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Lucifer.
Lucifer, Lucifer, Lucifer it was all his mind could think about ever since they had been captured at the V Tower, and long before he quit the hotel. Their day-to-day bickering would end at night by the empty bar, where they would laugh as he told the king all about the latest gossip from Hell.
There was a brief moment before his injury became unbearable, before his head throbbed incessantly, and before his powers faltered. They were both drunk on the balcony next to the apple tower as he held his head with the heel of his hand as he listened to Lucifer talk in detail about the Sins and how they used to perform in every ring in Hell.
Lucifer leaned over his shoulder, laughter escaping his lips as he touched his chest, his wound unresponsive; the warmth of the angel's touch was soothing in more ways than one. As he looked up, a fleeting second sparked between them where their gazes locked; ruby golden met bright crimson.
He hadn't felt a connection like this before, perhaps once with Vincent. But that had been short-lived, ending when the man tried to make him his partner. Yet it was easy to reject that attraction because of the man's obsessive nature and his demand for submission, no matter how innocently he displayed himself.
But Lucifer?
The fallen angel entered his life forcefully. His presence went from chaotically obnoxious to safe and comforting. Perhaps it was his genuine naivety, or the fact that he was incapable of lying even if his life depended on it. Another title he didn't deserve, in addition to his inability to hurt sinners.
Yet, now he was adverse to the devil. His recent capture resulted in a full display of public humiliation with Vox tarnishing his reputation while Rosie revealed herself to be anything but reliable. Alastor had relied on himself and himself alone to free his soul from all his deals.
There were no friends in Hell. He had to put up his walls; he couldn’t simply trust the devil simply based on his approachable nature.
Yet, at the end of his captivity, the only thing he wanted to do was call out Lucifer’s foolishness in front of everybody, scream in his face, and ridicule him for acting like an idiot. He wanted to remind Lucifer that his angelic nature remained something to exploit and that mentioning his carelessness with secrets was more of a reprimand than a personal attack.
However, he restrained himself and merely witnessed as the king rose from below, bruised and bloodied, his tired eyes concealed beneath that dreadful hat.
At that moment, Alastor had a sudden urge to walk over to the king.
Instead, he suppressed the urge deep down.
This was not who he was.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
The hotel was brimming with life as sinners gathered to check in and actually give redemption a try. With Charlie’s partner reinstated as hotel manager and his full recovery, as well as a diminished media presence, he was back to being the gracious host he had promised to be.
Yet, it was difficult for him to concentrate; his attention was focused on only one thing:
Lucifer.
The king was continuing to make his presence known, talking to sinners here and there, his face contorting as he heard their gruesome life stories. He had also taken note of the king's participation in his daughter’s therapy groups. Lucifer was an attentive listener, sharing the bare minimum, while making an effort.
He loathed the fact he was showing interest, knowing Lucifer preferred his coffee with three spoons of sugar and plenty of cream that overpowered the coffee's natural flavor. He despised the fact that he knew Lucifer loved to relax in the evenings by listening to polka music while meticulously crafting countless ducks. Not to mention, how his eyes would light up with adoration whenever he gazed upon his treasured creations, particularly when Charlie spoke to him.
Alastor's heart seemed to be turning against him, much to his dismay. On the other hand, after everything that had happened, Lucifer had not stopped following him around the hotel, trying to start their same old conversations. He had even gone so far as to ask if he was okay, but Alastor was quick to divert the topic.
He couldn’t allow this to continue.
So, of course, he resorted to his best tactic.
He began to pull away and argued with him.
"I see his majesty is slouching again," he mentioned once as he crossed the staff lobby with a bloody coffee in hand. Lucifer was asleep on the couch, a open book atop his head. Alastor's shadow crept from behind and shoved Lucifer onto the ground.
"Agh, what the fuck?!" Lucifer complained, his eyes turning crimson as he stood up and turned around to stare at no one.
Then he returned his gaze directly to Alastor, still furious with his fangs bared and horns exposed.
"What is your problem?!" he demanded.
