Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Alastor doesn’t particularly like feeling helpless.

He despises it with a deep passion, actually.

But if there was one place to feel it, one time, it would be now.

Lucifer and his ex-wife stand across from each other, the woman’s face reluctant and the man’s full of shock and disbelief. They’re standing in bright green grass, the sounds of heaven fading out in Alastor’s ears in favor of the conversation between the two.

His master grits her teeth, eyes lighting in satisfaction as she spots him. Alastor feels more disgust fill his heart, and fuels it into his iron-locked smile. 

Lucifer, for his part, spreads his wings and slowly stands before Alastor, shielding him from view.

Ah, how sweet of him. 

After all, that is what partners are supposed to do. Defend one another from harm, support each other.

It will not work today.

“So.” Lilith said, once again focused on the king of hell. “I suppose you’re mad at me.”

“I-” Lucifer’s voice is filled with heartbreak for a moment. Heartbreak that Lilith does not deserve. In fact, the truth that Lucifer’s heart was preoccupied with this woman at all was a major error. “-I need you to explain.”

She placed her hands on her hips, already looking annoyed.

“ What exactly, Luci? I’ve been here for the past seven years. I abandoned you in favor of a vacation. I’m sure you’re quite angry, but-”

Lucifer held a finger.

“That.” He said, eyes inverting as fury began to show. “ That’s what I’m mad at.”

“Yes, I assumed that. It probably reminded you of your fall. The abandonment and such-”

“ NO. ” He interrupts, rage finally overcoming his shock. “ Stop talking about ME. ” He stalks closer to her, wings flaring in anger. “ You left CHARLIE. ”

Lilith looks down at him defiantly, the same disgust on her face that one might wear after stepping in something particularly unpleasant. 

“She’s an adult woman, she can handle it.” She rolled her eyes. “You though-”

“ I don’t care. ” He roared. “ About myself. ”

His hands clenched into fists, and Alastor suddenly envisions him smacking her. That was a lovely mental image, he’d have to remember that one.

“ I have never cared about myself. You left your daughter in favor of heaven? ”

He gestured around them, teeth gritted.

“ They hate us, Lilith.”

“Not me.” She says.

Those words…they’re so full of accusation. Of implication.

Lucifer suddenly takes a step back, like she’d physically hurt him.

“ D-don’t. Lilith- ”

“They hated me because of one thing, Luci. And it was you. I could have escaped long ago. It was so easy . Just swear allegiance to heaven and all was forgiven.”

“You-” Lucifer cut himself off, eyes widening. His tail winds around one of his legs, trying to self sooth.

Alastor is still unable to move, but he imagines a shadow stabbing through Lilith’s eye and through the soft flesh of her brain.

“I did what I needed to. I never belonged there. I never-”

“ YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER!” Lucifer roars, demonic-ness restored. “ YOU HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES, YOU HAVE A LIFE!” He took a step forward, horns gleaming in the light. “ YOU CAN’T JUST GIVE THAT ALL UP-”

“Because you want to?” Lilith asked him, rage returned in full despite the quieter tone. Alastor actually took a step back, memories and instinct telling him to run from this clear predator. “Don’t pretend like you’re any better than I am, Luci. You left her too. You want to get out just as much as I do.”

He closes his eyes, body tensing at the words.

“Then…” He finally opens them, taking in a deep breath. “We’re lucky Alastor was here.”

And he turns.

And gives Alastor a fond smile.

Alastor watches him, then his eyes slide over to Lilith.

Lilith, whose features are filled with pure glee.

Lilith, who is already tightening her hold around Alastor’s soul.

Lilith, who had ordered him to go to the hotel in the first place.

But Lucifer continues.

Because how else could he know?

“He was really there, Lilith. And I’m so grateful for that. Without him-” Lucifer shakes his head. “I don’t know where Charlie would be…and I’m not sure where I would be either.” He gives Alastor a gentle look.

Alastor would have definitely found that sweet if his heart wasn’t beating in pure and overwhelming terror.

Lilith suddenly lets out a laugh, pulling her shoulders back. Alastor takes another step back, ears pressing flat to his head as his smile widens even further.

“You love him?” She asks, and Lucifer’s head snaps back to her. Alastor’s throat closes as he sees what will definitely be coming next.

“I…” He trails off, shaking his head and lowering it threateningly. “That doesn’t matter.”

“Oh it does. ” Lilith cackled, and that’s when Alastor finally feels the tug.

He is dragged over beside her. No, not beside her. Behind. Like the servant he was.

“Because everything you know about him is a lie.” She hisses as Alastor is forced to his hands and knees, the tightening around his neck getting hard to bear. He desperately raises his head, finding Lucifer’s gaze.

His eyes haven’t moved. They are still trained on Alastor’s figure, processing exactly what was going on. 

Processing the betrayal.

“I suppose “Get as close as you can to my family” became “fuck my husband” pretty quickly, hm?” Lilith asked cruelly.

Lucifer’s eyes don’t look to her. Not even for a second.

They stay on Alastor. 

“He’s been under my control for years.” Lilith said with a laugh. She twisted her fist, and the pain began. 

Alastor let out a soft grunt, body writhing in pain without his permission as she started attacking his very soul.

“-Isn’t he a lovely pawn?” She asks with a laugh.

Lucifer watches him, tilting his head for a moment.

Alastor finally can’t take it anymore.

“Your majesty, please…” His throat fails again, clawtips digging into the soft ground as he grits his teeth. “...don’t.” He said, voice smaller than it had been in years.

He-he’s not ready to accept that the king knows everything. He can’t .

Lucifer blinks, eyebrows raising in surprise.

“...I think I will anyway, darling.”

Alastor’s eyes widen as he opens his mouth again, but before he can speak Lilith twists her hand.

“Luci, it’s no use speaking to pets.” She said, grinning.

And she puts the pain on full force.

Alastor has no idea if he’s screaming. No idea if he’s smiling. No realization of reality.

He feels as though his entire being is filled with ice, the cold leaching into his bones and splintering through them with anguish. He’s too aware of every joint, every point of agony. His blood slows to a stop, his head pounding as he tries to force frozen lungs to take in air. His skin stings, his teeth chatter.

It’s been years…years since he felt this.

He curls into a ball, trying to preserve any warmth he could as he shivers. He begs his body to pass out, to leave this, to let the ice encase his mind. But it won’t. 

It won’t.

It won’t-

Stop.

He gasps, eyes snapping open as the feeling stops instantly. He breathes heavily, still on his hands and knees. For a moment all he feels is relief.

And then he hears.

A clatter.

Beneath him.

Alastor stared down, eyes unfocusing as he sees a broken purple shackle.

His shackle.

His claw darts to his neck, heaving as he takes in gulp after gulp of air. 

Free.

He’s free.

Before he can think, before he can process, before his eyes can glaze over with tears-

The chain begins to move.

He lets out a strangled scream, jumping to his feet and backing away from it.

But it’s not heading his direction.

Lucifer watches it calmly as it snakes towards him.

The chain sneaks up his leg, winding around the body before locking around his neck. The cracks where it had broken slowly fuse, still showing the indication.

A faint smile reaches around Lucifer’s face as the chain is drawn taunt, one white claw tracing the collar, then the links.

His eyes find Alastor again. 

“Better?” He asks softly, eyes warm.

Alastor stared at him, heart beating louder and louder as his ears flop back and hug his skull desperately.

Lilith hums, looking down at Lucifer’s chain in her hand.

“Well then, that was quick.” She hummed, tightening it into a fist.

Alastor couldn’t speak.

He couldn’t.

He couldn’t.

He had to speak he had to speak he had to-

His mind darts to the crumpled form of his mother, lying before the darkened, hulking form of the man one might call his father.

He had been targeted and now she was gone.

He hadn’t spoken, hadn’t said a thing as his fingers closed around a kitchen knife. 

As the man bled out, he was completely silent.

Lucifer’s eyes aren’t accusatory. His smile holds no malice. The crinkles beside his eyes simply speak of sadness.

He holds out a hand.

And Alastor runs.

Lucifer’s eyes widen as his partner vanishes, running in long desperate strides away from him.

His hand stays empty.

Perhaps that’s how it’s always been meant to be.

It drops to Lucifer’s side.

“HA!” Lilith cackled ruthlessly. “I suppose all deer know how to do is run, hm?”

Lucifer doesn’t answer.

A moment later, his gaze is forced to break as Lilith grabs his chin, tilting it up to meet her eyes as she studies him with glee.

“Now, let’s start reshaping you, shall we?”

Chapter Text

Ten Years Later.

Alastor straightens his bowtie, easy smile floating on his face as he clicks off the broadcast. This studio is spectacular. The sound here is incredible, every fluctuation of his voice captured perfectly in those speakers. Large windows, giant skeletons for flourish, darkness arching around the corners for a lovely vibe of possible assasination-what more could a radio demon want?

He supposes being the queen’s main advisor does have its perks.

Alastor is, unfortunately, interrupted from congratulating himself by the sound of footsteps-Husk, it sounded like. No one else has those long uneven strides.

“Husker!” He greeted the cat easily, spinning around in his chair and linking his finger before him.

Husk is wearing a black suit with gold lapels, a cigar smoking lazily in his mouth.

A smile crosses his face as he raises one furred eyebrow.

“Alastor. Good broadcast?”

“The best!” Alastor responded cheerily. “So? Here to give me your soul back?”

Husk tipped his head back in a barking laugh. Interesting considering he was a cat. Alastor wasn’t phased. He’d been asking him that question every time they met for the past decade, it was practically a running joke at this point.

“I’m afraid not.” He said, seeming amused as he moved to stand beside him. “Here to offer your torturing services?”

Alastor cackled.

“No sir!” He said. He hadn’t lost every soul in the breaking, newer ones mostly, but the residents at the hotel happened to be linked to it. Perhaps the king had involved them somehow-

Alastor calmly plucks that thought from his mind, squishing it to dust before continuing on with his day.

“What a shame. Any chance you have a moment to talk?” Husk asks gruffly, taking another drag. He hasn’t particularly grown as an overlord since his chain had broken, seeming content to live off the queen’s payments and serve her however he could. This happened to turn him into a sort of a jack of all trades, so to speak. Husk would make deals, kill off anyone if necessary(Which was very rarely), and funnily enough work as a bartender when staffing was tight.

Alastor hummed in thought, tapping a finger to his chin.

“I have a meeting in five minutes, but perhaps -” He furrowed his brow and flicked his wrist. A shadow demon appeared. He tilted his head at it. “When’s my next opening?”

The little demon groaned, smacking a hand to its face before it took out Alastor’s schedule and a pair of half-moon glasses. He flips through it for a while before he finally stops and turns it towards Alastor, tapping a date.

“Ah! Yes. I can speak with you in three years!” Alastor said cheerfully as he stood to his feet and brushed off his coat. He had been planning a rest day then, but that was entirely unnecessary. Who needed such frivolities? Not Alastor!

“Three years? ” Husk repeated in disbelief. Poor thing, he’d always been slow.

“That’s right!” Alastor said, grinning as he prepared to shadow travel. He couldn’t keep anyone waiting, after all! He had a reputation to uphold!

“Alastor, wait.” 

Alastor takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly in annoyance before he snaps his neck backwards, facing towards him.

“ Yes, Husker?”

The cat barely reacted. How tiresome. Though Alastor supposed he was less terrifying since the threat of torture had vanished.

“Are you… trying to keep busy?” He asked, brow furrowed.

Alastor froze, smile twitching before he turned his head back.

“I have a difficult job!” He said in way of explanation.

Before the cat could say any more, he vanished, letting the cool reassurance of shadows cover him before reemerging in the castle.

 “My dear queen!” He said with a deep bow, tucking his cane behind him.

“ALASTOR!” Charlie shouted, running to him and crushing him in a hug. Alastor patted her lightly. Hugs, unfortunately, were part of the job of an advisor. Charlie had actually put it in the application, something Alastor wasn’t sure he was proud of her for doing or not. “You’re here!”

“Yes, yes, I still haven’t died.” Alastor said pleasantly, pushing her away. The queen accepted the boundary immediately, turning around as she led him to her large sprawling desk. It took up the better part of this room, going the entire length of it. It resembled the table in Carmilla’s meeting room, actually. Though it wouldn’t be hosting any guests if it was this messy--full of papers and doodles and half-eaten food.

“Okay, so we’re finally getting around to opening the gates!” Charlie said, dragging a hand through her hair. She had grown more worn, tired and gaunt. The blushes on her cheeks seemed to have almost gotten fainter since she’d become queen. 

This, of course, did not stop her raging torrent of optimism from taking out any stress in its path.

“Hm?” Alastor asked patiently, tilting his head.

“The gates? ” Charlie repeated, waving her hands.

“Alastor, please don’t tell me you forgot.” The Queen’s consort said flatly from behind him. Alastor flipped his head upside down to look at that familiar angry little eye.

“I tend to remember important things, Ms. Vaggie!” He said, grinning wider. Then he flipped back to Charlie and froze.

It seems I’ve said the wrong thing.

Her face had fallen, eyes filled with complete and total misery as she stared at the table between her hands.

Alastor stared at her, unable to spe-

He forces words out.

“Your dearest majesty?” He asks.

She jumps, and the expression is gone.

“Sorry Al! But yeah, it’s important.” She gestured to Vaggie, smiling at the monarch’s snake around her neck. It was interesting how the royalty in hell used a snake rather than a crown to pass along power, though it made sense. Alastor remembered that Luc-

Lucifer.

…

Never mind that.

Nonetheless, he knew the snake’s name was Wiggles. 

Vaggie sat down beside her queen, brow furrowed as per usual.

“We’re connecting all the rings.”

“Oh! Are we now?” Alastor tilted his head, smile still wide. “I don’t remember being consulted!” 

“You…were, Al.” Charlie said, her eyes squinting in confusion. “Did you forget? You said my dad would want it.”

Alastor blinked, taking a moment to place the words.

“Ah.”

“He-uh, well the sins haven’t been doing awesome lately. So we figured a bit of connection could only help!” Charlie said with a decisive nod. She froze, giving Vaggie a nervous look. “Right?”

She nodded, and Charlie seemed more confident in that answer. She had difficulty making  huge life-changing(and possibly ending!) decisions on her own. That suited Alastor quite well, luckily.

“So when will this occur?” Alastor asked, trying to move the subject from the ambition behind the action.

“A few weeks.” Vaggie answered.

“We’re going to do a festival!” Charlie added, cheerfulness officially restored.

Again?

“Why?” 

“Because they boost morale!”

“I…suppose they do.” Alastor agreed, resisting the urge to sigh. Assuming a public appearance was necessary, this would probably interrupt at least three commitments while simultaneously being incredibly boring.

“There’s going to be a carnival, games-” The queen paused, lighting up as she turned to Vaggie. “Wait, maybe we could have it at Lu Lu world!”

“Er…” Vaggie bit her lip in the way that could only mean she was about to disappoint her. “It’s kinda…deteriorated since your dad…left.”

“Saved Alastor.” Charlie corrected absentmindedly. Alastor resisted the urge to sigh. The queen was still dead-set on that opinion, and bringing it up happened to cause bile to rise in his throat. She tilted her head at her consort. “Was no one else taking care of it?”

“I guess not. The latest status report was…not awesome. People are saying it’s haunted.”

“Huh! Well this is a perfect time to show it’s not haunted then!” Charlie declared. “We could have a day of free admission. It’ll be great!”

Vaggie paused, furrowing her brow.

“Are you sure? We could use the funding.”

“Do half off.” Alastor butted in, studying his claws. “People love thinking they save money by spending it.”

Both women nod after a spell.

“We’re working on getting all the sins there, too.” Charlie said with a glance at Vaggie. 

“Angel can’t wait to meet Asmodeous, says he’s a ‘huge fan’.”

“Great, dears!” Alastor said cheerily. “I appreciate the update. Now, if that is all, I must be going.”

“You always do, don’t you.” Vaggie grumbled.

Charlie ignored her, eyebrows dipping.

“Alastor, we need you for a moment longer.”

“For what?” Alastor could already tell this wasn’t going to distract- be entertaining anyway. So there was no need for him to stay!

Charlie’s nose scrunched up as she tented her fingers before her, elbows on the table. 

“Sit down, advisor.” She prompted. An order but without the tone of one.

Alastor sighed internally as he kept his smile wide, pulling back a chair.

“Alright, my queen. What may I do for you?”

“I need you to crush my dreams.” Charlie said, raising an eyebrow at him.

Ah, right.

That was their phrase for when Alastor told her exactly what was wrong with her lofty plans.

Perhaps this could entertain me after all.

He took a breath and began.

“Well, I’m sure you understand the obvious issues with such a ‘festival’. Crowds. Crowds are-”

“-Recipes for chaos.” Charlie recited.

“Exactly. Now, imagine your audience. You’re appealing to every sinner with an interest in other rings. The amount of reasons to be interested is…” Alastor searched for the right word. “In surplus. Everyone in Pride will be curious, good intentions and bad. And with sinners-” He cackled. “You can certainly assume bad.”

He heard quick skittering footsteps and closed his eyes.

“Nifty!”

“That’s right sir!” Nifty said in delight. She had opted to resell her soul to him, practically shrieking ‘ NO TAKE BACKSIES!’ the moment he’d returned from heaven. She held a tray piled high with food in her hands-including some delicious looking venison, the emblem of a crown embroidered to the front of her apron. 

“It’s creepy when you do that.” Vaggie grumbled.

Alastor’s smile only widened as he delicately picked up a fork so he could begin rooting into the flesh.

Charlie hummed as she took a pink white-choclate cookie, gnawing on it thoughtfully.

“So we should have security…I wonder if Uncle Satan would lend a few teams of imps.” She furrowed her brow, frowning as she gave Vaggie a look. “Didn’t dad know an imp? What was his name…Blake? Benedick? I know it started with a B.”

Alastor froze with the fork halfway to his mouth, his mind offering the answer without prompting.

Blitz. The O is silent.

He forced the bite into his mouth, ignoring the bile rising in his throat.

“Your dad knew a lot of people, hon.” Vaggie said with a helpless shrug, a little smile on her face.

