everything. I assure you, I have been filthy more times than I care to count, even occasionally since I’ve taken up residence in the hotel. I just rarely revel in it.” He shrugged without looking at the other and continued to scrape the bottom of the pan.

“Oh? There are times you ‘revel’ in being filthy?” Lucifer’s voice sounded amused at the idea of him covered in something. His movements stilled in irritation, unwilling to dwell on what substance the king might be imagining. He had the sinking suspicion it wasn’t blood or mud.

“Occasionally. There are times where it is unavoidable as well.” He kept his voice chipper and continued to avoid looking at the other. He heard Lucifer hop off the counter and walk over. It seemed the king had grown tired of staring at his back.

“Care to elaborate?” Lucifer leaned his back against the counter by the stove as he asked curiously.

“Are you sure you wish to know Sire? It is not a subject you find pleasant.” He flicked his eyes over to Lucifer quickly and smirked as the curiosity dissipated quickly.

“Let me guess… it involves blood.” The short man frowned.

“You would be correct.” He grinned. He needed to go on a hunt soon, the itch was becoming more prominent by the day, but he couldn’t afford the risk. The monthly Overlord meeting was fast approaching and he had to be as close to top form as possible in the off chance one of the others, in all likelihood Vox, decided to test his capabilities. The constantly changing Overlord’s obsession over him was a bastardisation of the playful banter they had once enjoyed. Vox was a mosquito to him now, such a small threat, but one that persisted. He would have to be careful, even mosquitos could bring death.

“Speaking of blood. How’s your injury?” Lucifer was looking intently at his chest. As interested as the other man might be, there wasn’t a chance he was going to allow a second session. So long as he didn’t push too much he would be fit as a fiddle within a few weeks.

“I hardly notice it anymore. It still tugs occasionally, but otherwise no pain.” He smiled at Lucifer. He had to already dodge the same questions from Charlie, he didn’t need a second party insisting on pestering him as well. When he had found out how Charlie and Lucifer had found out about his wound he had been furious. He had wanted to take the obnoxious picture box down several pegs in retaliation. In his condition, that was impossible. Vox was trying to get him to attack in anger. He had been forced to settle with scrubbing all evidence away and corrupting all copies. He hadn’t boasted or hid who was responsible as his shadows had wreaked havoc upon the Vee’s systems. They may not have left any trace in their wake, but to Vox there would be no one else who could be responsible. The demon did hate how easily he could manipulate and interrupt the television signal.

“Oh good.” Lucifer didn’t seem as relieved as the words implied. “Haven’t noticed anything else odd have you?” Lucifer looked a little worried still.

He had only known Lucifer a short while; but even he could pick up that there was a reason Lucifer was asking him that. His memories of when Lucifer was healing him weren’t as clear as he would like. There had been something about needing to hold back his magic in order for Lucifer to work and while he hadn’t been able to find any angelic power in or around the wound himself, Lucifer had. What about his power had kept Lucifer from being able to easily heal him? He didn’t have that information, anything he could come up with would be no better than a guess.

“Why?” He finally asked. He had run out of insight, he needed to consult the closest form to a source he had available. Few sinners came into contact with angelic power and fewer still had even a base understanding of how it functioned other than; angelic power was bad and resulted in permanent death.

“Well, honestly, so little angelic blood or power has been consumed by sinners, that I’m not entirely sure if there will be long term effects.” Lucifer mumbled as he fiddled with the hem of his coat. It was the truth, they hadn’t known for sure angels could even be injured until a few months ago. This was probably the first time angelic flesh that hadn’t been tainted by the fall had been consumed in Hell. Still, something about the way Lucifer was acting seemed off. He might not be lying, but that isn’t the truth either. He couldn’t deny that statement had elements that were a valid concern to anyone who had survived the most recent angelic attack - by weapon or power as well as those who had consumed angelic flesh and blood. He technically fit into all but one of those categories, but he wasn’t the only one.

Could Rosie be in danger? His blood ran cold at the thought of her suffering because she had consented to help Charlie… to help him.

“If you are only bringing this up now, I’m guessing you’ve not mentioned it to Rosie. She and her cannibals consumed the fallen exterminators.” He decided to deflect attention away from his answer in favour of the more pressing issue that Rosie and all of Cannibal Town might experience unknown effects from the battle. He had no intention of telling Lucifer he suspected that the reason he could hear his human voice on the radio was because the angelic power from his wound had reacted when Lucifer had healed him.

“sh*t, I hadn’t thought of that.” Lucifer’s eyebrows rose until they were hidden under his hat. His eyes darted left and right as he thought more about all of the cannibals he had healed.

He sighed and let Lucifer dwell on the new information. He quickly finished perparting the roast and placing it in the oven before turning back to Lucifer.

“We should go to Cannibal Town.” His tone ensured that it was taken as a demand not a request.

“Yeah… I guess you’re right.” Lucifer nodded without looking at him or moving. His frustration was bubbling up again at the lack of urgency from Lucifer. With a deep breath to calm himself, he put his utensils in the sink. He’d get to them when he got back and washed up before he directed Lucifer to the looby, not waiting for him to follow. He looked around the room and thankfully he quickly spotted the one he was looking for.

“Charlie dear!” He called out to get her attention. “I need to borrow your father and take a trip over to Cannibal Town.” He could feel the eyes of the other residents on him from the odd request. Lucifer hadn’t been far behind him, paused next to him as Charlie looked up at them. There was the usual suggestive eyebrow raise from Angel Dust, but he ignored the overly sexual spider.

“You need to borrow… my Dad?” Charlie asked hesitantly with both hope and disbelief. A smile started to creep wider on her face as some heinous plan was hatching in her brain.

“Indeed, it seems he’s neglected to check up on the Cannibals to ensure there are no lingering effects from the battle. While I’m positive Rosie would have reached out should there be an issue, it would be best to check and nip anything in the bud before it can get too serious.” He clarified to try and stop whatever she might be plotting with a logical explanation. Lucifer meanwhile, just stood there silently without offering any help.

“Oh, I see. Maybe the two of you can use it as a bonding exercise? I mean, well, you guys have been making amazing progress. So…. maybe you could build on that?” Charlie’s smirk bloomed into a full on blinding Morningstar grin. The things I tolerate for this one. He groaned internally.

“I think we could do that Char-Char.” Lucifer answered enthusiastically before he had the chance to reply. At least Rosie would be a ray of sunlight in the otherwise murky situation. He could always count on her to brighten an otherwise miserable day. He might need something stronger than tea today. She had always stashed a bottle of rye there for him before he disappeared, perhaps she still had one? Eventually he hoped she’d finally come around to the superior taste of coffee but until then he’d stomach the tea she served. Her company was more than worth it.

“I make no promises, but I will say, I would never do anything to bring shame on Rosie.” He managed a polite smile. This ceasefire between them had been going well, but he wasn’t sure if it was going to progress much beyond where it was already or not. He had too many other things to manage currently, Lucifer was just… there, and could remain so as long as he continued to contain his exuberance.

“Thanks Al. Good luck Dad!” Charlie happily waved the two of them off.

He did his best to not drag the shorter man as he made his way over to Cannibal Town. He had to slow his usual pace significantly to ensure that the other would be able to keep up. It would have been faster for him to shift the both of them there through his shadows, but that would have been too much of a strain on his powers to cover the distance, and Lucifer didn’t offer to take them directly through his own means. So, the two of them strolled along, causing mayhem as sinners fled the sight of them and the short man prattled on about ducks. To his credit, Lucifer did manage to keep his enthusiasm in check.

He’s been different since he healed me. He wasn’t sure what had caused the change to Lucifer’s demeanour but perhaps the small former angel had some sort of realisation while healing him. Whatever had caused it, the only thing he was certain of was that it hadn’t been because of pity. No, there was a new sense of respect in the way Lucifer had started to treat him. Charlie was pleased as punch with the development. He… didn’t hate it as much as he thought he would. He still wasn’t sure what to make of that, but he didn’t mind this more tolerable version of Lucifer.

The residents of Cannibal Town were their usual cheery selves, tipping their hats or waving as he and Lucifer made their way to Rosie’s Emporium.They didn’t possess the same fear as the other residents of Pentagram City. Rosie took good care of her own and he was well known to them as someone with a close friendship with her. He let his guard relax slightly as they were in friendly territory. He held the door open for Lucifer, like the gentleman he was, before following the fallen inside. Without missing a beat, the perceptive overlord of Cannibal Town spotted them before they had taken two steps into the shop.

“Alastor! Dear, why didn’t you say you would be dropping by?” She called out, effortlessly gliding between displays and people as she made her way over to them.

“I do apologise for the unexpected visit darling Rosie, but when I heard that His Majesty hadn’t checked back up on your cannibals to ensure there was no long term harm from the angelic power, I simply couldn’t allow him to ignore the safety of your people a moment longer.”

He glanced down beside him at Lucifer, Rosie’s gaze mirrored his own. Lucifer sheepishly rubbed the back of his head with one of his hands.

“Yeah, well. I hadn’t really considered it initially. It only just came to me that we really haven’t had sinners take on or ugh in angelic power or blood before now. I really don’t know what might happen.” Lucifer muttered nervously and glazed at Rosie then at him.

“I suppose that is true.” Rosie looked a little concerned. She tapped one of her fingers on the handle of her parasol for a moment before she turned to one of the ladies to her right. “Agatha, please could you gather everyone out front?”

“Certainly.” The polite cannibal nodded before hurrying off to inform each of the others in the store before slipping out the door to advise the rest of the town.

“I doubt there is anything to worry about, but it never hurts to be cautious.” Lucifer smiled at Rosie. Rosie didn’t look convinced by his words. He felt her dark eyes shift from Lucifer to himself even though it was difficult to tell where she was looking. He gave her a small reassuring nod. It was likely that there was nothing to worry about, they were strictly being cautious. That seemed to be all that Rosie required as she finally relaxed with a nod. He held out his arm for her and she gladly took it as they made their way out of the emporium.

“I take it no one has complained about any strange sensations or things happening to them?” Lucifer asked as he lingered slightly behind them as they walked outside.

“I’ve not heard any such complaints from anyone who took part in the battle or consumed the spoils afterwards. I myself haven't noticed any adverse effects from consuming the rare delicacy either. Did you get a chance to try Alastor?” She asked and gave his arm a little squeeze. She did enjoy finding out if flavours differed in sinners like they did between choice cuts of meat.

“Sadly, I missed out on my chance. Perhaps I will be fortunate enough to be able to sample some other time.” He smiled and gently patted her hand on his arm. He had wanted to get another taste of angelic blood, the slight amount he had sampled at Carmine’s had left him wanting more, but it would have been impolite to be caught sneaking a second.

“Had I known, I would have ensured to save you some! I had thought that had you not been able, at least someone at the hotel would have ensured you managed to secure a small portion for you.” Rosie’s mouth gaped at the oversight. There was no mistaking the outrage on his behalf in her voice. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Lucifer’s head drop.

“Don’t worry darling, there was a lot going on. Poor Charlie was devastated with the losses suffered for her cause and everyone went to work so quickly after to rebuild the hotel it must have just slipped their minds. It is regrettable I missed out, but one never knows when an opportunity might present itself.” He couldn’t fault anyone at the hotel for not thinking of him. He had disappeared midway through the battle and was likely assumed to be the first casualty until he had managed to patch himself up enough to make a respectably late appearance.

“Of course.” She nodded regretfully and led the two of them out to the bandstand where a crowd had already gathered. With a quick explanation that everyone was going to get a special check up from the King himself to ensure there wasn’t going to be any lingering harm from their angelic feast, she had them lineup. Rosie went first, a sign of good faith to show her people all was fine and to preemptively shut Susan up before she could even complain. Once she was cleared by Lucifer she stepped aside and leaned against the railing beside him.

“I heard, you had been injured in the fight.” She leaned in and whispered in his ear. He managed to keep the offending appendage from twitching from both irritability and proximity. Her low breath had tickled the sensitive hairs and it made his ears want to flick the contact away. Rosie was one of the few he allowed to initiate physical contact, his ears were not something she typically went close to. The papers must have picked up on the horrid clip of his fight with Adam. “His Majesty wouldn’t be worried about us because of you would he?” She leaned back awaiting his answer with a sly grin. She was likely exactly right, but Lucifer hadn’t even wanted to admit that to him, so even though he suspected the same, he wouldn’t play a potentially wrong card out of conjecture.

“I assure you, Rosie dear, that is not the case.” He rolled his eyes and dismissed her prodding without confirming if he was referring to the reason Lucifer was there or if the papers were correct.
“How did he convince you?” She leaned in with a grin. He loved Rosie, she was dancing around the topic of his injury while cautiously ensuring that any actual sensitive words were said so low that only someone with ears such as his standing near her would be able to hear. She wanted to make sure he was in good health without letting on that there had ever been a need for her concern. He really would have to find her a nice present for being such an exceptional friend.

“Oh, you know how Charlie can get if she starts to worry.” His smile was genuine as he knew she would have asked her father to help him within a few days had he continued to be as elusive in the days that followed. He was fortunate that things had worked out in such a way he hadn’t been forced to use the ace up his sleeve just yet.

“She is quite the sweetheart.” Rosie pouted as though she missed the girl. She had really taken to the princess when they had come over. Perhaps he’d convince Charlie to pop over with him some afternoon to enjoy Rosie’s company. Charlie certainly could use someone to fuss over her who wasn’t at the hotel. He’d never suggest Rosie attempt to step in for her mother, he’d never get between a mother and their child, but Charlie could use Rosie’s loving support.

“Indeed. Between Charlie’s request and me making him dinner, we were squared away quite easily.” He let his eyes wander over to the hunched form of the King. Lucifer’s hands shone with a slight golden hue as he held the hand of the cannibal in front of him. It barely took the man a minute to nod and let the one in front of him know that there were no issues.

“Your cooking is something few would pass up, if they weren’t afraid of you.” Rosie smirked at him. He really didn’t mind that his reputation kept people from learning he enjoyed cooking. Most of the citizens of Hell didn’t deserve to taste his mother’s recipes and he intended to keep them in the dark about it.

*

Lucifer’s POV

He watched Alistor and Rosie chat out of the corner of his eye as he ensured that none of the resident’s of Cannibal Town had lingering angelic power. It hadn’t escaped his notice that Alastor had avoided his question earlier, but he decided not to pry yet. He smiled and nodded as he cleared the little cannibal in front of him. The more time he spent around Alastor, the more he was confident in his most recent deduction of the demon.

The notorious and feared Radio Demon was in fact a huge softie at heart.

Now, that didn’t mean it was by any means easy to get to the point where the Overlord would allow you to view any part of his softer side. Those who had persisted and wriggled their way through to the softest bits of Alastor were few and something he intended to keep it that way. It was clear that the way Alastor treated Rosie and Charlie was very different from how he treated anyone else. It had taken him time to come to terms with this realisation, but once he had, there was no mistaking that Alastor hid that side of him at all costs. He had only seen sinners react like that if they were someone who’d loved so fully and fiercely only to have it be the source of their pain or someone who had their feelings used against them one too many times. In both instances the sinner had buried their emotions away to keep themselves safe. He worried that with Alastor, it might in fact be both reasons. He wasn’t immune to wanting to bury his heart away to keep it from being broken again so he sympathised.

He had seen the soft looks Alastor would occasionally give Charlie. It seemed that he really did on some level cherish her as a daughter. He was beginning to understand that while he had initially taken Alastor’s presence at the hotel as a threat to himself, perhaps Alastor had felt the same thing he had when they first met. He couldn't’ deny that Alastor had stepped up for Charlie when he himself had been overwhelmed with depression. Looking at their first meeting from the opposite angle; his sudden appearance and obvious reluctance to support her project would have been a direct threat to all of the work Alastor had done to instil confidence in Charlie and he had done to support her dream.

Using what he had felt during the time he had spent healing Alastor as a guide, it didn’t appear like any of the cannibals had developed the same reaction as Alastor. He was glad that it would be a lot less problematic for him to simply watch Alastor rather than all of Cannibal Town for any further developments. He suppressed an amused smile as he thought of Alastor’s face when he had brought up his concerns about lingering angelic power. Alastor’s concern for Rosie was the clear drive behind his actions. They had ventured here under the guise they would be checking on all of the residents, but Alastor had only really wanted to make sure that Rosie was safe. If that demon was to open up to anyone, it would be her. She clearly adored him as a friend as well.

Friendship between Overlords wasn’t common, at least it hadn’t been something common in all of the years that there had been Overlords. Alliances, sure. Pacts of non-aggression happened frequently. But genuine friendships like Alastor and Rosie almost never. While there were the occasional group that acted as a singular Overlord, like the three Vee’s, they lorded over the same territory and really, couldn’t be considered the same as Alastor and Rosie. Both Overlords in their own right and independent of the other and yet willing to help should the other require it without the use of deals, persuasion or other types of force.

He let his mind wander as he vaguely registered the faces of the cannibals he was working on. Once he had gotten past Alastor’s prickly outermost layer, he’d started to pick up on the different distances he’d keep the residents of the hotel. After Charlie, the next closest person to him was Nifty. He wasn’t sure how the little gremlin had managed to endear the Radio Demon to her, but he was clearly fond of her and she was someone Alastor relaxed around. Husker had his own level. His soul belonged to Alastor so he wasn’t viewed as a threat, only a tool. Vaggie, Angel and Cherri seemed to all be on the same level - an external one where he allowed tolerable allies that he really shouldn’t kill unless absolutely necessary. He didn’t go out of his way to interact with them and would leave should he get bored. He wasn’t positive of his own placement in the ‘pecking order’, but he was confident it was higher than those three.

WIth time perhaps he’d make his way through all of the walls around Alastor. The demon was fascinating to watch and recently he found himself indulging in that activity whenever the opportunity presented itself. While Alastor was always smiling, he was rarely happy. His mind was frequently preoccupied with something Lucifer had yet to uncover. He was beginning to understand how to interpret Alastor’s mood via other means. There were the obvious changes anyone could pick up on - the radio static, his eyes changing to radio dials or his antlers becoming more prominent. There were, however, so many more subtle clues. Alastor’s posture, eyes, ears and shadow were the things to watch in order to understand the Radio Demon’s underlying mood.

He’d discovered that Alastor’s eye would twitch when he was straining to keep his smile in place when forced to endure something he found annoying. Alastor’s deer ears were akin to his smile as something he always tried to control. Their movement was severely limited, but when they did it meant his focus had waned to almost nothing or he was severely irritated. His shadow reflected malice gleefully so he could use that to tell when Alastor was considering his more murderous tendencies. Alastor’s shadow was also extremely protective and would react should it feel a threat existed. Alastor kept his posture just relaxed enough to act should he be required. Frequently defaulting to ‘at ease’, which made him suspect that Alastor had spent some time in the military. He had been alive for one of those world wars, so it stood to reason that Alastor had taken part. The less often he took the position or played with his cane the more relaxed Alastor was.

He had discovered that filling the silence was something that tended to irritate Alastor. He had such a bad habit of just making noise just to avoid silence and it had been very difficult to restrict himself. Alastor could handle some rambling, and as long as he was paying attention he was able to tell when things had started to veer from ‘conversation’ to ‘annoying blather’. Staying on the side of conversation, had allowed him to sneak past the layer that Alastor kept Vaggie and the other two residents on. He’d also found out that by allowing there to be silence, Alastor would on occasion hum. This had been the most unexpected and welcomed tidbit he’d managed to learn about Alastor. After that discovery he’d frequently force himself to keep from pestering just to try and coax Alastor into humming. The man had an enchanting voice. There was a power to it, but no magic, just an innate ability to get a person to relax. It was clear why Alastor had succeeded on radio. His voice was very easy on the ears, especially as he hummed.

Wait… no. His magic flickered in his hand as his mind spiralled. He couldn’t have developed an attraction to Alastor, right? His brain stopped in its tracks, unable to immediately come up with a way to refute the possibility.

Oh no.

He kept his smile in place as he chanced another glance at the two Overlords. Had his feelings for the deer demon morphed into something other than friendship? He pulled his eyes back to his next patient to avoid being caught staring at the two. He had been enjoying the time he’d spent around Alastor. His presence alone seemed to halt his seemingly bottomless depression. In fact, he had started to actually feel happy at times around the demon. Not the ‘amused because of something that had happened with the two of them’ sort of way but just being around Alastor was starting to make him feel happy.

That doesn’t mean I want more, right?

He wasn’t sure, and he could feel the beginning tendrils of panic curling inside his stomach. Did he want what was developing between them to be more than just friendship? Did he want Alastor to look at him like he did Rosie? To treat him like someone he felt safe around? Someone that Alastor would want to protect? He did… but he wanted something else too. For a moment it felt like he was staring into an abyss, his decision about what else he might want from Alastor would push him in or pull him away from the precipice.

He nodded that he was done with the current cannibal.

What did he want? That question could get him into a lot of trouble. Hypothetically, If he was allowed to do anything to the demon without fear of repercussion, what would he do? Hmm… He pondered the options and snuck another glance at Alastor and Rosie. He watched the demon flick his ear slightly and settled on the fact that he, at the very least, wanted to find out if Alastor’s ears really were as soft as they looked. He knew that for many demons, the animal parts were very sensitive, more sensitive than just about anywhere else, and he wondered if it would make Alastor squirm to have his ears touched. f*ck. His mind flashed an image of Alastor beneath him struggling to remain still because of what was happening to his ears. To see him unable to form a full sentence and reduced to trying to contain embarrassing noises that kept getting out. He wanted to see that. No, he wanted to be the one to cause that. He could feel his checks flush slightly as he realised, he wanted to do more than just that.

sh*t. I can’t think of those things in public.

He forced his mind away from that pitfall. He had clearly leaped gleefully into the abyss and would have to decide if he could move forward knowing he wanted to do unspeakable things to Alastor or if he would have to start to separate himself. Would Alastor even want to pursue some sort of relationship? Whenever Angel brought up topics of a sexual nature or even if Charlie and Vaggie were affectionate in public, Alastor would seem almost annoyed, like he didn’t understand the appeal. His heart sank as it was clear it could be the case, there were those who had little interest in that type of affection - physical or otherwise. If Alastor was like that, did he still want to get close and see if Alastor might come around to the idea?

Heavens above. He did. How was he going to manage that? He’d crash and burn a horrible horrible death if he forged blindly ahead on his own. No he was going to need help, a LOT of help. Could he ask Charlie? No. No Charlie might have some experience in relationships and dealing with people’s emotions… but he couldn’t involve his daughter in his potential love life. He needed someone else who could help him who wasn’t afraid of him, his problems or more importantly capable of guiding him on how to convince Alastor to have a relationship with him. Well, that really only left only one person; Rosie.

He was getting to the end of the line of cannibals. If he was going to attempt to recruit her to his cause, he should do it soon. She knew Alastor better than anyone else, before or after his disappearance and he needed her expertise to succeed. He had been struggling to just get Alastor not to hate being around him. If he was going to bring Alastor around to the idea of dating, Rosie’s help would be essential. He took a deep breath and turned to look at the two Overlords.

“Rosie, once I’m done here, there are some things I’d like to discuss with you.” He smiled brightly at her so that his request didn’t imply that something was wrong with any of the cannibals present and hide his nervousness about asking her to give him dating advice for her best friend. Both she and Alastor blinked at him with almost blank expressions - minus Alastor’s smile before the Radio Demon raised an eyebrow. Rosie’s dark eyes gazed sideways at Alastor before looking back at him.

“Certainly Sire. I’ll go and prepare tea for three.” Her smile shone broadly as she readied herself to play hostess and strolled towards him.

“Actually, I would prefer to speak to you alone.” He spoke a little lower as she reached him. It wouldn’t do for Alastor to be included if he was to broach the topic he wanted to discuss with Rosie. He was positive that it would send the deer running. Alastor tilted his head to the right and his ears twitched slightly but otherwise there was no other sign that he had heard what was said to Rosie, although Lucifer was positive he had. He’s curious. Rosie stared at him pensively for a moment but then her smile spread into what could only be described as a wicked grin. He wasn’t exactly sure what conclusion she had come to, but he certainly had her interest now, and he wasn’t sure if that was a good turn of events.

“Alright, I’ll set Alastor’s tea in the parlour and we can speak in the kitchen.” Even her voice had perked by the conclusion she had reached.

“Thank you.” He nodded and watched as Rosie quickly bustled off to the Emporium. He resisted with everything he had to keep from looking back to see what sort of expression was on Alastor’s face. It only took Alastor a few moments before he caved to curiosity and approached. That was something else he had picked up about Alastor, his curiosity often got the better of him should there be some juicy bit of information be dangled in front of him. Alastor leaned casually against the pillar beside him and twirled his cane in one hand. Lucifer suppressed a smile and waited. Why was patience not one of the virtues I was blessed with!

“What an unusual request Your Majesty.” Alastor finally leaned towards him and spoke. He leaned on his cane to allow for an exaggerated angle.

“Not really, while the two of you are close, Overlords tend not to want their secrets to be shared with others.” He shrugged nonchalantly. “Should I need to discuss something like that about you, I’m sure you would rather it be done in private, no?” He focused his attention on Alastor and watched the deer’s ears twitch in understanding as he spoke. It was almost an unspoken ‘touché’ Damn, he really did want to see what they did when Alastor wasn’t restricting their movement. They had moved so much when he had been healing his wound, he actually missed how easy it had been to tell what Alastor was thinking. He heard Alastor click his tongue faintly.

“A fair point.” He glanced over at the remaining cannibals. “I’ll go and take my tea in the parlour with Rosie until you are finished here.” He spun effortlessly using his cane as an anchor and strode off to find Rosie. He nodded, although Alastor probably didn’t notice, and set to finishing the last dozen cannibals. It didn’t take him too long. It was as he had suspected; none of them had developed the curious ability for angelic power to bond with their blood.

After the last cannibal walked away he leaned back and stretched to relive the kink in his back. With a small crack and pop he sighed and reached out to sense where the two Overlords had ended up before he made his way in their direction. He’d let Rosie know her people were all clear, but to reach out should anything unusual happen. It wasn’t hard to find them after he entered the emporium. They were sitting in two wingback chairs, a small table laid with tea and… what appeared to be fingers in a tin between them. It was hard to believe that Rosie’s face could brighten more than it was as she spoke to Alistor, but it did when she spotted him.

“Enjoy the ladyfingers dearie, I’ll be back shortly.” Rosie waved a hand at Alastor as she got up almost impatiently and walked towards him.

“Oh don’t worry about me darling. I’ll be content right here.” Alastor leaned over and plucked a newspaper from under the table. He let his gaze linger on Alastor for a bit longer than he probably should have before he let Rosie lead him to the kitchen. She gestured to two chairs by a small table next to a window as she walked over to the cupboard and collected a fresh cup and saucer. He sat down and waited patiently as she floated over to him and handed him a cup of tea that smelt faintly like orange.

“Now, what is it that you wanted to talk about, Your Majesty?” She sat down gracefully on the chair next to him and folded her hands on her lap. It was impossible to decipher what was going on behind the black pools she had for eyes, but something about the way she held herself gave him the impression she was barely containing her excitement.

“Firstly, I’d like to assure you that I don’t believe that you or any of your cannibals will have any lasting effects. That being said, should anything strange start to happen, do reach out quickly.” He glanced around the table to see if there was any sugar or honey to add to the tea. Rosie reached over to the counter and handed him a pot of honey.

“That is wonderful news. Is there another matter you wish to discuss?” She smiled politely at him as he drizzled honey into his cup. Silently urging him to get to the actual subject he had wanted to talk to her about. The one she considered to be significantly juicer.

“There is. It is… ah. Of a … more um. Personal matter.” He stumbled over his words now that he was forced to actually voice his realisation, to the one person he required the help of, but their loyalty was very much for the person he was interested in. Please let this not be the worst idea I’ve had in years.Rosie clapped her hands together in excitement by her nose. She was clearly thrilled that he had come to her with this embarrassing topic. It was a little off putting as he could only blink as she started to question him.

“Oh wonderful! Who might the lucky demon be?” She leaned in towards him, her sharp teeth on display as she grinned excitedly.

“Huh?” It was more of a squeak but it didn’t seem to bother Rosie that he had clammed up.

“Oh don’t worry Your Majesty, love advice is one of my favourite topics.” She reached out and patted his hand in an attempt to break him from his shock. “I take it that is why you wished to speak to me?” She leaned back into her seat and put her hand to her chin to think for a moment. “You certainly wouldn’t be able to talk to Charlie or anyone else at the hotel about it.”

“You are right about that.” He let his head fall forwards slightly as he sighed.

“Now,” She scooted closer to him with her cup in hand and a grin on her face. “Tell me, who is it that has caught your eye?”

He sighed again, honestly he had started to do that a lot since he had realised he had feelings for Alastor. He fidgeted with the cup in his hand, not sure how to bring up that he was interested in Alastor and was looking for her advice on the best way to woo her friend.

“They are someone you know.” Was the only thing he could settle on that would hint who it was but allowed him to avoid saying Alastor’s name aloud.

“Honey, that doesn’t narrow things down. Why don’t you just tell me? You want my help, each person is different. The advice I’d give for one isn’t the same as I would give for someone else.” The grin that spread across her face told him she knew exactly who it was already. Her shark-like smile on full display now that she had gotten a taste of what he was here to talk about and she seemed to be content to let him squirm in his seat. Nothing about her face, posture or words gave away any threat, but somehow he got the feeling that should she not like his answers, he’d have a few less limbs.

“Promise not to laugh?” His voice betrayed his nervousness almost more than the slight rattle of the cup and saucer in his hand. Giving up on the tea, he just placed it on the table.

“Of course!”

He waved in the direction of the parlour and sealed his fate.. Not willing to say Alastor’s name in case the deer heard his name and tried to listen in

“I don’t… oh. OH! You mean them?” Rosie faked surprise and looked positively giddy as she fanned herself with both of her hands.

“I do seem to have developed the worst type of luck in these last few years.” He grumbled with a huff. He was praying that her positive reaction meant that she was interested in helping him. He didn’t know Rosie like Alastor, he couldn’t read the expression in her dark eyes. Trying to calm his nerves he reassured himself that Rosie had helped Charlie because she had made a good impression. He could do the same. He would just have to do his best to convince her.

“Why do you say that?” Her voice was sweet, but he didn’t believe for a moment that she didn’t understand exactly what he had been referring to. His wife had left him and now that he had finally moved on and developed romantic feelings for someone else, it was for someone who might not even be capable of reciprocating. He was betting a lot on the one in a thousand chance things might actually work out. He didn’t want to bring up LIllith. This conversation was about him and Alastor.

“They do seem rather blind to the developing situation.” He couldn’t stop his melancholy expression from looking like puppy eyes as he glanced over at Rosie.

“Yes, yes, I do believe that is a correct assessment.” Rosie’s expression softened and she glanced in the direction of the parlour. She seemed to be contemplating the information she had confirmed. The excitement she had just moments before had evaporated as she tackled his problem.

“Do you think I have a chance?” He asked hesitantly. It was still early, he might be able to convince his heart to look elsewhere. Rosie would be the one who would be able to tell him if there was no point in pursuing Alastor. Rosie took a sip of her tea and contemplated. Her face remained serious as she sat silently.

“Your chances aren’t zero.” she finally settled on. “But, if you do decide to attempt to court them, it would be wise to be very slow and even more important to be discreet around others. You will have to be able to handle not seeing much progress. That’s not to say there won’t be any progress, they keep their cards very tight to their chest.” She paused. Her gaze lingered in the direction of the parlour again. It really was endearing to see how much the two demons cared for each other. “Oh! Also, you will have to be patient when it comes to touching. Until things progress, perhaps until you are positive they are on board with having a relationship, I would avoid touching them too much if at all.” He watched a frown develop on her features as she continued to look towards the parlour. The void of her eyes softened but there was a sadness there. “I think everything will be new and, honestly, scary for them and that’s not something they are comfortable with. They will need time and understanding. Even then, I don’t know if they’ll actually reciprocate.” She closed her eyes for a moment then she turned in her chair and faced him. The serious expression on her face was a stark reminder that he was dealing with an Overlord. One who had retained their position for so long, few were foolish enough to challenge. “Would you be able to accept that?” Her tone evoked a sense of foreboding, like there was a lot more on the line than just his answer.

“I’d rather know for sure, than not try.” He had already asked himself the same question. As foolish as it was, he was past the point of no return with Alastor. He needed to confirm for himself if it was folly, because if it wasn’t the risk was worth it.

“Then I wish you luck.” She smiled softly before her features darkened, it felt like the temperature of the room plummeted. He could feel the power emanating off of Rosie, her usual perky demeanour gone. A shiver ran down his spine as he anticipated the threat that was to come before she even spoke her next words. “But if you break his heart, I will eat yours.”

“Understood.” He swallowed hard. He didn’t doubt Rosie would unleash literal hell on him should he manage to get far enough with Alastor that the demon acknowledged his feelings and then somehow ruined it. He couldn’t imagine a heartbroken Radio Demon… then again, most mortals couldn’t imagine the King of Hell being so depressed he couldn’t leave his room for days on end. In an instant all menace evaporated, replaced with the Rosie he knew.

“Wonderful! Now, let’s go and finish our tea in the parlour!”

Chapter 3: Setting a Snare

Chapter Text

Lucifer’s POV

He was sitting across from Charlie as she went over her trust exercise with the resident’s. He missed the comforting ambient hum that resided with the currently absent Radio Demon. He had made great strides in the last week thanks to his conversation with Rosie. He had a tendency to blunder into things without thinking, something he would have ended up doing again without her guidance. He got the impression that his normal approach would have ended badly and likely spectacularly so. No, Rosie had been right, he needed to move slowly and carefully in order to sneak his way into Alastor’s heart. It’s almost like I’m trying to hunt down a skittish deer.

“Hahaha!” He couldn’t help but laugh out loud when his mind compared what he was doing to hunting. The worst part was that technically the analogy wasn’t wrong. He had started stalking Alastor without realising he had been doing it. Constantly seeking the other out and figuring out how much Alastor could tolerate before pushing him away. Their trip to Cannibal Town had just made the situation clear, and now he had a plan. His outburst earned him a curious look from Charlie but he waved it off. “It’s nothing. Just had an image pop up in my head.”

“Aw come on Short King, you can’t just leave it at that. You gotta share with the class.” Angel was reclined on the couch to his left. His long legs draped over Husker, who seemed only slightly annoyed with the contact. Maybe the expression was more because he could only see three of Angel’s arms. His mind scrambled to come up with a scenario that might have caused his laugh.

“I was thinking of the time I scared a whole flock of ducks with a yelp. It made a huuuuge mess! So many feathers it was like a pillow exploded.” He leaned back and spread his arms to emphasise the size of the mess it had caused. There were a few giggles from the group before they settled back down into individual conversations. He had to consciously keep himself from frowning as he was left out. He’d typically strike up a conversation with Alastor, but he was away on one of his outings.

Alastor had been a bit more irritable that morning than usual and it had taken some gentle prodding to find out that he was going to an Overlord meeting that afternoon. This would be the first meeting since the attack and Alastor was expecting strife from another one of the Overlords. It hit home just how long he had been absent from the Pride Ring’s politics. He had been mildly surprised that the Overlords had organised something like that. It was good that they were taking an organised approach. Open war between Overlords would only hurt the sinners. He was also glad that Alastor and Rosie were part of that group.

He’d decided after his meeting with Rosie, that the two of them were less like the Overlords he’d been used to in the past and more along the lines of what would help make Hell a better place. She governed and he policed. The way Rosie ran Cannibal town was nothing short of astounding. One would hardly believe they were in the same city. While Alastor held little to no territory he more than made up for it in sheer power. Power he used to keep people in line. He’d made himself into the boogieman, an ever present looming threat - but one that only appeared if sinners crossed him or more recently his friends. If the two ever decided to initiate a revolution there wouldn’t be many who could stop them. He certainly wouldn’t step in.

He swirled the light brown liquid in his cup and his thoughts drifted back to his progress with Alastor. He had started drinking coffee since spending the mornings with Alastor. It was what the demon preferred and he had decided to try it to see if it was any good. He had initially disliked the bitter liquid, but Alastor had taken his cup after seeing his expression, as if he knew exactly what was wrong. To say he was surprised a few moments later when his cup was returned with something added to it, would be an understatement. That drink had been heavenly. Even after checking repeatedly and getting confirmation of such, he could hardly believe the contents of the cup hadn’t been completely replaced.

His reaction to the coffee seemed to trigger something in Alastor. It looked almost like a long held memory was replaying in his mind. Alastor’s smile had softened briefly until he had asked what had been put in the coffee to change the taste. The ‘cream and sugar’ answer Alastor gave him turned out to be a blatant lie. He had been trying to replicate the drink from that morning everyday since, but he could never quite reach the same sweet and creamy consistency that Alastor had made effortlessly. He did enjoy the beverage with those additions, but he was curious why Alastor wouldn’t tell him what he had actually used that morning.

“Hey, Dad?” Charlie asked as she scooted over to the seat next to him.

“Yes duckling?” He put the cup down so he could focus on her. As soon as his cup connected with the table he felt her arms around him in a tight hug.

“I’m glad you’ve been staying at the hotel. It’s really nice to have you around again.” Her voice was muffled from where her head was buried in his coat.

“Ah, I’m glad to be here.” A warm and fuzzy feeling spread in his chest as he shifted to be able to return the hug.

“I just know that you’ve had it hard, and that the battle and aftermath haven’t been easy for anyone, but between having you and Alastor here, it has really made me feel like I’ve got nothing to worry about. I’m so happy the two of you are finally getting along!” There were tears at the edges of her eyes as she smiled up at him. He gently rubbed her head. He was beginning to understand why she trusted Alastor so much. She knew what he could be like, but she depended on him. If I’m lucky… she might just end up with two dads.

“He’s a prickly one, but once you get past that, he’s not half bad.” He smiled while he struggled not to think too deep on the idea of him and Alastor.
“He really is good at his core, he just has a strange way to show it.”

“I have noticed that.”

“Keep up the great work Dad.” She gave him a quick squeeze before scurrying back to Vaggie.

Coming to the hotel was the right thing to do. He hadn’t felt this alive in years. The last time had been the brief occasions Charlie had snuck into his workshop and he’d tell her stories until Lillith would steal her away again. It was the light that had kept him going until Lilith had left the two of them. He had been so devastated then, he hadn’t been able to keep it together, not even for Charlie. He regretted his inability to keep from breaking, but it felt like the glue he’d used to pull himself back together was now starting to set.

He had a chance, a real chance, to move on and perhaps even patch up something akin to family for himself and Charlie. He had been faithful to Rosie’s advice, and Alastor didn’t seem to protest his presence anymore. He had recently noticed that if he had to sit with the residents of the hotel, Alastor would choose to sit near him over sitting by the others. When he had noticed, it had been one of the most difficult things in his long life not to sing and dance in his excitement. It was proof that he was working his way through Alastor’s layers.
He wasn’t sure how his newest plan was going to go over, but he needed a way for them to get closer while ensuring that the others didn’t happen to see them. He had started to reach the limit of what he could handle doing in the public areas of the hotel. He really wanted to see if he could get Alastor to relax- to completely relax around him. It wasn’t something that Alastor would do unless completely comfortable, and so long as there was a risk someone might happen upon him, he kept his guard up. While Alastor felt at home in the kitchen, it was still a place that anyone could walk in. He knew that Alastor kept his guard up there because he’d experimented in appearing there rather than walking to see if he could surprise the demon and failed miserably.

He knew that Alastor would read after supper in his room before bed or if he was restless, he’d spend time in his radio tower. Inviting himself into Alastor’s space would be pushing too much. So he was going to see if he’d come to his workshop instead. If he could convince Alastor to accept, then he’d also be able to enjoy a more private side of him. He wanted so badly to move faster, so much faster, but he couldn’t risk spooking Alastor. So he had to go slow. He’d have to accept what closeness he could manage, even if it was just enjoying seeing Alastor in his space and having Alastor’s unique smokey cinnamon and citrus smell linger on the furniture to help him feel less alone.

He heard the familiar static hum as Alastor entered the hotel and willed himself not to perk at the others' arrival. He forced himself to count to three before he turned and greeted the Radio Demon. Alastor’s posture was stiff and his grin more strained than usual. Now that he was closer, the hum coming off of Alastor wasn’t its usual soothing background one, there was a harsh scratchy undertone to it. Alastor nodded in acknowledgement to the greeting, but didn’t say anything further or even hum before he stalked off to the kitchen.

Something has set him off. Worriedly he continued to gaze as Alastor made his way to the kitchen, but the longer he stared the more sure he was. He glanced over at Charlie and her expression mirrored his thought. He watched as her thoughts were displayed on her face as she considered how to de-escalate whatever had caused Alastor to return in such a mood. She thought about going on her own, but Vaggie’s hand on her arm kept her from moving. She glanced briefly at Husker but the brief frown meant she’d decided he wasn’t the right one for the job.

Her eyes shifted to him and broke into a grin as she noticed he was looking at her. He cursed that she’d inherited his looks as she gave him puppy dog eyes, wordlessly begging him to go and check on Alastor. With a small sigh to make it seem like he was begrudgingly agreeing he nodded. The small exchange wouldn’t have been lost on the other members, especially Husk, so he had to continue to play that they were friendly but not friends yet. He slumped a little in defeat and got up to follow the demon, dragging his feet as he went to drive home his act.

Damn Rosie’s advice might be what’s needed, it’s hard to follow at times! He had wanted to jump up and follow Alastor the moment he noticed something was wrong. He also had wanted to find out who’d caused the foul mood and tear them limb from limb. I am such a lost cause. Alastor was a proud and capable person, who didn’t want or need someone fighting his battles for him… but it didn’t stop him from wanting to beat the sh*t out of the person who’d ruined Alastor’s already poor mood. I’ll just have to try and cheer him up. He nodded to himself as he took a deep breath and entered the kitchen.

Alastor was leaning against the counter, bowl in one hand and whisk in the other. It was even clearer now that there was something vexing Alastor as he was obviously restraining himself from taking out his frustration on whatever he was whisking. That wasn’t the only thing that seemed odd with the room. It took him two heartbeats to figure out the other odd thing about the scene: the lack of background music coming from the radio. The prickly hum that had been coming off of Alastor when he had walked into the hotel had warped into aggravated static, but the radio which almost constantly played when he was cooking was silent. He walked in cautiously until Alastor noticed him and slowed his vigorous whisking. That was his ‘all clear’ from Alastor to proceed into the room. He hopped up on the counter opposite where Alastor was working.

“Was the meeting productive?” His voice broke the strange silence of the room.

“I suppose it could be seen as having that outcome.” Alastor sighed as he paused a moment in his whisking. “Though I could do without the squabbling and posturing. I don’t mind decent gossip, but watching a pigeon attempting to masquerade as a peaco*ck is revolting.” Grumbling more to the frothy contents of the bowl than him.

“The Vee’s?” he hazarded a guess, they were the ones who came up most frequently and caused the most extensive irritation to the resident’s of the hotel. Alastor only rolled his eyes as an answer, which was more than enough confirmation. “What were they doing this time?”

“Only Vox was present. The misguided fool was attempting to be pretentious. Insisting that his cowardice was strength while others took a stand. He did appear more than a little miffed that his attempt at barbs were so easily deflected. Yet he refused to let the topic lie until he was threatened with expulsion due to his behaviour.”

“Well it sounds like the meeting was at least somewhat entertaining.” He couldn’t help but laugh. Alastor was so much more annoyed than he was letting on, but his venting was almost poetic in its polar opposite use of language compared to what was probably said. Given what he’d heard from Angel, the Vees weren’t exactly eloquent but Alastor pulled it off effortlessly. There was still an underlying superiority to Alastor’s words which didn’t convince him that the Vox was the reason Alastor was so tightly riled up.

“I wouldn’t even say it was mildly entertaining. Merely a child throwing a tantrum when they didn’t get what they wanted. It wasn’t made any better when He brought up the reason why he was attending rather than one of the others. The three are under the impression someone is trying to…” He paused to recall the right word static buzzing while he thought. “Hack their systems and leaving traces behind in the form of strange messages. Some new upstart that they think we all should be on the lookout for.”

“What do the others think?” He was curious now. It wasn’t often that someone new tried to make a power grab. Other than Alastor himself, there were none who could claim to have started their climb by taking out Overlords. An attack on the Vees by someone unknown seemed unlikely.

“It’s not targeting any of them, so none of the other Overlord’s see it as a problem they need to deal with.” Alastor’s words were confident and dismissive of the threat, but his ears told a different story. They were on full alert, and flicking nervously at every noise.

“So, are you irritated because of Vox or something else?” His eyes didn’t leave Alastor’s ears as he asked. Alastor’s ears twitched irritably as he stopped whisking long enough to mutter.

“Else… mostly.” The deer’s voice was low. He found himself slightly surprised that Alastor would admit something was bothering him. It was night and day to how things were before he had healed Alastor. Whatever it was, had also happened at the meeting, it wasn’t Vox but connected. He said ‘other Overlords’. He hadn’t said this new person wasn’t bothering him.

“Is this new threat targeting you?” As he spoke he watched Alastor’s ears flatten back as though caught.

“Unlike those buffoons, I’ve got it under control.” Alastor growled as he resumed his initial vigorous whisking. Clearly this was the source of his frustration.

“Oh?” He found himself surprised by Alastor’s outburst. It wasn’t often that Alastor let something get to him to the point his ears were unrestricted. Or could it be that he’s started to relax around me? He really hoped it was the case. Watching Alastor’s ears react to his mood made his stomach break out into butterflies. He really wanted to touch them but they were as of yet an unattainable goal. He curled his toes in his boots to keep from springing forward at the temptation.

“By acknowledging it, they’ve made themselves the focus. By digging deeper, they are giving it more power. At least they stopped short of saying I was the one responsible.”

He forced himself to focus on what Alastor was saying and found it odd that Alastor had been using ‘it’ to describe this threat rather than ‘someone’ as he had when he spoke of the threat the Vee’s were encountering. Did he know more about what was going on than the Vee’s? What did the four have in common that separated them from the other Overlords? He glanced around the room as he thought. There was something else that was off about the situation. His eyes landed on the silent radio in the corner.

“Is that why the radio is off?” He asked cautiously. It was unusual for Alastor to be cooking and there was no music. He and all of the Vees used electrical devices of some sort. The harsh sound of a record coming full stop came from Alastor confirming his theory.

“...” Alastor glanced over at the radio and it came to life. “No.” He knew Alastor well enough now to know that was actually a ‘yes’.

“Sure.” He muttered sarcastically. “You said it’s more focused on them because they’re acknowledging it?” He decided to refer to the issue the same way as Alastor. There were several types of being that gained power from attention, although it wasn’t a frequent thing.

“I believe so.” Alastor finally set his bowl off to one side and began gathering other ingredients and tools.

“So you’ve been ignoring it?”

Alastor gave him a warning glare. Okay pushing too hard.

“Dropping the subject.” He held up his hands in surrender.

“Thank you.”

“On… a different note… I was wondering if, you uh, might humour me a request?” He asked after Alastor started to sift powdered sugar into a new bowl.

“That would depend on what you are asking.” Be it the change to topic, the fact that there was now music or if he dared, his own presence, Alastor didn’t seem quite as stiff.

“I was wondering, if maybe… well I know that you like to read and I tend to spiral when working alone… so um. Do you think it would be asking too much to have you come and read in my room while I’m working on my ducks?” He fumbled over his words in embarrassment. He had managed to keep some of the desperation from his voice but not all and he hoped that Alastor might find it endearing enough that he’d agree.Alastor stopped sifting what looked like coarse flour and turned to look at him.

“Are you asking for me to keep you company in your room as you work?” Alastor’s smile never wavered, but there was confusion in the twist to his eyebrows. For the first time in weeks, he caught Alastor scrutinising him. Trying to locate any hint that this was a plot for his demise or some other means to undermine his position at the hotel.

“Um… yeah. Kinda like how I hang out with you when you're cooking only while I’m working on ducks. You could read instead of chatting… I do enough of that for the both of us, but just having someone there would help me.”

Alastor was quiet for a while. His smile strained as he found no malice in Lucifer’s expression or posture. He knew Alastor’s brain was racing, trying to figure out what the motivation behind this request might be and if it would be of benefit to himself as well. The longer Alastor was silent the more nervous he became. His fingers fiddled with the buttons on his vest as he forced himself to remain still and wait.

“I suppose, I could make an attempt to see if it is tolerable.” Alastor finally confirmed his decision and resumed working on the contents of the second bowl. He couldn’t help the grin that planted itself on his face.

“Fantastic!” He couldn’t help but squeak in excitement as his whole body felt ready to explode from the sudden surge in energy.

“Can you grab a bottle of bourbon from Husk?” Alastor asked without looking at him. He wouldn’t have been surprised had Alastor expected him to be bursting from the answer and was using this as a way for him to let a little of the excess off before bothering him further.

“Huh?” He was still caught off guard from the request. It took a moment for him to process that Alastor was asking him to fetch something he didn’t currently have for what he was baking. “What are you making?”

“Old fashioned macarons.” Alastor replied as if he should know what that meant while he poured some of the first bowl into the second.

“Uh.. okay.” He mumbled without actually getting an understanding of what Alastor was baking.

“If you like sweet things, whiskey and cherries, you will like them.”

Oh he would definitely like them. He hopped down from the counter and slipped out the door in search of the feline bartender. He didn’t have far to go, both Husk and Angel were still sitting on one of the couches and looked up at him as he approached.

“Uh, where do you keep the bourbon?” He asked as he locked eyes with the typically gruff cat demon. Charlie looked up confused from her seat on the other couch. He gave her a reassuring smile.

“Second row on the back of the bar, third one on the left. Why?” Husk prodded the odd request.

“Apparently Alastor is cooking with it.” He shrugged in order to appear as if he wasn’t as interested in Alastor as he was. Angel gave him a once over and he rocked back on his heels. Of everyone present, the spider was most likely to pick up on the building sexual tension he was starting to harbour towards Alastor and he needed to keep him from figuring it out.

“... ugh if that’s the case then use the one on the back row first bottle on the left.”

“Is there a difference?” He strolled over to the bar that Alastor had attached to the hotel.

“Yeah. Quality. If he’s cooking with it, it ain’t for himself and he’d want the good stuff.” Husk relaxed back into the couch.

“Why would you say it’s not for him?” He located the bottle that Husk had indicated and gently lifted it up then around the ones that surrounded it.

“Because it’s probably something sweet and he hates that sh*t.”

“Is an ‘old fashion macaron’ sweet?”

“Yeah, very. Rosie must have asked him to make them. Outside of body parts they’re her favourite. The cherries are under the bar on the right. He’ll want them too.” He couldn’t see Husk over the couch anymore but nodded and with only minimal searching located the cherry’s too.

“Thanks!” He grinned but his voice was drowned out by a series of loud bangs from the kitchen.

“Don’t worry, that’s part of the process.” Husk muttered when everyone but him was startled. “Something about air bubbles.” He added. There was a collective slow nod from the other residents. With both prizes now in hand, he hurried back to the kitchen.

He got to watch with fascination as Alastor baked the pastry. He only received a slight glare when he stole some of the bright red cherries before Alastor ‘demanded’ that he make coffee to keep him from attempting any further heists. Small price to pay for the sweet and sticky fruit. Alastor seemed annoyed with the amount of sugar that was needed for the treat he was making but the fresh coffee seemed to improve his mood further.

He did confirm the macarons were for Rosie, however Alastor thought that there should be enough leftover for the hotel residents. The longer Alstor worked on the cookies, the calmer he seemed to become. It made him wonder if Rosie had requested the sweet because she knew the process would help ground Alastor rather than have him go off on a rampage. He forced himself to project calm and keep from aggravating Alastor any further, just offering quiet company. He was rewarded for his struggle when Alastor presented him with the first finished sandwich.

It was a divine mix of almond, bourbon, sugar, cream and cherries. No matter how many times he attempted to get another, Alastor flatly refused to give him any more until he had finished preparing the remaining cookies as well as ensuring he had enough for Rosie. Alastor took the ones he had picked to give to Rosie and packaged them into a tin, separating each cookie with brightly coloured cupcake wrappers. The remaining ones were for him and the other residents of the hotel. He snuck five cookies from the plate and put them in a container for himself then bounded off with the last of the cookies. He was going to share the prize with the rest of the hotel while Alstor went to deliver the box he had prepared for Rosie. As long as they had taken to make, they were gone far too quickly and he wished he had saved a few more for himself.

*

That night and almost all that followed over the next two weeks Alastor joined him in his workshop. The demon would settle into one of the chairs to read while he tinkered on his ducks. It was comforting to have someone in the room with him. It was also distracting, initially he found himself constantly glancing over and almost staring at the demon. That was, until Alastor had caught him one too many times and had moved the chair to a position behind him to cut down on the glances. At least he hadn’t threatened to just leave.

He had taken to muttering to himself as he worked then. He knew Alastor might not have appreciated the rambling, but he never complained about it. If it got too much for the demon, some soft instrumental music would creep into the room and diffuse some of the noise or distract him so that he’d stop. It pleased him to no end that Alastor had been the one to set their current routine. After the invitation it had been Alastor who decided if he came to his apple tower or not to read a few chapters silently before retiring for the night. Rosie had said he might not be able to ‘see’ any progress, but it was hard to take Alastor’s actions as anything else.

The two of them had gotten much closer, and he felt like he was now approaching the distance Alastor kept those he actually cared about. He had decided he needed to find a way to push through to ensure he was among them. Alastor was clearly more relaxed around him than he had been, thanks to the time Alastor was spending in his room but he didn’t want to let it stop there. It hadn’t taken long to come up with an Idea, but he still found himself struggling with his current project; a pair of Radio Demon ducks. He had initially thought of only making one, but couldn’t come to grips with the idea of not having his own. So he resolved that he’d keep one and give the second to their namesake.

The red duck he was working on, still didn’t feel quite right. He frowned down at it, turning it around in his hands to try and figure out what part of it wasn’t perfect. He struggled to figure out the flaw and shifted in his chair. He quietly glanced back at Alastor to see if the mystery might be solved that way and was greeted with such an astonishing sight that it felt like time had stopped. Alastor was asleep. His book had fallen open on his lap and his head had lulled to the side to rest against the chair. His features were relaxed, his usual smile almost nonexistent and his ears had drooped. The usual radio hum that came from Alastor was missing, giving the room a strange silence he hadn’t noticed.

Alastor’s shadow swirled around his feet as it picked up on his gaze. Unlike the time in Alastor’s swamp, the edges of his shadow remained smooth. He was afraid to move and wake the other, but slowly he retrieved a blanket from his bed. The Shadow started to prickle as he approached Alastor. Carefully and as quietly as he could, he draped the blanket over the sleeping demon. Alastor’s shadow stilled as he stepped back. He knelt down and brushed the edges of the shadow. He couldn’t feel anything but the floor but the shadow rippled as if he had touched water. The hint of a grin and eyes were visible briefly.

He smiled down at the shadow before he stood. He’d heard that Alastor’s shadow could intimidate by displaying a grin similar to Alastor’s, but that wasn’t what he had seen. If possible, the shadow had given him an endearing smile, as though his actions were approved of. He looked back up at Alastor and drank in the sight before him. His fingers itched to brush the hair from Alastor’s eyes or touch his ears but he resisted with all his might. He ached to take a photo of the miracle in front of him, but knew better. All thoughts of continuing his work were abandoned for the night as he continued to stare in wonder for several minutes. Eventually he forced himself to crawl into his own bed. He watched in awe for as long as he could keep his eyes open, not wanting to miss a moment before he fell asleep. With this new development his heart was full of hope for the progress he had made.

When he woke up he felt rested for the first time in a long time. When he opened his eyes he found the blanket he had placed on Alastor was now wrapped around himself. He sat up quickly to look around the room to see if perhaps Alastor was still there. There was a strum of disappointment as he realised he was alone, but his body hummed with energy. He was elated with the turn of events. He pulled the blanket close and breathed deep. The scent on the blanket was saturated with Alastor’s signature; cinnamon and citrus. He could tell now, his assessment of Alastor’s scent had been inaccurate. The citrus was lemon, but there were also hints of vanilla and the cinnamon was a more complex spice. Eventually he’d be able to place it, but for now he would enjoy the blissful morning. He breathed the scent in again and rolled around the mattress with squeals of delight to let some of his joy out.

*

Alastor’s POV

He wasn’t sure when, but at some point during the times that Lucifer had started to hang around him persistently, he had become accustomed to the manic ball of fire that was the ruler of Hell. He had discovered recently he felt strangely calm around the vibrating energy that emanated off of Lucifer. He had also discovered that when Lucifer wasn’t around, there was a background sense of unease that hadn’t been there before. Both of these revelations plagued his mind as he tried to figure out the reasoning for the development. He was using this new problem to distract himself from the issue of his human voice in the airwaves.

To his relief the distraction seemed to be working. He rarely heard the voice more than twice a day so long as he avoided the picture box and Angel when he was on his phone. Instead he focused on why it was that he felt the most calm he had since long before he died when he was around Lucifer. It disturbed him, but he also found it strangely comforting and dare he say it… enjoyable. As the days had passed it became less foreign to him and the disturbed feeling he had initially from it vanished. It wasn’t the same feeling he got around Rosie, Charlie or even Nifty which left him perplexed as to what it could mean. There certainly was something between the two of them, but what was it?

As much as he wanted to delve deeper into the mystery, he wasn’t sure it was advisable and had resolved for the time being to just leave it in favour of enjoying the small comfort he got from it. One night during his broadcast, while he wasn’t thinking about Lucifer, the answer hit him rather startlingly. He had grown fond of the other man. His heart had nearly stopped as he realised it was more than just a little fond, this was bordering on a dangerous attachment type of fond. He was thankful that his voice never betrayed the spiralling turmoil his mind was taking him through as he continued his broadcast.

The longer he thought about it during the song breaks, the more certain he became. Normally the extent of his fondness for a person was limited to enjoying their conversation and tolerating their presence, not this. This had him seeking out Lucifer, spending time with him in his tower workshop at night and even on occasion, to his horror, falling asleep while there! Never before would he have considered himself safe enough with someone else present, even with Rosie, to fall asleep. Had it been a one time occurrence he would have dismissed it, but it hadn’t. With the strange calm he felt around Lucifer it was becoming increasingly more difficult to keep from falling asleep when he was reading in the other’s room.

This is bad. A rare frown settled on his face without his permission.

He had learned very early on that these types of feelings ended badly. His father had been the first to make sure he understood it. The man had held a disdain for him for as long as he could remember, even though he never knew why. That man had wanted him to be miserable, but his mother always told him to smile. So smile he did, everytime his father got angry, everytime he was scared. If he kept smiling it meant his mother wouldn’t worry about him, and that kept her safe. Kept his father’s focus on him instead. The monster he was forced to call father continued his tyranny until his eleven year old self had snapped and killed the monster who dared lay a finger on his mother.

He hadn’t been able to break himself from his father’s painful lessons to remain alone in the years that followed, not that any of the other children in LaPlace had tried either - well other than Ory. Oh, I had forgotten about him over the years. I wonder if he’s down here? It still puzzled him why Ory had kept trying to befriend him. Why one of the most talented kids in the town had decided to want him of all people to tag along with his friends. It had been Ory who had managed to convince him to go to New Orleans by dangling the one thing that would get him to leave his mother behind. He’d gotten a job at the radio station thanks to Ory’s connections. He’d loved every moment of it, even refusing to follow Ory to California when a recording offer had come through for his band. He’d lost contact after that.

It wasn’t long before war broke out in Europe. He’d joined without much thought other than being able to vent some of the murderous tendencies that were boiling just below the surface of his smile. His mother had been sad, but hadn’t tried to stop him. His time in the war had killed any remaining part of him that thought attachments could bring him any form of comfort worth the pain that followed. Each and every time he had managed to find someone who could keep up with his wit, someone he felt their presence was more than tolerable, it was never long before they failed to return from the front. After that he’d just given up. His father had gotten what he wanted, but he just accepted being alone and embraced it to spite the monster and kept smiling for his mother.

With what was going on now between him and Lucifer, he needed a second opinion. He had to be wrong, he desperately wanted to be wrong. He’d visit Rosie tomorrow to see what she thought. He picked up a small card and wrote a note to let Rosie know to expect him in the morning. He summoned one of his shadow minions and entrusted the folded card to them. He didn’t need to say anything for them to know his intent was for them to deliver the note to Rosie’s mail so she’d get it with the morning post. He had been stopping in unexpectedly too often as of late and he really needed to correct that.

His scattered mind held together for the remainder of his broadcast. His reputation ensured he wouldn’t cut it short just because he was confused by something as trivial as ‘feelings’. He did, however, contemplate retiring alone after the broadcast instead of visiting Lucifer, but his chest had tightened anxiously at the thought of skipping out on the one part of the day he got to relax and enjoy another’s company. It was becoming increasingly clear that he’d end up hearing Rosie confirm to him what he already feared: he had become smitten with the resident fallen angel. For tonight he’d selfishly ignore the problem and he’d spend the last few hours of the day with Lucifer like he had been most nights before he’d venture in the morning to Cannibal Town and find out if he had unwittingly sealed his own fate.

*

He had fallen asleep in the chair again last night. Usually he woke during the night and made his way back to his own chambers after returning the blanket Lucifer tended to place on him. Only this time he hadn’t woken until the red haze of dawn had breached the window. Even his own shadow had seemed reluctant to leave. The damned thing seemed to have it worse than he did. How did Lucifer win you over? He shook his head at his shadow who mocked being innocent as he placed the blanket on top of the sleeping king. It wouldn’t be long before the small man would wake and he needed to be gone before then.

He sunk into his shadow and reappeared in the kitchen half a heartbeat later. He quickly put on coffee as he pulled out his mug as well as Lucifer’s ‘Duck you’ one. He put a generous portion of sweetened condensed milk in the bottom before pouring the coffee and mixing the contents together at the same time. He must not have been fully awake as he had fallen back on the memories he had of making someone coffee who preferred theirs sweet. He had done it once before, even though he had tried to hide it. He left the cup on the counter for Lucifer before he drank his own quickly. He intended to head out of the hotel early. Earlier than most of the residents would rise for the day. He needed to clear his head before speaking to Rosie.

By the time he darkened the doorway of the Emporium, his mind was more muddled than it had been when he woke. No part of his mental anguish appeared on his features as he quietly slipped inside. Rosie was her usual bubbly self as she called to him from across the room. She was a balm to his frayed nerves. He smiled graciously and inclined his head towards the corner she had set up to receive guests. She raised an eyebrow at him but nodded. He made his way over as she finished up what she was doing to join him.

“I was beyond pleased to get your note this morning! To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today Alastor?” She set two cups down on the table before retrieving the tin of ladyfingers from the nearby counter.

“I have come to get your advice, my dear.” He took a small sip of the liquid in the cup and kept himself from grimacing. Rosie was fond of Bohea tea, probably as fond of it as he despised it. It had been the easiest tea to acquire other than what one could forage locally when both of them had been alive. He refused to confess to her that he despised it because it had been his father’s preference and he steadfastly wouldn’t let that monster dictate anything else about his life.

“Pardon?” Rosie blinked as if she was unsure of what she just heard.

“I have found myself in a bit of a… predicament, and while I have some ideas as to what to do, I’m afraid this is wholly outside of my area of expertise.”

“Well then, while I assume you are coming here because something has come up between you and someone else. You will have to explain the situation you’ve found yourself in so that I can direct you to the best of my abilities!” Her grin of delight spread across her face.

“It has rather snuck up on me.” He took another sip to be polite before placing the cup down on the table.

“Go on.” She daintily drank from her own pale cup.

“Well, over time, I found them tolerable, from there they were acceptable conversation. However, more recently I’ve discovered myself enjoying just being in the same room and listening to them natter. Something that I would have found completely irritable at the beginning has become… endearing.” He knew Rosie wouldn’t tease him about romance, it was her favourite topic, she drank in every detail like a man lost in the desert. She was insightful and knew him well enough to know that he had already considered many of his options. She was an expert when it came to understanding problems of the heart and she’d not hold back to tell him the truth and what he would need to do in order to succeed should he decide to forge forward.

“And you’ve come to me, because you are thinking it isn’t friendship you are feeling for them?” Rosie asked as she reeled in her smile. He humbly nodded in response before expanding on his situation further. His stomach felt like lead as he anticipated the answer he wasn’t sure he wanted.

“I end up letting my guard down around them like I do with no other. Even here, where I know I’d be perfectly safe with you, and yet I’d be hard pressed to actually relax enough to fall asleep with anyone else around. I’ve never done that in Hell. I rarely did that when I was alive.” It would not due to hold back, when it came to getting Rosie’s advice. If she was going to give him an accurate deduction of his situation, he would have to be honest with her. He’d have to voice things he’d rather keep buried in the darkest parts of his mind.

“Well. I get the impression you already know what I am going to tell you.” She put her own cup down as she smiled fondly at him. The lead in his stomach felt like it was sinking.

“The diagnosis is that bad then?” He grimaced, the edges of his smile struggling to maintain their upward curl. Well that complicates things. He had desperately wanted to be wrong, yet Rosie was confirming what he had been dreading.

“Alastor, it’s not a bad thing.” She frowned at his response. “It will be strange for you, but it isn’t bad. It can be wonderful.” Her smile returned, this time more hopeful that he’d come around to the idea without putting pressure on him. He would have to decide how to move forward now that his fears had been confirmed.

“I don’t know Rosie, it’s like being pulled in two different directions at once and I’m about to split at the seams.” Would he be able to convince himself to back off? If he couldn’t even defend his intent to put a stop with it, he’d be doomed to move forward. f*ck He sighed inwardly. He was going to end up going forward with this.

“Now, while I would love to tell you to dive in with both feet, get the scary conflicting emotions over with quickly. I do not believe that would be the best advice to give you.” She pursed her lips, sensing his acceptance. “For you, dear friend, go slow. You will be able to deal with each emotion as they arise and move forward. Your mind and body will argue - a lot, but do not push yourself to do anything you are not comfortable with and will regret later.”

“So proceed with caution then?” He managed a worried smile. He could do slow, he was well aware that the only way to catch certain prey was to be patient.

“You will have to find out if their intentions are the same as your own. If the one who’s caught your eye is patient enough to allow you to come to the realisation that you’ve developed feelings for them, they will likely continue to do so. However, knowing they are going slow to accommodate you, you will have to understand that it will be difficult for them. You will have to be patient with them. Sometimes people can get overwhelmed with their emotions and do things without thinking. You will have to be ready to forgive them if they don’t mean to push too hard. You will have to be just as understanding as them. A relationship isn’t a one man show. It’s a dance. Being able to let the other know all sides of you and accepting all sides of them. Being ready to step up and lead when they are weak and letting them do the same for you. And don’t tell me you don’t have weaknesses. You were gone for seven years. Something happened. You don’t have to talk about it but everyone has weaknesses.”

“Those aren’t any of my strong suits.” He chuckled nervously. Why did his heart decide it wanted to try again after so long? Why did it have to be with Lucifer? Hadn’t he carved his own heart out decades ago? He had no use for the pain it crippled people with when things inevitably got destroyed.

“Do you want what you have with this person to endure? To last for years to come or do you want it to end today?” She asked him with a knowing smile.

“I just know I don’t want it to end.” The words that came out surprised himself. He knew they were a truth he’d been trying to deny.

“Then you will have to dig deep for this person, and do things for them you would rarely do for anyone else - be patient, forgiving and let your guard down so they can steal your heart away completely.” She reached over and placed her hand on his.

“That’s a tall order Rosie dear, but if that’s your advice, I’ll have to do my best.” He closed his eyes and covered Rosie’s hand with his other one. It was time to face the battered and overgrown path he’d closed his heart off behind, the traitorous organ had decided to beat once again, heaven help anyone who tried to get in his way.

Chapter 4: Beware When the Frequency’s Turned Low

Chapter Text

Lucifer’s POV

The duck Alastors were progressing slowly. He was being extra careful to ensure that he had them just perfect before he revealed them to their namesake. The two of them had settled into a comfortable routine with Alastor joining him in the evenings. Each time that Alastor fell asleep in the chair he felt elation knowing that he was worming his way through the layers Alastor surrounded himself with. Initially he had been worried that Alastor falling asleep had been a one off mistake that Alastor would ensure he’d never repeat. It pleased him to no end to watch as it became something that was happening more frequently and he was contemplating on how he could nudge Alastor into accepting just staying the night.

He heard Alastor hum in contemplation briefly to himself before he heard the book snap closed. He snuck a glance from just under the brim of his hat, over at the deer sitting in the chair not far from him. Alastor’s brows were knitted as if he was wondering how to bring up a topic he wanted to discuss.

You’ve got my attention now. Alastor would typically quietly read when he was there, so if he wanted to talk about something it wasn’t likely to be a small thing. The demon had been quieter than normal the last couple of days. He’d caught a few worried glances in the demon’s directions from Charlie. It didn’t feel like there was anything wrong with Alastor, just he had a lot on his mind. If he was now ready to talk about what had been plaguing his mind to him it would confirm he now resided in the level Alastor kept Charlie and Rosie. His fingers shook in excitement as he put down his tools and turned towards Alastor.

“Something on your mind?” He decided to prompt the deer into talking, unable to contain his own excitement.

“What are your intentions with this?” Alastor’s head tilted to the side, there was curiosity and interest in his gaze. He felt his mouth hang open as shock silenced his thought process.

“Huh?” Was all he managed to vocalise in response.

“Why is it that you are trying so hard to get closer to me? If it was just for Charlie’s sake, there would be no reason for you to have invited me to join you here at night.” Alastor placed the book on the table next to him, all of Alastor’s attention was now on him.

“I… ugh, well. I guess it’s nice to have someone who isn’t a kiss ass.” He was still struggling with having Alastor asking him what his intentions were. Could Alastor have picked up on his romantic interests? Maybe? It still felt like too much of a long shot to confirm so he just blundered through until he got a better understanding of what Alastor had deduced. He hadn’t done a very good job of deflecting as Alastor didn’t look like he believed him. Nothing in all of Heaven or Hell could have prepared him for the next words to come from Alastor.

“Are you trying to court me?” Alastor hesitantly asked, an unfamiliarity with the situation he found himself clearly behind the missing confidence. The statement had rendered him stupefied. He felt his eyes go wide and his mouth gape open even more this time in shock. He felt called out and exposed, unable to even voice an answer.

“Am I right?” Alastor asked more confidently this time. He sat forward and templed his fingers waiting for a response.

“Y-Yes?” He prayed that Alastor wasn’t going to blow up from his answer. He was astounded that the other had even put together his intent.

“And you weren’t direct about it because…?” Alastor was calm, his position had continued to be non-threatening. There was no sign of irritation or anger, even his smile seemed… softer than it should be. He swallowed hard and calmed his nerves.

“Well… You don’t seem to be the type of person to be interested. So I went slow. Friends first, then see if you were willing to move on to more. I have it on good authority that, with those who aren’t romantically inclined, it’s best for them to decide if they want to proceed or not.” He answered honestly hoping his sincerity was conveyed.

“And it doesn’t bother you? That you could be pursuing something that turns out to be fruitless?”

“Well, I mean, yeah it is a little frustrating. There’s always a chance when looking for a relationship that the other party won’t reciprocate feelings. I’d rather take my chance and know, than spend eternity wondering if there could have been more. I have hope that there’s a chance and I can wait, besides… isn’t it a saying that anticipation is half the fun?” He smirked at Alastor trying to read his pensive expression.

“Alright.” Alastor answered simply after what felt like an eternity of silence.

“Alright?” He echoed in confusion. What was Alastor agreeing to? His heart started to beat wildly at the possibility that Alastor was telling him he had a chance.

“Yes. Now that your intentions are clear and we are in agreement, we can proceed.” Alastor relaxed back into the chair and watched amusedly at the whirlwind of emotions being displayed on his face.

His stunned look returned. “Agreement? You mean?” He almost couldn’t believe this was happening. Should he pinch himself to make sure this wasn’t some dream? He wanted to, but he hung on each word of Alastor’s answer.

“I’m not exactly familiar with the process, but I do believe that I’ve just agreed to begin courting.” Alastor’s ears were the only part of him that betrayed his nervousness as they constantly shifted and twitched as Alastor was trying to restrain them. His whole face lit up, bounding over to where Alastor was sitting intent on throwing himself on the other in a hug, his brain was barely able to stop him but he did manage to pause just before he crashed into Alastor. The deer watched him carefully and he was surprised that Alastor hadn’t made any attempt to move.

“Does that mean I can hug you?” His voice squeaked as his excitement pushed through even that, as he voiced his intent. He was now in uncharted territory. Alastor wasn’t typically one to accept physical closeness, he had agreed to a relationship with him, but what was he allowed to do? His pause and request brought a genuine smile to Alastor’s face.

“So long as you don’t go overboard.” Alastor nodded as he consented to the embrace.

“And keep from hugging you in front of the others?” His whole body shivered as it begged him to surge forwards, but he held on. He decided to double check how comfortable Alastor thought he might be, before proceeding. He was inclined to believe it would be a while yet before Alastor was going to be ready for any public displays of affection.

“That would be preferable.” Alastor’s grin spread further from his question, reaching his eyes like few of his smiles actually did.

He let himself practically fall into Alastor as he hugged him, careful to fall into his lap and not between Alastor’s legs. Alastor tensed and there was a small grunt due to the impact but he wasn’t pushed away. His arms buried themselves behind Alastor as he clung to his new partner. Alastor had agreed to court him. Alastor had brought it up himself! He smiled into Alastor’s coat. Excitement crawled up his spine as he felt Alastor's arms around him, another moment passed and he felt the tension slowly start to leave Alastor. He turned his head so that he could look up at Alastor, the brim of his hat was askew from the pressure.

“So this is okay?” He whispered, almost afraid this wasn’t happening. Alastor was warm and his embrace steady. Nine Hells. He needed this, he missed touch, he missed being held. His heart felt so full knowing that Alastor had agreed to let him do this when they were alone, it meant he would be allowed to do it again. He wouldn’t be deprived of this sensation any longer.

“I can handle this.” It was new to feel how Alastor’s voice rumbled in his chest as he spoke. He closed his eyes and enjoyed listening to the steady beat of Alastor’s heart.