The radio demon merely narrowed his eyes as the room around them dimmed while magic runes began swirling through the air.
"My problem," Alastor explained, sitting down, "is that you're sleeping in a common area while others are actually working to make this establishment function."
The devil let out a laugh.
"Oh, ho, ho, no, you don't get to call me out on that!" Lucifer snapped back. “I am helping! I actually fix messes and tidy rooms while you!” He pressed a finger to his lips as if pondering something. “Just hand everything over to Charlie’s girlfriend.”
Lights flickered as his pupils morphed into radio dials and the grip on his mug tightened.
“I delegate,” Alastor retorted, raising his mug to his lips as the distinct ‘Duck Season’ doodle faced Lucifer.
Avoiding work is what you do, Bellhop,” the devil countered, picking up his book and waving it away. Stretching his arms out, he stood up from the couch.
”Well, since you interrupted my afternoon nap, I’ll get to work and actually be beneficial to this hotel.”
Alastor got up, as well, readying himself to snarl back at Lucifer, but the king of hell only flipped him off before dissipating into a cloud of red smoke.
The radio demon grunted and ran his hands through his hair as he sat back down, shaking his head.
He didn't wanted him to leave.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
His behavior around Lucifer persisted, provoking a confrontation each time the devil came near him.
And although it was evident that the fallen angel had grown increasingly irritated by his presence, grunting whenever he appeared, yet he continued to hover around him at all times.
He had had enough.
"Do I have a 'follow me' sign plastered on my face?" he spat as the king materialized in the kitchen beside him once more.
"Well, you are kind of a red post sign," Lucifer commented, pouring himself some coffee, which made Alastor seethe with rage. In response, his shadow rapidly approached Lucifer, aiming to splash coffee all over the fallen angel as it had before.
However, this time the attempt failed.
"Oh no! You're not playing that trick again, Bambi!" Lucifer exclaimed, raising his cup as a hand emerged from beneath the table and hit the air.
Alastor sensed his left eye begin to twitch as the lights of the room suddenly flickered.
"Would you mind taking your sweet concoction elsewhere? Some of us are attempting to work here,” he noted, stirring the eggs in his pan with a bit more force than necessary.
"Nope," Lucifer swiftly responded, crossing one leg over the other and sipping his coffee with a loud slurp.
The static increased in an attempt to force the devil into leaving the kitchen, but the man remained unmoved.
Silence ensued for a couple of minutes until Alastor decided to concentrate on the task at hand, turning on the room's radio and tuning in to a jazz station.
Just then, a melodic whistle joined the music, somehow not managing to irritate him as his static subsided and breakfast progressed smoothly.
Soon, the others joined in, drowning the morning in meaningless talk, laughter, and discussions of what needed to be done and what had to be improved. Still, it bothered him how attentive he was to Lucifer’s needs, how his voice stood out above everyone else's. He couldn't help but watch as Lucifer reached for every sweet thing available, leaving powdered sugar on the corners of his lips.
Alastor hated how much he wanted to get closer.
· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
Several more days passed, and Alastor could no longer contain his frustration. He decided to redouble his efforts, even resorting to reminding the devil of his failed marriage as a way to embarrass him.
Yet, Lucifer shrugged it off completely, reappearing as if none of it had happened.
So here they were, in the lobby. Alastor fixated on rebuilding the wall the one-eyed sinner had wrecked yet again.
Meanwhile, the devil sat by the fire, absorbed in painting another inanimate duck, just another useless ornament to leave scattered around the hotel.
"One would think the King of Hell would possess far more enduring magic," Alastor spat as he surveyed his minions' repair work on the structure.
"Well, if I did, then you wouldn't have anything to do, now would you, Bellhop?" Lucifer retorted without daring to look at him.
Rage bubbled up inside him; it had been a couple of weeks of this same behavior. The more distance he attempted to create, the more Lucifer insisted on getting closer with more snide comments and irritating jabs at his ego.
He had to put an end to it.
