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There was no reason for the amount of tension Lucifer seemed to be barely holding inside. Heaven had not only accepted Charlie’s case in defending the snake’s well-deserved place at the other side of their pearly gates, but they had also recently agreed to a collaboration with Hell in order to assist with Redemption. This, of course, had caused the princess to be rather excited and satisfied, her happiness easily transmitted to the rest of their merry band.
It was only natural for Alastor to find the king’s behavior disrupting, all things considered.
“Would you stop pacing, my dear?” he said with a huff, lowering the book he had been reading. “You will wear down my rug.”
They had, as usual, retired to their respective rooms at different times after dinner, just to end up together shortly after, this time at the Radio Demon’s suite. There was no real schedule for the room they would choose to be together in for some time before heading to bed. Most of the time, it just depended on who went to the other’s door to knock at it. Most of the time, it was Lucifer.
The devil had been pensive from the moment he crossed the threshold to the room, silent while he very evidently mulled over something in his mind. Alastor just let him be, instead walking back to his favorite sofa to keep reading in silence. That was, until the king’s movements started to drive him crazy. More than usual, that is.
His words, however, seemed to work well enough to distract the other man, who stopped dead on tracks and turned to him. His expression was somehow a mix of anticipation, worry and fear. For a moment, Alastor considered if something had happened with Heaven that he was unaware of.
“Is everything alright, Lucifer?” he asked, putting his book away.
“I…” hesitation, followed by a golden blush. “I don’t want to keep us a secret anymore.”
Oh.
That… was not a Heaven-related problem. What did it mean, that part of Alastor wished it was?
“Can I ask what has brought this idea up?”
“Well, we are at peace” Lucifer quickly babbled with a touch of hysteria. “Which, honestly, I still find hard to believe at times, you know? I mean, Charlie won a case in Heaven and we have started a signed collaboration.”
All true facts, yes, but still not the answer Alastor was looking for, and he expressed so by lifting an eyebrow.
“I… I know when we started this, us, I said I wanted more time before going public” the king continued, “but I don’t want to hide anymore, Al. I’m happy with you, and I want to be able to say so and show it in front of others.”
Ah.
Embarrassingly, the sinner had to admit a certain amount of blood rushed to his cheeks at the statement. He prided himself of being the kind of person that could hide his true emotions, but somehow Lucifer still managed to catch him by surprise sometimes. It was truly annoying.
And yet, little importance could be put on the inconsiderate reaction his body showed, as the matter at hand was something completely different. A topic that Alastor had not even considered, rather comfortable in the arrangement the king and him had kept up until then. There was a charm in keeping it personal, a secret, if you may, only for them to acknowledge and rejoice in. And so, a modification of such magnitude could not be taken lightly, especially when the consequences would affect both their lives so greatly.
“… which I now realize sounds like a little too much! It does, doesn’t it?” the devil chuckled, trying and failing to hide his nervousness and disappointment. “Forget that I said anything! It has not been even that long, anyways, so it is probably better if we just…”
The rest of the sentence died on his lips as the king looked down, eyes refusing to meet Alastor’s. And, frankly, the Radio Demon was still hooked up in the last statement because, ‘not even that long’? As if seventy-six days of willingly sharing a part of him he had never allowed anyone else to have was no time at all!
The nerve.
“Shush now, Lucifer” he huffed, standing up from the sofa. He cut the short distance to the devil in two long strides and used his thumb and index finger to catch and lift the other man’s chin. “I did not say ‘no’, did I?”
The king’s eyes opened widely.
“S-So, you agree on—?”
“I didn’t say that, either” he interrupted, considering his answer before adding: “May I have time to think about it?”
“I-I, of course!” Lucifer exclaimed, nodding his head even under Alastor’s grasp. “This is your decision as much as mine. We won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with.”
“Mm… Very well, then.”
He was unsure of how much time he would be offered, his knowledge about these matters close to zero if not for some of the novels he had read. However, he knew of something that consistently seemed to make the king happy, and that, he was able to give now.