“I was thinking.” He mumbled after a moment. Maybe he’d push his luck a little tonight. He was riding the high from finding out Alastor wanted to… wanted him.

“Should I be worried?” He felt Alstor shift, but he was still enjoying listening to Alastor’s voice. He opened his eyes and found Alastor looking down at him.

“I’ve noticed you’ve been falling asleep here on occasion,” Alastor’s eyebrow raised as he was stating the obvious. “and I didn’t want to suggest it before because I didn’t think it would have gone over well…” He fiddled with the buttons on Alastor’s coat, no longer able to look the other in the eye. “but now, well… how about reading on the bed so if you fall asleep you would be more comfortable.” His words tumbled out quickly. He kept his eyes low and felt Alastor tense. He felt Alastor breathe in sharply with a long pause before he breathed out. He was thankful that his ear was resting against Alastor’s chest; he wouldn’t have been able to tell there’d been an increase to the deer’s heart rate otherwise.

“In your bed?”

“Yes?” He yelped. This was a bad idea, he shouldn’t have brought it up, he should have just been happy with how things were right now. He’d pushed too much… but Alastor hadn’t forced him off his lap yet. He could feel his face flush the longer Alastor remained silent. The torturous silence hung in the air.

“I’ll consider it. I don’t know, but perhaps.” Alastor finally took pity on him.

“Thank you.” He grinned and squeezed Alastor tighter. He felt Alastor’s hands twitch.

“If… you want, and can remain quiet, you may join me in my radio tower sometime.” Alastor’s voice was quiet and only hesitant at the beginning. He pulled back enough to look up at Alastor. He no longer cared if the blush was seen on his face. It was overshadowed by his excitement.

“Really?” This had to be a dream, Alastor inviting him to his radio tower, it was too much.

“I do believe this is supposed to be a mutual thing, while I have come not to mind spending time in your room, I probably should also see if the opposite holds true as well.”

So this is what’s been distracting you. The strange behaviour over the last few days that had worried Charlie, had been Alastor coming to terms with his own feelings and figuring out what he might need to do in order to make it work. Alastor wanted this to work. He felt like he would explode from the flood of emotions.

“So I can sit in on a broadcast?” He sat back to look at Alastor. His ears were in a position he’d not seen before, tilted down and pointed out to the side, they were also quivering slightly. f*ck he was adorable. Is this what they do when he’s embarrassed? I’ve seen him nervous before… and they didn’t do this. Maybe shyness? Could Alastor even be shy? The Radio Demon was confidence personified.

“So long as you can remain quiet while I’m on the air, yes.” Alastor nodded and his voice betrayed none of the thoughts that had caused the new ear position.

He hugged Alastor again, this time he buried his face into Alastor’s neck, happily breathing in the scent he’d only been able to smell from the blanket - sweet vanilla cinnamon and lemon. He felt Alastor shudder and couldn’t contain his grin. If that was enough to get a reaction out of Alastor, it really would be difficult not to constantly touch him just to watch him come undone.

“Too much?” He asked without moving.

“Unusual sensation.” Alastor replied quietly. His body had stayed tense, as though he was afraid to move.

“This?” He commented as he breathed through his nose which was almost against Alastor’s neck. Alastor shivered and the grip Alastor had on his waist tightened momentarily.

“That wasn’t it, but that too.” Alastor swallowed but didn’t offer an explanation.

“What was it?” He voiced his confusion. He had been sure that the reaction would have been caused by the proximity to Alastor’s neck, but if that wasn’t the case… It wasn’t their proximity, nor his position on Alastor’s lap.

“… Your hat.” Alastor muttered quietly.

“My… hat?” He leaned back in confusion and looked up to where his hat would have been. “Your ears!” He watched as Alastor’s ears flattened back. “How sensitive are they?”

Alastor’s ears flattened further. He was instantly jealous that his hat had managed to touch Alastor's ears before he had.

“More than I would like.” Alastor grumbled looking down and avoiding his gaze.

“You will have to tell me when you’ll let me touch them.” The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them as he pouted in disappointment. The closer of Alastor’s two ears perked slightly. Oh?

“You’re not asking to do it now?” Alastor looked up with a raised eyebrow. It took everything to not just jump at the opportunity. He really wanted to touch them, but Rosie’s warning about touching and going too fast made him hesitate.

“You’ve been very accommodating to me tonight already. I got to hug you! I don’t want to push my luck. I mean you haven’t even ended the hug I started.” He proclaimed, proud of the progress the two of them had made already.

“Just one, carefully.” Alastor wasn’t done playing with his skyrocketing emotions as he muttered those words. His face lit up like a firecracker and he quickly pulled one of his hands free to gently run his fingers along the ear that was perked as an offering.

He could tell Alastor was trying to not react, but Alastor shuddered at the contact. He bit his lip to keep his excitement down and traced along the edges of Alastor’s velvety soft and fluffy ear. Alastor’s head twitched as he trailed his fingers along the edges. The small gasp from Alastor as his fingers found the tip of his ears made his heart beat faster. Alastor was enjoying the new feeling, but it didn’t seem like he knew what to do with himself. He kept himself from pulling away from Lucifer’s fingers. His body tensed from the sensation and he forced himself to relax. The arms around Lucifer tightened but after a moment Alastor forced himself to relax there as well.

“It’s so soft.” He muttered in amazement. He finished exploring the ear and started to scratch the back of it. “Are you handling it okay?”

Alastor swallowed but nodded slowly.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“It's not unpleasant.” Alastor seemed more relaxed now that his focus had shifted from the edges of his ear. He couldn’t help but snort at the response.

“That isn’t what I asked.”

“No, I suppose it wasn’t.” Alastor’s eyes closed as he spoke. “What you did in the beginning had a different sensation. While what you are doing now is quite… relaxing.”

He smirked as he watched Alastor’s content grin from the ear scratches and he wondered if he could get Alastor to fall asleep from this. He was also curious about the reaction he had gotten from the tip of Alastor’s ear.

“Then would it be alright if I tried something else?”

“Alright.” Alastor’s voice was little more than a murmur. Had he even understood what was asked?

He moved his fingers to the tip of Alastor’s ear with his thumb on one side and index finger on the other, gently rubbing the ear between the two. Alastor’s eyes shot open instantly at the pressure. Radio dial pupils stared up at him and what gasp or sound Alastor would have made was taken over by the sound of a record scratch and loud static. Alastor’s antlers had tripled in size and had dug into the chair. He let go of Alastor’s ear and blinked in surprise at the sudden change.

“That, I will have to ask you not to repeat.” Alastor managed to voice between breaths with a suspicious lack of his radio filter.

“Ah, okay. Bad?”

Alastor swallowed hard before he spoke. “I’d rather not have to explain to Charlie why I’d ripped open your throat.” The filter still hadn’t come back and Alastor’s voice was deeper than before.

“Normally I’d think that was a bad thing, but being you… that wasn’t exactly clear.” He found himself forced to stamp down the flood of desire at Alastor’s words. He wasn’t typically one who enjoyed that sort of thing, but it seemed his body was more than ready to let Alastor have his way with him. “Yes - bad or no - bad?”

“Too much.” The growled undertone to Alastor’s words told him all he needed to know, and f*ck, his body felt it like electricity. Hell was fortunate that Alastor didn’t utilise his sultry side often. Alastor used his charm, and that was more than enough. If Alastor dialled it up to seduction, they’d all be double damned with Alastor as the king of lust ruling over them all.

“For now?” He forced his mind back from the spiral it was going down. He needed to focus on anything other than how he wanted to drag Alastor over to the bed and have his way with him. He needed to calm down. He needed both of them to calm down.

“For a while.” Alastor’s radio filter was back and it helped calm his erratic heart.

“How long are you going to let me stay like this?” He asked as he scratched behind Alastor’s ear again, it had relaxed him before and he had thought it might help again but he was surprised at just how easily the action unwound the other.

“Are you going to continue to touch my ears the whole time?”

“Ears? Can I touch the other one now too?” He shifted in Alastor’s lap excitedly and reached for the other ear brushing along the edges in his eagerness to scratch behind both ears. There was a small squeak from Alastor from the contact.

“One at ah time.” Alastor gasped as he spoke.

“Sorry.”

“Hmmm.” Was the only acknowledgement he got for the apology.

He let his hand that had been paying attention to the original ear drop to the other’s shoulder while he explored his new prize. He looked down to watch Alastor’s reaction and his fingers slowed and he swallowed hard at what he saw. He hadn’t realised in his enthusiasm to reach Alastor’s previously untouched ear, that he was now kneeling astride Alastor’s lap. The arms that had been around his waist in the hug were now resting on his hips. He was surprised that Alastor hadn’t let them drop completely and instead was maintaining physical contact. Tension gathered quickly in his abdomen as his mind jumped gleefully back down the spiral into where things could go from there.

He forced himself to look back up. Alastor’s unattended ear was trembling slightly. He let his eyes wander to Alastor’s face. His eyes were half open and unfocused. His grin wasn’t strained, but he was still making sure it remained in place. If he hadn’t been as close to him, he wouldn’t have been able to tell that the other was struggling to get his breathing back under control from when he’d had both ears. He shifted the hand that was on Alastor’s shoulder to rest closer to his pulse point. He could feel the rapid and erratic beat against his hand. He never thought he’d see such a sight, and he could feel himself becoming painfully hard because of it. If he wasn’t careful, they’d find Alastor’s limit too quickly because he couldn’t restrain himself.

“You stopped.” Alastor looked up curiously at him.

“Yes, well… um, I’m wondering if pushing much further would be a good idea.”

Alastor tilted his head to one side and he had to stifle a groan at how adorable it was.

“You’re enjoying this that much? Why would what you’re doing to my ears impact you?” The confusion on Alastor’s face made the slight tilt of his head and ear twitch even more difficult to resist and he had to remind himself, Alastor’s confusion was probably because had little to no experience in this type of situation.

“I am enjoying watching what my touch does to you. A lot.” He didn’t want to admit just how badly his body was screaming at him to do unspeakable things to the oblivious demon below him.

“But… What reaction?” Both of Alastor’s ears shot upwards.

“Your pulse is racing.” He let his thumb brush across Alastor’s neck. “Your breathing has increased. Your eyes are radio dials and yet your hands haven’t left me since you returned the hug. I can feel when your muscles tense and relax. While it might not seem like much, for you those reactions are more than enough to tell me that you enjoyed what I was doing. The gasp you weren’t able to hide when I had both of your ears is really making it difficult to keep from pushing further.”

“And, what would you do?” Alastor challenged playfully.

“That’s a dangerous game to play, Alastor.” He growled in warning. He was barely holding on as it was. Alastor baiting him was making his last reserves cave and he couldn’t ruin what they’d only just started. Not after everything they’d both put into getting this far.

“Is it? Should I guess then?” Alastor teased, leaning slightly forward and bringing their faces closer.

“You really do like playing with fire, don’t you?” He needed to turn the tables and get Alastor to back off. “Only if I’m allowed to do what you guess. Are you willing to play this game?”

“Will you be able to stop yourself or will I have to stop you?” Caution edged its way into Alastor’s voice.

“That’s part of the risk.” Lucifer smirked. He was now in a game of chicken with the Alastor. Who was going to back down first? If Alastor decided to go forward, he was doing so of his own free will, and undertaking the consequences of it.

“I’ll permit you to choose one more thing you can do tonight.”

“Oh?” Lucifer leaned back a little and contemplated how to proceed now that Alastor had backtracked first. “What if I ask for something outside of what you're comfortable with?”

“If it’s not much more than what we’ve already established is too much, it should be acceptable.”

“A kiss.” Alastor didn’t look surprised by his request, but there was a barely concealed hesitance to his expression. He let Alastor consider the suggestion for a moment longer before he spoke again. “How about one on your forehead for now?”

“Alright.”

Lucifer moved Alastor’s hair with one of his hands. He could see a faint outline of a red ‘x’ and wondered what could have caused it before placing a short kiss on his forehead. What Alastor didn’t know was that with his kiss he placed a blessing on him - should Alastor’s life be endangered, it would alert him in time to portal to him and intervene. He’d only ever put the blessing on Charlie before and it had alerted him when Adam had a chokehold on her. Lillith hadn’t wanted nor needed his protection in Hell. It was a mark that would be invisible to all in Hell, the only ones who would be able to notice the spell were the other archangels of his generation and any who came before him. He wasn’t exactly sure why he had done it, but with Alastor accepting his feelings and wanting to try a relationship it had made him want to protect the demon. Seeing the ‘x’ had made him want to mark Alastor as his . It was too soon for that. The blessing at least gave him the reassurance he’d be able to come to aid Alastor should anything like Adam happen again.

*

Mysterious POV

It was a hot and sticky night, like many before and many yet to come. The deep wild woods hid him and four others at the edge of the river that marked the limits of his territory. The only light came from the moon and a few scattered fireflies. He missed fireflies, they used to be so abundant they would light up the bayou with their dance. Humans. It was always humans who forced change upon him. The humans he harboured in his territory entertained him constantly. They were lively, clever and refused to be beaten. They always returned, always endured and always welcomed strangers with a smile.

“We’ve had an update concerning the one who went missing in Hell.” The deep voice of the one to his left spoke up. There was murmured interest from the others. All present had a vested interest in the one to be discussed tonight; the soul in his possession named Alastor. He wasn’t normally one to join in discussions with the others - he preferred to be alone, but he had been inextricably mixed in with them since the day he had made a deal with that woman. He had never been one to seek out more power, he had enough to defend what was his even from those with more influence than himself. That deal had changed so much, it had brought focus and reverence upon himself by the rest of his kind and hope to the four who now stood with him.

Nothing had prepared him for the offer that had been presented to him that day. It was a chance that was unlikely to ever again present itself. That woman’s father might not have had any interest in her, but they couldn’t claim the same would be the case should he find out about the child she had requested of him. They’d been looking for thousands of years for certain souls to barter with. Many of them refused or were unsuitable for the request his people had. It was only this type of soul which would be able to produce what his kind had been longing for since the realms had been split. Their chances were far and few inbetween due to the requirements needed to produce what they required. All of their previous attempts had ended in failure, but this one came from better stock. The reason the deal had included control over the child’s soul had been to hide the powers he’d inherit.

“He took part in defending a redemption hotel against angelic exterminators.” there was the hint of approval to the deep voice. That one enjoyed war and violence more than one of them should, but none present nor any other would challenge their authority. They had celebrated each human conflict in their territory, only ever becoming cautious when Alastor had been present. They hadn’t been ready for him to die at that point as the outcome of his soul hadn’t been certain.

“Are they still there?” The one across from him asked in her usual pleasant cadence. Her presence never sat well with him. Her honeyed voice lured many of his humans into her domain and she treated them like toys to discard when they no longer interested her.

“It is the most likely option. The report from our contact in Heaven confirms he was injured.” The first spoke again. The four around him focused their attention on him, waiting on information only he possessed. They had to rely on second or third hand information when inquiring about Alastor, but when it came to ensuring if he remained in Hell, he had direct proof.

“His soul is still intact.” He confirmed, holding up the deep blue chain that connected him to Alastor.

“How was he able to escape the airwaves? His seal is still in place, I weaved the spell myself and can feel that it hasn't run its course! It shouldn’t have released him until the conditions were met!” The rough angry voice of the one between him and the remaining member grumbled.

“If the seal isn’t removed, everything we’ve been doing will be for naught.” the final voice added quietly.

“Can’t we just release the soul?” He asked and allowed the chain to fade. It was the only soul he now possessed. He’d only ever claimed two in his long life. He really would prefer to have nothing to do with souls. It made him feel tainted and too much of his power was absorbed by just maintaining the connection now that Alastor was in Hell.

“No. There’s too much risk that his powers would remain dormant if we did.” The gruff one replied. They were the oldest of them, angry and bitter with the passage of time.

“We can not risk him falling prey to another in Hell either. No, we need to move cautiously so that none discovers what lingers inside him before the seal is broken. Adam already almost took him from us when he wounded him while defending that stupid hotel!” The deep voice held an unusual amount of frustration.

“How are we going to proceed? We can’t enter Hell.” The quiet one asked. He still wasn’t sure what power that one possessed. They were often quiet, but always paying attention.

“The injury he received would have included angelic power and instead of killing him as it would a sinner the angelic power should strengthen the spell enough to enable it to claim him once again.” The gruff one spoke up.

“Should?” The melodic voice inquired.

“This one has always been problematic, resisting our will at almost every turn.” The gruff one turned towards the melodic voice with a huff.

They had needed Alastor to end up in Hell. He knew that all of their previous attempts had ended in failure because they’d not been able to taint their subject sufficiently. His Alastor was so much stronger than the others, those present were desperate to succeed this time. He’d been told that he couldn’t afford to hold back and with the help of the other four, they had done everything in their power to guide Alastor to fall. The five of them had set to corrupting and tainting those who got close enough to influence Alastor’s descent with the exception of Alastor’s mother. They were not monsters, they wouldn’t rob a child of a mother’s love.

They had been overjoyed when Alastor turned out to be a murderer. He’d been asked to watch out for an opportunity to end Alastor’s human life before he had a chance at redemption after the first body was deposited in his woods. He waited patiently as years past until finally an opportunity allowed him to ensure that the hunter, who happened to be there when Alastor was disposing the body of one of his victims, saw a deer where Alastor stood in the woods and took the shot. The inexperienced hunter’s hounds hadn’t been part of the plan, but in those final moments there had been no contrition and no begging for redemption, sealing Alastor’s position in Hell. It was only after that, had they remembered Alastor was still sealed.

It had taken decades for them to get a message to their first successful soul in Hell. It had been a messy ordeal. In their desperation they had reached out to the one in charge of the heavenly embassy in Hell, Adam. He had brokered a deal between them and his first wife, who in exchange for having one of the souls she owned deliver a message for them was allowed to remain in their heavenly abode so long as she cooperated with Adam and the exorcists he commanded. They had been limited to what they were able to pass on, knowing it would be handled by others they settled on using a spell that would only activate once the intended recipient had finished reading the conditions for release. They had unfortunately been forced to be cryptic about their goals. Lilith had to be kept in the dark about their plans and the lineage of the soul the note was to be delivered to.

“What can we do?” He asked.

“Wait. The spell won’t let up until it claims him again. It will probably start eating up his own magic as fuel if he keeps resisting” The gruff one offered.

“We mustn't let our impatience get the better of us. He will be ours soon enough.” The deep voice spoke with finality before it faded. The others didn’t respond but followed the first into darkness and he was left alone at the border of his territory. The sounds of the bayou returned as the other’s presence faded.

*

Lucifer’s POV

True to his word, Alastor let him join him on his next broadcast. He worked on his duck Alastor number two quietly out of the way as he watched and listened to the demon at home in his element. He learned quickly that song breaks were when Alastor would set up for his next segment. They were also the times Alastor allowed himself a break. During one of these breaks, Alastor motioned for him to come over to the radio control board.

He got to ask questions about what all the buttons did. Alastor was patient and explained the different switches and buttons. The demon didn’t shy away from getting into his space as he explained and he loved every little time Alastor got close. He had noticed there was a difference from when Alastor would get into other people’s spaces versus when near him. With others his closeness was a tool, a means of intimidation. There was a rational means to an end to what he was doing. While Alastor was much more hesitant around him. His reason for being physically close was purely emotional, something still foreign to Alastor.

The Radio Demon was admirably facing the unknown and he found he was constantly pushing his luck with the other because Alastor was willing to find out if something was too much. He still wasn’t able to touch both of his ears at the same time but he had permission to cuddle up to Alastor when no one else was around. On the fifth song break he managed to get Alastor to let him sit on his lap as he asked more questions. One of the times he pointed to a dial only for his hand to be captured by the demon. The answer mumbled but he didn’t hear it as he watched Alastor pull his hand towards himself and kiss the back of it. His smile broadened. That was the first time Alastor had initiated some sort of kiss. His current goal was getting a proper kiss from Alastor. He was positive that Alastor knew this too.

He was surprised further when Alastor didn’t make him get up when the song ended. Continuing the broadcast while leaning slightly forward into him as he spoke into the microphone. He was startled to notice the reverberation of Alasator’s words through his chest into his back, sunk further than his skin. It was as though the vibration was against his wings. The low rumble of Alastor’s voice on his wings was quickly and unexpectedly making his pants uncomfortable and it took more effort than he would ever admit to stay quiet and still as Alastor relayed the next part of his radio show all but oblivious to the reaction he was having.

He couldn’t make any noise. That had been one of Alastor’s conditions on letting him sit in on broadcasts. His hands gripped fistfulls of his pants as Alastor continued to talk. He couldn’t even make out what was being said anymore. He leaned forward to try and escape some of the blissful sensation. He felt Alastor wrap an arm around his waist quickly when he started to slip further forward. If he had thought the sensation of Alastor leaning into him and speaking had been blissful, he was now in paradise. The secure hold Alastor had him in made him feel safe while pressing him more securely into Alastor’s chest. By all that was holy, Alastor’s voice felt like it was strumming his wings in a way no one had before. He bit down on his lip as he forced himself to remain still and quiet as he endured the pleasurable torment.

“That’s all for me folks! Stay tuned for the next broadcast and good night!”

He almost moaned in relief when Alastor signed off for the day, barely managing to hold it in until he watched Alastor flick the ‘on air’ switch off. The noise startled the demon behind him as he felt Alastor tense. He knew Alastor wouldn’t have considered what had happened as a probable option in his head so he would need to explain. He leaned back and pinned Alastor between his back and the chair. He had no intention of letting Alastor move yet, mostly because there was no way his legs would hold his weight. He reached out and pulled Alastor’s other hand around him as he let his head fall back to rest on Alastor’s shoulder. After a moment of panting he opened his eyes, catching the quizzical look he was getting from the demon. Alastor was patiently waiting for an explanation as he watched him try to calm his body down.

“Fuuuuck. Why is your voice so enticing?” He finally groaned when he felt like he could trust his voice to articulate a sentence. Alastor’s ears flicked up in alarm and his eyes widened slightly as he seemed to at least somewhat understand what had happened.

“I take it, you found that rather enjoyable?” Alastor recovered quickly.

“Alastor~” He purred. “It felt like you were teasing my wings. All of them as you spoke.” He groaned. “Then when you pulled me in… f*ck I was close, we were lucky I managed to stay quiet.”

“Which would mean your wings are sensitive?” Alastor teased in a lower tone.

“At least as much as your ears, if not more.” He reached up and trailed a finger along Alastor’s ear giving a little flick to the tip for emphasis earning him a shiver and growl from Alastor.

“Oh, li-.” Alastor cut himself off. “I think I understand.”

He gave Alastor a curious look. There definitely was something else he had been about to say. His abandonment of teasing was also suspicious.

“You understand how something would be more sensitive than your ears?”

Alastor looked away. Oh, he did.

“Is that why you generally keep your antlers short?” he hazarded a guess.

“No, I can’t feel when they are touched but I can feel when they are pulled. The larger they are the easier they are to grab, it’s too much of a risk because I can’t tell if they’ve been caught on or by anything. The size I keep them makes it so that my ears would come into contact with anything first.”

“Then what? It has to be an animal part, the sensitivity is different from human parts.”

“You’re not wrong.”

He thought for a moment. What other animal traits could Alastor have? A smile crept across his face.

A tail.

Before he could even move to try and slip his arms behind Alastor’s back, the other had dissolved into his shadow only to appear standing a few feet from him. His grin spread as the reaction all but confirmed the existence of a tail on the deer demon.

“What colour is your tail?” He teased and leaned forward in Alastor’s chair.

“Do you really have to ask?” Alastor rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“Will I be able to see it soon?” His tongue flicked out in excitement. Alastor’s ears were sensitive, if his tail was even more so, no wonder it was kept hidden.

“Yes, I just didn’t think that you’d be able to keep from touching today. Given your reaction earlier.”

“Fair point. I still want to see your tail. What if I promise to stay here while you show me?”

Alastor sighed and undid the buttons to his coat. He pulled it back enough so that as he turned to one side he could see the small tuff of red lined on the sides with black and surprisingly a small bit of white fur underneath that was kept secret from the world. Alastor was right, he really did want to touch it. He kept his promise, he remained in the seat until the demon redid his coat.

“I will keep in mind that particular position has an effect on you.”

“By all means, when you’re ready for it, do it again.” He grinned at Alastor who only looked away. He was enamoured with the hesitant and shy Alastor. He loved how it was a side of Alastor he was the only one allowed to see and he cherished every moment.

*

Alastor’s POV

He looked up from the book he was reading as he reclined on Lucifer’s bed. The small blond had bounded over and landed rather ungracefully on his knees clutching something in his hands as Lucifer almost ended up face first into his lap. He resisted commenting as the fallen righted himself before holding out the small red and black object in his hand he had so proudly come over to show him. He couldn’t help but smirk. It was a small duck version of himself.

“And whatever do you intend to do with that version of me?” He took the small object in his hand and turned it over to inspect it.

“Well, I have one that I’m going to give to you, but this one I’m going to put on my family shelf.” Lucifer rubbed his arm and looked away as he embarrassedly waited to hear his reaction.

“You, you want to put me with you and Charlie?” He looked up in shock. On the many nights he had spent in this room, he had learned that there was order to the chaos of the room. Each of the ducks had a place to return to, but there was one shelf right above Lucifer’s work desk that held two white ducks - caricatures of Lucifer and Charlie. Those two held a position of reverence and were the only two who were always replaced immediately should they be moved from the shelf.

“That’s right.” Lucifer smiled at him leaning in slightly. “Unless you don’t want to be there.”

“I would be honoured.” His grin spread further. Before his mind talked him out of it he leaned forward acting upon impulse and shocking the other with a quick chaste kiss. He had expected the impulse to stun the other, frequently when he initiated touch Lucifer would freeze before responding.

Tonight, he had miscalculated. Lucifer pushed forward, chasing the contact. He discarded the duck and caught Lucifer as he crashed into him. His eyes widened in shock by the foreign sensation of lips pressed firmly on his own. Lucifer’s forked tongue had invaded his mouth and it was sending shivers down his spine as it twisted and curled around his own. He had understood that kissing was something people did for pleasure, but nothing could have prepared him for how provocative Lucifer’s tongue could be. The appendage stroked and flicked with extra interest at even the slightest reaction it managed to pull from him.

Was this what Rosie was referring to when she said he’d have to be forgiving if Lucifer pushed too far because of emotions?

Was this too far?

With the initial shock worn off, the sensation wasn’t as overwhelming as when Lucifer had toyed with the tips of his ears. He could perhaps handle this but he didn’t have to remain still. Unlike when Lucifer had played with his ears, kissing was supposed to be reciprocated. Slowly he tried to mimic some of the actions he had felt Lucifer do. An almost feral sounding groan erupted from Lucifer’s throat proved he was a quick study. The noise unexpectedly set his blood on fire and he began to understand why Lucifer had been so enthusiastic from getting a response from him earlier.

Lucifer seemed to take his exploration as permission to go further. The hands that had been on his shoulder and chin inched in different directions as Lucifer shifted in his lap. The hand on his chin sunk into his hair then began to move upwards. He was mildly relieved when Lucifer’s fingers stopped short of reaching his ears only to grip a fistfull of his hair. Lucifer’s other hand slowly mapped out his chest. He tightened his grip on Lucifer’s waist; the mix of sensations was making it hard to focus. His stomach knotted as it was getting increasingly difficult to keep his powers in check.

Everything was starting to feel more intense as the thrum of his heartbeat became deafening in his ears. He wanted more, he wanted to surge forward and devour Lucifer. His powers responded in kind, an increasing need to consume the fallen in his arms stirring up a storm to encourage him to give in. It would be so easy to listen, the need to continue was threatening to overtake the rational part of his mind that was warning him to be cautious. He had been warned against rushing, and this certainly was that.

With great effort as his body protested his intent, he moved one of his hands to Lucifer’s shoulder and pushed with enough pressure to let the other know it was time to stop. Lucifer had always been attentive to pushing him too far, yet it seemed as though he hadn’t noticed the push on his shoulder. He tried again with a little more of a shake. The hand in his hair started to move and he relaxed as Lucifer shifted on top of him.

His eyes shot open as Lucifer’s hand captured his ear. His mind went blank as the sensation shot down his spine. He was frozen in place as Lucifer’s thumb and forefinger held his ear trapped between them. Lucifer’s thumb rubbing along the edge, testing different pressure levels as it inched upwards. The shadows along the wall started to swirl as some of his sigils formed in the air. He could feel static building in the air, threatening to spark. They needed to stop, his powers had started to leak out.

He gasped as Lucifer now clutched the tip of his ear. Lucifer’s forked tongue taking advantage of his shock and began curling around his own as though begging him to focus on it again. Lucifer’s other hand slipped around his waist, pulling him against the fallen while fingers brushed the base of his tail before closing around it. The tempest inside of him raged wildly with an increased vigour from the contact. It was taking every ounce of his focus just to keep from letting go completely and being swallowed by it… and he was quickly losing ground. A pitiful noise escaped his throat, one that sounded too weak and vulnerable to have come from himself.

Lucifer’s body froze in place at the noise, his eyes snapped open and went wider still as they focused. Worried panic instantly overtook the previously lust filled eyes as he quickly broke their kiss. His ragged breath sounded like crackling static as he tried to anchor himself and reign his powers that still weren't’ listening to him in. Lucifer’s eyes dart over his form wildly before he feels hands retreat from his ear and tail. He closed his eyes in relief, gaining a few inches of ground now that he could focus. Lucifer’s hands cupped his face, warmth seeped into him as Lucifer’s power wrapped itself around him. He blinked in wonder as the golden light tamed the shadows, gathering up his stray magic as it pulled everything back to him before it settled around him like a thick quilt.

That would be what Rosie meant. That had been too far. He swallowed as his first coherent thought managed to take shape. Things were calmer now, but his blood still raced, spurred on by his erratic heart. His body was so tense it was shaking and Lucifer was incoherently making soothing cooing noises as he exaggerated his breathing. It took another moment to understand the noises were Lucifer trying to coax him into copying his breathing. Lucifer’s arms shifted from his face to bring him into a hug as he continued to breathe deep, this time in his own relief.

“I didn’t know you could do that.” He mumbled quietly, his usual radio filter gone.

“I am the King of Hell. There are lots of things I can do that I don’t tell people. So don’t worry, should you lose control, I can catch you.”

“Hmm.” He didn’t have a response for that.

Now that he was mostly back to himself, Lucifer released him from the embrace and looked around for the Alastor duck that had been abandoned to the bed before he collected it and placed it on the shelf by his desk. He watched with fondness as the duck was gently added next to Charlie so that he and Lucifer protected the little duck. He was still tense about what had happened and his body occasionally spazzed despite his best efforts, but they had conclusively found out where his limit was. Lucifer looked so happy as he gazed at the three of them on the shelf. A happiness that didn’t fade when Lucifer came back over to the bed.

“Here, let me help calm you back down.” Lucifer smiled as he stood at the edge of his own bed, waiting for permission to rejoin him after their previous ordeal. He wasn’t sure how best to proceed, but of the two of them Lucifer was the more experienced. He eyed Lucifer warily but nodded.

Lucifer smiled happily at the permission and scooched next to him on the bed. Once Lucifer was comfortable he looked over and patted his lap. He blinked a couple of times as he tried to understand the intention before he raised an eyebrow.

“Put your head here, silly.” Lucifer clarified. He stared for a moment longer before shifting to a position that would allow him to do as directed.

“Pick a side and I’ll only scratch that ear.” Lucifer let his fingers comb through his hair as he spoke. He rolled onto his left side looking up at Lucifer and feeling like he was offering up his right ear on a platter. Still unsure there was something Lucifer could do about calming down the storm that raged inside him.

Lucifer carefully avoided the edges and tips of his ear to rub circles near the base of his ear. His body shivers but the motion has the tremors quickly receding. “One day, when you are ready, I want to see what you are like when I render you to the point you no longer can think straight. There is no rush, I can be very patient and I typically get what I want in the end.”

“I have noticed.”

Lucifer smirked and stuck his tongue out quickly. A little added pressure to where his ear met his skull chased the last remnants of tension from his muscles. He breathes out a sigh closing his eyes and lets himself enjoy the sensation with a small smile.

*

Lucifer’s POV

It had taken a while, but he had managed to lull Alastor to sleep. The deer’s ears produced three distinct reactions depending on where they were touched. The tips were the most sensitive and produced the most intense reactions. The edges were sensitive in a similar fashion to the tips but to a much lesser degree. He was certain both reactions would prove to be sexual in nature when they’d manage to get that far. The area on the back of Alastor’s ears all around where they connected to his head was his most important discovery about the Radio Demon to date. The right amount of pressure on that particular area on either of his ears, was more than enough to reduce Alastor to relaxed goo. He hadn’t been sure that it would work given how worked up Alastor had been after his f*ck up tonight, but he’d been lucky.

There really was no other way to put it. He had majorly f*cked up. He had been waiting so long for Alastor to be ready before he kissed him, so when Alastor had beaten him to it he hadn’t been able to stop himself from the shock. He had been overwhelmed by lust with his first taste. He had dived headfirst without a second thought when Alastor had responded. He had been a fool. How could he have gone for his tail? Alastor hadn’t told him he could and yet his fingers had taken it firmly without permission. It had been soft like the velvet part of Alastor’s ears only so much thicker. He knew that because his other hand had been holding Alastor’s ear at the same time.

He looked down fondly at the sleeping deer. Alastor’s features were relaxed in sleep and his drooping ears gave him the appearance of someone so much more innocent than an Overlord. He couldn’t help but continue to massage the backs of his ears to keep the other asleep. Alastor instinctively nuzzled closer at the contact and curled further inward towards him.The buttons on Alastor’s coat had come undone at some point and his coat was now draped high across his side from when Alastor had rolled towards him, exposing the tail he had accosted earlier. He didn’t dare reach out for it but he amusedly watched as it twitched occasionally while Alastor slept.

How can someone be so adorable? They were lucky that Alastor didn’t show this side of himself to many. Few would be able to resist the siren lure of the sight before him. Has anyone else actually been allowed to see this? Deep down he doubted it. He was relieved that Alastor hadn’t just bolted as soon as things had begun to overwhelm him. He’d have to talk with Alastor once he had rested to find out if there had been more going on than just his folly.

Alastor’s injury was fully healed, so that shouldn’t have influenced the startling loss of control in the Overlord. He toyed with his lip for a moment before resting his hand on Alastor’s temple and letting his magic flow into Alastor. The wild magic curled around him, greeting him rather than resisting this time. In his lap, Alastor sighed with a content smile. He found what he was looking for quickly. The angelic power he’d not been able to remove after the fight with Adam. It hadn’t changed or been absorbed by the wild magic like he had thought it might. The wild magic was only containing it. It was part of Alastor now and pulsed strongly against the restraints that held it back.

f*ck, that’s not good. What would happen to Alastor if it broke through? His chest tightened as worry set in. Had they been lucky tonight when Alastor lost control? The angelic power hadn’t gotten stronger, and it still wasn’t trying to hurt Alastor but it wanted to be free. Could a sinner even handle angelic power? He smiled down at Alastor, if any could it would be him. There was a soft knock at his door bringing his thoughts back to his surroundings. He pulled his magic back, allowing a twirled embrace with the wild magic before he moved his hand back to scratch Alastor’s ear to keep him asleep.

“Hey Dad.” Charlie poked her head in. She was the only one other than Alastor to come to his room. Her eyes met his with a smile, but he was panicking. Alastor was asleep in his lap. They’d not talked about letting anyone else know. He couldn’t just send Charlie away…

“Shhhh.” He hushed quickly with a finger held to his lip. He’d let Alastor sleep for now. Charlie’s head tilted to the side, comically almost like Alastor would do as she crept closer. She was almost to the bed before she noticed he wasn’t alone. She paused in her step when she noticed the head in his lap. Shock and confusion battled on her face as she stopped next to him. In the end, neither won. Her eyes widened as she nearly melted at the cuteness which was Alastor asleep in his lap. He watched amusedly as Charlie struggled but contained her squee, her mouth gaped and her hands flapped near her face.

“Dad… does this mean? You and Alastor?” She whispered excitedly.

“Are taking things slow.” He nodded in confirmation. Charlie spun around as her exhilaration got the better of her.

“Daaaad, I’m soooooooo happy for you!” She’d managed to keep her voice low but couldn’t help but give him a hug. She happily flung her arms around him in a hug. He caught her quickly, trying to keep her from falling into Alastor but he couldn’t keep the full force of her impact from rocking his body. He felt Alastor’s ears move against his leg and looked down past Charlie’s shoulder. Alastor’s eyes opened slowly before he blinked back the haziness of sleep. Charlie followed his eyes and gasped.

“Sorry, sorry, so sorry.” Charlie apologised as she quickly let go of him and backed off to sit at the edge of the bed near his feet. There was a little huff from Alastor, and he had to hold back his laugh at the amount of frustration he picked up on.

“It’s for the best. Of anyone, you are the one who should know.” Alastor mumbled, his voice still thick from sleep as rolled over onto his back. Charlie sat there stunned still as she watched them. Alastor focused on him, not quite wanting to move yet as he spoke. “You should have woken me.”

“I was paralysed by the sight before me.” He grinned and ran his fingers through Alastor’s hair. Alastor shook his head and gave him an exasperated look.

“I will retire for the night. Can’t have anyone else see me sleep.” Alastor moved to sit up, giving him time to remove his fingers. He reached out for Alastor’s arm before the deer had managed to sit up fully. Waiting until Alastor looked up at him, he gave a small pout and hoped he’d be able to steal a good night kiss before he left.

“Good night Alastor.” Charlie’s smile was blinding as she watched the two of them.

“Charlie dear, could I ask you to look away for a moment.” Alastor glanced over at her before shifting to face him. Charlie covered her eyes but he could see her peeking through her fingers. Alastor leaned over, tilting his chin before granting him his silent request.

“Sleep well.” Alastor’s voice was low, entirely more seductive than it needed to be. Damn, he wanted to keep Alastor there for the night, but it was probably for the best that they slept in different rooms tonight.

“You too.” He smiled in relief that he had successfully managed to get Alastor to kiss him again so that their last kiss wasn’t the one where he had set the other off. Alastor remained where he was a moment longer before dissolving into shadows.

“OHMYGAWD dad~” she whisper-yelled before flopping down on the bed and rolling from side to side. Her happiness for them seeped from her entire being. He watched in wonder as she reigned in her emotions. She was so much like him. He had been positive she’d approve of the two of them, but seeing the proof was relief beyond anything he’d hoped for.

“He’s not one to open up quickly, and I don’t want to force him to do anything he’s not ready for. So, sweetie, could you try not to let the cat out of the bag?” He begged. It was a difficult task for him, and it would be for her as well. Alastor was in no way ready for the rest of the hotel to know, especially after what had just happened. “I know you will probably tell Vaggie, but you two will have to keep it quiet.”

“Got it.” she nodded earnestly, giving him another hug before she headed back to her room, completely forgetting why she’d come to see him in the first place. He smirked knowing she’d probably remember that come morning and they could talk about it then. Charlie would excitedly gush to Vaggie about the two of them, and might even squeal about having two dads. Alastor had long since stepped into that position, their relationship cementing him in their family. With a smile he let himself sink into the cushions and started to relax. His eyes had started to droop when he heard Charlie finally let out the loud squee she had been holding in.

Chapter 5: Waves that Swallow Quick and Deep

Chapter Text

Alastor’s POV

He hadn’t managed to get much sleep after leaving Lucifer’s room last night. He’d briefly contemplated returning during the wee hours but had instead made his way to the kitchen. There was at least one thing he could work on this early that wouldn’t wake the sleeping resident’s. He needed to clear his head and kneading dough would at least give him some focus for his frustration. Last night had made it painfully clear as they had crashed into his limit. With how long he’d worked on maintaining his control he had been under the impression there would be more of a warning before he started to fall apart. Had it been anyone other than Lucifer to cause all grip on his control to slip, it would have ended in disaster.

The last time he had felt that helpless in against his powers had been when he had still been learning to control them. When he had lost his temper after coming across the first Overlord he had taken out. It had barely been a couple hours since his arrival; he'd finally gotten used to his new ears and had decided to venture into his surroundings. From his life he knew if he showed fear it would be the end of him, so he strolled with the same confidence he would have used had he been walking the streets of New Orleans. He was hardly spared more than a glance by those he passed but his stroll had been anything but quiet.

There had been so many screams it had felt like his poor sensitive new ears would bleed. With his new ears it was easy to distinguish between the type of screams, there was a different pitch and tone depending on the fear of the victim. There was one type of scream, even as a human, that had always gotten to him. It had been the cause of many of his victims while alive. One he had heard all too often when growing up. When he heard it for the first time in Hell, he reacted without thinking. The demon was laughing as the pale woman cowered in fear beneath him, her screams only egged the demon on. His new ears played havoc on his mind, overlaying screams from his childhood with what his ears were hearing, as he tore the Overlord apart without another thought.

He could feel every movement of his body and the tentacles that sprouted forth from him. He hadn’t known about them, or that his form would shift as his power leaked out of him. He was ‘present’ but his body moved on its own, try as he might, he couldn’t stop it. His gangly form should have been awkward, but it danced effortlessly around the onslaught of attacks flung at him by the demon. The shadows responded to his desire as they dragged the assailant into their confines where he’d never be able to hurt anyone, a place where his screams could become amusem*nt for someone else.

He’d only just managed to keep himself from going after the woman in the alley. Instinct still wanted him to destroy everything in sight and the fear coming off of her was pushing him to attack. He had pleaded with her to run, to leave him so he didn’t hurt her too. She had, and to this day he was thankful he’d not killed the unknown woman in that alleyway. Once he had managed to compose himself he had retreated as far away from people as he could until he could control that form of himself. He had hidden himself until he understood the impulses of his new body. Keeping secrets close had always served him well in life.

When he was young he had hidden his fear of his father. Using his smile he intimidated the one who hurt him and his mother. As he grew he had discovered he was different from the other children. There was a need to hide the dark part of him that had rooted deep inside because of the cruelty of his father. His smile had been his key to being able to do that, the smile that had kept his mother safe kept people from digging too deep. After the dark part of him had bloomed in the war, he had needed to adapt so he assumed a friendly and polite demeanour. He cemented his smile into the camouflage that allowed him to pass as normal. In Hell, he’d keep smiling. Only now it was less of a mask than it had been when he was alive. No longer forced to hide his own cruelty, his smile came naturally and that unnerved his enemies and gave him control over them.

Lucifer’s comment about wanting to see him all but incoherent had done anything but reassure him losing control wouldn’t happen again. Losing control of his magic wasn't an option. The sole reason he was considering how to proceed was because it was Lucifer who he was with. Lucifer hadn’t been scared by his loss of control. Lucifer had been worried about him, worried how he’d react to his own loss of control. It had come on more suddenly than it should have. He felt reassured that Lucifer had the ability to stop him should things get out of hand but he wasn’t sure if that was something he wanted to rely on. A failsafe maybe, but he needed his own way to ensure his magic didn’t run rampant should he become overwhelmed again.

Would he just have to ‘get used to it?’ His brows furrowed as he worked the dough, making sure the whiskey soaked currants didn’t escape in the process. That didn’t seem like an efficient solution. It would probably achieve the results required, but he wasn’t exactly thrilled by the idea that he’d have to repeatedly let Lucifer play with both of his ears… or his tail. Lucifer would be more than pleased with permission to do just that, but there had to be a better way. Angel might have suggestions given his occupation, but Hell would freeze before he’d ask the lust driven spider. Rosie had said this was a dance, perhaps he should consult Lucifer to see if he had any insight on the situation. He certainly wouldn’t be the one leading anytime soon, he’d have to leave that to Lucifer.

He set the dough aside to rise and made coffee. Glancing over at the clock as he waited for the coffee to finish percolating. His mother’s recipe for hot cross buns would be ready before anyone came down for the day. He closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of orange and cardamom, bringing a smile to his lips. Cardamom had been his mother’s favourite spice and the one thing she’d save to get for herself. The house had smelt of it often after he had rid them of his father. He’d not made this recipe for the hotel resident’s yet even though it was one of the few sweeter recipes he did enjoy. He typically didn’t bake for anyone… except Rosie.

He’d almost finished his first cup when he heard the shuffle of footsteps approaching the kitchen. His smile spread, he knew that shuffle. Reaching for the ‘duck you’ cup and a spoon he scooped about a third of a cup’s worth of sweetened condensed milk into it before Lucifer had even reached the doorway. By the time the half-awake fallen had taken three steps into the room, the coffee had mostly melted the sticky syrup. He finished stirring and held out the cup for Lucifer. He raised an eyebrow as Lucifer ignored the cup in his hand and walked right to him. Lucifer’s arms wrapped around his waist and his head nuzzled into his chest.

“Good Morning.” He stared down at the blond mop of hair pressed against him. There was a muffled groan in response. Warmth spread in his chest as he smirked fondly down at Lucifer. He still wasn’t used to this and the emotions it evoked. It made him want to possess and protect the small fallen. There was a need to press beyond what they’d crashed into last night and to cherish moments like this. “Couldn’t sleep?” He asked and ran the fingers of his free hand through the silken hair. Lucifer sighed contently into his chest. He repeated the action with a little more pressure and earned an approving groan.

“Can I sleep here?” Lucifer mumbled. His arms relaxed around his waist and started to droop before Lucifer tensed slightly. He felt them brush the fur of his tail before Lucifer’s arms unwound carefully from his waist. What happened last night clearly still on Lucifer’s mind as Lucifer's hands followed the path of his spine upwards, avoiding his tail.

“That would be unwise.” He chuckled while he continued to gently massage his fingers through Lucifer’s hair.

“Can I stay like this a little longer?” Lucifer whined and pulled himself closer.

“Sure.” He shifted and placed the cup on the counter for when Lucifer would be ready for it. His hand settled against the hollow of Lucifer’s back, with a little pressure he urged Lucifer to follow as he stepped back to lean against the counter so the two of them would be more comfortable.

“What has you awake?” Lucifer mumbled, shifting to be able to look up at him.

“Probably the same thing as you.” He let his hand slip from Lucifer’s head and join the other one around Lucifer’s waist. The rest of the hotel was quiet with little chance of the other residents stirring anytime soon. Even knowing that, it didn’t stop his ears from straining to ensure no one had decided to get up and would interrupt their very private conversation.

“So what are we going to do about that?” Lucifer’s hand nervously traced a circle just under his shoulder blade.

“In truth, I didn’t think I’d lose control that easily.” Words he’d never utter around another soul. A weakness he couldn’t afford to come to light. It was bad enough, his escape from Adam had been recorded. It had some doubting his strength, he’d been able to easily crush any challengers thus far but should his inability to keep his powers in check get out… he’d have every aspiring Overlord crowding the hotel to try and land the final blow.

“Given what I’ve seen of your magic, neither did I and it’s concerning.” Lucifer whispered quietly. He hummed in agreement. Concerning… that’s putting it mildly. Few had ever seen him using his full power and only those who had been present when he’d taken out his first Overlord had ever seen him lose control of it. He didn’t have his full power to fall back on right now, not with what had been left behind in the airwaves, the part that still called for him.

“I wonder if the angelic power that still lingers in you is the cause?” Lucifer’s words cut through his thoughts.

“What? I didn’t think any remained after you had sealed the wound.” He must have heard Lucifer wrong. There was no way there was any remaining angelic power in his system. He was certain it was gone… then again he’d been certain there was none when Lucifer had come to heal him, yet Lucifer had found some.

“Do you remember when I was healing you I told you the angelic power wasn’t trying to hurt you and that it was being cancelled out by your magic?”

“A lot of that time is hazy. I vaguely recall something about healing like a human.” He shook his head as he spoke. He could barely remember much of what had happened between when he’d collapsed in his room and when Charlie’s phone had woken him while Lucifer was healing him.

“The angelic power wouldn’t leave you. I tried to coax it out but it wouldn’t listen to me. I… ugh was worried last night. I wanted to make sure you were okay… so, I um, used my magic to check up on what it was doing to you.” Lucifer fumbled his words nervously confessing he’d been so worried about him last night he’d used his magic to check he was okay. The fallen’s head tucked down tightly, refusing to meet his eye. He was surprised how little the intrusion bothered him.

“What did you find?” He hooked his finger under Lucifer’s chin forcing the other too look up at him and see he wasn’t upset.

“It’s still there and hasn’t waned in strength. You’ve seemed to have devoted a significant portion of your magic to cage it, but angelic power is hard to contain. It has become part of you and… it wants out.”

Still there? He closed his eyes and focused on his own powers hunting for anything that wasn’t familiar.

Nothing.

He checked again, slowing to investigate even the smallest potential irregularity, but still there wasn’t any sign of lingering angelic power. So what had Lucifer found? Was it possible that angelic power could hide inside another?

“I don’t sense any. Can you point it out?” He found Lucifer watching him closely when he opened his eyes. With a nod Lucifer shifted to cup his face with both hands. The warmth of Lucifer’s magic seeped into him, wrapping around him like it had last night.

“This is your magic; a type of wild magic.” Lucifer mumbled and closed his eyes, letting his magic flow freely. He felt the warm magic curl and twist through his system. It was the bulk of his power, the part he relied on most. “But this, is the angelic.” Lucifer’s magic settled near the bottom of his sternum. “When I try to pull it into me..” He swallowed the bulk of the grunt that escaped in shock as he felt Lucifer’s powers try to steal his own. How could that be angelic? He’d had that long before the wound. It felt a little stronger than it should have, but it was still composed of his magic, and no one else’s. “You shouldn’t feel when I pull, but you did. Angelic power should always desire to return to an angelic host. What’s left in you goes against that, and I don’t understand. I… It, I don’t like not knowing what’s happening.”

That part of me is angelic? His mind was racing. He knew that his shadow was anchored to him through that magic but otherwise that part of his magic had remained dormant within him. His ability to control his and other shadows was wholly independent of it. He’d assumed it was some sort of foundation stone for his magic and nothing more. Had it been what had saved him from the angelic power of Adam’s attack? If it was, then Lucifer’s comment about angelic power wanting to return to an angelic host would mean it had absorbed the power in Adam’s attack. Which would also explain why it felt stronger to him than it had before.

“What’s wrong?” Lucifer’s expression looked worried as he waited for an explanation.

You just told me that I’ve had angelic magic in me since arriving in Hell, what could you possibly think is wrong? He tried not to laugh aloud. A sinner with angelic magic, magic that now wanted out of him. No wonder he’d lost control.

“What you pulled on, it’s stronger now but it’s always been there.” What were they going to do if that was the source of his problem with control? Lucifer had just proven he couldn’t get rid of it. Would it just get worse?

“Wait… what? Always? You’ve always had angelic power?” Lucifer leaned back in his arms and stared up at him with large worried eyes.

“It’s linked to my shadow, yet separate from it. Because it didn’t seem to do anything I have always assumed it was passive or dormant.” His explanation had Lucifer’s thoughts racing and none of the thoughts appeared to be positive ones.

“You entered Hell with dormant angelic power…” Lucifer backed up, one of his hands curled into his hair, the distressing thoughts forcing it to pull tightly on the locks trapped between his fingers. Lucifer’s reaction felt like claws in his stomach. His situation seemed far worse than he suspected.

“I guess I did. What might cause dormant angelic magic?” He coaxed Lucifer into talking. He needed to know what Lucifer was thinking, why he was reacting like he was.

“Well, angelic blessings or seals can leave dormant power.” Lucifer paced nervously. It was slightly reassuring that the fallen was calm enough to lead into the part he was most worried about. “Typically if a human has one they end up in Heaven… but enough sin could outweigh the influence. It’s unusual but not impossible that it would survive death and entry to Hell.” Lucifer hugged himself as he stopped pacing to look over at him. “The only other option would be that you’ve got a heavenly being as an ancestor.”

What? No. That must be wrong. He shook his head at the impossibility. Lucifer chuckled a little, eyes softening as he watched him.

“Of the two, which do you think is more likely?” He still doubted that he harboured inherited angelic power, but he’d humour Lucifer, if only to waylay some of the fear he’d seen.

“Possibly the second, but I think it could be a combination. There are many types of heavenly beings, not just angels, and some of them seal the powers inherited by their descendants to ensure they blend in with humans. Frequently it isn’t for the child’s protection, but to keep them secret.”

To hide their shame they’d condemn their offspring. Typical. How many children had been hidden away where women were forced to raise an abandoned child. How many women were forced to raise the child with a husband who wasn’t the father?

Oh.

“Alright, perhaps we should assume that’s the case.” He mumbled. It made a disturbing amount of sense. His soul belonged to another, someone his mother had made a deal with. One that likely was to be able to have him. Do angels or angelic beings even deal in souls? His father’s hatred towards him his whole life, entirely likely because he believed him to be someone else’s child. Unable to find out who’s, the man had taken it out on him and his mother. The uncommon amount of power he’d possessed from when he’d arrived in Hell could be linked to his parentage and dormant angelic power.

Only then will you be able to claim the birthright denied to you and your family.

The last line in the note made a little more sense, but also left more questions. Could he be completely wrong? Could the one with heavenly parentage be someone further back in his family tree? His father couldn't be the source. He’d been easy to kill when he’d finally found him in Hell. His mother certainly had the patience and grace one would associate with angelic power. Her mother? Maybe… she had been kind but strict, all but immovable when it came to breaking rules. His mother had never known her father, He’d died around when she’d been born during the civil war. If the seal had been from any generation further back, he wouldn’t be able to say who, previous generations just hadn’t been talked about.

“Some sort of heavenly being as an ancestor, who sealed off the power of their descendants?” Lucifer looked him over curiously, probably also wondering who in his family tree might be linked to an angelic being.

“It does seem the most probable reason. You wouldn’t happen to be able to trace who’s magic it was?” He wondered if they’d be able to figure out the source, would it be easier to counter. Lucifer had been an angel, but there were different angels and angelic beings he wouldn’t necessarily know of.

“I’d have to have encountered their magic before… and still be able to remember it. I… it’s been a long time. It has familiar aspects but no, I don’t recognise it.”

“Let’s assume that the dormant power was awakened by Adam and now my magic is trying to subdue it which has impacted my focus. What can we do?”

“Well, I’ll try and figure out if there is something that I can do to help keep it back. We can’t have any more of your magic focused on keeping it in. It will start to impact what you’re able to use to defend yourself and the hotel if any more is diverted. I can do lots with demon powers, but it might take a while before I can come up with a way to hold back angelic.”

“We’ll just have to be careful until then. Perhaps you’ll have to start defending the hotel too. I’ll see what I can do about making sure I’ve got more warning when my control starts to slip.” They at least knew that sound had worked when touch had not.

“For sure I can help with the hotel!” Lucifer’s whole body brightened at his invitation. “Thank you for letting me help.” Lucifer smiled brightly, closing the few paces between them before tugging his collar down to kiss him.

He had allowed Lucifer to help him with the remaining steps of the buns. It was an easy decision to omit the signature cross from the buns, it wasn’t needed and added nothing to the taste. Lucifer had swiped three for breakfast drenching them in honey only to be stunned when he’d taken one as well before the two of them sat on the balcony to eat, leaving the rest for the others. None of the buns remained by the time they returned to the kitchen where he was met by Charlie and Angel demanding the treat be turned into a regular feature of breakfast. A demand he declined with a smile. It was to remain a treat. The two didn’t need to know Lucifer had asked the same of him and he’d agreed he’d make it again soon, but not regularly.

Charlie had then cancelled the day’s trust exercise opting to have all of them gather in the same room, just to be around each other. He got the impression it was more because she couldn’t focus due to her excitement rather than for the benefit of the residents. Lucifer was sitting on the couch with him lounging with his legs across the cushions but not close enough to touch him. It was clear that Lucifer wanted to be closer, but somehow he was containing his desire for physical touch and settling for this instead. He smiled as he took a drink of his coffee and turned the page of the newspaper. Charlie was trying her best to keep from displaying the overwhelming emotions of fondness and affection within her whenever she looked over at him or Lucifer. To distract herself, and probably to keep the others from noticing she’s found some programme to watch, and he’d tuned it out.

If they weren’t careful Charlie would be the reason that the other residents found out that he and Lucifer were courting. He didn’t regret that she had found out. It had actually been a relief to find that she approved. The girl was just too expressive, a trait she had inherited from her father and it was going to bring about questions he wasn’t ready to answer yet. It would eventually come to light how he and Lucifer were involved, and he wasn’t ashamed of what they were doing. It was more, he was still coming to terms with it himself and he wanted to feel more confident before he’d be blasted with every manor of embarrassing questions from Angel. He wasn’t ready to face that, as much as he loathed to admit it. They had too many issues to deal with right now, and that one could wait.

‘Rends-moi à nous!!’ His human voice yelled over the show on the television. His ears dropped flat before he had a chance to stop them. He was glad the only one who might have caught the reaction was Lucifer. He’d almost forgotten about the airwaves with what had happened last night and what they’d figured out this morning. How was he going to keep fighting the airwaves if he could barely maintain his focus with Lucifer? Charlie groaned loudly as the interruption had cut off what the characters had been saying at some critical moment in the programme.

“Honestly, why haven’t they figured out what’s causing that? I mean what is it even saying?” Charlie grumbled in frustration. The voice has gotten more incessant. It was no longer just something that happened in the background, it was louder and more prominent than the broadcast. It was calling out more and more, to the point hardly an hour went by without an interruption on the television. The Vees had brought the attention upon themselves, they had poked something they knew nothing about and now they had no way to defend against it.

‘Rends-moi à nous!!’ His voice bellowed through the television again, almost as if it was answering Charlie. He couldn’t shake the sinking feeling that it was. The airwaves were getting stronger, fueled by the attention of those watching the television. He could feel static increasing in the air of the hotel. He fixed his smile in place as he resisted engaging in the conversation and continued to pretend to read the newspaper. Just let it pass… He breathed out slowly. He would have to be careful about how much of his power he diverted from keeping the angelic magic at bay. Could the absorption of the angelic powers from his wound also be what had given the airwaves enough power to manifest his voice and demand his return? Part of him was still there, it could still have a connection.

“I don’t speak French Princess. You’d have to ask Alastor.” Husker responded casually from the other couch. He felt his ire rise, he needed to keep the focus off of him, not have Charlie directly ask him to translate! He didn’t remember ever telling Husker that he spoke the language, but the demon was perceptive. It could just be Husker assuming he could because of his Creole background.

“Alastor! You speak French?” Charlie asked excitedly from the chair she and Vaggie were sharing. He breathed in slowly holding it for a moment before breathing out. He really didn’t want to say anything, but he had no reason to refuse. Niffty was aware he spoke French, having found out one morning while he was muttering to himself while still half asleep and while she might not intentionally counter him should he lie, it would probably slip out, especially since Husker had pointed it out.

“I do.” He answered with a slight peak over the page, spying Niffty in the corner nodding before he had even answered. Charlie’s face morphed from curiosity to amazement in the brief moment he had the page folded over. Silence seemed to fall over the rest of the group for a moment and he resisted peeking over the newspaper again to catch their reactions. How to get out of this? Nothing came to his mind. Charlie would persist, then when she finally realised he didn’t want to, she might drop it but she’d want to know why.

“Colour me impressed. Come on Smiles, give us an example of the romance language!” Angel sounded too amused for his own good. Husker growled lowly and that was all of a response Angel’s request really needed to be dignified with. Perhaps a distraction?He certainly could mutter something to steer the conversation away from what his voice on the airwaves was saying.

“Well?” Vaggie snapped when he didn’t immediately translate for Charlie, ignoring Angel’s comment completely killing the briefest hope that he might be able to distract them with some insult to the spider.

“I can translate it, but I can’t say it will make much in the way of sense.” Alastor hesitated before speaking. He slowly and neatly folded his paper and placed it down on the table. This had been exactly what he had wanted to avoid. He was well and truly backed into a corner now. Unable to just excuse himself from the situation to avoid talking about his voice calling for his return. The static in the air was getting stronger still, all but crackling in his ears. He folded his hands on his lap but didn’t continue.

“Sooooooo?” Angel prompted when it became clear he was reluctant to answer. He felt Lucifer shift on the couch beside him and glanced over instead of answering. He was unsurprised by the worried look on Lucifer’s face. The fallen was no fool even though he tended to try and act like one. He’d only spoken of it once before, but he was certain Lucifer would by now have connected the voice on the television to the threat the Vees had complained about, the one he’d been ignoring. If he could just tell Charlie to stop talking about it, to drop the subject the airwaves might back off.

“Give me back to us.” Lucifer translated for him as he settled on the cushion next to him. The words forced his ears to react, wanting to fall flat on his skull. He struggled to keep them as close as he could to their usual position but they continued to want to revert. The confusion on Charlie’s face morphed into concern as she finally understood something was wrong. He looked down and watched in horror as his shadow pooled tightly around his feet, the edges seemed to shiver. It had already started to panic. He nodded slightly and felt the full focus of the airwaves hone in on the hotel as the television sputtered with interference.

‘Rends-moi à nous!!’ The voice snarled in a dark and angry tone, one much closer to his voice now. The heads of the other resident’s snapped over to the television startled by the loud and threatening new tone. He quickly closed his eyes and his ears folded down in an attempt to shut out the noise. Static claws skittered over his skin investigating if it was truly him. NO! I will not go back. There was no confidence in that statement, even in his mind it sounded too scared.

“Anyone else get the feeling, that wasn’t a coincidence?” Angel asked hesitantly followed by a grunt. Husker must have done something to get the effeminate demon to shut the f*ck up. He had, at least a shred of self preservation. Not that he couldn’t respond, the airwaves were too close, his voice would lure their focus fully on him. He had to prioritise keeping himself from being taken. He felt Lucifer shift a little closer. He cut off his own radio output and filter, diverting that magic to keeping hold of something, anything that would keep him here.

Why did she have to ask? He moaned internally. He could feel the shield he’d come to rely on, the thing that had kept him safe from the airwaves since he’d reappeared, wavering now that Charlie had focused on them. The static was starting to leech into him, wrapping itself tightly around his limbs and his instincts were slipping into full flight mode. He could feel his shadows and tentacles fighting the static, desperately trying to keep it from getting a grip on him.

“Alastor?” Lucifer’s voice sounded further away than it should have, given he felt a hand brush his arm. His head had grown heavy, his antlers on full display as more of his powers slipped through in order to aid the defence now that the airwaves had found him. The television sputtered and popped as it went out. A desperate attempt to cut the airwaves connection to him. He felt Lucifer’s magic, the usual steady warmth more erratic as it tried to help. He kept his eyes closed and focused on fighting against the airwaves’ static claws that had realised their prize was within their grasp.

‘Rends-moi à nous!!’ The voice taunted gleefully from the radio now.

He felt Charlie bump into his other arm as she called out something to the others. The airwaves tugged at him, testing to see if their grip would hold. Sensing their grip was firm, the airwaves pulled hard. Radio feedback screeched through the air and the lightbulbs burst from the sudden clash of energy. His claws sank deep as he gripped the couch, his shadows and tentacles rooting himself to the spot, no longer caring if his magic was visible. Charlie and Lucifer were calling to him, muffled and far away. He could barely feel Lucifer’s magic. It should have been so close, but now it felt almost gone. He was slipping. Panic surged, over taking his other senses. Fighting was no longer an option, Charlie was no longer an anchor he could grasp. He couldn't go back to that place. He needed to get away.

He felt a waver in the pull. This was his chance. He needed to go somewhere he’d be able to avoid the airwaves, at least until they stopped focusing on the hotel. Somewhere there weren't as many televisions or even radios, that didn’t leave many options in Hell… Cannibal Town! He’d be safe there and right now any extra distance he could get, he’d take. He shot a quick glance down at his shadow. He needed to know if using that as a means of travel would be safe. It was shaking in terror, but opened its arms to welcome him. He ignored the muffled cries of concern from the residents and sunk into his shadow’s embrace without a second thought.

The static grasped desperately at him as he cowered in his shadow every time he came too close to a radio or screen. Destruction followed the airwaves as it chased him around the city, everything with a current fizzing, screens glitched until they went dark and radios popped when their speakers blew. Twisting and turning to dodge every attempt to get him by the airwaves, no area with technology was safe. He’d circled around the Vees tower repeatedly getting it to focus on them before he sped back across town. He carefully followed the path of broken radios and televisions that could no longer house the airwaves to ensure he was safe before he even let his shadow turn towards their destination. He materialised from his shadow under a tree in one of the parks on the outskirts of Cannibal Town. As far from anything electronic as he could get in Hell.

His shadow would have ensured it was safe before letting him out, but he still frantically scanned the scenery himself. He quickly scooted back until he was against the tree to reduce his chance of being exposed. It allowed his alarmed tail to relax slightly, it was thankfully hidden beneath his coat. With unsteady breaths he pulled his knees up and let his forehead rest on them while his arms folded over his head to hide his quivering ears.

Calm down! He screamed at himself to little avail. He had escaped. He was still in one piece. He had avoided being claimed by the airwaves a second time. He recalled Charlie’s voice talking herself out of one of her frequent moments of panic. Breathe. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, repeating the process as he steadily felt his body returning to normal. Giddy laughter bubbled from his chest as relief of his escape finally broke through the panic. What an absurd sight he would make right now. He peeked between his arms to once again check to ensure he was alone. No one could catch him like this; shaking like a fawn from a threat few knew existed. The silence mocked him as he had cut off his own internal radio output back at the hotel, too scared to bring it back because it might lure the airwaves to him, too scared to even move in case the airwaves somehow managed to find him. He pulled himself tighter into a ball and waited for the shaking to stop.

He wasn’t sure how long he had remained next to the tree before he had felt confident enough he’d be able to hide his emotions behind his smile and steady enough to trust his knees to not buckle at the hint of static. It had been longer still before he had felt sure enough to leave the park and stroll around Cannibal Town. Slowly, he allowed himself to venture where the residents were. He used the interactions with them to ensure his nerves had settled before he sought Rosie out at her emporium. He needed to talk to someone before he attempted to return to the hotel, and he needed to know if the airwaves would try to snatch him if he veered onto the topic.

It was early in the evening by the time he held the door open for one or Rosie’s cannibals as they exited the emporium. Rosie was animated in her chatting with a group beside the back counter, her hands moving to emphasise her words as she spoke. He watched with an amused smile as it appeared she had yet to notice his presence. It was rare for her to not spot him immediately and he was now curious not only to find out the source of her distraction, but to also see how close he could get before she did notice.

“Ugh, I could not imagine someone trying to insist on using blue to decorate for their wedding! Do they even know how hard it is to get that colour down here?”

“I know! She’s being a complete diva about wanting everything to be ‘just so’ for her. She has no consideration for anyone else.”

Ah, no wonder Rosie’s attention is elsewhere. He leaned against the display a few feet away and waited patiently for a gap in the conversation to advise the ladies of his presence. The radio sitting in the parlour was silent and for once he was glad of it. He didn’t dare try to reach out to put some tune on. The small hint of static was more than enough to keep him away.

“I’m sorry to say dearie, you are going to have to break the news that outside of importing from other rings, she had best set her heart on another colour.” Rosie co*cked her hip and frowned as she broke the news to the woman she was talking to. The woman had already come to the same conclusion and hung her head in defeat.

“What bride doesn’t want to wear white on her special day?” He offered up as a distraction. His voice sounded off without his filter, but he tried to pay it no mind. There was no way Rosie wouldn’t notice, and no way he’d start using it again yet.

“Alastor!” Rosie jumped as he finally made himself known. “How could you sneak up on a lady like that!” She chastised him with no venom to her tone.

“But I didn’t sneak darling. I came in through the door as I always do and made my way over to you. I’ve only just arrived. I apologise if I startled you, that was not my intent.” He went to twirl his cane, only to realise he’d left it at the hotel. His fingers itched to conjure it to him but he squashed the urge quickly.

“I should have known you would drop in.” She shook her head at him as she waved the other woman off.

“Oh?” He tilted his head. What might Rosie have heard that implied he’d come over to visit? The evening run of the papers could have done an article on the rampage around the city by something taking out the radios and screens.

“Your dear Charlie came to visit me this morning.” Rosie turned to face him. “She was distraught from being unable to locate where you’d gone off to.” Rosie scowled disapprovingly at him.

“Ah. Yes.” He felt his eye twitch, his smile straining to contain what should have been obvious to him from the start. Of course Charlie would come here to look for me. “I had a bit of an emergency come up and was unable to leave word before I left.” He glanced over the store. There were only a few scattered patrons. The light outside was getting low, it was later in the day than he’d thought. Rosie’s posture stiffened suddenly.

“You’ve not been back to the hotel yet, have you?” Her eyes looked him over carefully, easily placing that all was not right with him.

“No.” He answered simply.

“Should I put on the tea or grab a bottle?” She relaxed slightly, but remained on alert. He’d find out what Charlie had said once they were somewhere more private, but he could tell Rosie had dismissed some of it and was now realising Charlie’s concern had been more than warranted.

“Oh bottle definitely,” His smile froze as he felt static crawling through the radio in the parlour. “maybe two.” He added quickly. He held his breath as the tendril shifted in search of him, letting it out when it finally retreated back into the radio.

“My, it must be quite the emergency.” She bustled behind the counter and picked up two of the bottles of rye she had stashed there. “I take it this is a more private matter?” She asked, noticing he hadn’t moved towards the parlour. The concern in her eyes grew steadily by the minute.

“Indeed.” He fiddled with his fingers. He resisted the downturn that tugged at his lips. The airwaves were still actively searching for him. Getting back to the hotel might be difficult.

What am I going to do about tonight’s broadcast? His pursuit by the airwaves that morning wouldn’t have gone unnoticed. Even the dimmest sinners would be able to associate that morning’s destruction to him, Vox or both of them. By now, the other would have assured his viewers all was well on his end, leaving all to wait and see if he’d survived. If he was lucky Vox would think it had attacked both of them. If he missed the broadcast, he’d be serving himself up on a platter. The television demon was worse than a horny bloodhound fixated on him and would attack either him physically or his reputation and neither would weather that type of attack well right now. It would be easy enough for Vox to claim the display today had been a fight between the two of them. One of which Vox could claim to have won, should he miss tonight’s broadcast.

“Be a dear and collect a couple of glasses from the kitchen then meet me upstairs.” Rosie pressed her hand on his arm to bring his attention back, she smiled at him gently when his eyes focused on her.

“Alright.” He nodded, sending a final glance over at the radio before setting off to the kitchen. He collected the glasses as requested and made his way up the thick carpeted stairs. He found her in her room, having already removed the stopper from the bottle. He passed her one of the cups allowing her to pour one before exchanging it for the other. Once she had placed the bottle down on the end table next to her, she sat down on the fainting couch. With a wave of her hand she offered for him to join her, then waited for him to start talking.

How was he supposed to broach this topic? It was hard enough to talk about without the airwaves searching for him. He’d barely managed to keep their attention off of him when Vox had brought them up at the Overlord meeting or when Lucifer had asked about them later that same day. He needed to say something or else Rosie would start to prod. He swirled his drink before taking a sip. There was something else he could talk to her about.

“I suppose I should let you know your advice on the other matter I spoke to you about has been exceptionally helpful.” Rosie smirked behind her glass as he spoke.

“The two of you have spoken and come to an agreement then?” The spark was back in her eye as her worry was temporarily forgotten in favour of her preferred topic.

“Yes. We’ve decided to move forward.” He smiled warmly down at the drink. Lucifer was probably beside himself with worry right now. If his conversation with Rosie went well, then he’d make his way back to the hotel. If it didn’t… well, word could be sent to the hotel to let them know where he was. Rosie leaned over and filled his cup.

“So, how long are you going to keep me in suspense? Who is it?” He watched her as she put the bottle back on the end table. The smirk on her face was the one she wore when she knew more than she was letting on. It didn’t surprise him that she had an idea of who he might be interested in and knowing her, she was probably exactly right.

“Lucifer.” He took a drink and watched her fake surprise.

“Went right for the cream, didn’t you!” She gave him a playful shove. “No wonder no one else ever snagged your attention.”

“Pardon?”

“Don’t worry honey, I just meant nothing but the best would catch your eye. Does Charlie know?”

“She found out last night, and positively gushed her approval. I’m sure the whole hotel heard her squeal of excitement.” He couldn’t help but chuckle as he spoke. He was lucky the whole hotel hadn’t found out that morning… or at least he hoped they hadn’t found out yet. He wasn’t sure what had happened there since his unexpected and hasty departure. Since it was Charlie that had come to see Rosie and not Lucifer he surmised that the two of them had managed to keep that from becoming a topic of discussion in his absence.

“I’m happy for you, but that’s not why you are here is it?”

“Nothing gets past you.” He paused and took a drink before continuing. The contents were gone quickly and just as quickly refilled by Rosie. They really might go through both bottles at this rate. “I’m afraid I seemed to have underestimated the persistence of what kept me away for those seven years.” He spoke slowly, monitoring for any reaction from the airwaves as he spoke.

Rosie’s empty glass bounced on the carpet having slipped through her fingers as her whole body froze from his statement. He leant down and collected it, waiting for her shock to pass. The shock turned to horror before it became dread and finally worry settled deep on her features.

“Something kept you away? A deal?” She shifted closer to him.

“Not one of my design or choosing.” He confirmed. Rosie would have already figured that out, but even saying it aloud seemed hard for her to believe.

“Someone trapped you in a deal? What are the terms?” She let out a long sigh and retrieved the bottle from the table, refilling both drinks.

“I don’t know them. Nor do I think I’ve ever known them. When they finally made the bargain known to me, it wasn’t terms I was given, but a cryptic note which hints at what I need to do to get my soul back.” He held out her drink for her once she’d replaced the bottle.

“I’ve never heard of anyone operating that way. What did they ask of you?” She took a drink and waited for him to recite the note.

“No puddle can contain what dwells within you…” He paused feeling a tug on his magic. He glanced around but couldn’t see or feel the static of the airwaves. “Actually… maybe writing it down would be better.” He mumbled. Rosie nodded in understanding and hurried over to her bedside table. She pulled out her diary and the pen she kept with it. Opening it to a blank page before handing it to him. He felt the tug again as he wrote down the contents of the note. It was lesser than previous and different from the static, but he still feared it was calling out to the airwaves. His ears flicked nervously searching out any sign the airwaves were closing in.

No puddle can contain what dwells within you. The swirling dark pools that comfort you are but the start. Embrace your waves and crash through the levees keeping you confined. Only then will what has never been yours be finally returned to you. Only then will you be able to claim the birthright denied to you and your family.

