Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Kripke and Jim Henson. I own nothing. At all. Sadly.
Also published on Ao3
Within You
It was all a game of cat and mouse. Lucifer hunted Sam, and Sam evaded capture. Sam would lay traps for Lucifer who would disarm them and turn them back on Sam. Whenever one got close, the other slipped further out of reach.
Eventually, all the games and all the traps led to them meeting. Sam realized he must have fallen afoul to one of Lucifer's plans. They had been investigating an old art museum, before Lucifer had made his appearance known. Sam had been running away from yet another game of Lucifer's, when he had tripped and fallen, only to find himself set in the middle of Escher's painting.
Sam looked around, he could see Dean on the other side of the painting, no doubt searching for Sam. Sam tried calling out to him, but Dean could not hear him. It was up to Sam to find his own way out.
Running down one staircase, found Sam come face to face with another staircase. Only this was upside down. No matter where Sam ran, he ended up in the same spot. Every pathway lead to a dead end, and the staircases would change. Nothing remained the same. It reminded Sam of the Mystery Spot and Sam wondered if he was doomed to run around the painting forever.
"How precious." A cold voice rang out. Sam turned, face set ready to confront Lucifer. "You cannot outrun me Sam. No one can." Lucifer emerged from the shadows, slowly like a cat stalking its prey. His predatory grin was set upon his face. Lucifer walked with grace, poise and with the air of royalty. His shoulders were set square. It always gave Sam an impression of Lucifer showing off his wings.
"I've managed so far." Sam sneered.
"Yes. Normally I would ask, how could such a species like yourself outrun God's most powerful. But we know you're not just an ordinary member of the species. You're my vessel." This was said with a longing sigh. "And now, Sam Winchester, I'm here to offer you a deal."
"I thought you did not do deals Lucifer." Sam crossed his arms and scoffed at Lucifer. "Thought you said it was below you."
Lucifer chuckled. It was cold, merciless and full on dangerous. A manicured hand reached out towards Sam and a crystal, made of ice appeared in Lucifer's hand.
"A deal. Be my vessel, and in exchange, you can have anything you ever wished for. You could have power, wealth. Everyone would bow down to you. Just accept this and I will make this happen for you."
Sam kept his arms folded. He knew better than to take anything Lucifer said at face value. There was always an underlining message underneath. It is what kept the games interesting, and kept both Sam and Lucifer on their feet. Sam's eyes never wavered off Lucifer's form, as Lucifer slunk forward, still offering the crystal.
"Look into this." Lucifer purred. "Look into this, and live your dreams. Let me live your dreams through you. Together, we can do extraordinary things, things you never even dreamed off."
The blonde was close now, all up in Sam's personal space. Sam kept his ground though. Years of bartering with Dean had braced Sam for moments with these. Years of fighting off spirits that lured hunters to their deaths with promises of riches.
"Oh I know what you are capable off." Sam replied. "I've witnessed your powers first hand. But the answer is still no. I will never, give into you. Try again Lucifer."
Lucifer's eyes narrowed and his smirk slipped off his face, leaving a dangerous looking frown in place. The spark that was once in Lucifer's eyes vanished and they turned hard and cold. The angel drew back and crushed the crystal in his hands. Ice and dust floated down into a pile, that Lucifer banished with one hand into nothing.
"How you wound me precious thing." Lucifer said. "You know Sam, I have done everything you could ever want I moved the stars. And I don't move the stars for just anybody. I have altered space and dimension and manipulated time in order to live up to the grand allusion you paint me as. I have done everything in my power to please you. I am exhausted from doing that." Lucifer turned to look down at the staircases.
"I must admit, you are a bigger challenge that I planned. You have run so far to avoid me, yet here we are." Lucifer was now facing Sam again. "I have been generous to you."
Sam laughed at this. "Sure. That is why you have relentlessly set traps for me and my brother. Chased us up and down the country, buried cities and towns, sent dozens into mass graves."
"All for you." Lucifer said. "I know how much you like humanity so I thought I would make it easier for you. Less humanity, less guilty you would feel about helping me rid the world of this filth."
Lucifer was now circling Sam. Sam turned to keep in Lucifer's sight. It was like a dance, Lucifer led the dance and Sam followed, determined to take the lead. Both were strong minded and full of determination. It was a destructive match. And eventually, someone would give into the fight.
"But now I see it. You have cruel eyes Sam. Beautifully cruel eyes. Just like I am cruel. I have been nice until now. But, soon you will see just how cruel I can be." Lucifer's smile now showed all of his vessel's teeth.
"They always called you the most prideful angel. And now I can see why. You think you lord some sort of power, and position over me. Well you do not. For you see Lucifer, I will not bow down to you. You have no power over me Lucifer. The answer is no."
A flicker of emotion crossed Lucifer's face. The angel sighed and spread out his arms. Sam stared him down, refusing to break the eye contact first.
"How you turn my world." Lucifer smirked. "All I asked is that you fear me, just fear me, accept me, and I will be under your control. You will never be my second. We will be equal in all this. And when, we finally destroy Michael, you will be free. Free to do whatever it is you wish, and I will be with you."
"No." Sam said. "There is no we. No us. We are not a team, nor are we partners."
"If that is what you feel." Lucifer started to say as he walked away from Sam. "Then so be it. I suppose I can wait until our next meeting." Lucifer stepped over the staircase and fell. Sam walked over to look and smiled as he saw Lucifer standing underneath, looking up at him.
With a click of Lucifer's fingers, Sam found himself falling as the staircases fell apart. As Sam fell, he looked around. Lucifer's voice rang out cold and clear, however there was a hint of mirth in his tone. "Sammy. I will see you in the next game. And do make it a little bit harder for me to catch you this time. Trapping you in this painting was almost too easy."
Sam landed with a soft thud on the museum floor. He looked up to see the once intact painting had disintegrated and the stairs in the picture lay in ruins. Sam smiled. Dean came running in and sighed as he saw Sam sitting on the floor.
"Damn Lucifer. What did he do this time?" Dean asked.
"Someone introduced him to pop culture." Sam replied. "Come on. Let's finish the hunt."
As the two brothers headed off, Sam turned back to take one final look at the picture. In the picture, stood a lone figure, with the shadow of wings, arms crossed amongst the rubble.
"Until next time Sam." A cool voice whispered. "I'll make it easy for you and give you a day's head start. Do not disappoint me this time."
Sam turned away and smirked. He was already looking forward to the thrill of the next chase. For that is all it was, a game of cat and mouse. And Sam was determined to win.