Chapter 26: The Difference between Breaking and Breaking Away
A/N: Lest we also forget that our devil isn't some mere sap. In this A/U, Maze gets her version of bad $$ery right from the more refined bit he shows here.
[ ]
The calm spanning pensiveness and peace Lucifer had left Canaan's house under had altered on his trip back into the city. Still silent, greeting the manager at the main desk entrance with a simple, terse smile (daring him to even think of noticing his altered style of clothing or damp shoes) he strode down the echoing marble to key his private elevator combination. During the long ascent he rolled his neck, flexed his shoulders, lowered his chin and tightened his jaw. As the doors slid open to the corridor the stillness in him was not peaceful, but one of carefully constructed predatory anticipation. And the set of light eyes that met his in the hallway were not the ones he expected to see first, but no matter.
"Amenadiel. Greetings brother, hope your evening passed well. Thanks ever so for the visit, but I think I can take this from here, providing of course the lady in question is still present? You've not absconded with her out of some misplaced gallantry have you now?"
"Lucifer…" Amenadiel began slowly, wanting to talk to his older brother before he met minds with his demon. Wanting to give the point of view she had shared with him…one she probably either could not express or would not be allowed to very shortly.
Lucifer met the placating tone with a raised palm and sneer of disgust. He'd already heard enough…this naïve angel had had his sentiments bent and twisted around Mazikeen's whims, just as she'd done to him over the past week, cumulating in that rather spectacular display….He almost had to admire the audacity of the action, foolish though it had been. And just how foolish she'd soon find out. Punishment, adequate appropriate punishment badly needed meted out…perhaps he'd let his brother watch. Remind him a little of all the First Son was in case he got any inkling to be worked over by any future application of Mazikeen's scheming.
"Save your breath, brother. We both know how very, very dangerously that sort of play could have gone…being a stickler for deific decree such as you are I'd have thought to have seen you more angry at her defiance – not of mine, though she'll surely pay her price for that – no, of our father's edicts. Dear old dad isn't such a fan of we supranaturals crucifying the minds of his mortals though he seemed remarkably tolerant of them doing that to his youngest son's body here, did he not? Her own disclosure aside, what she did, outing such a one as myself…could you imagine his reaction to that larger detriment upon these poor creatures? Couldn't that have thrown a right large wrench in the works? Come to think on, perhaps that would be a hoot…the old sod may even yet speak to clean that mess." He laughed here, cruelly and the sound chilled Amenadiel to the core.
"But perhaps your sense of propriety has waned in your time with us here on this plane? As it had in the past, mind. Rule-bending, plotting mayhem and fratricide in case you'd forgotten. Thought lessons learned there were taken to heart well, no? Ah, perhaps not. How very disappointing…"
"Lucifer. Stop. I know how dangerous that was." Hearing the sarcastic lash in Lucifer's last phrase just reminded him of his own initial tone toward Mazikeen. Perhaps she could make the fallen angel see her perspective as she had him…though Mena knew it was more his nature and sentiment toward her to be forgiving. And he'd been simply angry at her action…by the vitriol in this response, Lucifer had more to lose. Mena wondered if he realized…blinded himself to all of it.
"What, brother? I see confusion stirring in those lovely golden eyes of yours…deep thinking doesn't suit you. Out with it."
"I was simply speculating…" Mena paused, annoyed, yet unsure of how or if to broach this concern.
"Yes, yes? Time pressing on…much to accomplish yet this evening."
The warrior sighed, stepping forward to Lucifer, shouldering up to him as his older brother started grinning. Like his earlier laugh, the expression was chilling. Mena let his voice go soft, not backing down, just wanting to be heard effectively.
"I am wondering if you've thought through all the potential ramifications of this…attachment. Considering how the others went."
Lucifer's predatory grin widened until all his teeth were bared and his eyes gleamed with sinister light. His own voice a soft hiss, he leaned into Amenadiel's ear. "That's what you think this is about then? Charming. You fear for my well-being do you? As my demon says she does. How dear. How sweet. Well brother, let us just see how 'attachment' may indeed render us soft and weak, shall we then?"
Sweeping past Amenadiel, Lucifer strode into the room, not rushing, nor prolonging suspense for the watchful demon sitting on the same corner of the couch he'd left her on. Mazikeen had heard the exchange in the hallway, but knowing Lucifer as she did, it was his affect that would be more telling than words. Without even a glance at her, he opened the liquor cabinet and filled a single finger's width in his tumbler before sitting down in the large chair behind the desk. He swiveled away from her, taking a small sip as he looked westward into the glaring spokes the setting sun turned through the buildings below.
Silence. Her heart sank.
Amenadiel came to lean in the entranceway. He'd not been invited in, yet no attempt had been made to run him off. For that he was partially surprised. Lucifer and Mazikeen had a long, sometimes complicated history and he had been certain his brother would want to deal with such a flagrant error privately. He had even begun to construct arguments to stay, but…nothing.
He was shocked when Lucifer began to address him, not Maze and inadvertently spoke over what she had started with. Her voice, strong but small under his, finishing what she'd started "….please, let's talk…here, let me get another glass and the bottle from last night..." Back still to them both, Lucifer swung the hand holding his tumbler toward Amenadiel's position in the doorway, holding up one finger - 'wait'.
Without turning to face his demon he simply said. "No need for you to trouble yourself. This won't take long…and I do believe I've lost my taste for that spirit. Shame really, such an expensive, intensively crafted concoction with complex notes. And was only improving as time went on… Such a waste." His last three words fell into the still air of the room like the deafening silence accompanying the first blinding light of a thermonuclear reaction. Explosion begun but damage and violent sound on hold for one brief crack of time.