Placing the pen in the diary he handed it back to Rosie who quickly read it over. Then with a frown read it again.

“Well that’s not helpful at all.”

“I know.” He groaned letting his frustration over the contents of the note vent into his words. “As you can imagine it was quite a shock to find out my soul was owned by another. If I’m right, it was sold before I was born.”

“Yes, I would say you are right about that. Have you figured out anything else?”

“The dark pools are likely shadows.” He nodded. He’d figured that out early on. “I have recently become aware of what the last line might be referring to. It’s something that’s saved me and is putting me at risk.”

“Oh?” Rosie set her empty cup on the end table.

“The injury I received from Adam left no trace of angelic power that I could find, Lucifer however did. What neither of us knew until this morning, was that the angelic power he found was a dormant power likely sealed by the being it came from.”

“You have angelic power in you?” She blinked and raised an eyebrow at him in disbelief. He really wasn’t the type of person one would suspect to have angelic power. He himself had doubted it when Lucifer had proposed the idea.

“It is starting to stir. Contained for now, but it will become a problem eventually. For now, I’m concerned with figuring out the rest of the note and getting my soul back.”

“Well, if it was taken when you were alive, at least you know it isn’t a sinner who has your soul.”

“Small consolation.” He mumbled. He’d have to ask if angelic beings dealt in souls. If they didn’t the next most likely contender was one of the Ars Goetia, one who had probably forgotten about owning his soul. With the dark blue hue of the chain, it was unlikely that one of the sins was the one on the other end.

“Does Lucifer know?”

“No. I’ve only told you. I can feel a pull when I talk about it - even writing the note. I won’t risk making myself into a beacon so it can find me. There may be some like Husker who suspect, but he only found out for sure when he confronted me about it.”

“And they are trying to take you back?”

He paused checking to ensure the airwaves still had no interest in the place before answering. Cautious as he spoke, pausing at the slightest hint of static.

“I escaped that place, but I wasn’t unscathed. During those years… I’m not sure how to describe it, but while I was there it was like being ripped apart and scattered. Every part of me spread far and wide and yet still very much connected. Eventually, I noticed I was no longer just myself.” his ear twitched at the echo of static from the radio downstairs. It crackled briefly before fading. He continued, but he lowered his voice. “There was something else with me. It took me too long to realise I was becoming part of the place that held me prisoner. I gathered as much of myself as I could and as soon as an opportunity presented itself, I crawled my way out. I had hoped that would be the end of my encounter…” He paused again, he hadn’t heard any static but there was something he couldn’t see that had made him tense. “but it is calling out, demanding my return. The attention it’s getting from others is making it stronger.” He whispered quickly on full alert should the airwaves attack.

“Do you think you can resist?” Rosie had been watching him closely and what she had seen had unsettled her a lot more than she’d anticipated.

He leaned back into the couch and stared up at the ceiling. He’d spent a good part of the day recovering from the attack he had barely withstood. He’d asked himself the same question repeatedly since he’d managed to stand. Luck had been a big part of his success today, and luck was never something to count on. No, luck ran out eventually - it always did. He felt his smile falter. He had a hiding spot, but no defence - once his luck ran out he was doomed. Rosie clasped both hands over her mouth as she gasped. He closed his eyes and forced his smile back into place. His reaction was enough for her question.

“If… something happens, tell Lucifer- ” The words stuck in his throat. He heard a sniff and looked at Rosie. Tears glistened at the edges of her eyes. He didn’t get the chance to say anything before she pulled him into a hug.

“Oh Alastor, you’re not alone, you can fight this! You understand, You’re not allowed to leave me again.” She managed between sobs. She was scared for him. He did his best to not shake, little doubt Rosie already knew he was terrified of being dragged back to that place but he had to remain strong. He had to reassure her it wasn’t as bad as they both seemed to know it was and take away some of her worry.

“For you my dear Rosie, I will do my utmost.” He returned the hug. “Your territory kept it from taking me today, even without knowing, you wouldn’t let me leave.” He chuckled. “I have a safe little hideaway if it gets too much, so don’t worry.”

Rosie squeezed him tighter, her shoulders still shook as she suppressed her sobs. He held her close, letting his presence reassure her he was still there as he continued to mumble. “I am safe, and you were the first person I came to see. I promise Rosie, I will do what I can myself, but I will also let Lucifer and the others help. Have I ever broken my word to you?”

“It must really be bad if you’re accepting help.” Rosie sniffed but finally released him from her grip.

“Hardly, I’d do it just to reassure you there’s nothing to worry about. No more tears. Everything will be fine.” He kept his smile in place as he wiped her tears away. “Now, I will remain here until you feel presentable but I really should get back to the hotel before Charlie decides to send her father out to find me. If that were to happen all of Hell would get a very good laugh at my expense.”

The trip back to the hotel wasn't going to be quick or easy. The airwaves were actively on the hunt for him and he would have to sneak his way across the city, in the hopes that they’d lost interest in the hotel while they searched for him. What if they hadn’t? They could be waiting for him back there. Biding their time until he made his way back, waiting for him to return to snatch him away. He forced his smile to remain in place. He’d have to take that risk and hope his luck held out a little while longer.

“Please tell me I’m not an absolute mess.” Rosie playfully hit his arm.

“Of course not darling. Only minor touch ups at most. What type of friend would I be if I let you return downstairs with streaks.” He teased playfully with mock offence. Rosie giggled. She was still worried, but they both knew he couldn’t sit around in her bedroom forever. He had a broadcast in a few hours and she had to return to her shop. She wiped at her face then made her way over to the vanity. He nursed another glass of rye while she fiddled about with her makeup.

Just treat the sprint across the city like crossing no man's land. Head down, eyes on the prize, keep going and make it home…

Chapter 6: Buried Deep Behind a Smile

Chapter Text

Lucifer’s POV

He’d spent most of the day trying to figure out what had caused the events that morning. He realised now the thing that had been attacking Alastor and the Vees, the thing the Vees had asked the other Overlords to help them with, was the voice from on the television. It was the same thing that Alastor had said he was capable of countering. After that first conversation it hadn’t even come up again. No, instead like an idiot he’d put it out of his mind, Alastor had said he’d had it under control, that was his reassurance… Alastor had left the radio off because of that threat. Yet again, he’d missed the signs and f*cked up. Yesterday he’d pushed Alastor too far, and now a threat Alastor hadn’t been able to talk about turned out to be a sleeping leviathan. He had been paying attention during that conversation. He had realised something was wrong… he shouldn’t have ignored it then.

The road to hell really was paved with good intentions. Alastor had said he was ignoring the threat because it got power from attention. So, when Alastor had been reluctant, he had translated the words with the intent of allowing Alastor to avoid reacting to the voice. He’d caught how Alastor’s ears had flattened when the voice had come through the television the first time. He had watched the deer’s whole body tense as they’d begun to talk about it. He should have picked up then to stop the conversation. He knew Alastor enough to grasp the situation wasn’t good.

He had no idea just how dangerous the voice on the television was until he had to watch Alastor struggle to fend it off. Shadow and tentacles battled the blue electric sparks that occasionally took the shape of snakes, leaving scorch marks on the carpet. The room had quickly started to smell of ozone as static charged the air. More tentacles appeared to fight while Alastor’s shadow retreated to defend against the wriggling electric snakes that suddenly appeared wrapped around and biting into him. His own panic had jolted him into action then. He was the only one who knew Alastor couldn’t use his full power. He had gripped Alastor’s arm and let his magic flow, joining in the fight against the voice. He let Alastor take what power of his he wanted using the rest to focus on keeping the angelic power in Alastor contained. He’d been relieved to find that the angelic had little interest in the static currently battling against Alastor.

The Voice called out again and Alastor’s magic suddenly shifted in the direction of the radio, before violently scrambling back. Tentacles violently wreathed, desperately smashing against the bits of static and sparks. Charlie had screamed Alastor’s name, rushing to him as the others sought cover. It felt like the ground gave out beneath him when he felt terror flood Alastor’s magic. If his shadow hadn’t taken the form of the shield he’d seen prior to healing him, he would have thought the voice had gotten him. Little doubt remained; the ‘me’ the voice was calling for was Alastor but he was clueless as to who the ‘us’ might be.

How was the voice connected to Alastor? It had startled him at how close the voice had sounded like Alastor when it had gotten angry. He wasn’t sure if anyone else would have picked up on that, given just how different the French accent was from Alastor’s radio filtered Trans-Atlantic one, but it wasn’t a barrier for him. Had Alastor trapped part of his own soul in the radio? Why would he even do that? The screams he broadcasted were the remnants of Overlords, but this voice sounded too much like Alastor to be one of them. Could that be the ‘us’? How did Alastor keep the defeated Overlords on the radio? He hated not having the answers.

Charlie had been beside herself since Alastor had disappeared. She’d berated herself for bringing up the voice as she searched the hotel for any sign of the missing deer. Vaggie following her around trying to reassure her everything would be alright. Alastor hadn’t died to Adam, whatever what had attacked today, couldn’t compare to angelic power and it certainly wouldn’t actually kill an Overlord. Charlie had accepted the reassurance but didn’t call off her search. He’d told her Alastor wasn’t in the hotel, but she stubbornly continued until Niffty had arrived to declare the same, having physically searched high and low for him.

Cannibal Town was the next place she went to search. He’d pouted when Charlie had picked Vaggie to go with her instead of him. Her reasoning had been solid even in her distress, and it made him proud that she had been able to understand that if Alastor came back and he wasn’t there, it could make things a lot worse. He endured the stress and pain as he waited for her to return. Rosie would help them look if she hadn’t seen him and if he showed up there first, she’d direct him back here and let him know they were worried.

He found himself blindsided when Charlie had returned in a stormy cloud of emotions. Rosie had heard Charlie out, promised to keep an eye out for Alastor, but had dismissed it could be as bad as Charlie was claiming. He had to imitate Alastor’s unshakeable calm as he internally raged. The anger called for him to tear the city apart - starting with Cannibal Town as he searched for Alastor. His respect for Rosie’s connection to Alastor and how he knew she’d still be keeping an eye out was the only thing keeping him at the hotel. He used explaining what he had found out while he waited for Charlie to return to quelled his simmering emotions.

The city was littered with evidence of Alastor clashing with the voice. Screens and Radios across the city we left in tatters with no clear path or direction - or winner. Alastor was clever, the finale of the event surrounded the Vees tower. Shifting the focus of onlookers to believe the Vees the target. It must have been a risky move, going directly to where the voice would have the most power only to sneak away while there were so many different screens to divert its attention. Angel had gotten the afternoon off because their systems were all still down and had kept him company by rambling off theories while they waited for Charlie. Other than knowing the voice was calling for Alastor, nothing more had been revealed.

Charlie was relieved that it appeared Alastor had tricked the voice to go after the Vees instead which meant it wouldn’t impact his reputation but her mood was still sour. Nothing he or Vaggie had done had managed to free her from it. She was worried, they all were after watching something none of them had thought even possible; the Radio Demon unable to defend against a threat and then fleeing. He hugged her to try and help, every opportunity he got but Charlie had eventually just asked to be left alone for a while with the promise that should they find Alastor they’d come find her right away.

The blessing he’d put on Alastor hadn’t even flared during the obvious distress the voice on the television had caused. The voice on the television had spooked the Overlord so much more than Adam’s wound ever had. Alastor was hiding, he hadn’t just retreated to his radio tower or to the safety of his bayou. Whatever the voice was, Alastor was terrified of it. He just hoped that the Radio Demon would feel safe enough to return quickly. A hope that was fading with the sun as it set with still no sign of Alastor. Charlie had taken up residence on the couch with the clearest view of the door and waited. Alastor had a broadcast tonight, if anything was going to bring him back, they both knew it would be that. He sat next to her, forced to still hide his worry for Alastor, masking it to look like he was concerned for Charlie as the minutes ticked by.

There was a shift to the air that pulled his attention from the worry plaguing his mind. He had his powers on alert to pick up on any sign of Alastor. Glancing around he caught sight of a suspicious shift in one of the shadows. As he stared a moment longer a small hand-like tendril waved to him then pointed upwards. He’s back! His breath stuttered as he felt relief flood his system. Charlie’s head quickly turned to look at him, sensing the change to his mood. He nodded once before he got up to follow the shadow. Her eyes pleaded with him for good news. With a smile he gave her shoulder a little pat as he walked past.

The shadow waited for him at the top of the stairs. Two tentacle arms reached out for him as he approached. He’d not yet used Alastor’s shadow as a form of transport, but his need to see his deer banished all hesitation, his fingers brushing the shadow accepting the invitation. The sensation of his stomach dropping was unsettling as he felt the ground sink beneath him as darkness closed around him clinging as though it needed his comfort. He had expected to find himself inside Alastor’s room and was shocked when he stumbled into his own when the shadow finally retreated. He glanced around in confusion, the chair Alastor typically sat in was empty. He turned around to face the bed. There, sitting on the edge, fiddling with his fingers, was Alastor. His smile strained as he sat in deafening silence, lacking the usual radio hum. His ears constantly adjusted, even in alternate directions as they reacted to every noise inside the hotel and out. All of his senses on high alert as through the threat had yet to pass.

Alastor was still triggered by what had happened that morning, perhaps even something that had happened since. He hadn’t even noticed himself moving until his arms were around Alastor’s shoulders, forcing Alastor’s head into his chest. He’s back, he’s safe. He’d only ever felt relief like this once before. When he’d made it to the hotel in time to save Charlie. Alastor’s arms were around him, squeezing tight. The trembling demon’s ears drooped as though all energy had left them.

He held Alastor close, letting his hand scratch behind one of his ears to try and help sooth the tension. The usual effect was muted from the fear that still permeated Alastor’s body. He felt salt burn in his eyes as worry threatened to slip out as tears. Alastor gripped him like he’d fall if he let go, the desperation from one as powerful as his deer stirring the anger in him once again. Whoever was responsible for this would pay. He would find them, and he’d rip them apart for daring to harm Alastor.

He pulled out his wings and wrapped them around the two of them. Cocooning them in a blanket of safety. He hummed, continuing to rub behind Alastor’s ear and waited for Alastor to relax and settle his emotions. It felt so good to have his wings out. Lilith had hated them, a reminder of what they’d lost. He had started keeping them in because it set her off. He was long past used to it now, but feeling them stretch around him and Alastor was a blam to his rattled emotions. Given how Alastor had yet to move, the same could be said about him.

“What a sight I must make.” Alastor chuckled darkly. His voice sounded hollow without his radio filter. It made him frown that Alastor chose to berate himself with the first words he uttered since disappearing.

“Well, then I’m blessed to be the only one allowed to see you like this.” He ran his fingers through Alastor’s hair and gently got him to tilt his head back enough to look up. Alastor rolled his tired eyes at the comment. He could see that Alastor had used a lot of his powers today to escape from what was chasing him. His emotional state wasn’t helping him recover his reserves either. He sighed before he brought up the topic he knew Alastor wouldn’t want to address.

“You had it under control before, do you still?” He really didn’t want to push, but he had to know if this threat had passed. Alastor nervously looked away, finally letting go of him as he sat back. He withdrew his wings from around Alastor and knew he wasn’t going to like the answer.

“By a thread.” They were words Alastor hadn’t wanted to admit. The demon wasn’t hiding the truth from him. It made his heart beat faster while it felt like it was being squeezed. Alastor doesn’t think he can win this. He was king of Hell… why did he feel so helpless?

“Is there anything you can tell me? Anything I can do?” He reached up and cupped Alastor’s cheek, imploring him to share what he could, even if it wasn’t much.

“I’ve severely underestimated it…” Alastor’s posture stiffened suddenly, glancing around frantically as he cut himself off. He muttered something that suspiciously sounded like cursing. The voice is still searching for him then. “I’m sorry, but can you ask Charlie to ignore what happened this morning? Maybe then… ”

Charlie? It had been her questions that had initiated the events of the morning. Something she had berated herself over all day. Had she been right about being the cause? No, it couldn’t be.

“No one else? Just Charlie?” What could Charlie’s connection to this voice be? She hadn’t even known they were an issue before this morning. She had just been curious.

“You already understand what the attention does. She can keep the others from inquiring.”

Lucifer nodded at Alastor’s explanation, but it felt like there was more to why Alastor needed Charlie to stop thinking about the voice. Maybe then… what? Would he be able to finally talk about what was going on if Charlie and the rest of the hotel stopped thinking about the voice that was trying to take Alastor from them? One thing at a time, first he would have to fill Charlie in and get her to stop thinking about that morning.

“Alright I can do that. Are you going to come downstairs?” He left the decision to Alastor. It wouldn’t take much to see the usually boisterous Radio Demon was a shadow of himself right now. Alastor shook his head quickly, panic flashing briefly in his eyes. He had to stomp down the fury that flared in his blood again. Alastor’s chosen to hide in my room. I need to focus on him. He let the thought cool his emotions.

“No, I have to figure out how I’m going to manage tonight’s broadcast.” His tired eyes looked lost. For once in his life, it looked like Alastor was reluctant to take helm of the radio waves.

“What do you mean?” He tilted his head slightly and tucked his wings away.

Alastor paused his eyes darted around the room as he struggled to find the right words.

“I… wasn’t expecting -” He cut himself off quickly. “Things aren’t as settled as I would like. Getting back was… difficult. My thread might snap if I get too close, but I can’t miss tonight's broadcast.” Each time he cut himself off or paused he glanced around. He chewed on his lip. It’s definitely still chasing him. Alastor was being downright skittish, it only increased his desire to keep Alastor safe.

“Oh. Do the devices have an impact? All mediums from before?” He tried to keep his words vague and avoid giving any direct attention to the voice. Alastor nodded confirming his suspicion.

“And you are here because I only have a phone, and this threat doesn’t pop out of it like it does the other devices?” Alastor’s ears flattened when he mentioned ‘threat’ but he nodded again. Is it hard to even reference the voice now? He’d have to do his best to figure out a way around talking about it. He needed more information… and Alastor needed to recover before there was a second attack.

“Would I be able to help with tonight’s broadcast?” He asked cautiously. If there was anything he could do, he wanted to help.

“That… might work.” Alastor spoke after several moments of silence. “I’ve got a pre-recorded show you could use. Perhaps we could try and see if I can remain in the room or have an open portal that would allow me to answer any questions you might have.”

“Okay. Hang tight. I’ll be right back.”

Alastor’s head co*cked to one side, his ears twitched curiously but he made no move to stop him as he shifted from the room to the top of the stairs. He didn’t want to leave Alastor alone for long but if he could make sure Charlie stopped thinking about it sooner, it might give them a leg up on what was hunting Alastor. He hurried down the stairs, locking eyes with Charlie even before he reached the last step.

“Hey duckling, can you help me with something in the kitchen?” He didn’t want to get the attention of the other residents and he’d be able to grab something for Alastor while there. Given his appearance, he doubted that Alastor had eaten anything since breakfast. Charlie nodded quickly and scrambled to follow after him.

How did Vaggie always know what to say in order to cheer Charlie up? Alastor was in rough shape and he’d have to keep Charlie from going upstairs and barging in with her concern. Alastor meant more to her than just a business partner. Her actions today mirrored what she’d done when Lilith had left. Alastor had come back. He had risked leaving wherever it was he had been hiding to return to them, not his broadcast. He knew his broadcast could spell his doom if he drew the attention of the voice again. He had come back for them, Alastor would have prioritised his safety over a broadcast.

“How is he?” Charlie asked as soon as the door to the kitchen closed behind her. He turned towards her and tried to smile but his own worry kept it from being reassuring.

“Not great.” He managed to choke out. Charlie’s hands covered her mouth and tears began to well in her eyes. “He asked for you to ignore the voice.” He added quickly before her tears could fall. He needed her to not dwell on the bad, they had a goal.

“Me?” She blinked in confusion.

“Yeah, so long as you don’t bring it up he doesn’t think anyone else will. For now, we need for everyone to forget what happened, and what caused it. Especially what caused it.”

“What’s happening to him? Is this because of Adam?” Charlie wrapped her arms around herself as she began to pace. Her brain, now whirling through what could be the root cause. He really was so proud of her. She was so much like him, but she was stronger, kinder; a true miracle to behold.

“Adam’s blow has had unforeseen complications, I’m not sure the two are related, but it certainly isn’t helping.” No wonder Alastor’s control is slipping. This must have been plaguing his mind as well as his powers trying to control the angelic power. Please let there be nothing else hiding. Let this be the end of the complications. He wasn’t sure Alastor would weather much more, and being honest… he was struggling.

“Unforeseen complications? I thought you could remove angelic power?” Charlie’s arms dropped as she stalked over to him. Right… hadn’t told her about any of that.

“I can.” He immediately reassured her. “The angelic power that hit Alastor… it reacted differently to him. It messed with a small part of his magic, and he’s been focused on that.” He emphasised small by pinching his fingers together. “It’s not our main concern right now. So long as he doesn’t have to divert his power away from what he’s doing to control it, we’re fine for now.” He cut her off before she could ask more questions and get him off of track. “I’ve pieced together a few things about today’s problem. Alastor had mentioned it once before, but only once before and even then he couldn’t really talk much about it. I know that it gains power by acknowledgement and attention. After what we witnessed this morning, it's very clear who the ‘me’ is. So we have to make sure that no one at the hotel brings it up and we need to keep it out as much as possible.”

“Okay, we can move the TV to one of the rooms so that it’s less of a risk. Do you think he will be okay?”

“I don’t know Charlie. Even after Adam, when he was split open, he wasn’t like this. Something happened between him and it, something that has him scared enough that The Radio Demon is avoiding anything to do with radio - even his own filter.” His words had tears leaking from Charlie’s eyes. Her worry spilling out as the direness sank in. He pulled her into a hug and whispered. “Charlie, he came back and I think… no I’m positive, it has something to do with you. Alastor is a tough nut and a lone wolf. Always doing everything himself and keeping his thoughts, feelings and motives behind more layers than a maze. You and I know he’s not one to seek out help or sanctuary and yet, he’s come back to you - to us. He feels safe here, safe enough to rely on others to hide him when he’s weak and to accept help. It goes completely against his character, but it is exactly what you’ve been working so hard here on.” Her arms gripped him tight as her whole body began to shake.

“OHMY - OH. MY. HOLY f*ck! Dad! Daaaaaad~!” She squealed as she picked him up and twirled him around. He blinked in confusion. “It’s a trust fall!” She sang out. “Alastor’s uncomfortable because of what’s happened and is here because… he’s trusting us to catch him!” Hope illuminated her features. I… I managed to reassure her! He’d managed to convey the bad, but she had hope. Not just hope, he’d managed to reinforce that what she was doing at the hotel was right.

“So we better not disappoint.” He cupped her face as his own heart hammered in his chest.

Charlie put him down and began all but hyperventilating in excitement. Happy tears streaming down her face. She resumed her pacing and mumbled as she plotted ways to keep the voice out of the hotel. He smiled proudly and watched for a moment. Wasn’t there something else? Right. Food.

“Um, is there anything here he’d eat? I don’t think he’s had anything all day and I doubt he’ll be coming down tonight so I want to bring him something. I doubt we want to add ravenous to his growing list of problems, someone - namely me- might lose a limb.” He rubbed his hand along the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Actually… yeah. I um.” She looked over at the fridge, suddenly very nervous. “I know he cooks when things are rough… so I tried it myself when we couldn’t find him.”

“What did you make?” He raised an eyebrow curiously wondering what she might have tried to cook. She was right he did tend to cook when he was irritated. He fondly remembered the macarons he made for Rosie. He hoped Alastor would make those again.

“His favourite - Jambalaya. I’ve watched mostly but I have helped him make it a few times. No matter how many times I ask, he won't write down the recipe. We didn’t have enough of one of the spices and no matter where I looked I couldn’t find more, I even sent Vaggie to check the stores but it must be something he blends himself.” She sighed in defeat. “I mean it still tastes good, and I didn’t notice a difference… but he will.” She admitted mournfully.

“Get me a big bowl to take to him. I’m sure it will help him tonight, because you made it for him. What was the spice?” He rubbed her head. Alastor’s favourite food would help his mood, and if Charlie said she couldn’t taste a difference then today that would be more than enough to help restore some of his shakey spirit.

“It was labelled file.” She dug into the cupboard then held out a bottle for him to smell after she had retrieved the container from the fridge and filled a bowl. He took it and sniffed then looked down at the container with wide eyes. It smelt almost identical to his blanket after he got it back from Alastor. He glanced at the label - Filé. “Ahahaha~ that’s - that is it! Gah! I’ve been trying to figure out this smell for weeks!” He laughed giddily. He had known that it wasn’t quite cinnamon and lemon with vanilla. Now, he would just have to find out what the spice blend was.

“Huh?” Charlie paused as she was heating the contents up.
“It’s pronounced fee-lay.” He grinned then added quietly. “It’s what Alastor smells like.”

Charlie broke into a fit of giggles. He co*cked his head to one side and waited for her to recover and explain.

“Alastor smells like root beer?” She gasped as she fought to control her laughing. “I’m glad he makes you happy, dad.” She gave him a quick hug before turning back to collect the bowl.

“Now if I could only stop worrying that something is going to snatch him away, everything would be perfect.” He sighed dramatically. Then broke into a grin. “I’ll just have to content myself with him letting me do his broadcast tonight~” He sang happily. Charlie nearly dropped the now warm bowl in shock. He had almost forgotten Alastor had agreed to let him help. “It’s not like anyone will know he’s not the one at the helm, but yeah~ it’s a huge step on his part, honestly I thought he’d let me touch his tail before he’d trust me to muck about with his radio equipment.” He mumbled to himself.

“T-tail?” Charlie stuttered, eyes wide.

“You didn’t see it last night? It twitches while he sleeps.” He bit his lip as he smirked. Alastor would probably be willing to spend the night in his room… that meant he’d be able to see how Alastor’s tail swished as he dreamed.

“Oh… OH… That’s adorable~!” She squealed. No doubt imagining Alastor with a tail. The absolute cuteness was a stark contrast from his reputation as the Radio Demon.

“I know!” He snickered as Charlie giggled. They both needed this. The bonding, the stress relief, knowing they had a way forward and that Alastor was depending on them.

“Go take care of him dad.” She stuck a spoon in the bowl then handed it to him with a grin.

He shifted quickly back to his room with the bowl. He didn’t need to take the stairs this time. It didn’t seem Alastor had moved while he had been downstairs. He hadn’t tensed back up and was waiting for him while still sitting on the edge of his bed. Alastor looked at the bowl and raised an eyebrow.

“Charlie was worried, so she cooked. She seems to have picked that up from you.” He held out the bowl.

“She…did?” Alastor took the bowl, then a hesitant bite. “She did alright.” He’d have to tell Charlie Alastor approved later. He let Alastor munch a few more bites before he finally burst.

“What’s filé?” He couldn’t keep his curiosity any longer. He needed to know what the mysterious smell was. Charlie had commented it smelt of root beer… but that couldn’t be it.

“Powdered Sassafras leaves. Did she run out?” Alastor’s smile was more natural. The upturn was a pleased and proud one.

“She did. She said you blend it yourself. Is that why you smell like it?”

“Filé or sassafras?” Alastor shrugged, answering the question with his own.

“Are they different?”
“A little.” Alastor took another bite. “Come I’ll show you.” He transported the two of them to his room via shadows. Thick shrubs surrounded the clearing like a wall while the tall trees were gangly and the branches twisted. The clearing was familiar, the last time he’d been there he had only been able to smell blood but the smell now was startlingly sweet and fruity. Alastor walked over to one of the lanky trees and peeled off a small section of bark with his free hand before plucking a few leaves and walking over and holding them out to him.

“The fresh leaves smell different from when they are powdered.” Alastor explained. He took the offered leaves and bark. Alastor was right, the smell was a little different. The lemon and vanilla were more prominent in the leaves.

“I’d say you’re somewhere in between the two.” He grinned and sniffed the leaves again. Alastor smiled and a table and two chairs materialised from his shadows.

“How much do you remember from the last time you were in my radio tower?” He sat down and continued to eat.

“Ugh…” He couldn’t help but let the syllable drone as he took the seat across from Alastor. “Well… some, but it… ugh, was seriously overshadowed by what you did to my wings.”

“Ah. I do have a better understanding of what that was like now. My shadow will likely be able to get closer than I will, I can direct you that way.”

He understood the implied danger of Alastor getting too close to the radio. If only he could shield him in some way. He paused, there was something he could do that would keep the voice from finding Alastor and give him some control to suppress the angelic power inside Alastor. His stomach churned, he wasn’t sure Alastor would agree to it. The angelic power in Alastor, while there wasn’t much, was strong. When he’d pulled it that morning it had all but told him to f*ck off. Currently he’d need his full angelic power to be able to even stand a chance of suppressing it. It implied that the source of the angelic bloodline was as powerful of an angel as he had been… or stronger. He had few options he could use to counter it now that he had fallen. What he was considering was something that would get the magic to accept him before he tried anything with it. As influential as it could be, he would never consider this option under normal circ*mstances. It blended the magic of two angels who declared themselves a bonded pair. He and Alastor were dating and someday would become intimate. It was far too soon for him to put a mating mark on Alastor, even though his body had already screamed at him to do just that.

Alastor watched him curiously as he ate. He was probably just as expressive as Charlie right now. Alastor waited patiently for him to decide to talk about what was on his mind or not. Would it matter if he put the mark on Alastor with just the intent for protection? His blessing certainly wasn’t effective against the threats they currently faced. It would protect Alastor and it would fade with time, something like fifty years, if not reinforced… it could be an answer. He really didn’t have another option that would keep the voice from stealing Alastor from him or keep the angelic power in Alastor from breaking out.

“I think I’ve come up with something that might help.” He mumbled aloud finally reaching his decision. “Would you permit me to try something?”

Alastor hesitated but nodded without asking what he was going to do. He got up and walked around the table, stopping when he stood behind Alastor. Alastor’s head tilted back as he curiously watched from his seat. He rubbed the back of Alastor’s ear, taking every opportunity to touch either of them he could and took his wings out. Alastor’s eyes widened in wonder as looked over them. Lilith hated his wings and refused to let him do this to her, it probably should have been clear to him then, that she’d not truly loved him. He hesitated, would Alastor hate him for not explaining what the mark was? Alastor hadn’t even asked what he was going to do, he had just given him permission to do it. The trust Alastor was putting in him made his heart melt.

“Could you… Ugh undo your shirt? I um… need to access the skin near the back of your neck.”

Way to make that sound awkward… What would he tell Alastor if he asked about the mark? Should he go into what the mark meant? He knew it was too soon for this step, but his hand was being forced. He wouldn’t let anyone take Alastor from him. If Alastor asked… he’d tell him… probably.

“Should I be concerned?” Alastor asked as he put down the bowl and began to unbutton his shirt. His mouth went dry as he watched nimble fingers undo buttons. Concerned? Oh, maybe. He’d have to keep himself from doing anything other than just the mark. sh*t, can I hold back? He had to. If he failed, he could lose Alastor, and not to the damned voice. It would be his own fault. Keep hands away from animal parts. He reminded himself.

“Well, it will hurt a little. What I’m going to do should confuse anything targeting you. Think of it like a magic bubble that overlaps your magic with mine. Unless someone is specifically looking for your magic they shouldn’t notice anything different. It should also allow me to add my power to your wild magic enabling the two to suppress the increased angelic power.”

He explained quickly what would happen because of the mark, too nervous that Alastor would reject the idea if he told him more about it. Alastor tugged his shirt and jacket loose enough to expose the left side of his neck and leaned his head to the right.

“Are you intending to bite me?” Alastor teased with a chuckle. He swallowed hard, licking his lips involuntarily at the exposed skin. Skin that would soon bare his mark. f*ck. Just thinking about what he was about to do was getting him hard.

“Actually, I am.” It was hard not to groan those words. The anticipation had goosebumps erupting all over his skin. Alastor’s head snapped back as he stared at him in shock.

“Take off your hat.” Alastor ordered.

“... That’s all you have to say?” He certainly hadn’t anticipated that. The confusion dumped ice water on the building fire in him from the thought of marking Alastor.

“I’ll not repeat what happened last time. I’m assuming the effect will be tied to the mark you’re going to make?” Alastor pointed to his ears as he explained. Ah. He smirked as he remembered the first time he got to touch Alastor’s ears.

“Yes. There’s a small chance that once will be enough, but given everything that’s come to light over the last day, I think that I’ll have to redo it.” With the voice hunting Alastor, he’d need to make sure his magic remained strong enough to keep it from finding Alastor. He’d still be connected to the magic he was going to wrap around Alastor, but he would have to do everything he could to keep it strong.

“Why that spot?”

“Well… I’ve got to embrace you from behind, bite you somewhere I can reach and wrap my wings around you so that I make a physical barrier. A barrier which is echoed by the magic I’ll leave behind. I thought you’d prefer something easy to cover.” He added the last part for good measure. He was feeling guilty for not confessing the truth of it, but he couldn’t bring himself to face the disappointment of Alastor rejecting the mark. Alastor was quiet for a moment studying his expression. Would he change his mind? He’d f*cked up so much recently, he knew it was a bad idea to refrain from telling Alastor… but if they didn’t do anything else, the mark would go away. It was a mark for protection, not suppression. He wouldn’t be able to hinder Alastor’s magic in any way, just aid it. With a small nod Alastor reached up and took his hat, placing it gently on the table.

“I’ve not been on this end of a biting.” Alastor smiled gently at him. He wondered if Alastor had inkling there was more to the mark. It felt like he might, and even so was agreeable to continue. His insides twisted in guilt but he pushed them aside. The fire sparked back to life with Alastor’s permission.

“I typically only bite for pleasure, next to never breaking the skin. This will be closer to what you’d do.” He adjusted the fabric back, exposing more of Alastor’s neck. “Maybe you’ll taste like you smell.” He teased, Alastor tensed at the comment. “Relax, you should know it will hurt more if you don’t.” He wrapped his right arm around Alastor as he leaned down and placed a tentative kiss where he was intending to bite. Alastor tensed again as he closed his wings around the two of them. He let his other hand grip the back of the chair to keep from overwhelming Alastor any more than this already was going to. He couldn’t have it stray to his all too tempting ears… or tail.

“Relax.” He whispered against skin and felt Alastor shiver. He waited a few seconds of eternity for some of the tension to recede before he sunk his fangs into flesh. Alastor’s hands quickly gripped his arm. Alastor had gasped at the initial bite, such a wonderfully enticing noise, but he was working hard to suppress any other sound he might make. He shouldn’t push, but oh how he wanted to hear the noises that Alastor was keeping to himself. Maybe just a little… With what he had to do, maybe some would slip through. He let his tongue run across the wound as he drank in the one he was claiming.

He’d tasted blood before; Angelic, Hellborn, Sinner and Human but none tasted like Alastor. Alastor’s magic laced his blood, giving it a depth unlike any other. It tasted nostalgic and comforting with just a hint of spice. He let his own magic intertwine with the mix as he sucked and lapped at the wound to weave the spell. The small moan from Alastor ignited a need to continue. It told him a mark wasn’t enough, Alastor was his and it urged him to go further. He felt his features start to change, his tail whipping free as he shifted his wings tighter around them to keep it from seeking Alastor out. Alastor squirmed in the chair and he was glad of the small gap between them but couldn’t keep the stifled groan that escaped him fully silent. His wings trembled as he resisted his own desire to do so much more. He felt Alastor’s extended antlers rub against his wings. The sensation had him whining for more. No! He couldn’t let himself lose control, he had to do this for Alastor. He opened eyes he hadn’t realised he’d closed and focused on entwining his magic into Alastor’s and not stopping until he had finished.

He was panting just as badly as Alastor by the time he gave the mark a final kiss. He couldn’t help but lick it again with a satisfied grin. The deep purple stain on Alastor’s skin contrasted with his pale seal that was now imprinted where he had bitten, proof for those who knew where to look that Alastor was his. His gaze travelled to Alastor’s neck and his blood froze. The faint outline of a blue soul collar disappeared as he blinked in shock.

Alastor doesn’t own his own soul?

“I must say, that was nothing like I was expecting.” Alastor shivered from the sensation of his breath on damp skin. He was grateful Alastor couldn’t see the shock on his face. He doubted the other wanted anyone to know that his soul was owned by another. It was something that could put his status as an Overlord in jeopardy. Alastor had done the exact thing to Husker. He pulled his shock back as best he could and kissed the mark again to keep Alastor distracted a moment longer so he could gather his thoughts.

“Did you enjoy being the one bitten? You are surprisingly tasty.” Slowly he pulled his wings away and stood back up. His mind still reeling from his discovery, with this discovery it was likely the one who owned Alastor’s soul was responsible for him being chased by the voice. It was likely the angry ‘us’ calling out from the radio belonged to the one who held the other end of Alastor’s chain. It also explained why Alastor couldn’t talk about the voice, the deal would only have to include a clause prohibiting discussion of the deal to make it impossible to get help.

“I don’t think it would be quite as enjoyable if it was someone else, but I will be looking forward to when you reapply the mark.” Alastor looked up at him, not bothering to adjust his shirt yet. His antlers were still larger than normal but quite a bit smaller than they had been just moments before. His usually red eyes were tainted black.

“That just makes me want to bite you again.” he groaned. Don’t f*cking tempt me. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to resist going for Alastor’s ears right now. No, he’d probably fail miserably to resist anything right now. “But. We need to test to see if this works. You had thought your shadow would be able to get closer than you.” He held out his elbow for Alastor. “Take me to your radio tower and hopefully you can be my seat while I fool all of Pentagram City into thinking I’m the Radio Demon.”

Alastor rolled his eyes with a grin and accepted the extended arm. The two of them walked out of the bayou, where Alastor’s step hesitated and each step that followed was slower than the one before. He didn’t rush Alastor as they slowly made their way to his radio equipment. He watched intently each time Alastor was reluctant to move forward trying to sense out what had brought on his hesitance. It wasn’t until they were next to the console did he pick up on the electrical charge to the air and how Alastor reacted to it.

He reached out and pushed Alastor into the seat before the electricity could get too strong. There was no resistance from the demon as he was forced into the chair, his mind focused on the voice. Alastor’s eyes darted about the control panel, then further around the room following something he couldn’t see or sense.

“Do you think you can handle sitting there?” He asked when Alastor’s gaze settled on him.

“Yes, I do believe this will work.” Alastor’s smile was genuine. His stomach did flops, knowing that his magic was keeping the voice away from Alastor, and that Alastor had agreed to have his magic surround him. Take that you stupid voice! You can’t have him, he’s MINE. He silently declared his victory out at the night sky.

“Alright. Now, what do I have to do in order to flawlessly trick the citizens of Pentagram City into believing you’re the one at the helm tonight?”

Alastor walked him through the steps, what buttons to press and what records to play. They repeated the process, going over the steps again until it was time to go live. He focused his attention on protecting Alastor and ensuring none would ever know that he was unable to do his broadcast, none would even suspect there was anything wrong with the Radio Demon.

Alastor sat with him quietly watching everything he did, only once making a small hum, low enough not to be picked up by the microphone to alert him he’d almost hit the wrong button. He sighed in relief as he flicked the on-air sign off. Alastor’s arms had wrapped around him before the on-air light had fully gone dim and pulled him back into the chair.

“You did well.” Alastor proclaimed as he gave him a squeeze.

“Does that mean I get a prize?” He twisted to look back at Alastor’s proud grin.

“What might you ask of me?” Alastor’s smile didn’t waver. What do I want? Oh the list was long. He toyed with his lip.

“Spend the night?” He asked nervously. He felt Alastor tense around him. “Just sleeping… and maybe snuggling, but nothing more.” He rambled to try and get his deer to relax.

Alastor didn’t respond, but he shifted the two of them via his shadows back to his bedroom sitting in the same position only now on his bed.

“Oh, that works.” He grinned and kicked off his own boots, his movements earning a grunt from Alastor. “Come now, no boots in bed. Jacket too at least for comfort.” he shifted off of Alastor and removed his jacket, tossing it onto the floor. He positioned himself so that he sat in the middle of the bed and waited for Alastor to join him. He glanced up and realised his hat was already off. Where did I leave that? Ah, it was in Alastor’s room. It was safe there.

“I had to sleep in both of them for two years straight, comfort isn’t a factor.” Alastor still reached down and followed the request. It took him a moment to understand what Alastor was referring to.

“Which war were you in?” He asked quietly. He’d come across many sinners who had died while being soldiers, almost all of them complained they weren’t comfortable unless they had their kit on- boots and all.

“When I was alive, it was called ‘The Great War’. I’ve come to understand that it’s known as World War One now.” Alastor got up and set his shoes to one side before collecting his haphazardly discarded ones and setting them next to his own. Alastor collected the jacket he’d just thrown, folding it in half, draping it with care over the chair he used to use when reading. Taking off his own jacked and folding it, Alastor set it next to the stark white one. He was happy to notice as he turned back towards the bed that Alastor still hadn’t done up his shirt from when he’d marked him. He toyed with his lip as he took in the sight. Three buttons exposing skin he’d not seen since healed Alastor’s wound. He wanted to rake his claws down the front of Alastor’s shirt and pop all of the remaining buttons. Not tonight. He reminded himself.

“Come here.” He held out both of his arms to Alastor. With a shake to his head and a smirk Alastor crawled into the bed and obliged him with the hug he was demanding. He held on tight. “If things even slightly start to feel like they’re getting out of control, touch the mark. Then I’ll be able to see you need help. I don’t want to go through another day like today.”

“Alright.” Alastor whispered next to his ear. He managed to keep the tingling sensation from Alastor’s breath on his skin from developing into a full on shiver.

“If I’m not around and things start to go downhill, charge some of your magic into the mark. I’ll feel it and come running.” He muttered, trying to distract himself from doing more than cuddling with Alastor. Movement caught his attention and he had to bite his lip to keep from giggling as Alastor’s tail flicked. I can’t wait to see if it wags. Up until now, Alastor had kept his tail hidden under his coat, even when they were together. Considering how he hid it rather than controlled it, it was probably more expressive than his ears.

“You’ll feel it?” There was shock in Alastor’s voice. He felt Alastor’s ear twitch against the side of his head and he hastily cut off his happy squeal as Alastor’s tail poofed from the shock contact. Oh, it is very expressive. “You’re still connected to the magic you used on me?”

“Yep. It wouldn’t work any other way. If it wasn’t connected to me, it would get absorbed by the angelic power in you, and we really don’t want to poke that bear just yet.” He resisted the urge to reach down and smooth out Alastor’s tail with all his might.

“Would I have to touch it still or just direct some of my magic into it? How will you feel it, physically or just in essence?”

“Uh… well, no… You shouldn’t have to touch it if you’re using your magic….” He thought about it. He wasn’t sure what it would feel like. He just knew that power from the one marked could follow the path back to the other as an alert. “Actually… I don’t know what it will feel like. Just that I’ll know it’s you.”

“Then we should find out. Better to be prepared and aware than have precious moments wasted in confusion.” Alastor pulled back enough that he could watch his reaction. He nodded and waited. He could sense Alastor’s magic shift just before Alastor shivered and gasped. Odd. He co*cked his head to one side, curious what had caused the reaction.

“I thought I was the one oooh~ woah.” His back arched as his wings tingled while still tucked away, itching to come out. It was almost identical to the way his wings had felt when Alastor had held him during the radio broadcast. “Oooooookay. Felt that.” He shivered and adjusted his shoulders as the sensasion faded.

“It seems we both did. At least now we know there is a delay and what to expect.” Alastor’s ears were in that down and out position he’d only seen once before. He really wanted to know what it meant.

“Yeah. I’ll know if you're not around and my wings feel like something’s vibrating against them I need to get to you. What did you feel?” He offered up his experience, hoping that would help Alastor grant him some insight on the ear position.

“Your bite. I think it might have reopened.” Alastor replied calmly. His ears reverted to their usual position by the time he had finished speaking.

He pulled Alastor’s head forward, pushing Alastor’s shirt aside so that he could look at the mark. He could see where each of his teeth had pierced the skin glistening, as though fresh but there was no blood. He relaxed and pulled Alastor with him as he flopped back onto the bed. Alastor managed to catch himself prior to landing but after a moment’s hesitation he allowed himself to relax.

“It didn’t.” He mumbled and let his fingers trace the mark. It looked fresh, but the wound wasn’t sticky or wet.

“Is that your new favourite spot?” Alastor looked up at him from where he’d settled on his chest.

“What do you mean?” Smirking as he continued to trace the mark. Alastor’s ears were still more than tempting, but he’d only just put his mark on Alastor. He couldn’t seem to help himself and caress it to remind himself it was there.

“By now you would have gone for my ears.” Alastor hadn’t moved to make him stop touching the new mark, but there was something about the way that he’d commented about his ears. He couldn’t mean… could he?

“Oh? Is that permission?” Excitement buzzed in his hands as he waited to see if he finally had permission to touch both.

“Consider it part of your prize. Just the back.” Alastor smiled warmly at him.

He grinned and let his fingers tangle into Alastor’s hair at the base of his ears, gently scratching. Alastor sighed as he let his head rest on his chest. Alastor hummed a song he didn’t recognise, the tempo slowing the closer Alastor got to sleep until it stopped altogether.

He looked fondly down at the one he’d claimed. Knowing that his magic would hide Alastor eased the stress of the day. There was just one other thing he needed to do. He’d only kept wearing it out of habit, but now it needed to go. He’d put his mark on Alastor, it wouldn’t do for him to continue to wear one that linked him to another. He took the ring that tied him to Lilith and floated it over to his workbench, setting it gently down on top of Charlie-duck’s head like a crown. When Alastor was ready, he was Alastor’s to mark as well.

Mysterious POV

The night was quiet. The stars shone brightly down upon his territory as he drifted along one of the many streams he protected. He lazily surveyed his borders, shoring up any degrading magic as he went. It was a chore he had been required to do more often since the soul in his possession had descended to Hell. It wasn’t like he was worried about anyone trying to establish themselves in his domain. No, he held their hope to establish this realm as more than just a spawning pool for souls. To do that, they needed a champion. One who was linked to all three realms by blood.

They just needed Alastor to break the seal they’d put on him containing the power he’d inherited from his grandfather. A power that angel had tried to ensure didn’t get passed on. It wasn’t until he had confirmed he would be able to grant her request that he discovered just how lucky they were. Lucky that the nephilim had even survived to make the request. Her father had sealed her power and taken her womb to ensure the end to his earthly line. He couldn’t create a new one for her, but he had been able to use his powers to allow her to carry one child.

The water shimmered faintly golden and he felt a current shock through his form. He poked his head up and glanced around at the disturbance. Odd, what could have caused that? The sounds of the forest at night hadn’t been interrupted and he felt no intruders. A chain rattled as the deep blue soul chain connecting him to Alastor appeared in front of him. He gripped it tight as something pulled at it. Golden tendrils weaved around the chain and tugged again.

This wasn’t Alastor’s magic, another was trying to claim him. How dare they. He fumed and charged his own power into the chain as the blue brightened to white. Blood red magic seeped into the golden tendrils before they fell off like ash. Fire sparked in his eyes as he chased the remnants of the intruder from the chain in his possession. Hissing aloud, his influence was cut off long before he would have liked, unable to reach Alastor in Hell.

Patience could no longer be their position now that his ownership was challenged. He let his magic pulse through the water, calling out to the others. They needed the airwaves to take Alastor and the seal to break before this challenger could interfere in their plans. He needed to create an opening for Alastor to be taken; to do that, he’d need the others' help.

Chapter 7: Plus Noir Que le Noir de Mon Coeur

Chapter Text

Alastor’s POV

Lucifer had been correct, no one seemed to notice the change to his power, none but airwaves. This bubble didn't act in the same way that Charlie had shielded him. He still had to be cautious. He could feel the airwaves searching for him and they could tell when he was close or pulled on any of his powers linked to them. He could sense when the airwaves tried to latch on to him, only for him to slip through their grasp. He got the impression that should the mark fade too much they’d be able to sink their claws into him. He wasn’t completely comfortable with being forced to rely on someone else for his safety, but it was a thousand times better than the alternative. Besides, he’d promised Rosie to do everything he could, and if he was going to trust anyone to keep him safe… it would be Lucifer.

Last night’s broadcast, piloted by Lucifer, had bought him some time before he’d have to return to the air. He only had one other pre-recorded show. The papers had informed him that Vox had reassured people the attack on Vee tower had been subdued but didn’t confirm the threat had passed. Last night’s broadcast would only make Vox more suspicious that something was wrong. The drawback of a pre-recorded show was that he couldn’t reference anything current. No news, no events and certainly not addressing how the radios across the city had been blown while the airwaves had chased him. The obsessed demon would certainly have picked up on his lack of reference to current events. He’d have to wait until the evening paper to find out what sort of speculation Vox had come up with. He couldn’t risk asking the others to check and bring the attention of the airwaves back to the hotel.

The other residents were wary of him. Most of them feared how he might react to them having seen him during a point of weakness. Husker treated him with the same caution one would a landmine. Nifty was the sole resident who wasn’t preoccupied with what had happened yesterday. Granted, that was because when he’d come down in the morning she’d asked if his new pillow was comfortable before wanting to know if she should make a crown for King Roach’s consort. As shocked as he was, he managed to convey that he would permit her to do so, as long as she kept silent about his relationship until he’d given her permission to crown his consort. His reply had satisfied her and she’d skittered off.

Charlie had apologies at every opportunity that presented itself, precious girl, avoided saying why she was apologising, but apologised nonetheless. While he’d been away she’d relocated or unplugged the various devices from which the airwaves might reach him, and he was thankful for it, but felt disconnected. Come afternoon, he decided that both he and Charlie required a distraction. For her it was away from the overwhelm the guilt she was clearly still feeling and he needed to focus on anything other than how limited he currently needed to keep himself. He’d been surprised how quickly his mind had supplied him with the perfect thing to reassure Charlie and distract himself. She’d been curious and a bit hesitant when he’d asked her to come with him. This only increased when he had held open the door to his room for her and then led her into the bayou.

“Al? Where are we going?” She asked nervously as she followed him through the underbrush.

“It’s only a bit further Charlie dear.” He glanced back at her and paused to allow her to catch up. His fingers itched to hold his cane, but he still wasn’t ready to risk how close it brought him to the airwaves. He felt out of sorts lacking his usual comforts but the airwaves had attempted to grasp him the few times he had tried to use his filter that morning. His powers were considerably restricted, but he was still outside of their grip.

“Okay… but why are we here?” Her eyes pleaded with him for answers as she fell into step with him. He sighed and took pity on her.

“I heard you were searching for more filé and were unable to locate any.” He explained where he’d gotten the idea of how to distract her from feeling guilty.

“Yea… was the jambalaya alright?” she twisted her hands together nervously.

“You’ve done well darling. The next step would be to learn about filé.” He grinned as they approached their goal. He smirked as his eyes landed on the table and chairs that were still in the clearing. He’d gotten his shadow to take care of the bowl last night, but Lucifer’s hat was still there.

“Wha?” Charlie stopped as they entered the clearing. She had yet to connect the dots of the trail he’d given her.

“To make it, you will need dried Sassafras leaves. Something you will not find in Hell. While you might be able to get some imp to retrieve some from earth, but… it is much easier to come here and make your own.” He strode over to the same tree where he’d shown Lucifer what sassafras smelt like.

“Al.” Charlie’s eyes were saucers in her glee. “You don’t have to, not just to forgive me.” She vibrated with excitement even as her words told him it was unnecessary.

“Charlie, I’ve already told you to stop apologising about yesterday.” He put a hand on her shoulder to keep her from interrupting. “I am doing this for an entirely different reason. While you are aware I’ve viewed you like a daughter for some time now, I’ve decided that I should pass down to you, the recipe my mother taught me. I know she’d approve of my decision, especially since you’ve proven yourself by learning what you could through active involvement and observation.” He smiled down at her wide glittering puppy eyes.

“Aww.” Charlie flung her arms around him, bringing him into a tight hug. He rubbed the top of her head, as she was overwhelmed with emotion. His mother would have adored Charlie, and Charlie her. He grit his teeth to keep his smile in place. It was no good to dwell on things that would never happen. Charlie hiccupped, signalling to him that she was getting control of her emotions once again.

“Dad was right, you do kinda smell like filé. I thought it was root beer.” She giggled, stepping back from him and wiping her face.

“I suppose that’s not surprising. Sassafras was a key ingredient in root beer.”

“Really?”

He nodded and gestured to the tree behind him. “This is a sassafras tree. Easily identifiable by its strong sweet and fruity smell. Somewhere between citrus and cinnamon. The roots, bark and leaves are all used in various forms of cookery. As you so aptly pointed out, the roots have been used in root beer. I keep the trees in my bayou at peak foliage so that I will not run short specifically so that I can make filé.”

“I’m amazed you were able to create a pocket dimension like this. I’ve never seen anywhere like this before.” She sighed in wonder as she actually took in their surroundings. “So just pick some of the leaves?” Charlie looked up at the tree.

“Yes. Fortunately, I already have some drying that we can use to skip to the next step after we have collected some to replenish the ones we use today.”

“So, pick the leaves, dry the leaves and the next step?”

“Grind them to powder.”

“Alright! Let’s get started.” Charlie reached up and started to pluck leaves from the tree in front of them.

He watched as Charlie hummed and flitted about around the clearing collecting leaves from each of the trees. She was much too pure for a place like Hell, and yet somehow, she was the one ray of hope in all of it. Her hands were quickly becoming filled with leaves. He glanced back at her father’s hat. It would do as a makeshift basket, and Lucifer certainly wouldn’t mind. He picked it up and held it out with both hands for her to place her bounty within. He felt the bite mark on his shoulder pull as he extended his arms out. He inhaled sharply and winced as Charlie dumped the leaves in with a bit more force than was necessary. She froze at the noise.

“What’s wrong? Al what happened?” She took the hat from him and looked him over to see what could have caused him to react in such a way.

“It’s not as bad as all that dear. There really isn’t any need to worry.”

“Explain.” Charlie eyed him warily. He felt his ears start to droop outward in his embarrassment and quickly righted them while trying to figure out how to tell her what he’d let her father do.

“After yesterday, your father came up with a way to help and requested my permission to do so. Thus far it has been successful, and I believe your father approves enthusiastically about the entire process.” While his explanation was more or less accurate, Charlie didn’t appear to have believed him.

“That doesn’t explain why it hurts. My Dad wouldn’t enjoy you suffering.” Her arms now crossed her chest, hat drooping as it was clenched in one of her fists and a frown on her face. She didn’t actually seem to be angry at him. It was difficult to not comment that Lucifer had certainly seemed to have been enjoying himself when he did it.

“From my understanding of how it works, an anchor is needed. It requires an entry point for magic to fuse with blood and uses the mark that remains to focus the intent of the spell. I’m not accustomed to leaving parts unhealed as is required of this spell's anchor. It doesn’t hurt much, I just wasn’t expecting the way that it pulled. That’s all.”

“Show me.” Charlie demanded and all he could do was blink at her demand.

“You want me to show you where I let your father bite me?” The words spilled out due to his shock, having not expected Charlie to ask to see the mark. It appeared that was all Charlie needed to hear to understand why her father was okay with it given the flush that covered her entire face.

“Okay, you don’t have to show me. Good thing your collar is high.” she laughed nervously.

He tilted his head curiously at her remark. His jacket alone would have covered the mark, what did that have to do with his collar?

“... So not on your neck?” She appeared confused, slightly curious but at the same time reluctant to ask.

“Not exactly.” His reply seemed to confuse her further. With a sigh he used his right hand to point out the location of the mark on the back of his neck where it met his left shoulder. Crimson seeped from her neck through her face and all the way to her ears.

“Ah.” She looked away quickly. ”It must be an angel thing.” She chuckled nervously. A few of the leaves falling out of her father’s hat as she did.

“I’m afraid I don’t follow.” He reached down and collected the leaves.

“Aaaaand you probably aren't going to want to. Anyway~ I think I understand now why you said my Dad liked it. No need to go any further into that.” She shifted her weight nervously and held out Lucifer’s hat for him to replace the leaves.

“Ah.” He dropped the topic as what Charlie was inferring dawned on him as the two of them had partners of angelic origin. The spot Lucifer had marked him did have more significance than initially implied. He’d suspected as much last night, it was too similar to the spot some animals would bite to maintain their position during mating. If it meant the same thing to angels or not, he wasn’t sure. He was courting Lucifer… so it could be a statement of intent for now. It had done what Lucifer said it would. He also found he didn’t mind how pleased the mark seemed to make Lucifer. “Well, I do believe we have gathered enough for a batch.” He decided to save the both of them any further thought on the topic.

“Great!” Charlie sighed in relief.

“Onto the next step. Follow me.” He led her to the small cottage he kept in his bayou.

“How big is this space Al?” Charlie marvelled as she followed him up the steps.

“Oh it is quite large. It was quite the endeavour to create, but it is stable and requires no additional upkeep.” He held open the door for Charlie.

It wasn’t much, but he hadn’t grown up with much. He had done his best to replicate the rooms he remembered as a child. The main room was split between the living area and kitchen. Counters lined the back of the wall and a larder in the back corner that was mostly ignored. A table and four chairs acting as a divider between the kitchen and parlour. The rest of the room was occupied by two chairs, a pair of end tables and a fireplace in the centre of the house, allowing for the heat to permeate through to the two bedrooms from the heat of the brick.. There were two doors off to the left one on each side of the fireplace. He’d updated his room to suit him now and it was a place he frequently would use instead of the bed in the hotel. His parents' room, however, he used for drying herbs exclusively. It was his way of honouring his mother. Without a second thought the record player came to life and the old French songs his mother preferred completed the reverie.

Charlie grinned as she looked around. Eager to ask questions, but hesitant to pry. She knew he rarely invited anyone into his space. He directed her to the table and she set her father’s hat down. He showed Charlie how to string up the leaves to dry before he went into the other room and collected all bunches that were dry enough to powder. Walking to the kitchen he collected the mortar and pestle and took it to the table as Charlie finished stringing the leaves together. She followed him into the other room and helped him hang the leaves to dry. Once that was done he walked her through how to grind them then leaned back against the outside wall and watched her work. Charlie was more than halfway done when there was a light knock at the open door.

“So this is where the two of you disappeared to.” Lucifer was smiling at them from the door.

“Dad! Alastor is showing me how to make filé!” She grinned and proudly held up her progress for Lucifer to see. He smirked at Charlie’s enthusiasm, acting more like a child than the grown woman she was.

“He looks like a proud Papa.” Lucifer declared aloud with a chuckle. Both he and Charlie gawked at Lucifer. What? He was treating Charlie like a daughter… but, he hadn’t expected Lucifer to spring the use of ‘Papa’ when referring to Charlie and him. Lucifer came over and inspected Charlie’s work before retrieving his hat from the table.

“What? He does. I’ve already claimed Dad, No way he’d use Daddy and probably not Father either. So Papa would work if the two of you want to use that.” Lucifer explained after taking in both his and Charlie’s still shocked faces. It wasn’t often he wasn’t sure what to say but he found himself unable to think of anything.

“Awwwwww~ Dad. When you guys are ready to let everyone know, and if Alastor agrees, I’d be happy to.” Charlie managed to recover faster than he did. Papa? He’d never called his own father that, so there wasn’t any negative emotion to the word.

“I would not be opposed to the term. As you say, it would be best to wait a little while longer still.” He nodded with a smile.

Charlie beamed before abandoning the partially ground leaves and bounding over to him for a hug. A moment later he felt Lucifer join the hug as well. Still against the wall and sandwiched between the two Morningstars there was little he could do. Lucifer was the one who gave Charlie a quick pat to let her know it was time to release him. Lucifer, however, maintained some form of contact with him until she had finished grinding the leaves. Once her task was completed, he gave her a glass jar to take down to the kitchen. She beamed at the two of them before skipping off.

“Watching you guide her like your own little fawn, oh, that’s a sight I never want to forget.” Lucifer smiled at him and cupped his cheek. “This was different from when you’re together at the hotel, this was you being a parent and teaching traditions.”

“I take it you don’t mind?”

“I found myself conflicted. Over the moon by seeing you treat Charlie as your own and unbelievably turned on and unable to do anything about it because Charlie was here.” Lucifer pulled his chin down slowly as he spoke before kissing him and taking away his ability to answer. He wasn’t sure he would ever get used to the sensation of lips pressed against his own or the feel of Lucifer’s forked tongue as it easily slipped into his mouth. It made his body shiver which only enticed Lucifer to plunge his tongue further, flicking as it explored and curling around his tongue to capture it like a prize.

He felt Lucifer’s hand trail along his chin and down his neck as the shorter man’s and wrapped around, pulling the two of them close. Fingers traced the mark Lucifer had bitten into him yesterday and he felt the phantom sensation of Lucifer’s lips and teeth on the mark. His whole body seemed flooded with the reminder of what it had felt like to be bitten. He managed to keep his form from changing, but it allowed a low growl to escape his throat. He roughly pulled Lucifer into him and his back collided with the wall behind him as the other’s weight crashed into him.

He leaned heavily into the wall and allowed himself to slouch so that Lucifer wouldn’t have to stretch to reach him. The appreciative moan from Lucifer as he adjusted his angle to deepen the kiss was almost more of a reward than the sensation from his forked tongue. Both the sound and sensation were addictive. He wasn’t used to how easily Lucifer seemed to be able to fuel these desires in him. Never before had someone held such an ability over his body. For so long he had struggled to understand the appeal or how people could lose themselves to lust. Now, with Lucifer, he had a better understanding of just how dangerous it could be. It thrilled and terrified him how each touch or sound had his body ignoring logic.

He wasn’t struggling this time like he had previously to keep his magic from reacting as well as his body. Perhaps that was an added bonus of Lucifer’s bubble. His focus wasn’t as divided between the Airwaves and keeping the angelic part of him contained. They were far enough away from anything that might call the Airwaves and any prying residents that he felt like pressing on. His grip around Lucifer’s waist loosened and his fingers trailed lightly up Lucifer’s spine a few inches before following it down a few inches below where his fingers had started. He might not have the experience, but his memory was second to none. Using what he’d felt from when Lucifer had tried things on him he showed the fallen this wasn’t a dance he should expected to always lead.

Lucifer broke the kiss as he leaned back with a moan, appearing receptive to the idea of allowing his experimentation. He let his hands repeat the pattern as he kissed Lucifer’s exposed throat. He tasted the salt on Lucifer’s skin, yearning to sink his teeth in and taste the only one who’d managed to awaken this side of him. His teeth grazed skin, but he kept himself from letting them sink further. Lucifer’s fingers dug into the mark at the base of his neck and again it was like he could feel the other’s teeth rather than claws. He would have to leave his own mark and see if he found it as fascinating as Lucifer seemed to find the one he’d been bestowed with.

“Alastor.” Lucifer gasped his name. The smaller man gripped him tighter, claws dipping into flesh. His mouth went dry as Lucifer ground into him and he felt just how much influence the few things he’d done had on the fallen.

He nipped at Lucifer’s neck again, careful not to break the skin. He was playing with fire, touch he could handle but tasting the angelic blood that coursed through Lucifer, would have to wait until they’d sorted what angelic power remained inside him. Focusing on suction and pressure he slowly stained the pale skin he was focused upon first red then increasingly gold as the fresh bruised. Lucifer trembled against him. Each time Lucifer went to move his hands he held back, forcing them to remain, one around his neck and the other gripping his lapel.

“Lucifer,” His voice sounded almost as foreign as the desire in his veins, a low almost purr that caused the one in his arms to shudder and moan. “You don’t have to hold back quite so much darling.” He murmured allowing his lips to ghost across Lucifer’s skin as he spoke.

“A-are you sure?” Lucifer trembled like a leaf in his arms. By all that was unholy he not only wanted to consume the one clinging to him, but he wanted just as badly to be consumed whole by the one he was desperately holding on to as well.

“Mmmm.” He hummed as he breathed in the scent of apple and clove. “Yes.” The word came out more like a groan as he tried to encourage the other to move. There was a new hunger seeping through him that was demanding to feel Lucifer’s fingers, and mouth upon his skin. A craving to explore every inch of the fallen and claiming it all. It stirred a want to proclaim Lucifer was his and more oddly, a similar one that wished to flaunt his body was claimed by Lucifer.

“How much? Set a limit or I will not be able to stop.” Lucifer whined without indulging his coaxing. He didn’t want a limit, he wanted Lucifer. He knew lust was muddling his ability to make decisions. He couldn’t help himself but push for more. Lucifer’s gentle and constant consideration for him be damned. He wanted more. He needed to sate this hunger.

“Oh? Weren’t you the one who said you wanted to see me incoherent? You would have to be able to remain in control to see that.” He teased as he nibbled down Lucifer’s neck.

“My control,” Lucifer’s voice had taken on the deeper demonic growl the fallen oh so rarely used and his flesh erupted with goose pimples. “Is currently occupying every ounce of restraint I have,” The deep growl had his insides twisting in knots of excitement. “To keep from forcing you to your knees, burying my co*ck inside you and holding onto your tail as f*ck the two of us into oblivion.” Lucifer all but snarled lowly as he maintained the death grip he had on his neck and lapel. His body froze at the words.

Oh.

With all the power at Lucifer’s fingertips, he’d not even considered what might happen if he pushed too hard. He was a gentleman and such an oversight for his partner’s limits was unlike him, and a welcomed drenching of cold water upon the fire that burned for Lucifer. He leaned back and was surprised to find Lucifer mostly transformed. Lucifer’s horns on display, but yet to reach their full height or glory. The eyes staring back at him yellow on red rather than their usual reverse.

“Would you advise stopping now?” He asked hesitantly and watched as Lucifer’s emotions warred with each other as his expression betrayed his thoughts.

“You’re getting better at this.” Lucifer sighed in defeat.

“That tends to happen with practice.” He teased lightly with a genuine smile.

“Keep this up and I’m doomed.” Lucifer groaned and slumped forward, letting his hands slowly flop down to his sides.

“I’m sure my aptitude will allow for your strain to be considerably lessened.” He let out a long sigh and hugged Lucifer to him. His words and actions earned him a snort of laughter.

“It had better. Until I get to have all of you, this strain is going to be significant.” He didn’t need to look at the other to know there’d been an eye roll that had accompanied the statement. He didn’t want to tell Lucifer just how close he’d been to letting him have what the fallen had just confessed to wanting.

“I guess I’ll have to do my best to make sure it’s worth the wait. Now, what would you suggest as a means to calm down?” He hugged Hell’s most rare treasure closer to himself as he offered his help - no strings attached, knowing he’d do his best to accommodate whatever request the one who’d pilfered what he’d swore he’d never give to anyone. The heart he’d buried so long ago wasn’t his anymore. He just couldn’t bring himself to say the words that had always felt hollow and tacky when he’d heard others say them.

“Cuddles?” Lucifer pouted with a slight smirk. He laughed and picked Lucifer up. He certainly wasn’t going to do such a thing against the wall. No, he would take them somewhere more comfortable. He felt something wrap tightly around his waist and realised that Lucifer’s tail had also made an appearance.

“Alright mon canard, My room or yours?” He tried to hide his shock as the term of endearment slipped out. His duck? Lucifer’s love for that animal had made it a quick and easy association. He felt his ears flatten outwards embarrassingly as Lucifer’s eyes widened in awe and wonder.

“Well… in that case, mine.” Lucifer’s grin was blinding at the pet name he’d been bestowed with. With a slight nod he let his shadow envelop the two of them and he focused his mind on ensuring that the precious one in his arms was well taken care of.

*

Lucifer’s POV

He needed to figure out what was happening with the angelic magic in Alastor. It seemed not to have anything to do with the voice that was calling for him. It was a bit of a relief he didn’t have to worry about the voice causing the angelic magic to burst past the restraints that caged it. He wished he could figure out who the magic that felt familiar within Alastor belonged to. He was all but positive the magic was seraphim or above. There weren’t too many who could claim that, and the only new member to that group was Emily. He couldn’t place whose magic it was though. His memory wasn’t the greatest, but that shouldn’t cause him to be unable to place whose magic was within Alastor, even if it was generations in the past. Could it be like the Hellborn? A mixing of magic through blood could change what the source felt like? It was odd enough for an angelic being to procreate… it was almost unheard of to have a child produced with more than one angelic source. It would explain Alastor though. He could tell there was a strong familiar magic, but it was muddled with something else, something he didn’t recognise.

Now that Alastor was marked, he should be able to work with the angelic magic inside him. He hadn’t had a chance to try anything yet, but Alastor was doing worlds better than he had previously. He still wasn’t using his filter, and that was concerning. Not as much as how the mark had brought about some rather unexpected consequences. His resistance had been whittled away to nothing and Alastor was unbelievably perceptive and oh so tempting. He easily picked up techniques after experiencing them once. Now that Alastor was his by mark, his body wanted desperately to have the two of them joined. He hadn’t anticipated just how badly that would affect him. He’d thought he’d be able to just place it for protection, oh how badly he had been wrong.

The other complication was that Alastor’s soul belonged to someone. He couldn’t figure out who might be the one who owned Alastor’s soul. Had the owner been a higher ranking resident of Hell, he would have noticed the magic and who it belonged to when he had covered Alastor in his own magic. Had it been a Hellborn, Sinner or possibly even an Overlord, the contract probably would have snapped from the influence of his magic. He could only resolve that the being who owned Alastor’s soul wasn’t in or from Hell. Which meant his soul was bound by a contract with an angelic being.

So when had his soul been sold? Was that why he’d been so powerful when he’d arrived? Why did they want him back now after almost a century? Wait, he’d been told that Alastor had been missing for 7 years before he started helping Charlie at the hotel. Had the person who held his soul pulled him back then? Was that why the voice was saying ‘give me back to us’? The words still were confusing. If the voice was the one to own Alastor’s soul he wouldn’t be ‘me’ it would be more along the lines of ‘mine’.

The theory that made the most sense to him was still that it was his shadows that were the source… The ‘us’ being the shadows while the one casting the shadow - Alastor - was their ‘me’. The problem with that was that it was the radio Alastor was wary of, not his shadows. To Alastor, his shadows were still safe.

His thoughts were cut short as a scream pierced the air. His blood ran cold - he’d know that voice anywhere…Charlie. He didn’t hesitate as he used his magic to shift to where she was. He appeared in the kitchen beside Charlie and facing Alastor. Deer ears folded down from the volume of her scream. There was something wrong, his smile was a thin line and he could only see red sclera initially but radio dials slowly took shape the longer he stood there.

“What’s wrong darling?” Alastor asked in a voice far more calm than whatever was going through Alastor’s head. His ears hadn’t perked, his smile still tight and around his feet, Alastor’s shadow was sticking a lot closer than it normally would have. Alastor didn’t seem to know what had caused Charlie’s scream, even though he’d been the one to cause it.

“Al what’s happening? I-it was like you had powered off.”

“Pardon me?”

The door to the kitchen burst open and Vaggie followed closely by Husk and Angel burst into the room. He only noticed after a moment that Niffty had tagged along - clinging to Husker’s tail, grinning as he swished it trying to flick her off.

“Al, what is going on?” It was no longer a request. Charlie needed answers now. Alastor blinked wordlessly before his ears suddenly drooped and the still faint radio dials faded away.

“T-the airwaves. They are… calling.” Alastor’s voice was barely a whisper. He quickly stepped forward as Alastor warbled. Oh sh*t. His eyes widened in shock as he watched Alastor’s knees buckle. Charlie’s arms joined his as he caught the barely conscious demon. Shocked shouts and sudden movement from the other’s present felt irrelevant and he worried for his deer. Alastor had pushed himself too far to be able to name what was chasing him. He’d avoided saying what was calling since the beginning and it was clear to everyone now, that these ‘airwaves’ had kept Alastor from being able to talk about them.

“So answer them?” Angel offered with a shrug. He couldn’t help but shoot a glare at the spider demon.

“No.” Alastor’s pupils were starting to return but he was still allowing Charlie and him to keep him steady..

“Well explain. No one here knows what’s going on besides you.” Vaggie demanded.

Alastor hesitated, he opened his mouth to say something then closed it again. Clearly trying to find words he was allowed to use to talk about the thing chasing him. He then looked down.

“I don’t know much either.”

“Okay. So, what do you know?” Charlie tried to coax him into talking.

“I was approached by a sinner with a message. I was given a note, there was a flash of light and suddenly I was ripped to pieces and scattered to the air, everywhere and nowhere all at once. When my head finally stopped spinning, it was hard to tell where I was, who I was. With time I was able to pull my mind back together and grasp onto… something, it wasn’t actually physical, almost more like an intent. I could hear Charlie’s voice explaining her idea for redemption. It was what allowed me to finally pull what I could of myself back from that place. When I managed to stumble out, I was in front of the hotel and eventually discovered that seven years had passed. I thought I had been able to get out because of Charlie and this place, so there must be a connection or significance. At the very least, It would be more difficult to drag me back if I remained nearby. So, I decided to help.”

“Woah sh*t that’s what happened to you? I thought it had something to do with the one who has your soul.” Husker mumbled aloud.

Alastor glares, but it’s clear Husk wasn’t exactly wrong. What had happened to Alastor seven years ago was something no one had been able to get out of him.

“What?” Charlie’s voice was a mix of horror and wonder. She’d been responsible for helping Alastor out of his prison; it didn’t stave off any of her worry, up until then she had thought that Alastor was in possession of his soul.

Vaggie stood there in shock with Angel. Alastor hadn’t been himself since his battle with the voice, and now they had just found out Alastor is in the same boat as Angel, Niffty and Husk.

He could feel himself slipping into panic mode. He needed to stop and focus on what he could do to keep from losing Alastor. These ‘airwaves’ weren’t something he was familiar with and they were clearly more powerful than anyone had expected. Who were they linked to? Even his mark wasn’t enough to keep them from calling for Alastor. His blessing wasn’t working either.

“What was on the note?” He asked nervously, whatever had been on that note was likely the key to figuring everything out. He felt Alastor shift his weight more towards him than Charlie. His reluctance in answering meant that it was probably going to have a similar impact on him to talk about it and he readied himself to take Alastor’s weight. Charlie’s eyes darted between them and caught on, bracing as well.