Charlie laughed, clearly remembering fondly. Alastor’s jaw gritted.

“He did. Remember how he heard about us being short staffed and immediately got like twenty hellhounds?”

“They were all huskies.”

‘Siberian Huskies’ His mind quotes. Alastor remembered his voice so well. He imagined turning the volume down to zero. Muting him permanently.

“Right! A whole sled team.” She smiled a little longer before shaking her head. “...I think he’d be proud of me, now.”

Alastor slammed his hands onto the table with a shriek of static, rising to his feet.

“ Well. This has been lovely, but I have places to be!”

The queen blinks as she turns towards him, looking sad.

“Al…I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“You didn’t do a thing, my queen!” Alastor said cheerfully. “Farewell!”

He could just see Charlie wave as shadows once again wind around him.

He arrives back in downtown Pride, a quarter of a mile outside of cannibal town. He sucks in a breath, placing a hand to his head. He leans against a wall, vanishing into a more secluded alleyway.

“What.” He muttered to himself. “Was the point of that? ” 

Cold, raging anger whips through him like his shadows, and he drags a claw over a wall with a loud screech.

They had brought him up so casually. Like it wasn’t a big deal. Like it was something that should ever be talked about.

Reminiscing. Remembering. Pretending like something that’s lost will ever come back.

Come back.

Come back.

His vision becomes blurry for a moment, and he lets out a snarl of anger at himself.

Don’t you start. He ordered.

He had work to do, after all.

But before he can he… feels something.

Something pinning to his ears, filling them up with something alien. Something wrong.

He whips around- how had he been snuck up on? He must have been distracted. How could he be so stupid, so-

A bright light meets him.

Not meets him. Moreso slaps him in the face. It’s blinding, overwhelming all other things in his line of sight.

He froze, trying desperately to see through, but before he could a noise began, shoved deep into his ears.

To say it was loud was a massive understatement.

It was as though every sound Alastor had ever heard was combined and shoved into his mind in one horrible scream. Shaking his sensitive ears to the very core.

He pried his eyes open, trying to see around the light and hear around the noise, but it’s too much.

It’s all too much.

The words repeat, again and again.

It’s all too much.

It’s all too much.

It’s…all…too…

Slowly, everything fades to darkness.

Chapter Text

My room is decidedly smaller than it’s ever been before.

Not that that’s really a problem. I’ve lived my whole millenia-long life in a state of grandeur at the top of society, so it’s different . But not quite unpleasant. 

It’s two rooms. One with a bathroom and one with the rest that’s technically necessary to keep a sinner alive. There’s a kitchenette, an incredibly squeaky couch, and a window with cracks that reach across it, like it’s trying its best to desperately claw its way out of this apartment. Fair, it’s not the only one. There’s even a bed. That’s right, a bed. It sits there like a decoration, a misguided hope from long ago: You will sleep here one day! 

I mean, there’s no telling. It could be true sometime this century.

Aren’t I ambitious?

I flip the last pancake, letting it sizzle for a moment before I place a hand on it. The batter starts to pop and burn angrily before it lays completely overcooked in my palm.

Just the way I like it.

I’m just adding it to the stack when-

Are you up yet?

Of course I am. 

Good. I don’t want you wasting away again.

I wince. As one would when someone mentions their greatest and most embarrassing depressive episode in eons.

For the love of god Lilith, can you handle not bringing that up every single day?

The main threat to my greatest pawn is himself, of course I’m aware of it.

Seriously? I feel like I’d be a bishop, at least.

She ignores me. I feel so valued. Or maybe she doesn't know how to play chess.

I’ll be away for a while.

Oh no, however will I cope.

Run into that wall.

I do so, then rub my nose in annoyance as it throbs in pain. I still hate this thing. It’s the worst. 0/10. I do not recommend noses. Try to avoid them when possible.

Rude.

Listen.  

I drop everything I’m doing, sitting on the floor and giving all my attention to the conversation happening in my head. Y’know, like a normal person.

I assume you will be fine without me. I have left pawns on their own for quite a while and there’s been no issue in that regard. I feel you will be no different.

Well considering the only thing you do at this point is act as a mental alarm clock-

Silence. 

You can expect me back in five days. Remember it.

My mind starts replaying the sentence religiously. Over and over again.

Expect me back in five days.

Five days.

Five-

You can stop remembering now.

Cool. Two months then?

Are you asking for a punishment?

I fiddle with the edge of my rug. It’s a little singed. I don’t remember specifically how I ruined this piece of furniture, but my fire tends to get out of control fairly easily.

No.

Good.

So…what’re you doing on your vacay from your vacay?

Are you making small talk with me?

You’re still here in my head and I haven’t been given permission to stop listening.

You may.

Thanks.

I pull the plate towards me and start eating on the floor. It’s as good as the table, anyway. Besides, the angle is nicer here. Short. Like how I’m used to. I’m much taller now. It’s unpleasant.

And it is none of your concern. But…well, I have a situation.

Oh ho ho, do I recognize that tone of voice? 

You…may.

You’re in love!

Perhaps.

I am suddenly struck by the weirdness of this situation.

Here I was, a sinner under Lilith’s control. And here she was, being bashful about her love life. Of course, I used to be her love life, and she ruined my love life with a different love, the love of my life, and now she loves ruining my life. 

Yup. That’s weird.

Having acknowledged that, I decided to respond.

So…was it Lute then?

Lute?

Mhm. Oh! Or Eve?

Lucifer. She’s taken.

By…you?

Dear god, were you always this insolent?

Yes.

Lilith hums.

I’ll need to find a way to stop that.

Oh! How concerning!

There's a brief pause before she continues.

It was…AUGH. Why am I telling YOU, pawn? Never mind. Goodbye.

I blink in surprise. That was weird, I don’t think I’ve ever been transmitted an “Augh” before.

Uhh…everything okay?

There’s no answer.

I furrow my brow before shrugging and turning back to my food. It doesn’t really matter anyway. What does matter is that I have a little time off.

I feel a little smile take over my face. That would be nice.

The universe ends my hope and joy immediately with a phone call. As it does.

I look at it, frowning at the swimming unreadable letters for half a second before turning to the contact picture.

Ah, great. Velvette.

I wait for one more ring before I answer, letting my voice drag into a drawl.

“Morning doll, what can I do for you today?” I ask the device, tucking it into my neck as I start doing the appearance of the day.

“Lou, you have no idea the hell we’ve been through in the past few hours.”

I ignore the desperate dad in me that wants to make a pun about them always being in hell and study my cheeks, frowning as I realize I have stubble again.

I hate stubble.

“What’s going on?” I ask as I reluctantly bring out my razor. A beard would be a good way to hide the blush marks that come with this much-too-tall body, and one of Lilith’s(many many) orders was to do so, but I hate the feeling of hair on my cheeks. I’d rather just use makeup.

I also hate the feeling of a nose. And ears. And-

Y’know what, I’ll just tell you what my body looks like.

It’s long. Lanky. A slightly-too long blonde haircut and crimson draconic eyes. My pupils are narrowed to slits depending on light, and my skin fades out to red scales. Small marks are drawn at the corners of my mouth down to my chin–I have no idea why, honestly. Horns poke up from my forehead which make wearing hats a complete pain without well-placed holes–I have one, a top hat, but it’s still uncomfortable. I look virtually nothing like myself if you don’t count my blush marks. It’s a pretty good disguise. 

Nonetheless, the real trick is disguising my disguise.

“Vox brought in a prisoner a few days ago and the amount of trouble he’s giving us is ridiculous. ” Velvette’s voice complains.

I chuckle, studying my closet.

“He’s always been overly ambitious, Vel-” I break off as my phone starts buzzing again. The profile picture indicates Valentino. I furrow my brow. 

What is going on?

“I gotta call from Val, hon. Switch to second lines?”

She sighs as though I had just offered her a cool glass of water. After all, I assume she was on at least three calls at once at the moment.

“I love you Lou.”

“I know. See ya in a sec.”

I accept the facetime, propping the phone up against the counter as I start digging through my closet.

“Val, baby! What’s up?”

He also happens to be getting dressed. What a coincidence. Definitely has nothing to do with every call from him including him in some sort of state of undress.

“This new prisoner, Lou.”

“Really? I just got a call from Vel.” I say with a soft hum as I veto my at-home clothes and snag my business ones. Looks like I’m going to have a V day today. Huzzah.

My vacation is off to a great start. I think sarcastically as I pull on a deep purple waistcoat. ‘BuT WAit, iSn'T pUrplE LilLith’s cOLor?’ Yes. Yes it is. I don’t want to talk about it. 

“Well fuck me in the ass! Seems like we had the same idea!” He said with a disbelieving laugh. 

I pull on my clothes off screen, straightening my tie and wrist cuffs before I pick up my phone, carrying the conversation to the main room again.

“Well what is i-ah, hello sir.” He said, raising an eyebrow at Vox’s face on the TV.

“Lou.” He says, seeming pleased. “I have a request of you.”

I sit down at the table, grabbing an empty mug and sipping from it as I cross my legs. The point is looking as businesslike as possible.

“It seems you all do, sir.” I say, giving Valentino a glance. “Vox is here.”

“Oh!” He laughed. “Alright, I’ll see you there.”

After he hangs up, I give the same information to Velvette, and now I’m having a full on meeting with three of the newest overlords in hell as they both join Vox’s screen. Not the newest, of course.

That title belongs to me and me alone.

“So?” I ask, wrapping my tail around a table leg. Oh, did I mention? I have one of those. Long, red, scaly. I don't mind it. It’s impossible to hide under clothes, but I normally wrap it around my waist so it looks more like a fiery belt. “Go on, I have business today.”

I do, actually. Speeches to souls, weapon testing with Carmilla, teaching Zestial to play chess. My goal-no, order-is to obtain as many favors as possible with as many overlords as possible. Which of course has been horrid. Especially considered that most anyone with common sense(Sorry Char) refused to accept a nonspecific deal without something incredibly exhausting and time consuming. But I’d begun chipping away at all of them by now.

Well, except one. But that was beside the point.

“The prisoner is being…slightly problematic.” Vox says, lacing his hands together and placing his chin on top of it.

“Are you kidding me? He’s escaped three times since this morning! Half of my souls are dead!” Velvette said, crossing her arms. “Lou, we need you . ”

“Vel!” Vox groaned. “That is not how you do negotiations!”

“We really do, Voxxy.” Valentino agreed. “I can’t spend all my time watching him. What will all my actors do if I’m not watching them ?”

“I assume they will fuck anyway.” Vox told him, eye twitching and spasming with static.

I clear my throat, interrupting their bickering.

“What do you need me for, dears?”

“Word on the street is that you’re a warden.” Vox began.

Oh right, I had done that a few years ago. Carmilla had been in a pinch and I’d volunteered quickly.

More like Lilith did, but that’s…hard to think about.

Nonetheless, I’d gotten her favor that way, and Lilith had been pleased.

I laugh.

“You mean the word on Sinstagram?”

Velvette grinned. She loved it when her apps were mentioned, they were her babies.

Vox nodded.

“So? Are you?”

I take another sip from the empty mug, savoring the taste of that sweet sweet hellfire air.

“I’m anything I choose to be.” 

HA! Yeah right. I snort at my own hilarity.

“You’ll do it?”

I raise a languid eyebrow at the TV. This could definitely work. If Lilith came back to another tie to me, she'd be more than thrilled. She might even...actually, she doesn't really reward me. But she will...not be mad? Huzzah?

I have EXCELLENT taste in women.

“If I choose to.” I casually pop my knuckles. Sinners could do that, and I was quite fond of it. “How long will he be in custody?”

Vox froze at that, discomfort seeming to make his throat close.

I hum, seeing there’s no answer.

“Indefinitely, then. He’ll need constant surveillance?”

“That would be…ideal.”

“Hm. Alright, I’ll come over.” I hold up a hand as all three faces light up in excitement. “It’s not a yes, dears. But you’ve piqued my interest.” After all, a demon entirely obsessed with security is not easy to escape from.

“I promise it will be entertaining.” Vox says, a grin stretching sharply over his face.

I shake my head fondly.

“What with you isn’t?” I ask, ending with a compliment to all three of them before I turn it off.

I snag my cane from its place at the door, reapplying a layer of makeup to my cheeks before I put on my best grin and step out the door.

I’m immediately greeted by my neighbor. 

I grab the explosive out of the air, cackling as I toss it right back. Far away from my limited living space.

If I blow up my house again, Lilith will leave me with more than a few wounds.

“Gooood morning Cherri!” I say with a laugh. I love this girl, she’s a good time.

“Just keeping you on your toes, Lou!” She responds with a laugh, throwing the bomb and catching it a few times before eyeing me competitively. “How sharp you feelin’?”

My tail whips out from its loop as I understand exactly what she’s implying.

“Vee tower?” I ask, sharped-tooth canines showing at her challenge.

“Oh fuck yes.” She says, straightening from her perch on the windowsill and hopping up to the top of my roof. It happens to be one of the taller buildings around. “Ready?”

I stretch up one too long arm and hike my too long body up beside her.

“You know I am.” I respond, tail swinging in excitement. 

“ONETWOTHREELET’SFUCKIN’GOOO!” Cherri screams, and we’re off.

I think that my rooftop races with Cherri Bomb are the only times I really enjoy being Lou.

My body is so fast. The fastest . It’s so gangly and scrawny that it feels like I’m made of air when I run. This also may have something to do with the fact that I thought my bones were hollow(random theory, ask me later). Each lengthy stride makes me feel elated, fast, on top of the world.

And, most importantly, in control.

Lilith couldn’t touch me here, heaven couldn’t touch me....even Alastor, if I'd spoken to him in the last decade. I was running. There was nothing, nothing at all other than the slamming of my feet and the wind in my ears.

Except, of course, beating the ass off of Cherri.

I jump to another roof, feet slamming down as the jolt across my body only fuels me more. I tap my cane to the ground for a millisecond, steadying myself before I force my legs to take longer strides. 

“YER GETTIN’ SLOWER, OLD MAN!” Cherry taunts from a nearby roof, just above me. “THISA WAY!” 

I follow her lead, skipping between a few sloped roofs and giving a shocked-looking cannibal kid washing dishes a grin. A moment later I’ve overtaken her, swinging beneath a definitely-completely-sturdy spear stabbed between a few stones.

“I KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!” I retort, tail flailing out for balance as I dash diagonally across another and onto the building next to Cherri’s.

Laughing, she jumps straight over me and lobs a bomb overhead. I whip around to see the now-not-so-threatening bloodstain of a demon behind me.

My jaw drops as I place a hand to my chest, completely honored.

“You would blow someone up for m-OH YOU BASTARD!” I shout at the rapidly shrinking form of Cherri, cursing under my breath as I start moving again, pumping my arms to get as much momentum as I can.

“HOT POTATO!” The pyromaniac cackles, tossing a smoking bomb into my hands. Now too full of adrenaline to resist, I fling it back to her. 

We throw it to one another as the fuse gets shorter and shorter until-

“ENJOOOOY!” Cherri sang as the bomb landed in my hands probably two seconds from exploding.

“NOPE!” I shout in response, taking my arm back and throwing it as far away as possible. We both laugh as it detonates and takes out at least three buildings. I'm incredibly lucky we're outside my district now otherwise I'd get several complaints.

“WOOH!” Cherri howls as she scampers to the edge of our final roof. She sits on it, kicking her mismatched shoes happily. “That was a GOOD ONE fireball!”

I grin as I move to sit beside her, tucking my tail around my waist again.

“I try!”

“But I totes won, dude.”

I wave my hand dismissively, rolling my eyes.

“ This time. Besides, that stunt you pulled with the-”

“Oop! Insufferable incoming!” She says snidely, and I look down to see one of…my-no. I don’t like that. A soul. A soul that just so happens to be tied to me. Through a deal. Yes. 

“Hey, he’s sweet.” I tell Cherri defensively.

She groans, frowning at me.

“Well waaay too sweet for me.”

I raise an eyebrow at her.

“One word.” I hold up a finger. “Pentious.”

She shoves me, and I just manage to not fall off the roof.

“You’re a massive dick.”

“Hey, you know he likes you back!” 

Cherri looks at me, that little glint of hope in her eye that makes me smile flashing for a moment. I’ve been trying to tell her about her smitten little love-snake up in heaven ever since we met down here, but-

She stands to her feet, studying a bomb carelessly.

“I am not having this conversation with you fireball.”

I crane my head to look at her.

‘Not even a little?” I ask playfully.

“Not a SMIDGE. ” She declares. “Now, go have fun with your underling.”

“You’re leaving me? ” I ask in dismay.

“I thought he was sweet!”

I open my mouth to retort when there's a shout from below me.

“LOU!”

Cherri gives me a cheery wave as I withhold the urge to groan.

I fix my face into a smile as I start climbing down the building, sturdy claws finding nooks and crannies as I make my way down. It’s not easy, but I live.

I shake myself as I land on the ground, facing the sinner.

He’s a shorter man, with deep set eyes and a rounder face. Two twisting horns emerge from his head, striped with green. His face is pale, though not as pale as mine is by a long shot(I still have that hounded after Snow White complexion in Lou’s body). His neck is covered in tattoos that I assume go all the way down his body from there, but over it he wears a primly well-kept deep green suit. Not the best kept, again-I assume Leviathan wins there-but it’s still impressive considering the fact it’s hell.

“Assistir! How are you?” I ask him pleasantly as I wipe down my coat.

“I’m in crisis, Lou!” He said, taking out a pocket watch and swinging it nervously.

“Goodness, well you always are, aren’t you?” I tease gently before flipping my cane in a circle and beginning to walk the last few blocks to the Vee’s tower.

“I have a question for you.” Lou continued, looking stressed as per usual as he walked beside me. 

“I may have an answer.” I hum, keeping my smile confident. I hate talking to the souls that I…am in possession of. At the moment. Free will being the foundation of my entire personality + Owning literal people = Huge internal crisis I prefer not to think about. But Assistir has always treated me as an advisor/powerful friend, so there was no need to have a huge hole of guilt inside me. 