"Lucifer, you can't mean…"
And then the thunderous noise comes to rend and distort reality forever, changing the very inner workings of those who might survive the initial blast….
"Be silent." The words were still quiet but the dark intent of them clogged her mouth and landed in the demon's ears with the sharpness of her daggers. She looked over at Amenadiel, horrified. She'd expected wrath, violence; was prepared for those…not this cold steely dismissal.
Lucifer spun back to his brother. "I need a favor if you would, please. A little trip to bring me back something I'll need and cannot get myself. You can take her with if she'd like." Flashing a glance to Mazikeen. "She's been on to go home for so very, very long, haven't you my sweet? Never missing a chance to rail against me for denying you that opportunity have you?" Amenadiel's eyes narrowed, puzzled as he watched the dark angel's closed face. What could he possibly….? No. This was…unprecedented.
The Devil watched him carefully, a thin wire of a smile slicing his mouth as he saw realization dawning in the golden eyes.
"Brother…"
Cutting him off with the turn of his body, Lucifer finally faced his demon, stunned into silence in the corner of the couch.
"You'd had such a short time for your new lessons here, Mazie mine." The endearment now was hollow and fragile, and as he crushed it the broken edges cut her open.
"It's been such a challenge for you, has it not? So very difficult? So hard to feel as if you don't belong where you find yourself, that you don't quite fit isn't it?"
"Lucifer, yes, I wanted to go home, us to go home…but…"
He ignored her words, talking over her. "Such a brief time to learn all this newness indeed. And it's been so hard, yes? Such a struggle. Such combative friction between us for so long, Mazikeen."
She lowered her head. He was right; caught between growth and the fear of it she'd lashed out at him repeatedly despite his efforts, knowing how strong he was, that he'd never stayed angry with her. Not being as sure of herself with Amenadiel as she'd thought she was with Lucifer she been reluctant to express this ire to Mena, thinking that he would consider her discomfort with the process a rejection of what newness he was offering her. And she'd left Lucifer alone so often in the last years, refusing to participate in much he asked, not understanding anything but that it was somehow important to him should have been enough. She sighed, the abrupt realization of this hard to take. She had been giving usually bitterness when they were together…no wonder he thought it was out of malicious spite she'd tried to hurt that human, rather than trying to protect him. No wonder he had the sheer time to develop anything in the first place to worry her! Had she brought this all on by herself? No no no…
These were words he was saying, too. "No, no, no Mazikeen. We're not quite done here. Pay attention now. What were the first lessons you learned? Traits comprising the very structure of your being? Come now, surely there's not been such new ground covered you've forgotten?"
"Loyalty, protection, fealty." Her voice was quiet, spun in her own thoughts. Admiration was one she'd added though she did not mention. For so very many reasons…
"Yes, the things I needed most after the fall, aside from companionship. Have you shown me these recently? Did you last evening? Answer truthfully."
"I've tried, Lucifer. I…"
"No no, that dodge was enough. Do you know, Mazikeen, what I've gotten from your recent lessons? Don't answer my dear, it's rhetorical. I remembered how much I bridled when I felt strained by my own to learn, by my own nature to circumvent what was expected and stretch to do so. Such burden…and look where reacting to that got me." Lucifer started laughing, the cold, quiet brittle laugh that ground further into the wounds in the demon's ears. He'd never taken this degree of tone with her, never treated her as less and this pain, this punishment was new.
"I'd not wanted to visit that dismissal on you, wanting to keep you as I'd not been kept. But perhaps that was cruel of me. Selfish of me. Shortsighted, even, Can't say that would be the first time for those attributes to flare their ugliness in me now would it?"
"Lucifer please don't…please."
"You have your freedom Maze. Do with it what you will. Just do it elsewhere."
"NO! You've always let me make choices, decide as much as I could for myself! I followed you out willingly! I've been here willingly with you for this last span of time where you've been trapped!" She raged at him, aghast.
"No, I don't think so actually. You were made for specific purposes and while the apparent freedom to choose was there - as you were, as you were made you could not see any other way to be. But now you might, learning new things as you may. Lessons I can't, or won't or haven't taught you. Learning as we all do, or can if we struggle far enough." Thinking of another struggling. As himself.
"Go, Mazikeen. With him…" he nodded at Amenadiel, still frozen against the doorframe watching the violent expressions flooding her face.
"…or go alone. You've never really been alone, have you darling? Might be a good thing to experience. I hear a forty Earth day stint is the standard. Might give you time to remember that first, most important lesson I taught you. That one you didn't mention."
She could only stare at him, destroyed.
"Free will, Maze. First and foremost in importance."
"I won't leave you alone."
He smiled as he began to rise from the chair, that slow grimace that began with a hard line etched in flesh and ended with all teeth exposed and eyes glittering with hints of crimson fire. His voice was that of the fallen angel, softened with ash and destruction, not care.
"Oh, but you shall…for you see? I've free will as well, my dear. And I'll not suffer further with you now. Get out."
She rose, dazed. Barely listening to Lucifer as he asked Amenadiel to bring his favor to safe harbor…walking toward the door and hallway beyond as his last words scoured her ears.
"Never fear, Mazikeen…as if you could be capable of such refinement. True independence isn't all bad. Perhaps you'll take the opportunity to rise as I have not."