“No puddle can contain what dwells within you.” Alastor let his eyes close as he spoke softly. “The swirling dark pools that comfort you are but the start.” Sigils started to appear around them as Alastor’s antlers increased in size. “Embrace your waves and crash through the levees keeping you confined.” Green magic glowed around Alastor as his body trembled. “Only then will what has never been yours be finally returned to you.” Alastor’s voice was barely a whisper now. He was leaning heavily into him and Charlie as his antlers reached their full height, forcing his head to droop. He watched as the blue soul collar gimmered faintly around Alastor’s neck. He adjusted his arm and took a hold of the chain attached to the collar using his magic to block the owner from doing anything to Alastor. He could only do it while the chain was visible, and he intended to make sure the one on the other end knew their influence was not welcome. “Only then will you be able to claim the birthright denied to you and your family.” Alastor suddenly went still as he finished speaking, his magic fading like it had been snuffed out.

“Alastor!” Charlie called out.

Alastor’s breathing was slow but he didn’t appear to be unconscious. The soul collar disappeared from around Alastor’s neck and his eyes cracked open revealing deep red radio dials on black sclera. Alastor spared Charlie a small smile before he closed his eyes again and his features began to revert to normal. He waited until Alastor steadied himself on his feet before he started to press for more information.

“If I’m understanding correctly, your soul was taken from you as soon as you were born.” He mumbled when he finally thought that Alastor could answer.

“I think so as well.” The words were quiet but the impact on the others in the room was a bolt of electricity.

“Who would do that?!” Charlie’s demonic features popped out in her outrage. “How could someone do that?!”

“There’s only two who could.” He clarified quietly. It was likely that the others in the room didn't realise that parents for a brief period held ownership over the souls of their children. Typically the mother had the stronger claim to the child's soul as it was housed within her prior to birth. Alastor idolised his mother, had he figured out it was likely her who had sold his soul?

“My parents.” Alastor supplied quietly. Charlie's features faded into shock and disbelief as Alastor continued. “My mother is in Heaven. One of the first things I did when getting to Hell was to hunt down my father and kill him a second time.”

“Could I ask Emily?” Charlie offered sympathetically, her concerned for Alastor, so much like offering to help a parent. He watched Alastor's features. His ears drooped forward rather than the usual flop back. He chewed his lip recognising thatAlastor didn’t want to admit it but he already knew who had been the one responsible for selling his soul.

“Ask Emily to find my mother and then ask what deal was made for my soul?” Alastor asked quietly.

“Huh?” Charlie blinked at Alastor in shock

“It could only have been her. I was her miracle. Her one and only. She knew she wouldn’t be able to have any more children. Her part of the deal must have been to be able to have me. No, no need to ask her about it. The note said levees needed to be broken and birthright’s need to be claimed.” Alastor's ears trembled openly as he spoke the words. His heart clenched knowing the impact of admitting aloud the person who had meant the most to him while alive, had been responsible for the loss of his soul would be significant on his precious deer.

“Char-char… call Emily. Even if Alastor doesn’t want to bother her, we need more information.” Alastor might protest, but they needed the information. They might know who made the deal, but there were things the note hadn’t been clear about that the terms of the contract could be. “Alastor do NOT answer the airwaves.” He added for good measure, knowing the other had no intention of ever going back to that place.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, sire.” Alastor chuckled weakly, finally steadying himself enough to stand on his own.

*

Emily POV

Everything had been so busy since the unexpected arrival of Sir Pentious. Sera had been working to find out why the sinner had managed to make his way to Heaven and had left the task of keeping him away from the regular angels to her. Frowning to herself, she didn’t like what Sera was doing - or Lute for that matter. Sera wasn’t even trying to get Lute to stay quiet while she was trying to rally Heaven into war because of what had happened to Adam. No one would listen to her when she said that Lute and Adam had been going to hell disguised as demons to kill off sinners for sport.

She’d seen what the direct approach would accomplish when she’d teamed up with Charlie during her meeting with Heaven. It did absolutely nothing. She’d decided her only chance to go against Sera and those who had been working with her to undermine Heavens core values was to beat them at their own game. It wasn’t that she didn’t understand why Sera didn’t want Pentious to mingle with the regular angels. She knew he was being kept a secret, but that didn’t mean she agreed with it. She also knew to take advantage of opportunities when presented. With Pentious to aid her the two of them could document and keep track of everything that was counterproductive, everything that seemed a little bit shady and look into everything.

Doing this had kept her and Pentious so busy in the hall of records that they’d not had a moment to call Charlie to let her know about Pentious. She really had been meaning to call, but time had completely gotten away from her. She’d squeaked when she’d received the call. Prompting a scolding from the records keeper about her behaviour before she’d managed to push Pentious into one of the side study rooms as she answered the call.

“Charlie! I’m so glad you called! I’ve been meaning to call you. Things have been unbelievably amazing. I can't wait to share the news! Wait, wait one moment - Pentious say Hi~!” She held out the phone so the snake angel could speak.

“Good Day Charlotte!” Pentious called out loudly towards the device.

“Pen?!?” Charlie gasped.

“Indeed it isss I.” He confirmed aloud with a nod that Charlie wouldn’t be able to see.

“He made it to Heaven Charlie! Your hotel works!” She squealed excitedly doing a little twirl that had Pentious ducking away from her wings..

“Oh Pentious, I’m so glad you’re alright! Wait… how did his arrival go over?” Charlie’s excitement mirrored her own. Charlie was such a kindred spirit. The moment she’d met Charlie she just knew that Hell’s Princess would be the one who’d be able to find a way to redeem sinners.

“Well, Sera is less than pleased. I’m keeping him close and working on trying to make sure she doesn’t do anything to harm him or risk his position. He’s been helping me go through the records to make sure there aren’t any other secret contracts that have been made like the extermination one. There is a lot to go through, but Pentious has been amazing!”

“Why thank you Missss Emily.” The snake angel’s eyes had gone huge and slightly watery as he accepted the compliment. She’d discovered that he was constantly left unsure of what to do around positivity and showered him with it when she could. He’d done something no other soul in history had, he was a miracle in his own right.

“Wow Emily, I’m glad Pentious is there with you - he can protect you if needed. Be careful. Sera and Adam could have done a lot of things we don’t know about. Are you looking at records now?”

“We sure are!” She puffed out her chest slightly as she proudly confirmed their location.

“That’s… perfect! Would you be able to look up a resident of Heaven for me? If possible could you guys go and talk to her?” Charlie’s voice was steeped in so much happiness it was like bubbles and sunshine. If only the two of them didn’t live so far apart.

“Certainly! One moment.” She made her way over to one of the lookup stations. “What’s their birth name?”

“Ugh…” Charlie’s voice hung on the syllable before calling out to another. “Alastor! What’s your mother’s birth name?”

“Sabine Rosalie de Castellane-Esparron.” A melodic and remarkably clear male voice could be heard in the background. She smiled as she began to type the name as Charlie stumbled over repeating the unfamiliar syllables in the name.

“Parents?” She asked to ensure that she got the correct file rather than rely on the slight possibility that there’d only ever been one soul with that name.

“Raphael de Castellane-Esparron et Geneviève Babette Paulin.” The male called Alastor spoke with a fluidity and authority she’d only encountered a few times before. He must be someone important in Hell if Charlie was reaching out to heaven to find out about his mother. Somewhere further in the background another, a familiar voice… oh he was the one we looked in on… Angel Dust! Spoke with an interesting accent. “Holy f*ck Smiles! What was that whoooo~ you need to speak French more.”

She chuckled a little nervously at the crass wording.

“Okay~ what was it you wanted me to ask her about?” She asked as the file appeared before her and Pentious. She opened it to see the beautiful and kind face of the one she’d been asked to look up. Sabine Rosalie de Castellane-Esparron, had been born, lived and died in the state of Louisiana which belonged to a country known as The United States of America. Her parents' names were highlighted with a golden sheen - both resided in Heaven. Her husband’s name; ‘Isadore Bastien Aube’ was matte black, his soul was no more. Her son’s name; ‘Alastor Mathias de Castellane-Esparron Aube’’ shone with a black-red hue that made it appear still wet. She’d seen sinner’s names show up on files. Typically their names were displayed in a brown red type of ink.

“What was the deal made for Alastor’s soul?” Charlie’s question shattered her curiosity.

“EH?” Emily fumbled the phone. A soul contract? Pentious managed to catch the phone and Charlie’s voice brought her attention back.

“He found out his soul wasn’t his and we need to find out who owns it. She’s the only one we know of who would be able to answer the question.”

“Oh. Okay…” She looked over the file in front of her. The woman had been exemplary. A natural healer who used her talents to spread kindness even when it wasn’t returned. She’d treated everyone gently and fairly. Even praying for those who had harmed her. Her eyes widened as she scanned the brief history. Sabine had watched helplessly as her son defended her against her husband. The boy hadn’t even reached twelve and he fought with everything he had - killing his father in the process to save his mother. Had he succumbed to his injuries then, the boy would have been heralded as a saint.

Alastor was a survivor, something he proved again when he returned from the horrendous conflict known as World War One. Then years later, he failed to appear as he usually did on Sundays to share lunch with her. Alastor had disappeared into thin air. People assumed he was the latest, then when no others disappeared he became the last, known victim of a serial killer that had been terrorising the streets. Her grief consumed her as she sought justice, but she never really recovered from the loss. She was buried next to the empty coffin meant for her son.

Down in an additional notes section there was a scribble from Saint Peter about a soul contract breaking as she passed through the gates. According to Peter, she’d been ‘blessed’ by a Simbi, who’d held onto her soul while she had been alive. She frowned at the wording. That was clearly a soul contract not a blessing. Do Simbi even deal in contracts? “Um, Well, when Sabine Rosalie de Castellane-Esparron entered heaven a contract was broken with a Simbi, but it doesn’t say which. They are a Water Spirit of sorts, a type of earth-bound heavenly creature. They’re part of the Iwa pertaining to water, electricity and protection.”

“Emily says your mother had a deal with a… Simbi and it broke when she entered heaven. Alastor?”

“Which Simbi? Simbi Makaya is very different from Simbi Anpaka.” Alastor spoke from beside Charlie. The authority of his voice sent shivers down her spine. It was likely that he thought the same Simbi was the one who held his own soul, and she’d have to agree it was highly likely. Poor Charlie could only sputter, not knowing of either Simbi.

“I can look more into it. Heavenly creatures tend not to deal in souls, so it is unusual for them.” She offered.

“Thanks Emily~” She could hear the relief in Charlie’s voice.

“I’ll call you as soon as I have anything. Bye Charlie.” She disconnected and looked down at the address on file for Sabine. “Pentious! Let’s go for a walk.”

“I… I get to meet the Radio Demon’sss mother?” His snake hood had flared in shock.

“Radio Demon? Is that Alastor?” She asked as she used her magic to send the files they’d been looking at back to their proper locations.

“Indeed. He iss one of the more powerful Overlordss. His ssshield defended the hotel against the Exorccistss. Only Adam was able to break through.” Pentious was staring at the floor, he clearly held Alastor in high regard, but there was shame to his stance.

“Oh, wow. He sounds strong. Charlie seems close to him.” She linked her arm in his and tugged him along towards the residences.

“He does dote on her like a daughter. Even standing up for her when Lucccifer doubted her acctiviesss at the hotel.” Pentious slithered along with her talking quietly and avoiding the stares the two of them got.

“Oh that’s so sweet! No wonder Charlie wants to help him.”

They made their way carefully through the streets, Pentious was still nervous about being around angels. It wasn’t long before they made their way to the address listed on the file. The scent of fresh herbs and flowers filled the air, there was another scent on the breeze she couldn’t place, but it smelt fantastic. She could hear someone singing in French as she knocked on the door. Pentious fidgeted nervously next to her.

“Don’t worry.” she smiled brightly at him. “I’m sure she’s lovely.”

“Itssss not her I worry about. Alasstor is a fearssome opponent. I didn’t even last a fraction of a sssecond against Adam and I was armed to the teeeethh with regular weapons and angelic sssteel. He held Adam off alone, armed with but his usual cane, for a million timess longer than I.”

“Wow.” She stared at Pentious. This Alastor was even more impressive than his voice.

The door before them opened and a beautiful woman with caramel coloured skin and chestnut ringlet curls smiled brightly. Sabine matched the photo in her files.

“You’re not a deer!” Pentious blurted in shock, having not seen the file.

“What?” Sabine asked in unison with her as the two of them stared at Pentious.

“I’m sssorry! I thought you would look more like sssomeone I know.”

“OH! You mean deer like the animal!” She understood now. Alastor must be some type of deer demon.

“Well, that is quite the greeting. Come in, come in.” Sabine recovered quickly speaking in English to match Pentious as she ushered the two of them in without another word or question. “Are you hungry? I have some Jambalaya on the stove.”

“Oh, no we couldn’t intrude.” She muttered as she stared in awe at the preserved and drying plants that decorated every inch of the ceiling and several of the walls.

“Oh hush, there is no bother. I insist.” Sabine’s gentle hand guided her and Pentious into the expanse of the kitchen that had smells vying for the most scrumptious. Before she could utter another word of protest a large bowl was deposited into her hands filled to capacity with a bright red dish consisting mainly of rice. Unwilling to appear ungrateful she took a hesitant bite and swooned. The contents were divine. A chair was quickly tucked behind her and she suddenly found herself sitting at the kitchen table of a woman she’d met only seconds before, and yet this woman had more of an angelic air to her than half the virtues she was familiar with.

“This is fantastic! But in order to not get off topic before I even begin. I have a friend who’s asked me to come talk to you.”

Pentious found himself clutching a matching bowl in the seat next to her only a moment later.

“Who might they be dear?” Sabine smiled and placed a scoopfull in a third bowl before joining them at the table.

“Charlotte Morningstar, I’m sure that you do not know her, but she’s asked for my help because she has questions about someone close to her.” She happily munched on the delicious food.

“Morningstar? No, I can't say I know that family. Who would she be asking about?” Sabine shifted in her seat as she tried to recall if she knew someone with that name.

“Their name is Alastor.”

“Oh, my Alastor~ I have been worried about him. He should have been before me, but I never could find him.” Sabine’s face transformed an inner light shining through at the mention of her son. She couldn’t help but look down, unsure of how to break to the woman that her son was in Hell. Pentious sat next to her with his back straight but his eyes wide, yet to take a bite of the wonderful food as he stared, frozen in place, at Sabine.

“He’s not here, is he?” Sabine asked sadly and the light that had come from the dept of Sabine’s soul dimmed to nothing. The sadness that emanated from Sabine was a pressure on her chest that made her heart ache.

“No. I’m sorry. Charlie is Hell’s Princess and he’s helping her try to redeem sinners. Sinners, like Pentious here.” She motioned towards the snake angel sitting next to her.

Tears welled in Sabine’s eyes, a deep sadness for a son she’d likely never see again and yet her eyes seemed so proud at the same time.

“He always did look out for others at his own expense.” Sabine sniffed and dobbed her tears with a cloth that seemed to come from nowhere. She smiled at Pentious, reaching out to pat his hand. “Welcome to Heaven, darling.” Sabine smiled and there was no hate, no judgement or jealousy to it, just pure intentions.

“Y-you raisssed a fine gentleman - sssomething unusual for Hell.” Pentious stumbled over his words.

“I take it he has deer features? He, being the one you were thinking of when I opened the door.” Sabine’s eyes focused upon the ceiling as she was trying to imagine her son with animal features.

“That iss correct Ma’am. He iss a sstriking and proud red and black deer, always dresssed impeccably and never without a ssmile.”

“Ah, he still remembers.” Sabine smiled brightly before adding. “You’re never fully dressed without a smile.”

Pentious’ mouth gaped open as he stared at Sabine, who only chuckled quietly at his response.

“Can you tell me what contract was made for his soul?” Glancing between the two, she decided to keep the conversation moving.

“I thought the deal was broken. Mine soul was returned upon entry to Heaven.” Sabine looked horrified.

“Can you tell me what happened? Why was his soul sold in the first place?” She gently inquired and gave Pentious a little nudge to eat the food.

“I so desperately wanted a child of my own. I had always loved taking care of children. It was my dream to have my own. When I eventually married, I was more excited about finally having a child than any attachment to the man who had become my husband. But we never even had so much as a hint I got pregnant no matter what we tried. My mother claimed I was cursed to be barren. I couldn’t stand the thought of that being true, but years went by and then I was late into my thirties and my time was growing short. I was so desperate that when Simbi Andezo offered to help, I barely hesitated.”

“What were the terms?” She pushed the bowl aside and took Sabine’s trembling hand and gave it a squeeze.

“He would sire the child, as no human would be able to grant me one. In exchange he would own both my soul and the childs until entry into Heaven… Oh, Alastor didn’t come to Heaven. Simbi Andezo must still have his soul.” She looked defeated at the realisation that Alastor hadn’t gotten his soul back when he’d died and it was her fault. Guilt was eating away at her from the knowledge that her actions had cost him so much.

“He means a lot to Charlie. I’m sure she’s trying to help him get his soul back. From what I hear, she means so much to him too.” She couldn’t help but gush to try and keep the soul in front of her from spiralling further into despair. It seemed to work, the guilt ebbed away as Pentious nodded in agreement.

“Tell her thank you for me, and tell Alastor I’m sorry and I miss him.”

“I will.”

*

Once again facing the lookup station she searched for all files containing a note on souls that had been ‘blessed’ while their soul was held safe by a Simbi. As she suspected, there weren’t many files. Thirteen files appeared in front of her, including Sabine’s which she set to one side as she picked up the first of the pile. Pentious picked up the second and started to scan the file.

“Nephilim!?” Pentious barked aloud before she’d even gotten through the first line of the file she was looking at. She looked down at her own, sure enough the file also belonged to a nephilim. She reached out and grabbed the next file, flipping open the cover to see if this soul was also the child of an angel. It too proclaimed a nephilim had made a contract with a Simbi that broke upon entry to Heaven. Pentious was flicking through the remaining folders.

“They are all nephilim! All female nephilim.” The snake angel proclaimed.

She picked up Sabine’s file. Letting her fingers linger over her father’s name to call the file for Raphael de Castellane-Esparron. The file appeared wrapped tightly in gold and green ribbon, sealing the contents from anyone below the rank of Seraphim. Energy crackled from the file as it settled on the desk and her stomach sank as she understood calling the file had set off an alarm.

“Sabine is a nephilim.” Pentious muttered as he stared at the file in front of them.

“I think we need to call Charlie before Sera shows up.”

“Sera? Why would she show up?”

“I think Raphael’s file miiiiiight have set off some alerts.” She laughed nervously and ran a finger over the woven magic. The file flickered before disappearing once again. Called back before anyone could view the contents. The damage was already done, the secret had already been revealed.

“Raphael? The…”

“Yes. That’s his magic. Sabine’s father is the archangel Raphael.”

Chapter 8: Il Vient d’Aussi Loin Que Je Viens

Chapter Text

Vox’s POV

As far as days went, yesterday was very much on his list of worst ones since entering Hell. Like his top three, this one also involved Alastor. He leaned back into his chair, wires connecting him to the system as he checked it over for any breaches. His firewall was swiss cheese after the stupid French voice had honed in on the building. Not to mention that both Val and Velvette had been all but down his throat while he tried to keep things from getting any worse. Honestly, they could have been at least a little grateful not to be completely offline.

After he’d successfully battened down the hatches and patched their defences back together he’d finally been able to survey the damage to the city. Drones had crashed all over the place, many of them unrepairable. TVs rendered to melted plastic and bleeding screens. This mess would take weeks to recover from. There was one part that did bring a smile to his face as he checked over the damage. The radios were likewise smoking ruins and that meant that Alastor was also struggling to fend off the godawful voice. The more radios he came across, the clearer it became that Alastor might have fared worse than him.

There would only be one way to find out for how much the other Overlord had suffered from the French voice. He had waited with vicious glee for Alastor’s broadcast. He knew from experience that there were few things short of his second death that would keep Alastor from a scheduled broadcast. The longer he had listened, the more he was sure something was wrong. It was Alastor’s voice he was hearing, but it was so obviously neutral. There were no taunts, no jabs at his misfortune and most telling of all; no gossip . There was only one reason Alastor would leave any of those out. He’d pre-recorded the show and had deliberately left them out to be able to pull this out when he couldn’t do the show live.

He had listened closely to the transitions. Even he couldn’t match how flawlessly Alastor could transition between speaking and the song breaks. No way the show he was listening to was being done by Alastor. Someone else was broadcasting from the Radio Demon’s tower. Someone else had their grubby hands all over Alastor’s control panel. He felt jealousy burn through his system. Alastor had let someone else touch his control panel. He stared at his own control panel, Val had never been anywhere near it and never would. This space was sacred, a sentiment he shared with Alastor - one he’d gotten from Alastor.

He was certain, up until that point, the only one Alastor had ever let touch his broadcast equipment had been himself. Even then, he’d never been allowed more than flicking a switch or getting records queued. He needed to know who this person was. Who could Alastor of all people trust enough to allow them actually do one of his broadcasts for him. Allowing this person to directly impact his reputation without any ability to defend against it, because what was being broadcasted was his own voice.

It was practically a declaration of undying love from the Radio Demon.

Had Alastor actually fallen for someone? He wanted to rip this new person apart… How dare they get further with Alastor than he’d been able to? He had never worked so hard for something in his life or afterlife. Alastor kept his feelings locked up tighter than fort knox, he didn’t just let anyone in, you had to fight for it. Rosie had it easy, he was sweet on her, but there was nothing sexual between them. He’d learned his lesson there. Alastor had gotten angry, it was the closest he’d ever seen Alastor to losing his temper, when he had jealously insinuated Alastor should go and screw Rosie. That had been their first real fight, the fight when Alastor realised he wanted more than what they currently had.

Alastor hadn’t outright said no but he had said that wasn’t something he was interested in, he didn’t see the appeal and it wasn’t because they were both male, he just didn't see the appeal in either sex. When pushed, Alastor had agreed to consider allowing special dispensation towards touch, on a case by case basis. The handful of chaste kisses he’d managed to get out of Alastor were like gasoline on the fire of his lust. He’d gotten so close to having everything. So close to having Alastor, but unlike Alastor… he needed sex and the company of one’s own hand paled in comparison to what it was like to have someone writhing beneath you.

He’d been as bad as a horny teenager while he tried to get Alastor to go further, to explore more. He was obsessed with the taste of Alastor and could barely contain himself when what he desired was so close. Eventually, Alastor apologised for his lack of interest making an off hand comment that there were plenty of people in Hell who were interested in sex, and he should just seek one of them out. So he had. He found Val, someone different enough that he’d never get the two confused, but someone he’d easily be able to manipulate enough to indulge some of his fantasies. The idea of the three of them f*cking had been so intoxicating, it was still something he easily got off to, but something never to happen. It had been clear from the beginning that Alastor wasn’t exactly a fan of Val. Always polite but just a little frosty.

And then everything had gone south so fast he’d gotten whiplash.

It hadn’t taken him long to notice that Alastor had stopped smoking right around the time he had started hanging around with Val. He’d thought it strange at the time, but it only made him grin now. Alastor must have been jealous of Val, oh how it made him happy to know he’d managed to incite that emotion in Alastor. It also explained why Alastor slowly excluded himself from their company. He’d felt more than slighted at the time, he’d worked so hard to get close enough to Alastor - now that he was trying not to out right f*ck him everytime they were together, Alastor started to close himself off. No, he wasn’t going to allow that.

He and Val had sought out Alastor not long after that; intent on taking the thing Alastor had denied him. Something so much more valuable than money, something unheard of in Hell; an Overlord’s actual virginity. All of the other Overlords had long since lost theirs, both while living and again while in Hell, Alastor was the only one who still retained his. Taking that which someone as powerful as Alastor hadn’t given up to anyone- in life or death, made claiming that cherry priceless. He intended to get a return on the time he’d spent cultivating their relationship, and he would take it if Alastor wouldn’t give it to him.

They had gotten close but hadn’t succeeded. He wasn’t even certain if Alastor had understood their intention. Alastor had known he had to defend himself from their intent, but it hadn’t been clear if he had known what they wanted from him… what they intended to take from him. Alastor had so little interest in sex. He had been sure there’d be confusion by the sudden attack, then more still when Alastor understood what he was after. Neither had shown on the Radio Demon’s face. If he was surprised or confused, Alastor had hid it well.

He had seen Alastor fight before, but fighting against Alastor had been something else. He’d never experienced a worse case of blue balls in his life. He’d been so hard their whole fight, he’d been ready to peg Alastor the moment he had an opportunity. Only it - and he- never came, instead Val had lost an antennae and he’d almost lost his life that day. They’d been saved by howling and the deep wound he’d managed to inflict on Alastor’s back when he’d been focused on Val. Alastor had even managed to make his nightly broadcast after that…

How hurt was Alastor if he’d let someone else masquerade as him?

He groaned loudly, his pants becoming impossibly tight. The idea of having a wounded and bound Alastor under him as Alastor begged him to stop made focusing on anything impossible. He decided to ride this one out. Undoing his pants as he stroked himself imagining those ears pointing out. He’d only gotten to see the shy and embarrassed Alastor a handful of times, but damn he’d almost taken him each time. His hand pumped faster imagining what type of whimper Alastor might make. Oh f*ck. He was close already. He knew just how sultry Alastor could be, he wanted to hear the Radio Demon moan his name as he was balls deep. He came messily over the control panel as his mind projected what Alastor would sound like in the throws of passion.

Gasping as he came back down, he used a bit of magic to clean his splatter. An intrusive thought tugged at his mind; Had Alastor given up the goods to this new person? The power fluctuated around him. He couldn’t stand the idea of losing that prize. He needed to know, he needed to throw down a taunt Alastor wouldn’t be able to ignore… but he needed one that wouldn’t openly look like a threat. He didn’t need the attention of the little princess or her father - especially her father.

If Alastor was in no state to do his own broadcast, it was unlikely that he’d be watching any of his shows, likely not even knowing about his own claim to having everything under control. There was still one other medium that Alastor would follow, even when he couldn’t use his own - the papers. It was so below him to submit an article to be published in such an antiquated way, but it was one that Alastor would doubtless take more seriously than if he should call him out live. Especially, since even if Alastor didn’t see it, Rosie would and she would tell him about it.

He scribbled together an article about how suspect the Radio Puppet’s broadcast was, specifically calling the broadcaster that rather than the Radio Demon. Poking at how little the usually well informed demon referenced any gossip and how nothing had come up about why almost all of the remaining radios in Pentagram City were now making their way to the dump. He still needed to lure Alastor out. Bloody drool slipped from his mouth as he wrote: ‘I wonder if the Radio Puppet knows why you stopped smoking? Or perhaps your cards are finally on the floor.’ He teased that the voice on the television and radio was Alastor’s new beau. Insinuating that the attacks they’d been experiencing the last few months had been less for radio because Alastor had submitted himself to the French voice.

He went on to imply that yesterday’s incident had been because Alastor and the French voice had just had the most violently epic sex that had left the radio demon completely wrecked, only it hadn’t left Alastor’s beau satisfied and it had then come for himself instead. He assured Alastor not to worry, he could more than take care of them for him. Oh how he wished he could see Alastor’s face when he read the article. He smirked as he sent his article over to the newspaper publisher.

Oh this will be fun.

Lucifer’s POV

Charlie could only stare at the phone after she’d disconnected with Emily. The lot of them were in various stages of shock. There was a lot to unpack from the short call. Sir Pentious, the valiant snake demon who’d sacrificed himself to help Charlie, had been redeemed! The hotel worked. Charlie had been right, they could do this! She had an ally in Heaven, only Emily was in a precarious position, and looking up deals that could have been made without authorisation. The little seraphim would need to keep Pentious close, the former demon at least would be able to spot treachery.

His eyes landed on the spider demon, whose eyes were blown wide with desire. Angel was still having a moment over hearing Alastor’s original language. To be honest… he was too and they’d only been names. Damn he wanted to hear Alastor mutter mon canard again. This duck was claimed! He kept his squee internal as he replayed those words in his head. f*ck, he’d nearly cum in his pants when Alastor had said them - he had certainly seen Heaven in that moment.

His eyes shifted over to Alastor, who didn’t seem any less anxious than the rest of them. Emily had said that Alastor’s mother’s soul had been owned by a Simbi, which meant the one Alastor’s soul was held by was likely the same being. It was likely, the Smibi had sensed the angelic blood in Sabine and agreed to her request because of it. But there was still the way the angelic was muddled with something else. He wasn’t familiar enough with Bisimbi to know if it was even possible for them to procreate with humans. He would have to wait until Emily called back. Emily had promised to go and visit Sabine, and she was going to take Pentious with him. Between finding out it was likely a Simbi that held his soul or Emily and Pentious going to visit his mother, he’d guess that Alastor was more nervous about them going to see his mother.

“Charlie?” Vaggie placed a hand on Charlie’s shoulder.

“Pentious is in Heaven.” Charlie muttered. “Pentious. Is. In. Heaven!” She cheered then pulled Vaggie into a tight hug, spinning the both of them as her mouth automatically spewed every thought that was going through her head.

Angel was still making doe-eyes at Alastor and he felt the stirring of anger as the spider openly ogled and begged for Alastor to speak French again. Alastor shook his head, declining to indulge Angle and shot Husk a look that must have been instructions to keep the spider away from him, given how Husk shrank back then pulled Angel’s arm to get him to stop. With Angel dealt with, Alastor left the kitchen without another word.

“Dad… keep an eye on him okay?” Charlie asked as she watched Alastor leave. He couldn’t help but smile.

They hadn’t come clean to the rest of the hotel yet, and while he wouldn’t doubt some suspect there was more going on between them, until Alastor was ready, he was going to try and continue the act. Thankfully, Charlie was on his side and gave him ample opportunity under the guise of guiding the two of them to friendship. He gave Charlie a quick hug then followed Alastor out of the kitchen. Alastor had retrieved the newspaper and then headed up to the balcony to read the evening paper. He grabbed a couple of glasses and the better bottle of bourbon Husk had pointed out when Alastor had made macarons, before he followed.

He settled on the chair across from Alastor and poured a generous amount into both glasses before sliding one over to Alastor. Alastor peeked over the paper and he caught the grateful smile before the paper was flicked back into place. They had a lead now, but he needed more information. He’d not dealt with Bisimbi before. He had known of them, but they had nothing to do with Hell that he could remember. He pulled out his phone while Alastor read. There was at least one person he could call that would be more than happy to do a little research.

“Stolas! Hey, do you have a minute… or several? I’ve got a task that might require some digging.” He spoke as soon as he heard the click, even before the prince was able to answer.

“Y-your Majesty! Yes. Yes, certainly.” The startled Ars Goetia stumbled over his words.

“Have you ever heard of the Bisimbi?” He asked and watched Alator take a drink and his ear shifted slightly, intentionally or not he was listening in on the conversation.

“Well, yes. Not that they come up very often. They are dreadfully shy creatures but they do have a tendency to impede curses. Powerful when it comes to magic, especially healing.”
“Did you know they deal in soul contracts?” He knew Stolas was keen when it came to learning new things, a fast reader, with a mind that quickly understood even the most complex soul deals.

“No, I’ve never heard of them doing that.” There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and he could tell he’d more than had Stolas’ interest now.

“Well, I just had … someone, confirm to me a Simbi was responsible for at least one soul contract. I want to know if you can dig up any information about them and what type of contracts they might be dealing in. The one contract I know of, was for the ability to have a child.” He trusted Stolas… but his gut told him not to reveal Emily as his source.

“Protection around all aspects of Childbirth is one of the many occasions they tend to be invoked for. It will be quite difficult to locate information on their contracts, as they are heavenly beings, but I’ll see what I can find out.” It sounded more like Stolas was thinking out loud as he processed the information.

“Thanks Stolas.” He breathed out some of the stress that had been collecting since Emily’s call. He tucked his phone away and tried the drink he’d poured himself as Alastor continued to read the paper. It tastes better in the cookie. He thought to himself and swirled the amber liquid. He heard paper tearing slightly, and looked up at Alastor. He’d expected a dark expression, but anger wasn’t what was clouding his features. It was there but more prominently Alastor looked hurt and disappointed with his anger only simmering in the background. His ears were almost imperceptibly quivering only slightly forward from their usual position, but there was a droop to them.

“Alastor?” He asked cautiously.

“It’s nothing.” Alastor huffed and folded the paper back up, dropping it with little care to the table. Oh it’s not nothing. He raised an eyebrow and reached out for the paper Alastor had discarded, watching Alastor’s face as he did. Alastor tried to look dismissive but his ears had pinned back as soon as he’d reached for the paper, a clear sign that whatever was printed was bothering him enough he was trying to downplay the impact. Trying to hide how badly something had upset him. It only made him worry more. It made his heart heavy to know Alastor felt the need to hide his feelings. He understood that it was Alastor protecting himself, but he wanted to help. Alastor knew he’d help in any way he could, but he wasn’t ready to reach out and share his feelings.

It wasn’t long before he found the article. It had been submitted by Vox and was critical of Alastor’s broadcast last night. The one he’d been responsible for. He glanced back up at Alastor. His eyes were distant, his smile only a thin line with slight upturns at the corners. Behind him, Alastor’s shadow had puffed up and the edges spiked out. It was ready to tear something to pieces, likely Vox. He had to swallow down the anger that reared up in him as well, as he understood whatever had set Alasator off, had triggered old emotions that his deer was trying to keep from replaying in his head. Old wounds exposed for the first time in probably decades. He looked back down and skimmed the article to try and figure out what part had been the trigger. He was aware Alastor treated Vox differently, he toyed with Vox - engaging almost playfully when should anyone else try the same, Alastor would have obliterated them.

‘I wonder if the Radio Puppet knows why you stopped smoking? Or perhaps your cards are finally on the floor.’

It was an oddly personal comment for the article. Wait. Oh sh*t, Vox had picked up that someone else had done Alastor’s broadcast. That meant he was the ‘Radio Puppet’ but what did that have to do with Alastor smoking and cards on the floor? He put the newspaper down after he finished the article. It had given him an idea, oh how he wanted to know if he could at some point get Alastor so sexually wrecked that Alastor took out half the televisions and radios in the city via org*sm… yeah that was going to become a goal for him to achieve.

Alastor huffed disapprovingly as though he could sense his thoughts. Crap. He had probably had his thoughts written on his face. Alastor’s smile was strained as he shook his head slightly then got up and walked inside. The glasses and bottle disappeared into Alastor’s shadow. He abandoned the paper on the table and followed Alastor, two steps behind him all the way back to Alastor’s room.

“So, wanna tell me what’s going through your mind right now?” He hopped the relocation to a ‘safe’ space would allow Alastor to relax enough to talk about what was written in the paper.

“Not especially.” Alastor sank into his wingback chair. It felt like his stomach sank as well. Alastor wasn’t ready yet. What had happened between them? He frowned and let out a slow breath. Not yet, give him time. He reminded himself.

“Can I then?” He took a cautious step towards Alastor.

“You want to ask me questions?” The pointed question was almost an audible version of Alastor pulling his walls back into place. He paused in his step, experience telling him not to push until he got permission to go further. He needed to go in a different direction to coax Alastor’s ruffled heckles down.

“I’m worried. I don’t think a Simbi is responsible for the angelic magic in you. They might be the one who has your soul… but there’s still another source. A stronger source.” He voiced his own worries aloud. He’d done the same thing as Alastor. He’d kept things to himself when he should have shared them. The Television demon could wait. He was going to clear up his own concerns. Alastor looked slightly relieved that he hadn’t started to pester him about Vox. Alastor’s smile relaxed, and he got his all clear to move forward.

“You think this Simbi took advantage of my mother. She or someone in her family line being a nephilim, and they somehow knew this when none in our family did.”

“Remember how I said angelic magic always wants to go back to a source?”

“Yes.” Alastor nodded as he spoke. He leaned against the arm of the chair until Alastor moved his arm and he claimed it as his seat. He wanted to settle in Alastor’s lap, but this wasn’t the time.

“The Simbi could probably tell that way. Like seeks out like.” He managed to keep his voice from betraying the hurt he felt. He was still partially an angelic being. He also felt the draw but his banishment kept him from associating with angelic beings. He’d replenished most of his depleted angelic magic after the battle at the hotel, but it had left him feeling hollow, there had been no connection to the source.

“Are they capable of coming to Hell?” Alastor asked quietly as his head leaned into him.

“No. Nor do I think they could drag you from here.” His heart sparked at the initiated contact. He quickly adjusted his position and when Alastor went to move, he pulled his deer’s head back to his chest in a hug before relaxing his grip and allowing his hand to rest at the base of Alastor’s neck.

“Could… that place be their creation? A way to allow them entry, through me? I’ve proven that one can both be claimed and returned. Is it possible their goal is entry to Hell?” Alastor’s ears shifted nervously against his chest and he felt how Alastor tensed when his sensitive ears swept across and caught briefly on one of his buttons.

“I… I don’t know. I suspect their intent has something to do with Hell. Your mother’s contract broke when she entered Heaven, your contract remains in place even now. They either have their sights set specifically on you or on Hell for something. And my money is on Hell” He let his fingers trace the mark and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Alastor had been very accommodating since he’d returned, it was like his reserves of resistance had been used up. He couldn’t push right now. His instincts were still calling for him to join the two of them. They were bound, but not mated yet. Alastor had too many things to worry about, too many things to juggle; they could hover at this current level for a little while longer.

“I agree. I just don’t know what they could want.” Alastor grumbled into his chest.

“Do you want to share what is on your mind?” He decided to see if Alastor had unwound enough to talk about the article yet. Alastor’s head shifted forward slightly, followed by a long defeated sigh. His grin spread as Alastor spoke.

“I can’t believe he had the gall to put those words into print. He’s trying to incite me to anger or at least some sort of public rebuttal. One that is trying to force me to choose which way to embarrass myself. Not responding, almost as damaging to my pride as answering any of his accusations. He suspiciously left himself open to attack, which means he’s taunting me to go for that.” Alastor shifted slightly and leaned further into him. He traced the back of Alastor’s ear with his other hand.

“I’m going to go out on a limb, and say the two of you have a history.” He teased as he added some pressure while scratching behind Alastor’s ear.

“My, what startling powers of observation, you’ve developed.” Alastor’s chuckle was dripping in sarcasm.

“Yeah, yeah… Can I ask how serious?” He dismissed the comment, knowing there was no venom to it.

“Serious enough.” Alastor mumbled quietly. “Nothing you need to be jealous about, but he certainly is jealous of you. He even gave you a nickname, he only does that when he’s really irritated. He probably spent the evening buffering in anger as he failed to process me allowing anyone access to my radio tower, let alone give them permission to use my voice for a broadcast. He certainly was never granted that privilege.”

“How far did he get?” The jealousy was simmering in his veins. He couldn’t help the little bursts of his power he sent into his mark. The challenge issued to Alastor through the article now felt more like a direct attack against him, and what was his. His more territorial nature clawed at the surface, urging him to tear Vox to shreds. The jolt of his power caused Alastor to grip tightly onto the arm of the chair and gasp.

“I just said you had no need to be jealous.” Alastor leaned back to chastise him, his smile more irritated than strained. Yet his antlers were larger than they had been a moment ago. Was he angry or did he enjoy that?

“Alastor, my deer -” He started but was cut off.

“ Oui, mon canard ?” The words rolled off Alastor’s tongue and all thought of argument was vaporised. Damn, being a claimed duck has setbacks.

“f*ck, fine.” He relented on the train of thought. “Answer me this; did you ever give him a pet name like that?”

“No.I had little interest in that or other activities. Which is why it was over almost as soon as it began.” Alastor looked away as he spoke and jealousy raged in him again. Alastor had actually tried to have a relationship with Vox. He recognised the dismissive tone and body language, it was something he did himself. He swallowed hard; Alastor blamed himself for what happened.

“Was he your first?” The words slipped out before he could stop them. Stupid! He regretted the question immediately but Alastor answered before he could take it back.

“No, he tried but failed. Now, if you are quite done-”

“OOOH now I get why he mentioned cards!” Things clicked in his head. “He was referencing your V-card! Or cards… I’m guessing he’s assuming all points of entry are unclaimed.” He mumbled. Alastor’s ears flattened down and out at his outburst. Yeah, that’s clearly their embarrassed position.

“You are likely right.” Alastor huffed irritably but his ears remained in the same position.

“Why’d he mention you stopping smoking? It seems awfully specific.”

“He probably has associated it with me being jealous. While not the actual reason, I can understand how it would appear that way.” Alastor shifted in the chair, almost ready to get up and pace until he turned and let one of his legs flop between Alastor’s to keep him in place. The action earned him an annoyed glare, but he continued. “He had just started associating with Valintino, the one who owns Angel Dust, when I finally gave up cigarettes. It was because of the moth, but not for the reason he suspects. Whatever wretched substance that thing smoked, leached into everything else, it changed the taste and I found cigarettes quickly unappealing because of it. I also have a strong disdain for men like him. If Vox had chosen to hang out with that type, he clearly didn’t know me as well as either of us thought. Which made the choice to end things the only sensible outcome.”

“So…. What if in response, you say that Vox has misinterpreted the attack on Vee tower. It wasn’t your ‘beau’ looking for seconds but warning him to back off what he’ll never have.” He grinned at the idea of stalking over to Vee Tower and tearing the TV demon apart. Does Rosie know about the two of them? It would make her threat all the more pointed if she had known. Although, he couldn’t imagine her leaving Vox alone if she knew he’d actually been the first to break Alastor’s heart… Not unless Alastor had specifically asked her not to. She’d issued her threat to him before Alastor knew, and would be holding her word to him, rather than any request Alastor might make to keep her from acting out.

“That would be admitting publicly to having a beau. The hotel doesn’t even know, why would I let the whole city?” Alastor shook his head, not nearly as enthusiastic about the idea as he was.

“Small price to pay to also rub in his face that you’ve got more power over the whole city than he could ever imagine, allowing him and people to think that his theory about that was correct. I mean he left himself wide open to that.” He thought it would be more than a little amusing to flaunt the ability to control the airwaves of Pentagram City in the face of someone who obviously was trying to have just that.

“Which is why it’s a trap.” Alastor drummed his claws on his thigh, and his mind emptied of all thought but the one highlighting just how close Alastor’s fingers were. “No, I’ll figure something else out. I will not have my private affairs aired to the public. I have no intention of sharing you, mon canard , but I’ll make an exception for Charlie. She is our daughter after all.” Alastor’s grin was all teeth and possessive… and f*ck it lit him up. Alastor’s smile widened, sensing he’d more than won the discussion.

“Alright, I’m sure we’ll figure out something.” He managed to stitch together a coherent sentence. It helped clear some of the lust fog from his brain and he managed to add. “I still think it would be amusing to rub his face in it.”

“Amusing, but unnecessary. No need to sink to his level. It would be more efficient to mock him for sinking so low as to be crass and bait him by saying I had no interest in his past failures.”

“Then neither does the Radio Puppet.” He smiled and nodded. It was a much more Alastor retort than his own. He’d have to look more into Vox, and decide if it warranted further action afterwards.

“Don’t give his nickname any support. He used it because he knew I’d hate it. I’ve given you a much better one… unless that is, you don’t like it.” Alastor mock pouted while still maintaining his smile.

“You had best believe I adore it. Say it again.” He leaned in and stole a quick kiss before Alastor had a chance to retract his pout.”

“ Mon canard.” Alastor purred.

“Dad! Alastor! Emily’s calling!” Charlie shouted from the lobby.

f*cking timing! He internally screamed.

“To be continued.” He huffed and stole another quick kiss before hopping off the arm of the chair and held the door open for Alastor as they made their way to Charlie.

“WHAT!” Charlie's shout echoed through the hotel shaking the foundation with the magic that was included in her shock. He instinctively shifted beside her immediately on high alert and knowing that Alastor wouldn’t be far behind him.

“What do you mean Raphael?! Like the Archangel? ” Charlie looked like her legs were going to give out on her, thankfully Vaggie was there with a steadying hand around her waist.

“Uh… what?” He mumbled in confusion as his tension left only to be replaced with confusion. Was Raphael the one who had Alastor’s soul? They had been under the impression it was a Simbi. Charlie looked up at him and put Emily on speakerphone.

“Um… yeah… but um, things are actually worse.” Emily’s voice could be heard over the phone.

“How?” Charlie’s voice shook as she spoke. She looked scared, worry written all over her face. Everything gets complicated when Heaven’s involved. How badly was this going to ruin things? What would he have to do to keep Alastor safe?

“The deal… well, it was for the child to be Simbi Andezo’s.” Emily was struggling with her words, rushing instead of thinking what to say. Well that’s a bad sign. He braced himself for bad news.

“Well, yeah it was for Alastor’s soul.” Charlie looked down at the phone, confused by Emily’s words and rush.

“Well yes.. But not just their soul. Simbi Andezo sired the child.” Emily explained. Both he and Charlie gasped. Alastor’s father holds his soul? That’s awful!

“So… the human Al thought was his father, isn't’ his father?” Charlie glanced behind him as she spoke. He could feel Alastor’s presence behind him before he heard Alastor speak

“That is a bit of a relief.” Alastor came into view, allowing him to stop only a few inches away, quite close for his usual proximity in a space the other residents were likely to invade.

“Correct.”

“So…” Charlie looks at Alastor who tilts his head questioningly. “Alastor’s father is Simbi Andezo, who owns his soul and his grandfather on his mother’s side is… the archangel Raphael?” She summarised and he found himself stumbling backwards in shock.

Raphael had a child? If that was true then Raphael had succumbed to the emotion of lust. The very sin that had led to his falling out with his other half while they both were still in Heaven: the now fallen general of Raphael’s army; Asmodeus. Ozzie had been the only one that Raphael ever tolerated physical closeness with. Ozzie, who had wanted to get more intimate with Raphael only to be rebuked by the mere thought of intimacy. His rejection by Raphael had led to Ozzie’s fall from Heaven and him being installed as the Sin of Lust. A human had managed to tempt that Raphael? It couldn’t be.

Alastor raised an eyebrow at his reaction.

“Correct.” Emily confirmed Charlie’s statement.

Raphael had fathered a child? He could barely get his brain to process the mere idea of it. No, the angel held such an intense disdain for any sort of physical intimacy it just couldn’t happen. Lucifer hid a smirk at the irony; the greatest virgin in Heaven had let a human taint him when no angel could? Raphael had killed all ideas of affection when he had broken things off with Ozzie. That angel was so in control of his emotions he had only ever lost his temper once! It was during his trial just before his fall, Raphael’s anger directed only at him… waiiiiiit. That sounded an awful lot like Alastor. Alastor, who had lingering angelic power in his blood, probably archangelic power. Shiiiiit. He hadn’t recognised it because the last time he had felt Raphael’s magic was when he was still an angel.

There was a bellowed ‘Emily!’ in the background.

“Sera is sooooooo mad. Everyone’s in uproar and Raphael’s been summoned. I- I don’t know what’s going to happen. Um… Sabine says thank you Charlie and could you tell Alastor she says she’s sorry and she misses him~! Oh no, I gotta go. I’ll call you when I can. Bye!”

The four of them stared at the device in Charlie’s hands. Well… f*ck. He turned to look at Alastor, an action mirrored by Charlie. He was oddly calm for someone who’d just found out their father was the owner of their soul and that their grandfather was the f*cking (HA!) Archangel Raphael.

“Well, that at least explains why it was so easy to defeat those Overlords when I arrived. I did make quite the… splash. ” Alastor responded with a grin. His ears were still, he almost pouted knowing that Alastor was doing it on purpose. Suspiciously, his shadow was also frozen, almost appearing like an actual shadow. He looked over at Charlie, exchanging worried looks. It was a lot of information to take on.

Their shock was snapped as Husk, in obviously hastily pulled on clothes, landed only a few feet away, setting Angel down in an equally suspicious state of disarray. Clearly the two of them had been in the middle of having sex. Nifty had materialised at some point after Charlie had shouted.

“What happened?” Husk asked as he looked around for a threat.

“OH MY GAWD!” Charlie gripped her cheeks and dragged her fingers down her face.

“Holy f*ck…” He had to keep himself from giggling, because… litterally holy f*ck. Raphael of all angels had a sinner for a grandchild. Ozzie’d never believe this. His face paled and dread was clearly setting in. What would he do if he found out? “No one can tell Asmodeus.” He wasn’t sure what Ozzie’s reaction would be. Raphael was still a touchy subject with him. He tended to get angry when Raphael was brought up, but he was also still intensely protective of the archangel.

“Huh? What about uncle Ozzie?” Charlie snapped out of her own spiral of thoughts.

His own mind spiralling. He didn’t know how Ozzie would respond. Would he be furious? Likely. Would he try to rip Alastor apart for being a physical taunt that a human had gotten the one thing he’d turned his back on Heaven because of? Oh probably.

f*ck.

“This is BAD. f*ck where did he go!? Alastor!” He looked around desperately, but there was no sign of his deer and all of the shadows were still. “f*ck, f*ck, f*ck! Shiiiiit this isn’t good. I mean… explains a LOT about him… but FUUUUUUUCK!”

“Someone wanna to fill us in?” Angel asked as he fixed his clothes to appear more presentable before reaching over and fixing one of Huskers suspenders. Charlie opened her mouth to answer but he cut her off.

“Not yet.” he held up one of his hands to Charlie. “This information is going to cause a sh*tstorm . Where the f*ck is Alastor!?” He glanced around the room once more before trying to sense where he’d gone in the hotel. Only he wasn’t there. His heart squeezed at the sudden disappearance. He pushed further, extending his sense into the city. He let out his held breath as he came across Alastor’s presence almost to Cannibal Town. He went to talk to Rosie. Really… he could have said something before disappearing. He pushed his frustrated feelings aside. Alastor was probably a lot more confused than he was letting on. Given how restricted his ears and shadow had been. He took another breath to calm down. Alastor would be fine with Rosie.

“Dad…” Charlie asked as she put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. “Why are you worried about uncle Ozzie finding out?”

“The two have a history.” His shoulders slumped. Would he have to worry about hurting his friend to keep Alastor safe? If Ozzie came for Alastor, he would stop him. Would he be able to keep this from Ozzie? It was ludicrous to think that gossip like this would stay quiet for long. No, if the little information they’d gotten from Emily was anything to go by, Heaven was in uproar and soon enough news would filter down.

“He doesn’t know Alastor…” Charlie’s drawn eyebrows shot up as she pieced together he was talking about Raphael and not Alastor. “ Oh… not him. How bad?” She swallowed nervously.

“Like the reason .” He pulled off his hat and nervously played with the brim. Charlie bit her lip as her face mirrored his own worry.

“I’m still lost.” Angel put one of his arms on his hip, co*cking it out dramatically to one side.

“So, going out on a limb here, but Emily dropped some sort of nuke of information and she had gone to Alastor’s mother to ask about her deal and Alastor’s soul?” Husker glared pointily at him and Charlie looking for answers.

“Yep.” Charlie chirped nervously rocking back on her feet before turning towards him. “Do you think Heaven will demand we give Alastor to them?”

“It’s possible… It will depend on how things play out upstairs. There will be a trial. Oh sh*t there will be a trial!” He ran his hand down his face. Would they banish Raphael? Could Heaven afford to change the balance of power? Raphael wasn’t just any Angel he was one of the main angels. It would be like him sending Heaven one of the sins, it gave too much power to the enemy. But what could they do? Raphael’s crimes were significant. There was only one thing he was certain of. Should they demand Alastor be handed over, he’d unleash all of Hell upon Heaven to keep Alastor from them.

Alastor’s POV

He kept himself from skipping the small formality of using the door. Just because he had gossip so good Rosie would be feasting on it for weeks, didn’t mean he had permission to be impolite. Without his filter he managed to make it halfway through the store before Rosie noticed him. He was certain She had the wrong idea of why he was there by the grin on her face when she noticed him. He was much more his normal self this time. He hadn’t touched his microphone since he’d left the hotel during the attack, but Lucifer’s spell was keeping the airwaves from finding him.

“Alastor! I’m so glad to see you again so soon!” She quickly floated over to him and pulled him into a tight hug. He gently returned the embrace with a grin.

“I do apologise for the state of me yesterday darling, but as you can see I’m much more myself today.” He stepped back and held out his arms to allow her to look him over.

“I see you kept your word.” Rosie smiled warmly at him. “Now, Is this a conversation for the parlour, kitchen or upstairs?” She motioned towards each of the locations as she named them.

“The kitchen should be fine.” He assured her, some privacy would be required, but nothing so dire as the last time he was there. “However, I do expect it will take the entirety of your attention for more than a few minutes and then I expect you will have many questions.” He teased, calling over his shoulder as he walked towards the kitchen out back.

“Delores, take over out front. I think I could be a little while.” Rosie was hot on his heels, now that she got a sense that there was going to be quite the talk. Oh she will absolutely swoon over this.

He decided against taking a seat at the small table near the window and instead leaned against the counter. Rosie quickly busied herself by collecting a pair of cups and placing them next to him and then retrieving the teapot. He declined the cup of tea offered to him and she took a drink from it instead but left the other cup on the counter should he change his mind. He smiled at the gesture, he intended to use the cup, just not in the way she intended.

“As you’ve already deduced, I’ve accepted some help for my… predicament.” He still found it difficult to speak of his soul being owned by another. “All that I’ve disclosed to you, he knows as well. As was more than evident when discussing it with you, it was not an easy conversation. It is one I’m glad to have over, I’m also pleased that Charlie is aware of some key elements.”

“Oh Alastor, I’m proud of you for leaning on your family and not trying to do everything on your own.” Rosie’s black eyes were glistening as she held back happy tears. His smile spread as she referred to the two Morningstar’s as his family. He intended to keep the two of them safe from any attack directed at him, which included Vox.

“Yes, well it seems that my accepting help, at least in part, was picked up on.” The thought of the article Vox had compiled about his broadcast forced his happy smile to a thin line.

“Ugh. You mean the article in the paper?” Rosie’s voice was nothing but disgust as she rolled her eyes at the mention of it.

She maintained neutrality at the Overlord meetings, but he knew she’d tear Vox apart given the opportunity. She had reluctantly agreed to remain neutral. She had been ready to start an Overlord war with Vox after he’d decided it best to end whatever they had started developing. He hadn’t been able to hide his disappointment from her. Her anger had startled him. He’d expected her to wave off the association and tell him there were plenty others who were more worthy of his time, like he’d seen her do many times with her own people. Only she hadn’t and it was the only time he’d ever seen her black eyes go red.

He refused to drag her into his mistakes, so instead of coming to her after he was injured during the surprise attack by Vox and Valintino, he stayed away until he was fully healed. Had he told her what happened, she would have declared war and he was not going to be labelled a Hellen of Troy. His romantic relationship would not be the source of a war. Strangely, he didn’t seem to hold the same perspective when it came to Lucifer. He would gladly tear every angel from the sky if it meant keeping the man safe. He was also beginning to understand that, while he’d be on the front lines, he wouldn’t mind watching Lucifer ripping angels to shreds on his account either.

Love does such strange things…

“The basis for his suspicion was on the mark, but his wild speculation left much to be desired.” What Vox still had for him, was infatuation not love. It was all it had ever been and he had made the right decision to end things. He couldn’t imagine how much he would regret his association with Vox now had he not walked away then.

“The one he called Radio Puppet?” Rosie wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, knowing Lucifer was the only one he’d trust with his radio equipment. Something She’d never seen, nor had she asked to. She knew how precious it was to him and where her boundaries were.

“It was a pre-recorded show and yes, Lucifer was the one at the controls. It was our test to make sure what he’d done to help, would be effective. The answer is, it is mostly effective. Caution is still required, as you no doubt have noticed.” He drummed his fingers against the wood of the cupboard, itching to get to the reason he had come. Before he could, he had to do what he could to give Rosie some peace of mind in regards to his own safety after yesterday.

“How was he able to help? Did he know a spell or something that would help?” Rosie sipped her tea. Her eyes scanned him from head to toe for any external sign of change. No, you won’t spot that dear Rosie, it’s well hidden.

“Would you prefer the explanation I received or the one that I’ve pieced together?” He offered with a smile to hide the grin that had threatened as he thought of Lucifer’s bite mark.

“Both.” She didn’t hesitate in her answer. He chuckled as she refilled her cup.

“The one I was given is that it’s akin to a bubble.” He held out a hand and allowed his magic to form an iridescent green sphere. “My magic appears normal at first glance, yet it is encased in Lucifer’s so that anything searching for my magic directly will be unable to pinpoint my location.” He watched as she focused on his magic and the colours shifted more gold than green. “It required an anchor point and mixing magic and blood.”

“I’ve not heard of a spell like that.” She mumbled and poked the bubble of his power and he allowed it to pop, earning him a small giggle from Rosie.
“Nor I, which is why I was certain there was more to it.” He opened his mouth to explain how he thought it was related mates, specifically the angelic version of it but hesitated. How much did he want to share about what went on between him and Lucifer? He’d never been inclined to pry into her life with any of her former husbands but he knew just how much she enjoyed hearing other people talk about it.

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense!” She gave him a playful shove.

“I am confident it is of angelic origin, given a comment by Charlie. I have yet to confirm with him, but I’d wager its use is restricted to an angel’s partner.” Rosie’s face was darkening quickly and it took him a moment to place that she seemed to think he had been coerced, so he quickly added. “He did ask permission first, and gave me multiple opportunities to decline. Even coming to the conclusion I have, I do not regret giving him permission.”

“What. Did. He. Do?” Each word growled out slowly as her magic shifted around her. He shifted his weight off of the counter. He needed to calm her down before she decided to rampage her way to the hotel. With Rosie there really was only one way. Romance. He braced himself for what he was about to say.

“Well, to put it plainly; he bit me and now his magic is entwined with my own.” He wasn’t used to how people fluffed up their experiences. He would much rather have someone be to the point about it. His strategy worked at least. The air around them returned to normal and Rosie’s eyes widened, stunned to silence as the information sank in. Her gaping mouth slowly started to turn upwards until all of her teeth were on grinning display.

“My! Should I be planning nuptials?” She clapped her hands together excitedly.

“I beg your pardon?” It was his turn to be stunned, unable to make the connection from being bitten to wedding bells.

“Lucifer’s claimed you.” Rosie stressed the word more than he felt she needed to. “By the sounds of it, this angelic spell he’s used is their equivalent of marriage.” He raised an eyebrow disbelievingly. It was a bit of a stretch to think one bite was how they expressed their eternal devotion. His look didn’t dissuade Rosie as she continued. “Tell me, has he been awfully fond of the bite mark or um, extra or easily handsy?” She wiggled her fingers at him teasingly. Well… she isn’t wrong there.

“As always, Rosie, your intuition is second to none.” He sighed. “He is still capable of keeping from doing too much.” He assured her. He didn’t need a repeat of the brief anger she’d shown earlier.

“Oh Alastor, it really sounds like I will need to start planning, and soon.” She giggled as she spoke and put down her cup. She stepped closer to him, her arm rested gently on his shoulder. “Lucifer clearly is arse over tea kettle in love with you. He’s gone right over the moon.” He couldn’t help the small snort at the description. “He’s given you some of his powers and he’s resisting what is probably angelic instinct to keep from doing anything more.” He knew she wasn’t joking and that she was right given how easily Lucifer had transformed into his demonic form while the two of them had been in his cottage.
“I appreciate the offer Rosie, but no need for planning anything right now. Besides, I’ve not even gotten to the actual reason for my visit today. Trust me, it will make you all but forget any plans you might be cooking up.” He finally pulled out the reason he’d come. He didn’t want to speak anymore on the subject of his relationship, especially now that Rosie seemed to have it in her head that he was much further along in it than he was.

“Oh?” Her look told him she didn’t believe him for a second and it made him grin like the cheshire cat, knowing it would be the only thing to occupy her mind for a while.

“Charlie was also eager to help, now that she’s aware. She reached out to a friend of hers, a seraphim, and got her to find out more about the deal.”

“What did they say?” Rosie was all ears now. The wheels were turning behind her eyes but she still hadn’t been sufficiently distracted away from planning premature nuptials.

“Well, they were able to locate the information that has helped clear things up, but more interestingly, we also received some startling information about the situation in Heaven right now, it seems things are a bit chaotic upstairs right now.” He let the words rumble in his chest tauntingly as he watched her unconsciously lean forward, hanging on his every word.

“Oh? My dear Alastor, tell me more!” She gasped and he knew thoughts from their previous conversation were evaporating now that she had the whiff of something much more tantalising.

“One of the Archangels had a secret Nephlim.” He paused as the information sank in. Rosie’s black eyes went wide and her lips parted in a sharp gasp. “That newly revealed Nephilim is in Heaven so no luck there my dear. But they weren’t even aware of their true parentage!”

Rosie loosely covered her mouth with one of her hands as it formed a perfect ‘O’

“Ooooh! Please tell me you know which!” It was only a few seconds before she’d managed to recover enough to beg for more information. It was so rare to get gossip about Heaven, even rarer to get anything on one of the higher ranking angels and right now, what he had to tell her was the most enticing bit of information they’d gotten about Heaven… well since he’d gotten there.

“I do.” He grinned wickedly. “It’s positively scandalous darling.” He couldn’t help but drag it out a little more.

“Don’t keep me in suspense Alastor, I’ve not had tea like this in ages!” Rosie positively squealed as she playfully batted his chest before stepping back and taking a drink of her tea.

“It was none other than Raphael, the leader of the Virtues.” He waited until she had swallowed to reveal who it was. It was a good thing he had. She wouldn't have been able to keep from spitting her tea out. His shadow quickly caught the cup that slipped from Rosie’s finger.

“Someone managed to bed the greatest prude of all archangels! And then he and the human kept quiet about it?” Rosie leaned heavily on the counter as his shadow put her empty cup down. He smirked at her as her mind whirled through the possibilities.

“Oh, but dearie, it gets better.” He allowed her only a moment to regain her footing before her attention back to him.

“How! Oh I must know.” Her head snapped to the side to stare at him. Her hand reached out and grasped his sleeve. Now will she make the connection? He couldn’t deny he was enjoying dangling the information, he typically didn’t do this with Rosie, she was one who frequently picked up on social cues faster than he did.

“Raphael’s female Nephilim, made a deal for a child.”

“No! With who?” Rosie demanded and leaned further in towards him, her grip tightened but didn’t pierce through the fabric of his sleeve. Nephilim were typically male when angels had relations with humans. A female one was rare.

“Simbi Andezo. The Simbi offered to father the child. The price, both her and the child’s souls.”

“You mean to tell me, that there is a person out there, with Nephilim and Simbi blood?” Rosie was positively drooling now.

“No darling, not out there.”

“Alastor.. Don’t tease. You know who it is don’t you? What’s going on?”

“May I?” He gestured for the second and still empty teacup without addressing any of her questions. Rosie lifted the pot to fill it but he held up his hand, taking only the cup and saucer before putting it down in front of him. “I apologise, I will have to do something a bit.. uncouth.”

Rosie blinked in confusion as she watched him pluck a knife from the block on the counter. He hissed as the blade sliced into the flesh of his hand. Quickly moving his hand over the cup to allow the deep red liquid to flow without spilling a drop. “ I unfortunately am unable to tell myself, so I need your opinion.”

“Alastor… it’s you?” Her eyes sparkled similarly to Charlie’s when full of wonder. He did suppose he was a bit of a rare treasure for a cannibal; mostly angelic but still a sinner.

“Guilty as charged.” He let the cup fill halfway before letting his wound heal. “While angels generally do not lie… I would only trust the word of a dear friend such as yourself.” He handed the cup over to Rosie. Rosie took a hesitant sip. Her reaction told him all he needed as her black eyes almost rolled back into her head. Emily had been telling the truth.

“Enjoy the tea darling, I really must return to the hotel.” He had a sudden pang of guilt for having left without at least notifying Lucifer. He would have to apologise when he returned.

“Hunnie, this is otherworldly.'' She set the cooling cup down. The contents were still mostly there. “Thank you Alastor. For the tea and the trust." She pulled him into a tight hug.

“Enjoy the tea darling. I’ll let you know more as things develop.” He smirked, returning the hug before letting himself drop into his shadow knowing that Rosie was going to savour her tea.

He mulled over the note he had been given seven years ago again as he made his way through the city back to the hotel. He should have all the information needed to figure it out now.

No puddle can contain what dwells within you. Well that was clearly the angelic magic from Raphael. The swirling dark pools that comfort you are but the start. He’d figured that was referring to his shadows early on. Embrace your waves and crash through the levees keeping you confined. He needed to work on that one. Only then will what has never been yours be finally returned to you. His soul. Only then will you be able to claim the birthright denied to you and your family. His angelic and Simbi heritage. Now that he knew his father was Simbi, the note was almost painfully clear; he needed to accept his lineage as part Simbi. It still left ‘ embrace your waves.’ What waves did he have? He was the Radio Demon… so radio waves?

Airwaves

Alastor paused mid step after reappearing in the lobby of the hotel as his whole body went cold. No, it couldn’t be that he had to go back… Dred settled in his chest, making it uncomfortably tight as it was becoming clear that was exactly what the message meant. Crash through the levees keeping you confined. He had gotten out of the airwaves, and it had left him weaker. He desperately wanted to be wrong, but when he’d been there he hadn’t embraced the space he had been in for those seven years. He had resisted and struggled as it tried to fuse with him until he crawled his way out, cutting off parts of his power as he escaped, leaving part of himself behind.

f*ck.

He needed to go back there. To absorb and take control of the airwaves. He needed to make them part of his own power. He had to absorb them into himself. What if I’m wrong about this? He had no idea how long it might take to claim all of the airwaves. It would mean he’d leave Lucifer and Charlie behind to defend against whatever angelic demands come from Raphael’s trial. He’d need all of his strength should it come to that, and as he was, he was woefully unequipped to be much of a help, if the battle against Adam had enforced anything, it was that he needed his full powers back.

“Alastor!” Lucifer called from the stairs, breaking his focus. “What?” Lucifer asked as he shifted over to him in a cloud of smoke. His expression must have been more telling than he’d intended. He needed to get his full powers back so he would be able to help protect those who mattered.

“I think I might know what I need to do to get my soul back.” He spoke slowly. His body tense from the thought of willingly going back to that place.

“Is it dangerous?” Lucifer closed the distance between the two of them, giving one of his hands a squeeze.

“It could be.” He smiled nervously. He’d spent seven years there last time, every moment his own personal living hell having no control, not even fully being able to control his own mind enough to stay focused. Dangerous, would have been a walk in the park compared to what he was going to do.

“Will it take long?” He could see worry reflecting back at him in Lucifer’s eyes.

“I don’t know.” His words did nothing relieve the worry, only enforced it. He hated that he couldn’t just say it would be alright. He truly didn’t know if it would be, but he had to get his soul back. He couldn’t allow those around him to constantly protect him. He wouldn’t force them to risk themselves that way even though they would without hesitation.

“Uh, Alastor.” Lucifer’s eyes darted around like he was trying to figure out how to talk him out of it. He’d be lost if Lucifer did. He was barely holding on to his resolve as it was.

“ Oui, mon canard ?” He chose to distract Lucifer. It was hardly a secret how much the fallen enjoyed the name he’d bestowed upon him. It worked like a charm, but it wasn’t the topic he was expecting.

“Um… well, your grandfather… well he used to… ugh, well back in Heaven. He and Asmodeus had a… thing. And it didn’t end well. So, just be careful. If Ozzie finds out someone managed the one thing he fell from grace for, he’s going to be pissed. ” Lucifer rambled nervously, sneaking in the longer Lucifer spoke as his few words in French wore off.

“The Deadly Sin of Lust?” He raised an eyebrow at the unlikely idea that his grandfather and Asmodeus had been an item. At least they had been in Heaven prior to the war. Apparently intimacy issues were a familial thing. In another world it could have been an echo of what he and Vox would have been like. He barely kept himself from frowning as the idea wormed its way into his head.

“Yeah. I mean I’m not about to tell him, but he’s got sources ya know. So… be careful?” Lucifer’s almost watery eyes and pouty frown, had him reconsidering his decisions.

No, I have to do this.

“Back in a jiffy.” He fixed his smile on his face unwilling to let the last thing that Lucifer saw of him before disappearing into the airwaves be the fear that had his heart pounding in his ears. He reached out, feeling the airwaves nearby.

“Wait!” Lucifer called out in shock and grabbed ahold of his arm. The touch had the magic he’d started to gather, falter and disappear. “You’re going to get your soul back right now?”

“No time like the present.” He managed to force the words from his throat. Lucifer swallowed and stepped closer quickly going up onto his toes and giving him a quick peck.

“For luck.” Lucifer whispered as he pulled back slowly. He blinked a couple of times, otherwise frozen in place as his brain restarted. They were in the middle of the lobby and anyone could have seen. Their closeness could have been explained by a number of reasons, but a kiss? He glanced up and around for signs of anyone else. It seemed they had cashed in on what little luck there was between them as it didn’t seem there was any of the other’s around. He felt his smile soften before he leaned down and cupped Lucifer’s cheek and gave the one who’d claimed him a proper kiss.

“I may need it. Thank you.” His smile was more genuine as he forced himself to step back from Lucifer. Again, he reached for the airwaves, his call was quickly answered as red and green magic fizzled around him. Sigils dotted the air around him and his pull on the airwaves started to stretch further and further. His head was growing heavy as his antlers grew to their monstrous size. Then, with a flash of red static, the hotel was gone.

In the distance a radio sparked to life.

Rends-moi - the background static cut itself off and started singing.

Cet air qui m’obsède jour et nuit,

Cet air n’est pas né d’aujourd'hui.

Il vient d’aussi loin que je viens

Traîné par cent mille musiciens.

Un jour cet air me rendra folle,

Cent fois j’ai voulu dire pourquoi.

Mais il m’a coupé la parole,

Il parle toujours avant moi

Et sa voix couvre ma voix.

Radio static as the voice goes quiet again.

‘ Salutations! Good to be back on the air.”

The air crackled and Pentagram City was plunged into darkness.

Chapter 9: You Keep Eternity, Give Us the Radio

Chapter Text

Lilith POV

She drummed her fingers on the table as she sat alone in the empty meeting room in Heaven’s embassy. She needed a way to keep Charlie from getting any stronger. Every plan she’d tried had failed. She had been sure that the exterminations and removing herself from Hell would work. It certainly had an impact, but Charlie had come into her own and the best plans she’d been able to come up with had failed. The exterminations kept the population under control, giving Charlie fewer people she’d be able to mobilise. It had been a hard decision and an even more difficult negotiation to secure a safe space to hide. She hadn’t anticipated that Heaven would purify the remaining powers she was trying to keep.

She’d felt her powers fracture after Charlie was born. It had felt like Charlie hadn’t just inherited her genetics but that she’d stolen her very power. She’d questioned it in the beginning, wondering if she’d been imagining things, but as things went on, it became clear that was what happened. To her horror, while Charlie was around both her and Lucifer, she found the loss was more profound. It had made her believe at the time that Lucifer was trying to syphon her powers into Charlie, so she’d kept Charlie away from him. She knew better now, he acted in the moment with little thought to the end game. No Lucifer hadn’t been trying anything like that, the man could barely manage his own depression outside of creating ducks. Charlie had his dream, perhaps she’d taken it from him like she’d taken her powers. He had certainly spiralled further into despair after she’d been born.

Her powerful, naive dreamer of a daughter was turning out to be her undoing. If she didn’t soon regain access to her powers, she would be a walking target. She’d recruited the Vees, but they didn’t know she was less than her full strength. If they found out, they would come to kill her or exploit her. She told them she’d been in the Lust ring for the last few years and needed to gather intel before making her move. She’d had enough with how things were being run while she was gone. Lucifer couldn’t handle things - so he needed to go. It had been easy enough to convince them to join her with a little buttering up and false promises of being her trusted advisors.

Lute hadn’t been the only angel shaken after being fended off by Charlie and those at her hotel. Heaven was in chaos finally realising just how dangerous her daughter was. They didn’t handle change well and now there was too much uncertainty brewing in the eon old war. The power balance was shifting and Heaven couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Charlie was now the focus of Hell’s growing power. It was something that the upper angels wouldn’t tolerate. She didn’t have many options on how she could deal with Charlie. In reality she didn’t like the options she did have. The most straightforward way would be to have Charlie killed. Then there was the option to seal her powers or take them away entirely. Ideally, turning her into a puppet like Lucifer was the best outcome but also the most unlikely. There were too many spoons in that pot now, she’d need to weed a few out before she’d be able to control Charlie.

No matter what she decided, she needed to talk Charlie out of the hotel idea and to do that she would need to get Charlie on her own. She’d need to figure out a way to get the guard dogs away from the hotel. She’d been surprised to find out that Lucifer had taken up residence, but he was easy enough to handle. She had little doubt he was still crippled with depression which would make him easy to manipulate. The girl Vaggie and the one Vox was obsessed with, they were the real threats. Of the two the former angel wasn’t really a threat and as far as she’d witnessed, there were options to distract the Radio Demon.

He appeared anytime the hotel was threatened so he was clearly Charlie’s champion. Just how had Charlie managed to secure an Overlord as a champion? He clearly had no interest in redemption. No Overlords controlled souls and there was no way one of them would want to deplete their own power. Would she be able to convince him to guide Charlie away from the path of redemption? To do that she’d need to learn more about him… Wait he did broadcasts did he not? She could just tune in and listen. It shouldn’t be too difficult to find out when his next one was. Her only other option was to reach out to Vox and nudge him to go off on a tangent about this Radio Demon.

She blinked against the sudden light in the room. A portal unexpectedly opened to her left and an unwelcome figure stomped through it and directly over to her. She groaned inwardly, she had never wanted to be stared down upon by this particular angel ever again. Yet here she was, once again faced with an even more pissy looking Lute than the last time. Given the agitation coming off of the angel in waves, something else had happened in Heaven, something Lute was upset about.

Well if she’s upset, it should be interesting if not good news at least.

“What are you doing hiding out in here? Shouldn’t you be stopping your brat?” Lute snarled at her.

“If you must know, I am gathering intel. A commander such as yourself should know better than to go into war without a plan. I’ve been away for years, things have changed. It wouldn’t do, to just burst in and blow any chance of a surprise attack, now would it?” She leaned back in her chair and projected an uncaring relaxed attitude. She could feel the powers she’d been nurturing while hiding out shrinking away from the angelic power coming off of Lute and the portal behind her.

“You will have to hurry. Time is running out.” Lute looked around like she was in a rush.

“Oh? What would make you say that?” She let her chair rock as she spoke. Something big must have happened.

