A/n: I wanted to take a moment, as a scientist, to remind everyone to get the vaccine when it become available. Those with special medical conditions, who can't get the vaccine, count on the rest of us to be vaccinated for their protection.
Also, Asian people are not the virus. Attacking people only hurts more people and does nothing to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
It's been a long pandemic, and unequal distribution of the vaccine supply and recipe are only going to make it longer. To quote a very catchy song, "Everything's not awesome, but that doesn't mean that it's hopeless and bleak."
With continued work to get the vaccine to everyone, mask wearing, and distancing, we can at least find a new normal. For many people, wearing a mask will be their new normal and will continue. I certainly plan too. But with a vaccinated world, and continued testing for variants and immunity coverage, we can at least start to see each other in the outside real world again.
There is hope. Humans have made history. There has never been a working vaccine for any corona-virus before. There is at least a decade of research behind our knowledge of corona-viruses, and our technology for studying the genetics of anything we want would be like magic to scientist of the past. We may even be able to create a vaccine for the common cold after this. It had been assumed that it was impossible. But we did the impossible.
Because "Everything is better when we stick together."
"Love and Peace",
Mint Tea and Skulls
Chapter 37: Confessions
On and on they went, finding various reasons to partake in the humors and wonders of the human world. As the height of spring came to Los Angeles, Evan had Lucifer's box ticket for the battle of the bands delivered to to him with a note that he was a surprise. Lucifer might have been annoyed with Evan's habit of using him as a "gift" for Natalie, if not for the convenience that it provided Lucifer to appear at random in her day. It was always well worth it. Her welcomes were always fantastically warm.
While Natalie never brought up the impending competition, the tension between her and Evan seemed to climb the closer the event came. Eventually, they seemed to retreat into constant practice. The last couple of weeks before the concert were rather dissatisfying. Physical attention was easy for Lucifer to come by, however, the laughter to his jokes felt more hollow. The brilliant willfulness of his partners was enjoyable enough, but there was a lack of that vicious edge that made banter worthwhile.
On the day of the concert, he wore a suit with a simple cut of comfortable black cloth with a burgundy shirt. The candy pink lantern with the V.I.P. pass hung about his neck as he entered the large stadium venue. Most of the lingo of the current scene was lost him, however, a helpful, and rather cute, mortal was happy to keep his company and help him find his box. The security at the door refused to allow him a plus one and he entered alone. However, within the box he did find a familiar face.
"Devin! A pleasure, as always, how is the wedding planning going?" He asked warmly.
Devin turned and smiled back, "Lucifer! Evan said you might be coming to the show. I'd rather not talk about the planning. He just wont let go of that damn chandelier."
"It's hard to compete with someone's desires."
With an pair of drinks from the minibar in hand, Devin nodded agreement with Lucifer. The two spent the next hour chatting and drinking. The overhead lights dimmed and a stage in the center field was left with a soft lighting. On the stage, a gentleman in a bright green suit stepped forward to the microphone.
"Hello one and all! It's time for the 46th Annual Heart Breaker's Cover Battle! This year will be a first in our history as E.N.T. will be retiring after this year. If left unchallenged, they will be the first to retire as undisputed champions!"
The crowd that had packed into the stadium roared in response.
"Let the games begin!" The gentleman shouted jovially, and bowed out as the first band came on to the stage.
With unrestrained access to the minibar and the company of Devin, Lucifer spent the show critiquing the performances. ("I knew Elton John, and I know, he would have found that an appalling rendition of his work.") The couple hours that most of the concert took place over passed quickly. Toward the end, after all of the challengers had played, the champions were called to the stage. The whole stadium shook when the chanting started.
"E.N.T.! E.N.T.! E.N.T.!"
Backed up by a few other musicians, were Evan and Natalie, on guitar and bass respectively. With a brief wave across the crowd, Evan struck the opening cord. When the drums fell in behind him, Natalie began to strum along. She sung the back up and danced across the stage, her joy evident even at this distance. Lucifer couldn't help the smile came rose to his face in response. The first two of the set were met with roaring cheers, and the band paused before continuing.
