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It had been months since Alastor and Lucifer finally pulled up their bootstraps and admitted to the other their feelings. And as much as he hated to admit it… Alastor knew that he had fallen first and hard. It’s not like he planned to or even wanted to - at first anyways. But Lucifer had been an ever present entity in his mind no matter what in many forms. At first he couldn’t stand the impish devil who dressed like a tacky circus character, but hate and love seemed to be two sides of very mischievous coin.
Then, no matter what he did, his thoughts would drift to the short, blond king of hell. His nervous ticks, his witty comebacks - somehow they only ever came to him when arguing with Alastor - his lopsided grin, and worse of all… the sparkle in his eyes when he saw sweets or something cute. Oh how that twinkle in his eyes pissed the Radio Demon off because it would disappear when they made eye contact. But that exact thing was what made him realize that he had fallen in love first, and his relentless desire to take up space in the devil’s mind made him realize that he had fallen hard.
Of course he was new to it all so when he told Lucifer, he was unsure if he would be successful or not. He knew that the fallen angel only said yes to either deal with his own loneliness or to later taunt him about it, but he didn’t care as long as he got a foot in the door. The blond had been his first for pretty much everything and created a sort of unease to spread through his chest along with excitement. Lucifer had been his everything but he didn’t always feel like he was held in the same regard. But how could he?
Lucifer still wore that damn ring and Alastor was too proud to outright say how much it bothered him.
So he opted for the next best thing… tell Charlie about their relationship. So now they were standing in front of the office of the judge, jury and executioner of this relationship. His eyes shifted slightly to his side to see that while Lucifer looked like a nervous wreck, he seemed composed and in control. Was he secretly nervous? Not at all… not even for a second…
Then Charlie opened the door and ushered them in…
The two of them stood there for a second before Alastor took a half step to the side with his forearms behind his back to hide how tightly he was gripping his cane. “After you, your shortness!”
Lucifer gave the taller man a pathetic glare though it was obvious by his body language that he was grateful for the slight tension release. The devil walked in with his head held up high before taking his ostentatious hat off to flourish it as a distraction of his anxiety.
“Heeeeeey there Char-Char! Hehe, so uh…” Lucifer started messing with the edge of his top hat as Alastor followed him in and closed the door behind him. “I know that you wanted me and the bellhop to get along and all that. And uh, well we are getting along better now hehe.”
“Uh, that’s good dad! But, um, I don’t see why you have to be so nervous about tell me about that you guys aren’t at each other’s throats anymore.” The princess looked at her father with a tilt of her head and a slight scrunch of her face. Alastor couldn’t help but want to giggle at her poor attempt of a reassuring smile. Her face was far too tense and twitchy to pass off as natural.
“Charlotte, we wanted to inform you that your father and I are in a relationship. A romantic one.” Alastor decided not to beat around the bush and rip the bandaid off. He knew that the princess was an optimistic ray of coal-fired train always ready to push ahead, so maybe she would be happy that their relationship had not only improved but blossomed. Then he felt Lucifer stiffen next to him, causing his eyes to shift back to Charlie’s shocked expression. They stood there holding their breaths as the blonde woman slowly walked over to the love seat and sat down.
But… what about mom?
Though Charlie’s face was still frozen in shock… tears began to spill from her eyes.
Alastor felt his heart drop to his hooves.
As Lucifer rushed to his daughter’s side to calm her silent crying, the smile on the Radio Demon’s face threatened to fall even though it physically couldn’t. He hadn’t planned or calculated what he would do if Charlie decided that she didn’t want to accept their relationship. His mind started racing in place trying to come up with something - anything - to fix this. But no… there was no level of manipulation or coercion that he could muster to make the princess of hell just smile and hug them and congratulate them like he wish she had. Lilith was still alive and well where ever the hell she was and she was her daughter’s idol. For Lucifer to find someone else would mean to further tarnish the perfect perception she had of her mother that their relationship was not only far from perfect, but over.
“Al?” Lucifer’s voice jolted the deer demon out of his own mind and look up at him with his world class poker face. A strained smile graced the devil’s lips which only served to further rip at the overlord’s insides. “I’m going to talk to Charlie for a bit once she’s calmed down. Is that alright Al?”