“If you wish to know, you will have to do something for me?” Lute stood a little straighter, puffing her chest out a little more. This isn’t official business. Then again, her last visit hadn’t been official business either, but this, this was more personal.

“What would that be?” She waved her hand at Lute to continue.

“Search Hell to find out if Adam has become a sinner.”

She’d nearly laughed in Lute’s face. If Adam was in Hell, the misogynistic asshole would fit right in, but she doubted he was. Human souls- both winners and sinners died permanently when killed a second time by angelic weapons. While Adam had access to significant power, he was still a human soul. That being said, from what she knew of Lute… the woman wasn’t one to demand the impossible. Could there be something more to it? Could Adam have actually come back as a sinner? Lute had said he was dead, not that he’d fallen. Lute did seem to have something to bargain with, the information would be worth at least a cursory search.

“Alright, I will have a look for my first husband.” She shrugged. If she did happen to find Adam in hell, he would be an ideal candidate to test her power’ capabilities on, as they came back.

“Raphael is going to be standing trial for an undisclosed nephilim.” Lute stated these impossible words with a straight face as though they were fact. No, Raphael couldn’t. She blinked in confusion. Lute glared at her reaction but that wasn’t all of what Lute had to tell her as Lute huffed in frustration and continued. “I have reason to believe that this nephilim has a connection to one of your Overlords.”

“Do you now? Do explain.” She raised an eyebrow and mentally recalled the current list of Overlords. There weren’t really any changes to them in the last several decades save the Vees, could it be one of them? No they didn’t seem powerful enough to have archangelic blood.

“The one who produced the shadow shield to protect your brat’s hotel. He was the red deer demon that battled against Adam. His mother is Raphael’s nephilim. His demonic powers must be influenced by his bloodline given how he was able to hold off the exterminators. None of your kind had been able to do that before. Soon, he will be called to take part in Raphael’s trial. I don’t expect he will be allowed to exist much after that.”

“The Radio Demon has archangel blood?” She gawked at Lute and her chair warbled back to its original sitting position.

“I believe his name is Alastor.” Lute’s eyes darted around the room as she muttered, almost unsure.

Well, wasn't that convenient. She had to keep herself from smiling. It appeared her luck was coming back. Oh, she would easily be able to get Vox to do some more of her dirty work. His obsession would serve her well in this.

“Anything else?” She tried her best to be dismissive. Lute glared at her then disappeared back through the gate without another word. Once the portal had closed she allowed the grin to grace her face. With a newfound joy she got up from her chair and dug out a small screen that she’d been given to be able to quickly contact the Vees. She turned on one of the devices, but strangely it didn’t connect right away. When they’d shown her how it worked, the process had been instantaneous. She shook the device roughly, she really didn’t want to have to go out and find one of the Vees in person. Thankfully the screen flashed with static before an annoyed face appeared.

“What?” Vox barked, irritation clear in his voice.

“I have some information that should interest you. In exchange I have a task for you” She offered simply.

“Oh yeah?” Vox sounded dismissive. “Well if you haven’t noticed I’m kinda f*cking busy with all the static sh*t wreaking havoc on any sort of digital medium.” Vox snapped at her. “Stupid f*cking radio’s the only thing clear right now, but no one can broadcast.” He sounded both relieved and annoyed.

“It concerns a scandal in Heaven, Adam and your Radio Demon.” She shrugged and offered her lure to get his assistance. It was unlikely that Vox would pass up on anything to do with The Radio Demon.

“M-my Radio Demon?” The screen blipped a couple of times. There was digital drool hanging on the edge of Vox’s mouth now. “I don’t know what you're going on about. I hate that old crap.”

“Oh? Then you're not interested?” She grinned knowing she had Vox’s undivided attention. Vox could lie all he liked, but his actions spoke much louder than the words he said. He really was too easy to read on this subject for one who constantly was attempting to manipulate others.

“What is the task you need me to do?” Vox’s attempted disinterest while agreeing to do her bidding certainly didn’t help his position.

“Search Pentagram City, see if you can locate the former head exorcist Adam as a sinner.” She schooled her expression, keeping herself from frowning as she realised she never did get out of Lute why she suspected that Adam might appear in Hell as a sinner after he’d been killed as an angel.

“So what does Alastor have to do with a scandal in Heaven?” Vox asked after a moment. She watched his expression as his mind put together scenarios where that might be the case.

“Will you accept the task?” She prodded instead of explaining. She wasn’t new to this game, she needed him to agree explicitly before she’d give up any of the information he desired.

“Yeah, sure. Now dish the scoop on Alastor.” Vox grumbled dismissively, knowing exactly why she had made him confirm his involvement.

“And you said he wasn’t your Radio Demon.” She teased. She had little doubt in his mind Vox thought of the demon as his. His connection to the other Vees while both business and sexual in nature was very different from how he viewed the Radio Demon. Didn’t Lute say his name? What was it? It had struck her as familiar but she’d couldn’t place if she’d heard it anywhere other than in passing when Vox went on a tangent.

“Shut up! Just f*cking tell me how he managed to cause sh*t upstairs.” Vox snapped. His left eye twitched and pulasted hypnotically in his frustration.

“Technically, his grandfather did.” She couldn’t help but continue to tease at how easily rilled Vox became whenever things concerned the Radio Demon.

“What?! - Come on - this had better actually be good.” Vox’s frustration distorted his voice and the static had him cut out as his focus wavered.

“His grandfather is going to be put on trial for having an undisclosed nephilim.” She finally explained with a sigh. So much for the little fun she’d had in the last few days. Vox’s face slacked. A small circle appeared on the screen as the video buffered. The revelation had a greater effect on the demon than she’d hoped. She couldn’t help but grin as she felt her own powers respond to her manipulation of Vox’s emotions.

“Waaaaaaait, Alastor has angelic blood?” Vox’s face snapped back into focus on the screen. He wasn’t even trying to hide how badly he was infatuated. Alastor, yes that was the same name Lute had used. The name was familiar, she suspected it was from before her absence… but she couldn’t place it. She put it out of her mind, it would come to her eventually, but it was likely her familiarity with the name stemmed from her recent association with the Vees. “Awww, fuuuuuuuuuuck I should have tasted that when I had the chance!” Vox groaned, unable to keep the comment to himself.

“Search for Adam. If you are successful, I might just tell you which angel.”

“f*cking Hell, angelic blood! What? Oh yeah I’ll have a look for him.”

“Excellent.” She disconnected the device before Vox could actually process that she knew which angel Alastor descended from and pressed for more information. She smiled wickedly. If she was able to find any information on Adam, she’d be able to get Lute to back off. The trial in Heaven would take care of Charlie’s Champion. She wouldn’t have to lift a finger, she just needed to wait for Heaven to come and claim him. Now, how would she get rid of the former exorcist? She drummed her fingers on the table again. Her day was infinitely brighter and her hope for success restored.

Emily’s POV

Sera had yelled at her for hours over Raphael’s discretion. At least Sera hadn’t found out that Pentious had been with her. That really would have set Sera off, and it would have completely been her fault. To Sera, what she’d done by digging had disturbed a delicate balance and now the upper ranks were outraged. She had ranted about being unable to contain the damage her curiosity had caused. Raphael, one of the cardinal four, had been dragged back from his duties to address his crimes and stand trial. Yet, Sera blamed her for an Archangel being put on trial, not Raphael for what he’d done or what he’d covered up. This whole situation in Sera’s eyes was her fault. It wasn’t fair! Heaven really had fallen so far from its ideals; it had become its own form of monster.

The rules were simple; All nephilim were to be documented. This hadn’t been done. Period, no further evidence should be needed in a conviction. That in itself was bad, but there was no record in Raphael’s report during his time on earth then, of any sort of fraternisation with a human. She’d managed a quick look after getting Pentious to hide and before Sera had appeared in full fury. Raphael was guilty of omission and covering up his transgression. Raphael had sealed the record to block his discovery as long as possible. What Raphael had done was allow Heaven to be ignorant of the event all together. He was the guilty party not her. Seemingly, he never checked back to see if his folly had resulted in a child but she suspected he had, and he’d tied up that loose end as well.

A rare female nephilim was produced by Raphael’s union with a human. Only the nineteenth on record since nephilim had all been purged. The Bisimbi had managed to find most of them, but Alastor was the first child of a female nephilim to be sent to Hell. He was the thirteenth Simbi / nephilim hybrid that had been created, but the first to have such an esteemed angelic ancestor. Most of the others had been Cherubim, one had been a Throne. She suspected that Raphael was responsible for Sabine’s inability to produce offspring as well as her appearing to be solely mortal. It was well within his scope of powers to seal angelic powers and remove her ability to procreate which was also a way he would be able to ensure no one inherited his abilities.

Poor Sabine, hadn’t known. Simbi Andezo had taken advantage of her desire to have children and taken her and Alastor’s souls. She took a deep breath to calm herself. They had a little time before Raphael’s trial, but Sabine still didn’t know of her own involvement in the hottest topic in all of Heaven right now. The salacious gossip about Raphael was spreading faster and further than heavenly light, it was unlikely that it would take long before Sabine had at least heard of the newest nephilim, even if she wasn’t aware the rumours were speaking about her.

It was late before she felt it safe to sneak out to speak to Sabine again. Sera was involved in yet another meeting in regards to Raphael and there was little chance that she’d be able to get back there with Pentious. She prayed the redeemed sinner was alright. He was resourceful, but he didn’t know Heaven well enough yet. She’d check on him next to ensure Sera hadn’t done something to ‘contain’ him during the whole trial process. The trip was faster now that she knew where she was going. Sabine’s warm and welcoming aura was more than just her personality. Now that she knew it was there, it was hard not to notice the angelic power trying to ooze out of the graceful and kind woman.

“My dear Emily, back so soon?” Sabine smiled brightly at her as she held the door open.

“I’m sorry to come at such a late hour Sabine. I have something important to discuss, would I be able to come in?” She pleaded with a smile.

“Certainly!” Sabine ushered her into one of the seats at the table where she’d tried Jambalaya for the first time. Sabine grabbed a mug and poured an enchantingly scented brown liquid into it. “Now tell me, what has you so shaken?” Sabine looked over at her as she put the mug down to get a spoon and a jar.

“I might have accidentally uncovered something someone high up didn’t want discovered.” She muttered as she stared down at her hands as she fidgeted.

“Oh my, kicked a hornets nest did you?” Sabine handed her the mug after drizzling some white syrup into it and stirring. The mug was warm and she took a tentative sip. It was creamy and sweet. The warmth, aroma and taste setting her nerves more at ease.

“Kicked, stomped and then stabbed it for good measure, it seems. There are a lot of people unhappy with me right now.” She chuckled nervously.

“So what you uncovered was someone’s dirty secret. Funny how here in Heaven that still happens.” Sabine sat down across from her with her own mug.

“It really shouldn’t. Most of the upper angels don’t have the same perception of morals as humans… not that it is always a good thing. We have rules we are supposed to follow.” She frowned, letting her frustration out a little. Heaven had been corrupted by those who were currently in charge, but there wasn’t anything that she could do about it. Sabine reached out and pat her hand.

“One thing I have noticed, while some might deny it, free will hasn’t been limited to humans sweetie. Angels have it too, and there are many who would deny it. But, just look at you; here you are talking with me, you chose to do that. Just like you chose to help Alastor when your friend Charlie asked. There aren’t many angels out there who would be willing to listen, let alone be friends with the Princess of Hell. But you did, and you’re all the stronger for it.” Sabine smiled brightly, her amber eyes twinkling in happiness. The woman in front of her was genuinely grateful for word of her son, even knowing that he had ended up in Hell. She wasn’t upset with him, she just missed him dearly.

“I didn’t get long, but I did pass your message along, but Sera came before I could hear a response, but I made sure to thank Charlie and told her to tell Alastor you said you were sorry. Speaking of Sera… I don’t have long here, so I guess I should get to the point.”

“Alright, what have you come here to tell me?” She rambled nervously. She took a drink of the liquid and steadied herself before breaking the news to Sabine. “I’m positive the reason you had such difficulty conceiving a child was because your father intervened.” She watched as Sabine’s gentle smile faltered. “Your father is the Archangel Raphael, and I know he sealed your powers but I don’t think he stopped there.” Sabine’s eyes widened in shock. There wasn’t any doubt about what was being said as she watched Sabine’s features while she was processing the information. “What he did, left you wide open to be preyed upon by Simbi Andezo who would be able to feel the angelic power in you. If he’d met Raphael, then he would have been able to tell exactly whose child you were and just how powerful your child would be.” She swallowed and took Sabine’s hand. “The Bisimbi seem to be planning something big. Alastor’s powers are currently limited as his soul is still in the possession of Simbi Andezo. To keep those powers from being discovered, Simbi Andezo also likely sealed Alastor much like how Raphael sealed you. But I’m told that Alastor was still formidable enough to hold off attacking angels and then go head to head with Adam long enough to buy Charlie and Lucifer time when the hotel was attacked. Alastor’s the only one who could boast having sinner, nephilim and Simbi blood, sealed powers or not, he is exceptionally strong” She quickly relayed what she’d recently heard about Adam’s demise in regards to Alastor. Sabine looked worried but relieved at the same time.

“He never did well when he was alone, but after the war, he always kept people at a distance. I’m glad that Alastor’s found friends and allies. He will need their help won’t he?” Sabine’s look turned pensive, she didn’t know the woman well enough to guess what she might be thinking.

“Yes. I’ll do what I can as well.” She smiled and gave Sabine’s hand a squeeze.

“Could you come with me?” Sabine asked suddenly.

“I really do need to get back soon, but okay.” She didn’t feel any hostility from Sabine. Part of her told her to follow, and she listened to it.

“Don’t worry it isn’t far. We just need to speak to someone and I doubt they would confirm to me what you just told me if you weren’t there as well.” Sabine smiled reassuringly as she got up and led the way to their destination. She followed Sabine down the street and over two more to another house in an older part of town. Sabine didn’t even bother to knock on the door.

“Maman!” Sabine called into the house as soon as she stepped inside. “I need to ask you about something.”

“Sabine, really, what time do you call this?” A woman with deep red-brown hair that fell in tight bountiful curls around her face, folded her arms over her chest and her red lips resting in a light frown. There was a hint of green to her big honey coloured eyes highlighted by her high cheekbones and smooth skin, that was a few shades darker than Sabine.

This was Geneviève Babette Paulin, the human woman that Raphael had a child with. Looking back at Sabine she could see the features she’d inherited from Raphael. Her eyes were amber and had a softer shape to them. Her cheeks weren’t as angular either and her mouth was thinner than the woman who was currently the centre of scandal rocking through Heaven. Did she even know about what had been discovered yet? Surely the confidence and charisma that exuded from Geneviève would have been muted if she’d had an inclination that her affair with Raphael had been discovered.

“You’ve told me that my father is up here, and yet I’ve never met him.” Sabine didn’t mince her words as she pressed her mother for information. She stared in shock as a dark look passed quickly across Geneviève’s face before it was covered with an exasperated sigh.

“Honestly, is that why you’ve come here this late?” Geneviève shook her head, throwing her hands up in frustration. This was clearly an old conversation that had never before led to the resolution where Sabine learned more about her father.

“My father is the archangel Raphael. He isn’t exactly one you just run into.” Sabine took a step towards her mother as she spoke with conviction.

“W-what? Who, what gave you that idea? Your father is Raphael de Castellane-Esparron. You know that.” Geneviève denied but her posture tightened. She watched quietly as Geneviève tried to deflect the accusations thrown at her.

“Emily?” Sabine looked over her shoulder at her.

“Ugh… yes?” She squeaked, slightly shocked to be called into the conversation. It shouldn’t have been as surprising as it had come across, Sabine had asked her to come and had said it wouldn’t be a long conversation. Well, she could use this opportunity to find more about the human who had garnered Raphael’s attention.

“Who… oh.” Geneviève stepped to the side and looked behind Sabine, finally taking in that Sabine hadn’t arrived at her house late at night alone. Geneviève’s eyes widened as she recognized it wasn’t just any angel that had come to her door.

“Hiya.”’ She waved, trying to keep Geneviève from freaking out. “Yeah, um in case you don’t know, and I’m sure you would have found out soon enough… The existence of Raphael’s nephilim has been exposed and he’s being called for trial. You… yeah, you’re probably going to get called as well.” She glanced nervously between Sabine and Geneviève. Sabine was surprisingly calm. Geneviève stepped back, her eyes going wide with the information.

“Is he in trouble?” Geneviève asked quietly.

“It is very serious. I don’t know what will happen.” She couldn’t manage a smile. Raphael had covered up what he’d done. He was guilty and would have to accept his punishment. Geneviève actually seemed worried for him. Her eyebrows knitted as she wondered what exactly the relationship between Geneviève and Raphael was. He had abandoned her with Sabine, hadn’t he? Why did she still seem to think fondly of him?

“Will you finally tell me about you and Raphael?” Sabine sighed, her question nudging her mother to answer some of the questions currently racing through her head.

“He forbade me from speaking of what happened between us.” Geneviève stated simply then gestured for the two of them to come and sit. “Not that anyone would have believed me anyway.” Geneviève sat down and was quiet for a moment as she gathered her thoughts. “It was near the end of the civil war. I found myself helping in one of the medical tents when I met him. It’s hard to describe what I felt then. It was so overwhelming. I had barely known what was happening at the time and there was nothing I could do to stop it by the time I did understand what was happening.” Geneviève’s eyes were firmly on the floor as she recounted the past. “No one would believe my virtue had been taken by an angel.” Geneviève scoffed, looking up at their shocked faces. “Yes, back then I knew what he was -who he was. We didn’t have long together, but he stayed as long as he could. I was fortunate enough to find a man to marry who could help protect Sabine. Ours was a marriage of convenience. He never asked about my past, and I never pried into his preferences. We enjoyed each other’s company and he doted upon Sabine like she was his own.” Geneviève smiled as she thought of her human husband. “I didn’t know if I would see Raphael again when I died. I was nervous when I arrived in Heaven, hopeful that he would be there to greet me. He appeared only moments after I was settled in this house and confronted me to ensure I would remain quiet. I had promised not to speak of his involvement with Sabine and resolved to continue to do so. But my promise to him didn’t extend to anyone else.” She looked directly at Sabine. “I kept Alastor a secret from him.”

Sabine smiled gratefully at her mother.

What was that word Charlie used when things were frustrating or messed up? f*ck… yes, that one… it seems appropriate about now.

She kept her mouth closed.

f*ck.

Raphael didn’t know about Alastor, he was going to be called to stand trial about Sabine… perhaps finding out before or during the trial about his grandson. She had little doubt that Alastor would be called to appear at the trial as well. It was only a matter of time before Sera was ordered to retrieve the sinner from Hell. If Charlie hadn’t realised this was going to happen, her father certainly would have. She prayed Lucifer would take the necessary precautions to keep Alastor safe.

Lucifer’s POV

It wasn’t only the radio that was affected by Alastor going back to the airwaves, most of the electronics were useless. The Vees were down for the count. No broadcasts, no posts and certainly no recording. Angel was enjoying his current freedom and Charlie was taking advantage of having Angel at the hotel more to work on his redemption, reinvigorated with the discovery that Pentious was now in Heaven. Husker was enjoying that almost as much as he was enjoying Alastor being gone. Niffty would occasionally stop, look around and frown when she remembered Alastor wasn’t there, then she would look over at him and the look of pity only made his heartache worse. He wasn’t sure when Niffty had figured out they were together, but she knew.

It had only been three days since Alastor disappeared to retrieve his soul, but every minute had been torture. He’d given up on sleeping in his own room after the first night’s failure. He’d hidden out in Alastor’s room in order to get any sleep. The worry was eating away at him. The not knowing if Alastor would be successful, or wondering how long it was going to be before Alastor reappeared… stressing over if Alastor would come back was driving him mad. He needed Alastor to make it back. He needed his deer to come home.

Charlie was mindful of revealing to anyone what plagued his mood, as well as her own concern for Alastor led her to seeking him out on when alone and that frequently ended up with the two of them standing in the kitchen. He’d finally figured out what it was that Alastor had put in his coffee to make it taste divine. He’d happened upon the can of sweetened condensed milk in the fridge, a quick taste test had given him the idea to try it in coffee, adding more until it was just right. It wasn’t much, but that small thing was helping him get through the days. So had how Charlie had started to refer to Alastor as Papa when they were alone and he couldn’t wait to see Alastor’s reaction to being called that the first time.

He prayed Alastor would be back soon. He couldn’t remember doing that since he fell, but his heart had needed him to do something. So he'd closed his eyes and poured his feelings into hoping Alastor would come back safe. He really didn’t want to dwell on how it had been seven years the last time Alastor had been gone. He needed a way to let out some of his worry. Charlie insisted he should talk to someone. He talked to her all the time, but if he brought up what was on his mind with the other resident’s he’d be letting them know about his feelings for Alastor. No, he needed someone else.

Charlie had suggested going to talk to Rosie. Charlie knew how close Rosie and Alastor were and had voiced it would be unlikely that Rosie wouldn’t know about the two of them. She didn’t feel like Alastor would have left Rosie of all people out of the loop or Rosie would fail to bring it up because she noticed the change in him. He’d come clean to Charlie and let her know that he’d gone to Rosie for advice when he’d figured out he was attracted to Alastor. Things would probably have fallen through without her help in the beginning. Charlie had all but kicked him out of the hotel to go and have a chat with Rosie after that.

The streets were oddly quiet without the constant buzz and broadcast from the televisions and other devices. Occasionally he’d catch some older jazz tune coming from a radio but overall, sinners were rediscovering what it was like without the constant stimulation and buzzing electric lights from televisions that messed with their brains. The residents of Cannibal Town weren’t quite their usual selves. Still polite and happy, but there was an underlying wariness that didn’t usually exist in this part of Hell. His pace slowed as he looked closer. There was a tension almost linked to knowing that someone in charge was close to losing their temper.

What might have happened to Rosie?

He knew Alastor had come to see Rosie after finding out about his ancestry. She would be aware of that, but it had appeared like he had only just figured out what he needed to do when he’d gotten back to the hotel. If that was the case, did Rosie know Alastor had gone to get his soul? His blood ran cold. She might think the airwaves had gotten Alastor instead of him going to retrieve his soul. She’d been the first person Alastor had gone to after he fled to Cannibal Town when he’d almost been taken, so Rosie was keenly aware of just how much of an impact the airwaves had on Alastor. Alastor had been gone for days and he’d not thought to tell Rosie.

f*ck, would Rosie be pissed for not being told sooner?

He quickened his step as he made his way over to Rosie’s Emporium. He thought about portaling over, but manors wouldn’t allow it. There was a small chance Alastor had revealed to her that he was going to go and get his soul back after returning to the hotel. A small chance, tiny itty bitty chance, but a chance. He had broken out into a cold sweat as he tried to convince himself that everything would be fine. He wasn’t about to go up against a very angry cannibal Overlord who’d already declared they’d eat his heart if he hurt Alastor. While Alastor wasn’t hurt, and he’d not broken Alastor’s heart… his deer was missing and she very well could see it as a fault of his protection that Alastor wasn’t there.

Any hope of being wrong evaporated after he opened the door and saw how Rosie’s expression hardened the instant she laid eyes on him. Her eyes narrowed and her posture stiffened at the sight of him. Her cannibals shrank away giving her a wide berth as she stalked towards the kitchen, only looking back once to make sure he followed. The look she gave him told him his participation in the conversation they were about to have wasn’t a request.

Oh f*ck, I’m up to my eyeballs in sh*t.

He pulled his hat off and meekly followed her into the kitchen. Cannibals eyed him as he shuffled after Rosie. It was clear on each of their faces, they thought Rosie was about to end him. He just needed to make sure she understood that Alastor hadn’t been taken. He’d understood what was needed and didn’t want to wait to get his soul back. He wouldn’t need to mention that yes, Alastor had been scared to go, but had resolved himself to do it.

“Close the door.” Rosie’s voice was cold. He could feel the power she normally kept tamped down tight pouring off of her as her rage seeped through her control. He followed the direction and turned back to Rosie only to narrowly avoid the canister that had been thrown at him. He sputtered and coughed as flour filled the air. He fanned his hat in front of him to clear the particles.

“What happened to Alastor?!” Rosie snarled at him as she armed herself with the next canister on the counter.

“Rosie…” He began, the words died in his throat as she launched that canister at him as well. He dodged that one as well, feeling the chunks of porcelain bounce off of him before smashing on the floor. That one had been full of sugar, and thankfully had not disturbed the flour dust back into the air. He opened his mouth to try again only for another object to be thrown his way. “Rosie let me finish!” He squeaked out before she could find something else to throw.

“He’s gone! Nothing, NOTHING but music comes through the radio!” Rosie screeched at him. She paused and took a breath to compose herself. “He’d never miss a show, nothing short of being taken again would keep him from that.” Each word was forced as Rosie struggled to remain composed. Her breathing became quicker as her anger reached a peak and she reached for something else to throw at him as she screamed “Do you even have any idea of how scared he was to go back to that place!”

“He said he’d be back!” He managed to deflect the skillet that had been thrown at him that time. The situation wasn’t as bad as it could be. Rosie was still in control of her powers. Yes, she was ‘attacking’ him, but she wasn’t using her powers to do it. He just needed to make sure she understood what had happened. Rosie was reasonable. She trusted Alastor’s judgement. Knowing he’d been confident of his return, would calm her… right?

“And you believed him?” Rosie’s black eyes were turning red as she grabbed the smallest of the canisters left on the counter and threw it at him.

“YES!” He shouted back. Rosie paused her onslaught as his own demon form appeared briefly. He hadn’t expected Rosie to doubt Alastor. He had needed her support and now he was on shaky ground. “Of course I believed him, I f*cking love him.” He choked out as his throat squeezed with emotion. “I trust him when he tells me he figured out what was needed and he was going to get his soul back.” He gasped as panic started to dig its claws into his chest. “What kind of being would I be if I didn’t?” He felt his eyes burn as tears welled up in his eyes as he pleaded with Rosie. “Did you think I was just going to lock him up in a tower to keep all harm away from him? Do you even think he’d be happy to be caged like that?”

He collapsed to the floor. His legs were no longer able to hold the weight of his emotions as they crashed down. “I need him to come back. I have to believe him.” He sniffed as tears started to flow.

He wanted to curl up in his wings, but he forced them to remain hidden. He wanted to snuggle into Alastor, but his deer was gone. He felt alone and hollow, more than he’d felt when Lilith had left. He’d been holding himself together the last few days, in the hope that Alastor would be back quickly. Reality was crashing down around him hard. He didn’t know when or if Alastor would be back. He could hope and dream all he wanted, but Alastor could be gone. He heard the tinkling of china on the counter and the swish of fabric. He looked up at Rosie who held out a crystal cup with an amber liquid in it. The sad smile on her face told him she too was worried Alastor might never return.

“I guess I don’t have to eat your heart yet.” Her voice had returned to its usual warm and soft tone and the aura of rage and demonic power was evaporating.

“I miss him so much Rosie.” His hands shook as he accepted the glass. He downed the liquid. It was smooth and reminded him of Alastor. It must have been something she had tucked away for the times tea wasn’t strong enough for the topic of conversation she was having with him.

Carefully she pushed the shards of porcelain to one side and she sat down with him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a tight hug before whispering. “Me too.”

He curled into Rosie and hugged her back, knowing she probably needed it just as much as he did. It wasn’t long before he felt moisture seeping through the cloth of his suit. The two of them really were a mess over missing Alastor. He couldn’t imagine how worried she had been when he’d just disappeared for seven years. She was far stronger than him, she’d forged on and kept going until Alastor had walked back in. From what Charlie had described, Rosie had acted like nothing had changed. Just glad to see her old friend again, and she probably was. The two of them stayed there until both were ready to face the world again.

“Send word as soon as he’s back or else.” Rosie’s face was splotched from where her makeup had smeared and the lines of her tears were stained with mascara.

“Of course.” He nodded knowing he probably looked rung over as well.

“I’m a mess aren’t I?” Rosie frowned looking down at his shoulder. He didn’t need to follow her gaze to know his suit had caught the tears and smeared makeup. He waved his hand and restored the room, and both of their blotchy faces. Rosie smiled gently, giving him another hug before the two of them returned to the sales floor and Lucifer made his way back to the hotel.

Stolas’ POV

He slowly stirred the spoon around the cereal. He hadn’t been able to locate much in the way of information on Bisimbi contracts. He didn’t doubt that Lucifer’s information was credible, but it certainly wasn’t easy to verify. After several hours and countless dead ends, he needed something to perk his mood. He had tried to reach out to Blitzy to see if he had ever encountered a Simbi, only the call wouldn’t connect. It had soured his already poor mood. He took his empty bowl to the kitchen and tried again, with the same result. He frowned down at his phone and noticed the problem.

There was no signal.

Well that just won’t do.

He’d never had a problem like that before, even when Bitzy was on Earth he always managed to connect. His eyes narrowed as something he had read sprung to his mind - The Bisimbi were thought to be connected to electricity. Could I have attracted their attention through my research? Carefully he reached out with his powers, spreading them thin and trying to sense if there was any foreign magic in the air. He felt the muscles of his abdomen tighten as he encountered traces of something not quite angelic. The Bisimbi were considered a type of angelic being… Had they managed to infiltrate Hell? The thought gave him chills. He called as much of the trace angelic magic together that he could and tried to force the one it belonged to into a corporeal form. There was a flash of vibrant green magic then darkness.

“Dad?” Octavia called out as she shook his shoulder.

His head was pounding, he managed a garbled “It’s alright” that was more like a groan as he held his throbbing skull. Opening his eyes only intensified the pain bouncing around inside his head. One thing was for sure, it hadn’t been a Bisimbi he’d failed to capture. There had been sinner magic mixed into the angelic. A sinner connected to the Bisimbi.

“Dad?” Octavia called again. He could hear the worry in her voice. He reached out and patted her hand on his shoulder.

“I’m alright owlette. Just wasn’t expecting quite that type of reaction.” He did his best to try and reassure her. No, that type of reaction was the last thing he had been expecting. This sinner was stronger than any other he’d ever encountered. No wonder Lucifer had an interest in him.

“What happened Dad?” Octavia asked as she helped him up.

“I had been asked to look into something and noticed that there was no signal on the phones and thought the two things might be connected.” He ensured to keep his own weight off of Octavia as much as he could. He felt unsteady, but he wouldn’t burden her with having to lift him. Something must have happened to the one Lucifer had him looking into. The last time they had spoken, things hadn’t sounded as urgent as what he’d just experienced would have him believe the situation was.

“You mean how the internet is down?” Octavia asked curiously. It was likely the reason that she’d come looking for him.

“Is it? Yes it’s probably connected too.” He sighed. He needed to get a hold of Lucifer. Where had his phone ended up? He glanced around the floor to locate the device.

“How did that end up with you in a heap on the floor?” Octavia took a step back looking around as well until she spotted his phone on the floor and retrieved it for him. He smiled gratefully at her.

“Well it seems that the person behind it is far more powerful than I thought. Hard to believe they aren’t in possession of their soul.” He wasn’t sure how much to explain to her. He’d just tried to force an ethereal being into corporeal form and it had backfired on him. He dialled Lucifer’s number before remembering there wasn’t a signal. He was about to end the call when he heard it connect.

“Hello?” Lucifer’s voice was clear through the speaker. Octavia looked shock.

“That’s odd.” He muttered. The phone certainly shouldn’t have connected.

“Stolas? Did you find something?” Lucifer’s tone changed to worried excitement. He had been right, something had changed while he had been doing research.

“Yes, Your Majesty, I have found something. I’m just not quite sure what to make of it yet.” He leaned against the counter to stabilise himself. The Bisimbi connected sinner had left him weak, but it hadn’t taken, sealed or otherwise manipulated his powers. There were so many things that it could have done had it been hostile. He had been fortunate it held no such animosity towards him.

“Oh?”

“Well for starters, I have no signal but I was able to reach you.” He responded bluntly before he could correct himself. Don’t talk to the King of Hell like that! He swallowed knowing how badly his own father would have reacted to one of his subordinates talking to him in such a manner. He heard Lucifer chuckle on the other end. A cheerful and reassuring noise, and one that was unexpected.

“Tell me what else you’ve found out and then I’ll explain my theory on that.” Lucifer seemed more relaxed now. Almost like what he’d just said had reassured him in some way.
“You asked me to look into Bisimbi contracts because there was someone you know whose soul is held by a Bisimbi isn’t there?” He prodded Lucifer to confirm his theory as gently as he could.

“Correct.” Lucifer’s answer was simple and to the point. He blinked in confusion, having expected more of a roundabout answer or an outright denial.

“You are worried about them because they aren’t currently…. Around?” He cautiously expanded on his previous statement, trying not to be deterred but how differently things were going than what he’d expected.

“Also correct.” Lucifer sounded downright chipper and excited, almost as though he was urging him to explain further. Somehow he seemed to be improving Lucifer’s mood with what he’d been saying. It doesn’t make sense. It made his already throbbing head hurt more.

“Is their magic green?” He asked finally and he heard a delighted squeak come from the king.

“Yes it is. Are they alright? What happened?” Lucifer asked quickly. He smiled nervously. The sinner seemed to matter a lot to Lucifer. He was very lucky he hadn’t hurt the sinner. Who knows how this conversation would have gone had he unintentionally killed the one Lucifer had him trying to help. He took a breath and tried to phrase his words in such a way that didn’t reveal that he’d almost hurt the one Lucifer was practically dancing to get information about.

“It seems their magic is interfering with the signal. I was able to narrow down the magic in the air that didn’t belong. There was an awful lot of angelic to it, which initially made me think that it belonged to the Bisimbi you wanted me to look into. Only, it wasn’t just angelic magic, there was sinner magic as well. They’re bound by a Simbi aren't they?”

“Yes. Their father, Simbi Andezo, is the one who holds their soul.” He recognised the tone of one who was powerful, and yet could do nothing.

“The… no. Oh my. How could he?” He was horrified at Simbi Andezo. He knew that it was theoretically possible for a parent to own a child’s soul… but why would they? He looked over at Octavia and his heart squeezed tightly just thinking about a parent doing that to their child.

“I know. It doesn’t sit well with me either. The one you encountered? Did they seem alright?” Lucifer sounded worried for the one he’d just lost to. Things between the king and this sinner seemed to be far more complicated than he’d initially believed. The sinner didn’t seem to just be a ‘person of interest’ that the king should keep close because they were powerful… no it seemed more like there was a deeper and much more personal connection between the two. If that was the case… he was insanely lucky to have only ended up unconscious after having attacked what could possibly be Lucifer’s first love interest since his wife had left him. He didn’t have to imagine just how angry the King of Hell would get should someone threaten one he loved… no he knew just what to expect should he cross Lucifer… it would be a much less tame version of what he’d done to those humans who’d caught Blitzy.

“It would be difficult to discern. I don’t know much about them, but they didn’t seem to be any more unstable than one might expect someone who’s floating around the realms to be.” His interaction with this sinner had been so short, he’d not had a chance to even discern if there was anything wrong with them.

“I suppose it would be difficult to know if he wasn’t alright.” He could hear the pout in Lucifer’s voice. Yes, he certainly seems to be fond of this sinner. “He called it the airwaves.”

“I see. That would be radio, television, phone signal and internet?” He asked. This sinner isn’t just owned by a Simbi, they are part Simbi. His breath hitched as he connected the information. They were more powerful than that, and they didn’t have possession of their soul… No, there was much more to this sinner than that.

“He’s been told he needs to gain control over them in order to get his soul back.” Lucifer volunteered, and he felt his body shiver. The sinner was getting their soul back. Just how powerful would they become?

“He’s startlingly powerful, I don’t think it will take too long for him to be successful.” He managed to string the words together as he wondered what would have happened if the one he’d attacked had been in possession of his soul? Being found in a heap would have been the least of his worries.

“Thanks Stolas. If you notice anything strange happening with the airwaves, let me know okay?” Lucifer sounded grateful for the update, but all he could do was keep himself from openly shaking.

“Of course Your Majesty.” He confirmed before ending the call. He needed help. There was no way he’d be able to do this on his own anymore. Not with an insanely powerful Simbi/Sinner he ‘couldn’t’ attack floating about in the airwaves trying to get his soul back. He needed more information about Simbi Andezo. He at least knew where he might find more information about that spirit. “I’m sorry dear, but I believe I’m going to have to go out for a bit.” He smiled gently at Octavia.

“Are you going over to his place?” She frowned, but didn’t roll her eyes at him.
“Yes, Why?”

“Can I come? Luna’s alright to hang out with.” She shrugged. With the internet out, the typical things she did to occupy her were limited.

“Certainly!” He held out a hand for her. He was pleased she and Luna were getting along. Blitsy might have adopted her, but he viewed her as his daughter. It would be nice if their daughters got along. As he gathered his powers he felt an unusual resistance that he now associated with the demon of the airwaves, but he was able to shift the two of them over to the IMP office in the Pride ring.

“f*ck. Damn it Stolas! What in Satan’s sh*t is happening?” Blitzy roared as they appeared in the office with him.

“My, that is quite the greeting.” He frowned and Octavia slipped out of the office to meet up with Luna. He frowned slightly at the lack of a good bye.

“Well things aren’t exactly hunkey-dorey, if you haven’t noticed.” Blitzy was using his over the top ‘I’m worried but not allowed to openly say it’ tone.

“I do apologies Blitzy, but I’ve actually been working on something for Lucifer the past few days.” He turned his attention fully to Blitzy. There were papers scattered all over his desk. A book - his grimoire, stat nearby as Blitzy crumpled a paper.

“Save your - wait. Lucifer, has you looking into something?” The paper in his hand was completely forgotten as his words stunned the imp to a rare silence.

“Indeed. Quite the unusual request too. Now what seems to be your issue?”

“Something’s f*cked most devices. There’s no signal to be had… No internet, no phone and no radio. Well unless you like jazz - that’s the only thing coming through. If that wasn’t bad enough, travel between realms is spotty at best and even your book seems slow to load sometimes!”

“Let me see.” He tilted his head to one side and held out his hand for the grimoire. The Bisimbi should have no effect on travel between realms. He’d thought the resistance he’d felt going between rings had been the extra angelic magic in the air, but if travel to earth was impacted then he needed to revisit that theory.

“I’ve got a job over in the Lust ring if I can get over there, but Mille and Moxie are both stuck in the wrath ring right now and I can’t get a hold of either of them!”

He inspected the book as Blitzy spoke. There wasn’t any sign of wear or tampering. He channelled a little bit of his power into it. He could feel the connection between realms but similar to how he had felt resistance getting to the Pride ring there was even more resistance trying to connect to earth through the grimoire. Oh there is definitely more to this demon than just Simbi blood. They needed to have an affinity for spacial magic as well. That was well outside any known power associated with the Bisimbi. There were few who did, and fewer still who were powerful enough to freely travel to earth with it. In Hell, Asmodeus was the only one who possessed means to travel to earth other than by summoning or the use of grimoires.

“You said you had a job in the Lust ring? It wouldn’t happen to be with Asmodeus?” He wondered aloud. A chat with Ozzy might illuminate the remaining mysteries around the demon Lucifer had him looking into.

“Yeah, but not really. Fizz said he might need my help and to get my ass over there. I’ve not been able to get through since. I got that message.”

“Octavia, have fun with Luna, I have to make another stop and will be back as soon as I can.” He stepped over to Blitzy as he heard Octavia’s “kay” reply and scooped the imp up amid protests as he shifted the two of them to Asmodeus’ reception. The resistance going from Pride to Lust was almost tangible, but he could sense the answers were close.

Simbi Andezo’s POV

He only got a brief warning, the shadow he’d attached to Alastor appeared suddenly and bowed before the grin turned vicious. That was when he could feel Alastor in the airwaves all around him. He had expected to see a mostly human version of Alastor, but the deer demon standing in front of him was a surprise. The shadow had changed its allegiance. His body felt clammy as he held out the soul chain with his tail and offered it to Alastor. His grin matched the one of the shadow that had shown up first as he took the chain back and allowed his form to disappear once again.

His heart was pounding erratically in his chest. Alastor was free. Completely free, the shadow he’d intended to use to control Alastor had defected and now it was likely their plans were ruined. He needed to alert the others. They needed to be ready for when Heaven found out about their envoy. Alastor would soon unlock his full powers and he was no longer certain that Alastor wouldn’t come to destroy them. There’d been rage and malice coming from Alastor when he’d appeared, but he hadn’t fully broken through his restraints. It was coming, and it was a storm he wasn’t prepared for. None of them were.

What have we done?

Chapter 10: A Force You’ll Never Outrun

Chapter Text

Lucifer POV

It had been five days since Alastor went into the airwaves to get his soul back. Other than his unexpected call from Stolas a few hours ago there hadn’t been much in the way of signs. The call from Stolas had been a good sign, it was more than enough to reassure him Alastor was doing alright. If Stolas had seen Alastor’s power, he had probably tried to isolate what he would have seen as Bisimbi magic in the air. Alastor had enough control during that interaction that he hadn’t hurt Stolas. Alastor also had enough control to maintain the jazz on the radio and calls to him still connected, something Alastor was clearly doing just to comfort him and that gave him hope Alastor would be back soon.

He still relied on staying in Alastor’s room and the coffee Alastor would make him to keep his mood stable during the day. He wasn’t sure how long it would keep up, but he was putting his faith in Alastor that his deer would be back before then. He’d gotten himself another cup of coffee and had pilfered one of the books from Alastor’s room with the intent of reading to distract himself. There were so many mystery novels, when he had found one he thought would be interesting he’d discovered it was the sixth book of a series and had begrudgingly gone to find the first. The detective was polite, witty and engaging. It was easy to understand why Alastor would enjoy them. He’d only just gotten to the part where the detective’s friend had come to request assistance in solving the murder when his phone went off.

He marked his place in the book and almost dropped both it and the phone as he saw who was calling. Ozzie was displayed on his phone as well as a photo of the sin’s three faces. Could he have found out about Alastor? How could he have found out? He and Charlie hadn’t told anyone. Summoning Raphael would be more than enough to cause whispers of a scandal in Heaven, but had more information gotten out? He doubted Emily would spread the information unnecessarily. He fumbled the phone, clicking the answer button as he raised the device to his ear.

“Hey- Heya Ozzie.” He answered nervously.

“Why is Raphael’s magic floating about Hell?” Ozzie bellowed into the phone. Well, I hadn’t thought that would be how he’d find out. He can sense Alastor in the airwaves? He had so many questions. Did that mean that Alastor was now in the Lust Ring? Stolas had felt his magic too…Alastor could travel between rings! No other sinner was able to do that. “Why is Stolas trying to convince me I’m wrong and that the angelic magic permeating through Hell isn’t Raphael’s but some Simbi’s Nephilim who’s become a sinner?” He could tell that Ozzie was directing his frustration at someone else, which meant that Stolas was there with Ozzie.

“Well…” He stretched the word as he gathered his thoughts. “Technically, you’re both right. The magic you are sensing belongs to a single sinner. They are the son of a Simbi but they are also Raphael’s grandson.” He finally confessed the truth to Ozzie. One way or another Ozzie was going to find out about Alastor, and if Stolas was there then he had little reason to try to deny it.

“Ozzie?” He heard an unfamiliar voice in the background while the sin remained silent.

“He had a child!? Raphael?” Ozzie’s sudden response made him jump.

“Yeeeah. He had a little girl.” He managed to mumble.

“No. He couldn’t have. Raphael wouldn’t.” He heard something snap in the background but Ozzie didn’t sound quite as angry.

“Are you saying you didn’t feel his magic?” He pushed, knowing that Ozzie would struggle to accept what he was saying was true without proof. What better proof did he have than the fact that Ozzie had called him saying that Raphael’s magic was in the air.

“He couldn’t have. Raphael’s never… ever had that type of interest.” He could hear the hint of confusion and hurt in Ozzie’s voice. Struggling to understand how someone so rigid, someone who never once even looked twice at anyone had a child with a human.

“Things change. Even angels change.” He sighed. Sure things changed, but he doubted Heaven would ever adapt from the corrupted lie of itself it had become.

“... You say he had a girl? Is she in Heaven now?” Ozzie sounded like he was ready to go protect Raphael’s nephilim should she be in Hell. It made him grin, Ozzie would wage war for those he loved, and he had, but he was also an absolute sweetheart that treasured those he kept close.

“Yeah she is.” He muttered happily. He sighed before he continued. “Raphael’s been called to trial for sealing her, failing to disclose her as his nephilim and altering holy record to conceal his connection.”

“He WHAT!?” Ozzie exploded and he pulled the phone away from his ear quickly at the shock of the noise. “Tell me he didn’t force himself upon the human.” Ozzie growled into the phone. Consent was something Ozzie saw as vital to sex. Those who violated or disregarded consent, were seen as lower than bugs. It was one of his core principles and the sin refused to back down when he found someone trying to force another.

“I-I don’t know what happened Ozzie. We will probably get more information around the trial. I just know he wasn’t involved and that his nephilim ended up making a deal for her and her child’s soul.”

“Which sinner has Raphael’s blood?” Ozzie demanded, his voice going dark once again. Ozzie’s focus now was on Alastor and he felt himself responding threateningly to the idea of Ozzie having any interest in Alastor.

“I… I won’t tell you.” He shook his head as he spoke.

“Why?” Ozzie growled.

“You can’t have them.” He spoke each word slowly, authority seeped into his own voice as his anger sparked his form to change from just thinking of Asmodeus trying to take Alastor away from him. Ozzie didn’t immediately respond. He struggled to try and calm himself from portalling over to the Lust Ring just to teach Ozzie not to look twice at his deer.

“Again, why?” Ozzie’s tone was more curious now.

“They’re mine.” He snarled, his magic snapped in the air with the force of his declaration. He was shocked by how quickly his power had reacted. He’d already told Rosie he loved Alastor, now Ozzie… had he even let Alastor know yet? f*ck. He’d have to change that when he got back. The shock of his realisation forced him back to his usual form.

“Yours? I’m confused.”

“Ohhhhh. Well this just got interesting.” Stolas happily chirped in the background. He ran his hand over his face, Stolas had figured out he was an item with Alastor. Granted he didn’t have a name yet, Stolas had enough information that he’d eventually figure it out.

“Yes.” He managed to summon enough courage to not squeak out the word.

“Yours.” Ozzie stretched the word. There was a happy chuckle from Ozzie. “Have you finally moved on?” Ozzie had caught on as well.

“Maybe… kind of.. Well. I guess yeah. But almost no one knows… He’s not used to relationships. I mean he hasn’t tried to kill me for touching him or kissing him or any of that. And he would... Oh he would if he didn’t like it. Wouldn’t matter to him that I was King of Hell, he’d explode.” He rambled nervously.

“Oh… this is- Oh I must… Oh Fizz~! I’ll be right back.” Ozzie’s excited sounding voice aside, there were still too many things that might set the sin off. He stood up quickly and portaled to the lobby. Also having Ozzie show up in Alastor’s room was not something he wanted to have to explain. Not only that, Charlie would certainly feel Ozzie arrive and would be immediately defensive of Alastor. His mind was spiralling with the possibilities, when barely a moment later Ozzie appeared in front of him. Ozzie’s presence was in no way muted. The air felt like there was a warm thick fog filling the room.

“O…Ozzie. Heeey.” He poorly managed to not sound nervous.

“Holy f*ck.” He heard from the bar. A quick glance over revealed Husker staring in shock at the two of them. He should have known that Husker would be at the bar… but better to have the confrontation here than in Alastor’s room… It was too late to move them to his own.

“I need all the details.” Ozzie grabbed his arm and forced him to sit on the couch with him.

“You…. aren’t going to try and hurt him because of… Raphael?” He asked quietly. Husker’s hearing was very good and he wasn’t sure how much he wanted the other to know yet. He certainly knew Alastor wasn’t ready to tell the rest of the hotel yet.

“Why would I? I’ve not heard you be this possessive of anyone other than Charlie. He obviously means a lot to you and it sounds like they are on board with you too. If he’s anything like Raphael, yeah he’d tear your head off for trying something he didn’t want. If both of you want it, why would I get in the way of that?” Ozzie was grinning proudly down at him but all he could do was stare back as relief melted some of the stress he was feeling. He had Ozzie’s support with Alastor.

“Uncle Ozzie.” Charlie called out from the stairs as she travelled down them two at a time. Her expression was serious, clearly trying to understand the situation but ready to protect Alastor.

“Charlotte! Dear, how have you been?” Ozzie twisted around to catch a glimpse of her before he stood up and faced her.

Right, she needs to know he’s not going to hurt Alastor. Adrenaline spiked in his system as he jumped up and tried to reassure Charlie that Ozzie wasn’t a threat to Alastor.

“You had better not be here to threaten Papa.” Charlie growled quietly at Ozzie. Oh his heart beat faster hearing her say that. Alastor needed to get back so he could hear her talk about him like that. Her features softened as her eyes settled on him.

“Papa?” Ozzie looked between Charlie and him. “You mean the one with Raphael’s blood?”

Before either of them could nod, green magic fizzled around them turning into streaks of electricity that crackled and gathered into a ball before shattering to dust and revealing a figure. Standing where he had last disappeared was Alastor. His antlers were out and appearing much larger than he’d ever seen, only now they were black with fractured veins of dark red. Alastor’s eyes were black with pale green radio dials. There was a change to his presence that had the static snapping in the air. A deep blue chain rested in his left hand that linked to the collar around his neck. With a triumphant grin, Alastor closed his hand around the chain and it dissolved. The air around them shuddered, for the first time in his life, Alastor had possession of his soul.

The red in his antlers shone brightly as his body was illuminated with green magic. Alastor’s eyes burned amber on black sclera before returning to green radio dials. Sigils appeared all over the room and probably throughout the hotel. Green lightning forked along the ceiling and floor radiating out from Alastor. The power coming off of him was immense, it was a glimpse of what was possibly Alastor’s full power. Something he would normally keep tightly under wraps. Alastor started to lean forward but quickly caught himself and stood up straight as his unleashed power settled after the initial burst now that the seal was undone and he quickly pulled the aura it produced inward to hide his true capabilities.

“Alastor!” he and Charlie called out. He felt the stress of the last few days evaporate as he finally laid eyes on his deer.

“Woah.” Ozzie gasped next to him. His eyes were wide and the mouth on all three of his faces hung open.

Alastor looked over at them, grin remaining in place as his form reverted to his usual one, only his antlers stayed slightly larger than he normally would have them.

“Your Majesty. I do hope I haven’t been too tardy.” Alastor inclined his head. There was a sheen to Alastor’s antlers that hadn’t been there before, a deep red that reflected in the light.

“You were successful!” He couldn’t help but bound over to Alastor. His step was light now that Alastor had returned. He managed to get within a few feet of Alastor before the remaining hotel residents thundered into the room, some like Angel and Vaggie were armed.

“Wha… woah.” Vaggie lowered her spear as her eyes darted between Alastor and Ozzy.

“Pretty!” Niffty clapped happily appearing from nowhere on the back of the couch, causing Ozzie to flinch and glance briefly down at her before he focused again on Alastor.

“Who’s that?” Angel pointed the muzzle of his gun at Ozzie, who didn’t even register it as a threat. Charlie quickly held out her hands, fingers splayed wide to get the residents to calm down. Her words were cut off by Ozzie.

“I assume that is him.” Ozzie gestured to Alastor. “I can feel Raphael’s magic flowing through his veins.” Ozzie smiled in stunned wonder. He felt his instincts flare as his wings itched to come out as someone powerful expressed interest in his deer. He forced himself to take a deep breath and calm down. Ozzie has a partner he loves and might have marked himself, he isn’t a threat. He repeated in his head at the prickling jealousy in his veins.

“Ra-” Vaggie sputtered as her spear slipped from her fingers and clattered loudly to the floor in the silence that followed Ozzie’s comment.

“Raphael!? The archangel!?” Angel shook his head in denial as he finally put away his weapons. He managed a small nervous smile, one that was matched by Charlie that confirmed the revelation as truth.

“f*ck.” Husker cursed from the bar. He grabbed a bottle and a glass and walked over to the crowd. He filled the glass and handed it to Angel then took a long swig from the bottle.

Alastor had merely shrugged at the reactions from the residents. As the silence stretched Alastor looked from him to Ozzie back then back at him. Ozzie had taken two steps closer to Alastor while he had been distracted by the others and he found himself growling as the other fallen approached his deer. Alastor raised an eyebrow at the noise. Husker sputtered but managed to not choke on his drink.

“I do believe introductions are in order.” Alastor muttered, leaning towards him to prompt him to move the conversation on.

“Alastor, this is Asmodeus. Ozzie…this is indeed Raphael’s grandson.” He managed the simple introduction without taking his eyes off of Ozzie who only smirked.

“I can see the attraction.” Ozzie moved closer slowly, watching his reaction more than Alastor’s as he leaned forward, stopping a few mere inches from his deer. Ozzie inhaled deep and he found himself fighting to keep his wings in yet again. Ozzie was altogether too close to his seal and it was taking considerable effort to remain in his current form. He felt Alastor tense from the proximity but he held his ground against Ozzie’s intimidating form. A low growl escaped his concentration as his body reacted to Alastor’s small indication of discomfort.

“He smells addictive, untamed and angelic. Like sex during a lightning storm by the ocean. Bottle that, and you’d make a fortune off of the pheromones.” Ozzie leaned back, his smirk blooming into a full booming smile. Angel whistled at the description and leaned into Husk.

“I’m sorry?” Alastor took a step back from Ozzie, just enough for him to press his side into him without toppling either of them. The jealousy that made him want to tear into the threat who expressed interest in his deer sizzled out as Alastor was firmly pressed against him, signalling loud and clear to Ozzie that Alastor had no interest in other suitors. Ozzie burst into peals of laughter from Alastor’s reaction.

“Oh my, he takes after him as well. Good luck with him, Lucifer.” Ozzie gave him a wink before stepping back and settling next to Angel and Husk. Alastor blinked but didn’t move from his position. Angel’s jaw dropped as he clued in first but the rest caught on quickly. He felt his face heat up as everyone in the hotel now understood the two of them were an item. Alastor’s head twitched and his ear flicked as he contained his irritability, yet he remained where he was. The air became thick, threatening static as it reacted to Alastor’s emotion. He tried to contain his smile as Alastor’s lack of denial or movement, spoke his feelings louder than any words. Irritable he might be from them finding out in such a manner, the fact that Alastor wouldn’t deny their relationship made his heart soar.

“Oh. Oh, Lucifer, he's adorable! Does he have a tail too?” Ozzie squealed excitedly, unable to contain his curiosity. He could feel a low rumble coming from Alastor but the noise wasn’t audible.

“Tail? Oh Al do tell!” Angel joined in as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him before.

“HE DOES!” Niffty blurted out with a proud grin as she skittered back and forth along the back of the couch.

“Niffty dear.” Alastor chastised the little gremlin. It was a much softer tone than he was expecting, given just how much of Alastor’s power had started to seep out. The fracture pattern glowed faintly red on Alastor’s antlers.

“Oh I need to see this!” Angel and Ozzie chimed in unison

“No.” Alastor growled at the both of them. He shivered from the power and intent Alastor managed to weave into the single word. Alastor began to tense as he contained his powers from lashing out at anyone. Yet the rest of the hotel seemed oblivious to the threat. All three of Ozzie’s faces were pouting at the response.

“Come on Al, at some point we will see it, why not just show it off now? Give it a good shake.” Angel wasn’t nearly as deterred from the denial as he should be. Though it looked like Husk was about ready to step in and get him to back down.

“No.” Alastor repeated, giving off a sense of finality and doom for those who might dare try.

“Not even for Lucifer?” Angel teased and got a glare in response. The threatened static in the background started to crackle. He moved his hand and let it rest on Alastor’s lower back giving his deer a focus to reign in the emotions that he typically wouldn’t be showing. The effect was immediate as the tension around Alastor dissipated, making it fully clear they were an item to all, should they still have any doubts.

“OOOOOkay.” He called out to get everyone’s attention. “That’s enough picking on Alastor. Ozzie you should probably head back to the Lust ring. I’m sure the signal will be restored there shortly.” He glanced up at Alastor to confirm. Alastor’s ears flicked, betraying his nervousness, but he nodded in agreement.

“Alright. Good to meet you Alastor.” Ozzie held out a hand.

“A pleasure.” Alastor hesitantly shook the other’s hand. With a grin and a wave Ozzie disappeared back to the Lust Ring. The magic from Ozzie’s portal hadn’t even reached the floor before the silence was broken

“Soooo - you and Alastor?” Angel asked and was promptly elbowed by Husk.

“Do you take issue with that Angel?” The air crackled as Alastor shifted his focus to the spider. He watched as Alastor took a breath to calm down and as Husk shifted closer to Angel, not to get between the two, but to stand with Angel. This isn’t like him. It’s like he’s still triggered… or overwhelmed. Oh. Alastor had only just returned from the airwaves. He had only just gotten his soul for the first time in his entire existence. He had to be experiencing changes to his magic and perhaps even somethings that were likely the first time. Alastor’s powers were at a completely new level than they had been and there was a good chance he was still adjusting to the increase in his powers.

“Just disappointed I wasn’t the one to tap you first.” Angel managed nervously. He rubbed the back of his head before adding. “But yeah, congrats. The two of you are pretty much exactly what the other needs. Lu needs someone who won’t break under pressure and his immense power and you need someone who can get you to unwind. The two of you want someone who’ll have your back when sh*t gets ugly and f*ck you got that with the other.”

The tension slowly dissipated from Alastor as Angel spoke.

“I’m glad you have no objection.” He nodded in approval before taking a step away towards Charlie. “Charlie dear?”

He found himself immediately missing the heat from Alastor being next to him and struggled not to frown. They both knew that Charlie wouldn’t be able to keep from hugging Alastor. Just need to be patient. He reminded himself. Once they had finished in the lobby with the other resident’s he and Alastor would end up back in one of their rooms. He could catch up on his missed out snuggles as Alastor regaled him on what happened in the airwaves and get used to the way his powers reacted now.

“Yes?” Charlie popped up at his side, giving him a tight hug. Alastor returned the hug but paused before responding.

“I know I just returned, but I require some more time before I can return to helping out around the hotel.” Alastor’s words were a shock to all present and they clearly didn’t sit well with him as his ears flattened to his head and his eyes reflected a self loathing he’d rarely witnessed in spite of the smile on Alastor’s face. Worry made him want to step forward and pull Alastor back into him, to wrap his wings around the two of them and portal off to the safety of his room where he could help Alastor with the adjustment. The only visible change in him was his furrowed brows and frown.
“What’s wrong?” Charlie asked, her face mirrored his concern. If Alastor was openly telling Charlie… and the rest of the hotel for that matter, that he needed a break, then he was having a harder time with the adjustment than even he’d picked up on. He fidgeted with the hem of his coat. With Alastor feeling safe enough to confess a weakness in front of others, Charlie would see it as progress. It might be more of the reason why Alastor was doing it than actually being unwell. He really hoped that was the case, but he couldn’t shake the doubt that there was more to it.

“I must admit having the angelic seal removed will take some getting used to. I’m going to have to steal your father away for a while…” Alastor paused to glare over at Angel who was failing to stifle his laughter. “For activities that have nothing to do with what is currently going through Angel’s head…” He grumbled then sighed. “and everything to do with him having experience in controlling angelic magic while in Hell.” Charlie’s eyes widened as she understood and nodded quickly.

“Wait, with your powers unsealed does that mean you are mostly angel? Do you bleed gold?” Charlie’s bolt of inspiration rambled out her mouth before her brain had a chance to stop it. The recent revelation about Raphael being Alastor’s grandfather aside, most present weren’t aware that Alastor’s father was also an angelic being.

“When I find out, I’ll let you know. For now, I assume I still bleed red as I’ve never been to Heaven and have no connection to it.” Alastor brushed Charlie's hair behind her ear before stepping back next to him.

“Hold on a f*cking minute! What do you mean he’s ‘mostly’ angel?” Husker stared wide eyed at the three of them. Vaggie looked like she was going to be sick as she held onto the arm of the couch as she braced for the rest of the hotel to find out what she likely had already been told by Charlie.

“My mother is Raphael’s nephilim. My biological father is Bisimbi, and the one who until recently held my soul. In all, I am three quarters angelic and one quarter sinner.” Alastor stated matter-of-factly with a small nod and took the opportunity of everyone being distracted to slip his hand into his and give it a little squeeze. He held on tight so Alastor couldn’t take his hand back. He smirked at the quick glance he got but was even more pleased when Alastor didn’t try to pull his hand away again.

“f*ck” Husker shook his head before gauging what was left in the bottle he had in his hand and opted to chug the remaining liquid.

“Holy sh*t.” Angel mumbled in awe.“Can you do anything new?” Angel was brimming with curiosity. It was easy to see why he and Charlie got along so well.

“Most of my powers have built on what I had already uncovered, just increasing the potency. There is the possibility of new and as of yet undiscovered additions.”

“How many of Raphael’s powers did you inherit?” Vaggie had managed to recover enough to voice her question. As the other former angel she would have some idea of the sheer scope of powers that Alastor could have inherited from Raphael.

“That’s what you want to know… sh*t toots, I wanna know the extent of this increase in his powers.” Angel slouched forward with both sets of arms extended towards Alastor.

“Do let me know if you wish to volunteer to find out what else I might be able to do.” Alastor smiled threateningly at Angel. Husk quickly pulled Angel back and Alastor turned to Vaggie. “I am more familiar with the Simbi than the angels… but my guess would be around four and most you’ve already seen in some capacity.” The threatening malice that had been there when speaking to Angel was gone as he spoke to Vaggie and gestured over to the pocket dimension bar.

“Spacial magic… sh*t, makes sense how you can use your shadows to travel now. Did you get any of his healing magic?” She asked hesitantly but there was an excitement behind it. If Alastor had access to healing magic that would be a huge benefit to the hotel, and Charlie.

“I’m inclined to say yes, I’m just not aware of the extent or if it is solely related to Raphael...”

Alastor paused, his eyes glazed over and the power that suddenly started to come from him made the air thick.

“Alastor?” He asked quietly, letting his fingers rub in a circle along the small of his back just above his tail. There was the possibility that whatever was happening with Alastor and his powers that he might collapse and he wouldn’t let his deer fall.

“It seems, we are going to have some uninvited guests. I had hoped to be a little more prepared before entertaining.” Alastor’s voice sounded far away like it was coming from a speaker on low.

“sh*t, on that note! We need to let Rosie know you’re back too.” He gave Alastor a squeeze and his eyes focused back on him. Alastor nodded and a small part of his shadow separated from him and dashed off to Cannibal Town.

“Who’s coming?” Charlie asked as Alastor’s ears folded down and he blinked repeatedly.

“The Vees. It seems someone advised them that Raphael has a grandson in Hell. They are also aware it’s me… but want to trick us into giving them proof so they won’t risk their source.” Alastor spoke but his voice faded a few words and returned to normal by the end.

“What?!”

“Alastor, I know you’re not going to like what I’m going to say…” Charlie pleaded with her puppy eyes at Alastor.

“You want me to hide.” Alastor huffed as he guessed at her request.

“While I would rather you hide… please do not engage with the Vee’s. Especially not Vox. Please P- Alastor.” Charlie Almost called him Papa aloud, and all frustration dissolved in Alastor. He smiled at her protectiveness and how she had still tried to give him the option to be present, but she wasn’t aware of the history between Alastor and Vox.

“Staying in your shadow might be wise right now... Please?” He added his own pleading puppy expression to Charlie’s.

“If you insist…but I’ll stay in your shadow instead.” Alastor sighed as his resolve faltered in the face of their puppy-eyed assault. Alastor leaned slightly into him before sinking into their combined shadows leaving no trace he was there. Other than the sense that something wasn’t quite right yet being unable to locate the source of his unease, he couldn’t even feel Alastor’s presence.

“Oh, Smiles, I didn’t know you could be kinky like that. You can get funky with my shadow anytime.” Angel giggled and was held back from coming any closer by Husk.

He shivered as he felt Alastor’s magic hovering around his arm, tingling just beyond his skin. He looked down and watched as Alastor made his shadow give Angel the finger.

“Ha, no… He’s mine.” He smirked and barely managed to keep his growl low as he spoke.

Alastor’s POV

While he would never admit it aloud, he was thankful that Lucifer had suggested that he remain within the shadows while the Vees were present. He'd felt Lucifer’s magic reach possessively for him through the bite mark and he had let the force of Lucifer’s claim on him pull him back from the airwaves. His powers reacted so much faster than they had before. Only the slightest tug gave him access to more than he was used to. He hadn’t expected to be able to reappear that quickly. Glad though he was, it had been difficult to not become overwhelmed, especially when Asmodeus and Angel had been teasing him about his tail. If Angel was able to get under his skin right now, it was best to remain within Lucifer’s shadow. Vox was familiar enough with enough of his expressions to read further into his reactions and would easily identify Lucifer as his beau.

He needed to figure out a way to filter the information he was receiving from the airwaves. While he had been contained within them, he had set up an alert to warn him should one of the Vees decide to visit the hotel while he was absent. It had alerted him that the three of them were on the way over. He’d only intended to find out where they were when he’d focused on them. Only his powers had diverted his full focus from the lobby to the limo the three Vees were bickering in. He had been lucky that he’d not collapsed at the suddenness of the switch. Sure Lucifer had been there, and he had little doubt the fallen would have caught him but he couldn’t afford to let something like that happen again.

Really, Vox and his compatriots had the worst timing. He hadn’t had time to get any information out of Lucifer or Charlie as to how long he’d been gone or when Raphael’s trial was going to be. At least, he had reappeared, the situation with Asmodeus resolved and the sin of Lust returned to his territory without the Vees finding out. They had a source, with ties to Heaven and were aware of Raphael’s impending trial and his own connection to the archangel. He needed to find out who this person was. He would have to dedicate some time to that search after he had a chance to speak with Lucifer and managed to gain more control over his powers as they were now.

He felt Lucifer’s powers flare momentarily and heard a small snarl he doubted even Husker would have been able to discern as Vox opened the door for Val and Velvette. It seemed that their talk about the newspaper article Vox had written still had Lucifer territorial over him. He shifted so that his magic surrounded Lucifer’s shadow and he gave it a reassuring squeeze. He smirked from where he hid as the tension spiked then dissipated to nothing as Lucifer realised where the sensation came from.

“Come now mon canard, no need for jealousy. I am yours alone.” he whispered lowly into the ear of Lucifer’s shadow so that no one else would hear it. Lucifer froze where he was. He closed his eyes and took several breaths.

“Yes, you are mine but unless you want it to witness my claim on you, I wouldn’t say such things in such a suggestive manner. Do it again, and I will pull you from my shadow to have my way with you.” Lucifer’s voice was barely a whisper, but he found himself frozen and flush at the same time from what was said. Part of him really wanted to push, to see if Lucifer really would follow through on his threat. Vox didn’t deserve to witness any part of that let alone the other Vees. No, he wouldn’t be sharing any part of his time with Lucifer with them.

“Well, I certainly don’t want to share that scene with him. For you, I’ll behave.” He smirked as he spoke, knowing those words would only urge Lucifer on, and hopefully end the interaction as quickly as possible. Lucifer looked down at him within his shadow and let his gaze linger. He shivered within the shadow from the heat in Lucifer’s eyes warning him to stay quiet or face the consequences. Lucifer’s effect on him felt stronger than before and he needed to reign himself in. With the threat that had just walked through the door, he would need to be careful. He pulled his power in closer to keep any of the Vees from picking up on his presence, or Vox from noticing the change to it.

There was a collective sneer from the three of the Vees. Val’s lip curled up in disgust while Velvette glanced around before typing some more on her phone. Vox was more attentive than the other two; his eyes scanned the room more than once, searching for something which in all likelihood was himself. Confusion caused Vox’s left eye to change to its more hypnotic pattern. His absence had been noted, and it was likely to be brought up sooner rather than later. He still wasn’t used to allowing others to help him, and sitting on the sidelines had him itching to jump in, but he forced himself to remain still. He needed to let Lucifer and Charlie handle them, the two of them were capable and he needed to trust them, as tortuous as it might feel to remain idle.

“Ugh, it’s actually worse than I thought it would be.” Velvette sneered before her eyes returned to the screen of her phone and her thumbs typed away furiously. Her attention was divided between what was going on around her and the current debate on one of her recent posts. He disliked the mobile device more than the television but he had control over them both and the slightest inclination from himself would snap her connection to it. While he wanted to fry the device in her hand, it would make his presence known. More importantly it would mean Vox would understand he was ‘hiding’ and he just would not allow that.

“Hi~ Welcome to the Hazbin Hotel!” Charlie chirped nervously at the new arrivals as she stood next to her father.

“Ah Princess, care to comment on the latest news? It seems that one of Hell’s residents has angelic parentage.” Vox switched instantly into his newscaster role. His screen blinked briefly and reset his eye back to normal.

“Ugh… well, it’s not parentage. Raphael is their grandfather.” Charlie mumbled and rubbed her arm. Lucifer coughed. A warning for Charlie to not give away too much information but it also acted as a means to divert Vox’s attention from her.

“Your Majesty! You must have opinions on the matter!” Vox lit up and he felt the stirrings of his own jealousy. He clamped down tightly on his powers as he watched the lecherous screen leer at Lucifer.

“Ugh… Um, no? Not really.” The Fallen tried to sound dismissive, but his nervousness seeped through.

“Raphael is famous for never having partaken in sex and in fact refusing the sin of Lust while they were both in Heaven. Now we suddenly find out that he, in fact, has a lineage. Do you know if there are any remaining on Earth?” Vox rambled before throwing in his question in an attempt to get Lucifer to say something that might reveal who in Hell was Raphael’s grandchild.

“There aren’t.” Lucifer responded flatly. Leaning slightly forward on his cane as he materialised it.
“You say that with such confidence! Do you and the Princess know who the lucky sinner is?” Velvette glanced up at the two of them as she waited on a response to what she had previously posted. Next to her, Val was openly sneering at Angel and not at all interested in the rest of the conversation. Charlie looked down and off to the side quickly. A sign he knew Vox would translate as a clear yes. Lucifer sighed, picking up on the static glee snapping around Vox.

“We do. We have chosen not to reveal their identity, for… safety reasons.” Lucifer invoked some of his authority as he spoke. A not so subtle hint towards Vox to leave Charlie alone.

He chuckled silently contained in Lucifer’s Shadow. Safety Reasons.

“Certainly not their safety.” He heard Husker mutter but the sound was too low for Vox to pick up on.

“Safety reasons? Is this sinner really that weak?” Val scoffed as he added his irrelevant thoughts on the conversation. Vox grinned knowing just how much being portrayed as weak irritated him. It was something that, in the past, might have gotten a reaction out of him but he was a man of his word and he had told Lucifer he would behave.

“No.” Both Lucifer and Charlie answered quickly in unison, cutting any wait he thought he might have to endure to shreds. He grinned a true smile at their immediate defence of him. His skin tingled in response to the joy and pride he felt knowing the two he’d accepted as his family stood tall in the face of his enemies.

“Oh?” Val hummed with interest, but the response had all of the Vee’s attention.

“An Overlord then?” Velvette’s eyes darted between Charlie and Lucifer as she analysed their response.

“Not necessarily, but someone who would easily be able to stand their ground against an Overlord…They recently had a bout with a Goetia and easily won.” Lucifer was gaining his confidence while dealing with the Vees.

When did I fight one of the Goetia? He wasn’t entirely sure what Lucifer was referring to. There had been that time something had tugged on his consciousness as he was wrapping up absorbing the airwaves, he’d swatted it like some fly. Had that been it? Either his powers were a lot more than he thought or it must have been one weak Goetia.

“Would they be able to take on your resident Overlord?” Vox’s screen displayed a line of drool as he asked a question the television fool thought he wouldn’t be able to resist responding to.

Both Lucifer and Charlie paused. The two shared a concerned look which caused Vox’s grin to spread to most of his screen. Vox wasn’t aware of the change to his powers, and he had to admit, his previous self would have barely even registered as a fight with his current one. He wasn’t sure if he’d regret this later, but he would help ease the strain on deciding how their response impacted him. He wiggled the shadow’s fingers just enough to get Lucifer and Charlie’s attention. Lucifer only stiffened, not risking a look down at his shadow, when that might give Alastor away. Charlie’s eyes settled on him and he allowed the shadow to nod once.

“They would.” Charlie proclaimed confidently now that she had his approval. Lucifer only hesitated a moment before nodding resolutely in agreement with her. Velvette actually stopped what she had been doing with her device and looked up. Vox glitched a bit. Neither had expected them to admit that Alastor wouldn’t easily win. Even if it were against himself.

“Where is your resident Overlord? They have been conspicuously quiet recently. No broadcasts and he has yet to make an appearance. He hasn’t even responded to the article about his last broadcast.” Vox was getting desperate now as he tried to direct the conversation.

“The nonsense you tried to spout in the papers?” Lucifer managed to attach such disinterest to his voice he found it shocking. “Why would he need to respond to that? It sounded more like a jealous rant of someone with unrequited feelings and not something in need of a response. I honestly was surprised you were willing to put your name on such a blatant bit of fanmail.” Lucifer went on shaking his head in disgust. He stared in shock at the one who’d stolen his heart anew with his dismissal and attack on Vox. “Besides, he’s been quite busy ensuring that the one you’re looking for is kept hidden until they are called to make an appearance in Heaven. I am unable to be with them constantly as it would draw too much attention if I did. Alastor on the other hand, has the ability to remain in their shadow until needed. There are not many who would risk the Radio Demon’s wrath. He does have a reputation for taking out whole groups of demons and winning.” Had Emily been in contact since he had left? Lucifer phrased it as though it was still a pending thing. He chuckled silently as Lucifer dangled his location in front of Vox knowing the glitching Vee wouldn’t pick up on it. Oh he couldn’t wait to be out of Lucifer’s shadow so he could show the other just how well he’d done against Vox.

Vox’s screen glitched between shock and disappointment while he struggled with a rebuttal, neither of the other Vees coming to his aid as every now and again the screen flashed completely blue.

“Wait, you actually got him to agree to lay low?” Velvette finally spoke up. Her words gave the glitching Vox something to latch onto as he forced himself back from his blue screen.