Slowly, the Radio Demon bent forwards until his lips brushed against those of the devil. It was a new kind of touch he had learnt he didn’t only tolerate, but also enjoyed to a point, not more than a couple of weeks ago. Kissing had always come across as a messy and disgusting —not to say useless— activity to him, no wish to explore it in the slightest.
Until Lucifer, that was.
A soft shudder ran through his body every time their skins came into contact without a barrier in between them. And yet, a kiss elicited something else from him, a tingling in his lips as they moved over thin, smaller ones, mouths closed. Rather than growing and becoming uncomfortable, that feeling kept localized and controlled, letting him properly enjoy the action.
By the time he decided to let go of Lucifer’s chin to crawl his head instead as he joined their foreheads, he could feel his smile becoming relax and real.
Alastor did, indeed, think about the issue at hand in depth. The next morning he made sure to have his usual responsibilities in order before stepping out of the hotel for a stroll towards Cannibal Town. A part of him considered paying Rosie a visit, but he found himself not wanting to be influenced in this decision. Now, don’t misinterpret him; Alastor confided in his friend more often than not when regarding his emotions, trusting the other Overlord would help him untangle whatever he was feeling, but this time the situation was different.
For starters, he was well aware of what was going on inside of him, where the conflict came from. And, how could he not? Making their relationship public would have transcendental consequences for all Hell, not only them. What would be the other denizens’ reaction at the news of a common demon —yes, an Overlord, but a sinner, nonetheless— taking the place once belonging to the Queen? What would she say about it? Would the other Sins agree with Lucifer’s decision? What about Heaven, especially now that they had agreed for a collaboration?
And that was only when thinking on the king’s side of things!
Alastor could already imagine all the colorful comments that would arise upon the news, referring to him as an opportunist. Which he could be, of course! But not in the sense they would imply. His reputation would most likely suffer a freefall, a picture of him selling himself to the devil in exchange of power no doubt becoming the headline of the next century. Gone would be the respect and position he had worked to achieve.
And yet… would it really matter?
He had never be one to care about what others thought of him, his power being good enough to prove how wrong they could be. Let them try and say something of the likes to his face! As for his reputation and Overlord position… If it was true he had climbed his way to the top, the reasons for that were not the same as the others’. He had his own, that would remain as such, and his title was not at all necessary anymore, if just useful to keep track of the most powerful sinners in Pentagram City.
On the other hand, making their arrangement public would give them some freedom. He himself did not have any need for showing affection in public, but even Alastor could admit it was tedious to have to fake annoyance at Lucifer’s behaviors when at one point they had become endearing. Not always, of course; the man could still be a pain, but his tolerance against the king’s antics had increased quite a bit by then.
If one put everything into perspective, the Radio Demon realized they could very much be open about their association and then deal with the consequences as they would come. And yet… He didn’t feel ready, the weight of the chain around his neck too heavy.
With a sigh, Alastor took seat in one of the empty benches in the gazebo at the big plaza of Cannibal Town. Around him, couples walked with their arms intertwined, laughing and sharing soft touches. He didn’t envy them, never having experienced the necessity to show his feelings in such a way to others, but he still knew that, by bringing his decision to Lucifer, he would be priving the other man from it.
So inconvenient! He didn’t have these problems when having to think —or rather ignore— just his own emotions!
Look, Lucifer loved seeing his daughter so happy about the hotel’s success —even if only one soul had been redeemed yet— and thrive. He honestly did! But sometimes sinners were… too much. Perhaps that was the reason why he appreciated immensely the fact that the sixth floor of the building had been transformed in the staff’s common rooms. They could cook and share meals, talk or play in the living room… He had even put a cinema there!
Which led to their current predicament: groaning as Alastor’s team won another round of Night of the Ninja. Who would have thought that the big Radio Demon liked to play board games? Of course, they had to prove being entertaining enough for him, that often meaning it had to involve betrayal or players dying. In the game, of course. No killing among friends here!
