Satan's Lullaby: A "Satan and Me" Story

Author's Notes: This story takes place after the episode "Got to Meet Someone like You." Nat has just told Lucifer she loves him. For this story, i highly recommend listening to the song "Lily's Theme" (extended), or "Carry me" by Eurielle.
Enjoy,
-the Seacopath

The bus engine's throaty growl echoed across the otherwise deserted interstate. The moon hung brightly in the sky, casting everything in a cold white glow. The bus driver relaxed in his seat as the massive vehicle under his command ate up the endless miles of asphalt. The four other passengers on the Greyhound snoozed, read, whispered quietly, or just sat there. Sitting next to Natalie at the very back of the bus, Satan stared out the window, watching trees and signs flash by.

She said she loves me, the Devil thought to himself. What the actual Hell?

Since that moment sitting in the bus stop, Satan hadn't been able to bring himself to speak. It had taken all his efforts to stop his eyes from glowing and his horns from bursting out of his head. In hindsight, it would he pretty funny to see what those old folks at the front would do if they saw that, he thought, a smirk stretching his lips.

She wouldn't like that, resonated through his head. Satan jolted awake. Ever since that fight with Titus, the only voice he'd heard in his head was his own, but this… this sounded like… her. As if listening to his thoughts, Natalie stirred and opened her deep green eyes. She stretched sleepily and sniffed, still suffering from Pestilence's damned sickness. "Where are we?"

"On a bus," Satan replied, not looking away from the window. "Middle of nowhere."

"You're really unhelpful," Natalie pouted.

"That's kind of my thing," Satan replied lazily. "You know, with me being 'king of tricksters' or whatever else people call me; that kinda shit."

Natalie's eyes shone in the moonlight streaming through the window. "Satan?" she eventually said.

"Mm?" Satan looked down at the girl with her head in his lap.

"Did I say something wrong?" she asked. "You've been meaner than usual, ever since I said…"

"Don't say it again," Satan cut her off.

"I guess I just want to know what you think," she pressed on anyway.

Satan sighed, and looked away again. "I don't know, kid."

"It's easy," she said, idly playing with a lock of his black hair. "All you have to say is you do or don't."

"But I don't know," Satan repeated, as Natalie closed her eyes and listened to him. "I've never stuck around with anyone this long before, especially not after a contract's been broken. I could leave right now if I wanted; just disappear and leave you on this old bus to fend for yourself."

"Why don't you?" Natalie asked.

"Good point," Satan replied. The bus hit a bump, and Natalie's head bounced off Satan's lap.

Suddenly, Natalie's head hit the seat where Satan's legs had been moments before. She shot awake and looked around wildly, but he'd disappeared from her sight. Natalie stood up and walked down the aisle, peering under the seats, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. "Stan?" she kept whispering.

A few seats down, an old lady turned and looked at the girl searching through the aisle. "Are you alright, sweetheart?"

Natalie slowly shook her head. "No," she whispered, fighting back tears, as she realized Satan was really gone this time.

The old lady cleared her throat, and she turned in her seat. As she did so, her shawl shifted, and Natalie caught a glimpse of a red spiral on the old woman's shoulder.

Natalie's eyes widened, and she looked into the woman's face. In amongst the wrinkles and lines, two piercing yellow eyes stared back at her. As Natalie watched, the old woman grew younger before her eyes. Within seconds, Satan sat where the old lady was. Natalie allowed Satan to lead her back to their seats. Satan opened his arms, leaning against the window, and Natalie lay down against his chest. A second later, she felt his strong arms encircle her. In spite of what Satan had done, Natalie smiled.

"I didn't leave," Satan cleared his throat. "And I know why."

Natalie looked up into Satan's face, as his horns and ears grew. In his demonic form, Satan leaned down and looked Natalie in the eye.

"I didn't really leave because I saw how much you were hurting, even in those few seconds you thought I was gone." He swallowed. "And even though we're not connected any more, it hurt me too."

Natalie felt her heart quicken as Satan leaned closer. "And you were right about something," he said softly. "You made me care about one person in my time on earth."