“No way, not that showy prick. He’d rather bleed out than miss a broadcast. What kind of a deal did you or they have to make?” He felt Lucifer’s powers react to the statement. Vox had spoken with the confidence of one who had seen or had caused him to be in a situation where he still managed a broadcast while bleeding out. Lucifer managed to contain his power so that the three Vees didn’t pick up on the rage he could sense brewing.

“We didn’t have to. Alastor said he’d do it just to show off he had the power to do so… and that it would be entertaining to watch as people searched for Raphael’s grandchild and fail miserably.” Charlie answered for her father, as she modified the reason he had given to her as to why he was interested in helping at the hotel into the reason he was not there. Alastor found himself grinning proudly at Charlie.

“No way that old-timey bastard would agree to that.” Vox sparked in anger, but the look on his screen betrayed that he knew it was a reason he would give and that he’d lost the opportunity to use Lucifer and Charlie as those who revealed who Raphael’s grandson was.

“What did you mean - appearance in Heaven? This sinner gets to go upstairs?” Velvette asked as she inched closer to Lucifer.

“Ah… ugh, well.” Charlie glanced around as she struggled with her answer.

“Raphael is being put on trial for his transgression and omission.” Lucifer helped her out. “Given their history, I am expecting that the court will call those of his lineage to appear as proof. I expect they will show up in the next day or so demanding we hand over the sinner and using the lack of notice and surprise to get what they want.” Lucifer stood his ground against Velvette’s scrutiny. He now had a partial answer to his questions. It must not have been that long since he’d gone into the airwaves since neither Emily or Heaven had been in contact with Lucifer or Charlie.

“Have you been in contact with Asmodeus about the presence of Raphael’s spawn?” Val

“Asmodeus is aware, and harbours no grudge. Being the one most familiar with Raphael’s powers, he verified their identity himself.” Lucifer’s magic started to feel almost prickly. The Vees have overstayed their welcome and Lucifer’s patience seemed to be waning quickly.

“Waiiiiiit, if we can find the Radio Demon, we would be able to figure out who the individual is?” Vox’s screen lit up with a malicious grin as his remote brain had finally figured out how to weave the conversation back to having someone reveal the identity of Raphael’s grandson.

“Do you really think you’d be able to find him?” Lucifer had run out of tolerance for the nattering demon. “You can barely keep yourself from buffering right now when your petty attempts to trick us into revealing who Raphael’s grandchild is have failed. The three of you are out of your depth. Now, we have better things to do. If you are not intent on redemption, please leave.” Lucifer tapped his can to the floor once with a little bit of his power for emphasis. Vox glitched some more from the outright threat but when none of them moved, Lucifer glared. “That wasn’t a request.” Lucifer’s voice deepened with the threat he uttered, stirring all three into action as they clambered over each other to escape first.

None who remained in the hotel moved until the sound of tyres screeching reached their ears as the Vees sped off back to their tower. He finally allowed himself to materialise once again. His signature smile, a rare true smile from what he’d witnessed.

“I guess I’ll have to invite Rosie over for tea rather than go see her now.” He proclaimed as he broke the silence. While being unable to venture far from the hotel would be a hindrance, it could be considered payment for being able to watch Lucifer take Vox down several pegs.

“I’m sure Rosie will make time to come to see you.” Charlie’s whole body seemed to be alight with her happiness.

“Knowing her, she’ll make her way here quickly.” Lucifer mumbled. “Now, If you all will excuse us, I am going to steal Alastor away.” Lucifer grabbed his arm as he created a portal next to them. “Charlie, please let us know when Rosie gets here.”

“Sure Dad!” She grinned and closed the gap between them so she could steal another hug from Alastor. “I’m glad you’re back Papa.” She whispered quietly near his ear. He was glad they’d discussed her calling him that prior, he was having a difficult enough time processing how tight it made his chest feel.

“Me too darling. Don’t worry I’ll get the hang of the adjustment soon enough.” He gave her a quick squeeze before Charlie took a step back. She waved to the two of them as Lucifer guided him through the portal. He had half expected for Lucifer to bring them back to his workshop but was pleasantly surprised to find they were now within his bayou.

He closed his eyes for a moment. He could feel the connection to the airwaves. It linked him to so much more than the radio now. It was like his early days, when he’d not yet claimed the title Radio Demon. He had been able to manipulate the radio waves back then and while his initial broadcast hadn’t been intentional, he’d figured out quickly how to control it. He would do the same with the airwaves. He felt Lucifer’s hand on his chest and opened his eyes.

“Thank you for the luck.” He smiled gently before he leaned down and gave Lucifer a gentle kiss. Lucifer pulled him back for a second then a third kiss before grinning up at him.

“Welcome home my love.” Lucifer muttered four words and his world stopped. Home. Yes, that was something he wanted to have with Lucifer. His idea of home had always been where he’d grown up with his mother. That place had become home after his father died and remained home for the rest of his life. It was the place he’d longed for and created his bayou in an attempt to settle those feelings. Lucifer felt like home, and those feelings he associated with the cottage he’d shared with his mother stirred now when thinking of Lucifer. The two of them had a home in this hotel.

“Good to be back.” He sighed contently as he cupped Lucifer’s cheek, unsure of how to voice his emotions so he kept quiet. Lucifer’s small hand covered his own and gave it a little squeeze.

“Now, tell me about what’s happened to you.”

“I have full control over the airwaves. There are some limitations, but that is mostly with reach. For example, here in the Pride ring anything within the scope of the airwaves I have complete control over. My power wanes the further I try to reach from my physical location. While I was in the airwaves I was able to access the other rings… and Earth.” He added cautiously. While he had made it there and back, he wasn’t certain he’d be able to do it again.

“Earth? You made it to Earth?” Lucifer's eyebrows brushed his hairline in his shock.

“Somewhat. I was able to follow the soul chain attached to me back to Simbi Andezo. I couldn’t fully manifest from the airwaves then, but he gave me back my soul without protest. I… actually came directly back afterwards.” He paused as his curiosity got the better of him. “I felt your powers call out to me through the mark.” He confessed and waited to see how Lucifer would react.

“You… felt me call? I- I didn’t.” Shock, concern and confusion all passed over Lucifer’s features as a deep golden blush settled on his cheeks.

“I believe it had something to do with your conversation with Asmodeus prior to my return.” He prodded. “Your possessiveness reached out and called me… home, and I happily answered.” He managed to work some of the overwhelming emotions into words. He watched Lucifer flush deepen from his words. “But do be warned. I am equally as possessive.”

“Good.” Lucifer chuckled as his blush intensified to encompass his neck and ears as well as his face. “Now, unless you really want to cause another power outage, only this one from pleasure, tell me more about what’s going on with your powers.”

“All that I had before is still there.” He picked up Lucifer’s hands, guiding them to his face as he lowered his head. He felt Lucifer’s powers seep into his skin with the contact of his fingers and it danced with his own. He felt his breathing increase as Lucifer’s magic wound its way through his system. The two magics blended so well together it had goose pimples exploding along his tingling skin and made him want to close the space between them and kiss Lucifer yet again.

“Alastor… the wild magic… it was angelic.” Lucifer mumbled in shock. “Your powers were always angelic…it’s just that part of your power had - has never known heaven, no wonder I didn’t recognise it. It was strong, but more like an echo of what it should have been. That’s why it could go toe to toe with the angelic in your system. The only part that remained in its angelic form was the power of the seal and maybe a little of your own magic hidden behind it - which was charged when it absorbed Adam’s magic.”

“I think you are right about my power before being only a shadow of itself. It only takes the slightest effort for them to respond right now. I could easily take down all the overlords I currently possess at once.” He nodded and felt Lucifer’s fingers slip from his face.

“Possess? As in still have?” Lucifer looked wary about this new development.

“I had no angelic steel to kill them permanently, so I took them out by other means. Then I Warped them into the forms they are now and contained them in a shadow dimension. I only call upon them when I need to.” He explained to try and put Lucifer at ease that the former Overlords were no such threat that needed to be of concern. His words seemed to have the opposite effect of his intent.

“S- soul manipulation? You can change the appearance of a soul?” Lucifer’s eyes widened in shock.

“To an extent, I cannot change my own form. I would have long since rid myself of this deer form otherwise.” He grumbled with a huff.

“Well, I’m glad of that. I do, so, enjoy this form of yours. Especially your deer parts.” Lucifer reached up and trailed his finger behind his left ear. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation that could quickly lower his guard to non-existence. “I’ve never heard of a sinner being able to manipulate the shape of a soul before. It is one of Raphael’s powers. And you hold them in a shadow dimension… something like your bayou and the hotel bar?”

“Yes.” He hummed as Lucifer continued.

“Universe manipulation… is another of Raphael’s powers.” Lucifer switched to his other ear and he contemplated just curling up with Lucifer to allow him to continue.

“I also expect my ability to change size and being able to keep the souls in my possession from healing are also linked to him.” He murmured. He’d never told anyone about that last part. Vaggie had already asked if he had the ability to heal, so that power was going to come to light eventually Lucifer might as well be the first to find out.

“You, can, what?” Lucifer’s fingers slipped from his ear. He opened his eyes slowly, Lucifer’s own eyes were wide. He was clearly shocked, but thankfully he didn’t seem to be afraid. He stood back up as he prepared himself to share with Lucifer things he hadn’t dared tell anyone.

“It’s how I keep the defeated Overlords from rising up against me. They’ve never healed, and never will. Their wounds hidden far away from any help in the new forms I’ve forced them to take.” He should have felt more uncomfortable confessing some of his deepest hidden secrets, but that sense of home he got from being with Lucifer put his concerns at ease. He knew he was being foolish letting his emotions overrule the caution that had kept him in power for so long. If Lucifer was going to be his undoing… he’d accept that fate.

“Hard to believe the signs of your angelic ancestry were right in front of me and I had no clue. What do you have from your father?”

“Control of the airwaves, my ability to manipulate shadows including being able to make them solid in the form of tentacles and my ability to create shields are ones I know of from before. I suspect there is some aspect of healing I might be able to do. I believe that was what was sealed but I don’t know if it is from Raphael or Simbi Andezo. It could be both and that was used as the focus for the seal on my powers.”

“My love, you are going to be unstoppable.” Lucifer reached up and cupped his face as he spoke. Never in his life would he have thought two words would have such an impact on him. His stomach felt like it was in his throat and the floor had dropped out from under his feet. He wanted to throw his arms around Lucifer and kiss him but at the same time he was terrified. Not for himself but for Lucifer. The Fallen had been forced to bare so much already how could someone like him even come close to being worthy? He could never be, but he would do everything in his power to protect Lucifer.

“Wonderful. Given whom I intend to claim as they did me, I will need to be able to defend my claim.” He leaned his face into Lucifer’s hand. He watched Lucifer’s eyes widen in shock and his whole frame freeze like one who’d been caught red handed. He had been right to think the bite mark was more, but Rosie had been on the money saying it was Lucifer claiming him. He leaned forward, forcing Lucifer’s hand from his cheek and ensuring it ended up next to where he had been bitten. Lucifer grinned and snuck his fingers under the cloth of his shirt to brush the spot. The wound had long healed but he shivered as the bit of Lucifer’s magic that remained with him resonated from the touch, unleashing the ghostly sensation of teeth on his skin yet again.

“When you’re ready, but not before, I’ll gladly let you. We need to work on your control for now. I know how important that is to you, and right now it’s probably too easy for you to over do it.” Lucifer smiled even as he struggled to maintain his current form as his eyes swapped between forms and his horns appeared, only to be pulled back in quickly.
“It’s a good thing I’m a quick study.” He grinned at Lucifer.

Michael’s POV

There was always a reason for things to happen.

Always

So many times he had questioned Father if they had done the right thing, if they were doing the right thing since Lucifer had been exiled. That simple explanation was behind the action, but never any clarification of what the reason was. I left him confused and frustrated at his inability to understand the grand plan. His inability to comprehend what their Father’s intentions were made his head hurt. Pain was something that should never exist in Heaven but he felt the pain as it beat a rhythm against his skull everytime he tried too hard to understand. Much like the problem in front of him now.

Raphael had a nephilim.

He’d kept all information on them hidden from Heaven. Only for his secret to be discovered by the youngest of them. Emily… He had wanted to be the one to raise and guide Emily, but he had been instructed by Father that he was to be impartial. He had been forced to sit at a distance and watch. Emiliy had such hope and light. Something that was both a blessing and a curse. It allowed her to see the best in everyone, but it reminded too many of Lucifer. He had faith in Father’s plan for Emily but he worried about the murmurings from the upper angels. So the job he had wanted was passed to Sera, the head seraphim. She would shepherd Heaven’s hope.

The woman sitting nervously in front of him and next to Emily, while granted the job to guide their fragile hope, had proven unworth of her position. He still needed to figure out how to deal with the fiasco that her agreement with Adam had caused. Upper angels complained to him daily about how they needed to put demons in their place for what happened to Adam. That reparations needed to be made for the angels that had been lost during the battle. He’d squashed every attempt to return to Hell under any misguided ideas of vengeance. Adam was responsible for his own fate. He would not allow Heaven to stain its hands any further. If anything They owed Hell reparations, but the lost souls were gone, so he used his power to prevent further damage.

“Now, Emily, please explain how it was you discovered the file surrounded in Raphael’s magic that linked him to a nephilim?” Uriel spoke from the platform below him. He chastised himself for allowing his thoughts to wander and forced himself to focus once again on Emily.

“Well… I had been asked to contact Sabine Rosalie de Castellane-Esparron Aube and look into the soul contracts of the Bisimbi.” Emily looked nervously at the heavenly host around her. He felt the corner of his mouth tug upwards as her eyes landed on him, and couldn’t allow the smile to develop any further. She was curious and quickly agreed to tasks much like Lucifer. He understood better now why he had been forced to be seen to be impartial to her. Should it come to it, he would be the one presiding over her trial. He would be the only one keeping her in Heaven, that was the last task Father had given him. He was Emily’s protector.

“Wait, what do you mean? Soul contract with the Bisimbi? What does this have to do with Raphael’s nephilim?” Uriel scolded Emily thinking that she’d gone back too far or had decided to bring up irrelevant information. He saw the way that Sera’s eyes widened as silently panicked as Emily spoke. Emily was being open and honest with them, she would grant them the information they requested even if it wasn’t the information they’d be comfortable with. He felt uneasy watching Sera squirm. He feared the information that Emily had was not going to sit well with most present.

“I was looking into the contract she made that binds her son.” Emily forced herself to stand up straight and speak clearly.

“What?” Was muttered by several of those in attendance.

“… the nephilim had a child?” echoed through the chamber.

“Yes. Fathered by a Simbi.” Emily nodded along with her words. He didn’t usually dislike when he accurately predicted things, but he did at that moment. How could there be a reason in Father’s plan for this? What could come of Raphael’s union with a human that would be worth endangering Emily’s position? Wait, she spoke of the soul still being in possession of a Bisimbi. All contracts are void once a soul is deemed worthy of Heaven. Which means… This being descended from Raphael, held unimaginable power. They were mostly angelic with just enough human to them to bring all of the good and vile qualities of the species.

“Who sired Raphael’s nephilim’s son?” His voice rang out through the Hall silencing all other questions. He needed to gauge how strong the angelic force in the hybrid would be. If they were still on Earth he would dispatch guardians to watch over them.

“Simbi Andezo.” Emily squeaked, cowering slightly. He wanted to apologise, to comfort her and let her know he wasn’t angry at her. He hadn’t wanted to include any power into his question and scare her. He was forced to maintain a stance that allowed him to appear as though he did not favour her.

“And where is their child now?” He demanded even as he did lessen the intent in his voice but she shrank away from him still. Sera was glaring at Emily. It made him suspect she was aware of the answer already.

“Um, well… he,” Emily looked around nervously.

Everything happens for a reason. Echoed in his head as a sense of foreboding settled in the pit of his stomach.

“Speak up Emily.” Uriel prompted as he snapped at Emily. Emily squeezed her hands together and took a deep breath.

“He is in Hell, helping Charlie Morningstar with her hotel.” She proclaimed loudly to everyone present.

The entire heavenly assembly fell silent.

“Hold on, the grandson of Raphael is in Hell?” Uriel shook his hands in front of him in disbelief. The news of this new threat would not sit well with many present. With Simbi Andezo as their father and Raphael’s nephilim for a mother…this sinner was too much of a risk for many to ignore. He still wasn’t sure how this new being would play into Father’s grand plan… but they certainly had burst on the scene as a player with incredible potential.

“Yes.” Emily confirmed.

Nervous murmuring erupted from the crowd.

“Who are they?” Uriel’s tone sounded more threatened than threatening as he pressed Emily to reveal more information.

“Alastor Mathias de Castellane-Esparron Aube. He is one of Hell’s Overlords and one who took part in defending Charlie’s hotel from Adam’s attack.”

He had stood against Heaven, against Adam. Alastor… He remembered hearing the name before. Yes… Adam’s lieutenant had returned and complained about one who had held them at bay with a shield until Adam had broken through. Alastor had enough power to keep those below saint level from attacking. He’d held off an army in defence of Charlotte’s hotel. Risking divine retribution to protect others. Risking his own life for Charlotte and her ideals. He was beginning to understand more about what Alastors role might be.

“This information does not leave this room.” He raised his voice enough to be heard by all.

“Understood.” was muttered collectively.

“Sera, make the arrangements for all members of Raphael’s bloodline to be summoned for the trial.” He would need to bring Alastor to Heaven and observe him before he could decide what part in the things to come he would play.

“Yes sir.” Sera’s response was barely audible over the hushed whispers of the others.

“The nephilim, her mother and child must all be present for Raphael’s trial. We can proceed once Sera has secured the attendance of the one outside of Heaven.” He spoke to the assembly. He looked down at Uriel and added. “Simbi Andezo should be brought to Heaven for questioning as well.” He stood up and quickly exited the assembly before any of his emotions could betray him.

Everything happens for a reason. If he was right, the reasons behind so many questionable actions might finally come to light. He needed to think and prepare. Raphael had never been one to act rashly before. He had covered his actions, and that spoke of shame, regret or self imposed punishment for breaking the rules.

It meant Raphael was guilty and He was going to have to pass judgement over another one of his brothers. He needed to figure out what to do. The powers of Heaven and Hell were in a delicate balance. Raphael was one of their cardinal four. A pillar of Heaven’s military. His loss… they just could afford to lose him, not after finding out his grandchild was in Hell and very powerful. He couldn’t turn a blind eye to Raphael’s actions either. Something would have to be done that would force Raphael to remain firmly on Heaven’s side of the power dynamic.

Father, what am I going to do? He praised silently as he flew down the hall to his private study. He would review both the heavenly and earthly laws for inspiration into what he would declare Raphael’s punishment to be.

Chapter 11: When it Comes to Destiny, Only You Can Bend The Rules

Chapter Text

Lucifer’s POV

It felt wonderful to be around someone using archangelic powers. It was far more intense than he remembered it being and it had him struggling to keep his hands to himself. He wanted so badly to just take Alastor but Rosie was going to show up any time and they certainly could not be involved when she did make her appearance. She would definitely kill him. He also felt that if they started anything physical right now… they’d not be able to stop. Either of them, and that made him wonder if the mark was influencing Alastor to go faster than he would have otherwise. He had to constantly remind himself not yet as he did his best to keep them both focused on Alastor being comfortable with his new powers. So that when they did end up pushing forward, Alastor would feel a little more comfortable with his level of control. He didn’t mind helping like he had previously… but he had a feeling that Alastor would prefer not to rely on his help.

He lowkey worried that if it happened on their first time there might not be any further attempts. That thought was motivation enough to make sure they didn’t rush right now. So now that they had gotten the change in power level under control, he wanted Alastor to look into his ability to heal. He’d gotten Alastor to sit at the table and chairs that still remained in that little clearing that seemed to be Alastor’s favourite spot in his bayou. He then hopped up on the table in front of Alastor and pierced the skin on one of his fingers with a claw and held his hand out. Alastor accepted his hand and easily managed to stop the bleeding but getting the wound to close took some concentration Alastor revealed that he was making sure to not use the soul manipulation ability. He’s used to that one more frequently and it responded to him faster than healing.

Once Alastor figured out how to pull on his healing magic it responded quickly. The way that Alastor used healing magic was different from how he used his own. He would work the area to purify it from anything harmful then force the wound to its original state prior to the injury. Alastor had a much more human approach; using his magic to stitch the injury back together by giving his magic a tangible string form. As Alastor focused on using his powers there was a slight glow from his antlers. The more effort it took on his mind the more discernible and constant the glow. He wondered if eventually Alastor would hide that like how he kept his ears still around others. He let his unoccupied hand trace the path of the red glow on Alastor’s antler and was surprised when Alastor froze.

“You felt that?” He asked as he pulled his hand back, nervous that it had somehow hurt Alastor.

“I don’t know if ‘felt’ would be the right way to describe it. I did not feel the touch, but there was a connection.” Alastor’s eyebrows creased and his smile dwindled to a slight curve as he spoke while trying to figure out himself what had happened.

“Explain.” He coaxed Alastor into describing what had happened to cause his reaction. Only Alastor shook his head slightly.

“You’d have to try again for me to see if I’m correct, but I believe the touch creates a link between us… but I am unsure what the result will be.” Alastor’s hesitance confused him but he did want to know what had happened when he’d touched the part of his antler that glowed. There was more to what had happened than Alastor was saying.

“So… you want me to try again?” His curiosity was getting the better of him. What kind of link was Alastor referring to?

“Only if you’re comfortable with some experimentation.” Alastor nodded slightly. Whatever it was, must be connected to his powers and not entirely Alastor’s. He’d already used his powers to investigate the flow of power within Alastor, so if Alastor was able to do the same to him he could be alright with that.

“Oh.. okay.” He mumbled as he reached his hand out again, this time he took hold of one of Alastor’s antlers allowing for a more stable connection. He felt Alastor’s power seep into him through his hand, directly from the places on his antlers that would glow. The feeling was unusual but at the same time, comforting. Alastor was able to direct his magic without harming or having it absorbed by him. It was like Alastor’s magic and his own were dancing around his system and it felt a lot more intimate than he’d ever imagined. Even in Heaven, there were few who had the finesse to control their magic to this extent.

“You have a lot more power than you let anyone know.” Alastor mumbled.

“Eheh, you can sense power levels?” He chuckled nervously and wondered just how much Alastor was able to feel. Alastor didn’t answer. The glow was brighter and steady, which meant he was concentrating. But the lack of response made him worry. He curled to his side so that he could look down at Alastor’s face. His eyes were slightly vacant and his irises had become amber on black sclera. He’d seen them take that colour pattern when he’d gotten his soul back, but it had only been briefly. They did not show any sign of reverting back to their normal pattern. “Alastor?” He called quietly while keeping as much of his anxiety from his voice. Alastor’s head tilted to the side and he had to move his arm to maintain his hold on Alastor’s antler.

“Why is it broken?” Alastor didn’t seem to be talking to him.

“What’s broken?” He found himself asking in response and trying to get Alastor to describe what was going on. He felt a spike in Alastor’s magic as the glow increased.

“That.” Alastor murmured and he felt Alastor’s powers cycling around what had been the source of his powers, highlighting the part of him Alastor was referring to. That spot was much smaller than it had been before, a large part of it had been severed by Michael when he’d been exiled.

“They cut it when I was cast out. That way I would never again have access to my full power” He frowned mournfully as he explained. He couldn’t go into just what it had done to him, and how he struggled even to this day because of it. He’d long since been forced to accept he’d never be what he once was. There was a long silence from Alastor but his magic stayed focused on the area. It felt like Alastor had curled around that part of him. Like a soft and reassuring hug that told him everything would be okay. He blinked to keep back the tears that were forming and swallowed the lump in his throat.

“Would you want it back?” Alastor asked hesitantly.

“It’s impossible.” He managed to choke out.

“I don’t think it is. Could I try?” Alastor shifted slightly closer and placed a hand on his chest near where his magic had been focused.

“Sure. One try.” He swallowed again and decided to allow Alastor to attempt what he knew was impossible.

He closed his eyes and focused on Alastor’s power. He could feel it investigating the long dead part of him. Slowly he felt Alastor’s powers weave themselves around where he once had direct access to Holy power but now could only store angelic power. He’d only been able to store what he’d had with him when he fell or absorb from the angelic powers left behind from their weapons or attacks since then. It was why he was the only sin still able to use angelic power. Once Alastor was satisfied with what he was doing he felt the power slowly make its way to a different spot.

His eyes shot open as he felt a glimpse of his former power. It was just the slightest connection, a single thread of Alastor’s magic, but it was more than he’d felt since he’d fallen. His heartbeat had picked up and he kept his grip firm but as still as he could manage while the connection ever so slowly grew, thread by thread as Alastor worked. He placed his free hand over Alastor’s that rested on his chest and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Alastor’s eyes were closed, his brows creased in concentration but his slight smile was genuine. The process was agonisingly slow but steady as Alastor weaved his magic between the severed parts creating a bridge between the two and the amount of magic he could access increased gradually to a discernible trickle. Alastor’s antler glow flickered slightly but it was more than enough to be concerning.

“Alastor?”

“I will have to finish another time.” Alastor’s words were quiet and calm as his head began to sink. He let go of Alastor’s antler and slipped down from the table as he directed Alastor’s head to his shoulder. Alastor’s breathing evened out as he slipped into an exhausted sleep. He’d been so stunned by the idea of getting that part of him back he had failed to realise the amount of power Alastor had been required to use in order to do what he’d just done. He couldn’t help but grin as he scooped Alastor up. He unfurled his wings and carried his deer out of the bayou and to the bed, like the precious gift he was. Intent on cuddling him until he was forced to share him with others when Rosie arrived. Alastor had just restored to him something he’d never thought he’d ever get back. The hollow part of him that had eaten away at him since he’d been cast out was alive again. He had been the only one of those who would become Sins to face heavenly trial and the only one to have his power clipped. The others had rebelled to join him because of what had happened, and had remained intact. Their magic tainted but not diminished.

He settled down onto the bed with Alastor and cocooned his wings around them. His wings had been a source of comfort for him after his fall, but like many things since then, he’d stopped using them for anything but their base use. He’d never felt doubt or loneliness before his powers had waned. Doubt had turned into anxiety and loneliness consumed him in the form of depression. Alastor’s ability to heal might just exceed his own, and he’d never been more grateful to not be the strongest. He felt that cold hollow feeling he’d grown accustomed to begin to thaw, as warmth steadily seeped into every part of him extending out from the source of his powers. He sat smiling like an idiot as happy tears streamed down his face.

He was whole again. He rocked gently as he held onto Alastor, unable to completely contain his joy. Excitement had his body wanting to dance but he wouldn’t let go and Alastor needed to rest after using that much magic. He’d barely managed to calm himself before Charlie came to let them know that Rosie had arrived. He’d cleaned his face with magic before she’d had a chance to fully open the door. She cooed from the door when she saw him cuddled up with Alastor. He wasn’t sure he could talk about what Alastor had just done for him with anyone yet without breaking down. She’d understand when he did tell her why, he’d not revealed it right away.

“Rosie’s here, are you guys up to a visitor?” Charlie smiled at him but there was a hint of worry to her features as crept into the room. He shifted his wings so she could see Alastor better and that he was only sleeping.

“Yeah, could you show Rosie to the dining room? I’ll wake him and join you soon.”

“Sure Dad.” Charlie paused next to the bed looking both him and Alastor over. “Everything good with his new powers? It’s rare to see you with your wings out. I mean I love it when you do, but outside of humouring my fascination with them when I was little and when things are serious, you seem to hide them a lot.” Charlie fidgeted with her fingers as she spoke.

“Yeah, he just pushed more than he should have and exhausted himself.” He let his fingers comb through Alastor’s soft hair. He sighed a little unsure about admitting the reason he kept his wings away. He felt steadier now than he had in a long time and she was more amazing and strong than he’d ever hoped. It gave him the little bit of confidence he needed to give her the answer she sought, and probably already knew. “I got used to keeping them hidden because your mother hated them.” Charlie frowned as her shoulders slumped. She took a deep breath and seemed to shove the disappointment that he’d briefly seen to the side before she smiled at him.

“I’m glad he didn’t make us wait long for him to come back.” She smiled fondly at Alastor. Her eyes betrayed that she was starting to rethink her view of her mother.

“Me too Duckling. I missed him so much.” He did his best not to taint her view of Lilith, but he wouldn’t lie to her. With a nod and a sigh she got up to go and host Rosie in the dining room. He waited until Charlie had closed the door before he leaned down and kissed Alastor’s forehead, letting his hand trail down Alastor’s chest. He felt Alastor’s breathing change before his eyes opened. His eye colour was still more amber than red but the black was gone. He suspected that Alastor’s eye colour was tied to his use of angelic magic. He smiled down at him as Alastor blinked the last bits of sleep from his expression.

“I take it Rosie has arrived?” Alastor asked after stifling a yawn. He needed to rest more, but Rosie needed to see he was alright. She had been just as worried about Alastor as he and Charlie had been.

“Yeah. Charlie is showing her to the dining room.” He confirmed. Alastor closed his eyes again and breathed out. He couldn’t help but smirk at how Alastor didn’t seem inclined to move just yet.

“I’ll put on the tea, you go and greet her.” Alastor mumbled, and it felt more like an attempt to convince himself to get up. Alastor opened his eyes to glance up at him when he didn’t hear a response. His eyes had returned to their normal colour. He nodded in agreement but leaned down and stole a kiss before Alastor could sit up. Alastor might be convincing himself to move, but he was not yet ready to let Alastor get up. “I’m not going to disappear again, Mon Canard.” Alastor teased.

“I know. I’m just really glad you’re back.” He whispered and gently stroked Alastor’s ears. Smirking when Alastor shifted their position to allow him to more easily touch both.

“Me too.” Alastor smiled and cupped his cheek. “Now we mustn’t keep dear Rosie waiting.” Alastor pulled both of them into his shadow. The shift spiked adrenaline in his system and he managed to catch himself as his feet suddenly made contact with the floor. Alastor had recovered enough to use his normal magic easily. The shift hadn’t even caused his antlers to glow.

“Alright, but can you make me coffee with sweetened condensed milk instead of tea?” He asked as Alastor stepped away to put the kettle on.

“I see you’ve figured some things out while I was gone.” Alastor looked a little surprised but pleased nonetheless.

“Not just a pretty face.” He teased, sticking his tongue out with a flick. Alastor nodded and he turned to the door to make his way to the dining room. He could hear that Rosie was apologising to Charlie for dismissing her concerns when she came to visit the last time. She should be apologetic, Charlie had been devastated when Rosie hadn’t taken her seriously. He opened his mouth to say just that as he walked in the room only Rosie’s gaze landed on him and hardened. He paused mid-step as she openly glared at him.

“What I do?” He asked in confusion as he wracked his brain to figure out why Rosie would be mad at him. He had made sure that Alastor let her know he was back like she had asked.

“And here you said you wouldn’t be locking him up in some cage.” Rosie growled at him and Charlie took a step back at the tone.

“I’m not!” He protested, although it sounded more like a whine as he walked over to where Charlie was.

“Then why did I get a message not twenty minutes after one saying he’s back, that he’s not able to leave the hotel?” Rosie shook a pointed finger at him.

“It’s not what it sounds like. I swear!” He protested and stepped back.

“The Vees showed up just after Uncle Ozzie left.” Charlie added in his defense.

“Tha… what?” Rosie stopped and looked at Charlie. “Why were they here?” She quickly looked back at him. “Please tell me Vox didn’t try anything untoward with Alastor. I will have his head if he tries anything again.” She all but snarled but reigned herself in.

“Again?” He raised an eyebrow and straightened up. Alastor had said Vox wasn’t a threat but hadn’t really gotten into what had happened between them. It seemed she was aware of their relationship and that jealous part of him was very interested in finding out what Rosie knew.

“Alastor and Vox? I thought they hated each other.” Charlie sounded confused. Rosie nodded in response to Charlie’s question.

“I was under the impression not much happened.” He tilted his head to one side trying to gauge what Rosie might know. Had Alastor gone to her when he’d been figuring out his feelings for Vox or had he kept everything to himself?

“Dad, you knew?” Charlie turned towards him. Her eyes wide with shock. It didn’t surprise him that she hadn’t thought Alastor had any previous relationships. He was lucky that Alastor even was inclined to have one with him. Relationships or even sex in general weren’t things that Alastor seemed inclined to participate or partake of. When he’d started pursuing Alastor he’d understood that even if he did get Alastor to agree to a relationship, he wouldn’t necessarily be inclined towards sex. Thankfully, it seemed that wasn’t going to be an issue… especially given Alastor’s reaction when they’d been kissing in his cottage.

“He told me a little after Vox put the article in the paper.” He answered Charlie. Rosie shook her head in disgust at the mention of the article in the paper.

“None of that explains why you are keeping him from leaving the hotel.” Rosie directed the conversation back to the point she was interested in.

“Well… Technically he was the one to say he couldn’t go out. Not me or Charlie.” He insisted and racked his brain to figure out an answer that would placate Rosie. Short of going to get Alastor for him to confirm he wasn’t sure she’d accept anything.

“I find that highly unlikely.” Rosie scoffed.

“What did I say now?” Alastor asked from the doorway, almost as if he had been summoned by his internal thoughts.

“Why are you unable to leave the hotel?” Rosie asked before he could answer.

“Oh, I can leave. Lucifer and Charlie were so valiant in ensuring the Vees didn’t find out I was Raphael’s grandchild, but it did end with the explanation that I was on guard duty while in my shadow and should I be seen, they’d be able to identify the one who I was supposed to be protecting. I apologise if my note implied some distress. It was not my intent.” Rosie nodded in response to Alastor’s answer, but didn't say sorry to him. Her heckles at least were down, but she didn’t seem her normal self yet. Alastor set the tray down on the table and set an empty tea cup in front of Rosie first then Charlie. He then put a steaming cup of caramel coloured coffee in front of him.

“Oh, is that the coffee you make Dad?” Charlie squeaked excitedly. “Could you make me one too Papa?” Charlie unleashed her devastating puppy eyes at Alastor earning her a sigh as the mighty and widely feared Radio Demon admitted defeat. While the outcome had been something both he and Charlie knew would be inevitable, it seemed Rosie was stunned to silence by it. Her eyes were as big as saucers and her hand hid her practically gaping mouth.

“I guess it is a good thing I made a pot.” Alastor set the teapot on the table and stood back up with the tray.

“Well.” Rosie was grinning at him. “I might have to give it a try if you are making it for everyone else. It does appear quite different from the other version I’ve tried.”

“I didn’t like coffee the first time I tried it.” He confessed. “I had wanted to try it because Alastor prefers it, he saw my reaction and added something and made it delicious. It took a long time to figure out how he managed to turn something as bitter as coffee into something as wonderful as this.” He watched Alastor’s ears twitch as he spoke, falling briefly to their embarrassed position before he very clearly corrected them to their usual upright position.

“Oh? Have you only been humouring me by drinking tea?” Rosie frowned at him. Does she know what emotion his ear position tends to reveal? He wondered to himself. Alastor kept his ears mostly still while around her and Charlie but he did relax enough around them that they did move. His chest filled with warmth knowing that Alastor trusted him enough to relax his strict control over his ears.

“My dear, I wouldn’t dare impose. Should I require something other than tea, I am aware that you keep a very nice bottle of rye behind the counter for me already and will not hesitate to inquire about it.” Alastor rocked back on his heels as he held onto the tray.

“So long as you aren’t just drinking it to be polite, I’ll forgive you.” Rosie teased with a smile.

“I guess, I’ll be back with coffee for everyone.” Alastor smiled and quickly left the room. For the span of several seconds none of them moved as they waited for Alastor to be out of hearing range.

“Explain why you said ‘again’ about Vox.” He whispered quickly and leaned forward as he poured a cup of tea for Rosie while they waited.

“He won’t talk about what happened between them. Not even while it was happening would he talk about it. I only have my assumptions that are based on my observations and his request for me not to get involved.” Without missing a beat Rosie leaned in and spoke just as quickly and quietly as he had. Charlie’s eyes darted between the two of them but didn’t speak. Alastor didn’t confide in Rose about what happened with Vox? He found himself confused and very concerned. Likely of the two of them he knew more of what had gone on between the two of them… but Rosie was more than insightful when it came to people watching.

“Alright. I’ll tell you what he’s told me if you explain what you think happened.” They would have to be quick, it wouldn’t take Alastor long to make two cups of coffee.

“Oh how sly your majesty!” Rosie grinned. “Alastor teases and taunts Vox but he doesn’t attack. When Vox was still new to Hell the two of them were fast friends. Alastor’s smiles grew softer over time, and steadily it reached his eyes. I was getting ready to try and ask him if he’d finally met someone special when one day that spark in him was just… gone. He hid it well, none picked up on just how blank his eyes had become. He and Vox were still frequently seen together but now there was a new addition- Valentino. So, I wondered what had happened and I did eventually get an answer from him, an answer that made my heart break. He had decided it best to step away. He felt that he had grown too close to Vox and he wasn’t one to pursue that type of folly.” Rosie frowned and glanced between him and Charlie. “The two of you know him well enough to recognize that is not the way he’d normally react. He didn’t come back around for a couple of weeks, and I had begun to suspect I’d overstepped… but when he did come back, it was clear something serious had happened. It didn’t take me long to piece together there’d been a physical fight between them and neither had won. Which meant that Alastor couldn’t bring himself to kill Vox. I only caught a brief glimpse of how forlorn he was, when he couldn’t fully contain his emotions during our conversation. I… might have overreacted at the time without adequate information although I still believe more happened than he’s willing to tell, but I did agree to his request to not get involved on his behalf. Nothing he has done since with Vox could be described as how he’d normally deal with someone openly hostile.” Rosie rushed through what she knew before Alastor came back. He only waited a moment before he explained what he knew.

“I know things were ‘serious enough’ but that Vox never got to do much if anything in Alastor’s radio tower, but I think he was invited there. I also know Alastor didn’t give him a pet name. I can tell from his mannerisms that Alastor pushed himself and that he tried to have a relationship and that he blames himself for it not working but he didn’t say it. He’s told me there’s no need to be jealous and that Vox didn’t…” He said Vox ‘tried and failed’ that’s an odd way to put it… No. Oh no. He took a breath to calm down. Vox must have tried and failed to force himself on Alastor. It was likely that was the fight Rosie had picked up on. Rosie’s Overlord aura started to leak out, his thoughts likely clear on his face. “It might be a good thing I’ve not promised to leave Vox alone.” He muttered and had to focus on his breathing to keep his own demon features from showing.

“Dad? What did Vox do?” Charlie had leaned back, horror set on her features as she likely already had realised where the conversation was going.

“He didn’t say specifically, only that ‘Vox tried and failed’.” He forced himself to say. He needed to calm down. Oh the TV was going to die. While he wanted to be wrong about it, part of him knew it was true. He felt Rosie pulled her aura back in quickly. There was only one reason she might do that. He reached out and sensed Alastor leaving the kitchen.

“Quickly another topic- Charlotte you call Alastor Papa now?” Rosie asked quickly and Charlie smiled. The anger fizzled down to a simmer as Charlie lit up from Rosie’s question.

“He was showing me how to make a spice he uses called filé. Dad told him he looked like a proud Papa. He agreed to let me use that title for him.” Charlie gushed with pride how they’d decided what paternal term Charlie would use for Alastor.

“Well, isn’t that precious. Oh Alastor, your daughter was telling me how you came to agree to being called Papa.” Rosie stressed the word and Alastor’s smile was instantly a genuine one.

“She certainly is precious.” Alastor confirmed as he set a mug down in front of Rosie. A second one was placed in front of Charlie before he sat down in the chair next to him. His own ‘Oh Deer’ mug of black coffee appeared from within his shadow. His hand settled on Alastor’s knee as Charlie and Rosie took a sip of the coffee Alastor had brought them.

“Wow, it’s better than when Dad made it.”

“Hey I’m still learning!” He frowned and protested.

“It does make it a lot thicker doesn’t it? Quite the pleasant surprise. I would have to agree this is quite enjoyable.” Rosie smiled approvingly at the cup before taking another drink before putting the cup down and looking directly across the table at Alastor. “Alastor?” Rosie had adopted her more serious tone. This was the first time he’d ever heard her use it directed at Alastor.

“Yes?” Alastor set his coffee down and gave Rosie his full attention. He didn’t miss the slight twitch to his ears that Alastor had tried to keep still.

“Disappear on me like that again and I will mount your head like a trophy buck in my shop, understand?” Rosie let a little of her aura out, her threat was far from a bluff and all of them knew it.

“Yes, Ma’am.” Alastor answered quickly.

“Now, what else should you be saying?” Rosie slowly started to pull her aura back.

“I apologise for not at least sending word before I left to get my soul back. I anticipate I will get little warning prior to having to go to Heaven, but I will try to at least ensure you are aware when it happens.” Alastor barely hesitated in his response, but there seemed to be something else Rosie was looking for as she frowned.

“And…” She huffed.

“... and now that I’ve got my soul back, the threat from before is gone?” Alastor asked hesitantly.

“Oh good.” Rosie smiled and picked her cup back up. “So, when are you going to tell me about the new antlers?” She took a sip and waited for Alastor’s answer.

“Well they refuse to go any smaller.” Alastor grumbled.

“They glow.” She pointed out. “Is that related to you having your soul?”

“Actually it’s related to my angelic powers and control over the airwaves.” Alastor picked up his cup, now that Rosie seemed relaxed again, it was safe.

“Well, don’t stop there! You told me about your family being angelic.”

“Unsealing my powers did boost my existing abilities but there really isn’t much new.”

What is new isn’t exactly a small thing. He tried to not look at Rosie, knowing she’d probably extrapolate his thoughts from his facial expression. He wasn’t sure how much about his healing ability Alastor would want to reveal. Alastor likely didn’t want people to know he could heal let alone that his healing abilities were strongest in Hell.

“Dad?”

“Yes Charlie?” He looked up with a smile at her concerned face.

“Did the two of you find out Papa can do other things?”

“Um..” He looked over at Alastor and got a slight nod. “Well, not things… and there will be some more testing needed to understand the full scope of his healing ability.”

Rosie’s eyes snapped over to Alastor.

“It is quite taxing to use.” Alastor shrugged and took a sip of his coffee, his antlers pulsed slightly.

I doubt it would be if he tried to heal normal injuries. Healing him had taken a significant toll on Alastor… but it was a wound that Heaven had never intended to heal. Most other wounds he would encounter wouldn’t be like that one.

“So do they glow stronger when you are using your powers?” Rosie asked.

“I am inclined to say they do. It certainly isn’t what I’d choose. I do, however, use my powers quite a lot and frequently it isn’t for things visible. So, I should still be able to mislead people as to what power I might be pulling on.”

“Very true. How do you intend to explain the change to your antlers and deal with being restricted to the hotel? It will be very easy to make the correlation between the two.”

“I’ve been a bit preoccupied since returning. You are right, I will need to figure out an explanation for the change to my antlers.”

“You can’t make them go back to the way they were?” Charlie asked and set her empty cup down on the table.

“No, I can change my size however there is a minimum requirement in relation to my overall size. I can’t make them go any smaller while retaining my normal form, it is the same for my ears.” Alastor’s antlers pulsed again. He’d watched Alastor while he had been experimenting with his power level and getting used to it, Alastor had gotten control over the glow so that regular use of his power shouldn’t have caused a glow. Which meant that there was some other thing he was dealing with. He glanced down at Alastor’s shadow. The grin on its face was almost discernible in the depths. He relaxed a little, if Alastor’s shadow was reacting as though it was cackling with excitement there was no threat to whatever Alastor was doing.

“His ability to change form isn’t the same as mine.” He added.

“If I could get rid of the animal parts I gladly would.” Alastor grumbled. He certainly owned his current form, few who knew of him found him anything other than intimidating if not downright terrifying.

“Aww, but they are adorable.” Charlie pouted. She, like he and Rosie, were the chosen few who were allowed to see the brief times Alastor would allow himself to relax his guard.

“Precisely my point Mon Caneton. I would rather be intimidating than adorable.” Alastor sighed and took another drink from his cup. He couldn’t help but grin as Alastor called Charlie his duckling. When he did things like that it was ridiculously hard to keep from just picking Alastor up and carrying him off to the bedroom. He doubted that Alastor knew he had that effect on him either. Charlie looked a little confused for a moment but seeing his reaction she smiled as well.

“Well, I never thought I’d see the day.” Rosie smiled.

He felt Alastor tense from the hand that he’d kept on his leg. Alastor looked down a little nervously as he realised what he had done. He raised an eyebrow questioningly at the very unusual reaction.

“What do you mean?” Charlie asked and scooted closer. Rosie’s grin was positively ear to ear and whatever had triggered her reaction was something she intended to tease Alastor with and he knew it.

“Alastor refuses to speak French and has for a very long time. Most wouldn’t even guess he could speak it let alone that it was his native language. Tell me, who was the last person you actually spoke French to? Mumbling doesn’t count.” Rosie reached across the table and poked Alastor’s arm. That must have been how she found out he spoke French.

“Lucifer.” Alastor replied almost petulantly and clearly knowing exactly where she was going with this and still trying to put it off..

“And before that?” Rosie’s grin widened still as she rolled her eyes at him. There was a long pause from Alastor. He gave Alastor’s leg a little squeeze for encouragement.

“My mother.” Alator finally answered a few seconds later.

“Awww.” Charlie couldn’t contain the sound as she all but melted. He hadn’t known Alastor refused to speak French. He likewise grinned and warmth spread throughout his chest as he knew Alastor had opened to him and Charlie further than he had anyone else outside of the person he held in highest regard. The person who had been most precious to him while alive; his mother. Would Sera let him talk to her when they eventually summoned him to the trial? If they summoned him, she would be there.

“You will probably get to see her, you know.” He mumbled aloud.

“What?” Rosie and Charlie gasped and looked at him.

“Depending on Heaven… but yes, she would be at the trial if they called for Raphael’s descendants.” Alastor nodded and his hand twitched as he resisted fidgeting with his cup.

“So you will be going to Heaven?”

“As of yet, I’ve not been summoned, but I anticipate that they will. However, it is unlikely they will ignore a sinner’s connection to one of their highest. We must consider all options on how to address what they will likely do. A great deal will depend on if their approach is hostile or peaceful. If their approach is peaceful, we have the ability to negotiate.” Alastor’s antlers glowed again, this time his eyes seemed to unfocus as well. Rosie’s eyebrows furrowed as she noticed the change in Alastor as well. Alastor’s eyes hadn’t changed colour so he wasn’t pulling on too much angelic power, but it was getting concerning how much something was distracting him. He glanced down once again at Alastor’s shadow, it was shifting slightly but appeared more like it was double over laughing. He looked back up and offered a small reassuring smile to Rosie so she knew this was something that Alastor did actually have under control, even if it didn’t entirely appear that way.

“If they come with hostile intentions, they had best be ready for a fight.” Charlie declared.

“You’re right about that Char-char. No way will I let them try to take Alastor.” He had to keep his appearance from changing as he thought of what might happen should they try to take Alastor and it made the war with Heaven look peaceful now that he had access to his full powers.

“And he won’t be going to Heaven alone. I don’t trust Sera.” Charlie added.

His stomach twisted at the idea of potentially losing Charlie and Alastor due to Heaven’s underhanded tendencies, but it didn’t send him into the anxious spiral he usually felt. He nodded slightly in agreement.

Is that because of Alator’s repair job on the source of his powers?

Heaven would never allow him to return, but he could trust two things if Charlie were to go with Alastor. One - Alastor wouldn’t let anything happen to Charlie just as she’d not let anything happen to him. Two - Alastor would be a lot more cautious about starting fights in Heaven if he had Charlie to protect. Alastor’s new powers did leave open the potential that Alastor could move between realms. They’d have to test if he could move through the rings or even travel to Earth through his shadows now. He might be able to make it to Earth from Heaven if they tried to detain him and didn’t know the full extent of his powers. They might think his powers were sealed genetically because of what Raphael had done to Alastor’s mother. Only Raphael had only sealed her, it had been the Bisimbi that had sealed Alastor’s powers.

“I do have one other question for you, your majesty, before I have to go.” Rosie set her now empty coffee cup to one side and leaned towards him. She had a playful smile, and it was more unsettling than it should have been. He got the feeling her question was going to be rather pointed and probably not something he wanted to answer but would, given Charlie and Alastor’s presence.

“Oh?” He asked, failing to cover in his voice that he suspected he wasn’t going to like where the topic was going to end up.

“I’ve noticed you’ve stopped wearing your ring. When do you intend to come out publicly about your relationship?”

He heard Charlie gasp. Things had been a bit chaotic since Alastor resisted being pulled into the airwaves and she hadn’t noticed he’d stopped wearing it. It was still sitting on Charlie-Duck’s head like a crown where he’d put it when he had marked Alastor. Any sort of public declaration won’t be just my decision. He looked over at Alastor and caught Rosie nodding in approval at his reaction. He also knew Alastor hadn’t wanted to confirm he had a beau in response to Vox’s article and would prefer to keep his private life just that; private.

“I have yet to get used to the fact that the hotel resident’s know. On top of that Asmodeus knows as well.” Alastor shook his head slightly.

“Oh…Um, well it’s likely that Ozzie’s partner Fizz also knows… and well so does Stolas.” He added nervously. Alastor wasn’t familiar with them, and likely wouldn’t encounter them for a while but he should know that they knew. There was a small huff from Alastor and his antlers pulsed again.

“You are going to have to get used to being the source of gossip Alastor. Tea as good as your ancestry is going to have so many people searching and even more talking and speculating. Even without knowing who Raphael’s grandson is, The Radio Demon will certainly be on the short list of candidates. Even if you somehow manage to avoid being confirmed as Raphael’s grandson, your relationship with Lucifer will eventually get out. The two of you are very clearly an item and while you’ve kept it quite so far, I have a feeling that isn’t going to be something sustainable for you two.” Rosie smiled victoriously at Alastor who only sighed. This apparently wasn’t a new conversation between them

He now understood why Rosie had framed the question towards him, and why she’d been so pleased when he’d looked to Alastor for an answer. It had been a set up. He’d played right into Rosie’s hand. That was some master level manipulation on her part. He wasn’t sure if he should be scared or impressed. Considering her goal seemed to be to get Alastor to be more accepting of people knowing he was in a relationship he decided to cautiously side with impressed and made a mental reminder Rosie was not to be underestimated.

“You are likely right Rosie. Give me some time to enjoy the secret a while longer. You will be the first outside of the hotel that will be advised should any parties need to be planned.”

Rosie giggled at Alastor’s response and claimed victory. He’d have to find out what Alastor meant by planning parties later. If he brought it up now Charlie might dive head first into whatever party idea Rosie had and both he and Alastor were likely the centre of it, and that sounded altogether too dangerous right now.

“Alright my dear, I will hold you to that. Now I really must dash and return to the shop.” Rosie stood up and tucked her parasol under her arm.

“Rosie, can I walk you back to Cannibal Town?” Charlie asked. He opened his mouth to protest but quickly stopped himself. He needed to find out what had distracted Alastor… and Charlie while with Rosie could be dangerous it was necessarily going to be. Charlie could learn a few things from the demoness.

“Oh, that would be lovely.”

“It was really good to see you Rosie. Remember no parties - yet.” He tried to give Rosie one of his more ‘I’m serious’ looks and hoped he succeeded. Everyone stood up as Rosie stepped away from the table.

“Take Care darling. I’ll send a note to let you know I’ll be dropping by soon enough.” Alastor added, Rosie batted her eyes at him knowing full well he intended to bring up her now blatant attempt to manipulate him.

“Oh good. Bring some of what you add to the coffee so I can have some on hand as well. Never know when I might get a royal visit.” Rosie teased as he gave Alastor a quick hug before linking her arm with Charlie and the two of them made their way to the door of the hotel.

“So, do you want to tell me what was distracting you?” He leaned back into Alastor after he could no longer hear Rosie and Charlie’s chatting.

“Was it that obvious?” Alastor deflated slightly.

“Charlie didn’t notice, but Rosie did.” He smirked as Alastor placed a kiss on the crown of his head.

“Vox has been trying to break the news about me being Raphael’s grandson. I’ve been interrupting his broadcasts and scrambling his internet signal to keep him from revealing it. There’s a print article about Raphael having a grandchild that hit the streets before they came here, but the evidence of it is disappearing quickly.” Alastor revealed the activities that had his shadow so gleeful.

“You could sense that?” He was impressed. The sheer amount of information that was swirling about the airwaves must have been overwhelming. Maybe that was part why he had struggled with controlling the airwaves the first time he’d been taken. When he’d gone back he had a better understanding of what was needed and it had still taken him days to master.

“I’m still working on the finesse of being able to deal with what’s going on in the airwaves and hold a conversation, but it will come with time.”

“What do you intend to do about it? Just continue to thwart him?” He relaxed further into Alastor and felt Alastor’s hand trail along his back. It sent sparks down his spine whenever his fingers passed over where his wings came out.

“No. I intend to stop him for good.” He seemed resolute in his decision but the decision still weighed heavy on him. “I can’t have him going after you or Charlie in his single minded goal of getting me.” Alastor added and part of him knew that Alastor had only made the decision because of his connection to them. It had been his decision and that was audible in his tone. Alastor was much more protective of them than he was himself.

“Well, if you don’t have anything particular in mind… might I make a suggestion?” Alastor was known for his exploits with those he’d conquered. He wanted to keep Vox as far from Alastor’s reputation as possible, and to do that there really was only one approach.

“Certainly Mon Canard.” Alastor mumbled and he felt Alastor’s head lean against his.

Those two words did more for his libido than a trip to the lust ring. He pushed back against the ever persistent tug to complete the process he’d started when he’d marked Alastor. He couldn’t take that step yet. Alastor had only made it to the kissing stage recently and he’d been in the airwaves for most of the time since. No, he needed to restrain himself and not push.

“Make him disappear. Nothing flashy, like your usual broadcasting of screams. He doesn’t deserve to be incorporated into your show. Let him disappear and fade to nothingness in the mind of his viewers. Like he never existed.” He explained his idea and enjoyed the sensation of Alastor’s fingers but he still mentally cursed and yet was extremely thankful that there was cloth between them and his skin. Alastor hummed as he considered the suggestion.

“And would you like to join me while I do this?” He finally asked.

“Oh f*ck, would I ever.” He honestly would enjoy participating in the end of the TV demon for what he’d attempted to do to Alastor.

“Can you promise to just watch?” Alastor’s question made the grin on his face falter. It wasn’t a small request. He wanted to destroy Vox, but he also wanted to see what Alastor was going to do. He had displayed control over his new power level and this would be his first time using them in a fight.

“Um… I promise to not interfere unless you seem to be struggling with keeping your powers contained.” He decided, phrasing it in such a way he wouldn’t make Alastor think he wasn’t confident he could win the fight but confirming he was only a failsafe.

“That will do.” Alastor closed his eyes for a moment and his antlers glowed. “I am just going to do what I can to ensure we are not disturbed. Once complete we can be on our way.”

It didn’t take Alastor long to open his eyes again as he held out a hand, which he took happily and allowed Alastor to transport the two of them to Vox’s location.

They appeared on a platform in the middle of an abnormally large room. There was an ‘island’ of sorts in the middle of the room connected to the rest of the room by a single walkway. The remaining expanse was gaping and open, the flying sharks completed the ‘evil overlord’ estetic. There were televisions everywhere. Along all of the walls of the room were televisions but there was also a centralised console surrounding a chair with even more screens present. It was easy to tell Vox had gotten the idea for it from. So much of it reminded him of Alastor’s broadcast booth in his radio tower, and it made him wonder if some of the controls were the same as well. The whole place felt empty, like no one else ever came there. While it was rare for Alstor to have anyone in his space, he at least made the attempt to keep the place welcoming.

“And here I thought circus and duck decor was tacky and yet I find myself preferring it to this.” Alastor’s voice echoed in the large room. All of the screens glitched and Vox’s head popped up from the other side of the chair. Vox stared at Alastor in shock, clearly struggling to process his presence. Some of the screens behind Vox started flashing both violent and sexual scenes. His anger flickered knowing that Vox wanted to do both to Alastor.

“He really isn’t fit for dignified company, is he?” He chuckled dismissively and tried to keep his anger from showing on his face.

“You might want to disconnect from your wires, your inner thoughts are showing.” Alastor added and waved in the direction of the screens.

“A-Alastor, what are you doing here…. with His Majesty.” Vox sputtered and wires detached from the back of his head and the screens went dark behind him.

“Clearly we are here to speak to you. Why else would we taint our shadows with this distasteful light.” Alastor tutted. He glanced between Alastor and Vox. The thoughts were clearly still on Vox’s brain and Alastor must have been aware but he made no move to berate Vox about it. Rosie was right Alastor treated Vox differently than anyone else. Would Alastor be able to destroy Vox? He seemed hesitant even after deciding Vox needed to go. It reminded him too much of how he would struggle to deal with Lilith if she decided to try and take Charlie from him again. He had promised not to get involved unless Alastor was losing control but he was beginning to understand that might be a difficult promise to keep.

“Oh, how is life as ‘pet Morningstar’ treating you?” Vox managed to recover from his shock and went on the attack when Alastor did not.

“You should know better than most, I’m no one’s pet.” Alastor’s voice betrayed his disappointment.

“So you say, but your actions are speaking really loud and crystal f*cking clear. No way the excuse Princess Morningstar gave earlier was true. What type of deal did you make with them? Did you exchange yourself for their protection? HA! Your status as an Overlord is over if that’s the case.” Vox spoke quickly gauging Alastor’s reaction to each word. Alastor paused and Vox looked like he had just tasted victory.

“The only deal I have in place with any of the Morningstars is for a favour from Charlie, in which no one is harmed.” Alastor’s voice lacked its usual confidence. His head snapped to look at Alastor in shock. Anger sparked in him for Alastor to have kept something like that from him. It was the first time in a long time he’d felt anger towards Alastor. Vox cackled at his response but Alastor turned and looked at him continuing before Vox could interrupt. “It was made before the battle with Adam… before even Rosie joined her side. With everything that had been going on… It really was the last thing on my mind. I apologise for not advising you sooner.” To his credit Alastor did actually look sorry.

He’d even allowed his ears to droop and had his head down slightly. Alastor was completely focused on him and ignoring Vox. It would have been suicide to drop his guard around an enemy in their territory but it meant Alastor cared more about his reaction than anything else, even his own safety. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Vox’s reaction to being flat out ignored and the horrified look that settled on Vox’s face as he struggled with what he was witnessing and probably realising the identity of the one he dubbed ‘Radio Puppet’.

The anger in him fizzled out as Alastor watched him, his ears drooping further, fully displaying how sorry he was. He hated that Charlie had agreed to a deal with Alastor, he’d need to know more about it, but this wasn’t the time to ask. Alastor had taken advantage of her and while it sounded like a harmless enough deal, there was a lot he could achieve from it. Alastor waited, he knew what he’d done would anger him and had accepted he’d rather disclose it than hide it. That fact at least made him believe Alastor really had been too preoccupied with everything else going on and the deal had been mostly forgotten about and not maliciously kept from him.

He would still have to punish Alastor in some way, he might be a former angel but forgiveness was earned in Hell. He wanted something light but would still leave an impression. He caught sight of sparks as Vox glitched in jealous anger. Oh, that’s an idea. He forced himself to not grin. He’d promised not to get involved with the fight between Vox and Alastor, but he could tip things in Alastor’s favour by taunting Vox. He sighed and stepped closer to Alastor and reached for his dropped ear. His heart beat faster as he was more than a little surprised that Alastor didn't back away from the touch, but leaned his head down further to allow him access.

“We will talk about that later.” He mumbled quietly, letting his hand slide to the tip of Alastor’s ear and with more pressure than he had in any of his previous chances to touch that spot he pinched it between his thumb and forefinger as he rubbed the spot. It earned him a startled and quickly muffled moan.

Alastor gripped the hem of his coat tightly but remained still, able to contain himself unlike Vox, who groaned loudly from just hearing the sound. He ignored the television demon as he smirked at Alastor who was struggling with the sensation as he continued to tease the trapped ear tip. Alastor still didn’t try to pull his ear away and was forcing himself to endure what he was feeling. Which meant he was trying to show that he was sincere in his apology. He lightened the pressure but teased the spot a little longer.

“We may not be in pleasant company, but please refrain yourself. He is not deserving of the sight.” Alastor managed to find his voice through the sensation. It confirmed his suspicions that the spot was pleasurably sensitive as Alastor’s voice was the same low purr he’d heard just before he was dubbed ‘Mon Canard’. He swallowed hard and let go of Alastor’s ear.

“If you insist.” He did his best to sound uninterested. Alastor breathed out slowly as he calmed himself down.

“Y-you… No! no, you couldn’t have!” Vox stuttered as his rage finally allowed his brain to use his voice. “That was mine! I was to be the one to claim your virginity!” Vox’s eyes pulsed with a hypnotic pattern while there was a small pulse emitted from his powers. He fought to keep the rage in him from boiling over. How dare Vox try to claim Alastor. His mark was on Alastor and Alastor had agreed to it. Alastor’s declaration of intending to claim him back had made it almost impossible for him to restrain himself from taking Alastor then and there. He’d managed somehow, but he doubted he’d be able to a second time.

“I do not recall reserving it for you or ever agreeing to give it to you.” Alastor shook his head at the TV and appeared less than interested in Vox’s opinion. He knew better, Alastor’s shadow was in its more defensive poofy form. It was trying to protect Alastor and unable to do anything against Alastor’s internal emotions. Vox didn’t seem to be quite as perceptive in how Alastor’s shadow gave away his mood.

“I’ve had that claimed since looooooong before Val and I went to take it from you!” Vox stomped loudly as he marched over to Alastor. He’d suspected that Vox had tried to force himself on Alastor and Rosie had told him that Valentino had started to hang around them when Alastor had started to separate himself from Vox. He’d known it was possible… he’d hoped to be wrong but there was little denying what he’d just heard. Oh they would pay. He felt his tail whip free and swish about as some of his anger vented.

“I do recall you failed the attempt. That typically implies forfeiting any claim.” Alastor rolled his eyes dismissively at Vox before looking over at him. The glance was soft enough to tell him everything was under control and not to worry. The smirk Alastor gave him when he managed to shift his form back made him pause. Alastor was giving him an opening. He’d promised not to get involved with Vox… but Valentino was fair game. Oh his Deer really was clever, baiting Vox into revealing his previous intentions and exposing his collaborators.

“Oh, the moth wanted to get in on the action too did he? Well I might have to have a word with him.” He opened a portal to where the other Vee currently was. “The television is all yours… but the moth is mine.” He called out to Alastor as he leaned into the portal. It didn’t take him long to spot the towering demon. He let his wings out and with a quick beat he grabbed Valentino behind the neck and yanked him through the portal to join them.

“What the f*ck? Who the- Oh sh*t.” Valentino’s voice grated against his eardrums in its pitch. This piece of trash had tried to defile the one being in creation he had marked.

“Your Majesty… if this is about what I said to your daughter…it wasn’t a serious offer.” The fool hadn’t even registered Alastor present and managed to dig himself so much deeper by just opening his vile mouth.

“What did you say?” Lucifer growled and let his demonic features take over. He was done restraining them; these Vees didn’t seem to understand the pecking order and their place at the bottom of it as they attempted to manipulate those above their station.

“You idiot! Please tell me didn’t you offer her a job?” Vox berated Valentino taking to steps to make his way over to Valentino only to be stopped by Alastor who had materialised his cane to keep from touching the other.

“I- ugh.” Valentino finally paused to look around and seemed to become even more confused. Vox’s tone seemed to keep him quiet, understanding that speaking anything else might get him in more sh*t. He didn’t have to speak. Vox had done it for him. This filthy sinner had tried to get Charlie, the purest Hellborn, to partake in his… To treat her like he did Angeldust… He was thankful that Charlie had a good head on her shoulders and had turned the disgusting moth down. She might be grown, but she was still his little girl.

“Well, it seems you’ve just earned yourself the extra special torment prize. I wonder what else I can add to what I intend to do to you. Since you seem to be rather clueless about why you’ve been included in this little meeting; I found out what you and Vox attempted to do to Alastor.”

“What? That’s ancient f*cking history! That sh*t happens all the time in Hell! You could hardly go an hour without someone being drugged and raped! Just because he’s got some angelic background doesn’t mean he’s special!” Valentino shrieked in disgusted frustration. He materialised chains around Valentino and tugged hard forcing the tall demon to his knees. His wings flared out and his tail swished, displaying his irritation with Valentino. He leaned down and the flame between his horns began to singe the fluff of the demon's single remaining antennae.

“Alastor is mine.” He growled darkly as he glared down at the one who was going to take the brunt of his anger. He suspected what had just been spewed by Valentino was an accurate description of what they’d tried. They’d likely drugged Alastor and the two of them had then tried to force themselves on him. Only Alastor had managed to fight back and must have come out on top but hadn’t been in a state to finish things.

“I thought you said your deal was with Charlie?” Vox spoke quietly and leaned towards Alastor. A low growl rumbled in his throat at how close the TV was getting to Alastor.

“It is. I have no deal with Lucifer.” Alastor paused with a grin while his gaze was locked on him instead of Vox. ”I’ve been claimed by him, as you just heard.”

By all the rings of Hell, those words were bliss. His whole body shivered from the wave of pleasure Alastor’s words had stirred. He’d never expected to feel elation like that from hearing Alastor confirming he was claimed.

“Like hell you’d agree to that. What do you get out of that?” Vox shook his head skeptically.

“Oh but I did agree, without any conditions or asking what it entailed.” Alastor smiled at him as he spoke. It finally hit him that not only had Alastor understood there was more to the mark when he’d agreed but that he’d done so without asking for specifics. Alastor was well aware of the nuances of deals and the peril that could follow should the parties not have details spelled out; yet he hadn’t asked about them - he’d just agreed. He took Alastor’s willingness at the time as trust, but it was so much more than that. Even with the fight he’d had with the airwaves, Alastor had recovered enough by then to understand that not getting the details could mean his end. Alastor had willingly let himself be marked without much in the way of discussion while understanding he’d agreed without knowing all of the facts.

“B-w-what?!” Vox seemed to understand the implications quickly and he gapped in shock as his head slowly rotated from him back to Alastor. He smirked back at Alastor. He kept himself from closing the distance between them. Something Alastor seemed all too aware he needed to do by the small chuckle he got.

“My relationship with Lucifer aside, we are here to deal with you tonight. I am afraid this is goodnight and goodbye for you.” Alastor tapped Vox’s chest with the end of his cane before he spun it around and leaned on it. Alastor’s antlers glowed slightly but steadily as he drew heavily on his powers. There was a slight shift to the air but even he could only sense a hint of the building magic.

“You wouldn’t… You couldn’t back then, what makes you think you can do it now?” Vox folded his arms over his chest as he taunted Alastor. Vox’s screen glitched twice when Alastor didn’t respond to him.

“Uh… did his antlers always glow like that?” Val asked hesitantly from where he was on his knees.

“What?” Vox looked up at Alastor’s antlers as they began to grow in size. Even Vox could feel Alastor pull on his powers now. In a matter of seconds the air around them tingled heavily with static. The hairs on his arms and neck were all standing from the charged air.

“Uh… Oh, sh*t… the voice was you.” Vox’s eyes went wide as he focused fully on Alastor.

“Rends-moi à nous” Alastor chuckled as he repeated the words that had manifested in the airwaves and had called for him for the last few weeks. He’d spoken without his radio filter, like he’d suspected the voice was Alastor’s. It was almost hauntingly beautiful to hear the words that had chased Alastor just a week before come from his Deer. “The airwaves were calling for me, and I have taken control of them.” Alastor hadn’t increased his size but his antlers had extended to a size that was easily twice his height.

“What? How? Angels don’t have that type of power!” Vox scrambled to try and delay the inevitable. Alastor paused and tilted his head slightly. Why isn’t he attacking? Was Vox right? Had Alastor been unable to bring himself to kill Vox before?

“Oh? I guess your source didn’t tell you everything. Or do they not know about that?” Alastor taunted and the static in the air started to crackle. He caught glimpses of green static sparks that looked suspiciously like snakes. The electricity in the air was reaching a critical point.

“Didn’t tell me what?” Vox looked around nervously. He couldn’t help but smirk darkly. Nowhere to run, asshole.

“Well, what did she tell you about me?” Alastor took a step towards Vox and Vox held his ground. There was a spark to the TV demon’s eye, the stirrings of hope that he might escape this situation yet. Vox seemed to think that he’d found a way to distract Alastor, only he’d failed to notice that Alastor was only toying with him. Alastor was on the hunt for Vox’s source. Who could have reached out to the Vees with confidential information about a trial that was likely going to rock Heaven similarly to his own. Alastor hadn’t mentioned knowing who it was, and he suspected that Alastor only had at least one person in mind but he doubted that Alastor had found definitive proof on the identity of the culprit.

“H-how did you know? No one here would have told you about our deal.” Vox started to step back but halted his movements, choosing instead to stand tall and even lean a little towards Alastor.

“At least she dished on your grandaddy when she found out Adam wasn’t in Hell.” Valentino huffed loudly like he was frustrated for being left out of the conversation. They were so close to finding out the identity he could practically taste it. He kept his mouth firmly shut and did his best to keep the curiosity he was feeling from showing so he didn’t give away Alastor’s bluff.

“Oh, she only told you about him? Not about my father? Perhaps she doesn’t know, wouldn’t that be something.” Alastor’s grin was positively wicked as he smirked at Valentino. The two Vees exchanged a quick look.

“Your… father? Fuuuuuuuck.” Vox’s screen paled. The situation he was in finally started to dawn on him.

“She f*cking played us! I told you not to f*cking trust the original skan*!” Val snarled at Vox, only Vox was now watching Alastor closely.

Oh no. Lilith was working with the Vees. He forced himself to do one of those breathing exercises Charlie kept getting him to do when he got worked up. How could she? It meant that Lilith had abandoned Charlie and left for Heaven after she’d left him. He’d wanted to believe that she’d run off to another ring, but he hadn’t been able to feel her in Hell. He balled a fist and forced himself to focus on Alastor, it would do neither of them any good to be distracted when confronting an enemy.

“I didn’t get control over the airwaves from an angel, yet the power is angelic by nature.” Alastor muttered quietly to Vox. The static in the air was making his teeth ache, whatever Alastor was going to do, it was going to happen very soon.

“Wha-?” Vox tensed but didn’t back off, only watching closely as Alastor reached a hand out slowly, intent on touching the top of Vox’s screen.

“I’m but one quarter sinner.” Alastor patted Vox’s head and the charge to the air disappeared along with the glow to Alastor’s antlers. Vox’s screen went blank only displaying Alastor’s reflection on the dark screen. “He really should have kept his guard up.” Alastor shook his head at the blank screen as Vox’s body started to wobble then crumpled to the ground. He stared in shock at the crumpled form. Alastor had directed all of the power he’d built up in the room into Vox in an instant. He’d known Alastor had pretty much mastered the new power level, but daaaamn that had been such a smooth attack even he hadn’t been sure the blow would be delivered like that.

“What the hell just happened?” Val squeaked as he stared at Vox’s unmoving form.

“The death of television.” He chuckled.

“Well, not exactly.” Alastor spoke up. “He is still with us, as it wasn’t an angelic attack, but he won’t be recovering from it.” Alastor looked over at him, confident now that Vox wasn’t going to move any more. “You intend to take care of the moth?”

“Oh, I plan on ending him permanently. Why?” He stepped towards Alastor, trying to discern the reason for Alastor’s question.

“I have kept this ability quite secret, so I wanted to ensure he wouldn’t be able to reveal it.” Alastor replied calmly as he shot him a quick smirk.

“What are you going to make him?” He grinned. Alastor was going to use his soul manipulation powers on Vox. He’d kept himself from using them when he was experimenting with healing. This would be the first time he’d gotten to see Alastor use them. It would probably be the first time Alastor had ever let anyone live after seeing them.

“A co*ckroach. Something for Niffty to play with.” Alastor commented as he crouched down next to Vox’s soon to be former form. None would know what happened to Vox, like he’d suggested, Alastor was going to make the TV demon just disappear. No fanfare, no screams - just vanishing into nothingness like he’d never existed.

“What the f*ck is he talking about? How the f*ck is he going to change Vox-” Valentino began to demand only to be cut off as he flicked his wrist allowing his powers sealed Valentino’s mouth.

“Quiet, I want to see this.” He mumbled and focused on Alastor.

Alastor’s antlers once again glowed steadily and slightly brighter this time. Alastor’s tentacles appeared from his shadow and began to wrap around Vox. Alastor’s head co*cked to the side and he held out one of his hands. One of the tentacles broke off from the rest and quickly slid into Alastor’s awaiting hand allowing him to inspect it closely.

“Now, is this because of your mark or because of my heritage as a Bisimbi?” Alastor shook his head and glanced over at him. His eyes had changed colour again, solidifying his theory that the Amber and black colouring appeared when he used his angelic powers.

“What do you mean?” He walked closer knowing that Val wouldn’t be able to move. Alastor held out the tentacle in his hand and it slithered towards him. He let out a happy squeak as he noticed the black shadow had two little sour apple green eyes and was in fact a snake and not a tentacle. He held out his hand and the shadow nuzzled his fingers.

“I don’t think it’s because of me… but I’m not positive. I love the change though.” He giggled as the small shadow snake curled around his wrist.

There was a loud crunch, followed by several rather sickening pops and cracking as Alastor forced Vox’s form to contort into the one he intended it to take from now on. The air was once again charged with his magic, but this time it wasn’t the airwaves and there was no static. As disturbing as the noises were, it couldn’t compare to the elation he got from the feeling of Alastor using archangelic powers. The threat that was Vox was gone, and Alastor was allowing him to see a power he had never shown anyone else, had never even talked about to anyone else. It was a whole new level of trust between them, and f*ck, it made his whole body tingle and his wings itch to come out and he felt the urge to consummate the marking.

One of the snake tentacles presented Alastor with co*ckroach Vox… Voxroach? He chuckled at the name. Alastor nodded slightly and the snake and Voxraoch disappeared. Alastor’s antlers returned to their smaller size as Alastor turned to him.

“My turn?” He smirked at Alastor before turning back to Valentino and released the seal on his mouth.