This particular game had turned to be one of the group’s favorite, if only because it made you doubt about everyone. Some were easier to unmask, evidently, as Charlie, for example, was uncapable of keeping her face straight when confronted. The others… Well, some had more tales than others. Husk was particularly difficult to catch, and Lucifer had fallen victim of his statements several times through the rounds. But, Alastor… One could understand why the couple of times Angel had had the opportunity to kill a player, he had chosen him claiming ‘if we get rid of the motherfucker, at least we’ll be able to play without a headache!’. And, wasn’t that kind of true? The Radio Demon was a tricker, playing his cards wisely and planting a seed of doubt in all of them. Was he saying the truth, when claiming he was in your team? Should you follow his advice? The worst part was, undoubtedly, the fact that he changed strategies every round, so even if his team lost one, they would claim the next. And the sinner himself? Oh, he was having a blast, that he was sure of.
Look at the annoying, sexy piece of shit, shifting the cardboard shuriken in his hands and not letting the others know how many points he was missing to win the game. Why did he like him so much, again?
Alastor sent him a look, smile softening just a bit, as his shadow winked at him from behind.
Ah, yeah, he remembered why, now.
“Okay, I need a break!” Angel claimed, standing up. “My legs are killing me, I want a drink and a moment to rethink how I’m going to beat the shit out of you, Smiles!”
Yeah, as if that was possible. Lucifer had the impression Alastor had a plan for every fucking possibility in the next rounds. Sighing —he had three points out of the ten one needed to win—, he observed how the other scattered as well for a break. They had been crumpled around the table for a while now, so it was no surprise to hear bones cracking as people stretched. Husk followed Angel kick enough, probably too worry about the actor going through his stash of alcohol without supervision, especially with Cherry as a companion. Niffty, of course, decided that time was the perfect moment to clean the snacks they had been eating, not being a soul capable of staying put. As for Charlie and Vaggie… well, his daughter seemed to be in a mood that night as she pulled her girlfriend in to sway her calmly at the rhythm of the soft music in the background.
It was impossible for the king to contain his smile as he saw them, loving each other so freely and happy. Was he envious? Perhaps a bit, but he had heard Alastor’s reasonings and he would not push the other demon when things were still quite new between them.
So lost was Lucifer in his thoughts, eyes settled on the couple softly dancing in front him, that he didn’t notice the other man approaching. Still, he was so used to it that he didn’t react at all, at least not until the Radio Demon let himself fall next to him on the sofa, closer than usual. The piece of furniture was long enough to allow more distance, but Alastor had chosen to sit against the corner closer to his, their legs softly brushing against each other. Surprised, but not wanting to bring attention onto them, the devil simply casted a look over his shoulder to the other man.
“Is something wrong, darling?” the sinner asked.
And, okay. Uh… What?
“Al…?” he chuckled nervously. “I thought you said…”
There was something quickly crossing the demon’s eyes, a mix of doubt and embarrassment. It was obvious he was not doing whatever that was for himself, but for Lucifer. And now he was making him feel self-conscious about it. Great.
Good job, Luci.
Looking around, he realized nobody was paying attention to them yet. With a sigh, he turned his body slightly towards the Radio Demon, a soft expression in his face.
“You don’t have to do this for me, Al” he reassured.
The conflict on Alastor’s eyes seemed to dissipate a bit, but instead of moving away the sinner just offered a hand to him, palm up.
“I am well aware” he said, fingers twitching, “but I still wish to do so. This is… different, if you may. A compromise. A group of people within we can be open about our status without having to face the public consequences of it.”
It made sense, of course. This was middle ground, not a too-big step when looking at it from outside, but a big leap if one considered the person taking it was Alastor. The Radio Demon, deciding to be open about his relationship status with his… found family? Friends? Damned souls he tolerated enough on a daily basis? Well, at least people he trusted enough to be sure they would not go around spilling the beans.
“Are you sure?”