Did that prevent it?...Yeah, no. But there was no need for it! How comforting!

“ When exactly are you going to give me an order?”

I blink, confusion making me speak before I think.

“You want me to?”

He shakes his head hurriedly as we turn onto his street. He owns a small clock store, and it’s completely charming and delightful. Most arsonists tend to avoid it after I drove off a few of the ruffians and made friends with the rest of them.

“I just-sometimes I forget that you’re my master! I feel like you’re planning something.” He says, brow furrowing. “It’s actually kind of terrifying.”

“Assistir. You think most things are terrifying.” I say patiently.

“Because they are and everyone is desensitized .” He protests, wincing at the sudden loud boom of an explosion. “But this really is, Lou. It’s this never ending suspense.”

“Well, I told you when you first made a deal-” 

He interrupts me, waving his hand.

“ ‘I’m only taking the power I need, not your service.’ I remember Lou, but it doesn’t feel right.” His mouth twists into his customary worried line. “You do all this to make me comfortable and now I’m super in debt to you!”

I stop walking, holding up a finger as I close my eyes, dipping into the strings of hell’s power. Gently I sort through my deals(far, far too many. More than I would ever want.), finding a faintly growing deep green one. I press a finger to it, scraping out just a smidgen of power before opening my eyes again.

Assistir shuddered like a shiver had just gone up his spine, and I stared down at the glowing particles on my finger for a moment before rubbing my hands together and clapping them.

A second later my eyes glow with the green light, Assistir’s power coursing through me just long enough to make a point before it fades.

“ That.” I tell him, eyes serious. “Is why I made a deal with you, clockmaker. I have no need for anything more.”

Assistir blinks at me, eyes wide, before he grins.

“How do you do that, Lou? I’ve been asking around and it seems like you’re the only one.”

“Oh?” I ask in feigned surprise. It makes sense, only one who is deeply connected to hell can see the connections of deals, the web that hell is built on. “Well-” I lean down to mutter conspiratorially into his ear. “You won’t tell, will you?”

“O-of course not!” 

I laugh.

“I’m just kidding. You can if you want.” Rumors would be best for me, after all. If Assistir began raving about his benevolent keeper, souls would come to me rather than vice versa. 

Ugh, I’m thinking like an overlord. I think, my mouth twisting in disgust for a moment.

“I really have to go now, Assistir. Running out of time.” 

He chuckles as he presses something into my palm.

“Not with me, Lou. Farewell!” He said cheerfully as he ducked back into his shop.

I look down at the pocket watch, rolling my eyes fondly. I suppose I’ll put it with the others.

I slip the gift into my pocket carefully before looking up.

And up.

And up a bit more.

Yep, this form doesn’t make the Vee tower look any smaller.

I stride to the front door, looking for some sort of fancy device that resembled a doorbell. Ah! A button! I reach for it, then suddenly freeze.

An electric shock jolts up my arms, and I blink as I stare around.

Something…was wrong with this building. Something off.

I squint, making the decision to be as cautious as possible before I tap a claw to the button. 

“Lou?” An electronic voice responds, sounding almost as nervous as Assistir.

I bend down to look into the camera, closing one eye to focus on the video.

“Papermint?”

“ What’re you doing here? ” The employee asks. I know him vaguely-I think I was the first powerful being to treat him with respect(something that happens weirdly often), and therefore we’d made a habit of sharing information when we spoke.

“I have a meeting with the bosses.”

“ All three of them?! ” He asks with a soft gasp.

“Yep! I work hard.”

“ That’s pretty impressive .” Papermint agrees, pushing up his glasses and pausing for a moment. “ Okay, come on in. And good luck! ”

I thank him before crossing my arms behind my back, smiling wide as the doors slowly open-

A familiar figure dashes out, curled in slightly and much taller than I am.

“Angel?” I ask, eyes widening in surprise. I haven’t seen him at all since Lilith--on screen or off. “Are you-”

“ LEAVE ME ALONE !” The spider hisses, shielding himself from view as he hugs himself with both pairs of arms.

I steel my expression. He doesn’t know me.

“Of course. I’m sorry to bother you.” I reach out a hand then pause. “If you’d…like. I can heal.”

“ Right. With yer’ body? With that thing that I’ve never seen before? ” Angel asks with a self-deprecating laugh. “I’m not falling for that one again buddy.”

I curl my hand in on itself, feeling myself wither. 

You used to let me. I think sadly before I gently push it away.

He doesn’t know. I repeat to myself.

“I…can heal. Actually. Do you want it?”

The porn star stares at me, looking completely disgusted before he looks away.

“Jus’-leave. Ignore me. Ya can’t help anyway.”

I pause for half a second longer before nodding and going into the Vee’s tower.

This place is, needless to say, absolutely huge. Large tile floors, high ceilings, a ridiculous-and when I say ridiculous, I mean ridiculous-amount of archways. Every aspect of this place seems to be screaming “Look at me! Look how cool I am!”

I can’t imagine what the prison looks like.

Finally, I’m greeted by Papermint once again. He’s wearing his nervous smile as per usual, but I like to think it’s a bit more genuine for me. His tail swishes.

“So I think the boss just wants you to wait in the lobby for now-do you want a refreshment?”

“Ah. Random question. Do you have any coal?”

He blinks.

“We…may?”

“I do eat that.” I say, trying to seem casual. Lilith hated giving it to me, so I tried getting my hands on it when I could. Though now that she was gone…hm, I might need to go shopping. “So that would be incredible! But otherwise water would be awesome.”

Papermint shrugged, a little chuckle escaping him-which was most definitely a win in my book.

“I suppose I’ll ask!”

“So how have you been?” I asked confidently as he led me into an elevator.

He groaned, pulling a hand down his face, using the other to click the second-to top button.

“ Busy.” He shakes his head. “This prisoner-god, I don’t know if boss has ever been so excited.”

“Ah. So he’s incredibly insufferable then.” I say with a serious nod. Another chuckle. I’m doing awesome today.

“Are you going to be helping with that? I would love a break.”

“Ah god. He’s in the ‘If I don’t need sleep no one else does’ mood, isn’t he?”

Papermint yawned in perfect comedic timing.

“He might be.”

The doors open again, and he leads me to a plush couch. I sit pleasantly, crossing my legs like before.

“Well I hope I can take some of the load.” I say to him genuinely. “Vox wants me as his shiny new warden.”

“You’re up for hire?”

I shrug.

“I like amassing favors, what can I say?” I give him a charming wink. “Besides, Vox promised me entertainment.”

“And you shall have it, my friend!” A sudden voice declares, and Vox emerges from a spark plug in all his bright blue bitch glory.

I laugh. Mostly at the fact that the guy called me a ‘friend’. Nope, not quite. I like Papermint way more than his employer.

“Hello Vox.” I say calmly as he moves to stand before me. From what I understand, he only sits in his gamer chair in front of the thirty thousand monitors. Any other seat is unnecessary.

(Fine, maybe I don't know that. But it's funnier that way.)

“You didn’t have any trouble getting here, did you?” He asks, tilting his head. “I hear you haven’t learned to travel with a conduit yet.”

I shake my head, hearing the underlying insult in the words.

“I know how, actually. But I like the sights of Pentagram City! Sue me for enjoying them.”

He laughed, looking nervous as he seemed to regain himself. He was asking me for something, after all. It must be difficult to be polite when you're used to being a massive dick to everyone.

A moment later the other two join us, Valentino holding several bags and Velvette with a phone and two outfits hanging from one arm.

Vox looked at them, an air of disapproval in his gaze.

“You do realize that Lou isn’t here to give fashion advice, right?”

“Just a little?” Valentino asks with a pleading grin, squeezing his fingers together.

“It’ll only take a second.” Velvette said with a nod.

I smile, raising my eyebrows at the two. That was how I got my favor from Velvette-I offered to be a model for her. Valentino also proposed a job, but Lilith happened to have the same opinion I did with that one- Nope!

“Please Vox, I would be honored!” I said pleasantly, gliding to my feet with the air of grace Valentino preferred before crossing my arms behind my back just like…the radio demon, I suppose.

Bastard. I think calmly before crossing my arms before me instead.

As we chat about the several outfits both Vees have prepared-Vox stewing in the corner on his phone meanwhile, Papermint returns with the smell of beautiful delicious igneous rock.

“Thank you!” I say in delight as I nod to him, taking the bowl from him and popping one in my mouth. I savor the taste of char, rolling it around in my mouth for a moment before I smile and place the metal bowl on the table. “Now, I do think it’s time to start negotiations!”

All three Vees nod(one more annoyed looking than the other two), and I settle down with my coal.

“So what will this job require?” I ask, taking an offered cigarette from Valentino gratefully before lighting it with a burst of flame. I don’t love smoking, but it makes too much sense as a fire-centered overlord to ignore such an easy way to keep my brand.

Vox looks so relieved to finally be talking about business that he dives right in.

“Constant surveillance. Constant, Lou.”

“We can provide rooming accommodations.” Velvette added with a smile. “Good ones too.”

“Hm.” I remove the cigarette from my mouth in favor of crunching on another piece of coal. It seemed my vacation would be at the Vee tower…Alright, I could work with that. “I won’t say no to that. Any guidelines?”

“Don’t kill him.” Vox said hurriedly.

I nod. Meaning that I could heal him if necessary…considering whoever it was was being tortured in the first place.

Considering I even want to. I thought languidly.

“ And- ” There was a thread of threat in Vox’s voice now. “-No stealing him. He is mine. You cannot take him to your secret mansion or whatever you’re hiding.”

I think of my ramshackle apartment and can’t resist a soft chuckle.

Both Valentino and Velvette immediately rise to my defense, and my smile sharpens in satisfaction.

“Don’t be stupid Voxxy.” Valentino snorts. “Lou’s on our side.”

In fact, I’m on everyone’s side. Perks of doing odd jobs for overlords for almost a decade-excluding the training I went through beforehand. Sinner’s bodies took different types of control, after all. And Lilith had been more than happy to train me.(Read:Beat me up for a year. It sucked.)

Velvette agrees, nodding.

“I don’t even think we need negotiations. The old man knows who he likes.”

I laugh easily, surrounded by beings that could become my enemies in an instant.

“That’s stylish old man to you, doll.”

She rolls her eyes affectionately as she continues to Vox.

“Just give him his favor and he’ll be on his merry way!”

I raise my eyebrows at Vox, putting just the amount of challenge and expectation in the gesture, and he begins to nod before Valentino interrupts him.

“Unless you want anything else?” He asks, smiling in a way that I knew was suggestive. Then again, everything the moth does was suggestive as hell.

I hum, tapping a finger to my chin before I speak carefully. 

“I do have…a request. Simply because of how terribly time consuming this sounds it will be.” I tilt my head at the porn demon. “A little thing between friends?”

“Of course.” Valentino agreed. “Anything I have is yours!”

I pause. Just a little on before I speak.

“I want Angel Dust.”

Chapter Text

As expected, Valentino’s smile vanishes instantly.

“ Him? ”

“Him.” I agree pleasantly.

“But he’s mine. ”

I take another smoldering coal from the bowl, lighting it with a small burst of power so it burns in my palm. 

I consider speaking, but something in me makes me wait.

Let the Vees do it for me.

“He barely sells anything anymore.” Vox pointed out, his smile twitching slightly in jealousy.

“There’s only so many ways you can fuck a guy, Val. You’ve just had him for too long.” Velvette agreed.

“I…” Valentino let out a growl. “Why do you want him anyway? ”

I choose my time, narrowing my eyebrows and widening my smile.

“He interests me.”

Vox shrugs, clearly slightly happy about this development. The amount of time that his partner spent complaining about the spider had convinced him already. I assumed he was already looking for a way to get rid of him.

“Sounds fair to me Val.”

He takes an angry drag, puffing out a pink cloud of smoke as he lets his claws dig into the couch.

I look at him, tapping my fingers to the arm of my seat for a moment before I speak again. The moth needs enough time to think so that he doesn’t see it as an impulsive decision as well as quick enough to not understand the implications. It’s a difficult line to balance.

“Just check your deal.” I say finally. “If you can give him to me, I’ll take him.” I shrug. “Otherwise we can move along.”

Valentino blinks, then nods excitedly as he gives a small flap of his wings. A long scrolled parchment appears, floating before him gently.

The moth scans it, squinting through each word before returning to the top and doing the same.

“How…can you tell?” He asks finally, handing it to me.

I stare down at the letters in dread.

Fuckkk my life.

I ignore all the extra words, heading to the top and staring at it as hard as I can. The letters swim before my eyes, mixing around and already causing a headache. I resist the urge to groan as I force my mind to make out the words.

For as long as Valentino own me-until he give me to another or dies-

Yes. Enough. 

I rip my eyes away in relief.

“You can give him to me.” I tell him simply, handing it back. “You have the ability.”

Valentino looks down at the parchment, disappointed.

“Ah…I suppose I do.”

“C’mon Val.” Velvette says in her ‘obviously’ tone. Thanks, doll. “He’s barely making you anything anymore.”

“And that’s all he is, right?” Vox asks, just a small amount of suspicion in his tone. “An employee?”

Valentino looks over to his business partners, red eyes filled with something I can’t name before he finally nods.

“Alright. Angel is yours.”

Triumph lights in my heart as I shake the moth’s hand.

“Pleasure doing business with you.”

Angel hums, his head on one hand as Husk grins.

“C’mon, it’ll be fun!” The cat says warmly.

“Isn’t that what you said last time?” He asks, a small smirk on his face.

“It’s always fun.” Husk corrects himself. “The fact that I have much more with you is a delightful factor, though.”

He dips into a bow, taking one of Angel’s hands and kissing it gently.

Angel laughed.

“Are you trying to flatter me into going gambling with ya, whiskers?”

His smile sharpens as he raises his eyebrows, ears twitching.

“Is it working?”

Angel snorted, looking away. It was.

“Fine. But I’m not just bein’ yer ‘lucky charm’ this time.” He places a set of arms on his hips. “You haven’t lived till ya’ve seen me play poker.”

Husk straightens, looking proud of himself.

“It would make my afterlife, legs.”

Angel pauses mid blush, a familiar and dreadful hold around his neck appearing.

He looks down at the bright pink chain, heart sinking.

“Oh…” He feels like he dies a little inside, his shoulders falling as he curls his arms around himself. “Maybe another night, huh?”

Husk looks at it in dismay before he shakes his head angrily.

“He loves ruining our dates, doesn’t he?” He growls protectively.

Angel lets out a sad laugh, looking down at his deal for a moment longer.

And it.

Changes.

Red slowly creeps its way up the chain, veined with gold. 

Before long, all of Valentino’s color vanishes.

Angel takes a step back, all his eyes widening as the tight grip around his throat loosens, settling around his neck like an accessory rather than a chain.

Hello. The voice is soft in his mind. Weirdly soft. Like it was waiting outside the confines of his brain, respectfully keeping space from his thoughts. Angel-he almost thought he’d have to…send a thought in order to communicate.

That voice was not Valentino.

“ Legs ?” Husk asked, concern in his meow. “What’s going on? Who has your soul now?”

“ What? ” Angel asks, staring at him as he takes the red chain in one hand, clenching his fist around it.

“The color changed. Valentino gave you to somebody.”

Oh god.

Fear drips through him, covering him from the inside out.

Who are you? He asks the voice forcefully.

My name is Lou. It responded patiently. We met minorly-I offered to heal you.

Horror made his throat close.

He’s forcing himself on me? He asks himself, shuddering. He hated stalkers.

Please-sir. I-I was rude before-

It’s fine. The voice dismisses immediately. That’s not why I’m here. 

Then why are you?

It pauses for just a moment.

I thought I would actually help for once.

Angel stares, not knowing what to say.

Husk reaches out, taking one of his hands.

“Angel? What’s going on?”

“I-I’m talking to him.”

“What’s he saying?” Husk asked urgently. “Tell him I’ll take your soul. Don’t let him order you-”

Angel recoils.

“You want my soul? ”

“To protect you.” Husk says, and there’s good intentions behind his eyes.

“No whiskers. You’re not doing that.” This was the one part of Angel’s life that he could use to escape. No way was he letting it get tainted with deals as well.

“I can’t do this anymore legs. I-I can’t watch you get hurt anymore.”

I’m not going to hurt you. Lou continues. Is now a good time for you to collect your things from the tower?

Angel lets out a gasp as the realization hits him.

I’m not going back?

There’s a small amount of amusement in Lou’s voice.

I regret to inform you you’re out of a job.

“I got fired!” Angel said aloud, delight in his declaration.

He takes both of Husk’s paws, laughing in disbelief.

“I got fired!” He repeated.

“We need to celebrate.” Husk said, eyes lighting up as well. “Unless-what is he doing to you?” There's a threat in his tone. “I will kill him if I need to.”

I-uh. Angel clears his throat mentally. I have very powerful friends. So…don’t mess with me, got it?

I don’t plan to. Lou responds pleasantly. But we can discuss that later. I believe we both have places to be at the moment.

Er…what about my stuff?

You have Fat Nu- The voice cuts itself off abruptly. I assume you have nothing you particularly care about?

Angel thinks about it for a moment before nodding, a smile spreading from metaphorical ear to ear.

Nah.

Then enjoy your day. I’ll contact you when I have the time.

Yes sir.

Lou is fine.

Angel breaks the connection, picking up Husk and spinning him in a circle.

“We have to tell Cherri! And-and Charlie! And- everyone!” He laughs, hugging him. Husk pats him awkwardly, looking pleased but confused about what to do when Angel was in this mood. “Husk, this is incredible! ”

Husk raises his eyebrows teasingly.

“Are we still going gambling then?”

“Oh fuck yeah! I am spendin’ all yer money!”

I look at the neon pink strand of power, guilt pricking me as I realize yet another soul is tied to me. More power floods my body, elevating me even further.

I did this for a good reason. I know I did.

That doesn’t make it better. My conscience argues.

Of course it doesn’t. I sigh.

Then I realize I’m still surrounded by overlords and reconfigure my face into a  smile.