"Devil caught your tongue there, deer? Or is it that I’m right?,” Lucifer continued, the last word evidently a dig at his shape as a sinner rather than a genuine term of endearment.
"That's it!" he shouted while his eyes shifted like radio dials and tendrils shot out from the floor around Lucifer in an instant, capturing the king and hoisting him off the couch as the duck slipped from his hands.
"Hey, what the fuck! Put me down!" the devil complained. Yet, Alastor knew he couldn't untangle himself, not unless it meant hurting him.
He passed through the lobby, with sinners scrambling to get out of his way. Fortunately, Charlie and his girlfriend had gone out to promote the hotel, meaning no one could prevent him from dragging Lucifer.
The king kicked his legs in a futile attempt to escape, yelling,
"Let me go, you glorified loudspeaker!" But the man paid him no mind, pulling them both into the shadows and bringing them into the soundproof music room. He wanted to avoid any eavesdropping sinners, having already stirred up quite a commotion.
Once he made sure the door was closed, he dropped the angel on the floor unceremoniously.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Lucifer roared as he rose from the hardwood floor, horns out and eyes inverted.
Alastor didn’t flinch, his powers also surging within him.
"You are what's wrong!" he snarled, prompting Lucifer to growl in response.
"Please enlighten me. Why do you insist on following me around like a stray dog?" he added, antlers branching out and the dials on his eyes rotating furiously. "Do you think so little of yourself?"
Flames erupted from Lucifer’s mouth in response. "Because you seem to have a thorn up your ass lately!" he yelled back. "I thought we were good, Bambi. What happened?" he inquired.
This caused Alastor’s powers to waver. Of course, he was aware of the reason why.
Yet he kept quiet, unable to confess.
Even so, the urge to blurt it out lingered at the tip of his tongue.
He breathed out, unwilling to allow his form to return to normal. "I don't know what you mean," he replied, averting his gaze from the king.
Lucifer shook his head. "We were fine before you…" He sighed and took a step back as his demonic form faded. "Before you decided to quit," he added too softly for Alastor's liking. He didn't address anything that had transpired during that time.
Silence fell, and Alastor's throat constricted. "I perceive us the same," he stated, sensing his appearance and abilities diminishing.
"Aha," came the ironic response. "Then why are you being so difficult all of a sudden?" Lucifer tapped his heel on the pavement. "We had a friendly relationship, and suddenly, you can barely tolerate my presence."
"Ha! Friendship? Don’t fool yourself, Lucifer. You are nothing but infuriating to me,” Alastor snapped back. He was unwilling to entertain any notion that the angel had of a friendship between them.
Any such feelings only served to distract him and lead him nowhere.
Lucifer snorted, "Oh, and you're a delight to see every day."
Rage bubbled up again, and shadows crawled along the walls. "Then by all means, why the complaint? Leave me alone!”
That seemed to strip the devil of his words, his face growing gold with outrage as an uneasy silence fell between them.
Perfect.
"Devil caught your tongue?" Alastor leaned over, his hands clasped behind his back, as he teased the fallen angel by returning his earlier words.
"I-I-" Lucifer struggled to speak. "Well, it's not my fault you're constantly in my way!" he retorted angrily.
Alastor's smile broadened, his confidence resurging. "Don't you have a kingdom to run?" he continued with a hint of sarcasm. "Away from the hotel?”
Lucifer was always so easily riled up as he took up the bait, narrowing the distance between themselves and lifting his head to meet his gaze head on as he taunted, “And aren’t you the oh-so-feared overlord?”
Feeling his stitches manifest, the radio dials reappeared in his eyes as his voice was overtaken by crackling static.
"I am. In fact, I am the most powerful," he clarified.
"Oh, really?" The fallen angel cocked his head. "It didn't look that way a couple of weeks ago," he mocked.
A track played from Alastor's microphone as he laughed loudly. "Ha! Well, you clearly don't know me. It was all a calculated move to reclaim my power, while you were tricked by a phony call."
"Oh, you asshole!" Lucifer's demonic horns grew back, accompanied by smoke flaring from his nostrils.