Ah… that’s my cue to leave…
The thought left a sour taste in his mouth as it was meant for the situation, but felt like it could end up meaning the relationship. Though if anyone were to leave the other, it would be Lucifer. Alastor nodded his head with his best smile - unable to say anything without his emotions being too open - before melting into his shadow, straight to the bayou in the pocket of space in his room. He needed to calm his mind, he needed to retreat to his safest of havens as if he had been physically wounded, he needed to hide his terrified heart from the world.
Lucifer has obligations to his daughter… like a good father would… he would leave me and all I would be allowed is to wallow in this cursed emotion. I should have never entertained it…
-
The fallen angel felt conflicted as he watched Alastor disappear into his shadow and rubbed soothing circles on his daughter’s shoulder. Though the sinner had a poker face that would make stacks of cash in the casinos of the Ring of Greed, he had learned to read the man like a music sheet. Plus his shadow was much more expressive of what was underneath that smile, and it looked distraught. The shadow’s ears had been pinned back and it’s face was contorted into a fearful frown.
He… he assumes that I’ll leave him.
Lucifer’s brows twitched because as much as he would love to deny the thought, he didn’t want to hurt Charlie right after they finally fixed their relationship. What made it more difficult was that he knew that the overlord also knew that. A torturously tight sensation began to settle in his chest as the thought of the pain he would cause Alastor, who just learned to love for the first time. Would he shun the thought of love ever again? Would go out and look for another to love? A lump formed in his throat at the mere thought of the overlord looking at another with he same deep emotions he looked at him with when they were alone.
I… I don’t want him to love someone else. I don’t want to make the same mistakes Lilith and I made with Alastor. I have to explain to Charlie that I want - no, I desperately need - to move on from Lilith. I can’t lose either of them.
“Char-Char, let me know when you’re ready and I’ll listen to whatever’s on your mind… okay?” Lucifer spoke gently as he wiggled his fingers so that a box of tissues would appear in his hands. Charlie nodded her head and grabbed a couple to try to dry her face. They sat in silence for a few more minutes and Lucifer hoped to everything unholy that his daughter would say something before his anxiety caused his heart to break his ribs.
“I’m sorry for just crying like that dad… I probably really shocked Al even if he didn’t show it.” Charlie sniffed as she tried to put on her big girl pants and talk through this really strange situation.
You have no idea, sweetheart. Even I’ve never seen him so panicked and I made him get hard for the first time in decades.
Shaking the very amusing memory of the Radio Demon floundering on how to deal with being so painfully aroused for the first time, the devil returned to the very important present. “You don’t have to apologize for your feelings Charlie. The news was probably pretty overwhelming for you so you’re allowed to cry.”
They sat in silence for a few more moments before the princess let out a long shaky breath to try to get her thoughts together. “I… I just always thought that you and mom would get together eventually since you’ve been together since forever. A-and I like Al, trust me I do, he cares in his own twisted way but he became an overlord for a reason… not to mention you two are like water and oil! Alastor is in hell for a reason and he’s not a little bit ashamed or apologetic about it, I’ve tried to talk redemption to him or at least not being so homicidal but it got nowhere. He even-!”
The princess bit the inside of her cheek when she realized that she was about to reveal her deal with the Radio Demon Which in hindsight her dad probably already knew about. She was shocked about her own desperation to find a reason to push back on their relationship. Was she really about to pit them against each other just to feel justified in her uncertainty about her dad’s new relationship?
Charlie just felt worse and worse as she realized that she had practically been speaking ill about Alastor who had done nothing but help her even if it wasn’t always with the best intentions. She felt like she was trying to point out his faults so that her dad would say that it was just a joke and that he was actually going to work things out with Lilith. But she knew… deep down she knew that their separation wasn’t just a willy nilly break from each other.
How can I be so selfish? How could I try to hurt them? All to save my parent’s relationship for myself satisfaction?!