"This is our last time in this party." Evan said into his microphone, "And I think it's only right for the person that played lead for our first song, play lead for our last. N?"
Natalie stopped and slowly walked over to Evan. The entire stadium watched as the two switched guitars. Evan took a step away from the microphone stand and motioned for Natalie to step up. She nodded after a moment and stepped up to the microphone. Rather the say anything, she nodded to the drummer. He and the person on the synthesizer dropped in the beat and Natalie began the opening chorus.
As the song picked up and the rest of the band came in, Natalie was the last. At the final rest, she swung the guitar into the space between herself and the microphone stand and landed the first power chord without hesitation. There was a smile that rested on her face that seemed more at peace than Lucifer had ever seen her. Tranquil even. Her hands slid up and down the neck with a practiced ease.
When everyone except the drummer dropped out, and Natalie picked up the solo chorus, her eyes lifted up and saw him. He tilted his glass, and chuckled at the shocked look on her face. It was most likely the lighting on stage, but he would swear she flushed across every inch of skin that he could see. There was a moment's hesitation before she continued. Evan turned to look at her when the drum beat had gone a measure longer than planned.
"I'm here at the beginning of the end,
Oh, the end of infinity with you.
I'm done with having the dreams,
The thing that I believe, oh;
You drain all the fear from me."
The determined look that crossed her face as she continued left him transfixed. Despite the distance between them, the rest of the stadium drifted away. Slowly, a smirk played out across her face. The moment felt revealing. As though, just for a moment, Natalie had truly let down her guard. The strange warmth blossomed in Lucifer's chest again.
When the song ended, the physical rumble from the crowd's explosion of noise startled him back into awareness of his surrounding. The band on stage took a moment to bow and interact with the crowd. The event manager returned to the stage, shaking hands with the band and making his way to the microphone. Before he could begin a couple of performers charged the stage.
"I challenge for Title!" Yelled the taller one of the two, holding up her guitar.
The second one quickly plugged their synthesizer into the amp that was still on stage. The crowd had quieted, a murmuring swarmed the stadium. On the stage, Natalie muttered something to Evan, who took off at a run. With a confident swagger, she motioned the event manager away from the microphone. With a raised hand, the crowd silenced and waited. She removed the microphone from the stand and turned to face her challengers.
"I accept." She said as though they were talking about birthday invitations.
Behind her, Evan returned, and heaved a heavy case onto the setup table just off main stage. The event manager surged forward when she turned to collect the guitar held within it.
"You heard her folks! We have a challenge for the title of 'West Coast Rock God'! Will E.N.T. retire with it all?!"
The crowd resumed it's noise and Devin chuckled beside him.
"I hope Nat wins. Evan is attached to that title for the band. He'll be a total terror for weeks if she loses."
"I'm quite curious myself."
Devin began to reply, but stopped and gasped when Natalie returned to center stage and plugged in her guitar.
"How the hell did she get that?" He mumbled in a confused tone.
Lucifer looked back to see what the fuss was about. Gripped in Natalie's hands was a 1957 Gibson Flying V, made of what looked like mahogany. While he was more of a piano devil, he was familiar enough with the lore surrounding some of the older pieces. This particular style was considered far too heavy for use. In the case of humans, that wasn't inaccurate.
In Natalie's hands, it looked light as a feather. An ease of motion flowed from her, as she gave it a quick tuning. By the time the other handful of people had set up their own equipment, E.N.T. casually waited with smirks. Her challenger started an aggressive opening gambit. There was a bit of a classical edge in the rifts, bits of Mozart and Bach tossed through.
The crowd began to cheer and dance. Natalie allowed for a few measures to pass before she nodded to the shared drummer to set a pace to match the opening rift. She visibly flexed her hand, and brought it to rest of the neck of her guitar. Those in the crowd who caught the motion began their chanting of the band name of the champions all over again. Then, she began her counter-attack.