Wonderful, he could perform with this.
"What? Hurt to face the truth?" His words reverberated in the room. "Did you really think Charlie would agree to meet in an abandoned warehouse? Please!" Alastor's laughter turned maniacal. "The logo of that annoying picture box was front and center!" he pointed out. "Ah, but of course, it's not like you ever pay attention to what goes on in your kingdom, is it? You idiotic duck-”
"I was there for you!" Lucifer yelled in confession.
What?
"What now?" Alastor questioned, as his filter and powers dropped altogether, his expression turning to one of disbelief.
Lucifer covered his face with his hands, visibly frustrated. "Ugh, you idiot! You really think I didn't know?" he exclaimed, still angry.
"I know the way my daughter talks, not to mention I have a different picture of her." With that, his phone materialized in his hand, and he showed Alastor a picture of a younger Charlie on her contact page.
Alastor stood frozen in place, unable to process such a revelation, as Lucifer explained further.
"I saw the news. I saw the way he paraded you around like a trophy, and so I—" Alastor watched as the devil’s hands clenched into tight fists, his knuckles turning white.
Then he let out a deep breath.
"I went for you, okay, idiot?" he acknowledged.
The radio demon was suddenly overcome with the urge to lash out at the angel for such reckless behavior.
And so he did.
“And, pray tell, how in the name of Satan were you planning to confront a sinner?” he demanded, his filter faltering and his static sounding erratic.
The devil scoffed. "I have my ways," he explained nonchalantly. "Ten thousand years, and you think I haven't managed to come up with a loophole or two?" he said, acting as if he had been fooled all along.
Yet, all Alastor managed to do was laugh at such a statement as the next words came more effortlessly, his body starting to relax.
He still had a chance to turn things around.
"And, how did all that work out for you?" he countered, his neck cracking inhumanely to the right as dark symbols appeared in the air around him.
Lucifer seemed unamused as he merely rolled his eyes in response.
With a bluff, he admitted, "Okay, I wasn't counting on the angelic machine thingy."
"Ha!" Alastor burst out laughing, his whole body shifting backward. "A fool, really," he mocked.
Lucifer returned the humor, "Me? Oh, you have the nerve to say that after allowing that box to make a jester of you!"
And how dare he.
"As I mentioned earlier, it happened as anticipated, " Alastor remarked nonchalantly, feeling his smile widen as the stitches began to tug painfully.
The devil scoffed, “Yeah, right. Keep telling yourself that,” which made Alastor’s claws elongate as he lurched forward, closing the space between them.
"You don't know me," he spat, each word distorted by an underlying static.
Lucifer leaned back, arms crossed, his eyes studying him intently before adding, "Well, I can certainly tell when you're uncomfortable."
The comment further enraged Alastor.
"I didn't need a knight in shiny armor to rescue me," he called out, his voice echoing around the room. "As you can tell, I escaped unscathed," he added, opening his arms to display his unharmed body.
Another sarcastic scoff escaped the devil's lips.
"Yeah, just with a lot of trust issues," he muttered under his breath, averting his gaze.
Yet, it didn't slip past the radio demon.
Alastor could hear it all.
"There are no friends in Hell, Lucifer," he noted with a sting of pain in his heart at the memory of having been here once before, but he wouldn't allow himself to be taken in by vulnerability.
"You insupportable idiot!" Lucifer snarled, growing frustrated as he closed the remaining distance between them while pointing a finger at him, demanding, "Would you stop acting so damn stubborn?!"
"Make me," Alastor blurted out, the static overwhelming the room.
He was eager to take things to the next level by crashing the walls of the hotel, testing all the alleged loopholes that Lucifer boasted about.
Nothing could have prepared him for the devil's following move.
With sudden force, Lucifer seized him by the lapels, yanked him down, and crashed their lips together with a screeching sound that faltered and abruptly cut off the static.
In an instant, all his previous thoughts came crashing down.
Yet, just as quickly as it began, Lucifer released him, stepping back with frightened eyes.