Charlie clenched her fists tightly as they rested on her thighs as she glared at them in utter self admonishment. The blonde woman could see just as much as anyone else that the back and forth with Alastor had caused a dying flame in Lucifer to burst brightly with life again. It was something that she hadn’t seen in the devil since she was little, before her parent’s relationship began to fall apart. But the idea of them falling out of love with each other after so many eons together scared her. What did that mean with every other relationship that hadn’t endured what Lucifer and Lilith had? She had always seen their romance story as one for the ages as they dealt with trials and tribulations to be together… only to disappear all because they woke up one day and finally decided that they didn’t love the other anymore.
“Charlie, I know that this is probably really difficult for you to accept - I mean, hell, I had a few mental breakdowns trying to accept it - but as much as I care for you mother… I won’t be able to say I love her romantically and mean it with my entire heart. And you’re right, Alastor isn’t perfect and doesn’t hide it at all, I couldn’t stand him when we first met. But I still had it in my head that if I was anything less than perfect - whether it being king, Lilith’s husband or your dad - it meant that I was just a disappointment… a failure…”
“That’s not true!” Charlie immediately cut in, feeling horrified that her dad would say such things about himself as she slightly jumped to grab the devil’s hands. She didn’t want him to start beating himself up because of her inability to immediately accept his relationship. The gentle smile on the fallen angel’s face made her relax when she realized that he was okay.
“Alastor is unapologetic about his faults and burns with determination the second he fails to succeed.” Charlie watched as her father’s eyes looked into nothing with a softness that he only looked at her with. She could sense it, the fondness that saturated his words as he spoke about the sinner and it made her chest squeeze at how content he looked. But more than anything else… he was opening up to her. “He… he was what I wish I was and I hated that. But then I saw that I had things he lacked too. Sure he’s hardy, but he holds onto painful emotions and tries to smother them. He didn’t give himself a chance to rest or wallow in his pain. While he pushed me out of my emotional slumps, I pulled him out of his fights with his emotions. We needed each other more than either of us had initially expected or wanted.”
Charlie let her father’s words sink in. Lucifer wasn’t replacing her mother… he had just found something new in Alastor. She let out another deep breath as she collected her thoughts. The princess then looked her dad in the eyes to observe anything that they could tell her. She could see hopeful anxiousness in them as he began fiddling with his fingers nervously. It was clear as day that Lucifer wanted her to accept it but didn’t want to force her to - like wanting someone to give you flowers because they want to and not because you want them to.
Okay, so dad obviously really likes Al. It would be cruel for me to just shut it down without even considering change.
“Do you really - honestly - like Alastor, Dad? Like seriously enough to not salvage your relationship with mom?”
Lucifer’s demeanor immediately became serious as he straightened up. “I do. I like him enough to love him even.”
Charlie watched him silently for a few moments, seeing how Lucifer had said the confession with his whole chest. She couldn’t really deny how much her dad had actually moved on from her mom and she couldn’t help but feel a bittersweet sensation of having been left behind. She was secretly still hung up on their relationship and both of them had moved on. As her eyes lowered in confusion as to why she didn’t notice her dad giving up on his marriage in the last few months of them living together again, a little golden piece of jewelry caught her attention.
That’s why it never occurred to me that dad wasn’t in love with mom anymore.
“It’s just… you’re still wearing your wedding ring dad…”
Charlie stared at her fingers as she fiddled with them, but the heavy silence made her turn her head back to look back at her dad’s face. She saw him looking down at his finger like something had just hit him. His eyebrows slowly scrunched up like he was absolutely disgruntled with himself.
“Oh… I…”
Ah, so he wears it - not because he’s still holding onto mom - but probably because he didn’t even realize that he was still wearing it.
Lucifer felt like kicking himself. It was no fucking wonder Alastor always seemed like he was constantly unsure of the devil’s feelings for him. It was no fucking wonder Alastor always seemed quick to expect to be thrown away by the fallen angel. Always on edge like an animal drinking at the watering hole knowing that alligators laid in wait beneath the swampy surface.
It’s no fucking wonder Al probably thinks that I’ll give up on us so quickly since Charlie seemed unsure. Shit… I fucking suck.