Natalie started to speak, when a pair of lips interrupted her. Her eyes widened, as she realized Satan was kissing her. As quick as it happened, the kiss was over, and Satan leaned back, eyes wide. Fuck, why the hell did I just do that? And what the fuck am I even saying? Suddenly, the other voice in his head spoke up. You're doing the right thing for once. Look at her.

Satan looked down to see the tears on Natalie's face.

She sniffed again, cuddling up closer to the Devil. "You really are a marshmallow."

Satan cleared his throat again. Listen, kid," he began, when a finger on his lips stopped him. "Don't ruin it," Natalie whispered, staring deeper into his soul than Raphael ever could. "I meant what I said. I love you, Lucifer." Natalie swallowed, and readied herself to say what else she meant. "But if you don't, you need to really leave this time. Because nothing's worse than loving someone you know doesn't love you back." Natalie climbed off Satan and sat in her seat, facing forward. "I'm going to close my eyes and count to a hundred," she said, voice ever so slightly shaking. "If you love me, stay there. But if you don't, you disappear for real, and don't come back." She bit her bottom lip

Satan watched as Natalie closed her eyes. She began her count. "One, two, three, four, five, six…"

Satan bit back the lump in his throat, and disappeared.

On top of a hill, Satan looked out over the still night. Far below, the headlights of the bus cut through the darkness. She probably felt me leave, he thought. She thinks I don't care.

Once again, the other voice; Natalie's voice, cut through his mind like a hot knife through butter. She's still counting. The voice wove its way through his thoughts, soothing him, and igniting fires at the same time. She won't stop counting, just in case you do come back.

Satan choked back a sob, tipped his head back and roared to the sky. "WHAT THE FUCK DO I DO?" His fists slammed into the ground, leaving knuckle-shaped indents.

Go back to her, Natalie's voice echoed. Satan stopped, and listened to the silence. You know what you want, the voice whispered softly. Her.

Satan shakily reached up, grabbed his horns, and began to pull. His red horns creaked as the pain grew. Inwardly, Satan was glad that Natalie could no longer feel his pain. As his horns splintered, Satan roared, and pulled harder, until the two curved spikes broke. In his hands, the horns caught fire and burned away to nothing. Satan stood up on shaky legs, blood dripping down his head, and vanished. Please don't let me be too late…

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"One Hundred."

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Natalie opened her eyes, and looked at the empty seat to her left. She hung her head, and for the first time in a long time, Natalie cried. She wept for the loss of her friend, and for herself; being so stupid as to think the Devil himself could ever love a simple human like her.

After what felt like an eternity, a voice intruded on her thoughts. Natalie looked up, to see Satan holding out a cloth, blood dripping down his face from the stumps where his horns used to be. "The bus driver won't like it if you keep leaking on his seats."

Natalie sat up and threw her arms around Lucifer. "You didn't leave," she sniffed.

"I'll always be here," Satan replied, patting Natalie's head. Satan gently pried Natalie off of him and sat down next to her again. Natalie lay down against Lucifer's chest and nuzzled her head into his neck. Satan closed his eyes and put his arms around the human he'd come to love.

"Natalie," he said, rolling her name around on his tongue. "I love you too."

Natalie closed her eyes and gently kissed Satan's cheek. Lucifer shifted his position, so Natalie's face was level with his own. Green eyes met yellow, immortal met human. Carefully, Satan leaned down towards Natalie, and their lips met once again. Satan kissed Natalie slowly, as though her face could shatter into a million pieces if he was too rough. His hand came up and traced the shape of her cheek, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. Satan felt Natalie's heartbeat speed up, as their kiss stretched on. Finally, the moment was over. Satan pulled away, and Natalie softly inhaled as his lips left hers.

As the bus roared on through the night, Natalie started to doze off, lying on Satan's chest, listening to his deep heartbeat, feeling his chest rise and fall with his breathing.

Satan played with Natalie's long red hair, quietly singing one of heaven's most ancient songs. Natalie fell asleep; Satan's kiss still lingering on her mind. The other passengers read their books and played with their phones. The bus engine thrummed, pushing the mountain of metal onwards to the coast. And time did what it did; it passed.

The End