"Fuck, Al," the fallen angel stuttered. "I'm sorry. I-"
Alastor remained rooted to the spot, heat racing to his cheeks as he observed the angel experience a nervous breakdown inches from where he stood.
"You were pissing me off, and, to be fair, you kind of asked me to shut you up," Lucifer started to babble. “Well, it wasn’t my best idea. I just- you know what? I’m an asshole, and you're right. There are no friends here. Well, friends don't do that, but, you know, I'll just go. I'm so sorry,” Lucifer slumped his shoulders and walked with his head down towards the door while Alastor followed his every move with his eyes, fingers twitching, and heart pounding in his chest.
Fuck this.
The fallen angel barely even made it to the door before tendrils of shadow yanked him back toward him. Lucifer screamed in surprise as he was spun around, closing the distance between them yet again. Alastor met him halfway, locking their lips together once more as the shadows loosened their grip on Lucifer, allowing him to wrap his arms around Alastor’s shoulders and melt into the kiss.
It was a blissful culmination of all his pent-up feelings. Feelings he was still apprehensive about, however, he found comfort in surrendering to them, at least for now. The only thing he was fixated on was the angel’s tender and gentle lips, humming with delight as Lucifer pushed his tongue softly against his teeth, inviting Alastor to reciprocate, which he was more than eager to do.
They continued like that before air became a necessity for the radio demon. The two of them let go, both breathing heavily at first, then resting their foreheads against each other.
"Wow," Lucifer whispered, his cheeks turned golden, and his eyes met Alastor's.
A laugh escaped him. "You always have the cleverest words, your majesty."
The fallen angel chuckled softly and looked toward the ground. "So, do you plan on letting me down, or do you happen to like me more at this height?" he purred, his serpentine tongue darting out playfully.
Alastor simply dropped him in response, and the angel yelped as he began nonchalantly dusting his coat while manifesting his microphone and twirling it restlessly while avoiding eye contact. “Don’t think so highly of yourself, your majesty,” he replied.
Lucifer rose to his feet. "No, we are not doing this, deer," he retorted. "We are not leaving this room until we discuss this, " he added, gesturing to himself as well as to Alastor.
With a scoff, Alastor rolled his eyes, but no reply came, as the angel approached him with a look of curiosity and raised his head to meet his gaze.
"Someone's blushing," the devil remarked, stretching out each word.
Alastor refused to look at him, feeling his cheeks burn and his grip on his microphone tighten as his pulse raced.
Clearing his throat, he asked, "What now?" In his entire life, he had never been at a loss for words, and yet, here he was.
Lucifer gave a playful laugh. "Well, it seems we both have feelings for each other. Am I right?" he inquired, his eyes sparkling with curiosity while he continued to chase his gaze.
"It appears so," Alastor agreed quickly, deciding there was no point in continuing to deny it anymore.
The angel continued to circle around him, while his neck turned around without his body, like an owl's.
"Oooh, someone is nervous," Lucifer had the audacity to tease. "Where did the bad, big radio demon go?"
Alastor felt like sinking into his darkness and escaping the king's taunts. Yet, he didn't want to avoid this conversation because he didn't want this to be the only time. To his surprise, he found himself wanting to share another kiss with the angel.
However, Lucifer's devilish grin was irritating, so he decided to give the angel a run for his money.
"I'll leave," he threatened, his shadows collecting at his feet in anticipation as he watched Lucifer becoming visibly agitated.
"Okay, okay!" the fallen angel exclaimed, seizing his arm and pulling it in with haste. "No more jokes, I promise!" he begged, his eyes imploring and his lips pouting. Alastor, grinning back, stopped the shadows and leaned over.
"Carry on, then," he mentioned.
Lucifer backed up and then stood there for a moment, deep in thought, until his eyes lit with the Morningstar trait of an idea popping into his head.
Whether the idea was brilliant was always to be determined.
"So, how about we go on a date?" he suggested cheerfully. "Saturday? Cannibal Town?" he added in a flirtatious tone.