“Holy f*ck. What was that… sh*t it was f*cking hot.” Valentino groaned loudly and drooled as he stared at Alastor.

His tail swished erratically through the air as anger flared through his system.

“I know you said that you’d try to finish healing that later… but I think I’m going to have to test out how well what you have done will hold up.” He called over to Alastor as he squatted down in front of Valentino, blocking the moth’s view of Alastor.

“I’m confident it will remain intact while dealing with the likes of him.” Alastor replied from behind him.

He reached for powers he hadn’t used in thousands of years, and for the first time since his trial they answered. He felt holy magic, not angelic, fill his system and f*ck it felt so good to be whole again. He let his wings stretch out and each feather was revitalised with the flush of magic. He’d never felt power gathering in his horns or tail before… but both tingled sharply like pins and needles as they adjusted to the new ability to focus magic.

“I- Oh… f*ck.” Valentino tried to speak but he closed his hand over the moth’s throat, claws sinking into flesh when he couldn’t get his fingers fully around the demons’ neck.

He breathed out slowly and allowed his powers to seep into the other. His hand up to his elbow glowed gold with the power he had focused there. Steadily the glow flowed from him into Valentino. As the last traces of glow left his hand and entered the sinner he relaxed his grip slightly. Unlike Vox’s ‘death’ Valentino’s would not be fast. Valentino’s blood illuminated in his veins as the power infused with it, showing a clear trail as his magic circulated within the sinner’s body. Valentino screamed in terror and pain. His wings beat frantically and limbs flailed as his blood within his veins incinerated him from the inside. Holy fire was one of the more excruciating ways he had been able to eliminate a soul.

It had also been one of the reasons that Heaven had clipped his ability to draw on Holy magic. He could feel a strain on the area Alastor had restored to him. It had held for him to use his powers but too much and the repair would fail. He focused his own healing powers on the strained area and found that he wasn’t able to repair the small cracks that had appeared there. The air was heavy with ash that fell off of Valentino’s wings as they dissolved. Their continued motion was only a reflex and the structure of them began to crumble as well. Watching them hit home just how careful he would need to be when he used this power. It took a lot out of Alastor to restore the connection and he wouldn’t jeopardise what he’d been given. Valentino’s screams faded and his body also began to dissolve to ash, crumbling within his grasp, as his soul was erased from existence.

He quickly turned back towards Alastor knowing that his movements would disturb the pile of ash that had been Valentino, intent on catching Alastor’s reaction before he could cover it. He easily succeeded, even had he not rushed he still would have, but he was able to gain a few extra moments of enjoyment as Alastor seemed awestruck from watching him. Alastor’s lips were slightly parted and his eyes were open wide… Oh? He was inclined to believe Alastor had enjoyed his display of power. He was also a little surprised that Alastor’s eyes were still amber. Perhaps his theory on their colouring was quite right.

He hurried over to Alastor before his Deer had the chance to fully reign in what he was feeling from watching him destroy Valentino. He hadn’t come to a complete stop before he felt Alastor’s hand on his arm pull him forward and he stumbled the last few inches into Alastor. He wasn’t the only one who had enjoyed watching the display of powers; he smirked as he tilted his head up and extinguishing the fire that burned between his horns just in time for Alastor to curl down and kiss him. It was a much more insistent kiss than he’d shared with Alastor before. He could feel Alastor’s inner battle to regain control and he guided the kiss away from the rough and desperate one it had begun as to a more sensual and gentle one until Alastor pulled back just enough to break the kiss.

“I-I apologies… That was probably not an appropriate response.” Alastor mumbled against his lips. Alastor’s breathing was unsteady but he wasn’t panting.

“It wasn’t an unwelcome one, but we should take this somewhere a little more private if you intend to continue.” He grinned and rubbed their noses together.

“Yes.” Alastor didn’t move but the power around him shifted. The screens around them fizzed and popped as they all went out. Alastor was corrupting and destroying Vox’s files. The former demon’s control room darkened as Alastor ensured that none would be able to access Vox’s files to fill the void that now existed in the airwaves. “Now, my room or yours?”

“Your bayou cottage.” The words tumbled quickly from his mouth. If Alastor was struggling even slightly, that place was where Alastor would want to be. If he wasn’t, it was a place they both knew few would seek them out.

Alastor kissed him again and he felt the now familiar shift as they travelled through Alastor’s shadow. The change to gravity as they reappeared was still something he was getting used to, though not unpleasant. Alastor hadn’t broken the kiss as they’d travelled and he found himself on top of Alastor. A quick glance around confirmed he wasn’t familiar with this room but it didn’t take him long to understand where they were. He smirked and slipped his tongue into Alastor’s mouth. The slight moan made his wings flutter, he knew Alastor kept a tight hold on himself and he loved every little noise his efforts were rewarded with.

He gasped as Alastor’s hand stroked his wings.

“Mon Canard.” Alastor groaned, the deep rumble against his chest and hand on his wings had him seeing stars. His pants were already painfully tight and he was all too aware he was fully erect beneath their restriction. He shifted on top of Alastor but didn’t get far. Alastor’s hand on his wing slipped to his waist. It was the little whine from Alastor as he tried to pull away that did him in.

“f*ck,” He hissed through his teeth, curling until his forhead rested against Alastor’s chest. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop myself if you keep this up.” He confessed bitterly as he cursed his inability to maintain the slow pace that someone like Alastor would need. Alastor’s other hand settled on his waist for a moment before carefully slipping up along his spine between his wings. Alastor hugged him loosely, allowing him to back off should he want to stop. He prepared himself to hear Alastor tell him they should just stop as he felt Alastor take a deep breath.

“Then don’t.” There wasn’t any hesitation to Alastor’s tone but he was certain he’d misheard what was said.

“Wha-” He looked up in shock.

“I don’t want you to stop.” Alastor spoke slowly and his usual radio filter was absent. The amber to his eyes seemed almost to glow. His ears were pointed out and shifting nervously. Alastor did seem to earnestly want to proceed. His body was ready to jump at the opportunity, but he needed to be sure. He’d never struggled so much against himself like he had since marking Alastor, and it was likely that Alastor was also feeling something from the mark. He would hate himself if Alastor chose this just because of the mark.

“But…” He started and was cut off.
“I have control over my power. We don’t need to worry about the angelic magic in me. I need you. I want all of you and I want you to have me. I need your help with this hunger you’ve woken in me, so please do not stop.”

“When did the hunger start? Was it before the airwaves tried to take you?” He grasped at straws to give him some peace of mind before he lost the last shred of restraint he had. Alastor’s head tilted to the left and confusion flickered across his features, but he nodded.

“Quite a bit before then. I believe I mentioned something about tearing out your throat the first time I felt it. I know now the gnawing feeling isn’t the same type of hunger I’ve felt before. It grows more and more insistent as we are more intimate.” Alastor’s words allowed him to relax. He vaguely remembered Alastor making a comment about not wanting to explain to Charlie why he’d done that.

“If I go too far…” He began to warn Alastor only to be interrupted again.

“Please, Mon Canard.” Alastor nodded as he whined, not even bothering to let him finish as he practically begged him to continue.

He sat up in an effort to steady himself as Alastor’s plea had him dangling at the edge of oblivion already. This was it, he’d not be able to stop himself any longer, not with Alastor begging him to take him. His fingers twitched. He was certain he wouldn’t be able to keep from ripping through fabric to get to skin. If they were ready for this or not, it was happening. He swallowed hard and used his magic to relieve the two of them of cloth, the articles appearing in a neatly folded pile on the dresser he’d caught a glimpse of across the room.

“You had best be ready to take what you’re asking for.” He drank in his first view of Alastor without his usual layers. There wasn’t as much fur as he’d expected originally. It was probably due to his angelic nature combatting the sinner side of him that had made his soul take the appearance of a deer. He had black fur from his elbows to his claws. He suspected the same would be the case when he got to see Alastor’s legs, but didn’t want to tear his eyes away to check. He could feel there was some fur or fuzz along Alastor’s flanks from where his legs were tucked underneath him as he sat on top of Alastor.

He had seen some of Alastor’s scars when he’d healed him from Adam… but he hadn’t expected there to be so many more. His fingers trailed along one scar that travelled from Alastor’s hip to his side.There were dots that suspiciously looked like bite marks which intersected with the long scar. As he glanced around, he noticed more and more of them. It became clear Alastor had been mauled at some point while he was alive. He shoved that thought to the back of his mind and focused instead on Alastor’s face. His ears were pointed out once again and his attention to the scars had probably been the cause. Alastor’s eyes had yet to revert from their amber on black colouring. He held his breath as Alastor curled forward until their noses almost touched.

“I am.” Alastor muttered before he kissed him. The last thread of resistance he’d managed to hold onto snapped with those two words. He swore to himself he would do his best to go slow, to savour the gift he’d been given but he knew neither of them had the patience left to be able to do that. He intended to repeatedly worship every inch of Alastor to make up for how desperate he was to be inside him right now.

Alastor had described the feeling as hungry and he certainly seemed intent on tasting him. Alastor seemed much more confident as his tongue explored. He leaned in and Alastor’s arms around him tightened. He let his arms drape down Alastor’s shoulders as he traced his fingers along Alastor’s skin, discovering more scars but doing his best not to trace them. Alastor’s hands reached the base of his lowest set of wings. He arched back and moaned as the sensation threatened to push him over the edge again. The tension was quickly gathering and he wouldn’t last long if Alastor went for his wings.

Alastor’s irises had turned to amber radio dials. He heard a low growl from Alastor as he trailed kisses down his neck with only the hint of teeth grazing his skin and never breaking through. Alastor’s breath teased his skin as he stopped near his collarbone.

“May I?” Alastor’s groaned whisper was so low he barely heard it over his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

“Yes.” He nodded and gasped as Alastor’s teeth sank into his flesh. He moaned as he felt Alastor’s magic enter his body. Alastor’s antlers steadily increased in size and glowed brightly. He gladly accepted the magic with his own and helped entwine the two as he guided Alastor on how to bind them together. Between the feel of their magic flowing through his system and Alastor’s mouth on his skin he couldn’t help but squirm and rock. Alastor’s arms around his waist tightened as he growled possessively. “Only yours my love.” He gasped and teased both of Alastor’s ears. The growl softened into a groan and Alastor’s grip loosened while his tongue lapped the last of the blood as the wound closed over leaving behind Alastor’s seal.

Their marks now bound them to each other. Alastor’s antlers retreated but stayed larger than he usually kept them. Alastor’s tongue was intent on making sure every last drop of blood had been consumed. He hadn’t stopped shivering and twitching from the intense sensation it was producing. He could feel the pull from when he’d marked Alastor urging him to keep going, and was certain the mark now on his skin was having a similar effect on Alastor. He cupped Alastor’s jaw and kissed him again, managing to keep it short.

“I want to go slow, but I fear I won’t be able to.” He murmured as he adjusted his position.

“I know.” Alastor gasped. The black part of his eyes now appeared charcoal grey. He was curious about the change, but he couldn’t focus on it now.

“It will hurt more if I don’t get you ready, hold out for me a little longer, okay?” He smiled down at Alastor who nodded back at him. He trailed kisses down Alastor’s chest and let his hands sneak down along Alastor’s sides. He discovered that the fuzz he’d felt on Alastor’s flanks started just below his hip. He glanced over as he trailed his fingers in the soft short fur, it was the same shade of red as Alastor’s hair and tail. He suspected that the fur started around the same level as his tail and that should he try to reach around Alastor’s waist he’d find the two were part of the same patch of fur. He’d see about toying with Alastor’s tail later. Alastor was already panting and squirming from the teasing his teeth and tongue were inflicting upon first one nipple than the other.

He let his fingers continue their path down through the fuzz as it lightened to pale brown before becoming black. When he got almost to Alastor’s knee he changed his direction and trailed up along Alastor’s inner thigh where the fuzz lightened but also became skin and he dulled his claws until they were the same as fingertips. Alastor choked back a moan as he shifted lower, grinding lightly against Alastor’s co*ck. He repeated the movement with a little more force and pulled a deep groan from Alastor. He smirked at sound and how Alastor’s deer features had only been able to manifest fuzz on him in very limited quantities and even then none of it was longer than what was on his ears and tail.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t be able to go slow?” Alastor growled impatiently while his claws sliced through the bedding as he gripped it tight, barely able to keep from holding onto him instead.

“Oh, I won’t be able to. Watching you squirm is mesmerising, hearing just how needy you are getting even more addictive than that. f*ck, I want to find out what sounds I can get you to make. What sounds you make when you try to keep yourself from making others, and if I can keep you from being able to stop them.” He allowed his magic to focus around his fingers as he spoke.

He glanced up at Alastor and nearly lost himself at the debauched sight; Alastor’s hair had somehow ended up in a tangled mess. Likely part of the reason Alastor’s claws were currently dug deep into the bed. His antlers had also torn up some of the pillow as they had extended again. His eyes were a lust filled and hazy amber. He’d expected radio dials, but his irises had changed back. The traces of gold blood on Alastor’s lips and chin made him want to kiss him again. Of everything it was the barely there mimpers as Alastor panted desperately that had him leaking pre-cum. Like him Alastor wasn’t going to be able to hold out much longer.

There was a strange sense of urgency settling into his veins. It kept pressing him to go further, reach deeper and he cursed it as much as he embraced it. He circled his finger around Alastor’s entrance letting a little of the magic seep into Alastor to relax the muscle and giving Alastor some warning of what he was going to do. Alastor didn’t quite manage to muffle the adorable bleat that escaped when he sunk one of his fingers inside. He allowed the magic to extend as far as the digit went and then a few inches further. He wasn’t really satisfied that the first had done its job by the time he added a second, but the noise was a sign Alastor’s control wasn’t going to hold out much longer. He was struggling and knew better than to try and fool himself into thinking otherwise.

“Enough teasing.” Alastor whimpered through his teeth.

“I know my love, almost there.” He cooed as he extended his fingers as far as he could and stroked the nub of nerves by Alastor’s prostate. His efforts were rewarded with a long low groan as Alastor arched from the bed. He held on tight to the last of his control as he removed his fingers and aligned his co*ck with Alastors’ entrance. He swallowed hard as he pushed forward. Alastor was impossibly tight, even with the magic, and he desperately tried not to go too fast. But he wasn’t the only one making decisions. He felt Alastor’s legs wrapped around his waist as he was pulled forward, forcing Alastor to take him to the hilt.

“Gnh, you can do, slow, another time.” Alastor gasped. The muscles of his legs quivered but Alastor didn’t release him. “I promise…just not this time.”

“It’s a deal then?” He teased but Alastor shook his head.

“No, I won’t have a deal with me tainting you. We are both claimed, nothing more is needed between us.” Alastor’s breathing was uneven as he spoke. The intent of the words uttered turned his insides to mush as his wings fluttered excitedly. Without thinking he leaned down and kissed Alastor, forcing Alastor to curl in order for him to be able to reach his mouth. He felt Alastor smile and knew even contorted in half with him inside, Alastor’s smile was genuine. He felt his tail wrap around Alastor’s waist and Alastor groaned deep in his throat as it did the same to his deer tail. He allowed his tail to remain where it was as it playfully tugged Alastor’s tail and sat back enough to steady himself as he rocked forward, allowing his first few thrusts to be shallow before setting a steady and deep pace.

The fur on Alastor’s hips felt altogether too soft between his fingers as he gripped the area tightly. Alastor’s legs were locked behind him but Alastor kept his claws from slashing anything other than the mattress. Alastor had reached the point of being unable to control all of the sounds coming from his mouth and there was a dribble of gold and red blood from the corner of his mouth where’d bitten into his lip. He slowed his pace and reached down to brush the trail of blood. Alastor managed to growl in protest between his ragged gasps. He smirked down at Alastor and licked the trace of blood from his finger. It tasted richer than before but he could tell it was still Alastor’s blood if any of his own was mixed in he couldn’t tell. He licked his lips to ensure he’d gotten it all and Alastor’s eyes flashed back to radio dials as he mumbled something too low for the words to be understood but he got the impression it had been in French.

If Alastor was struggling to think in English he was close. He smirked and took a hold of Alastor’s co*ck and pumped in time with his thrusts as he sped back up. He felt his control waning as he got closer. His thrusts steadily became more erratic as he desperately hung on. His tail squeezed around Alastor’s and he forced his Radio Demon, his Deer over the edge as he cried out. Overwhelmed by pleasure in a way no one else had ever, or would ever be allowed to do to him. He growled in satisfaction knowing Alastor was his and allowed the tremors rocking through Alastor’s body to pull him to completion. He collapsed a gasping mess onto Alastor’s chest and warm arms promptly held him close even as they continued to twitch.

He felt peace like he’d never experienced outside of Heaven. He felt safe, once again whole and cherished by one he’d come to love. It made his entire body tingle and he greedily soaked it all in. His wings quivered happily and he breathed in the comforting scent of Alastor as his mate continued to tremble and pant. He used a little magic to clean the two of them but couldn’t contain his grin, only just managing to keep from cackling as his mind reminded him of what he’d just done..

One Radio cherry popped.

Alastor’s POV

It had been a very long time, in fact he couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept that well. Lucifer’s warmth was solidly pressed into him and he was tempted to let the warmth and weight lull him back to sleep. That was until he heard Lucifer chuckle. He opened his eyes and was greeted with the blindingly bright grin of the one who’d thoroughly deflowered him last night. He’d barely more than shifted and he night’s activities began to register as his body protested abuse to areas unused to such treatment. It would make moving around today a very sensitive affair but he was hesitant about just healing himself as if removing the pain would somehow wake him from this dream.

“You are unbelievably adorable when you sleep, did you know that?” Lucifer reached up and pushed some of his hair out of the way and intentionally brushed along his ear.

“It is not something I’ve been told. There aren’t many who see me sleep.” He mumbled. The sensation tingled down his spine but was not as uncomfortable as it had been before now that there wasn’t an unknown factor anymore. It was quite enjoyable but he’d have to limit how often Lucifer teased there.

“I’m grateful for the privilege. How are you feeling?”

“Well rested.” He sighed and Lucifer gave him a look that screamed ‘bullsh*t’. “And sore.” He added. He didn’t want to disclose just how sore he was. His back ached from his ribs down to his tail. Lucifer’s tail had been rough with his own. Between the squeezing and pulling he wasn’t sure his vertebrae were still aligned. They had certainly been jostled. The burning ache he felt from between his legs easily eclipsed what his back felt.

“Well I can help with that if you want?” Lucifer tilted his head and his smile returned.

“No, I should be able to tend to that myself if needed. What about yourself?” He slipped a hand between Lucifer’s middle and lowest set of wings and traced along the base, smirking when Lucifer moaned.

“I’m still riding cloud nine.” Lucifer let his head sink down and rested it on his chest. “You got one of my firsts yesterday too.” Lucifer nuzzled his shoulder.

“I did?” He raised an eyebrow. Given how old Lucifer was, he hadn’t thought there were any remaining firsts to be had.

“Mhmm, you’re the first person I’ve let mark me. Just like you are the only one I’ve marked.” Lucifer pushed himself up enough so the spot that he’d bitten was exposed.

He glanced down at Lucifer’s collarbone and couldn’t help but lick his lips. Lucifer’s blood had tasted like nothing he’d ever experienced before, ambrosia in a pure form. Lucifer was an angelic being at his core and the blood had felt like it burned through him. It wasn’t completely unlike the sensation of strong drink. There was a clear seal present where he had bitten Lucifer. No bruises or teeth marks marred the pale skin. His name was displayed with letters evenly spaced between two circles. Contained within the smaller circle a long vertical line split the circle, a horizontal line through the centre extending halfway across before the lines extending upwards halfway again and were topped with eight lines resembling stars. In the area below each side of the vertical line held a single icon of very basic design, the left appeared to be antlers while the right, his microphone, although one could easily mistake it for some type of leaf on a stick.

“I didn’t know I had a seal.” He mumbled and let his finger trace the mark. Lucifer shivered. Oh it seems both of us will feel that connection. He was very familiar with the sensation as Lucifer had regularly started to seek out the mark.

“Woah… is that what it felt like when I touched the mark I put on you?” Lucifer had closed his eyes and his elbows trembled with effort as he kept himself arched.

“Like you are being bitten again?” He asked casually, already aware of the answer.

“Yeah…”

“Mhm.” He hummed in affirmation and continued to trace.

“How did you manage not to jump me?” Lucifer groaned and let him continue.

“With great difficulty.” He smiled as he confessed. He found the mark both fascinating and alluring. He owned souls, not as many as he could control, but the idea of marking them as his had never been appealing. Even the souls of defeated Overlords, the ones that he’d changed their forms, he’d not marked as his. Granted the shadowy forms they did take identified them as belonging to him, he’d still not placed a mark on them to claim ownership. Yet this seal on Lucifer made him feel extremely possessive over the small fallen angel and yet he was completely awestruck at Lucifer’s power while dumbfounded at his willingness to be joined with him to the point of having to remind himself that each of them now were marked by the other.

Don’t tell Rosie, she really will throw a wedding party. It was a good thing she was unlikely to show up at the hotel today, she’d see through him in a second. Which meant he was going to have to go and visit her soon. He would have to heal himself to a degree before he even attempted to visit her, probably even before he ventured downstairs.

“Well, you had better stop. I don’t think I can compete with your ability to resist. I’m sure we are already going to be the last ones that arrive for breakfast.” Lucifer let himself collapse onto his chest to keep him from tracing the mark any further.

He tilted his head to the side and glanced over to the window. The pocket dimension he created did mimic the time outside. His eyes widened in shock as he realised the shadows being cast by the light outside meant it was quite a bit later in the morning that he had thought.

“Yeah, you slept in.” Lucifer smirked up at him.

“It was a night for firsts it seems. I guess we really should go and make an appearance. I’m sure Angel has long since started to make jokes at our expense.” He wouldn’t be able to put off going downstairs much longer. They were no longer a secret to the rest of the hotel and while the other members might or might not enjoy thinking about what the two of them got up to, they had at least understood that some activities would be happening. He really would rather not have to deal with the pestering questions about positions or being given unsolicited advice of items to try from Angel.

“If he’s awake.” Lucifer shifted off of him and extended a hand to allow him to sit up before shifting to the edge of the bed. Even with the help the process was significantly more painful than he’d expected. He kept his expression neutral as his feet found the floor but he wasn’t quite ready to try and stand.

“Where’d you get that one?” Lucifer asked as he was trying to figure out what had happened to their clothes last night. He remembered that Lucifer had used magic on the both of them and expected them to be discarded in a heap somewhere and was pleasantly surprised to locate them in a neat pile on the dresser.

“Which?” He asked simply. He had a good idea which of his scars Lucifer was referring to given the angle. It was the only one other than Adam’s wound he’d gotten in Hell. Vox had gotten the hit in when he’d frozen hearing a pack of hellhounds suddenly start howling nearby. These ones had sounded so much closer to dogs than hellhounds usually did, which was likely a result of whatever the two had tried to drug him with and it had triggered vivid memories of his death. Had he not been affected by them, Val would have joined his ranks that night, but he couldn’t confidently say he would have finished Vox.

“These are claw marks.” He could hear fury in Lucifer’s words as he felt Lucifer’s fingers line up with the marks that marred from the lower left side of his waist up towards his spine and ribcage.

“They are. During a fight an Overlord landed a hit on me, but do not worry mon canard, their soul is in my possession, locked away in a form they will never recover even a fraction of their previous power.” He knew his attempt to reassure Lucifer wasn’t going to be enough, but he didn’t want to get into what had happened that night with Vox and Valentino. Both had already been dealt with and didn’t need to occupy any part of either of their minds any longer.

“Who?” Lucifer demanded and draped himself across his shoulder while linking his arms over his other to keep from falling forward.

“Does it matter?” He leaned his head back and rolled his eyes at Lucifer.

“Vox?”

“We will have to figure out what to do with the information those two provided last night.” He nodded once to confirm before changing the conversation to one that they needed to discuss and effectively removing the possibility of talking about that night with Vox.

“The fact that they were working for Lilith in order to find out if Adam was in Hell?” Lucifer grimaced.

“They seemed to be under the impression he wasn’t. Vox did specialise in surveillance, so if he was unable to locate a no longer angelic original man, there are very few places in Hell Adam would be able to avoid being spotted. I wonder who Lilith’s Heavenly contact might be.” He unfortunately, like many sinners were unaware of the inner workings between heaven and Hell. it was often something very few were ever allowed to witness. Even fewer were aware of what went on in Heaven and he certainly hadn’t been among them. Even now when the threat that he’d be called to participate in a heavenly trial it was still unlikely that he would be allowed to see the way things were done in Heaven. Lilith had been alive a very long time and could have contacts that he couldn’t even fathom, and it would be up to Lucifer to remember them. Of the heavenly officials he was aware of, only Adam’s lieutenant struck him as one who might want to find the egotistical moron enough to force Lilith to work with someone like the Vees.

“I would have guessed Adam, but he’s gone… maybe Lute? It would have to be one of the exorcists.”

“I think it's likely as well. Perhaps we should pay a visit to the Heaven embassy and see if there might be a lurking former demon queen in residence.” He teased lightly. This information would require some careful investigation. He wasn’t yet sure if they should tell Charlie that her mother had been working with the Vees and yet hadn’t attempted to contact her at any point.

“Oh, not before breakfast… I will have to figure out if I’ll be able to resist pouncing you if you end up using your archangelic powers against an enemy. I only barely managed to hold out long enough to get us back here.” Lucifer nipped at the base of his neck opposite where the mark was. He’d have to try and look at it later, it hadn’t actually occurred to him that anything other than what it was - a bite mark, would appear there. Lucifer’s comment had him curious but without healing, he had no intention of being ‘pounced’.

“Then I guess we will push it off until after lunch.”

“Why then?”

“First we will have to see how both of us can handle being around the rest of the hotel. Niffty I suspect is already aware of our activities. Depending on who we run into first both Husker and Angel will come to the conclusion quickly. The remaining residents will clue in quickly once Angel suspects.”

“Riiiiiiight.” Lucifer leaned heavily to one side and a twinge of pain shot up his spine. “Can we just hide out here all day?”

“Of course not. Charlie would inevitably come to check on us.” He shook his head and summoned one of his shadow snakes to bring their clothes. They reacted much like his tentacles. Their transformation was something that should he decide it, he’d be able to hide others from discovering.

“Fine.” Lucifer huffed in defeat before shifting quickly and placing a kiss directly on the seal at the base of his neck. He gasped at the sensation and Lucifer giggled. “Your tail!”

His eyebrow twitched knowing the appendage was raised in reaction to the shock.

“What did you expect it to do? It really only has one reaction to being startled.”

“I love the little bit of white.” Lucifer giggled and let one of his hands trail down his back.

“Please refrain from touching.” His request felt more like begging and Lucifer’s hand halted where his spin started to curve.
“Is it still sensitive?” Concern overtook much of the giddiness that seemed to be flowing from every part of Lucifer.

“Quite, given how much you were pulling on it last night.” The words weren’t far from what he would have used to tease Lucifer before but the difference in meaning behind them was night and day.

“I do remember you enjoying it.” Lucifer smiled co*ckily and his pinky finger flicked downward.

“That doesn’t change the result.” He lightly flicked Lucifer’s nose and the fallen flopped back against the bed.

“No, but it does imply you are a lot more sore than you’d like me to believe.” Lucifer pouted up at him. He paused long enough to focus on his healing magic, enough to rid him of the pain and most of the discomfort.

“Happy?” He looked over his shoulder at Lucifer. It would take a lot to knock the pleased smile off of Lucifer’s face and both of them knew it.

“Very.”

“Now get dressed so we can make an appearance at least so that our daughter will not worry.” He smiled softly. It was still strange to hear himself say, both Charlie and Lucifer had welcomed him into their family and through sheer force of will had managed to get him to fully accept them as his. Lucifer rolled to the edge of the bed and popped up, aided by his wings, before he landed gracefully and fully dressed. Not one to back down from an unspoken challenge, he also used magic to clothe himself. Lucifer opened his arms and he got up and accepted the embrace as he transported the two of them to the kitchen.

Niffty was scurrying around the room as they appeared. She had prepared a veritable feast for the residents, given how many dishes she had on the go. At least he hoped the dishes contained food. She had yet to put on tea or coffee, so she hadn’t yet come to the end of the breakfast prep.

“Well, I do say you’ve out done yourself my dear.” He smirked down at her as her focus fell on him and Lucifer.

“Ooooh, I see you brought Roach Consort with you!” She squealed and disappeared.

“Should I be offended?” Lucifer asked hesitantly.

“She’s dubbed me King Roach, so the title means she’s accepted our relationship.”

“Oh… ah!” Lucifer flinched as Niffty appeared on his shoulder, placing a circlet that matched the one she’d given him the night before the battle with Adam.

“Congratulations!” She called out happily, throwing her arms wide.

“Th-thank you.”

“Niffty, I have something I’d like you to take care of for me.” She disappeared from Lucifer’s shoulder and he felt her ghostlike grip along his back just before she appeared on his shoulder.

“This is a very special roach, so I’ll need you to take good care of him. He’s hearty enough to take regular stabbing sessions, so you should be able to enjoy yourself.” He had one of his shadow snakes pass Niffty Vox’s new form so that he’d not have to touch him. Niffty snatched the roach quickly but her hand shot out again and she patted the snake’s nose before she returned her attention to the bug in her hands.

“Oooooooh, who was unfortunate enough to be reduced to roach form?” Nifty giggled as she turned Vox around roughly, tugging at his legs sharply.

“No one who matters anymore.” He smiled at her and she giggled before skittering off to find a home for her newest toy. He breathed out a slow breath of relief. Niffty was on their side, he’d not doubted that she would be, but her reaction reassured him that he might be able to handle the rest of the hotel knowing. His eyes slid over to Lucifer who was getting cups and he battled back the peaceful sensation that was setting in. He couldn’t allow that to develop. They were in Hell and peace was the last thing he was going to get. It took him a moment but he found where Niffty had put the coffee when she’d begun her war with breakfast. He had only just finished setting up the coffee by the time she returned.

“THE f*ck HAPPNED LAST NIGHT!” Angel’s voice rang out through the hotel.

That would be the end of any peace this morning. He smirked to himself about his internal accurate prediction.

“Ugh?” Lucifer raised an eyebrow at him.

“I could guess, but we might as well go and find out what the commotion is about.” He gestured towards the door.

“Right.”

He followed Lucifer into the lobby. Most of the other residents were making an appearance as well. Husker’s tail was swishing nervously as he watched the spider pace. Angel had one set of arms wrapped around his stomach and another clutching fistfulls of his hair. His face contorted into an anxious smile. Angel had his soul back, but the routine he knew was gone. His job was in limbo and there was an influx of sinners who no longer were under an Overlord’s control.

“The f*ck is wrong Angel?” Vaggie demanded from where she stood in front of the couch, putting herself slightly in front of Charlie but not enough to block Charlie’s view. He’d seen her protective over Charlie before, but the protectiveness he felt for Lucifer seemed similar to hers. ‘It must be an angel thing.” He heard Charlie’s voice echo in his head. He and Lucifer might have to have a chat with Vaggie, but not before he’d had a chance to explain that Charlie associated the mark with angels and Lucifer managed to calm his excitement down.

“Someone off’d Val last night… and probably Vox too.” Angel added glancing over at him and Lucifer. He grinned knowing Vox was secured in some insect torture apparatus that Niffty had constructed and would spend much time in pieces as she enjoyed his tenacious new form.

“What makes you say that?” Lucifer asked cautiously. He looked at him curiously. Surely he’s realised that in destroying Valentino he had released Angel from their agreement? He sighed, no Lucifer probably hadn’t. In the heat of the moment he hadn’t really either. Somehow, the two of them had turned into idiots in love; their little escapade last night where they’d rid the Pride Ring of two useless sinners, they’d failed to consider the wider ramifications of their actions.

“Well… anything Voxtech has been turned into a brick. Completely useless now. There’s no news and if you can find a TV that works, all channels connected to the Vees are broadcasting static.” Angel’s gaze lingered on them. To his credit Angel probably suspected they had something to do with his sudden freedom. The demon was perceptive but his experience had taught him to keep his suspicions to himself.

“Angel… if Val is gone does that mean?” Charlie’s eyes were wide as she began to understand Angel’s outburst. She quickly stood up next to Vaggie as she chewed on her lip excitedly.

“Yeah… I got my soul back.”

There was a collective hush as all present. There was a power vacuum with the loss of Valentino. Like Angel, the other souls in his possession were all free and it wouldn’t take long for word to spread implying his demise. Those souls in Vox’s possession, wouldn’t be able to claim the same. Even defeated, the souls Vox had gained while in Hell were technically still his. Soul contracts and other deals existed between the two parties and death freed both from it. He’d found a loophole, his powers allowed him to fully manipulate the soul and with that, he had the power to call in any favours owed to the Overlords he’d overpowered. The little Vee... Velvette, claimed to be their backbone but she was the entitled and arrogant type with no clout to back up her words. It was only a matter of time before all three of the Vees were gone. She, like others, will discover the airwaves weren’t so easy to manipulate anymore. He had little interest in using the other mediums he had control over, but anyone who did decide to try to use them would find themselves cut off should he deem them unworthy.

“Well, sounds like celebrations are in order!” Lucifer grinned and his eyes fell on Charlie. She was containing her excitement knowing that redemption really was a possibility for Angel now.

“Yes~ Husk! A round of drinks for a toast?” Charlie practically sang and dragged her father over to the bar. He watched Husk closely, his animal form was cursed with a better nose than most in Hell and there was a significant chance he would pick up on what he and Lucifer had gotten up to last night. Sure enough, as Husk got the bottles and glasses, Lucifer reached to get a bottle of bourbon and Husk froze. Husk knew better than to blurt out information after his years of service… but his reaction was not missed by any present.

He found himself grinning as Husk eyes shot over to him

“Ugh… looks to me the cat ate the canary… well, more aptly I guess it’s deer and duck.” Angel muttered as he glanced between Husk and himself before glancing back at Lucifer. ”You’re walking pretty straight for someone who got ploughed by a monster, your majesty. Bet that angelic healing comes in real handy.” Angel nudged Lucifer with his elbow with a huge grin. Lucifer sputtered but kept himself from speaking instead glancing over to him. The fallen was trying his hardest not to reveal things he’d prefer not be shared.

“Angel!” Charlie exclaimed in embarrassment but she’d caught on that Lucifer hadn’t wanted to share any information about last night’s activities.

“What you expect me not to ask about sex when it’s clear as day your dad’s riding the high of a fantastic org*sm and, given Husk’s reaction, smells of Alastor. I want to know how ‘Mr I’m not interested in sex’ managed to blow the mind of someone considered to be ‘the great seducer’.” Angel leaned heavily on Lucifer and rolled his eyes at Charlie.

“She’s certainly more concerned about those you intend to talk about than the subject matter. Besides, while you are mistaken in parts of your assessment, healing magic certainly is a perk after such activities.” He wouldn’t normally have commented, but Angel’s hand was annoyingly close to the mark he’d left on Lucifer and he had barely suppressed the way his eye wanted to twitch. Lucifer stared wide-eyed at him as he spoke, a grin spreading on his face with each word until he erupted into giggles. That and the stunned silence from Angel made up for the crass comment he’d uttered. He allowed his shadow snakes to fetch glasses from a stunned Husk and distributed them between the hotel residents.

“Now Caneton, I do believe you mentioned a toast.” He smiled at Charlie hoping to leave that topic of conversation completely behind.

“What’s that mean?” Vaggie asked and he cursed himself for not realising his guard was down enough that he’d spoken French around the others.

“Duckling.” He answered simply.

“Awww. Papa, that's adorable! I love it.” Charlie stared at him with her puppy eyes. “Let me guess, you call Dad something to do with a duck?” She looked as though she’d somehow manage to melt on the spot. With a sigh he nodded, but he didn’t dare speak the words, even if he had he would have been interrupted by the golden circle that suddenly formed about a foot from Lucifer’s right shoulder and he felt his powers respond to the potential threat.

“Lucifer, I must speak with you.” Sera’s voice boomed in the lobby.

“So much for celebrations.” Vaggie huffed.

“Give me a moment Sera.” Lucifer glanced over to him then down at his shadow. “Hey Charlie, want to join me?” Lucifer smiled at her.

“Sure Dad.” Charlie somehow managed to collect herself and perk at being included in a discussion with Heaven. “Why don’t we go to the office.”

The portal shrank but continued to hover near Lucifer’s shoulder. Lucifer strolled over to Charlie and linked his arm in hers before the two of them made their way down the hall leading to the hotel office. He sank into his shadows and joined up with Lucifer’s. Heaven was likely going to summon him or demand he be handed over. Lucifer knew Charlie wanted to be there to support him as he negotiated against Heaven. He also knew that Sera wouldn’t let just anyone be present. This meeting was between her and the ruler of Hell or his family. Charlie wouldn’t stand for her father to be bullied by Sera, and she wouldn’t let Sera just take him away from Lucifer either. He grinned within his shadow, she was quite the ferocious duckling.

As they walked off towards the office, Angel finally recovered from the utter shock his previous statement had left him in.

“No…. I mean.. No f*cking way! NO WAY Alastor is a BOTTOM. Please tell me I’m wrong, Husky! He… just can’t… it ain’t frozen outside!”

He heard Lucifer chuckle and Charlie’s whole face was turning the colour of her moxie. Charlie hurried forward and opened the door for her father. Her expression was worried. She knew the likely topic of discussion was going to be his attendance at the trial of his grandfather. Heaven had a tendency to make unreasonable demands rather than polite requests. Her previous interactions with Sera and Adam had shaped how she viewed the Heavenly court and its processes. Her opinion was probably accurate, it certainly fell in line with what he’d seen.

“What do you want, Sera?” Lucifer asked when they were in the office. The golden orb shifted back into a portal. Lucifer hopped up and sat on the desk while Charlie stood next to him.

“There is a sinner named Alastor Mathias de Castellane-Esparron Aube, I believe he aided your daughter with her hotel.” This was his first view of a ‘proper’ angel. If anything he wasn’t impressed. She didn’t really appear to be anything but a haughty pigeon. One who really needed to be taken down several pegs.
“Please get to the point Sera.” Lucifer huffed. He had become immediately defensive the moment Sera uttered his name. Charlie glanced over at him but Lucifer had maintained his usual appearance. Sera looked a little startled at his reaction. She stared at Lucifer for a moment almost as though she was seeing him again for the first time since he fell and what she saw worried her. Curious. That certainly wasn’t the type of reaction he’d been expecting from such a dismissive comment. She breathed in and her posture reset, her features hardened before she spoke.

“He has been summoned to attend the trial of Raphael and I have been directed to retrieve him.” Her tone was stern as she attempted to ensure Hell would cooperate with Heaven’s demands.

“You can’t have him.” Charlie growled out quickly in protest before even her father could respond. Lucifer put a hand on Charlie’s shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly.

“Lucifer.” Sera didn’t even bother to respond to Charlie. “This isn’t a request. Hand him over or I will send Michael and Gabriel - Uriel too if needed.” Sera’s chest had puffed slightly as she spoke names that she felt would instil fear in Lucifer to get him to comply.

“That’s your tactic… threaten divine wrath if you don’t get your way. You haven’t changed one bit Sera. I’m inclined to side with Charlie. You can’t have him.” He grinned as Lucifer didn’t even flinch at the names, instead meeting her head on and dismissing her request without batting an eye. She openly gawked at him, too stunned by the response to reply. He really did get quite the thrill from watching Lucifer swat the angel from her perch.

This was an opportunity too good to pass up if he was to manipulate Heaven into complying with his own demands. He allowed himself to reappear on Lucifer’s other side, one of his hands settled on the king's waist, where the angel wouldn’t see. She shook her head and blinked quickly at his sudden appearance. Her eyes narrowed as she seemed to recognize him.

“I will go voluntarily. However, I have conditions.” He kept his tone light as he smiled at his new prey.

“Alastor… no, don’t.” Lucifer pleaded with him. Oh he could have kissed him for the perfectly placed objection. It would make the angel believe she was once again in the position of power over Lucifer, and that would be her undoing.

“I will take your requests to the courts. Name them.” Sera ignored Lucifer. She was playing right into his hand, but he wouldn’t allow himself to become co*cky. There were many things he didn’t know about Heaven but one thing he did know was they loved to lord their authority and wanted to keep Hell from rising up against them. Should they forcibly take him, Sera would potentially have a war on her hands. It was a worry that hid barely below the surface and he’d just given her a potential way to avoid it, should she agree to his demands.

“My powers will in no way be limited in Heaven.” He started and Sera immediately frowned. He kept his grin from spreading knowing that she would like his goal far less than something as simple as retaining his powers. “I am allowed to choose those I wish to accompany me. You will guarantee that myself and those I’ve chosen to join me, will be treated as honoured guests for the entire duration. Once the trial has concluded unless consent to remain longer has been freely given by myself and my guests we will be returned unhindered and unharmed to our original location. Finally, I would like to speak to a couple of people at my discretion when not occupied by the proceedings.” He held up a finger at each of his terms. Sera’s glower became more pronounced now that he had finished. He hadn’t interacted with her before, but it felt strongly that she was merely bluffing about sending three of the four cardinal angels to retrieve him and he intended to call her bluff.

He wanted someone familiar with the process with him but Lucifer’s previous experience with the Heavenly court had been traumatic in the extreme, and not something he would force Lucifer to confront even if his preference would be for the fallen to be there with him. Lucifer had been banished. His powers forcibly clipped before he was thrown out. Without special permission there was no way he’d be allowed to set foot back in Heaven. He intended to get that permission, so that he could provide Lucifer with the option to choose to accompany him or not.

“I will advise the court of your requests.” Sera forced herself to say and the portal closed abruptly.

“Who would you take with you?” Lucifer asked hesitantly looking up at him.

“It’s probably the only time I will be able to see my mother. I would like to introduce you to her, but I know going there will be difficult for you. If you think it will be too much, stay here. There is one other I'd like to introduce to her.” He paused and looked over to Charlie. “I’m sure she’d like to know about her granddaughter. I-if that’s alright?” It was rare for him to stumble over his words, but the thought of just how happy his mother would be about Charlie had his chest tightening uncomfortably. If Heaven agreed, he’d get to see her again - talk to her again. He’d get to tell her about the family he’d acquired and the one he’d fallen for. He didn’t doubt she’d accept that he’d fallen for a man… but it did make him a little nervous that it was Lucifer he would be introducing to her. She at least would be a little more understanding than his grandmother. He held his smile in place. He would likely get to see her too but his memories of her were a lot hazier than he’d like. She’d died when he was eight, but he did remember she was very strict and very catholic.

“Awwww.” Charlie was smiling but there were tears in her eyes. He couldn’t help but smile. Charlie’s first experience with a grandparent would be his mother. She could ask for none better. Given the chance his mother would spoil her rotten with love and affection. Those meant more to her than money. They were things one could not buy and were infinitely better than any treasure, and she was right.

“Charlie and I are more than willing to go with you. We just need to wait to hear what they say.” Lucifer’s eyes burned with determination. Heaven didn’t have a clue what they were in for. No matter Sera’s response Lucifer had decided he would not be facing Heaven alone.

Chapter 12: When the Floodgates Open, Brace Your Shores

Chapter Text

Lucifer’s POV

Whatever was going on in Heaven, Raphael’s trial was certainly shaking the foundations. Sera had been in control of so much for so long that merely hearing her state that she’d have to get permission from the court had him reeling. Sera’s reaction to him also told him she was being more careful than usual. She wouldn’t suspect his source had been restored, but he would have to be very careful to keep his powers in check. Heaven could not find out he had access to holy magic again. They’d send more than just the exterminators if they did. They would send the cardinal four to destroy Alastor and do what they could to remove what Alastor had restored in him.

“So, what’s the plan? Heaven’s not going to summon him merely so he can watch, are they?” Charlie wasn’t nervous. If anything she seemed just as determined to keep Alastor safe from Heaven as he was.

“No, It will depend on how things play out during the trial. If they decide to let Raphael’s actions slide it doesn’t mean they will stop there. They will then take Raphael’s testimony and investigate his nephilim. Given she had a contract with a Bisimbi for a child, Raphael probably did something to ensure the end of his line and they will judge her for going against that. But it’s also possible that they could end up punishing Raphael and eliminating his line.” They were in rare uncharted waters. Heaven hadn’t held angels accountable for their actions in centuries. The punishment often passed on or glazed over.

“They had better not threaten her.” Alastor growled. If they did threaten his mother Heaven would be glad to have him and Charlie there. They’d be the only ones capable of calming him down.

“I think there is more going on in Heaven than Raphael’s trial. Sera’s the head seraphim, but she’s not the leader. I think Adam’s actions and demise might have stirred the few higher than her into action.” He spoke his concerns aloud.

“Who’s higher than Sera? She sat at the top of the court when Vaggie and I went.” Charlie stepped around so she could look at both him and Alastor.

“The Archangels; Micheal, Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael.”

“One of which is going to be on trial… oh yeah Sera wouldn’t be allowed to judge them. Who will?” Charlie nodded in agreement.

“Micheal.” He couldn’t help but shiver and his hand clutched his stomach. His restored powers settled the nervousness that flared. He’d only seen Micheal in battle since that day. It would be very different to be in the same room as him without being in the middle of a fight.

“He’s the one who ‘clipped’ you.” Alastor's voice held more than a hint of a growl and the hand at his waist tightened protectively.

“Clipped?” Charlie raised an eyebrow at him.

He looked down nervously. He hadn’t told Charlie much about what had happened to him. He’d wanted to preserve her light, her hope and her ability to dream. She knew the basics but he’d kept much about his fall and transformation from her. Alastor’s thumb stroked along his spine. The small movement was enough to reassure him to proceed.

“When they had my trial, the one who oversaw it was God. They ordered Micheal to remove my ability to access a special type of angelic magic: holy magic. It’s an ability reserved for the highest in Heaven. It allows direct access to the source of angelic magic without being in Heaven. All angels require continued access to Heaven or holy magic to maintain their abilities. The longer they are outside of Heaven the worse they become until their power transforms them into a demon. Because of my previous ability to use and store holy magic I was able to syphon angelic magic here and there, storing it up so that I could continue to use it. I am the only one in Hell who can do that, it’s the reason I was able to pull the angelic magic from any of Rosie’s cannibals.”

“Waiiit, so angels are basically ‘battery powered’ until they go back and plug in? You’ve been able to leech powers off of them to maintain some form of angelic powers?” Charlie stepped back in shock.

“That… is actually rather accurate.” He nodded.

“What would happen to you if you ran out of access to angelic magic? If you can still use it does that mean you’ve not fully fallen?” Her mind was whirling and jumping to conclusions given the panicked expression.

“I- well, I am fully fallen sweetie. I’ve run out before.” He tried to gloss over the topic. He didn’t want to think of that part of his life. “You don’t have to worry about me running dry of angelic magic anytime soon. In fact… you won’t have to anymore, but it is something you will have to keep very quiet about.” His stomach churned as he nervously brought up his renewed access. He didn’t want Charlie to start to ask too many questions about it, especially since they didn’t know how long it would be until Sera came back.

“What do you mean?” Charlie tilted her head to one side and blinked in confusion. He looked over at Alastor who nodded, willing to share the information with Charlie.

“Alastor was able to mend that part of me.” His words were full of emotion, but he managed to speak each one without any warble to his voice. Again Alastor’s thumb stroked along his spine.

“It is far from fully healed and will require much more attention.” Alastor added.

“That’s why you were asleep!” Charlie’s eyes widened comically as she understood when it had happened. “Healing Dad used too much of your powers. Woah… yeah fixing something Heaven wanted to sever permanently wouldn’t have been an easy fix. You’re amazing Papa!” Charlie rushed over and gave the two of them a tight hug.

“The extent of my ability to heal and your Father’s restored access to holy magic cannot be shared with anyone other than Vaggie, Caneton.” Alastor rubbed her head as he spoke.

“Yeah, okay. Wow. No negative side effects Dad?” She stepped back and looked him over. Trying to see if there was anything odd or new about him, but unable to find anything.

“It feels f*cking fantastic.” he grinned.

“There is something else we should speak of.” Alastor leaned down and spoke into his ear.

“What?” Both he and Charlie spoke in unison. Alastor chuckled slightly, his smile genuine as he looked at the two of them.

“Valentino died from holy magic. Your father tested out his ability last night shortly after I took care of Vox. While we were there, we uncovered some information that might be unsettling. Yet, I believe it is something you should be aware of.” Alastor might have been speaking to Charlie, but he was watching his reaction, not hers. He paused, unsure if he wanted to bring Lilith up right now. His hesitance was enough for Charlie to decide to find out what was going on.

“What is it?” Charlie asked Alastor.

“The person who informed the Vees about Raphael’s trial and connection to me, was your mother.”

“Mom?” Her gaze flickered over to him and back to Alastor. Alastor’s eyes lingered on him.

“We don’t know what type of connection she has with Heaven, but I suspect she has been there since she left.” He sighed.

“Vox confessed that they had been looking for Adam for her. We believe there is more to what is going on than that but it does imply that your mother is colluding with Heaven and working in cooperation with the exorcist army. I would hazard to say she was probably working specifically with Adam prior to his demise and now is likely being directed by Lute.”

He nodded as Alastor spoke. He wasn’t sure about telling Charlie yet, but Alastor did know her in a way he didn’t. Alastor had seen the strength it took to start a hotel for redemption in Hell. He didn’t treat Charlie like glass, but he certainly kept more back than Alastor.

“We don’t know what she’s planning or even know for sure where she is.” He added.

“I…” Charlie began.

“She is your mother, and I cannot fathom her reasoning but after yesterday, I felt it more prudent to ensure you were aware of the potential situation developing.” Alastor went on to explain. He barely managed to stifle his snort of laughter but not his smirk.

Ah. Seems someone’s learned their lesson.

“What happened?” Charlie looked between the two of them. Alastor’s much more reserved expression and his barley contained mirth.

“I found out about your deal and gave him a taste of my displeasure about him making deals with you.” He kept himself from giggling as he recalled the punishment he’d forced Alastor through.

“Oh….OH! Wait… how? When? Do I even want to know?”

“It was while dealing with Vox, and probably not.” Alastor shook his head, probably trying to keep from thinking about his punishment.

“I am going to trust you won’t abuse the deal.” He watched Alastor nod. His antlers glowed and he looked over at where the portal had been. A moment later it reappeared.

“Lucifer, is the sinner still with you?” Sera called from the portal.

“Yes.” He huffed. His good mood was ruined by her reappearance. Truth be told, he was surprised she had returned so fast.

“Good.” The portal opened wider and Sera’s face became visible. “Some of your conditions will be met to a degree, however I wish to discuss one of your demands in further detail.”

“What has been approved?” Alastor spoke up, out of the view of the portal.

“You have been permitted to have one person accompany you as well as you may request an audience with one resident of Heaven - so long as the resident accepts your request.” Sera’s tone barely contained her disdain. These terms were non-negotiable. She intended to have Alastor accept them or be taken by force.

“And what other amendment are you suggesting?” Alastor inquired, without indicating he’d accepted or rejected her previous statement.

“You will be expected to follow directions and will remain unhindered, so long as you are a respectful guest or use any of your powers.” Sera stated firmly. His jaw slacked in horror at the suggestion. Sera intended to impose restrictions should Alastor even use his powers? He felt his anger rise swiftly and he had to fight to keep his form from shifting at the disrespectful request. Next to him Alastor had tensed, probably just as infuriated at the suggestion as he was.

“No. I will have access and ability to use my powers however I see fit so long as none are harmed. Should my powers harm someone I would be willing to negotiate penalties.” Alastor’s voice had deepened slightly, only just keeping the growl from being heard.

“If you harm anyone in Heaven, you will accept, no longer having access to any of your powers in Heaven.” Sera snapped back. Something was very wrong. She had amended her stance on the topic too quickly. Was she acting on her own again? It must have been Michael who had directed her to have Alastor come to Heaven, would he make that type of demand? No, that seemed unlikely - especially with how Alastor had requested to be treated as an honoured guest. Alastor clearly understood the bind imposed upon a host. Alastor never expected or invited guests to his radio tower, but he kept it in such a state that should any arrive, he wouldn’t offend his guest.

“Any demonic powers.” Alastor corrected Sera quickly.

“What?” Shock and horror marred her features.

“Well, I’ve got angelic and Simbi blood. It stands to reason there is a chance I’d have access to those powers as well. Should that be the case, those powers, both related to Heavenly power and not Hell, should be allowed.” Alastor smiled wickedly at Sera, knowing she’d not be able to find a reason to restrict those powers.

“Fine. So long as you harm none in Heaven your Demonic powers will not be restricted. If any are harmed you will lose access to your Demonic powers while in Heaven and will be subjected to further punishment.” Sera huffed.

“Any such punishment Heaven chooses to inflict, should I harm anyone cannot include ending my life and will be over the moment the trial is.” Alastor added. His previous dealings with souls shining through as he ironed out details without agreeing to any conditions.

“Fine.” Sera hissed through clenched teeth.

“So, Heaven has agreed I am allowed to choose one person to accompany me to Heaven and that we will be treated as honoured guests. While in Heaven my powers will be limited only should I harm a resident. Should that happen my demonic powers would be limited and a punishment would be selected by Heaven that does not end my life and concludes the moment Raphael’s trial does. Outside of the time required for the trial, I am allowed to have an audience with a resident of Heaven that I choose so long as they consent to meet. Once the trial and my audience are concluded my guest and I will be returned uninhibited and unharmed to our original location unless consent is given by both myself and them to remain longer.” Alastor listed off all of his conditions with the amendments they agreed upon.

“Yes. Do you consent to the conditions?” Sera grumbled.

“Indeed. When are the proceedings?” Alastor nodded with a satisfied smile. He had certainly managed to come out on top of that particular deal with Heaven. Sera hadn’t inquired about who he’d be taking and had agreed that Alastor’s guest would in no way be inhibited or held responsible for actions. She’d also failed to consider having Alastor be the one responsible for his plus one.

“Now that you’ve agreed, they can begin. Who will be coming with you?”

“Me.” He spoke up and hopped off the desk. Sera’s face slacked, shock keeping her from speaking. She had not anticipated that he might be the one to join Alastor. Charlie had clearly been the one they’d intended to accompany Alastor, but as they had failed to specify, Alastor was free to choose who he wanted.

“But… you have been banned.” Sera sputtered in protest.

“My conditions were agreed to. Per your own statement I am allowed one person of my choosing and you did not request to know who. Lucifer has graciously agreed to accompany me.” Alastor positively beamed as he shoved the agreement back in her face. He watched as Sera’s nose flared with her quickening breath and her eyes darted back and forth as she struggled to come up with a reason that he was unable to accompany Alastor. Banned he might be, but they’d told Alastor he could pick who he wanted to come with him. Disgust mixed with horror as her inner struggle came to an end, knowing she’d been out done by a sinner and opened a portal.

“Follow me.”

“One moment.” Alastor held up a finger. Lucifer raised an eyebrow at him but watched as his shadow twisted, some of it breaking off and disappearing out the door. “Charlie, I’ve sent my shadow to let Rosie know I am going to Heaven, would you mind watching it for me while I’m gone?” Alastor tilted his head slightly and his ears twitched almost nervously.

“Sure! Will it just stay in my shadow?” Charlie nodded happily. Alastor held out his hand and she quickly placed her hand in his. He could sense the transfer of power as Alastor ensured that his shadow would return to Charlie and not wander around Hell once it was done reporting his absence to Rosie. It certainly was a lot more power than Alastor should have needed to transfer to simply have Charlie watch his shadow.

“It will only come out if asked by you or you are threatened.” Alastor smiled and cupped her cheek before turning back to Lucifer. He smiled fondly at Alastor and was certain he had given Charlie his shadow for protection and had made sure it had enough power to aid her should something happen. He opened his arms and Charlie rushed over to give him a hug.

“Don’t worry sweetie, I’ll be back.” He gripped her tightly. His nerves were warring within him. He had never thought he’d set foot back in Heaven. He’d never dreamed it possible, yet Alastor had managed the impossible.

“I love you Dad. Keep Papa safe while you’re there.” Charlie whispered so Sera couldn’t hear her.

“Oh, no one will be harming him, I’ll make sure of that. You keep his shadow safe.” He whispered back. Charlie had a part of Alastor to protect, the two of them would do everything in their power to keep the demon safe. The deal with Heaven hadn’t included limiting his powers at all, and there were no stipulations about him harming anyone either. Should Alastor be threatened, he would take action. Should the court try anything to harm Alastor, he’d burn Heaven to the ground.

“Shall we?” Alastor held out his hand.

A grin bloomed in his face as he took Alastor’s hand before they walked through the portal. He felt the angelic side of him charge as his body passed through the portal and connected to Heaven; the link that Alastor had restored was now free flowing. It wasn’t quite the same as it had been but he felt restored. His body felt so light and his magic felt limitless. He heaved out a sigh to keep himself from giggling.

He wasn’t the only one who felt something as they set foot in Heaven. Alastor wobbled and tightened his grip on their joined hands but nothing showed on his face. His smile firmly fixed in place as he stared at Sera. Knowing Alastor, he was covering any weakness and the usual indicators he’d use were’t available. Alastor’s ears were motionless and his shadow was with Charlie. It was odd for Alastor’s shadow to be so still. He made a mental note to ask Alastor how he was doing when they were alone, until then he’d kept a close eye on Alastor.

A young and powerful angel was waiting for them. That must be Emily. Charlie’s friend Emily chirped with delight. Her excited vibrations paused as they appeared and her mouth dropped. It was less than a wingbeat before she understood who he was. He automatically braced for what he’d come to expect as a reaction from angels but forced himself not to judge Emily like them. She’d treated Charlie like an equal when she’d come and had fostered a strong friendship. Emily’s shock morphed to wonder.

“You’re Charlie’s Dad!” Emily squealed and suddenly he was enveloped in a tight hug. It felt more familiar than a hug from a stranger. He had never met Emily, yet her soul… her power was familiar. What shocked him further was Alastor hadn’t moved. He hadn’t even flinched when Emily moved. He knew something was off then, something had happened as they’d passed into Heaven and it had taken Alastor’s focus.

“Emily!” Sera hissed.

“Yeah, I am. Charlie spoke highly of you.” He managed to give Emliy a lopsided grin. He didn’t want to bring too much attention to Alastor’s current state and hoped it would pass quickly. Alastor had adjusted faster than anyone to his new powers and he hoped whatever this was would be the same.

“I hope she is doing well!” Emily smiled brightly as she stepped back from the hug.

“She is-“

“Please follow me. You two will wait in an annex as the others are gathered.” Sera cut the conversation short.

Sera led them quickly from the head Seraphim’s office to the Heavenly Court. Each time Emily tried to chat, Sera shot her a stern look to keep her quiet. The short walk earned them plenty of stares and even more whispers. He was a little stunned that Alastor hadn’t let go of his hand and didn’t seem to have any intention to do so. It felt more like Alastor’s continued grip was something he needed rather than for reassurance. Has he not adjusted yet? An uneasy feeling was coiling in his stomach. The feeling stemmed from how suspiciously quiet Alastor had been since they stepped through the portal.

As they made their way to the annex he snuck a glance at Alastor. The smile was ever present but reduced to a thin line. Amber had overtaken his usual red eye colour but there was no sign of the black that typically accompanied it. He was about to look away when he noticed that the fracture pattern to Alastor’s antlers had become quite a bit lighter. He couldn’t tell if they were glowing because of the bright light, but the fracture pattern was now a deep gold. Alastor’s body was adjusting to being in Heaven, and he tried to let that reassure him Alastor was alright.

Sera marched on. If they hadn’t moved things their destination was just around the corner. He gave Alastor’s hand a little squeeze but it only increased his worry when Alastor didn’t react. Alastor hadn’t squeezed his hand back or even glanced down at him. His worry had his stomach in knots but he didn’t want to get Sera’s attention. Alastor was trying to appear ‘normal’ and he had enough control to keep his smile in place. Alastor also knew he could call for help with the mark and he hadn’t. He’d find out what was going on as soon as Sera left them.

Emily glanced back at them, her bright eyes and innocence reminded him of so much of Charlie. Sera sighed disapprovingly and stopped at a door. Emily was quick to open it before Sera could say anything.

“The two of you will remain here. Please do not leave this room. Emily and I will go and fetch the human and remaining member of Raphael’s line for the trial.” Sera stood at the door as he and Alastor walked in.

“Can’t I-” Emily asked hesitantly.
“No Emily. Come with me.” Sera snapped.

Emily’s wings drooped but she flashed them a smile before she followed Sera. He made sure the door was closed before he pulled his wings out and wrapped them around him and Alastor. Buffering them from any potential magics that could be impacting him.

“Talk to me, what’s happening?” He cupped Alastor’s face.

“It, stings.” Alastor managed through gritted teeth.

He let his magic flow into Alastor from where he held his face. He had known that Alastor’s pain tolerance was high, but this was much more than ‘stinging’. His palms had both gone numb from the hot pricking sensation that he felt from Alastor’s magic. Angelic magic, sought out angelic magic, even if that magic had never before been linked to Heaven. What he’d felt in his horns and tail when he’d drawn on Holy magic in Hell was nothing compared to what Alastor was feeling now. Angelic magic was burning through his veins as it forced his system to adapt.

“f*ck. Never a dull moment with you is there?” He muttered and earned a chuckle that was more of a sputtered cough, than actual chuckle. He moved his wings and glanced around the room. There were chairs on either side of the room and the back wall was a long couch. He pulled his wings back in. “I need you to come lay down. There isn’t much I can do to help, but I will do what I can.”

Alastor nodded and followed as he was led over to the couch. Alastor sat down and waited for him to sit before almost flopping into his lap. He ran his fingers through Alastor’s hair and used his own power to help slow the torrent of angelic magic as Alastor’s body adapted to the connection. Alastor closed his eyes and tried to relax. He frowned to himself as he scratched behind Alastor’s ear, there was something wrong with Alastor’s powers. It didn’t take him too long to pinpoint the difference. The powers granted to sinners who achieved the level of Overlord were nowhere to be found. The souls in Alastor’s possession weren’t with him. His heart had started to beat faster as he wondered if Heaven could have stripped him of them. They’re with Charlie and his shadow! He realised now what the power transfer in Hell had been and blinked down at Alastor in awe. A good chunk of Alastor’s power had remained in Hell… He began to laugh.

Alastor had left his demonic powers in Hell. Should he hurt anyone it would appear as though nothing had happened. It would shake Heaven to know they weren’t able to seal his powers. Alastor really did think four or five steps a head. His heart swelled, it wasn’t the only thing that Alastor had managed by asking Charlie to watch his shadow. Alastor had quietly ensured that should something happen while the both of them were absent from Hell, Charlie was still defended. While gone, it also meant Charlie had control over the souls he had gathered during his time in Hell.

“What’s so funny?” Alastor mumbled and opened his eyes. The amber was solid, and given he’d left his demonic powers behind, something likely to remain for the duration of their stay, but surprisingly his sclera had turned a light blue-grey. There was no mistaking who his grandfather was now, not with how much he looked like Raphael.

“I will forever be amazed how your mind works.” He chuckled happily.

“Oh?” Alastor raised an eyebrow at him.

“You got Charlie to look after more than just your shadow.” He teased as he scratched the back of Alastor’s ears.

“I did.” Alastor looked away, clearly not having expected to have been caught.

“Thank you.” He leaned down and kissed Alastor’s temple.

“No need for that Mon Canard, I was only doing what I could to protect our daughter.” Alastor sighed as he tried to dismiss the impressiveness of his actions.

“It is probably part of why things hurt so much, why the red in your antlers is now gold and your eyes now look like your grandfathers.” He added and his hand trailed up from Alastor’s ear to brush his fingers along the golden pattern. Alastor shuddered from the contact and his antlers glowed.

“I anticipated the change would be intense, but it was more than I expected. How are you holding up?” Alastor watched him closely and their magic danced a thousand separate steps between the two of their bodies through the connection of his hand on Alastor’s antler. Their magic felt so perfectly in sync with the other as Alastor ensured he was healed of any pain that lingered from helping him. The feeling was exhilarating and so right. It was different from the last time that he’d touched them… but he hadn’t been marked the last time. He wanted to maintain the connection between them, hell, he wanted to have Alastor right here, right now but knew he couldn’t. Not when Sera was coming back with Alastor’s mother.

“Now that I know you are fine, I am much better. I was worried about you.” He reluctantly let his hand travel back to Alastor’s hair.

“We have passed the first stage, the next will be much more difficult.” Alastor’s eyes fluttered closed as he sighed. He wanted to know what was on Alastor’s mind, to ask what he was planning. He’d left himself far too open by leaving his demonic powers with Charlie. “If things become too much, what sign should I look for should you need assistance?” Alastor asked as he opened his eyes again. He almost laughed in Alastor’s face. His deer was more concerned about him than himself.

“Keep a hold of my hand. You should be able to tell from that.” He managed with a small smile before leaning down and growling. “It will also let me keep an eye on you. I will burn the place down if you scare me like that again.” He felt Alastor’s claws lightly scrape across his scalp as Alastor tugged his head down further and stole a surprisingly tender kiss.

“Understood.” Alastor mumbled against his lips letting go of the grip on his hair. He slowly sat up as Alastor’s hand trailed along his cheek before dropping back to his chest. “They will be back soon, won't they?” Alastor huffed as he forced himself upright.

“Probably. Are you ready?” He teased lightly.

“I’d be lying if I said I was.” Alastor sighed heavily and he was a little shocked at the honest answer. He didn’t know much of Alastor’s life as a human. Alastor didn’t share much about that time. He had known he was a Radio broadcaster when he died, and that he’d been in the first world war. He knew that Alastor and Mimzy had been alive together in Louisiana and that Alastor had killed his father long before he became a serial killer. Beyond that, much of Alastor’s past was a mystery, but it was clear to all who got to know him just how devoted he was to his mother. How influential his upbringing had been on his sense of morality. Yes, it was twisted but it was still there.

“Well… you aren’t alone, and from what I’ve been told, your mother is a wonderful woman.” He smiled fondly at his nervous demon. He’d likely learn a great many things about Alastor today and most of them were going to be things Alastor wouldn’t otherwise be willing to share with anyone.

“It’s not my mother I’m worried about.” Alastor shook his head. “I don’t remember much about my grandmother, she died when I was young.”

“Did your mother talk about her?” He nodded, understanding a little more why Alastor was nervous. He couldn’t plan for what he didn’t know, and his own memories were what was failing him. He leaned into Alastor to try and leech some of the nervousness out of him.

“Yes, I understand she was strict but fair. Maman loved her dearly but they differed in views on many things.” Alastor slumped into him letting his head rest on his shoulder. He had to keep from making any noise. He’d never heard Alastor refer to his mother like that before.

“I’m sure we will make it through this ordeal.” He gave Alastor’s hand a squeeze.

“I’m glad one of us is.” Alastor chuckled nervously.

“Wha-?” He cut himself off as he heard Emily chatting loudly as they approached.

Alastor sat up quickly, scooting just a couple of inches from him but allowed their hands to remain linked. Half a heartbeat later Sera opened the door and ushered two women into the room. The woman on the left was likely only slightly taller than he was with milk chocolate coloured skin. Her bright green eyes stood out, giving her face an almost regal air with her high angular cheekbones and the tight mahogany curls that framed her face. She stood proudly but he could tell there was an underlying nervousness to her.

The woman on the right stood slightly taller than the other. He guessed she was Alastor’s mother. She had Raphael’s eyes like Alastor and curls like her mother, only they were much looser and coloured more towards chestnut. He couldn’t help but wonder if Alastor’s hair had a natural curl as well. She exuded a motherly aura, it was very clearly angelic in nature, even with her powers sealed. She also smiled such a relieved and happy smile as she laid eyes on Alastor. From the door Emily looked up at Sera with puppy eyes that mirrored Charlie’s. With a roll of her eyes Sera relented and allowed Emily to remain before she closed the door leaving the five of them alone.

“Alastor Mathias de Castellane-Esparron Aube!” The woman he’d anticipated to be Alastor’s grandmother, growled in angry French. That definitely is his grandmother. Alastor’s ears flattened and the great Radio Demon looked positively contrite. He wouldn’t have believed it if he hadn’t seen it. Alastor looked positively adorable as he actually frowned slightly preparing for the onslaught that everyone knew was coming.

“Grand-mère-” Alator hesitantly spoke up only to be quickly cut off. His whole body tingled as Alastor spoke without his radio filter and accent. The two were such integral parts of Alastor he’d not even expected that Alastor wouldn’t continue to use them while they were in Heaven.

“Did you remember nothing of what I taught you? How did you end up in Hell?! You were such a bright boy, how could you do that to your mother? Do you know how long she’s been moping about trying to find you in Heaven!?” Alastor’s grandmother fired off question after question without allowing Alastor a chance to answer. Her name was Geneviève, he recalled from when they’d asked Emily to reach out to Alastor’s mother, Sabine, about his contract.

“Mais Grand-mère.” Alastor attempted to interject. It was becoming clear Alastor was going to continue the conversation in French and f*ck he was going to enjoy every second of it.

“Don’t you start with me!” Geneviève snapped at him, pointing a threatening finger at him. “Your mother practically wasted away after your death! She searched high and low for your killer.” He watched Alastor deflate as Geneviève laid on the guilt. “Managed to survive the war only to be killed by some idiot who haunted the swamp!” She threw her hands up in exasperation.

“The two aren’t even comparable!” Alastor growled. “I was constantly under threat during the war… After that I only had to watch out for certain types. I could never have anticipated what happened! I suppose it would make sense to think I had fallen prey to -” Alastor cut himself off, looking quickly down at his feet.

“How then?” Geneviève lashed back at Alastor but he didn’t speak. His eyes firmly on the ground. “Your mother has spent most of the last century worried over how you died - believing you to have been butchered by some senseless killer.”

“I…” Alastor started but paused. The grip on his hand tightened. “I was mistaken for a deer. The hunter called off his-” Alastor swallowed hard and refused to say anything more. Sabine gasped in horror but it was Emily’s sad eyes that told him being mistaken for a deer hadn’t been the worst part. Alastor’s appearance and disdain for it now made sense.

“Tabarnak.” Geneviève muttered with one hand covering her mouth. She’d not expected the truth of Alastor’s death to hit her that hard.

“Grand-mère!” Alastor’s head snapped up to stare at her with wide amber eyes. His ears pointed as straight as they would go in shock, likely his tail too.

“Do you have anything to add?” Geneviève took a deep breath and looked over at Sabine. There was an underlying tension between the two women but Geneviève had softened considerably after finding out what had happened to Alastor. Emily shared a nervous look with Sabine as she fiddled with her fingers awkwardly.

“So, who’s this with you?” Sabine asked softly in French. Alastor’s ears appeared to collapse as they were pinned lower than he’d ever seen them go.

“I’m Lucifer Morningstar. I was so pleased that Alastor requested that I accompany him to be able to meet you.” He decided to just roll with it and switched to French as well. He smiled brightly and held out his free hand to Sabine. He felt Alastor tense next to him. Sabine blinked in shock, slowly accepting his hand briefly before she was pulled back by her mother.

“Alastor Mathias de Castellane-Esparron Aube!!” Geneviève bellowed out Alastor’s full name again.

“Ouais?” Wonder of wonders he heard The great Radio Demon squeak meekly. How he wished he could have recorded that noise.

“You brought the devil to Heaven! What could possibly make you think that was a good idea! Please tell me you didn’t do anything as stupid as selling your soul!” Geneviève snarled disapprovingly. Alastor opened his mouth to protest but Sabine responded first.

“Well, at least he wasn’t the one to seduce a heavenly official, kept quiet about it and now we are all paying the consequences with all of Heaven in uproar.” Sabine spoke up sternly.

He felt Alastor’s grip tighten on his hand. He glanced over at Emily, her hands were clasped and twitching near her chest as she nervously watched the two women. She seemed familiar with the argument.

“Tell me dear, how is it that you were able to conceive a child?” Geneviève snapped at her daughter.

“He was my miracle.” Sabine smiled but refused to explain further. Watching the two women banter it was easy to see where Alastor got his ability.

“Maman, Grand-mère… I’ve missed you.” Alastor interrupted before the argument could go any further. There was a lot more emotion to Alastor’s voice than he was used to. Sabine quickly crossed the few steps between them and pulled Alastor into a hug. He let Alastor’s hand go so that he could return the hug. Geneviève rubbed Alastor’s head and the back of his ears. He caught sight of movement near Alastor’s waist and could only imagine the slight wag to his tail.

“Now Mon P'tit, explain why you have brought Lucifer with you.” Sabine coaxed Alastor softly into revealing his intentions. Alastor leaned back with a sigh.

“I…” Alastor let the word trail as he nervously figured out the words to say. “ I recently discovered that I take after both of my maternal grandparents.”

“Oh?” Geneviève tilted her head to one side. He had to keep from laughing, Alastor apparently got that from her as well.

“I apparently act and look a lot like my Grand-Pere.” Alastor started, and Geneviève nodded in confirmation. “But I am guilty of a similar thing as you, Grand-mère.”

Two sets of eyes focused on him and both were immediately protective of Alastor. Geneviève’s face darkened as she clearly thought the worst of him. Sabine’s gaze was significantly softer, but nonetheless equally as threatening. It clearly didn’t mean anything to the two women that Alastor was the most powerful Overlord in Hell. To them Alastor was still the small child they had both known. He laughed nervously, unsure of what he could say to reassure them he intended to do everything in his power to keep Alastor safe from those in Heaven.

“I asked him to come with me, because I doubt I will ever have a chance to introduce you to him again. I promise, I’ve been a gentleman in our courting but I couldn’t, in good conscience, let the opportunity go by and rob you of meeting the one person I- I’ve ever wanted to pursue for love.” Alastor only stumbled on his words a little, and oh he wanted to let himself swoon from what was being said but forced himself to listen as Alastor continued. “I would also like to show you photo’s of his daughter, who has accepted me as an additional parent and has started to call me Papa." Alastor dangled Charlie in and attempted for them to keep from pressing further for information into his love life.

“A granddaughter?” Sabine gasped happily.

“Yes!” He took out his phone and quickly located photos of Charlie. “Her name is Charlotte, but she goes by Charlie.” He Stood up and turned the device towards Geneviève and Sabine.