Look, it was not that Lucifer had doubts. He was, like, 1000% in. Ready to go out and present Alastor to all the Sins and demon royalty and all the souls in Hell and Heaven. He just also happened to want to give his guy the option to backout if he so much as had one doubt about this. If he had promised himself something when facing the chance of a relationship with the demon, was that he would be a good partner this time. Not clingy. Not over-enthusiastic. Not a burden. Not too-much.
“My dear, take my hand or instead of interlacing our fingers, I’ll use mine to strangulate you.”
See? Now, he got a definite confirmation. Now, he could sink his palm against Alastor’s with a smile on his face and calm thoughts.
“What made you change your mind?” he wondered, trying to fill the silence while waiting for the others to notice.
It wouldn’t take long, would it? Sure, Charlie and Vaggie were still laughing and spinning a few feet away, but Husk seemed ready to close the bar once again, enough drinks prepared for all the others and a couple of bottles for himself. Even Niffty was almost done cleaning! Any moment now someone would realize Alastor and him were sitting incredibly close to each other, hands intertwined. A warm and giggling feeling ignited in his belly at the thought.
“I am… aware of your agreement with the limitations I set for us” the other man said after a moment, voice low enough that the others would not hear. “However, I can also appreciate how everybody in our merry band seems to feel completely free to express themselves, so it’s only fair for you to be able to do the same.”
“Does that mean you’re okay with us being out, as long as it stays within this group?” he questioned, starting to understand Alastor’s point.
“Within some limits, of course” the Radio Demon nodded, fingers slightly pressing against his. “His Majesty wouldn’t want to draw attention to him because he cannot keep his hands to himself, would he?”
Lucifer snorted.
“Not too many PDA, got it” he smiled.
“HOLY SHIT! Husky, tell me you didn’t spike my drink!”
“What the fuck is your problem, kid?”
“My problem is that I’m seeing Smiles and the Short King indulging in handholding, and I know I’m not drunk or high to hallucinate it!”
Well, now the attention was back on them, no doubt. Alastor’s ears had moved slightly back, clearly uncomfortable with the confrontation, but otherwise with a neutral expression. Softly, he brushed his thumb over the other’s palm, the angle making it impossible for the others to see the gesture. His smiled widened upon noticing the Radio Demon relaxing a bit with the contact.
“Are you keeping the Ultimate Bad Boy for yourself now, Alastor?” Niffty asked with an expectant, blinking eye.
“Mm… You know I don’t like to share my things, dear” was his only answer.
And, woah, that was a little possessive, wasn’t it? Which Lucifer was sure would have made a normal person nervous, but not him. His body just shuddered happily at the claim, as if wanting to say ‘yep, I’m all yours, do whatever you want with me!’
“Dad…?”
Oh.
Oh, right!
Charlie!
“Present!” he exclaimed, brain clearly not wanting to be functional at the moment. “I-I mean… Uh, this may come as a surprise, but Al and I are… Well, I guess one could say… Although I’m not sure if the term applies…? Maybe not?”
“Breathe, darling” Alastor cut with a press of his hands and a sharp smile, “or you’ll make an spectacle of yourself by passing out.”
Right.
Yeah.
Breathing. A cool thing to do.
In and out. In and out.
“You mean…” Charlie seemed to take a moment to process, expression migrating from confusion to realization. “You’re… together?”
“I believe that would be the correct expression, yes, my dear” Alastor nodded.
There was a golden blush on Lucifer’s face. He had no doubt of that. Apparently, having the Radio Demon admitting out loud that they were involved in a relationship was more than what his brain was capable of processing at the moment.
However, the fact that Charlie’s face was not enlightened with excitement was not something the king could ignore.
“Char-Char? Are you okay with it?”
The answer was not immediate, and a nervous laugh accompanied her next words.
“Of course!” she chuckled, not looking at him in the eyes. “It’s just, uh, new! I knew you guys became friends, but this is… woah! Yeah, haha-ha…”
Ok, now even the devil could notice how awkward the conversation had turned out to be.