“You won’t regret this, dears.” I tell them pleasantly as they walk me to their prison. It’s underground, as always. I’m always a bit disappointed when I see another subterranean prison. It’s simply unoriginal.

“I know we won’t.” Velvette says with a confident nod. Valentino nods as well, and I give him a smile. He seems to be rapidly getting over losing Angel, much to my relief.

“I am a bit concerned…you’re sure he’s powerful enough for this?” Vox mutters to Velvette. 

Vel laughs, and I raise an eyebrow at him.

“How should I prove myself then?” I ask, voice calm. I profit off of never being angry. Off of-

Suddenly, an alarm sounds, blaring as the lights dim.

Valentino groans as Vel smacks a hand to his face.

“ Again? ” She asks in disbelief.

Alastor is so close to freedom he can taste it.

This escape was easy. A simple ‘I have to go to the bathroom’. The guard was stupid. He’d killed all the smart ones.

It seems Vox will never learn. He thinks triumphantly as he rapidly feels the helplessness from being detained melt away. His legs pump faster as the alarm begins sounding around him, ears flopping back. 

Alastor tells himself it’s so he can go faster, not because they’re so sensitive at this point that even the alarm sounds like screaming blares.

An employee's eyebrows raise as his jaw drops in fear at the sight of him heading towards him at full speed. His smile widens as he only goes faster, slashing his claws across his throat as he goes. He’s free, he’s free, he’s-

An arm blocks his path.

No, not one arm. 

Three.

A man looks him in the eye, pink neon gaze staring at him. Red horns curve inside, slitted pupils dilating and undilating in rapid succession.

“ Running? ” He asks, and a moment later a fist is around Alastor’s throat, slamming him to a wall. 

For a moment they’re staring at each other in stunned silence, the man panting hard as his eyes widen in horror and search his gaze for something.

Alastor snarls at him, twisting to free himself from his grip, but the hand is unyielding. 

The guard’s shoulders fall as smoke floods from his mouth.

“Alastor, what are you-”

“ Excellent, Lou! ” Vox interrupts. Alastor struggles harder as the man holding him cuts himself off, extra arms retracting as the pink in his eyes fades to white. “He’s quite the little escape artist, isn’t he?”

“He…is.” The man-Lou, slowly agreed. He studies Alastor’s face, and Alastor grins sharply at him.

“I’m going to rip your throat out. ” He snarls, clawing at the hand. Lou didn’t respond, turning back to the Vees behind him.

“How in the world did you catch him?” He asks. Alastor growls. He hadn’t been caught, he’d been taken off guard and was now held as a temporary setback. He would escape again, and this time it would work .

Vox chuckles, and Alastor feels the plastic return to his ears. He screeches with radio static, struggling harder. 

“Just a little overstimulation.” He said diabolically. He summons a remote.

“That is quite unnecessary, old friend!” Alastor says, eyes narrowing on the idiot television.

“Oh I disagree. ” Vox said with a laugh, and he clicks a button.

The screeching starts again, louder Alastor is sure than ever before. He fights every urge he has to scream with it, cursing himself as his struggles slowly get weaker.

Lou slowly lowers him to the ground, screaming continuing louder and louder until there’s nothing besides the noise.

Sound should never be used like this.

Alastor is vaguely aware of them having a quick conversation, vaguely aware of a gentle tap on his shoulder, vaguely aware that he’s moving with the snake man.

Back to a cell.

Next time… Alastor thinks sluggishly, too overwhelmed to think straight. All I have to do…is escape him. It’ll be fine.

I stare at the radio demon.

He’s curled into a ball, his ears back as he sits on the small cot that’s graciously provided. His head is buried into his knees to hide his expression, but I doubt he’s smiling.

I take a step back, feeling bile rise in my throat as I shut the door behind me and slide down it. 

Fucking hell.

I am so screwed.

I press a hand to my mouth, feeling my heart beat louder as I squeeze my eyes shut.

He’s here he’s here he’s here oh my GOD-

I can see myself going down the path of complete and utter panic attack like a roller coaster, my body shaking hard as I remember and remember and remember-

One small(very very small), logical piece of my brain speaks.

He’s hurting.

RIGHT. I frantically draw the remote out of my pocket, fumbling with it. That won’t do.

I pause.

Or will it?

I place a hand to the side of my head, trying to think straight as sudden torrents of emotion flood through me.

He did this. Part of me blames, pain lacing through it like an embroidery of anguish. Without him I wouldn’t be here. I’d be with Charlie. I’d still be a king. I wouldn’t have souls or fake names or deception.

I’d still be me.

Rage slowly leeches through my body, and I feel my gaze heat in anger.

He never looked for me.

I know he didn’t.

So why should I help?

He clearly wouldn’t. In fact…he’d only thrived without me.

I remember the few times I’d seen him in public, an easy smile on his face and eyes bright as he walked beside Charlie. A ruler in his element. With the power he’d always wanted.

I swallow hard, staring at the remote.

And I’m interrupted by a sudden screech from inside the cell.

I’m on my feet in an instant, instinct driving me to check on the demon despite the rage within me telling me to let him rot.

It seems he’s fallen off the cot and is now clawing desperately at his head, razor-sharp nails cutting through his skin and leaving long trails of blood that barely stand out from his hair as he tries to dislodge the device from his ears.

My decision is made then and there.

He needs to get out of here.

Chapter Text

Alastor is too relieved at the gentle touch to lash out at first, shuddering as warm hands guide his claws away from his head. 

Part of him can pretend it’s someone who cares about him. Even though everyone who loves him is gone.

A moment later, the pressure in his ears disappears with the noise. 

Alastor loves every piece of silence that is given to him, savoring the absence of sound for the first time in both his life and afterlife.

He refuses to open his eyes, something within him telling him that the overstimulation will return with light.

The wisp of touch disappears, and a moment later the light in the cell dims.

“There.” A voice mutters. Soft. “Let’s see if we can get you warm.”

Alastor doesn’t move. Because, of course, appearing weak seems to be motivating the voice in the first place. Therefore it was a good strategy to lay here on the floor like a dead fish.

A stretch later, the smell of smoke makes Alastor’s nose twitch. He half-opens one eye to see a fire in the middle of the room. For a moment he thought that his warden was burning his things, but it seemed the man simply held it in his palm, stroking it the way that one might stroke a cat.

The cell he is being temporarily detained in is gray. Cold. Colorless and sad. Much like Vox and his dreams. There's a window facing the hallway, a cot for Alastor to ‘sleep’ on, and that was where his amenities ended.

Lou’s gaze meets Alastor’s slowly.

“Have you eaten?” The man asks, pupils expanding. Alastor assumed it was due to the low light.

He doesn’t respond, looking away. 

“Yeah, I assumed not.” Lou said with a soft chuckle, though it seemed strained and fake. “I don’t remember you being quiet, radio demon.”

Alastor sighed softly, flipping over so that his back faced the guard.

“I happen to be biding my time.” Alastor said, fluctuating his voice so that it sounded threatening as his eyes closed again in pain. “One is often quiet when planning a murder.”

The guard was silent for a long moment before he spoke.

“Torture?”

That makes Alastor look over his shoulder. Lou had just mentioned his favorite thing, after all.

“What?”

“Will torture be involved?” Lou asks, staring down at the fire. His pupils are narrowed to slits once again. “I assume it will be.”

“You assume correctly!” Alastor said with a cackle. “Perhaps you will last longer than the others I’ve played with, that would be entertaining!”

“...sure.” Lou grunted. Then he cleared his throat. “Anyway, I feel like we should…meet each other.” His voice seems almost strained in pain. How pathetic. “My name is Lou.”

“Yes, I know.” Alastor dismissed, flopping his head down so he could stare at the wall again.

“And you’re the radio demon?”

“Is that even a question?”

“I…” Lou sighed, trailing off. “I think I hoped it would be.”

“Consider your hopes crushed.”

“Lovely.” Lou said with a snort. 

And he was silent.

For a long while.

Long enough that Alastor looks behind him again, curious if the guard had left.

He hadn’t.

Lou was sitting there, eyes unfocused as fire danced across his fingertips. It swirled between them hypnotically, winding around his pointer for a moment before Lou suddenly snapped his fingers, having it vanish as he stood to his feet and turned around so his back faced Alastor. He placed his hands on his hips, staring at the empty wall accusingly.

“What exactly are you planning?” Alastor asked warily, sitting up. He stayed on the cold stone floor. It was just as comfortable as the cot.

“I have no idea yet.”

I needed a brainstorm. 

Very very badly.

Because now that urge was returning.

The urge to let him feel every ounce of pain I’d felt in the last decade.

My hand closes into an angry fist as I tighten again, teeth gritting.

No. I remind myself. No if he hurts this was all for nothing.

Slowly I drew two lines on the wall with my fire. One purple and one blue.

Two deals.

Lilith presented a time limit. Five days and she would return, finding out about the radio demon immediately. I had no idea what she would do with this situation, but I imagined it wouldn’t end with him going free.

I’m suddenly struck with a thought.

What if she makes me offer him a deal?

My throat closes.

Absolutely not.

Because, again, the whole point of the past decade is so the idiot isn’t under anyone’s control. He wouldn’t be forced to pretend to love, pretend to be confident.

Pretend to be mine.

I scrawl a 3 above Lilith’s line, circling it. I begin to add other factors-I can’t tell the demon about my identity, I can’t reveal my deal, nothing to suggest a connection to my true self at all. These translate to three angry scratch marks, a quick doodle of a top hat, and a snake. 

So that was Lilith.

I turn to the blue line, returning my claws to my hips as I think. 

Vox’s deal was mercifully unspecific, but it included enough factors to be restrictive. I had to be the best warden I could be, I couldn't free him, and I had to alert Vox to any new factors.

I scrawl a star, a broken chain, and an angry TV scrawl.

“Is that Vox?” The demon asks from behind me, seeming amused.

“Not quite.” I answer absentmindedly, looking at the space between the lines.

So what could I do?

I put my goal down, drawing a quick sketch of the radio demon. It’s been a while since I’ve drawn him, but it’s nice to return to it. I stand to admire my work for a moment before groaning as I realize I forgot his antlers.

“What exactly are you doing, warden?”

I ignore him, adding the scrawls to his head and shakily writing an A beneath it. I circle that as well, adding a few stars. 

I take a step back and let myself think.

Five days.

I couldn’t free him.

He was clearly weakened, to an extent, but he’d kill me if he could.

Five days.

If I…no, that would alert Lilith.

I wasn’t king anymore, so I couldn’t-

“ Charlie .” I mutter aloud, eyes widening. Yes, yes that could work. I would bring the safety to the radio demon. My daughter was the key, as always.

I sketch out a portrait of her as well, a furrow in my brow as I add Wiggles around her neck. They look nice together, I’ve seen the pair a few times from afar.

“But how do I get you here, sweetheart?” I mutter to myself.

The answer comes much easier this time, and I laugh as I draw a duck, circling it with a few arrows.

“Perfect.” I say to myself with a nod.

The demon is staring at me as though I’m insane.

“Is that a plan?”

“It is.” I say with a grin. “Now c’mon, I need supplies.”

He looked at me, unamused. 

Right.

What was I doing? He wasn’t going to smile back.

Not with his…real, true smile.

The real question is why he’d ever done so in the first place.

He’s a good actor, I suppose.

“I’m in prison, I’m afraid.” Sarcasm is strong in his voice. “It’s often hard to leave.”

I snap my fingers, glancing back at the blue line. Right.

I close my eyes, taking a bundle of yellow power. The soul it’s tied to reaches out quietly.

Everything alright? It asks in concern.

Absolutely. No worries! I reassure it. She’s a sweetheart-Chave, one of my oldest souls.

I break the strand of power, opening my eyes and looking down at the spool of golden glowing string in my hands.

“Okay, give me your wrist.”

The deer curls his lip, suspicion in his gaze.

“What are you going to do with it?”

I take the end of the string, unwinding it a few times.

“Give you some fashionable jewelry.” I say sarcastically.

He doesn’t seem comforted for some reason.

“Well, I regret to inform you this wrist is mine and that gold is not my color.”

I frown at him.

“Do you want to leave or not?” I ask, voice flat.

“I’ve already told you that I can’t.”

I let out a huff, a small puff of smoke leaving my nose.

“You can tie it yourself, if you want.”

He looks a bit more tempted at that. I continue, ignoring the anger that says he should trust me. That I deserved that at least.

He doesn’t know me. I remind myself, my heart twisting.

“And we need to get you some actual food. We might need to avoid Rosie’s, but there are other places to get venison.”

At that, he looks very tempted. But suddenly he pauses, eyes slowly meeting my gaze.

“How did you know I like that?”

I don’t answer. I can’t.

“Are you coming or not? Because I can put that thing on your head again and make sure you don’t escape for an hour.”

“Don’t you dare threaten me.” The demon snarls, baring his teeth at me.

“I’m not.” I was, kinda. “I don’t want to do that. But if I don’t you’ll run off, get caught again, and then we’d both be in trouble.”

“Oh what a shame that would be.” He snaps. But he looks at the string. “Will it come off?”

“Yes. I’ll be able to cut it.”

He takes the end I offer him, studying the thin line.

“What is it?”

“I think we’ll find out.”

He moves it between his fingers, smile forced and tight.

You didn’t have to smile for me, once. I think, despair overwhelming me. 

He doesn’t know me. I remind myself, pushing back against the torrent. 

“Will it hurt?” He asks, keeping his eyes on the gold.

I shake my head.

“I won’t hurt you.”

He snorted in disbelief.

And I… bristle. 

I simply…refuse to deal with this anymore.

We had dated for almost a year.

He’d told me he loved me. Pretended to trust me. Created the kind of loyalty that I couldn’t stamp out no matter what.

And then…

Well. It had never been true anyway.

“Put it on.” I repeat in a low growl.

The man speaks.

“I suppose I don’t have much of a choice.”

No. My mind shouts. No you should always have a choice, you should always-

“Agreed.” I say calmly.

That’s one thing I’ve learned over the last decade.

No one has free will, really.

So the demon ties it around his wrist, so loosely it looks like it could come off with the wind. I hold out my hand, and he drops the spool into it gingerly.

I wind it around my own wrist, nodding to myself as I tie it and cut the gold with a single claw, dropping the rest of the string into a pocket. At that instant, all indication of the tie between us vanishes.

Then, with a soft sigh, I snap my fingers to summon a flame.

The demon lets out a short growl, and I blink at him.

“Something wrong?”

“The snapping is quite annoying, warden! I must insist that you cease!”

I raise an eyebrow. 

“Unfortunately that’s how I use magic, radio demon.” I respond calmly, letting the fire twist around my fingers as I coax it to grow.

“I’m certain there are other ways!” He said in mock-cheerfulness.

“Not for me.” I tell him with a glance. I was keeping that habit. There was so little of Lucifer left…it felt like honoring myself.

“Oh, well isn’t that a shame?” He was actually angry now, his ears flipping back as his eye twitched.

The fire continues to grow, my own power filling me as I spin it into a ball around the size and weight of a human head after it had been freshly severed. Not that I would know anything about that.

“Why are you so mad? Is snapping really at the top of your priorities?” I ask in bemusement.

“ Why don’t you just stop? That way I can get it off of my priorities! ” He screeches in a radio tone, snapping in rage as green stitching knits its way across his mouth.

I stare at him, the fireball roasting in my hands.

“Well.” I say finally as he begins to deflate. “That was…interesting.”

I toss the ball, spinning it as it floats between us. “Now, shall we?”

I place a claw to the fire, tilting my head at the demon to signify that he should do the same.

“Not unless you swear.” He growls, making no movement.

“Demon.” I say calmly. “I have no idea why this bothers you, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to suck it up. I learned magic by snapping. I’ve had the habit over my entire life. You will not stop me with your delicate sensibilities.”

He stiffened.

“The world does not bend to your will.” I continue patiently. “Nor does it to mine. Neither of us have control. So please, tap the ball so we can move along.”

He still doesn’t move, looking at me distrustfully.

“I have history with that sign.” He says.

Oh.

My brain finally connects it, and I resist the urge to smack myself.

Great. It’s my fault.

“Nice to know you despise it then.” I mutter, feeling my shoulders hunch a bit. 

Then I raise my voice.

“Whatever. I won’t then.”

I don’t know why I agree. But I just…can’t knowingly cause this man pain.

Besides, if he wants to forget me, who am I to stop him?

“Lovely!” He said, all traces of vulnerability gone as he taps a finger to the flame.

We arrive back in the ruined district.

I take in a breath, sighing in relief. It feels like it’s been days since I’ve been home. And strangely this place has become home. More than heaven, more than the palace, even more than the hotel.

Of course, my companions reinforce that comfort tenfold.

“LOU!” A demon shouts in excitement, and I grin down at her face, already feeling weight lift off my shoulders as she shakes me. “You will not believe what just happened !”

“Yeah yeah, she asked you out.” A lizard grumbles, taking a long drag off his cigarette. But there's a pleased amusement in his gaze.

I gasp in delight, taking her hands in mine.

“No way!” I say excitedly. She’s been trying to hint to this hellhound for days. It was about time!

“It took her long enough!” She giggles.

“Ain’t that the truth.” Someone hums in a thick country accent, hopping down from the second story of a building nearby with grace. They swish their long sloping tail gracefully as they move towards the group as well. They nod to the radio demon, who glares at them in annoyance. “You find another one?”

I laugh.

“I’m afraid not.”

They nod, a sly look in their eye as they appraise the demon.

“Not yet .” They corrected.

“ What. exactly?” The man interrupts in a snap. He’s already twitching to run, I can tell(his favorite activity, clearly), but he’s keeping himself under control for the moment.

“A soul of course!” The romantic says with a laugh.

“Is that Alastor? ” Someone gasps from a window. I look over at him pleasantly.

“All under control.” I tell them gently. He nods, still looking nervous as he ducks back in. Poor guy, he’d already been feeling anxious lately.

“So where’r ya’ll goin?” The cowperson asks, studying their claws. “Need any help with anythin’?”

“Would you guys leave if I told you no?” I ask them playfully.

