Trixie had never been able to sleep until her mother came home.
She was old enough now not to need a bedtime story, but she was also old enough to know how dangerous her mother's job was, and to worry. When Maze was around, she could sleep, even before her mother came home, but she wasn't here tonight, leaving Trixie completely alone in the large house. She closed her eyes tightly against the rearing shadows, but sleep would not come.
Then she heard the door open. She opened her eyes and sat up quietly in bed. Faintly, through her closed door, she heard the sound of her mother's voice.
"Thank you, Lucifer," she said, and Trixie grinned to herself. She was usually content to only hear her mother's return, not needing to see her, but if Lucifer was here, she had to go say hi. She threw back her covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed, the cool air hitting her bare feet and making her shiver.
"You know I will always be there to save you," Lucifer replied, with his hilarious accent. "I'm just..." Trixie was at her door now, and curious, she put her ear against it, straining to hear what he said next. "I'm just glad you still let me. Be there, that is."
"Oh, Lucifer," her mom said, in a tone of voice Trixie only heard her use when she was apologizing for being late to pick her up. "You know, it was a lot to wrap my brain around, but I know nothing's really changed."
"Or at least Linda reminded you of that?" Lucifer replied, and her mom laughed.
"Something like that. You're still my partener, and my friend, and I'm sorry I ever let down my half of that friendship."
"It was more than understandable," Lucifer replied. Trixie wrinkled her nose in the darkness, incredibly confused but loving every moment of whatever this was. He continued, "I wouldn't have held it against you if you never wanted to see me again."
"That's because you," he mother said, firmly, "Are too used to not being loved."
She didn't hear anything else, even when she pressed her ear against the door even harder, so she quietly turned the knob and stepped out into the main room. A grin crossed her face as she saw why they had stopped talking.
Lucifer and her mom were hugging, and not a quick good night hug either. In his dark suit, Lucifer's pale hands stood out, one on her mother's back, and another wound into her hair. His eyes were closed, and something gleamed on his cheek. Trixie frowned, confused. Was Lucifer crying?
Her mom stood right up against her partner, pressed up against him, head resting on his chest. Trixie was proud of her: she looked beautiful. She was her mom, she always did, but with her hair down and a small smile on her face, she was even more beautiful than usual.
And then out of nowhere there was a flash of white. Wings, sprouting from Lucifer's back, great feathered white wings. They glowed softly in the darkness, wrapping around Trixie's mom, like a second hug. Trixie clapped a hand over her mouth and jumped up and down silently. She knew that Lucifer was special, she knew it.
Her mom opened her eyes and saw the wings. She laughed softly and reached up to cup Lucifer's cheek. "Beautiful," she told him quietly, and he smiled softly.
"Yes, you are."
Trixie let them look at each other for a moment. Then, she asked, "Can I touch your wings, Lucifer?" In an instant, they both looked over at her, surprised. "Please?" she added politely.
Her mom stepped out of their hug and over to Trixie. She knelt down and put and hand on her arm. "Trix," she began.
"It's okay," Trixie told her, already knowing what she was going to say. "I'm not mad you didn't tell me Lucifer had wings. So long as you let him fly me places now that I know!"
"Well, honey, that's up to him," her mom replied with a small smile. "He was telling us the truth all along when he said he was the Devil, hon. But that doesn't mean he's bad." She hesitated, then reached up to tuck Trixie's hair behind her ears. "Do you have any questions about that?"
"Well, duh." She pulled away from her mom and bounced over to Lucifer. "Can I touch your wings?"
"I, er," he stuttered. After a moment, he knelt down, his beautiful wings folding closer to his body. "Yes, you can."
"Cool!" she laughed, reaching out to run a hand along one of them. The feathers were soft, and they rustled slightly at her touch, glowing a little brighter. She fixed Lucifer with a glare. "You are going to take me flying, right?"
He didn't make a joke like he usually would, or cringe away like he sometimes did, weirdo that he was. Instead, he just smiled softly. "Maybe, child. Maybe."