“Um, perhaps we could talk about it?” he suggested, getting up from the sofa and slowly releasing Alastor’s hold. “In private?”
“Excellent idea, darling!” the Radio Demon claimed, standing as well. “We can refill the snacks in the meantime!”
At that point, nobody dared to oppose the suggestion, Lucifer taking his daughter to a corner of the room while the others disappeared to the kitchen. Sure, Husk had to half-drag Niffty and Angel with him, but at the end some privacy was possible.
“I am okay with it, dad, seriously” Charlie declared the moment they were alone, even if her face said otherwise. “It’s just… unexpected. I mean, it was evident you are good friends, but you didn’t tell me…” she hesitated for a moment. “I didn’t know you were thinking on dating again.”
He could only imagine how his daughter was feeling, so Lucifer just nodded softly and offered a calm smile.
“It was not in my plans, I promise” he said, taking one of Charlie’s hands in his. “Even after the separation with your mother, I never thought I would find somebody else. Let alone for that person to be another sinner! But, Al, he… he is something else, isn’t he?”
The king was rather conscious of the expression he must have been doing, completely enchanted by another soul just as it happened with Lilith back in the Garden. But, what could he do? He had found a second chance in Alastor, and he didn’t want to let it go. It had been too many years since someone made him feel that way, since he was comfortable enough in his skin thanks to the presence of another soul.
“Oh, dad…” Charlie’s expression had changed, an understanding smile now on her lips. She grabbed his other hand as well and squeezed both with care. “I’m happy for you. For both of you! Even if it’s a liiiitle strange at the moment, to be honest.”
“Yeah, I guess that your father having a relationship with your hotelier would make some questionable headlines, wouldn’t it?” he chuckled.
“Well, we have had to deal with worse” his daughter joked. “Are you going to make an official announcement soon, then?”
“Ah, no” he quickly clarified, shaking his head. “After a couple of months of keeping it to ourselves, we wanted to tell you few, but nothing official yet.”
“That’s alright, dad, I’ll make sure to tell the others. And I’m truly happy about it.”
In a surprising —although at this point expected— movement, Charlie pulled him in for a hug, which he didn’t take long to correspond. A part of him had feared his daughter wouldn’t accept the news, still hung in the hopes of him going back to Lilith, wherever she was. However, he tended to forget Charlie was not a child anymore, but an adult in a relationship of her own, and lately showing enough maturity to deal with difficult situations. Somehow, he kept underestimating her.
“Thank you, sweetheart” he smiled. “Now, what about calling the others back so we can see if we can kick Al’s butt and avoid him winning another game night?”
It was not often that Lucifer was first in the communal kitchen shared by the staff members of the hotel. In fact, Alastor could count with the fingers of one hand how many times that had happened before. And yet, after a night full of events, the king was happily moving through the kitchen as he prepared breakfast. Singing.
“I got my head out the sunroof, I’m blastin’ our favorites tunes, I only got one thing on my mind~”
A full spin holding the pot of coffee, hips moving with the joyful and modern rhythm of the song. Still, the sinner could not make himself hate it straight away, especially when Lucifer saw him, his eyes brightened and he approached him, continuing the song.
“You got me stuck on the thought of you, you’re makin’ me feel brand new, you’re more than a sunshine in my eyes” a wink, managing to make Alastor roll his eyes but unable to hide a smile of his own. “You got those pretty eyes in your head, you know it. You got me dancin’ in my bed, so let me show it. You’re exactly what I want, kinda cool and kinda not, wanna give myself to you~”
It was ridiculous, really, the way the king was behaving. Childish and not regal at all, certainly not something that should be reinforced. Just as Lucifer left the pot of coffee on the kitchen counter, Alastor grabbed his hand and made him spin at the rhythm of the song.
The devil laughed happily in his arms, and he decided that some level of ridiculousness could be accepted in his life, all things considered.