“No!” They all remark in unison, standing to their feet and beginning to follow me around like the world’s most clingy parade. More souls join us, sharing news and cheerfully telling me random things about their lives that I have no business knowing.

“What do you mean by souls?” The radio demon asked the cowperson suspiciously, trying to avoid the crowd forming around us.

“We’re his souls!” A small gremlin says in delight, squirreling up onto my head. Two fairy-like wings flap pleasantly. “And sometimes he brings new ones back! Or they come seeking refuge.”

“I did recommend a few more Lou, if that’s alright?” A voice asks. I grin, feeling my throat strangle slightly as my vocal cords are influenced by an order.

“That’s lovely! The more the merrier!” I encourage.

Always encourage.

It seems Lilith will never be satisfied.

“Lou, I have more on soul deals if you’re interested.” Someone remarks. I beckon to him, gaze sharpening. He hands me a bundle of notes trapped in a book.

I nod to him, even as my heart sinks at the sign of words that I know I can’t read.

“Thank you dearly.”

“Of course.” 

I give him a grateful smile before finding that the crowd has tightened around us.

“Hey guys, can we maybe give the terrifying overlord some space please?” I ask almost instinctively, raising my voice as the demon leans away from a sinner in disgust.

They all freeze for a moment.

Then start laughing.

“Heehee . Good one!” The one atop my head says, giggling.

I frown, brow furrowed. Why is it that everyone who gets close to me is a complete asshole? It’s almost impressive how horrible my tastes are.

“I mean the radio demon.” I elaborate in a deadpan.

“OH! Right, sure.”

They create a pocket around him before returning to bothering me.

They bother me for a few more blocks, in fact, before he can get a word in.

As the crowd begins to disperse, having either shared their news or gotten their answers, the demon finally speaks as he brushes off his coat.

“Well! Aren’t they a rough bunch?”

I shrug, finding the path that leads to my apartment and squirreling up the rickety stairs. I have to have supplies in here, right? I’m not super sure where else to find that kinda thing. I don’t have any money, after all. But maybe I could steal from somewhere?

“I like them.”

“I assumed so! They seem quite friendly towards you.”

I chuckle at that, finally emerging onto my small balcony with a short glance around me. My home isn’t really that full of splendor from the outside either. A building that isn’t quite the tallest–just enough to get a bird’s eye view of the city. Everyone tends to live in a circle around me–the closer they are the longer we’ve been connected–but otherwise it’s very unassuming.

“That they are.”

“I am curious what order you give them.” My hand freezes on the doorknob as my good mood melts like butter on pancakes. The demon continues. “It was so genuine! Do you remove their memories beforehand, perhaps? That would ensure loyalty, wouldn’t it?”

Anger begins to fill my throat, my teeth gritting.

“I don’t do that.”

No one can, from what I understand. Souls and memories are separate.

“Oh!” He hummed in thought for a moment. “Then what do you do? No soul can honestly like their owner that much. What is it? A love potion? Propaganda?”

“ Nothing .” I say, a burst of smoke flooding out my mouth at the word. “I haven’t done a thing to them.”

There’s a sudden voice from above me.

“Thhhat’s right, fireball!” Cherri said in delight. “Whatz the queen’s guy doin’ here?”

I shrug, still too angry to speak about him without insult.

I wrench the door open, the squeal of the hinges coming out surprised at my aggression.

“Watch him for me, will you?”

She hums, twirling a bomb on her finger like a basketball.

“Will do!”

Alastor blinks as Lou slams the door in his face.

Well, that was unexpected.

“He’s a moody one, isn’t he?” He said to Cherri, eyes trained on the door for a span. How long was his warden planning to leave him without competent supervision?

The pyromaniac laughs.

“That’s our Lou!”

Alastor raises an eyebrow at her.

“You’re one of his souls as well, I presume?”

Cherri holds up a finger.

“One, they don’t call themselves ‘his souls’. Somethin’ to do with individuality. Butterflies, rainbows, all that shit.”

Hmm. Charlie would love this man. Alastor thinks.

Then he pauses.

He’s keeping me a prisoner. He reminds himself. Though not very well, I’ll admit.

“Second of all, no.” 

“Ah!” So it seemed at least one had resisted whatever charm the man had put on them. “Do you know what’s going on then?”

She grins.

“Yup! Hope.”

Alastor paused, staring at her for a moment.

Then he laughed, bowling over as he giggled hysterically.

“Ha! That was quite a good one, Cherri! I had no idea you were comedically gifted!”

She seemed unfazed.

“I felt the same way, overlord. But that’s honest to god what’s happening.”

Alastor wiped a tear from his eye.

“Sure! So what miracle cure is he advertising, exactly?” 

“Cure? Nah, they aren’t interested in that.” Cherri said, flipping the bomb from one hand to another with practiced ease. “And they ain’t all as nice as the ones ya saw. He’s got some real violent ones.”

“Then why are these ones…like this?” It had to be the most out-of-place Alastor had seen in years. Since-

-Well, since a king had fallen into his life, taking down his heart in the process.

Cherri shrugged.

“I dunno. I think it has somethin’ to do with community. They all protect each other.” She tilted her head, thinking for a moment. “Maybe it has to do with the whole war thing. But that always feels like a way to lure ‘em in, y’know?”

“ War? ”

The pyromaniac blinked at him.

“You don’t know? Huh. Yer prolly not supposed to then.”

“ What war?”

She put up her hands.

“I can’ tell ya anything if you don’t already get it.”

“ Just- ” Alastor groaned, placing a hand to his forehead. He was terribly sick of the pyromaniac already.

“So where is Lou in this situation?” Alastor asked. Could one really be that absent and that beloved?

“He brought ‘em together I ‘spose.” The pyromaniac said, thoughtfully pulling out another explosive and tossing them in unison. “The ringleader.”

“Hm.”

He looked around for a moment, Cherri sitting there seeming unconcerned.

“I think I’ll be going.” Alastor said decisively, giving Cherri a threatening glare that dared her to stop him.

She nodded, seeming unconcerned.

“Later.”

Alastor paused in confusion.

“Didn’t Lou tell you to watch me?”

“Yeah.” Cherri flipped over, lounging on her back like a relaxed cat. “And I am.”

Ah! So her mind was addled severely! How convenient.

“Well then! Farewell.”

She waved to him as he strode off the balcony, making his way off the house and beginning to walk confidently through Lou’s territory. If he ran there was no telling what his underlings would do.

But once I’m out of here?

He’d be home free.

Chapter Text

I end up packing a bag. Bringing what I need and a few extra things as well. It seems like I’ll be at the tower for at least a week, I don’t want to get bored. Something in me says that I don’t have enough, somehow, but I have to ignore it.

“Cherri!” I say cheerfully, slinging my bag over my shoulder as I leave my cane at home. I’ll need as many hands as I can get.

“Hey Lou.” She said, sounding bored. “Your guy left a few minutes ago.”

“How lovely!” I respond, smile wide. The radio demon: The king of running away. “Would you mind letting everyone know I’ll be gone for a few days?”

“Sure I could …But why?”

Cherri and her grammar...

I place my hands on the banister behind me, leaning back on it absentmindedly.

“Just busy. Taking a little vacation.” He paused. “Actually…I need you to warn them.”

This is going to hurt later. My logical mind tells me nervously.

I gently quiet the thought. It would be worth it.

“Sure fireball.” Cherri said, sliding off my roof so she could hear me better. Okay…okay, she was listening.

I inhale deeply.

“You know how my eyes change color sometimes? When I’m…conduiting power?”

Cherri nodded, tilting her head.

“If my eyes…are purple. Run.”

Her eyes widened.

“What?”

“I can’t tell you anymore.” I tell her, turning away as my voice already strangles, my words skating dangerously close to my orders. “But it’s important.” My words come out hoarser. “You need to tell them Cherri.”

“I-okay, Lou.” She calls to me, still sounding confused as I jog down my stairs, the deal with Vox already pulling at me impatiently. “I’ll let them know.”

“Thanks!” I yell back, voice once again cheerful. 

Then I started running.

Again, not for a real reason. I’m not catching Alastor. I’m not running from someone.

I just need to clear my mind. And running does the trick easily.

My neighbors wave to me, whooping and calling out. I don’t respond, stress beginning to roll off me as I realize how risky this plan is.

She could take me back. My mind mutters, and a shiver goes down my spine.

You’re protecting him, that’s what’s important. I remind it.

…I have a severe case of a hero complex. It observes, sounding unimpressed.

Maybe HE just has a severe case of getting into sticky situations. I shoot back.

I’m forced to stop arguing with myself as the deal tugs harder at me, demanding I do my job.

Oh, right.

I snap my fingers to make the gold thread visible and tap my wrist.

“Reunite.” I mutter to it.

And the radio demon poofs out of pure air.

“What the-” He pauses, looking around in confusion as I stand there patiently. Then his eyes land on me and darken.

“ You. ” He growls, disgust curling his lip.

Oh! That is painful. Anywayyys!

“-Me!” I say with an incredibly forced smile. Why am I smiling, you ask? I don’t fucking know! “I figured we should be getting back.”

“Ah, I’m afraid I disagree with that actually!”

“Do you?” I say, smile falling as I realize there’s no way he’s going quietly.

“ Yes! ” He said, rage making his eyes click into radio dials in an instant. “Instead I think I’ll tear your spine out of your throat! ”

I open my mouth, then pause.

“Wait, do I have a spine?” I ask aloud. I do, right? I’ve had a spine in most of my forms. But maybe- were sinners invertebrates?

I should know this.

“ ONE WAY TO FIND OUT! ” The radio demon snarls demonically, his limbs twisting horrifyingly as he grows, his jaw unhinging and arms bending backwards. Wow. That’s what drinking too much milk does to ya, kids. Stay short, stay safe.

“I actually think I could do like-an x-ray. Or research. Or just-” I reach around to the back of my neck, feeling for bones. “Oh! Yup, there it is.” I nod to the demon. “I do have a spine.”

“WE SHOULD FIX THAT!”

“Er…no. I’m fond of it, I think. Like I just met it but there’s this…connection, ya know?” I ask him, placing a sentimental hand to my chest. “Like it’s a part of me , almost.”

I know, it’s not the best. But my dad instincts have gone ignored for the past decade and I needed to let it out somewhere.

And finally, he laughs.

…

My mind short circuits for a moment.

His head tips back, his ears flipping in amusement as he cackles like a madman.

I missed that.

And suddenly. Somehow. For seemingly no reason at all.

Every emotion I’ve been holding back hits me like a freight train.

My eyes narrow as I lunge towards him, filled with anger.

How dare you take this from me. I think against my will, teeth baring as fire burns in my throat, my tail becoming a whipping weapon as I lunge for the demon’s chest with long ripping claws.

The much quieter than before caring voice speaks within me.

He didn’t. He didn’t choose this I did what am I doi-

“Why the FUCK can’t you take care of yourself?”  I shout, having no idea where all of this is coming from as he shrieks, shoving my smaller body off. I run at him again, tapping into a sinner’s power and growing.

“ I am actually QUITE self-sufficient! ” He objects in a similarly angry tone as I grapple with him, now the same size. I twist his wrist, growling in frustration when it turns without issue. He stabs me with a tentacle. I fall to the ground, my burst of rage apparently indifferent to the pain as I continue to scream at him. 

“ THEN WHY DO I HAVE TO KEEP SAVING YOU YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE EAT SHIT YOU LITTLE BITCH I- ” More curses string from my mouth as he stares at me with a fair dose of confusion. He’s not fighting me anymore. I regained my feet and attacked him again. Because I want him to. I want to fight him. “- CANNOT BELIEVE I LEFT HER FOR THAT LAUGH AND THAT SMILE AND I JUST WANT TO HATE YOU WHY WON’T YOU LET ME? ”

“ I’ve NEVER had an issue with people hating me. You have my FULL permission!” The radio demon said with a grin, fully demonic as he stared down at me.

“ BE MORE HATABLE THEN! ” I snarl.

He spreads his giant hands in a ‘seriously?’ gesture.

“ What more do I have to do?” He asks, seeming genuinely befuddled. “ You are fighting me also. Which seems to prove you despise me at least a LITTLE. ”

I let out a draconic roar as I’m consumed in fire.

“ OF COURSE I DESPISE YOU.” I scream, lounging for him again. Alastor let out a surprised squeak as my claws batted him to the ground, taking out a building or two.

“ This is a VERY confusing conversation.” He said, staring up at me and propping himself up on his elbows.

“ YOU ARE A VERY CONFUSING MAN.” I bite back, standing over him. Pent-up frustration telling me that this was power. This was what this horrible demon deserved. “ DID YOU EVEN LOOK FOR ME? ”

The radio demon looked at me in utter confusion.

“ What? ”

I can’t reason it out anymore. I can’t excuse it.

I kneel down, pressing the point of my knee into his chest as I spit in his face.

“ DID. YOU. LOOK. FOR. ME? ” I demand again. Like volume will change the answer.

I know the truth.

I know he didn’t.

He never tried. Ever. Not a headline about negotiations, not a look of despair during an interview, not a ‘no comment’. 

Nothing.

“Who the hell are you talking about?”  

And I can’t-

I can’t tell him.

I can’t fucking SPEAK.

BECAUSE THE FUCKING CHAIN AROUND MY NECK WON’T LET ME.

I seethe down at him, breathing in angry gasps. 

Your chain.

Your chain.

“ WHY? ” I yowl. A question neither of us can answer. Even if he knew who I was even if he cared even if he loved me in the first place even though I knew he didn’t even if whatever we had was real even if I could ever ever ever escape because I made one decision and its the last decision I’ll ever make I can’t do it anymore there’s no free will everything is gone and different and I-

Tears start dripping down my face as the never-ending sentence of my regrets continues. On and on and on some more.

I groan, then flop over and squeeze my eyes shut.

The enchantment starts wearing off, and I shrink again as I lay there in anguish.

“ This has been…strange. ” The demon comments, sitting up and tilting his head as he looks down at me. “ Why are you…leaking through your eyes?”

My heart hurts.

“Ow.” I say in way of explanation. Because I quite literally cannot explain. Also I don’t want to. Also I’m bleeding out.

Oh yeah. I am bleeding out. Red blood. Weird, huh?

“ Yes, that often IS how it works when one sustains a wound. ” He said sarcastically. 

I ignore him.

“My life sucks.” I grunt.

“ Well. You have fun with that. I’ll be going now- ” 

I tap my wrist twice without moving.

“Reunite.”

He lands on top of me. Which sucks more.

“Ow.”

“ YOU’RE THE ONE WHO CALLED ME LIKE A PET, IDIOT! ”

I don’t move. I happen to be wallowing in self pity at the moment. So being squished really isn’t too big of a deal.

“You tied it around your wrist, not me.” I grumble.

“ THAT’S what that was?”

“Yeah.”

He gets off, and I toss him a grateful thumbs up for not killing me.

“ I am LEAVING! ” The demon declared, and I could hear his giant footsteps receding.

I groan, pressing my face to the pavement.

“Reunite.”

I am now suffocating again.

“ WHAT DO YOU EVEN WANT ME FOR? ”

“We have to go back.” I say into the floor.

“ That feels ENTIRELY unnecessary.”

“I have a deal that, unfortunately, is already strained with this little field trip.”

“ I’m not going. ” He declared.

I sighed, then looked up at him.

Oh…shit.

“You’re actually afraid.” I say softly. Then I groan in pure annoyance, rubbing a hand down my face and taking a breath.

“ I AM NOT. ”

“Are they torturing you?” I sigh. “Of course they are.”

“ NOTHING I CANNOT HANDLE! ”

“Weirdly clever of Vox to use sound though. He’s so shortsighted otherwise.” I muse aloud. “Nevertheless I doubt this will last long.”

“ YES!” The demon booms with a malicious cackle. “ Because I will snap your neck first! ”

“I was referring to the fact that the queen will probably come to save you.”

“ I don’t need saving! I have NEVER asked to be saved, warden! ”

I wince, closing my eyes for another moment as he continues.

“ Though I’m ENTIRELY willing to save you from seeing tomorrow! ”

I sigh again. This conversation isn’t doing anything to improve my mood. I gesture to my throat.

“Look. A highly snappable neck. You could kill me.”

“ I will! ”

“Do it then.”

At that, he froze. Which sucked considering I was still pinned beneath him. More air squeezes out of my lungs.

“ You have NO FEAR? ” He booms menacingly.

I give him an unconcerned glance, voice slightly hoarse.

“You have me defenseless, radio demon. You are clearly more powerful than me. Kill me.”

Okay, disclaimer. I’m not… weak in this form. Am I inexperienced in it despite Lilith’s I’ll-beat-the-shit-out-of-you-for-learning-purposes-class? Yes. Does that mean I really tried to attack the demon? No. I’ll never hurt him.

Do I wish I could hurt him?

…Sometimes. Yes.

“ I- ” He paused, cutting himself off as he seemed unable to speak. “N-no! ”

“...And why is that?”

“ You…DESERVE A FAR GREATER PUNISHMENT! ”

“Like…what?” 

“ DEATH! ”

I laugh.

“Cool. Wanna get to that then?”

“ NO! ”

“You sound very conflicted.” I observe. 

He shrinks a bit, staring at me with those customary dial eyes.

“ I’m…not. ”

“Hm.” I say, cocking an eyebrow at him. “What’re you going to do then?”

“I…don’t want to kill you.” He said, stepping off me as his form recedes in an instant.

I stand to my feet and brush off my jacket, tilting my head at him and opening my mouth.

But before I can speak a sharp-clawed hand makes for my throat.

I watched it, giving the demon a glance, and he froze right before touching me.

“I don’t want to kill you.” He repeats.

His brow furrows as he stares at me. 

“That is…strange.”

“That it is-” I start to agree, but-

My deal with Vox suddenly goes off, a blue chain linking around my wrist and forcing my hand to the demon’s neck.

“ TIME TO RETURN. ” I roar in both mine and Vox’s voice, one of my eyes shining with his blue power as my pupils narrow to slits.

I paused, then released him as he stared at me with wide eyes.

“Ahem.” I clear my throat, a little embarrassed. “We should…probably be getting back.”