Without much preamble, Lucifer took the ring off of his finger and created a golden chain for it to loop in. He looked up to Charlie and offered it to her. “You’re mother and I might not be together, but just because our love for each other has cooled doesn’t mean that we will ever love you less or regret the decisions that brought us to now.”
Charlie reached a tentative hand to clasp the ring before grabbing it resolutely and bringing it close to her chest. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
I want dad to be happy and if that means being with Al… then I’ll have to trust them.
“Dad are you happy with Al? Does he treat you well?” Lucifer stared at his daughter for a split second, realizing that she sounded more like the concerned parent asking if their kid’s new boyfriend is a good guy or not. He chuckled with amusement before flashing a genuine smile at her. It was nice to feel cared for.
“I’m definitely happier than I’ve been in the last few decades. And if anything, you should ask if I treat Alastor right. He’s never been in love before and sometimes I bring more of my issues from my relationship with your mom than I should. I’m the one that needs to be more mindful honestly.”
Charlie sat in surprise before chuckling, finally feeling the tension leave her body. It would still take her a while to get used to the idea of her dad finding a new love, but luckily she cared for Alastor so maybe - just maybe - it would be easier to accept that. “Heh okay. I can learn to accept that you’ve moved on from mom and are in a new relationship because - I hope you both know- that it wasn’t about you being with Al specifically. And don’t you worry… I’ll ask Al the same question. I’ll give you a good scolding if you hurt my hotel host’s heart… he does have one of those right?”
Lucifer laughed happily - a genuinely happy laugh actually - at his daughter’s jab at lightening the mood. This was good… great even. He was thankful that issue wasn’t so much with Alastor being his partner as it was that his relationship with Lilith was over. That was something that they could work through. “Well, it always beats wildly whenever I kiss him so I would say so!”
“Dad! I don’t need to know that you’re making out with my manager in my hotel!” Charlie whined as she tried to block the image from her mind. She was never going up the top floor and opening either of their doors without knocking ever again. She sighed with exasperation before looking at her dad with a bittersweet smile. “Thanks dad… for listening to me and for understanding me. I love you and I really do want you to be happy.”
Lucifer’s smile became filled with gratitude as his eyes became a little teary. He quickly wrapped his arms around his daughter’s shoulders with a brief squeeze before loosening his grip without letting go. “Thank you, sweetheart. I know it can’t be easy, and I’m sorry that we’ve been such a mess, but seeing you work so hard to be better made me want to do better too. Turned out that being a better person is easier when you’re happier too.”
Charlie squeezed her dad one last time before pushing back to look at him in the face. “Talking about a mess… I think you need to hurry up and go talk to Al before he becomes a mess and either goes on a rampage or tries to leave the hotel.”
This got Lucifer to jump up to his feet in utter panic as he remembered the absolutely defeated demeanor of the overlord’s shadow. “Shit, shit, shit! You’re right! Okay, love you Char-Char. I’ll have him talk to you later… how about tomorrow?! Uh, okay, see ya kiddo!”
Charlie couldn’t help but giggle at how absolutely frantic her dad looked as he tried to talk, make a portal and walk through it all at the same time. He seemed to really have feelings for the Radio Demon and somehow she couldn’t bring herself to hate how energetic he seemed to have become due to it. Well, she would worry about talking to Alastor tomorrow, but for now she was going to go to her room to talk and cry through her feelings with Vaggie. She really did want to get over Lucifer finding a new partner because, just imagining either of her parents crying the moment she said she was dating Vaggie would have made her an emotional wreck. She couldn’t fathom how her dad and Alastor had kept it together in front of her after getting that reaction from her.
I still have a lot of maturing to do, huh?
-
Lucifer stepped into the swampy landscape of Alastor’s pocket space and let the surroundings flood his senses. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he felt his body almost deflate from all the tension that he had felt earlier. The earthy scent infiltrated his sense of smell and it felt like he was close to his sinner. The soft sounds of a light breeze ruffling through flora that soothed him like the sound of the overlord’s breathing at night. Opening his eyes again, Lucifer set off to find his demon who was most definitely here hiding like an weakened animal keeping out of sight of predators.