“Oh isn’t she precious!” Geneviève stepped closer. Her hesitance over him seemed to evaporate now that he was showing off Charlie to them.

“She’s the one who is working to redeem sinners? The one you are helping?” Sabine asked Alastor, her hand once again finding one of his ears.

“Indeed.” Alastor nodded and shifted his head so that his mother wasn’t touching the edges of his ears.
“You’re helping redeem sinners?” Geneviève asked curiously looking up from the photos.

“I am helping Charlie, but I can take no credit for any redemption. I merely ensure a safe environment for those who do wish to make an attempt. Charlie is the one who’s doing all the work.”

“Providing a ‘safe’ place in Hell is no small feat. Don’t let him fool you. He managed to keep the entire exorcist army from getting to the hotel with his shield and even went toe to toe with Adam when they targeted the hotel.” He proudly boasted about Alastor’s impact during the battle at the hotel. “He’s been there since day one helping our Charlie. When I first met him, I must admit I did not react favourably. I felt like he was trying to take my place but he wasn’t. It was my own fault I was in no state to support her and he stepped up to do what I couldn’t. He gave me the push I needed to get on my feet and be a better person.”

“Alastor has always been like that. He goes and does what is needed, even if it means he has to make himself into a target. As much as I wish it was otherwise, he has ended up where he needs to be. Only my boy would be able to taunt the devil himself to action.” Sabine beamed as she rubbed the back of his ear.

“Maman.” Alastor grumbled.

“Oh hush, you know it’s true. I am glad you were able to introduce us to your partner Mon P'tit. I am glad he is as fond of you as you are of him.” Sabine tutted, easily keeping Alastor from grumbling any further.

“Well, you seem to still be the same as I remember at your core. If anyone was going to get the Devil to be a better person, it would be you.” Geneviève nodded approvingly.

“I would have to agree. I’ve been blessed to have him come into my life.” He smiled and gushed as well, earning an eye roll from Alastor but a chuckle from his mother and grandmother.

Micheal POV

The more he learned about the sinner Alastor, the more appalled he became. His descent to Hell had quite clearly been planned since long before his birth. The Bisimbi had exploited Raphael’s nephilim, Sabine, luring her into a contract giving them both her and her unborn child’s soul. Angelic beings were not supposed to deal in souls. Soul contracts were something that hadn’t existed before Lucifer was cast out. It was the result of humans having free will and the ability to choose sacrificing something precious for something temporary. The more souls a demon possessed the stronger they were.

The Bisimbi had been hunting female nephilim. Stalking them until they found a weakness they could exploit. Offering up what the nephilim wanted most in return for two souls; the nephilim’s and their child’s. There were twelve in Heaven with Bisimbi blood. Twelve attempts to have their children fall to the depths of Hell for an as of yet unknown goal.

With Raphael’s bloodline in their grasp, they hadn’t taken any chances. They had interfered and meddled in his life like none before. Certainly more than any angelic being should. They’d twisted and distorted the mind of the man Sabine had married, the one she had wanted children with, Isadore. Jealousy had turned an otherwise kind man into one worthy of Hell. He could barely stomach reading what had transpired because of Isadore’s jealousy. Alastor had been forced through hell on earth until he committed patricide at eleven. That, unfortunately, had only been the beginning of what the Bisimbi had done to ensure Alastor’s place in Hell.

What he knew of Alastor’s time in Hell was not as detailed as the record they had on his life, however it did detail he had achieved the rank of Overlord - not an easy feat and not one that the Bisimbi had any hand in. Curiously he had decided to help Lucifer’s daughter with her intent to redeem sinners, yet showed no sign of interest in it himself. He’d gone over the exorcist's reports and was certain Alastor had inherited some of Raphael’s powers but he wasn’t certain the extent. He also didn’t know the extent of Alastor’s relationship with Charlotte. There was no romantic involvement between them but he had been willing to put his life on the line for her, and almost had given the report he had read.

It just didn’t make sense.

“You’re not going to believe this!” Uriel burst into his office.

“Short of Lucifer’s return, I doubt there is much that would surprise me right now.” He sighed leaning onto his elbow on his desk.

“...”

“The person Alastor chose to accompany him… is Lucifer?” His eyes widened as Uriel’s silence spoke for him.

“Yes.” Uriel nodded nervously. And he accepted!? Neither of them spoke. He hadn’t felt any disturbances, but that didn’t mean they weren’t dancing on the pinhead of destruction.

“Any sign of hostility?” He asked, hoping to gauge how much trouble they might be in. He had known that Alastor was close to Charlotte, but Lucifer had only shown up after Adam had broken the rules of the contract. They’d not anticipated that Alastor would be inclined to make the request, let alone for Lucifer to accept.

“No. They were escorted to the annex by Sera without any issue. The court has been called to assemble.” Uriel mumbled knowing that any who hadn’t heard about the wildfire now in Heaven would be in for the shock of their lives and both of them prayed that all angels present today had the good sense to keep their mouths shut.

“Finish the preparations. I will be there shortly.”

With a quick nod Uriel was off.

He could only stare at the door as shock seized every part of his body. His wings trembled as they sank to the ground.

Lucifer.

The remaining shred of doubt that Alastor had a key role to play in Father’s plan evaporated. When Sera had come with his requests confirming his cooperation, they’d been more than reasonable. He’d instructed Sera that he was only able to bring one person with but the other conditions could be met. He was aware of how little Lucifer had involved himself in the politics between their realms and had anticipated Alastor would bring Charlotte with him. He’d been under the impression that Lucifer wouldn’t ever want to set foot in Heaven again. He’d barely had any involvement in the battle when Adam had attacked his daughter! Lucifer had kept himself separated from involvement with Heaven while retaining a degree of peace between the realms. Sera and Adam had both said Lucifer was meek. Lilith had weld the power of Hell rather than him. Perhaps he had been foolish to believe them.

He was still haunted by Lucifer’s face contorted in pain and terror just before he was cast out. He had been forced to cut Lucifer off from their source per Father’s judgement. Out of desperation he’d confronted Father alone as the others had worked to wrangle Lucifer to stop his hysterical flailing. Father hadn’t wanted to cast Lucifer out but was forced to take action to confirm who among them were loyal. He would allow those loyal and the undecided to freely remain but Father wouldn’t force those who wished to dream like Lucifer to remain bound. Lucifer’s punishment was what was needed to galvanise them to action and afterward Lucifer would lead them.

He’d doubted Lucifer’s ability to handle the crushing amount of pressure Father was putting on him. He’d been reassured that Lucifer would be able to create and manipulate the new realm with a freedom he’d never have if he remained in Heaven. Father had also said it would take time, but Lucifer would become a far brighter morning star than he ever had been in Heaven and his trials would be rewarded with happiness like he’d never dreamed possible. He’d been assured it would be alright - that there was a plan and he’d then forced himself to enact the punishment on one so innocent. One who had only good intentions at heart. One who had dared to dream things could be better.

He had faith Father’s plan would work. He had faith that they were doing what was needed but it was no simple test. Lucifer might have been the only one physically changed that day, but he wasn’t the only one that had been set down a path of trials. Lucifer’s burden was great.. But so was his own. Over the war and the centuries that followed he had been forced to slowly become more of the figurehead of Heaven until the day Father had taken him aside. He found out then Father intended to test the faith of each and every angel that remained in Heaven.

That had been the day Father’s steady presence in Heaven had disappeared. He alone knew where Father had gone. He alone knew they were being tested. He was the only one who was instructed to safeguard from the shadows and ensure none knew his task was to keep Emily safe. Emily was Heaven’s hope and the key to Father’s plan. Her association with Charlotte and now her uncovery of Raphael’s transgression meant Father’s plan was entering the final phase. Their true test would begin soon and there were many in Heaven who wouldn't survive being judged on their actions.

Turmoil was approaching and he had his own part to play. His judgement of Raphael needed to reflect what Heaven was supposed to be. He was being provided with a way to guide the flock back to Father’s teachings. Angels were set in their ways and much like the pig-headed kings of old, they were reluctant to give up any power they’d acquired. Change was going to be slow and gradual or quick and revolutionary. He was not allowed to spearhead that. He had an idea of what he was going to proclaim punishment to be but the severity of it would depend on the testimony he was about to hear.

He stood up slowly, flicking out his wings to settle the quivering. He took a deep breath to steady his emotions and forced his face into his usual solemn expression before he too made his way to the Heavenly court. Keeping his emotions locked away while yearning to apologise to Lucifer was going to be one of the hardest things he had ever needed to do. None in Heaven could know he regretted what he’d done to Lucifer just as none could know of his support for Emily.

“Micheal!” Sera called out as she approached him just as he caught sight of the door to the court. He paused his step and turned to the one he really wished he could remove from the position of Head Seraphim. “Were you informed of who was chosen to accompany the sinner?” She asked quickly.

“Uriel relayed that information to me. I trust there were no other amendments to the agreement?” He nodded solemnly.

“Uh… well” Sera looked away quickly.

“Explain.” His annoyance made an appearance in his voice and he failed to keep his eye from twitching. Sera was struggling with the new oversight on her position. She’d been unanswerable for so long she no longer seemed able to follow directions without amendments that benefited herself or her view.

“I had them agree that their demonic powers would be limited should they harm a resident and that we would be able to select a punishment if that happens, however, their life cannot be forfeit and any punishment must conclude the moment the trial does.” Her head bobbed as she relayed the information, disgustingly proud of herself for getting the sinner to agree to the terms.

She really doesn’t understand the concept of ‘honoured guest’ does she?

“Was that necessary?” He groaned and rubbed his temple. This was going to make everything even more complicated than it already was.

“I believe it was. This demon is not to be trusted.” She stood tall as if to defend her actions but her eyes wouldn’t look at him. Father help me, there’s more. He groaned internally.

“What else?” His jaw tightened knowing he’d like any further amendments even less than her imposition on his extended hospitality.

“They have agreed to limit their request for an audience to a single resident of Heaven so long as they consent to meet.” Sera spoke quickly, still not ready to look him in the eye.

“Agreed to or were told their limit was one?” He hissed through his clenched teeth.

“Uh… well.” Sera’s shoulders slumped and he had his answer.

“Sera, my instructions were quite clear. What you have done to insist on these provisions goes against the hospitality that had been requested. This sinner demon has shown a greater degree of respect than I think you are deserving of in his exceedingly reasonable request. Yet you have insisted on further stipulations, undermining my authority and the hospitality that I have extended. Did you make any further alterations to what I agreed to?” He demanded firmly. With Lucifer present, she’d no doubt treated him like she had before - and he was aware that she hadn’t been kind to him before. Alastor was part Bisimbi, and Sera should have a clear understanding of what they did when they weren’t treated with the proper respect after accepting an invitation.

“Once the trial and audience have been concluded they and their guest are to be returned uninhibited and unharmed to Hell unless consent is given by both to remain longer.” Sera mumbled dejectedly as she held on to her resentment.

“Sera, let me make this perfectly clear. You are to treat those two with the same respect you would me should I grace your abode. If I hear they have been treated any less than that, you will have much to answer to.”

“But-” Sera pleaded with him. He cut her off, not wanting to hear any more excuses.

“No Sera. I will not accept any protest. When I requested for you to make the arrangements for all members to be present it was not a declaration of war.” He barely kept himself from snarling as his anger bubbled through. He took a quick breath to calm himself before he continued. “A summons is an invitation not a sentence, yet you seem to be treating him as though he is the one on trial. You must tamp down on your opinion of sinners at least in appearance and your treatment of him and Lucifer while they are our guests. You more than anyone should be able to recognise that Lucifer’s presence here is much more significant than him agreeing to accompany a sinner. Need I remind you what happened the last time an Archangel was put on trial? Lucifer is all too aware of it I assure you, and he very well might be here to ensure Raphael’s protection from us, should it come to that. What happens today will doubtlessly change Heaven and Hell, how much will depend mainly on Raphael’s testimony, but your actions could contribute to, or avert a second war.”

“I… I am sorry sir.” Sera finally displayed contrition.

“See that you make amends prior to their departure.” He muttered before continuing on his way. Two angels quickly opened the door to the chamber for him and he let his wings carry him to his seat at the highest balcony of the room. He needed to rid himself of the irritability he was now feeling from his encounter with Sera. He couldn’t let it impact his decision. He sighed quietly to himself and let his gaze slowly scour the room. Many of the seats were already occupied but none had spoken since he settled into his seat. He gave a slight nod and scattered conversations picked up again.

Sera appeared a moment later with Geneviève. They were followed by Emily, Sabine, a tall deer demon who he could only assume was Alastor and finally Lucifer. Lucifer’s wings were hidden and he could only guess what insanity might possess him to keep them away. It was hard not to stare at the abnormally blank area around Lucifer where his wings should have been and he forced himself to take in the appearance of the one he accompanied. He could see much of Raphael in Alastor and he could feel his powerful magic. It slipped into the corners of the room and took over the very air.

He suppressed a shiver at just how frighteningly subtle the magic took over the room. The seal on Alastor must have been broken sometime since he’d taken up residence in Hell. It meant the Bisimbi wouldn’t have as much of a hold on him. It also appeared that their influence had nothing to do with the form his soul had taken in Hell. A deer wasn’t typically associated with them. They were closely associated with snakes, much like Lucifer. His head tilted slightly as he observed the two who walked closely together. Lucifer was holding Alastor’s hand. A gesture far more familiar than one of simple support for someone who was a friend of his daughter.

Is there more between them?

Sera led them to the lowest balcony. Once they were settled she turned and left to retrieve Raphael. Raphael had been confined to his residence as they made the arrangements for this trial. There was a booth that had been set up in the middle of the room for Raphael to make his testimony to the court. His statement would determine their next steps. Those assembled started to mumble as they waited restlessly. Can’t they keep from gossiping for five minutes. He took a breath to calm his agitation and released a fraction of his aura to remind all present to behave and silence was restored.

He looked down at Lucifer and found his gaze returned by Alastor. The smile that accompanied the glare he received from one who’d clearly inherited Raphael’s eyes was off putting. Determined amber eyes bore into him with a clear warning - Alastor was ready to fight all of Heaven to keep his family safe. This was not what he had imagined Alastor to be. A fire burned in his amber eyes, one intent on protecting those he loved. Stranger than the open threat was how little demonic energy was coming off of Alastor. There was barely a hint of it behind all of the angelic grace that surrounded him. He swallowed nervously. Alastor’s magic had become angelic.

He prayed no other angels came to the same conclusion. It was going to be difficult to ensure they didn’t demand the end of Raphael’s line as it was. He had to make sure that Lucifer and Alastor were not forced to take some action today. The two of them needed to return to Hell reassured that they were not going to be attacked by angels. He needed to make sure that Lucifer did not see fit to demand reparations from the exorcists or declare outright war on them. Heaven was walking a tightrope and there were more angels that failed to think about the consequences before they acted.

The doors opened once again and Sera led Raphael into the room and then to the booth in the middle of the room before she took flight. Landing on the balcony three below him, where Emily was supposed to be. He looked down again. Emily was leaning into Sabine and whispering something. She had connected with the nephilim. It meant that she was starting to detach from Sera, something that was necessary but yet another sign that time was almost up.

“Raphael, Archangel of Healing, Guardian of the Tree of Life and Third Heaven, you stand charged with siring and then concealing your nephilim. What do you have to say in your defence?” Uriel called down to Raphael.

“Of this I am indeed guilty. I humbly admit siring a nephilim with the human Geneviève Babette Paulin and concealing their existence from first humans and then from Heaven. I confess there is more I must reveal to this assembly. Geneviève Babette Paulin not only bore my child, but she bears my seal.” Raphael proclaimed clearly to the room.

The chamber erupted into shocked whispers. He blinked in stunned surprise. He had hoped Raphael would be honest but he’d not expected that response. It did narrow down his options for punishment significantly. More importantly he needed to find out if Geneviève consented or accepted the mark. It was unlikely that Raphael had explained to the mortal what it meant. Between the two women Emily had little time to recover from the shocking confession as she tried to explain quickly and quietly what the seal meant.

“While on Earth I claimed her as my own. It was my request that she not reveal my involvement with our child. A request she honoured while alive and even after. She was in no way at fault for my transgression and while unaware of the significance of the mark, never once sought another’s intimate company.” Raphael spoke over the murmur of voices.

Geneviève transformed into a beacon of red from where she sat behind Raphael. The assembly once again erupted into hushed whispers. Another unexpected turn but this one had him stifling his smirk. The mortal had honoured the seal and kept her soul linked to none but Raphael. Their bond could still be solid. If it was then what he should do was becoming clear.

“I sealed the angelic powers of our daughter, Sabine Rosalie de Castellane-Esparron, and removed her womb to ensure the end of my line among humans before I returned to Heaven.”

His eyes shifted from mother to daughter as Raphael confirmed what he’d suspected. Sabine’s eyes welled with tears before she turned and pressed her face into Alastor’s chest. Her son hugged her reassuringly but stared at Raphael with open contempt. The shadows around them swirled menacingly. He readied himself should he need to intervene, the sinner’s animosity had become all but palpable in the air. He glanced quickly around the court, scant few had noticed the change to the sinner’s demeanour and none of them seemed inclined to take action. He watched curiously as Lucifer shifted closer, close enough to be fully pressed against Alastor. It wasn’t until one of Alastor’s ears moved did he notice that Lucifer’s hand was there. The day seemed littered with unexpected events, as the sinner’s eyes closed and he quickly reclaimed his previous composure.

How interesting.

“I understood what I had done was wrong and imposed the punishment of absence upon myself. Only once did I fall prey to the yearning to return. I felt the moment Geneviève entered Heaven through our bond and went to her briefly. These years have been a torment with the one I’d bound myself to so close.”

He’d heard many things about angels who’d bound themselves to another. The need to remain close was strong as was the desire to protect. Father had stressed that it was a precious bond that none should enter into lightly but there were those who would be drawn to do so as their partner was their other half. Angels who had completed the process were strong. They always fought side by side with a fierce passion to ensure the other came out alive. Enemies who didn’t know a pair were bound often found themselves obliterated when they found out both angels could use the others powers. They weren’t able to both use the same powers at the same time, but it was formidable to go against.

As far as he knew, there weren’t too many cases of bound angels. Many were wary to share that much of themselves. The two souls were bound together, linking their destinies and should one perish, typically the other did as well. Often if a bond was initiated and not confirmed it faded within a century, but it took a toll on the angel who initiated. Raphael was the only one he knew of who had marked someone who couldn’t mark him back. The time required for the mark to fade must have passed by now, and yet Raphael had confessed that he still felt it.

“I make no excuse for actions, but I implore the assembly to judge soly myself in this. I am guilty, repentant and ready to accept punishment. I humbly beg the assembly to ensure all punishment in this is mine alone to bear.”

“You bonded yourself with a human?” He didn’t catch who had asked as the question echoed in the otherwise silent hall.

“I did. Geneviève Babette Paulin is the only one my mark has ever appeared on.”

“Geneviève Babette Paulin, please step forward.” He called out as he stood. He needed to ascertain if the mark still remained.

She hesitantly stood and made her way to the middle of the floor to stand next to Raphael. He gracefully descended to the floor of the chamber to meet her. Raphael’s eyes widened as he turned and saw her. Raphael cared greatly for this human, he could see it in his eyes. Raphael had been so intent to ensure none of what came of this trial came back on her, he had failed to notice that she was present.

“I will not harm you child, but I must inspect to see if Raphael’s seal remains upon you. May I please proceed?” He asked as gently as he could manage, knowing forcing the matter could incite Raphael to become protective. Geneviève nodded and turned her back to him. She moved her hair out of the way and then pulled her collar back. He leaned forward enough to see Raphael’s seal etched on her skin.”Thank you.” he muttered as he stepped back. The slight nod he gave the assembly confirmed for all present what Raphael had said was true. He had bound himself to a human. There was only one thing for him to do now.

“Were you the one to choose his punishment, what would you wish to be done to Raphael?” He tested Geneviève. Her decision would guide the result of the trial. Did she hold a grudge against the man who abandoned her and her child? Had Raphael forced himself on her and she was afraid of what might happen to her? Or perhaps like Raphael she had felt the strong connection between them, one that Raphael had been unable to resist in marking her.

“I am not worthy to make such a decision. Angels are not the same as men, but had what transpired been with a human; they would be forced to take responsibility for their actions.” Geneviève muttered quietly.

“Does that mean, had this been on earth and Raphael a human you would accept marrying him? Not because of his actions or the child that resulted from them, but of your own choice?” He manipulated his words in order to have her confirm if she would accept the seal that Raphael had bestowed upon her. It was much like the human concept of marriage, two souls bound as one.

“Yes.” Her voice was more confident than it had been.

“Very well.” He graced her with a small smile as he spoke quietly. He stepped back and proclaimed to the chamber. “Raphael must accept full responsibility for his actions. Geneviève Babette Paulin is his wife as she was bestowed with his mark and has before this court accepted the bonding he’d bestowed upon her. As humans are unable to confirm a bond, Raphael must use his power to raise his wife to a station befitting the mate of an Archangel.” The noisy muttering grew louder. He raised his voice so that none would miss what he said next. “She is to share his powers - all his powers as nothing belonging to him is his alone now that he is officially bound to her. Geneviève Babette Paulin has shown dedication and wisdom beyond expectation of one put in a situation such as hers and will do well in her new station.” He turned his focus to Raphael as he continued. “Raphael you are charged with teaching her how to aid you in your duties, as your wife will share and support you in your responsibilities. You must unseal Sabine Rosalie de Castellane-Esparron, who is your legitimate daughter and guide her in understanding her abilities. You must not allow any part of your duties to suffer while attending to this punishment. Finally, you will also have to accept sole responsibility for any issues that arise from your family’s new powers as they get used to them, even should they be deemed delinquent or transgress from Heavenly Law for a minimum one hundred years.”

Raphael bowed his head, accepting his punishment humbly. He’d addressed the issues that were within Heaven, however there was still the matter of Alastor. Raphael’s trial was now complete, but they still had to deal with the Bisimbi and what they had been plotting. Their intention for Alastor was nothing short of malicious and would be dealt with separately. Sera’s agreement with Alastor meant that he now required permission for them to remain and address the actions of Simbi Andezo and several other high ranking Simbi, all of which had been gathered and brought to Heaven to face questioning.

He pat Geneviève on the shoulder, ushering her over to her now confirmed husband, Raphael before he stepped towards Alastor, watching Lucifer’s features darken with each step. He was more than aware of the animosity between Lucifer and Raphael and didn’t want to bring Raphael’s attention to them just yet. He wasn’t certain that Raphael even was aware he had a grandson.

“I understand that Sera amended the invitation I extended to you. The matter of the Bisimbi must be addressed and your presence will be required. I will revoke her previous stipulations upon your powers and in exchange instead of an audience I will grant you the ability to choose one of the following; a conversation with whomever you wish in Heaven - so long as it is within my power, or permission to have one soul visit Charlotte Morningstar’s Hazbin Hotel for up to one week.” He spoke quietly to Alastor.

The demon sat back as he contemplated his options. He was gambling on Alastor wanting to have a much more relaxed and extended visit with Sabine than he would have been able. It also would allow him to make up for the impositions Sera had insisted upon.

“You will have to grant my mother your protection, if you wish for me to agree to this.” Alastor’s voice was enchanting but the smile made his stomach churn nervously. “But you will also need his permission as well.” Alastor’s head inclined towards Lucifer.

“Alastor is to be granted clemency from any repercussions due to your trial on The Bisimbi.”

“I will ensure he is not held responsible for what was imposed upon him.” He bowed slightly to Lucifer as he agreed to his request. He allowed his upper right wing to fold down in front of him. He chose one of the gold pinion feathers and with a sharp tug pulled it loose. He shifted the wing out of the way and stepped towards Sabine.

“Per your son’s request, I hereby grant you my protection.” He held out the feather to Sabine. Emily gasped and vibrated excitedly. Sabine shot a glance at Alastor but nodded as she accepted the feather. It was quickly absorbed into her skin as it made contact, a faint outline of a golden feather appeared on the back of her hand. He couldn’t help but smile gently at how Emily squealed and hugged Sabine. He sighed and prepared himself for what he was going to do next.

“Your father advised he removed your womb, how were you able to continue his line?” His question echoed through the chamber silencing many still gossiping voices. Sabine’s brief look of hope crumbled before his eyes. He had needed to use the connection between Sabine and the Bisimbi to direct the next portion of the trial. The shadows once again shifted in response to Alastor’s ire as his mother was called out. Lucifer at least was calm, his demand had ensured Alastor’s safety while Alastor’s request had granted more than that for his mother.

Everything happens for a reason.

The words echoed again in his head. After years of trying to figure out Father’s plan, he was beginning to grasp what was going on, what needed to be done and what his job was in the grand scheme. Father had faith he could do what was needed. He would do his utmost to justify the trust that had been bestowed upon him.

Chapter 13: Flip the Switch and Watch Them Run

Chapter Text

Alastor POV

His whole body tensed as Michael’s voice brought the attention of all present crashing down upon Maman. Given Emily and Lucifer’s reactions to Michael bistowing his protection upon her and how easy it had been to convince Michael to do, meant Maman wasn’t going to be harmed. She squirmed and clung to his arm, shrinking under the collective venomous gaze of the buzzing insects who believed themselves above reproach, even having just witnessed one of their highest brought low. How dare he! Moments after guaranteeing her protection he’d thrown her to the wolves. This angel was little more than a devil in disguise.

The set up had been brilliant. He hardly could have managed better and he was struggling far more than he had initially thought having not seen the pieces falling into place before now. He’d tried to heal himself but his magic didn’t respond the same. Perhaps he had left himself too open by giving Charlie his souls and Overlord powers. The pain had lessened significantly but it was difficult to not twitch and squirm with how his skin prickled with pins and needles. He felt the weight of his antlers increase and forced himself to take a breath and halted any further growth. He barely kept from growling in frustration when they would not return to their previous size.

He could still feel the airwaves, he could still feel the bulk of his powers but his control on them was nowhere near what he was comfortable with. It wasn’t his powers that had changed, but their source. His powers had typically felt somewhere between an unsettled sea and a raging tempest. Like Lucifer had previously thought, he had also assumed it was a type of wild magic. He had always enjoyed the cold and unyielding aspects of his magic. Now it was too warm and felt distinctly sticky, like a wet dough that required a good twenty minutes more kneading. He’d almost slipped up so many times in the short conversation he’d had while waiting for the trial to begin because of the shift. He no longer had the luxury of allowing his body to adapt on his own, not with the focus now upon Maman.

Raphael’s attention had also shifted. The guilty angel’s eyes were wide as he stared at Michael before his eyes shifted to Maman. Raphael’s face contorted with confusion as he tried to figure out if what Michael had just proclaimed was even possible. Raphael’s eye bore into him as he felt their weight and the desire to tear the angel to shreds return stronger than before. He struggled to keep his powers from slipping loose, only barely managing and it made the area of his back below his shoulder blades burn. He needed to adjust or shift to see if this pain would go away but he was less concerned about his own comfort right now and forced his body to remain still. He would never allow any harm to come to Maman. He hadn’t realised he was growling until Maman gently patted his arm as she took a breath to steady herself. He swallowed hard and watched with trepidation as she let go of his arm and stood to face the assembled angles.

“Simbi Andezo fathered my son. His powers allowed me to carry our child safely.” Maman spoke in her clear calm voice. Grand-mère’s mouth fell open and her eyebrows knit together in horror at the admission. Raphael seemed more taken aback by the statement. He shook his head as though it shouldn’t have been possible.

“Bring Simbi Andezo and the others here.” Michael instructed a lesser angel who quickly hurried off to fetch those requested. His trip to Heaven was going to be more momentous than he had even previously thought, it seemed that he would not only be meeting his grandfather but his father as well. He had little hope that the Bisimbi would turn out to be something other than scum. The only thing that Simbi Andezo had going for him was that he had granted Maman her wish, and hadn’t tried anything against her.

He felt Lucifer tense beside him and the grip on his hand tightened. He quickly glanced over at him to make sure he was alright. His Canard had done brilliantly when faced with Michael and the other angels present but with the slight tremor that was rocking Lucifer’s frame he was worried staying for the extended trial might not have been the best decision. Lucifer’s eyes were locked on someone and he looked in the direction Lucifer was, trying to figure out who had caused the reaction. His eyes fell on the head Seraphim, the one who’d brought them here. Sera was smirking. He didn’t have time to dwell on what that might mean, his eyes darted back to quick movement near him. Raphael’s wings had flared outwards attracting his attention and likely that of many others.

“I-I was unaware of the existence of a grandchild. While we wait for The Bisimbi, might I be allowed to speak to him privately?” Raphael spoke to Michael.

“I will permit it.” Michael nodded in agreement.

Maman stepped back, almost blocking Raphael from view at the same time Lucifer’s grip remained tight as his hand now visibly shook. He raised an eyebrow at Michael who’d agreed for him without any consultation. He certainly didn’t trust Michael and should he be given the opportunity he’d rather enjoy tearing the one who’d mutilated Lucifer limb from limb, but knew it would be beyond his abilities and extremely unwise given their current location. He could openly refuse, but that would certainly taint any impression that he would have on the court and you got one first impression. He needed to play his cards carefully.

“I will not.” Lucifer’s voice resounded through the chamber as Lucifer stood up and stepped closer to Maman almost as if to join her in hiding him from view.

“I’m afraid you do not get a say, brother.” Michael frowned, looking genuinely sorry.

He felt Lucifer’s hand twitch at the response and Lucifer’s tail flicked out in annoyance as it suddenly made an appearance before wrapping tightly around his wrist to keep from being noticed. Lucifer was being protective of him. Given the air that was coming from the fallen, Lucifer was more than ready to fight. He recognised the aura, it pulled much in the same way as when he’d come back from the airwaves. Only it wasn’t Ozzie in front of them. He couldn’t allow Lucifer to lose his temper. Action from Lucifer would have a much larger impact than anything he might do. He gave Lucifer’s hand a squeeze and gently tugged on Maman’s arm so that the two of them would look back at him.

“It will be alright, besides I can easily return here should any issues arise.”

“How?” Maman asked quietly.

“I can travel through shadows.” He smiled at her before looking over at Lucifer. Lucifer’s eyes pleaded with him not to do this but his voice remained quiet. “I would trust no other with this, keep Maman safe while I go and speak with him.” He gave Lucifer a reassuring smile.

Lucifer took in a shaky breath but nodded. Lucifer’s tail unwound from his wrist, freeing him to do as he wished. It swished nervously and then disappeared as the fallen once again sat down.

“Do not hesitate. If you feel threatened, come right back.” Lucifer growled possessively, his eyes were reversed and glowing.

“Of course, Mon Canard.” He smirked and gave Lucifer’s leg a pat before he stood up, only to be pulled into a crushing hug.

“Do not take long Mon P’tit.” Maman mumbled before she released him.

“My, you two make it sound like I’m going off to war. I’ll be but a moment.” He smiled as he teased them before walking towards Michael. Grand-mère was giving Raphael a questioning look but he only patted her hand before looking over at him. Unlike her, he understood that Raphael’s request to speak with him had little chance that it was relevant to finding out more about him. Something had set Raphael off and he suspected it was either that he was a sinner or it was Lucifer’s presence.

“I believe the room you were in prior to the trial is free.” Michael offered before Raphael had the chance to make a suggestion as to where they could go to speak.

“Lovely.” He didn’t bother to wait for further permission as he walked off towards the door of the chamber without looking back at Raphael.

Angels scattered as he suddenly pushed open the heavy doors with little effort. Those uninvited and desperate to find out what might have happened stumbled backwards only to move even more quickly to make way for him once they realised he wasn’t an angel.

“How the f*ck.” He heard a somewhat familiar voice mutter above the commotion and slowed his pace enough to glance around. He found the one emanating bloodlust in his direction. An angel with a single arm was glaring daggers at him. Lute. He grinned, she hadn’t even been invited to attend. Oh how he wanted to taunt her but he instead revelled in how she’d been excluded from the proceedings as he continued on his way not sparing her a further thought and knowing full well that would annoy her so much more than if he’d spoken up.

This interaction with Raphael he was about to partake in, had the potential to be disastrous. At the same time it was likely to be the only opportunity he was going to get where he could decide for himself if the guilty angel deserved his respect or vengeance. There was little he would be able to do with his limited time in Heaven, but he would ensure the result would be long lasting. If Raphael was anything like Lucifer, physical violence did little in comparison to the mental anguish that lingered. He would have to choose his words carefully for the greatest impact.

He held the door open for Raphael to enter the room first. His fingers itched to slam the door on his wings to hear the delicious cry of anguish. He let out a slow breath through his nose and stepped into the small space. He closed the door behind them and allowed his shadow to seal the room off from its surroundings. Those pesky angels won’t be eavesdropping on this conversation. He adjusted his shoulders finally getting a little relief from the itch that had settled between them. He stood tall and waited for Raphael to speak.

“Tell me child, what did your mother call you?” Raphael offered a small smile.

“Alastor.” He responded simply.

“Was she a good mother?” If Raphael was curious about Maman or not, it did not come off in his question.

The words spoken sounded almost indifferent and it made his blood boil. He knew he’d never be able to claim to be neutral going into this conversation. He certainly did not hold Raphael in high regard, but what little regard he did have was obliterated with those words. Of course she was. How could he doubt his own daughter’s ability to raise children? Just because he hadn’t wanted his line to continue, didn’t mean she would wish the same or would be willing to accept that inability. Did he not care what he did to Maman had killed her dreams? That his actions had been the reason Maman had made the desperate bargain with Simbi Andezo?

“If I was blessed with one thing in life, it was her.” He relied heavily on the craft he’d perfected as a radio broadcaster as he kept all signs of his anger from his voice. He wasn’t trying to aggravate Raphael but this was going downhill fast. His control over his emotions was strained so far beyond the point he’d usually allow himself to reach.

“It was a hard life then?” Raphael seemed surprised.

His fists tightened. What kind of life did you expect? You left the woman you loved alone with a half white child in the south just after the civil war? She was lucky to find someone who would marry her and help raise the child you abandoned. Nothing about Maman’s life had been easy but she’d endured. She’d faced it all and passed on her secret to him. She had just needed to keep smiling.

“It certainly wasn’t easy, but we got by.” He left the ‘no thanks to you’ unsaid. Pleased by the droop to Raphael’s wings as the Archangel didn’t need for him to say the words to understand.

“I am sorry.” Raphael stared mournfully down at the floor.

Not nearly sorry enough. His eye twitched with annoyance. He knew Charlie would get excited to hear those words. She’d burst into song to convince Pentious that was how he’d start down the path of redemption. He was not Charlie. Maman’s one dream her whole life had been to have children of her own. He’d heard stories of when she was little and proclaiming she intended to birth her own little army just so she could love and nurture each and everyone one of them. His heart ached as rage seethed in his veins. She had been denied that by the actions of the one standing before him. The one who had the audacity to say they were ‘sorry’ to him before even trying to speak to Maman.

He waited, letting the silence sit heavy to ensure that Raphael knew he was not forgiven. Afraid that if he moved or spoke the strained reins he had on his temper would snap. Raphael’s wings drooped further, the lowest feathers brushing against the floor. It was not nearly as viscerally satisfying as tearing flesh from bone but the lasting impact and psychological injury would have to satisfy him for now. He’d have to deal with the hollow victory he’d achieved. Besides, should he harm Raphael physically, Grand-mère would doubtlessly find a way to come down to Hell and make his existence truly unbearable. She, like him, was bound to an angel and he understood the lengths he would go should someone harm Lucifer.

“I supposed that should have been expected. You certainly have your grandmother’s strong presence.” Raphael sighed and his shoulders slumped along with his wings. “She didn’t have to say anything to get her point across. How old were you when she came here?” Raphael looked up at him, a sight of perfect remorse displayed before him. He doubted the angel would be able to pull off such an act if it was false, but he also hadn’t shown contrition prior to bringing up Grand-mère.

“Eight.”

“Did you have a full life?” Raphael looked nervous.

“I was killed in 1933 when I was thirty seven.” He replied bluntly. His words stung as Raphael flinched.

“Your mother?” Raphael asked hesitantly.

“Outlived me.” He sighed. He didn’t know when Maman had died, but Grand-mère had made it sound like his death had broken her. She would find out about the activities that had led to his death, but he wanted to spare her them a little longer.

“I’m sorry.” His eyebrow twitched as Raphael apologised again. The words wouldn’t change anything. The angel standing in front of him was still the one who had sealed Maman’s powers, stolen her dreams along with her womb and the one ultimately responsible for the loss of his soul. He clamped his mouth shut keeping the slight curl that allowed him to still appear to have a smile.

He was angry at Raphael. He wanted to pluck each and every feather from his wings and boil the angel alive. But he also pitied him. He’d forced himself to leave behind the one he’d marked and their daughter to return to Heaven because of his duty. He couldn’t help but see Lucifer desperately trying to piece back together his relationship with Charlie playing out with Raphael and Maman over the next weeks in Heaven. They weren’t the same. Lucifer had little choice. He told himself, but he knew his angel had been manipulated into thinking it was some sense of duty as well.

Raphael sighed and looked up at him. Sad amber eyes that looked too much like his own human ones began to look more determined. It was easy to discern the change to the air as Raphael’s wings slowly lifted and settled comfortably behind him. It seemed they were done with the pleasantries, and it was time to move on to the topic Raphael actually wanted to discuss.

“What relation do you have to The Morningstar?” Raphael spoke of Lucifer with disgust.

“I don’t see how that concerns you.” He felt the need to tear his claws through the angel in front of him rise steadily.

“You are bound to me by blood, that makes you my responsibility. I know not why you were damned, but I will not abide any further contact with that thing.” Raphael sneered.

He balled his fist letting his claws sink into flesh to keep from lashing out. The shadows responded to his emotions as they quickly darkened the room and the airwaves condensed the latent magic in the air as his grip on both waned. He wanted to rip Raphael’s wings from his back and force them down his throat for the way he’d spoken about Lucifer. Fury boiled in his chest as his magic begged to be let loose. He could feel his bones wanting to shift into his larger form and his antlers barely remaining contained in their current larger size. His back, from his shoulders to tail prickled and itched with the increase of magic.

“You know nothing of me. I am no angel and do not have to follow your orders. I will continue my relationship with him. My bond to him is much stronger than the one between you and I.” He growled back, using the same term Raphael had to refer to the two of them. He stood his ground in defence of Lucifer. It didn’t matter if Raphael was his grandfather, he would not abide someone speaking of the one he loved in that tone.

“What bond?” Raphael’s eyes widened in horror and shock. His amber eyes darted quickly around the room taking in the way the magic was reacting.

He grinned threateningly but declined to answer.

“What bond!?” Raphael’s voice resonated like a clap of thunder in the small room, power mixed in with the sound. He hadn’t had time to try and shelter his ears from the noise and he knew the warm sensation trickling down his skull was blood. Raphael was beginning to understand what he’d implied and the Archangel’s temper had frayed to the point of snapping. He watched as Raphael’s size increased to the point he filled most of the room. Neither that nor Raphael’s angelic power that increased the pressure around them would get him to back down. In their stalemate, Raphael tried to force the shadows back and wrestled with the airwaves for control but he wasn’t about to let the angel win.

“At least he had my permission before he did anything. Would my Grand-mère be able to claim the same?” He hissed quietly in retaliation and stood his ground against the enraged Archangel.

Would Raphael attack knowing it might ruin his relationship with his daughter? Would he deflate or would he follow through? He blinked and Raphael was already too close. His eyes widened in shock and he did his best to sidestep as fast as he could but it was already too late. He felt a flood of Raphael’s magic enter his system from where Raphael’s fist connected with his stomach. He barely felt the impact over the rush of foreign magic. He scrambled back and the moment there was enough space between the two of them he sunk into his shadow.

He contained Raphael’s powers, restricting them to his abdomen. It was angelic in nature but it felt more hostile than even Adam’s magic had and unwilling to become part of his own. Containing it would have to do for now. He had promised to return if he was threatened, and he hadn’t expected Raphael to actually resort to violence there was a chance that should he linger too long Raphael might be able to pull him from his shadow. He slipped back into the court unnoticed and schooled his expression as he reappeared between Lucifer and Maman. Doing his best to appear unbothered by what had just transpired. Lucifer latched onto him the moment he appeared and Maman let out a little startled noise which had Michael looking back over at them with a curiously surprised expression.

“I do believe I might have made him angry.” He couldn’t help but smirk thinking of what sort of frustrated expression might be on Raphael’s face right now. He felt a painful tug from below his navel as Raphael’s magic flared. It first flared, as though trying to break free and then it constricted. Shrinking down to about the size of an apple and settling down deep within him and emanating a sharp cold sensation that was a little too similar to being stabbed.

“Alastor. What did you do?” Maman looked worried and he felt nervousness swirl through him. She was going to be unsealed and Raphael was going to teach her how to use her powers. Would the way Raphael treated her be impacted by what he’d just done? Surely not… but then again he’d not expected Raphael to be violent. He wasn’t used to feeling instant regret over his actions. He had restrained himself, but had he overdone it? He debated how to answer and felt Lucifer’s thumb rub the hand he clenched. The small gesture did wonders to reassure him.

He didn’t get a chance to answer Maman’s question as heavy doors banged loudly against walls as they were violently thrown open. Raphael stormed into the room, his magic visible as pale green fire surrounding him. Many of the lesser angels shrank or scrambled back from the sudden and enraged appearance of the typically calm Archangel. Maman leaned in closer, reacting in much the same manner she had when the human he’d called father had rampaged in a similar fashion. Raphael’s gaze fell on them and murder was intent in his eyes.

“Morningstar! What have you done to my grandson!” Raphael snarled as he quickly closed the distance.

He felt Lucifer flinch as Raphael’s anger was confirmed to be directed at him. He knew it was an automatic reaction from the trauma Heaven had inflicted upon Lucifer but he couldn’t stand seeing or feeling one as proud as his Canard reduced to meekness. He was on his feet before he even had the chance to think about the threat he was facing, cutting off Raphael’s view of Lucifer and shielding the two closest to his heart from the threat in front of him.

“Unlike you, he sought permission first!” He snapped back with a low growl. He lets his antlers grow in response to his anger and the threat to his family. Raphael was still easily three times his size and he would use whatever aspect of intimidation he could. He pulled on the airwaves and felt something tear. He released four tentacles from his back, but like much of his power in Heaven it was just slightly off as they sprouted a above their usual place. He tried to extend the upper ones, only they didn’t move how they were supposed to. He shifted them forward and was shocked to discover that what moved into his view was a smooth black wing edge that crackled with thousands of green static feathers.

“Enough!” Michael bellowed. His voice halted Raphael before he could make it any closer. There had been intent in the order from Michael and Raphael deflated as his powers were forcibly extinguished. He had been able to feel the force of Michael’s words and had watched what they did to Raphael, but he didn’t understand why his own display hadn’t been snuffed as well. When it was clear that Raphael was once again calm Michael continued. “What is this about?”

“My grandson will not be bound to The Morningstar.” Raphael huffed and struggled to contain his emotions. Startled and alarmed gasps echoed throughout the room.

sh*t. He hadn’t meant to say something like that in front of the angels. His understanding of the mark was much clearer after hearing Emily explain it but he still had much to learn. Given how nervous Lucier seemed to be, perhaps he was not the only one who needed to learn more of their connection.

“Raphael. Calm yourself.” Michael spoke firmly. “Your grandson has proclaimed to all present that he consented to the mark so you may not oppose his choice of partner.”

He stared in shock at Michael’s defence of him. Lucifer tugged gently at his hand and he allowed himself to be guided back. He twitched at the unusual sensation that climbed up his spine as Lucifer’s hand ran along his lower left wing to ensure no part of his wings were sat upon. The new appendages were not something he’d ever expected and were certainly something he was going to have to get used to. Much of what had happened in the last minute perplexed him. Michael’s immediate halting of Raphael while allowing him to remain unchanged, the sudden appearance of wings but most of all… his huge blunder of announcing that he was bound in the angelic form of marriage to Lucifer.

“Brother?” Raphael squawked in frustration. Michael held a hand to Raphael to keep the other angel from continuing and looked at Lucifer.

“Lucifer, do you confirm your mark was applied after you had permission?” The tone Micheal used was even, not threatening or even a hint of accusation, simply wishing to know the answer.

“Ugh.. Yeah, Alastor gave me permission to bite him.” Lucifer stood up nervously. Hushed whispers erupted throughout the chamber as angels began to gossip.

“Do any others have a claim to either of you?” Michael continued.

“Ugh… No. There are no others who have a claim to him. My seal exists solely on him. My link to Lilith was severed almost a decade ago and no mark ever existed between us. He is the only one who has a claim to me. His seal I happily bear on my skin.” Lucifer stood a little taller with each word he spoke. Michael nodded and turned back to Raphael.

“Then I see no issue. Raphael you have no further claim, they are a bonded pair.”

He watched Lucifer break into a grin as Raphael struggled to process what had just happened. A dark hand appeared on Raphael’s arm and Grand-mère simply gave Raphael a look that told him to stop. The Archangel’s head flopped forward in defeat.

What would have happened just now if I hadn’t gotten my soul back?

It was a sobering thought. Would Michael have made him stay in Heaven? That was the last thing he wanted yet, now his relationship with Lucifer and Grand-mère’s with Rapahel would surely be the talk of Heaven, and soon enough Hell too. Rosie was right, he wasn’t going to be able to keep this secret in Hell for much longer.

Voxroach POV

f*ck f*ck f*ck f*ck!

He couldn’t voice his frustrations, due to a lack of f*cking vocal cords, as he frantically dodged the knife that came at him faster than Val could get Velvette off. And damn Vel was so f*cking sensitive it didn’t take much but Val only had to breath on her a certain… f*ck! He forced his mind to focus on the flash of metal and dodge in time to keep all limbs intact. He hadn’t always succeeded at that. The little maniac that Alastor had left him with had already relieved him of several parts. It was still traumatic but he was beginning to understand that they grew back a lot faster in this form through painful experience.

This was his fourth attempt to escape and it looked like it was going to succeed about as well as each previous time. He’d thought that being released from the shadows Alastor had kept him in had been a blessing, but now he’d gladly run back there… if he could just find Alastor. No, the one he’d been left with was the tiny gremlin and killer of Adam known as Niffty. She had been someone he’d always dismissed, someone he’d never thought could be a threat to him… oh how wrong he had been.

“f*ck Niffty, give the bug a break!” Angel Dust called out from Hell knew where. His eyesight was the f*cking worst in this form. He could see maybe three feet clearly and maybe 10 fuzzily. Most of the time his sight was occupied by the towering form that seemed Hell bent on his doom.

“But Alastor said this roach could take it! It’s special!” Nifty whined, turning her focus to Angel Dust.

He bolted to the television, grateful to whatever power out there for the distraction. All he had to do was get to it and he’d be able to connect to his powers. He’d be able to flee this madhouse. He scurried up the leg of the table and launched himself into the device, pulling on his powers as he got close.

But he couldn’t reach them.

His powers didn’t respond.

For the first time in his long afterlife he felt despair so total that his brain went quiet. His body wouldn’t move as the feeling overwhelmed him. He felt his current form splatter into the television but he still couldn’t feel any of his former powers. He was pressed right up and practically smeared on what should have been his escape, but there was nothing. He couldn’t believe it. What had Alastor done? What power could he have used to change him into this? He’d hoped he was in some sort of nightmare, with each passing minute he was understanding that Alastor had somehow ensured he’d be forced through his own personally curated hell.

“Silly little roach. You aren’t that anymore.” Niffty chortled in a low whisper as she appeared behind him.

She knows.

“Niffty no stabbing around the TV.” Princess Morningstar’s voice halted the blade he hadn’t seen coming. The almost motherly reminder of the rules had saved him from the piercing pain of being skewered once again. His form was snapped up in tight claws. He didn’t have time to process all he was seeing as the world span while the demoness skittered over to the princess. Niffty halted jarringly next to the blonde heir to Hell.

“Charlie! How’d it go?” Her voice was familiar but he had to strain to place it. Only succeeding once the little moth that was dating the princess stepped into view.

How’d what go? He wasn’t entirely sure what had happened in the outside world while he’d been subjected to however long the eternity he’d been through since waking up had been. Apparently something had happened, something that seemed to have shaken the princess. You’d never have guessed that she’d gone up against Adam and the exorcist army in defence of her hotel given how nervously she was gripping herself right now.

“Did the other two decide to go back and do the horizontal tango some more?” Angel snickered. He glanced around and sniffed the air. From what he knew of the hotel residence Lucifer should have been there but he could only make out six forms. He couldn’t see Alastor but that didn’t necessarily mean he wasn’t there but if he actually wasn’t there…

Ah he knew it! Alastor was f*cking Lucifer. He fumed. He didn’t get his usual thrill of being right. Only the bitter taste if not being the one who’d won. He might not have gotten all that he’d wanted but he’d stolen some of Alastor’s firsts from Lucifer and that would have to be enough.

“What? No. Alastor…” Princess Morningstar sighed nervously.

The f*ck? Did everyone here know the two were boning? How long had the two been involved? No way Alastor had any interaction with Lucifer before he’d shown up at the Hotel to help with the fight… f*ck Lucifer worked fast. Months… it had only been a few months since the battle and he had already worked his way through Alastor’s maze of walls and defences. He’d not even managed to get Alastor to lower his guard in that amount of time. What had Lucifer done to Alastor? The Alastor he knew would never have agreed to allow anyone assert any sort of power over him let alone ‘claim’ him. Alastor might have proclaimed he’d agreed to being claimed by Lucifer - but what the Hell did that mean? Alastor must have gotten something out of it? That demon didn’t do anything if it didn’t benefit him greatly. Alastor played the long game, and if he was f*cking Lucifer he was thinking real long term.

“Sera called him for the trial. He got her to allow him to bring one person and she agreed without asking who. Dad’s with him. In Heaven.” The princess spoke quietly.

What?
“What?” Husker’s voice echoed his own question.

“They left a little while ago. I … I needed a moment to… Vaggie I’m so worried.” The princess broke into tears. The little moth cooed reassuringly as she tried to calm the trembling princess.

“Oh Charlie… I’m sure they will be fine.” Vaggie was the moth. He hadn’t bothered to try to remember her name before now. Little moth had been enough. If he was going to be stuck here, he was going to have to get to know each of them a lot better than he’d ever wanted.

“Hold on. Alastor isn’t here right now?” Husker asked. He couldn’t quite see Husker from where he stood at the bar but Charlie nodded in response. “Then why the hell do I still feel his presence?”

There was a collective pause. Alastor’s presence was unique from the other Overlords. It held a more sinister edge than most of them with each Overlord he had conquered seemingly adding to it. Oh how he had wanted to replicate it but he’d not been able to figure out how Alastor had subdued the other Overlords. They were ‘gone’ but at the same time they weren’t and Alastor had never explained to him how he had achieved it. He’d tried to see if he could trap an Overlord in digital files to see if Alastor somehow kept the overlords in a recording or something - but it hadn’t worked.

“Yeah… Me too.” Vaggie confirmed. Both were correct, his own shock at being told that Alastor wasn’t there was because he could still feel the prickly presence of the one and only Radio Demon.

“Um… Well he asked me to watch his shadow, do you think that could be why?” Charlie shrugged.

Hold on a f*cking minute!

“Wait wait wait… Mr uptight-ain’t-sharing-nothing, asked you to watch his shadow? I know he’s gotten all squishy since getting on with your Dad… but I still can’t believe he’d do that.” Angel voiced the same disbelief that he was fleeing. He hated that he had just agreed with Angel Dust but it was true. Alastor’s shadow was not something the demon would part with ‘willy nilly’. It was such an integral part of him.

“Well he did.” Charlie stood tall as she defended her words. Bullsh*t. Prove it Princess. “He said it would come out if I asked… Oh.” Charlie stopped suddenly as a black vaguely Charlie shaped shadow appeared beside her. f*cking hell. How? How the f*ck did the little princess managed to also endear herself to Alastor enough he’d be willing to part with with his actual f*cking Shadow!? He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. This had to be another part of this f*cking nightmare he was stuck in. He’d wake up back home and this all would be just a bad f*cking trip. A really back f*cking trip.

“Oh that’s creepy as f*ck.” Vaggie took a step back from the Charlie shaped shadow figure.

“That sh*ts messed up.” Husker mumbled from the bar.

“Um… Could you go back to looking like Alastor?” Charlie asked hesitantly. With a quick and practically giddy nod the black shape turned back into its usual form. “Thank you. You can stay in my shadow now.” Charlie spoke softly to the shadow.

Silence stretched and for the first time so long he really wasn’t sure what to think. This was just such an impossible reality. It had to be a dream. There was no other way he’d be able to process what was going on. He shifted and tried to escape the confines that held him tight. Niffty’s grip began to tighten around him. He looked up but the little demoness wasn’t actually paying attention to him. He flailed desperately against the unrelenting hands but he felt the sickening release of pressure as his body popped and the world went black.

*

Ugh, he felt like he needed to hurl. He blinked his heavy eyes but it did little to clear the fog. Had he gone on a bender with Val last night? He usually could handle his alcohol better than this. He went to rub the sleep from his eyes and reality came crashing back down as a fingerless limb rubbed at his eye instead. f*ck. His form had been forcibly changed somehow by Alastor into a roach. Now, he was stranded at the stupid hotel and hunted relentlessly by the tiny red personification of chaos.

He looked around cautiously. Where was she? He hesitantly looked around not wanting to draw any attention to himself. He breathed deep, his sense of smell was better than his sense of sight. He didn’t smell the typical lemon and pine he had from his hunter. He could smell Angel Dust, the spider smelt of sex, vodka and smoke. The other scent was probably Husker, given it was cedarwood and whiskey with just the hint of cinnamon.

He made a mad dash towards the smell of strong alcohol hoping it was the direction of the bar. He didn’t dare stop when he heard the muffled voice of Charlie. If the princess was around it meant that Niffty would come back to the room soon. He forced his legs to move as fast as they could and tried to bury his way into the carpet at the edge of the bar.

“It’s okay, I’m fine, you can go back to my shadow.” Charlie sounded like she was desperately trying to reassure Alastor’s shadow not to worry. He could only make out vague shapes right now, the red blob topped with blonde obviously being Charlie.

“Gghn.” He heard a choked grunt from behind the bar where Husker likely was. It certainly had been him who’d made the noise. He wondered if perhaps Angel had done something to Husker that he couldn’t see.

“She got Alastor’s shadow to stop rampaging when a bunch of idiots decided they wanted to test their luck. Like actually stop.” Vaggie muttered in disbelief, stopping next to the bar. f*ck! He’d forgotten about that atom bomb revelation of Charlie being asked to watch Alastor’s shadow before he’d lost consciousness. If Charlie had been able to do that, it meant that Alastor’s shadow was giving her a lot more authority than someone who was ‘watching’ over it.

“Is that why it is still out and looks like some puffy cat-boy version of Alastor?” Angel asked from behind him. He tried not to move but looked over at where the Angel’s voice was coming from. The spider was lounging on a couch pressed near the bar. Then why? He turned his focus back to Alastor’s Shadow. Had it tried to pull on souls belonging to Alastor to help Charlie?

f*ck.

It would explain why they still felt Alastor’s presence. How much had this sh*tty hotel changed Alastor? It couldn’t have been that much, right? Okay, he’d let Charlie ‘watch’ his Shadow and that was more than he’d ever thought Alastor would trust anyone else. What he was considering… if it was what happened, then… then he really had no idea about who Alastor was now. If Alastor had been willing to do that he certainly wasn’t the Alastor he had known anymore.

“I think it is still in protect mode. That’s why we came back. Hoping it would sense I was safe and go back to my shadow.” Charlie explained.

Yeah… angry and protective Radio Demon aura isn’t exactly conducive to recruiting sinners for this sh*thole. Alastor’s Shadow might have listened to her to stop tearing sinners apart…but it still was giving off enough menace to make most residents of the Pride Ring think five or six times before approaching the well meaning princess.

“Holy sh*t.” Husker's voice was barely more than a whisper, but the shocked tone made him wonder if Husker had made the same connection to the shadow he had.

“You okay over there Whiskers?” Angel’s voice above him now. The spider had come over to the bar at some point he’d been too far into his own thoughts to register what was going on.

“I am… but I have the feeling Charlie might not be in a minute.” Husker’s deep voice seemed unsure but pleased. He couldn’t really blame him. If he was right, and it was becoming clear he was, it meant that Charlie was the one who held his fate right now. She was someone much easier to manipulate than Alastor but the princess would be very conflicted over what she’d inherited.

“Why?” Vaggie sounded like she really didn’t want to know but to be able to protect Charlie she would investigate the implications. The little moth didn’t have much to worry about. Alastor’s Shadow was more than capable of keeping Charlie safe right now. Physically at least. Vaggie might need to pick up the emotional wreck her girlfriend might become once she finds out that Alastor has her watching more than his Shadow.

“Cause I just figured out what Alastor did.” He heard liquid being poured and he guessed the former Overlord was pouring himself a drink.

“Hold on, what?” Angel sounded annoyed that he didn’t understand what was going on and that Husker was being so vague about what he was talking about. No, the former Overlord was being cautious. The new had the potential to break the princess but at the same time Husker had to share it with the princess if he was going to have a shot at getting his soul back. If she didn’t know she had it she couldn’t give it back to him.

“What do you mean? And Why do you think I won’t be okay knowing what you figured out?” Charlie asked as she walked over to the bar followed closely by Vaggie.

“If you want to know I’ll tell ya, but don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”

“Out with it.” Vaggie growled as she made the decision to find out for Charlie.

“The reason we can still feel his presence is because we are sensing his Overlord aura. I had originally thought perhaps it was his shadow that was responsible, and honestly it could still be, but it wouldn’t explain why Charlie was able to reign in his shadow. When that thing rampages, nothing short of its owner can get it to back off. If Alastor had put his Overlord powers in it and it had acted upon the orders of ‘protect’ then Charlie wouldn’t have been able to stop it from finishing off all of those it felt meant to harm her. It also explains why it looked like Charlie the first time it appeared afterwards. That means, Alastor made Charlie the owner of his shadow. Only, he didn’t stop there. He should have been able to separate his shadow from him to leave it with Charlie. He instead left it along with all of his Overlord powers, all his contracts and all souls he’s subdued to Charlie.”

To him, there were only two reasons Alastor might do that. The first being Alastor trusted Charlie enough to look after everything he’d worked for in Hell and to give it back to him when he returned. Now, He could certainly see her being more than willing to return them to him once he got back… but that was a big leap of faith. The princess could easily just keep it all and not need Alastor anymore. It wasn’t the type of thing the Alastor he knew would do. Not unless there was more to it that they didn’t know right now. The other reason… The reason that seemed much more likely, was that Alastor wasn’t expecting to come back and he was ensuring all that he’d amassed would be kept safe. The Overlords that had been subdued wouldn’t be able to escape if his power passed to another without weakening.

“What?” Charlie gasped and took two steps back. Oh he wished he could see her face. Was it horror, surprise, endearment or confusion her face was contorting into. Princess Morningstar had never to his knowledge dealt in souls. Not once had he ever come across her making deals with others. Now he knew she had one with Alastor, so she was willing to make them at least, but would the knowledge that she now had all of the souls that belonged to Alastor in her possession twist her view that she was somehow ‘pure’?

Had that been Alastor’s goal? To taint the princess with the ownership of souls? Bring the hotel down from the inside by destroying Charlie’s view of herself? To make her question if she was the right person to try and redeem sinners? It didn’t seem quite right, not with how Alastor had acted with Lucifer. Then again, Alastor could act and bluff his way through a lot. Was everything so far an elaborate plot? That would be more in line with the Alastor he knew. Yet, he was certain that wasn’t it. Yeah it fit with how he figured the old Alastor might plan for things, but the old Alastor would have made damn sure that he wasn’t the one facing off alone against Adam. No, there was more going on than that.

“You…mean Charlie has your soul right now?” Angel asked excitedly.

“Not just mine.” Husker confirmed.

“He… He doesn’t…no. He can’t have.. Oh, no. No. He’s left … How could he? He won’t be able to defend himself!” Charlie struggled with her words as she started to hyperventilate. If he had eyebrows to raise he would. Charlie was more concerned that Alastor wouldn’t be able to defend himself because he’d left his powers with her. The f*ck is going on? These Morningstars made no sense. He was including Alastor in that category… because it was clear that Alastor was part of that family now. Alastor was old fashioned, if Lucifer had claimed him as he said then it was whatever Alastor decided was the equivalent of marriage.

“It’s okay sweetie, just breathe.” Vaggie was now next to Charlie and trying to calm her down.

“Yeah, The Short King’s with him. Don’t worry Alastor will be fine.” Angel was dismissive of what trouble Alastor might be able to get up to in Heaven. Angel obviously didn’t know Alastor that well. That demon could cause a second war if he wasn’t careful up there, especially given they had gone up to find out if Raphael was going to be kicked out of Heaven or not.

“He.. He… he only just got… are you sure?” Charlie sounded like she was partially crying now.

“Yeah your Dad won’t let anything happen to him.” Vaggie added quietly.

“Like hell Alastor would head to Heaven thinking he was powerless. Knowing him, he’s probably left his powers with you to spite them.” Husker scoffed as he tried to reassure the princess Alastor was fine.

“Nah, even if they threatened to strip him of his powers, he’d still hold on and fight tooth and nail to keep everything.” Angel Dust disagreed with Husker. He would have agreed with Angel again if he hadn’t seen the way Alastor had let Lucifer touch his ears. Now, he was more inclined to believe Alastor was relying on Lucifer should something go spectacularly wrong in Heaven.

“sh*t. You really have changed him Charlie. You think He’d have ever even considered letting anyone else hold onto his powers before now?” Vaggie spoke softly to Charlie and her words had the princess sniffling.

“Alastor has adopted you. He wants to protect you, but he also trusts you.” Niffty spoke up suddenly. He flattened himself into the carpet, startled by her sudden appearance. He still couldn’t see her and that was a problem. He couldn’t tell where she might pop up and he certainly didn’t want her to find him anytime soon.

“Awww Niffty. Do you think so?” Charlie sobbed happily.

“Of course. He wouldn’t have given you what he cherishes if he didn’t love you. See! His shadow’s back in yours. It knows you're safe now.” Niffty proclaimed proudly.

“Here. This calls for a drink.” Husker moved around from the back of the bar and passed something to Charlie.

“Th-thank you.” Charlie mumbled. He didn’t dare move now that he was certain Niffty was in the room. Any movement and it might catch her large eye. Silence set in as Charlie sipped the drink that Husker had brought her but it didn’t last long.

“My bug! I have to find him! I can’t let him get away!” Niffty cried out in horror. She’d be on the hunt for him now. His spot was safe for now and he didn’t dare move an inch. He was half concealed by the carpet and blended in well with the wood of the bar. So long as he remained still he’d escape discovery for some time.

“It’s okay Niffty, I’m sure your bug is still around.” Charlie spoke softly to the gremlin

“Okay! If you say he’s around then he is.” Niffty happily burbled before her voice became more menacing as she proclaimed. “I’m coming for you little roach!”

He flinched. Okay so sue him, he was quaking in his current form. She was a hell of a lot more terrifying than anyone gave her credit for. She might be pint sized but she was pure chaos given human form.

“Oh my, this is certainly not what I imagined when I heard you had opened a redemption hotel dearie.” Lilith’s calm voice turned the air to ice.

Oh so now she decides to make an appearance. Lilith had been back in Hell since shortly after Adam had been defeated. The Queen… well former queen, had been amassing power and had pulled him and the other Vees into her web. I wonder what happened to Val? He’d not seen, heard or even felt Val anywhere since he’d woken up in his new form. Angel certainly hadn’t been contacted by him. Maybe Alastor had turned him into something else as well. It gave him some hope that he might yet come across the other Overlord.

“... Mom?” Charlie spun around and faced the one who was trying to rid the world of her and her father. Not that either knew or suspected her plans. Both were way too forgiving and oblivious to the way she manipulated them.

“Oh look at how much you’ve grown. You are simply enchanting!” Lilith made her voice sound so soothing and motherly, it was hard to not think she loved Charlie dearly. He knew better. He had been partial to her plans. She was intent on making sure that Charlie and her father were removed from Hell… permanently. Lilith had always been the one in control, and now she had decided that she needed to get rid of the remaining obstacles. What had caused the change to her perspective, he didn’t know, but he suspected it had something to do with where she’d disappeared off to. He’d still not managed to figure out where that had been or why she and Alastor had both been gone for seven years. Both had disappeared around the same time. Alastor first then not long after she had just vanished. Now Alastor showed back up and Lilith had reappeared once Adam had died. It was hard not to think the two were connected in some way.

“Wh-Where have you been?” Charlie asked as she ran over to the one intent on destroying her and hugged her close. Lilith was a master of the craft of manipulation. She’d perfected it over her many years in Hell. It was simple for her to act like she loved the daughter that was hugging her. He could only stare in awe at one who clearly surpassed his own skill.

“I am sorry dearie, I was summoned to Earth by a human. I had no way to send word about what happened. I did what I could to ensure it didn’t take too long… but, you know humans… The contract that held me only just broke, and here I am.” Lilith stroked Charlie’s hair as she spoke in a hushed and soothing tone. Oh he could feel the magic in her words. Given the shiver to Charlie’s shadow, it could as well.

“Uh… I think I’ve got stuff to do in my room.” Angel mumbled nervously.

“I’ll join you.” Husker added quickly.

Had Lilith gotten them to leave with her magic or were they just not willing to have anything to do with the ‘former’ queen now that they knew Lucifer and Alastor were an item? Charlie stepped away from Lilith as Husker and Angel retreated.

“How have you been my child?” Lilith waited for Charlie to share - or likely over share, what had been happening in the last seven years.

“I’ve… been good. A lot has happened. It wasn’t all good, but things are good now.” Charlie twisted her hands about nervously as she surprisingly didn’t start to word vomit every little tidbit of her life since Lilith had left her. Perhaps the old queen’s power over Charlie had waned.

“Oh? Do tell.” He detected just a slight amount of irritation to Lilith’s voice. She, like him, had expected Charlie to be talking a mile a minute about everything that had happened, especially about things with Heaven.

“Well… I guess I should start by saying - this is Vaggie, my girlfriend. The love of my life and one who’s stuck with me through thick and thin.” Charlie stepped quickly away from her mother and seemed to place the moth between them like a shield.

“Awww Charlie.” Vaggie seemed to get choked up, completely missing how there was now a slight tension between the other two.

“Well, that is quite the glowing introduction. I’m sure we will get along splendidly.”

Yeah f*cking right. You probably want to tear her apart. He shook his little head. Lilith was likely thinking of ways to flay the small woman between her and her daughter.

“Heh… yeah.” Vaggie chuckled nervously in agreement.

“Um, well the Hotel is doing great now. We had to rebuild it from scratch after the battle with the exorcist army.” Chalie’s voice quickly filled the uncomfortable silence.

There it is. Charlie had certainly resisted her mother, but eventually she broached the subject Lilith was hoping she would bring up.

“You faced off against Adam?” Lilith’s concern was poison honey. He knew the tactic, he used it regularly, even on Val and Velvette. It gave the victim a sense of security and made them more agreeable to reveal things they didn’t want to and left them more susceptible to suggestion.

“Yeah… it was scary and for a long time it didn’t look like we were going to win, but we did.”

“Oh my! Was everyone alright?”

“No. We lost one of our guests - a snake demon named Sir Pentious…. and Dazzle in the fight.” Charlie’s genuine emotion was painful to listen to in comparison to the manipulative poison coming from Lilith.

“No. Oh, you poor thing. Have you found a replacement? You must have two guardians.”

She must? He’d never hear that before. Considering she’d acquired Alastor’s shadow she really wasn’t in need of any additional guardians.

“.... I haven’t.”

What?

He looked over at Charlie. He’d expected her to tell Lilith all about Alastor and his shadow. Was she aware that Lilith was trying to manipulate her? Was she trying to keep Alastor and her father safe from Lilith? Well I suppose telling your mother that your father has a new f*ck buddy might not go over well. She might be stalling about letting that nuke drop until they were back and had a chance to defend against potential attack.

“Well. that just won’t do. Hmm. You will want something different this time. We cannot impede upon poor Dazzle’s memory and Razzle certainly wouldn’t take it well if you suddenly had a new dragon.” Lilith clearly already had something in mind. The little giggle just before her; “Oh I know.” Was a dead giveaway. Even a rookie could have picked up on that being a set up. That didn’t mean he wasn’t interested in finding out what Lilith had in mind. He felt the magic in the air curl and dance as it was pulled about by Lilith, creating the shape of the being she intended to have watch over Charlie. “Oh he’s perfect. What do you think?” Lilith held the black and red fuzzy package in her arms and rocked gently before she passed the squiggling bundle over to Charlie. He couldn’t make out what it was from this distance.

“Th-thank you Mom. He’s adorable.” Charlie stepped out from behind Vaggie to accept the newest addition to the hotel.

“So, what shall you call him?” Lilith’s tone sounded like it was searching for more praise.

“Um… Well, how about Razzmatazz?” Charlie suggested after a moment’s thought.

Ugh what a horrible name.

“Might be too close to Razzle.” Lilith shot down quickly, clearly not impressed with Charlie’s choice.

“Matazz?...wait… Mathias. What do you think, Vaggie?”

Where the f*ck did that name come from?

It must have been something Charlie had heard said, but as far as he knew it didn’t have anything to do with anyone at the hotel. He suspected it did, in fact he suspected the name had something to do with Alastor.

“Well it is different from all the other names we have in the hotel right now. It's your dog babe, you get to pick.” Vaggie shrugged.

His new form squeaked as he tried not to die from laughter.

A dog?

Lilith had gifted Charlie a dog, and one Charlie had likely just named after Alastor or something significant to him. Thats f*cking hilarious. He was positive Alastor hated dogs. The only proof he had of it was that howling was what had distracted Alastor during their fight.

“Well, I much prefer it to the circus name.” Lilith added her own view on the potential name. He was suspecting that Charlie was wary of Lilith more and more now. She hadn’t asked her mother for any input on naming or asked her opinion on it.

“Heheh, well how about you little one? Do you like Mathias?”

Oh burn.

There was a little yelp as the dog seemed to agree to the name. Charlie still hadn’t asked her mother’s opinion and it didn’t seem like she was going to now.

“Well that settles it… Your name will be Mathias.” Charlie snuggled the dog in her arms.

“I’m so proud of how strong you’ve become. I am so relieved you didn’t have to spend the last few years alone.”

“Aww, thanks Mom.” She cradled the dog a moment longer before she set it down on the floor to let it explore its now home. “What are you going to do now?” Charlie asked as she stood back up.

“I suppose I will have to find your father and have a chat with him.” Lilith pretended to deflate. “I know we weren’t on the greatest of terms when I left but I’m sure he will come around.” Lilith glanced around the lobby of the hotel almost as though she was looking for Lucifer.

“I don’t think he will be here anytime soon. He said he had some discussions with Heaven to attend to.” Charlie mumbled.

That was a lie. Charlie knew where Lucifer was, she just didn’t know when he’d be back. Vaggie shifted next to Charlie but didn’t say anything. She was probably also questioning why Charlie had kept that information from her mother. Lilith was likely going to have a much harder time manipulating the girl than the former queen anticipated. Time with and around sinners had given the princess more experience with the real world. He had to give the girl credit for understanding her mother had been manipulating her and he saluted her ability to balance between giving away her assumptions while still protecting herself.

“Did he now? I suppose they are probably demanding reparations for Adam’s death.” Lilith sighed with a little shake of her head.

“What? He attacked us!”

“Oh child, you really don’t understand Heaven that well do you?” Lilith took a step closer to Charlie, letting her hand rest on Charlie’s shoulder.

“I…I understand enough to know they don’t care about fair, but I have confirmation the hotel works.” Charlie huffed and stepped back.

Yeah, she’s suspicious of Lilith alright. If the former queen wasn’t careful she’d be facing off against a three on one unified front. That was not a situation he’d want to be in. Lilith had contacts in Heaven, but that wouldn’t help her much when she was going up against Lucifer and Alastor.

“What?” Lilith sounded genuinely shocked.

What? His thought’s echoed Lilith’s as his brain was forced through a restart with that information. When did she find that out? When the f*ck was she planning on announcing that? That… changed everything. The hotel worked. The hotel f*cking worked. It meant that sinners could be redeemed. It wasn’t a be all and end all that once you ended up in Hell that was it. Did that mean he actually could earn redemption if he wanted to? Who had been redeemed? The only sinner not present was Sir Pentious… which meant the snake was in Heaven.

Damn, a weakling like that made it to Heaven.

“A sinner was redeemed and made it to Heaven. Confirmed by a seraphim.” Charlie stood proudly looking right up at her mother.

“Well, no wonder your father’s busy with meetings with Heaven! I am a little surprised you’d let him take charge of that. He has never been the best at making deals. Especially given how much the hotel means to you.” The wedge Lilth attempted to drive between Charlie and Lucifer missed the mark. He watched as both Charlie and Alastor’s shadow bristled.

“He’s changed a lot, Mom. When I asked him to stop before he killed Adam, he listened to me. He let me make the decision not to kill Adam. Now, Adam ended up dead from someone else, but he was willing to take my advice and let me choose my fate. He rebuilt the hotel when Adam destroyed it and has been doing his best to be as involved as he can since then. He’s taken all of my suggestions in stride and has been working really hard on himself as well.”

“My, that really doesn’t sound like your father at all.”

His vision was blocked by a large black damp nose. Oh sh*t. He tried not to move but when the mouth split open to try and bite him his legs moved on their own and he dashed out into the room chased at speed by a large black and red dog that seemed to comically be more body than legs.

“My Bug!” He heard Niffty cry out and he made a mad dash for what cover he could find. There wasn’t much he could do but run and dodge with so little cover in the lobby. He just focused on running. Lilith had been near the door, and he had gone in the opposite direction. She’d used the information he’d given her. Alastor had quite the surprise waiting for him when he came back. Oh he couldn’t wait to see how Alastor would react to the new addition to the hotel. He just hoped he wouldn’t be inside the mutt when it happened. For a stubby little thing it was fast. He skittered around the corner and dashed up the wall to try and lose it. He knew the trick wouldn’t work on Niffty, but at least she wouldn’t eat him.