Chapter Text

Alastor is very…confused.

What the hell was that? He asks himself, again and again.

Of course, perhaps he should just ask him. But what kind of answer was that going to prompt? The warden was clearly in a deal with Vox, yes, but that had been him showing through for that instant. Possessing, almost. It was quite…interesting.

Not to mention the ‘not wanting to kill him’ thing. That was the strangest thing that had happened to Alastor today by far.

They’re back in prison, Alastor sitting on his cot as Lou sits in a corner with his bag. The warden is facing the wall, back hunched. He kind of looks like he’s been put in time out. The faint outline of a bandage spreads across his wound, courtesy of Vox Medical– Where Trust Is The Best Medicine! The wall he’d been doodling on earlier’s colored fire had faded to scorch marks, and Alastor stared at them in silence for a while.

“What are you doing?” Alastor suddenly demands, unable to take the quiet.

Lou turns his head around to look at him, raising an eyebrow.

“Wouldn’t you like to know.”

“ Yes, actually!”

“Go to sleep.” He says, turning back to his corner.

Alastor laughs.

“ Ha! The radio demon-”

“- Does need sleep.” The warden finishes. “I’ve seen you do it before. No use lying to me.”

“I haven’t slept once in the past decade!” Alastor insists. 

And Lou…

Froze.

“Really?” His voice comes out strangled.

“ Yes. So I’m afraid I won’t be sleeping.”

“It doesn’t have anything to do with-” His voice was cut off abruptly. “-Never mind. Go to sleep.”

“ Here? Absolutely no -IS THAT A RADIO?”

It’s barely peeking out of his bag, but Alastor has magical radio-sensing powers.

“Yes.” The warden says casually.

“ GIVE IT TO ME. ” Alastor demands, already reaching for it-

Lou gives him a hard look, moving it out of his grasp.

“Go to sleep first.”

“ DIE. ”

“We’ve already established that you’d rather I not.”

“ I’ve changed my mind. ” Alastor hisses.

“Go. To. Sleep.” He said, voice firm.

Alastor’s smile twitched as he moved to stew on his cot again. He was rapidly becoming bored, and boredom meant-

Wait.

Alastor suddenly wrapped his arms around himself, curling up a bit.

He hadn’t…thought about him. At all.

His king.

All day there hadn’t been a single thought. A reference or a glance or a quote from him. 

Alastor shuddered a little.

Maybe I’m finally forgetting. He thinks.

And he doesn’t…know how to feel about that.

Hadn’t he been trying to do that for the past ten years? Forget? Keep busy, keep moving, keep safe?

He glances at Lou.

Is he a…replacement?

Disgust suddenly fills him.

No no no no.

This wouldn’t do.

Alastor stands to his feet abruptly, angrily stomping towards him.

Lou sighed as he shoveled whatever he was doing back into his bag, craning his neck to look at Alastor.

“What is it you want, radio demon?”

“ Distract me. ” He snapped before he knew what he was saying.

… What?

His mind flashes back to the last time he’d said it.

‘Distract you?’ Lucifer asked with a soft laugh, tilting his head at him. ‘Well dear, I am an entertainer! Now-’

“What exactly are you looking for?” Lou asked warily.

“I…” Alastor stared at him for a moment, the echo of the memory making his head spin for a moment.

I feel a chain snap around my neck. He can’t see it of course, but it’s a warning.

Shit shit SHIT.

He was figuring it out.

Fear shoots through my veins, freezing me from the inside out.

Distract him. Distract him! Just distract him IT’LL BE FINE- I tell myself again and again, trying to calm the horror of Lilith coming back to finding goddamn armageddon-

“Okay idiot-” I say, standing to my feet. “I’m gonna tuck you in.”

Yup. That does it.

“Absolutely not. ” The radio demon responds in a hiss.

Caalm down. I tell myself, trying to soothe the part of my brain that still happened to be going absolutely bananas. It screeches back in terror, and I swallow.

“It’s not up for debate.” I say easily as I walk over to his ‘bed’. Probably ‘Ved’, if it’s here. The naming conventions of Vox are incredibly stupid. “If one is being tortured, they need to sleep. It’s important for…uh, healing or something.”

 I sift through the pack I’d taken, finding the blanket. It was meant for myself, but I could sacrifice it. 

Oh but how can I take such a loss for him? The horrors! I think, snorting sarcastically.

“That does not at all mean you need to…” He seems unable to say it. Wow. He’s such a big strong man.

“-Taaake care of you?” He winces like I’d just stung him, and I roll my eyes. “Seems like it’s necessary for the moment.”

Yup. That was the reason. It has nothing to do with my entirely-real-and-entirely-problematic instinct to take care of him until the day I die(not him. I’ll die first because he won’t leave hell on my watch). Also, this definitely does not conflict with my entirely-real-and-entirely-problematic hatred of the man who’d successfully lied to the king of lies for an embarrassingly long time.

“I am telling you-” He growls through gritted teeth. “-That nothing , in the history of hell, has ever been more unnecessary.”

I laugh as the blanket heats up at my prompting, warming fire leaching through it. I gather the provided Vox blanket in my arms and spread the thicker one along the bottom of the cot.

“You clearly haven’t been around for long.” I informed him. “Now lay down.”

He crosses his arms.

“No.”

I sigh, placing my hands on my hips as I raise an eyebrow.

“Mr. Walton.” I begin, using my best stern voice. “I have been a parent for centuries. I will use whatever means necessary. Lay down.”

It is then that I remember that OH shit! No one else knows this guy’s middle name! And decided to begin freaking out about that internally because seriously Lucifer can’t you just be unsuspicious for two days c’mon dude.

But then- thank god -the demon’s violent tendencies saved me.

His limbs grow in anger, teeth sharpening to points as his eyes narrowed in rage-

“ ARE YOU THREATENING ME? ” He demands. Very scarily.

I stare at him.

Actually, I think I will.

I furrow my brow, pressing my mouth into a displeased line.

And hold up three fingers.

“I will count.” I informed him. “To three.”

The demon growled, making no move. Though his ears twitch.

“One.” I begin, voice deceptively calm.

He began to shrink, his eyes darting around as he looked away. Staying strong. Good for him, I suppose.

“Two.” I continue, letting my mouth drop into a disappointed frown.

His muscles twitch as he glances at me, then the cot, then forces his smile wider.

I move on mercilessly.

“Thr-”

“I will never do this again.” He declares, marching over to the bed and laying down with his back facing me. He’s curled into an angry little ball, teeth sharp and ready to bite if I even dare lay a hand on him.

I let out a soft sigh.

Perhaps-perhaps it would be easier for this narrative if I simply just said ‘ow’ every time this man makes my entire being scream in wrongness and agony because everything has changed and nothing can make it come back.

‘Ow’. That’s our word. Got it? Good.

Ow.

I move over to him, careful to not even graze his skin as I guide the blanket over his shoulders, tucking it around him with practiced ease so he’s nuzzled into a little warm cocoon.

And it’s over.

“See? That wasn’t so bad.” 

The demon snarls in a way to imply that yes, it was in fact very bad, as I take the radio from my bag-

And pause.

That…doesn’t feel like it’ll work.

If he hasn’t been able to sleep since I’d been gone, then he’d definitely tried music before. I knew this man. He wasn’t going to just give up. Nor would he not try to use radio to fix every issue in his life at every available opportunity.

So…what else was there?

I’m struck by an idea.

Maybe I could-

Ohhhh…but that was suspicious. That was veeerrry suspicious. I should probably definitely not do that that was a terrible idea-

“ I happen to not be feeling even a LITTLE tired! ” The demo growls over his shoulder.(ow)

“I haPpen tO nOt be feElinG eveN A LitTlE tIRed.” I can’t help but mock in a high voice, rolling my eyes.

“I’m NOT. ”

“ Fine. ” I growl. “Just sit there. I need to…practice.”

“I would ask what, but I’m not at all interested!”

Alastor is still stewing in annoyance, waiting for a response.

But it doesn’t come.

Instead there’s the soft clicking sound of a lock.

Alastor starts in surprise, flipping around to see a warden-less room.

Shit.

He tries to ignore the rising panic.

Which-wait, why does he feel rising panic? That’s quite strange. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that he’s been forced into comfort against his will. That made sense.

But his ears are flipping back as he decides he should escape again. Because therefore Lou would have to pay attention to him-

What?

WHAT WAS HE EVEN THINKING?

Am I developing Stockholm Syndrome in less than forty-eight hours?

His heart starts pounding, and he curls tighter into a ball as he squeezes his eyes shut.

What is going on, what is going on, what is-

Soft music interrupts Alastor’s thoughts.

 A violin.

He perks his head up slowly, eyes following the sound.

Oh.

Lou was just outside the whole time.

He was sitting on the bench on the other side of the wall, back to him as he gently pulled a bow over strings.

Alastor watched him through the window, ears gradually returning to their natural position as he relaxed.

Not gone. His brain mutters, sounding relieved.

And, as though it was no trouble at all, his eyes closed and warm darkness filled his mind.

I look back at him and can’t help but chuckle.

Sleepy little man. I think with a little smile, placing the violin gently beside me. I hardly knew why I even took it till now.

Then I pull out my materials again and begin.

Duck making, it turns out, is much like riding a bike.

You don’t forget it.

It also happens to be fairly dangerous without the right equipment.

I hiss in pain as I burn myself immediately. I’m impervious to fire in this body, but not melting rubber. It’s scalding and awful, of course. But once I get into the groove of it-

I blew into it, grinning as it blew up into a pretty-good-looking body. 

There we go. I think, pleasantly continuing.

Lilith had tried to forbid me from doing this, at first. It hadn’t lasted long. Surprise surprise, one often acts badly when they’re forced to give up their only coping mechanism all at once. The tears had gotten to her eventually, and she’d compromised by allowing me to have a small amount of material. As long as I destroyed everything once I was calm. 

Meaning I had no duck collection. At all.

So. I had quite a lot of work to do.

I work quickly, only horribly scalding myself a few more times, and before long there’s a multitude of ducks lined up beside me on the bench. I realize I should probably give a few of them ea-

“What are you doing?” Someone interrupts my hyperfocus, and I blink, looking up.

“Vox.” I greet, pressing an easy smile on my face as I place a casual arm on the wall behind me. “How are you this fine evening?”

He raises an eyebrow at me, gesturing to the cell.

“Just grabbing him.” He said.

I feel my expression twitch.

“He’s asleep.” I informed him.

Vox tips his head back, crossing his arms in a laugh.

“Suppose you tired him out, eh?” 

“People have called me exhausting.” I agree, still wondering if there’s some way I can distract him. But then, that was incredibly suspicious on both ends. Ugh. “What do you need him for?”

He moves towards the door, unlocking it with a practiced pattern of fingers. 

“Never you mind Lou, excellent job toda-where are his earplugs?”

I look behind me, finding that the radio demon is still asleep.

ShitshitshitSHIT-

“IT DIDN’T SEEM LIKE HE NEEDED THEM!” I call, and he snaps awake.

Vox glitches a little, glaring at me.

“I can hear you fine.”

“Ah! My apologies.” I say as the radio demon sits up and stares at Vox warily, giving me a quick glance.

Vox produces another set from his coat, giving me a hard look.

“New rule, these are to be on at all times. ” He said, and I can hear the suspicion in his voice.

My expression becomes firm and cold as I nod, crossing my legs and turning back to my ducks. 

“I’ll keep that in mind, sir.” I say, voice entirely obedient.

“Lovely.” Vox said, already sounding calmer.

I close my eyes, mouth tightening as I look down.

“I must veto that, I’m afraid!” The demon said cheerily from inside.

“Bold of you to assume you get a choice. ” Vox responds cruelly.

My throat tightens painfully as I hear the struggle, the screeches of static and rage as the demon continues to fight.

“ Lou! ” My boss suddenly yowls, and my jaw clenches.

“...Yes?”

“ Help me- ” Vox grunts, sounding strained. 

“ Yes you SHOULD. I would ADORE another thing to chew on! ” The demon shouts maniacally.(Jesus christ. OW)

I groan, letting out a long breath as I tilt my head back against the wall.

My life sucks.

“ Lou! ” 

“Coming.” I grunt in annoyance, heaving myself to my feet.

Fire appears in my fist as I walk in with a deep frown.

Vox is currently beneath the demon’s ripping claws, horrible laughter spouting from his mouth as he tears cables out of the back of his head. How cute of him.

“That’s enough of that.” I say apathetically, thrusting my hand towards the tangling overlords. The fire forms a cord, tugging Vox out of the way.

“But I’m having such a delightful time.” The demon protests, spreading his arms as shadows appear around him. 

“...Sorry.” I mutter, the regret at what I’m about to do flooding through me for just an instant before I tap into power.

I slam the demon into the floor, claw digging into his chest as I roar into his face. 

“ STILL. ” I order, green eyes flashing.

And he froze.

My shoulders sink as Vox lets out a breath.

“Impressive.” The TV praises.

It’s just Assistir. A quick bit of time control. Not too much-that would sap him-but he can give a little.

“Yeah.” I say tiredly as I step away again, letting Vox do the job.

The demon reanimates the moment after the instrument is back in his ears, teeth gnashing as he stared at me in pure disgust.(Deserved ow)

I only look back at him, exhaustion and despair cutting off any words I could say.

Before he can lunge for me, Vox presses a finger to the remote.

And he…screams.

I take a step back, hair raising as the demon yells in pain.

“Thank you.” Vox says pleasantly, seeming entirely unaffected. He gives the radio demon a look. “Come.”

The demon growled at him, ears shoved desperately to his skull. 

Vox raised an eyebrow, waving the remote at him like a toy.

“Come now.” He repeats. “This doesn’t have to be unpleasant.”

My hands tighten into angry fists, so tight that blood begins flowing from my palms.

Kill him kill him KILL-

I take a step back as the overlords move past me.

I watch them go, swallowing hard.

And go back to making ducks.

Chapter Text

Alastor has decided to give Vox the silent treatment.

Permanently.

He absolutely refuses to speak.

And nothing seems to sway him either.

Vox taps his fingers in annoyance to the chair he’s sitting on. It’s three days after he hired Lou, a bit into the afternoon. He’d wondered if the late night visit would change anything, but there had been no results.

“I truly don’t understand why we can’t be friends!” He tells him with a smile.

Alastor squinted at him angrily.

“Come now, a little kidnapping has never been much between us!” He said charmingly, straightening his coat. “Our relationship has lasted years! ”

The radio demon only rolled his eyes, looking away. His ears are still flipped back, twitching with the earplugs. Vox wishes the body language was more triumphant than it was. They’d spent months developing them. And the sounds he’d made were quite gratifying, sure, but it didn’t feel like Vox had won.

Not yet.

“You’re not…” Vox tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he laughed. “Oh god- really? ”

Alastor ignores him entirely. That’s fine–actually, the demon didn’t need to speak. He had done quite enough of that.

“ Lucifer? ” He asks, shaking his head as he tuts in pity. Alastor snapped his head up, eyes dark and angry. “You’re still hung up on him?”

The lack of an answer sounds positive, Vox decides.

“I suppose an outdated lover is quite on brand for you, isn’t it? ”

Alastor’s jaw grits.

“-I mean, it’s not like he’s missing you .” Vox said with a laugh. Who would honestly love Alastor besides him? “There’s no need-”

“Hello.” A monotone voice said. Vox cuts himself off, looking up to see Lou.

“What?”

He leans against the door frame, studying them apathetically for a moment.

“You said I should pick him up around now.”

Vox blinked. Had he? He couldn’t remember-

Ah, he probably had. One couldn’t play with toys for too long without them breaking, after all.

“Of course!” Vox said, straightening himself. He taps Alastor on the shoulder. “Off you go.”

The demon glares at him, but he obeys.

Vox’s smile widens.

How… refreshing.

“Lou, answer me a question before you leave.”

The overlord pauses, giving him a glance. Alastor is ahead of him, partially hidden by Lou’s larger frame.

“Yes, sir?”

“Do you think Lucifer still loves him?”

Alastor lets out an angry screech of static, and Vox’s smile widens. 

Lou’s voice is steady.

“I assume it's complicated sir."

Vox laughs. That was enough of an agreement for him.

“So should he move on then?”

Lou is silent for a moment before he speaks.

“...The king moved on from his wife to be with him. There’s no reason the same couldn’t happen now.” He turns back in Alastor’s direction, not meeting his eye. “Let’s go, radio demon.”

And they’re gone.

“Get this thing off- ” Alastor begins to order the second the door closes behind them–

Lou is already reaching for the ear killers, gently removing them with a soft sigh. Alastor blinked, a bit surprised his need had been met so easily.

“We’ll be leaving again.” Lou explained before he could ask. He still hadn’t met Alastor’s gaze, head down as he made his way down to the nearest exit. “I have a meeting.”

“Ah, how-” Alastor cut himself off this time, distant footsteps up ahead suddenly hitting him like a train to his auditory system.

He’s crumpled against a wall before he knows what’s happening, eyes squeezed shut as his ears, already scraped raw with sensitivity, screamed out in pain.

“Woah there.” Lou muttered. Alastor’s ears gravitate towards the sound instinctively, and he feels a gentle warmth trail up one of them.

Alastor quivers, relaxing somewhat before he realizes-

“ Don’t touch me. ” He snarls in rage, trying to eliminate any vulnerability he was showing as he jumps to his feet, backing away a few steps.

Lou stared up at him, his eyes full of… hurt?

What right did he have to that emotion?

Before Alastor can snap again, the warden stands as well, voice soft as he turns around and continues walking.

“I think we can take a pit stop at Rosie’s. She’ll know what to do.”

“With what, exact-”

There’s another sound–the angry yelling of Velvette from her studio a few floors down–and Alastor’s knees practically buckled from weakness.

“That.” Lou muttered with a glance towards him.

“...and what exactly is going to stop me from getting rescued then and there?” Alastor challenges.

At that, Lou laughs–making his voice quieter so he didn’t have to wince.

“I wish you would.” He said with a shake of his head. “But I know you’re too prideful for that. You’ll die before you ask for help.”