Through the use of a quick beat, she played a medley of that forced her challenger into a support position rather than the lead. Her challenger made a few good passes at taking back the lead, and Natalie back off to allow each try. Then, repeated the process until her challenger admitted defeat. Once she was sure the stage was under her control, Natalie nodded to the drummer again and lead the stage through a song Lucifer had heard play in her kitchen. Once the crowd realized what was happening, the ground vibrated from the impact of feet. The chanting changed from "E.N.T!" to "Gor Gor!"
A look of pure joy overtook Natalie's face as she played, letting herself become lost in the music. It was remarkable to watch. However, the shuffling of Evan broke his attention. Evan was looking between Natalie and the crowd with a look of deep concern. Stepping closer to the balcony, Lucifer looked closer.
A faint, but familiar blue haze had surrounded Natalie. That haze had stretched over the crowd, who seemed completely unaware. As the waves of the mosh pit rocked back and forth, Natalie appeared to be completely out of control. Her hair swung back and forth, small electric surges pulsed through the guitar, and the waves in the crowd synced up to that pulse. The only human who was unaffected was Evan, who's concern had morphed into horror.
0-0 0-0 0-0
Natalie honestly couldn't remember the last time she had left so alive. As they left undefeated champions of the musical ring, she grinned through the car sickness. She had stashed a six pack of cola in the green room for celebrating afterward. The heady buzz that filled her was made worse by the motion below her. On a whim, she stretched her hand out into the breeze.
She closed her eyes and imagined she was flying. The sensation of car sickness eased. Her attention turned to the radio. Lucifer always played it in the car. Hand floating in the breeze, she allowed her eyes to open and focus on him.
'Oh, mercy. I should have only had half that six pack.' She thought, her traitor heart speeding up.
The blushing wasn't her fault. It was his. He wasn't suppose to be at the concert. Evan looked so smug during the show, she ached to take her shoe and beat him on the spot. That little traitor was going even faster as she remember the concert.
Standing there, pouring herself out, finding him in the crowd, in her box. For a moment she was so scared. She wondered if Evan planned the whole thing. The song, the unplanned back out, maybe even the final challengers. Questions that would be asked later, when the other perpetual Him in her life wasn't so distractedly close.
She may complain about his constant formal wear, but she would never deny Mr. Vinci's skill with a needle. The tailoring cut around him perfectly. It helped he was in fantastic shape. Surely, flattering his form was the easiest work that came to the tailor. Lucifer's casual comfort in the fine suits is really what sold the image.
However, he was comfortable with himself. Chasing what he wants with no regard for the consequences; sometimes just to flaunt them. She could learn from him on that front. Maybe he'd teach her. Maybe it would need blindfolds, or the little dice with the prompts on them, or –
"If you would rather we skip meeting up with your band to celebrate, we can just go straight to the penthouse when we get to Lux."
She had been staring. A strong blink later, she released the lip she had unknowingly caught between her teeth. The heated flush across her face mixed with a shade of embarrassment. Next time, she would only have half the six pack. Controlling herself around Lucifer was hard enough sober.
'Always running.' She lectured to herself.
Once the car pulled up to Lux, Evan met them at the curb. Lucifer turned to face her and asked the second strangest question.
"Natalie, what did you do, to the crowd, at the concert?"
"Uh, we rocked them? We get to keep our trophy and title. Are you feeling okay?"
"No, the blue light that you make."
None of this was making sense. She turned to Evan. The warmth in her heart froze over. He looked scared, haunted. He looked at her like she was a –
She ended that thought before it could shatter her.
"I think it would be best if you didn't come to the after party."
"Okay." She said quietly.
She sat and watched Evan turn and go back inside. She heard herself ask Lucifer what happened. His words sounded like they came from beneath the sea itself. She stared at where Evan had been standing. The last of the last. One final lost little child.
She heard the wind whisper, "They are truly gone... He is of them, but he is not one of them. And he'll never truly understand me."
Lucifer asked her to repeat herself, but she could only stagger from the vehicle. She knew what was happening. She knew. When she had left the temple, she left learning to control her abilities unfinished. She had fancied herself fully grown. Now she was growing beyond the boundaries of her control.
"Are you alright?" He asked her, probably again.
"Yeah, I just … um, I'm going to take a walk." She muttered and wandered away from the car.