"In public?!?" Alastor blurted out without a second thought. Suddenly, everything was moving too fast. Maybe he couldn't do this after all.
Lucifer arched an eyebrow questioningly, then offered, "Okay, not in public. Got it. So, my room?" in a suggestive voice that made Alastor's heart skip a beat.
Oh no.
"With all those ducks?" he spat, to which Lucifer replied with a sigh and a shake of his head while covering his face with an open palm.
"You're impossible, Al," the fallen angel commented. "Give me something here. Do you want this or not?" Lucifer asked. "Because I'm not interested in this being casual," he acknowledged.
It didn't take Alastor any time to realize that he didn't want that either. If he and Lucifer were gonna have some kind of relationship, it was going to be exclusive. After all, he was a little territorial, a fact that Lucifer should have known by now.
He wouldn't let the angel get away.
These thoughts somehow relieved his anxiety as he embraced his feelings, knowing this was what he wanted, and besides, his mother had certainly not raised her son to be a coward.
She had brought him up to be a charming man.
The radio host breathed deeply, readjusted his posture, and planted his staff on the floor as smooth jazz began to emanate from the room's speakers. His gesture garnered a curious look from Lucifer.
"Very well then," Alastor expressed. "My room tomorrow. We'll have dinner followed by music. I'll handle everything." He said this while closing the distance between them, putting his hand on the angel's lower back, which pulled Lucifer nearer towards him.
Startled by the sudden action, Lucifer laughed timidly and stuttered, "E-excuse me? What's with the newfound confidence?"
Oh, he certainly relished seeing the Morning Star flustered like this.
As he wrapped his hand around Lucifer's waist, he purred, "You don't appreciate me being confident?" The gesture made Lucifer shiver below him, and he could feel something in him crack.
He craved nothing more at that moment than to bite into the angel.
It was delightful.
"Okay," Lucifer agreed, lowering his gaze before running his tongue over his lips. "You get the first date, but I get the second one," he cooed, bringing their bodies closer so that they touched.
"Already getting ahead of yourself, your majesty?" the radio demon couldn't help but tease, leaning in and locking eyes with those ruby irises.
“It’s Lucifer, for you, or Lu, if you prefer,” the angel retorted, getting dangerously close and speaking directly against his lips.
"Ha! Never going to happen," Alastor quickly responded with a chuckle before leaning closer and whispering into the angel's ear, "Ma petit pomme."
"Alastor!" Lucifer exclaimed in surprise, shoving him away with a hand to his face, as his cheeks turned golden.
Delicious.
"Oh, now who's blushing?" Alastor teased.
Lucifer snorted, "I preferred you when we were arguing," his flush not subsiding and his voice trembling with laughter.
“Did you?” Alastor persisted in his taunts, "I have a couple more insults if you wish to go down that road again." He shortened the space between their bodies once more.
Fire flickered in Lucifer’s eyes as their lips came close to touching again, “I would rather have that mouth do something else,” he taunted, his forked tongue flicking out and tracing his lips playfully.
"Always so crass," Alastor mocked in return.
Lucifer smiled softly. "Hey, you kissed me back, so you must like me that way," he cooed.
"I could always reconsider," Alastor threatened, tilting his head in a provocative manner.
“Don’t you dare!” Lucifer protested, pressing a hand to his chest and attempting to push him away with minimal force.
Alastor only laughed, pressing his lips against Lucifer's again and pulling him up onto his tiptoes when pulling him closer.
"Trouble reaching?" the radio demon teased between kisses.
"Height has never stopped me before," Lucifer replied, pressing Alastor back until he fell backward onto a nearby armchair with the devil pinning himself on top of him, both laughing as the kisses continued.
Alastor simply gave in; there had been so much tension ever since the king had stepped into his life: the competition, the bickering, and the real fights.
Still, Lucifer had been a constant magnet from the moment he first laid eyes on him.
He had tried to suppress his feelings and deny them, but there was clearly a force between them that had laced them together.
He would not fight it anymore.