Alastor bares his teeth at the warden, unable to admit he’s right.

He abandons his plan, beginning to swirl around fire again.

Once the travel point is activated, Alastor places a hand to it without hesitation. Seeing Rosie sounds spectacular at the moment, actually.

We reappear at the door of Rosie’s Emporium, the demon already moving forward. I stare at it in dread for a moment before following. I’ll just…stay on the outskirts. Sit in a corner. Maybe no one will notice me.

I…don’t like going here.

I really, really don’t.

Rosie hates me.

And it…sucks.

Because she didn’t before. She-she liked Lucifer quite a lot, actually. But Lou? She would gladly eat Lou’s organs. Actually she probably wouldn’t even do him the service. She would disembowel him angrily at the first opportunity, though. That was for certain.

It was fair, though. Because Rosie had only spoken to Lilith.

Sure, my benevolent master allowed me to have amounts of freedom when interacting with unimportant souls, such as my neighbors, but Rosie? The main ally to Charlie throughout the past decade and her biggest overlord supporter besides the radio demon? Nope. That was all her.

“ Alastor? ” The cannibal asked with a gasp, running up to him and hugging him. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you! What-”

The demon winced hard, and she froze as, at that exact fucking moment, the universe made her notice me.

“ You. ” She growled angrily, pushing past him and stalking towards me. I shrink back a little. “What are you doing here?”

I look at the ground, avoiding her eyes.

I hate this I hate this please just leave me alone-

“I’m-uh. He’s hurt. I felt like maybe you could help-”

“How many times do I have to tell you that I am loyal to the queen alone ?” She growled in disdain.

No no I didn’t mean it it wasn’t me please please just leave me alone-

“Th-this isn’t about that, ma’am.” I stutter softly.

“If I hear one word about a favor I will kill you.” 

“O-okay.” I say, desperately wishing she would so I wouldn’t have to listen to one of my closest friends actually hate me with every fiber of their being.

The demon blinked, looking equal parts confused and curious.

“You know him?”

“ Unfortunately. ” Rosie whipped around, and I let out a soft breath of relief as I backed against a wall like a scared rabbit, wrapping my arms around myself in a hug. “Now, what can I do for you ?”

Calm down. I tell myself, trying to soothe my very sad and angry brain. It’s going off about the demon hating me too at the moment, but it’s not as bad because…

Because only I have talked to him.

My actions haven’t been perfect, I know, but they have been my own.

Once Lilith was here…  

I can’t think about that.

I just need to get him out of Vox’s prison beforehand.

Suddenly, Rosie is yelling at me again.

My eyes snap open as she roars, black eyes full of rage.

“ YOU HURT HIM?”

“No.” I murmur, still trying to keep quiet for the radio demon’s sake. He’s staring at me, head tilted as he studies. I look back at the ground. “But I am…involved.”

“I could kill him.” Rosie offers suddenly, turning towards the demon. “May I? It would be incredibly pleasant.”

I finally sink down the wall, sighing as I fully enter self-soothing mode. 

Breathe. I tell myself as I hug my knees, pressing my forehead down. Breathe, Lucifer. Calm down.

I finally draw in a breath, then let it out.

Alastor watches his warden as he shrinks into a compact, scared little form.

“He’s being quite…pathetic.” Alastor observes aloud. In fact, you could barely guess the amount of power this man held at the moment.

“Hm.” Rosie gives him a glance, brow furrowing. “Oh, you’re right.” She blinked, looking confused. “That’s strange. He’s been very arrogant and insufferable before now.”

“....I need healing.” Alastor said, turning away and choosing to not look at him for the moment. “Recent events have been quite…difficult. Particularly on my ears.”

“Oh.” At that, Rosie crossed her arms. “I wonder how that happened.” She gives Lou’s crouched form another glare. Alastor has no idea what happened between them, but it had to have been terrible for her to be this rude to him.

And for him to be reduced to…that. His mind adds.

But for some reason, Alastor doesn't want her attention on him.

“He happens to have acted…differently than the ones who have done this to me. But that is besides the point. Can you help?”

“Depends.” She said, tapping her fingers to a glass case absentmindedly. “Is it internal?”

“It does…seem that way, yes.”

She scrunches up her face.

“Then that will be difficult.”

There’s a tentative voice from behind them.

“I can help.” Lou said, still not looking up. “But he doesn’t want me to touch him.”

“Fair!” Rosie said with a bright, cruel laugh. “Nor do I!”

He winces hard, but presses on.

“I was thinking that…if you had a conduit I could use that to heal him.”

“OH!” Rosie suddenly turned on her heel, glaring at the warden again. “So you mean I should just let you use magic on him?”

“It’s fine.” Alastor interrupts simply as Lou shrinks back even further. “What harm can he do?”

“You would be surprised.” Rosie said darkly.

“I suppose I’ll take my chances.”

Rosie paused for a moment, face twitching in annoyance.

“Fine.” Rosie agrees begrudgingly. “I’ll be back.”

“Come on then, warden.” Alastor prompts, trying to sound breezy and uncaring.

Lou is still nervous looking as he stands to his feet again, shaking a little as he moves to stand beside Alastor again.

He looked at the warden, raising an eyebrow.

“Are you crying?”

“Am I?” Lou asked, wiping a tear off and studying it curiously. “Huh.”

“Why does she scare you so much?”

“Oh…I um…I used to know her. And…now she doesn’t know me–I mean, she does. But not…me. If that makes sense.”

Alastor stared at him.

“It doesn’t.”

“Okay…I don’t like being yelled at?”

“I yell at you constantly.”

“Yeah but you hate everyone. Rosie?” Lou shook his head, despair in his eyes. “You have to fuck up bad to get her to hate you.”

“So what did you do?”

Lou shrugged helplessly.

“I can only guess.”

Alastor blinked, tilting his head.

“What do you mea-”

“Alright.” Rosie said, coming back with a human heart. She hands it to the warden. “Here. Once he eats it whatever magic you imbue will-” She suddenly cut herself off, looking taken aback as she looked at Lou. “Your…” She blinked. “Your eyes are different.”

Lou looked away again.

“Just give me a second.” He says, voice pained as he held the heart.

Slow golden magic begins to flood around the organ.

“Are you under a-”

“That is none of your concern.” He interrupts, staring off into space. 

Alastor tilts his head, humming in curiosity. 

“What were you going to say?”

“I…” Rosie shook her head, her eyes suddenly pitying rather than annoyed. “Never mind that.”

Alastor looked between them, feeling entirely out of the loop as Lou placed the organ into his hands.

“There.” He said calmly. 

Alastor looked down at the human heart, mouth immediately watering at the offer of something actually edible.

He’s just bringing it to his mouth when he freezes.

What am I doing?

“Never mind.” Alastor said, handing the heart to Rosie and turning away. He could handle having sensitive ears–he was the radio demon! He could handle anything. 

“You…don’t need it?” Rosie asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lou was staring at him. Hard.

“He does.” He said flatly.

“Then why-” Rosie began to ask.

“-Take it as a gift, my dear!” Alastor said to Rosie cheerfully.“You now have a rare magical item, congratulations!”

The warden gave him a stink eye.

“Would you…give us a moment please, ma’am?” He asked Rosie with the utmost politeness.

Rosie glanced between them for a moment before she sighed and nodded, taking the heart back with her.

“What do you want? ” Alastor asked Lou, annoyance making his jaw clench as he firmly crossed his arms behind his back.

The warden glared at him.

“I just survived Rosie for you.” He hissed at him, eyes narrowing to slits as his tail swished angrily behind him. “ Eat the goddamn heart. ”

“I’m entirely fine, warden!” Alastor lied through his teeth.

“I am not willing to watch you in pain, radio demon.”

“ Really? You’re in the wrong profession then!” Alastor said with a cruel laugh.

“ I didn’t even know it was you, idiot! ”

That made Alastor pause.

“Whatever do you mean?”

“You really think I would make a deal knowing-” He’s suddenly cut off as he whitens for a moment. Then he shook his head. “Just-eat the heart.”

“Vox didn’t tell you it was me?”

“No.”

Hm. That fact…causes Alastor gratification.

“Well then, I still will not be eating anything–I’m not hungry in the slightest!”

“ Why? ” Lou seemed genuinely frustrated. 

“I have found that I’ve healed myself, actually! How miraculous!” Alastor claimed breezily.

“What in the world are you worried about?” Lou asked, ignoring him. “You’ve been healed befo-”

“ YES! ” Alastor snapped in agreement. “I have! Once . I have let one person heal me, warden. And you are not that person. ” His voice downpitches angrily. “You will never be that person.”

Lou froze, staring at him searchingly. He must be taken aback by Alastor’s outburst. Ideally that means he’ll just leave him alone-

“He doesn’t mind.” The warden says finally.

“Wha-”

Lou plows on. He’s not looking at Alastor.

“He’d care…much more about how stubborn you’re being. Don’t you think?”

Alastor looked at him, brain too full to think.

“I-”

The warden suddenly turns away.

“I’ll be waiting outside. Do what you want.”

I hear the door of Rosie’s Emporium close behind me as I find a safety wall.

It’s exactly what it sounds like, why do you ask?

I clench my claws around the stones, breathing hard as I try to battle back the wave of emotion in me, leaning against it.

The worst emotion ever.

Hope.

He cares! My mind asks brightly. Brightly! Imagine that. I thought Lilith had pulled me into darkness years ago.

You don’t know that. I responded. Logically. Patiently.

He was talking about ME! It sang in delight, ignoring me. Maybe he still loves-

He was talking about LUCIFER. I practically roar in response. I can’t do this to myself. I can’t pretend like anyone I care about will ever care back.

Never again.

It’s quiet for a moment, and I sigh as I clench my jaw.

Look. I tell it harshly. We are going to free him. And that will be IT. You gave him this chance, there’s just-you can’t go and ruin it for him.

…okay. It agrees softly.

And the feeling fades.

I close my eyes, feeling my shoulders sink.

And Alast-the demon’s voice speaks from beside me.

“You’re under a deal?”

Chapter Text

My eyes snapped open as I stared at him wildly.

And my air is instantly cut off.

OKAY I’M WORKING ON IT. I practically scream down my chain as panic twists my heart. It releases and I can speak again.

“No.” I tell him. Firm and confident.

He blinked in confusion.

“But. You-”

I turn away, tears pricking at my eyes before I repress them.

“We have to go.”

“ Wait. How? Is it-it’s Vox, right?”

I don’t respond. I probably wouldn’t if I could.

He runs after me.

I suppose there’s a first time for everything. I think dryly.

“It would make sense that you…exist as you do. Despite being under him.” He tilts his head at me. “Yes?”

I look at him tiredly for a moment before I point to my ears and look away again.

The demon furrowed his brow.

“I can hear you fine. The healing worked-” I sigh, and he cuts himself off. “Ears–wait. The earpiece. I’m not wearing it and Vox ordered you to-”

I glance at him approvingly, unable to nod(can you tell how many times Lilith has had to order me about this yet?).

“So…who then?”

…

It’s incredible, really. How thick this man is.

“I think we should return.” I say vaguely, groaning as I realize I can’t summon any fire at the moment. No magic if I’m this close to breaking an order. 

I glare at Alastor.

Thanks . I think.

“Follow me.” I say, beginning to move quickly towards the tower again. This will be his last night in the cell with any luck. Maybe even a half-night.

“Just tell me! ”

I CAN’T, YOU BIMBO.

“...I am not under a soul deal.” I say patiently. We’ve exited cannibal town again.

“You are, according to Rosie. You were under someone else’s control?”

I stare at him, so entirely amazed at his idiocy that I can’t quite respond.

How in god’s name did this man ever deceive me into thinking he loved me back? He’s around as subtle as a brick to the forehead.

Then I hear a soft mutter in my head.

Er…you coming? ‘Cause we can probably wait-

I place a hand to my temple with a frown.

I’ll be there in around half an hour. Doable?

Sure. I-um…I should prolly let ya know that I have a few friends. Is that…okay?

No problem. I respond absentmindedly before giving the radio demon a glance. I can’t use fire travel again–the amount of power that’s necessary for it is ridiculous and draining. And that’s not to mention moving two bodies at once.

“Hm.” I mutter to myself, ignoring him as he continues talking (how long have you been under a deal? I knew it didn’t feel right-I mean-no, It simply seemed unmatched . Your demeanor and-you-your actions I suppose-) I gaze up at the buildings around us, squinting as I map a way up.

People have done many things to avoid a conversation with Alastor.

Horrendous screaming, excuses, pretending as though they don’t know the language he’s speaking, running away at top speed, ect ect.

Alastor didn’t mind in the least. He found it quite amusing, actually. How far one would go under the influence of their own fear.

That being said, this was the first time one had literally begun climbing a wall to escape him.

“What exactly are you doing?” He asked pleasantly as Lou began heaving himself up the nearest building, claws digging into stone as he scrambled up it.

“Being–” The warden let out a heaving breath as he stretched up again. “-- athletic. ”

“Ah! How impressive!”

Alastor watched him struggle for a moment longer before he stretched up a tentacle of shadow and lifted himself easily to the shortest windowsill, sitting on it calmly.

“So. Who did you make a deal with then?” He asked casually, crossing his legs and looking down at him.

The warden let out a frustrated breath.

“Where’s your respect?” He asked, seeming fully unserious as he hoisted himself closer. “This is supposed to be–a clear power imbalance.”

“Such is why it makes quite a lot of sense that you’re under someone else’s control.” Alastor remarked, raising his eyebrows as Lou finally boosted his way up to his level. He glared at him, still breathing hard.

“That–is rude –radio demon.”

Alastor furrowed his brow at him, shadow traveling to the next floor as the warden continued ascending.

“Rudeness hardly lessens the truth of a statement.”

“The– truth -” Lou panted. “-Is that you’re an asshole. ”

“How creative!” Alastor remarked, unfazed. “Now, do me a favor and tell me.” 

Lou yanked himself up a few more feet, pulling himself up onto Alastor’s ledge.

“Two things-” He began, holding up two fingers and staring at him. Alastor shadow traveled to the roof of the building, and Lou let out an annoyed groan, beginning the last leg. “ First– when exactly have you cared about me?”

“Never!” Alastor said cheerfully. 

“ Second– do you let your souls talk about you?”

And Alastor finally figured it out.

“Ah.”

“‘Ah’ is right.” Lou said in exasperation, heaving a leg up and over the final stretch of brick before flopping over on the other side of the wall with a groan.

“You certainly are athletic!” Alastor complimented with a cackle, looking down at his sprawled form.

The warden popped his head up, giving him a dirty look.

“I was athletic back in my hayday, you twerp.”

“ What did you just call me?” Alastor asked in surprise as he laboriously stood to his feet.

“A twerp.” Lou repeated, shaking himself out like a dog and pulling a coal out of seemingly nowhere before tossing it in his mouth. It made horrid crunching noises as he chewed.

“I am not.” Alastor spluttered. Yes, he was entirely used to being called names. But this old man slang took him off guard.

“Sure you aren’t, princess.” The warden said, seeming unconvinced. “Now you just sit here and look pretty. I’ll reunite us when I get back.”

Alastor gave him a withering glare.

“I am not pretty.”

Except to…to one person. But they were gone now, so it made enough sense that he simply wasn’t pretty anymore.

“Sit there and look ugly then.” Lou amended flippantly.

Alastor winced.

“ Hey. ” He didn’t like hearing that from his mouth either. Though the question of why remained entirely unanswered. “Perhaps I will come with you, then!” 

“You’re welcome to.” Lou said with a shrug as Alastor stood to his feet as well.

He gave him a snide glance. 

“ If you can keep up.”

Alastor starts to laugh condescendingly.

“I’m quite sure I-”

And he was gone.

Alastor whips his head around, just fast enough to see Lou making a flying leap to another roof and landing with a soft ‘boof’.

“W-wait!” Alastor began, turning around. What was with him and being left by this man?

Lou only gave him a victorious grin behind his shoulder before he began running again.

“You-you little-” He sputtered.

“ARE YOU COMING OR WHAT?” He called.

Alastor took a breath, trying hard to not be nauseated by the drop as he backed away a few steps and jumped.

He’s purely weightless for a moment before his feet find solid ground. He can’t help but grin at his success, then-

Dear god, where was he?

Alastor finally spotted him-what, 3 roofs away?

“THIS IS BARBARIC.” He yells to him.

“WE’RE IN HELL!” Lou shouted back, laughing in ecstasy as he lunged up another wall. “THIS IS THE PLACE FOR IT!”

“Dear lord. ” Alastor muttered to himself.

Then he started running as well.

I don’t wait for him.

What do you take me for, a loser?

I’m going to beat this idiot. Sure, I would’ve slowed down before, tried to make banter with the man I loved as we raced over the rooftops. I would’ve found it terribly romantic, would’ve tried to make him slip with sweet words and well-timed compliments.

But now?

I was going to race this fucker just as feircely as he deserved.

“SLOPPY!” I shout behind me, glancing at a wall and laughing as I realize it’s perfectly tilted for me to run over it. Goat powers. They are few but mighty.

“SAYS YOU!” The demon called faintly, definitely incredibly far behind me. 

I dance over another, my hooves scittering through another landing. 

“MYYY SLOPPINESS IS ENTIRELY ON-PURPOSE, BELLHOP!” I taunt, sliding through another.

I hear a surprised bleat, then the sound of claws ripping over wood.

“ Fuck. ” I hiss, tapping my wrist. “Reunite.”

Alastor’s falling is abruptly cut off as he’s teleported to Lou’s side again.

And by ‘side’, he of course means right above him.

Into.

His.

Arms.

“You are the least graceful deer I’ve met.” The warden sniffed, looking down at him.

“I-I-I- I- ” Alastor stutters horribly. His arms are holding him bridal-style to his chest. He hadn’t tried to slip but something he’d said had just thrown him off is all…wha-what had he said? Alastor couldn’t remember. That was certainly concerning. How long had he been just- touched like this? It was entirely the warden’s fault he’d fallen, anyway. Though he could have saved himself easily . His faithful shadows had never failed him. Shit. He had to tell him to put him down, right? Wait, why hadn’t he used his shadows in the first place?? There was no need to run at ALL! 