The king walked for a little bit, treading carefully so that he wouldn’t spook his distraught lover, before he came to a small creak that trickled with a light tune resonating with it. That’s when a swath of red in a sea of green became visible. Lucifer felt his heart expand before clamping down painfully at the sight.
Alastor was sat on the floor with his back against the wide trunk of a weeping willow, his legs straight in front of him with his ankles crossed. His microphone cane sat on his lap as his hands laid over it, clasped together. His smile was close lipped and small, like he was barely able to keep it there, and his expression looked blank. He was looking out at the creak without actually looking at it, they were blank as if he had given up on possibly fighting whatever verdict he was given. Lucifer felt awful thinking that Alastor had been left so unsure of whether he would really plead for their relationship.
Ugh, calm down Lucifer. Al has never been in love before much less in a relationship and I have… I’ve been with one person for thousands of years. Of course he would expect me to leave him after Charlie’s reaction and the fact that I still wore my ring.
Lucifer slowly walked up to the demon who, if he noticed the devil, didn’t make a move to acknowledge him. They both knew that if he did then he would have to be faced with the fallen angel’s decision. The blond sighed guiltily which only caused fluffy deer ears to droop sadly even though the redhead’s face didn’t falter.
It seems that my everything will be nothing more than a lovely brief experience for him.
Alastor’s eyes widened when there was suddenly weight on his lap with Lucifer straddling them and arms wrapping around his broad shoulders. He immediately let his can disappear to allow his large hands rest on a narrow waist with an uncertainty that was on par to when he first started trying to show his affections with touch. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it just as quickly as he felt himself tighten his arms around the fallen angel he wish was his alone.
The Radio Demon stuck his nose deeply into the crook of Lucifer’s neck before taking in a deep breath while his brows knitted. The king smelled like a cool breeze through an apple orchard and it just beckoned Alastor to get lost in it. He wanted to hold on at tightly as he could before he was told that his once in a death love would inevitably fail.
“I spoke to Charlie and she said that she’ll learn to be okay with us being together, Al. So you can probably talk to her tomorrow when her emotions aren’t so high strung.” Alastor’s eyes shot open though his body stayed perfectly still. “And I gave her my old wedding ring so that she hold onto the memory of her parents with fondness since I don’t need it anymore.”
That statement made the sinner pull the devil back so that he could look into those beautiful deep red irises for a moment to search for any sort of deceit. But when his cynical eyes could see no dishonesty, he crashed his lips onto Lucifer’s like a parched man finally coming upon an oasis. Lucifer could taste all of the relief and possessiveness in Alastor’s lips that made him promise himself that he would never make the redhead doubt that he is loved ever again.
They pulled away from each other after a moment of desperate kisses and panted as their foreheads rested together. As they reveled in each other’s company, Alastor brought his hand up to tug on Lucifer’s left arm from his shoulder so that he could inspect his now bare finger.
“I told you I gave it away… don’t believe me unless you see it?” Lucifer chuckled knowing full well that anyone that knew him would also be incredulous of that fact that he gave away a ring he had worn for thousands of years. There was a bit of silence as the overlord turned the hand in his own feeling it without that piece of jewelry that would mock him before he opened his mouth to speak.
“I’m gauging the approximate size and measurement of your finger for… later. I’ll need to speak with Charlie a few times before that though.” The demon smirked with anticipation though his eyes never left his lover’s smaller hand in his own. It took a moment for the devil to process what he had just been told before a bright golden hue burned his face in realization.
He wants to put a ring on my finger. Holy shit… I thought I was supposed to be the suave, experienced one! Fuck he’s gonna make me fall in love with him all over again.
“I… I love you!” Lucifer squeaked out, completely embarrassed at his inability to handle something so sweet being said to him by the overlord. He wanted to dig a hole to hide in, fly circles around hell in excitement and drag this sexy deer man to bed all at the same time. Alastor laughed at how the ancient fallen angel seemingly short circuited before hugging him close to his chest again.
“ And I as well Lucifer… I love you.”