“It seems I’ve caused an internal crisis.” Lou observed, interrupting him.

Alastor stared at him with wide eyes, realizing his face was incredibly red.

“NO!” He shouted over his very loud and very confused brain.

Lou snorted before placing him onto the ground again.

“So how many times are you planning on falling? Because we’re still a ways off.”

Alastor sat there, feeling strangely empty.

“How…far?” He asked, looking down at his claws.

Lou laughed easily.

“I dunno.”

“Because I am…feeling quite tired!” Alastor said, finally finding a complete sentence.

“Are you now?” Lou asked, crossing his arms and turning around.

“Yes.” Alastor said with a vigorous nod.

The man tilted his head, studying him for a moment.

Then a grin split over his face.

“How lovely!” 

Alastor readied himself as he bent down again, placing a light hand on him-

“Do your shadow travel then!” The warden said with an approving nod.

Alastor deflated.

“What?”

“Just shadow travel to the prison.” 

Alastor stared at him like he was crazy. How in the world had he gotten to that conclusion?

Lou frowned at him.

“What else were you planning on doing?”

I knew exactly what the demon was planning on doing.

He wanted me to carry him back.

Funnily enough, there was no way I was doing that.

For many reasons! Including but not limited to:

1. The entire fucking point of seeing Rosie was because he wouldn’t let me touch him. 
2. He clearly didn’t fully understand what was going on. And it felt weirdly wrong-and-non-consent-like considering the situation to take advantage of half-remembered moments and deja vu.
3. That hurts. Badly. The fact that he’d had let me snuggle with him pre-Lilith was a way to cure his bothersome touch-starvation. I’d believed it was trust and love and all that gooey shit, but that was never the case. The fact he was just moving from Lucifer to Lou at his convenience only proved that further.
4. I am petty. I am not hugging this horrible man who betrayed me.

So therefore it is shadow or nothin’ , buster.

“I’m waiting.” I say, turning up the pressure.

The demon looked put out for a moment longer.

I look away, feeling an emotion clog my throat.

And then we vanish into darkness.

“COLD!” I screech without permission, hopping away from him and shuddering. Holy shit. How in the world had I done that before?? That was insane!

“Yes. Shadows are often like that.” the radio demon said with a little grumble, going to his cot and sitting down so he’s facing the wall.

Oh he was mad. What a shame.

I sigh, then pick up my bag to peek inside it again. Full to the brim with yellow rubber ducks.

And I realize I can’t do this anymore.

I doubt I need to explain the ‘this’ to you. Everything. All the things. More specifically this...strange reuniting thing I’d been doing. It wasn’t good for him.

Or me.

It was time to end this.

“Gotta go.” 

“ What? ” The radio demon hissed in response, immediately standing to his feet again. “ No. I’m coming with you.”

“...Why?” I respond, genuinely confused.

Why in the world would he want to spend time with me? Ever?

Without a chain telling him he had to?

“I-just-” He looked horribly overwhelmed as he shoved himself into a ball, sinking onto his cot again.

I stare at him.

UGH.

“Could you please stop being pathetic?” I ask with a soft growl, placing two fingers to my forehead.

“I am…not having an easy time at the moment.” The demon admitted, voice slightly muffled.

“Nor am I!” I say, gesturing at the body that isn’t mine in a chain I didn’t earn with a man who didn’t love me back. “Notice how I am hiding my emotions? ” I take a few steps closer to him. “Isn’t that your whole thing? ”

He didn’t respond.

And my gaze softens.

As it will. Over and over and over again.

I sigh, then sit beside him.

“Do you…need touch right now?” I ask, resigned to my role.

And then.

He…says something different.

“I shouldn’t.”

I froze, turning towards him.

“You-”

He interrupts me.

“I-I shouldn’t. I’ve-I’ve never since him and now…now he’s gone so it doesn’t even-even matter.”

“What-” Him? Me? But what about-

“ No. ” The demon snarled angrily, wincing away from me. “I-I should never have even asked I can’t-can’t believe myself. H-how am I so stupid. So-so horrible that I’d-”

His shoulders are shaking.

His breath is unsteady.

His face is buried in his arms.

I stare at him.

Alastor.

Crying…over me.

Chapter Text

Angel Dust was not worried to meet his new master.

Nope. Not at all.

Who could be when an entire fratellanza of heavily-armed allies were with him?

Sure, it would have been nice to have the queen of hell there, but apparently Rosie had just found a lead to Alastor and Charlie had been gone in a flash, giving Angel a few half-assed apologies because however could the lil’ helpless radio demon survive without her?

But it was fine. 

Angel Dust was fine.

“Er…you doin’ alright kid? You’ve been pretty quiet.” Husk asked him, somewhat awkwardly despite his kind eyes.

“What? You like the sound of my voice?” Angel asked, grinning.

“I’m used to my bello chiacchierone , what can I say?” The cat asked gruffly. 

Angel shoved him, nervousness showing through his blush.

“Don’t fluster me with your terrible Italian pronunciations right now, whiskers!”

Husk looked adorably offended. He’d started learning Angel’s language a few months before the short king had gone and everything went to shit. Angel was pretty sure he’d gotten the advice from him, but Husk refused to say.

“Hey! You told me I was improving!”

“You are ! But I’m also about to meet Lou and I am terrified. ”

At that, Cherri blinked her eye at him. She’d been tossing a bomb as per usual, cutting off the fuse right before it exploded for the thrill of it. 

“ Lou? ”

“Yes, that’s my-”

“Oh you’re going to be fine. ” The pyromaniac said with a cheery laugh. 

Husk stared at her, mouth agape.

“You know him?”

Cherri seemed oblivious to Husk’s surprise. Angel wasn’t nearly as shocked. If Cherri didn’t think someone was too important, she wouldn’t talk about them. After all, she lived off excitement.

“Yup. Cool guy but a total buzzkill.”

“Rude.” A voice hums, emerging into the hotel’s lobby. Lou stands there calmly, staring around the room with an unreadable expression for a moment before he looks at their group with a small smile. “I simply have an early bedtime, Cherri.”

“‘Early bedtime’ my ass!” She mocked competitively. Angel tilted his head, his throat closing as he saw his new keeper.  “You never sleep, fireball.”

“Hm.” He responded noncommittally before turning back to Angel.

And bowing.

Angel stared at him, eyes wide in confusion and suspicion.

“Good to meet you, Angel Dust.” He chuckled as he straightened. “Well, re-meet.”

Husk stepped forward, thunder in his eyes as a wing twitched towards Angel protectively. 

“Who the hell are you? ”

Lou’s eyes go to Husk, and he doesn’t speak for a moment before he looks away again, clearing his throat.

“A smaller overlord. No need to worry.”

“Are you kidding me? My boyfriend just got a new goddamn master. Of course I’m worried.”

At that, Lou brightened.

“You’re still together, then?”

Angel stared at him, brow furrowing.

‘Still’? His mind repeated slowly.

“Why…wouldn’t we be?” He asked slowly, scanning him. This guy…gave him a weird feeling.

And he’d learned from the mafia that weird feelings were worth looking into.

“Ah!” He clapped his hands, looking embarrassed. “I’m getting out of hand again. My apologies.”

“Um…it’s okay?” He asked.

Lou looked incredibly uncomfortable for a moment before he dragged a hand through his hair awkwardly.

“AHEM! I suppose I was wondering if you have any questions for m-oh that is very sharp. ” He said, taking a step back as Nifty pointed a sewing needle at his throat, having taken his collar in one hand. He looked at her cheerfully, a smile flashing over his face. “That is impressively sharp, in fact.”

“HUSK SAID I SHOULD STAB!!!” She said with a malicious cackle.

Lou blinked at her, raising an eyebrow.

“Since when has Husk controlled your stabbing?”

“Since-” Nifty paused, frowning. “...wait. He never has.”

“Huh!”

“Huh!” Nifty agreed with a nod. Then she slid off him and sauntered away. 

Husk watched her go, tail lashing.

“Is no one else concerned?”

“You haven’t-ah-let me speak, to be fair.” Lou said, brushing off his coat.

“I don’t need to. ” Husk snarled.

“...I suppose that’s true?” Lou agreed, seeming slightly confused.

“Wait wait wait.” Angel began, pushing past his attack cat and beginning to scan the overlord carefully, circling him. Slightly battered clothes, a carefully tucked tail, an ear that flicked now and again- “...you don’t seem evil.”

Lou looked up at him, pupils dilating for a moment. 

Angel tilted his chin up, his signature sharp smile flashing.

“Ya wanna fuck me, daddy?”

Lou looked disgusted.

“...not particularly.”

Angel sighed, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders.

“Thank god. ” He released him, placing a set of arms on his hips. “Then…what exactly do ya want?”

Lou smiled, then closed his eyes for a moment.

Angel shuddered, a shiver going up his spine.

Then they made eye contact.

And his eyes…

They were-

“Pink looks good on ya, fireball.”

“Thank you Cherri.”

And Lou extended a side of arms-three on each, studying them curiously. 

“It’s just a bit of power, Angel…Dust.” He said his name awkwardly, like he was used to calling him something different.

Angel was suddenly struck by a feeling.

“Did-did I know you before?” He asked, excitement making his voice louder.

Lou stiffened, his hands clenching.

Yes! That was it. Angel knew he was acting weird.

“I did! Were you part of the mafia?” He hummed in compilation. “Or maybe a client? I could’a sworn I murdered you before.”

“The-what-ha!” Lou stuttered, shaking his head with a soft laugh. The extra pairs of arms were already retracting. “No. No, I've only spoken to you in hell.”

“Okay wait. ” Husk said, holding up his hands in a ‘stop’ gesture. He pointed at the overlord. “What the fuck was that?”

“I can conduit power.” Lou explained calmly. “So the uniqueness of souls when it comes to how their abilities manifest is incredibly valuable to me.”

“Can you hurt him like that?” Husk asked fiercely. Angel was almost impressed with how animated the cat was at the moment–he was normally suave but not this...aggressive.

He’s supportive o’ me, I spose. Angel thought, warmth filling him as his smile widened.

Lou nodded, and Angel immediately took a step back from him.

“What? How?” 

“If I take too much, it could kill him.” Lou said, seeming apologetic. “And he can’t…really control how much I take.”

Husk was now thoroughly losing his mind. So was Angel, but it showed more in fear. In freezing. In laughing and trying to move on.

The cat, however, had claws.

“ What?”

“...yeah.”

Husk was on him in an instant, angelic-steel coated cards poised at his throat.

“ Don’t you dare. ”

Lou stared at him, and his eyes…

Oh god.

They were shattered.

Angel’s shoulders fell as he remembered something…very specific.

From over a decade ago.

The light in the princess’s eyes dying as he ordered her to leave Valentino’s studio.

…that pained look of betrayal.

“...Charlie?” Angel asked softly, barely understanding what his mouth was saying. Maybe-had she somehow figured out her dad’s shapeshifting? Was this her somehow?

Lou’s head snapped towards him as he looked around, hope replacing the despair in his expression. 

Angel’s eyes widened.

What-

Lilith felt an alarm bell go off in her head, and she straightened suddenly.

Sera blinked at her, surprised.

“Is…something wrong?”

She couldn’t help but laugh at the seraphim’s politeness, kissing her to loosen her up.

“My souls, you know how it is.” She said with a flippant wave of her hand.

Her wife blinked, only looking more concerned. Lilith couldn’t help but frown.

She had never been planning to actually fall for this being.

She hadn’t. Honestly.

It was supposed to be a purely-manipulative relationship. Lilith needed control in heaven, and Sera had it. It was simple. Ever so simple. A piece in her plan that could be so easily enacted it was insulting.

This was before she’d seen her blush for the first time. Before she’d heard the concern in her voice when she talked about Emily being corrupted. Before she’d seen her full angelic form-dear god that was hot. Before Lilith began to wonder how straight she truly was.

Then…well. Needless to say it had become more complicated.

Complicated to the point that Lilith had begun thinking of ways to omit Sera from her plans. 

Complicated to the point where Sera had agreed to take her back to Eden. Just once…and they’d actually talked.

Complicated to the point where the proposition of marriage had just been…too perfect to resist. Not tempting. Lilith could say safely that she no longer was interested in temptation. But perfection? Pure angelic adoration?

Her ruined, tattered soul hadn’t been able to resist.

So here they were, on their honeymoon. And it had been wonderful.

But of course, like most things, Lucifer was ruining everything.

“I’ll only be a moment.” She assured her, standing to her feet and summoning a portal back to her heavenly suite.

“You said no business.” Sera said in her disappointed voice.

Lilith’s expression tightened.

“This is the difficult business.”

“Difficult or no, I must insist you stay.”

Lilith rubbed a hand down her face. 

“I must keep up my persona, dear.”

“Not tonight, you don’t.” Sera responded, and Lilth turned around to see the seraphim’s  expression…confident. An eyebrow raised and a small smirk on her face.

Fuuuuuck. 

She was so so hot when she was like this.

“Don’t do this to me.” She half groaned half begged.

“One more night.” Sera repeated, holding up a finger. Lilith sighed, giving the portal another glance.

“It will be so quick.” She promised. Only Sera could get promises without chains.

“So will finishing a full business week without work.” Sera countered cleverly. “Please, you’re old enough to realize you don’t need to be punctual.”

Lilith groaned. She did. All of her plans were long term. Patient. Slowly letting ripples pan out so she could control the larger wave.

Sera understood that.

Lilith’s gaze softened.

“I will give you a few hours.”

“That or eternity?”

“Hm.” Lilith laughed as she sent a message down Lucifer’s deal. A promise.

I know.

“I think both.” She responded, sitting on her seraphim’s lap and kissing her deeply.

Chapter Text

My entire being freezes with pure ice as I’m filled with dread.

I know.

What, exactly? I’d been doing so many things that my master wouldn’t approve of that I can barely distinguish what she’s angry about anymore.

But-does that mean the radio demon got out? That my plan worked? Or-oh god. What-

That’s when I notice Angel’s expression.

Oh no.

Ohnonononno no -

“Luci-?” He starts.

“NOPE!” I yell in a panic, pointing at him. I throw Husk off easily(mrow!), clearing my throat loudly. “Nope nope nope we are not doing that!”

“But-”

“Stop!” I shout, and Angel shut up abruptly. 

Too abruptly.

Oh god fuck no no no-

I’d just ordered a soul.

“I-crap I just-” I took a deep breath, placing my head in my hands for a moment before I forced a horrible attempt at a smile onto my face. “OKAY. Could you give me and Angel a moment please?”

Husk stared at me in pure distrust(owowowowowow-).

“Are you kidding-”

“It’s fine, Husky.” Angel said, still staring at me. There’s a smile of…delight on his face.

And I can’t help but feel good. 

Just for a moment.

To be seen again.

Then I remember that I’m completely fucked and shake out of it.

“YES! So-just-five minutes!” I call, practically shoving the spider out of the room and into a hallway.

The moment we’re out of earshot, he’s shaking my shoulders. 

“ Lucifer! ” He hissed in an excited whisper.

“ Hi! ” I respond in an even lower tone, glancing over my shoulder nervously. How long do I even have before Lilith calls me? It’s inevitable, isn’t it? I half-expect a portal to spawn and drag me away right this instant.

“You’re alive!?” He asked enthusiastically. “Does Charlie know? Does Alastor? I can’t believe you freed yourself–then again it was probably no issue for ya, right short king?”

“Angel.” I begin, breathing hard as I meet his many, many bright eyes. “You can’t tell– anyone. ”

“What-” He tilted his head, smile falling. “-But-you can fix everything. You can fix them-us-how…” Angel’s entire form drooped. “You… wanted to leave?”

“ NO!” I practically scream, eyes desperate. “No, no of course not. I-I had to. Lilith- ” I let out a panicked gasp. How long until she comes how long how long-

“Oh god.” Angel stared at me. “You’re still on a leash.”

“I-I can’t answer that.”

“You are then.”

I don’t speak, but Angel knows what I’m trying to say. He’s lived for years under someone else’s control.

“Alastor doesn’t know, does he.” The spider states, seeming entirely put out.

I shake my head.

“No, and I don’t want him to either. He’s doing just fine without me.”

Angel tilted his head back in a laugh.

A…hysterical laugh.

I stare at him as he wipes a tear from bottom right eye.

“Yer kidding!” He said through giggles. Then he stopped abruptly, scanning my gaze. “Wait. You don’t actually think-”

“That’s besides the point.” I say, moving the subject away from something with unlimited questions and no answers. “I took your soul to…to try and help, somewhat. But I’m worried that-”

Suddenly I’m struck by an idea.

“Can you read?”

Angel looked slightly offended.

“Yes??”

“IT’S BEEN SIX MINUTES, FIREBALL! THE CAT’S GONNA START PISSING ON STUFF.”

“I am not. ” Husk’s voice protests, and I laugh as I feel my eyes glaze over with tears. God I missed these people.

“Look Angel I-” I pull out the notes on deals, handing them to him. “-You know I have trouble with letters. If-if you can figure anything out on how to free a soul just send it down and I’ll give your chain back, okay?”

Angel stared at me, blinking in surprise.

“You would do that?”

“I’m your friend. You…you all are. Even if-”

“HE’S SCRATCHING THE FURNITURE!”

“Tattletale! ”

“-If you aren’t mine.” I admit sadly. Angel reaches out a hand, and I straighten abruptly. “I’m not going to own you.”

“Got it, short king.” Angel said with a laugh.

And he…hugs me.

I stiffen for a moment, so unused to touch that I don’t respond.

But then-

“...I’m happy to help, Angel.” I say softly, returning the gesture.

The spider pulls away, a grin on his face.

“Wanna go get drunk?”

I blink, then suddenly laugh.

“ Yes. ”

Now, there is a chance that you don’t know this, but angels(the heavenly, flappy kind) cannot be affected by liquor.

For a lot of boring, annoying reasons. Mostly pertaining to this vibe of ‘no one can touch us, we’re holy and shit!’.

Sinners , though?

Sinners can get completely wasted.

And I was in the mood to get wasted.