A/N: This chapter will contain torture towards the end.
Lucifer walked into the detective's home a day later. She'd asked him over for dinner, which he gladly accepted. When he arrived, he found her offspring coming barreling towards him, as usual, and as usual, he cringed and backed away.
"Lucifer!" Trixie yelled excitedly as she ran towards him. She stopped when she got about an inch away. She looked at her mother quickly, who was in the kitchen before turning back to her friend. "Can I hug you, Lucifer?"
Lucifer's first instinct was to say 'no'. Who knew where the child had been all day? Children touched some disgusting things. He didn't need that on his person. However, it soon dawned on him that that was a question the urchin had never asked before. Why was she asking now? "You never ask me that. Why are you suddenly asking permission?
"Mom said to. She said I had to ask permission from now on," Trixie said. She hadn't told her what happened, but her mother told her that Lucifer might not like it when she hugged him because somebody hurt him, and that from now on, she had to make sure Lucifer was okay with it when she touched him.
Lucifer looked at the detective in disbelief. "She doesn't have to do that!"
"Uh, Trixie, why don't you go finish your homework. You should have time to get it done before dinner," Chloe said
Trixie hugged Lucifer, as he said she didn't have to ask, before running off to her bedroom.
"She doesn't have to ask me permission to touch me," Lucifer said in an upset tone. The detective never cared before that her offspring would latch onto him every time she saw him. The detective cared now because she knew what happened to him now, and that bothered him.
"Lucifer, I'm sorry," Chloe said as she approached him. "I just know that you always shy away when Trixie touches you. I used to think it was funny, but after finding out about Adam and Eve, I thought…"
"That's not why. I don't like children touching me because who knows what they've been touching all day. These are designer suits," Lucifer said.
Chloe chuckled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to treat you differently. It's just that I didn't want you to continue to be reminded of a time that was so terrible, if Trixie hugging you all the time did that. I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable with unwanted touch."
"Detective, I have no problem with touch. Do you know how many people I've welcomed touch from?" Lucifer asked with large grin.
Chloe rolled her eyes. "Yes, I do. I still remember the interviews from all of them, but that was touch you mostly initiated, I think. I just wanted to make you as comfortable as possible. I'm sorry if I upset you in doing that."
"I don't want to be treated any differently," Lucifer said seriously.
"Fair enough. It won't happen again," Chloe promised.
"I suppose I overreacted a bit. I just don't want any pity," Lucifer said.
"I get it, and I don't pity you. I just don't want to see you suffer needlessly. Anyway, dinner is in the oven. It should be ready in less than an hour. How did things go with Linda and your father? You don't have to go into specifics. I was just wondering if things went okay," Chloe said.
"Actually, I wouldn't mind discussing it. I probably should speak with someone about it. Although Linda will likely insist on devoting our next solo session to it," Lucifer said before taking a seat at the kitchen table.
Chloe sat next to him. "Well, I'm here to listen if you want to talk about it. Did it go bad?"
"Not exactly. It was more overwhelming than anything. I learned things I didn't expect to. I always thought that the reason my father allowed humans to have Free Will and not us was because he loved humans more," Lucifer said.
"But you found out that wasn't true," Chloe guessed. It was pretty clear to her that humans weren't more important to God than his own children. He was ready to destroy the entire race because of what Adam and Eve had done to Lucifer. He loved his kids more, as it should be.
Lucifer nodded. "Dad said that humans were merely test subjects. He wanted to see what would happen if a being wasn't ruled by him, but by themselves. I guess, he wanted to see if Free Will was viable."
Chloe blinked a couple of times. She wasn't sure what to do with the knowledge that she, or at least her ancestors, were nothing more than test subjects. She supposed she could see how a being as powerful as God could see it that way, especially given that they didn't exist yet, but it was unnerving to think that she was only created because God wanted a test subject for an experiment. "Wow. I don't even know how to respond to that."
"I didn't really either. It was far from what I believed. Dad said that he wouldn't allow me to use Free Will because he didn't know what the outcome would be. He was trying to protect me," Lucifer was still awed as he said it now. He'd believed something else for so long that it still stunned him to learn that the reason his father had denied him was to protect him. He didn't know how to react to that notion.
"I guess that sort of makes sense. I mean, it wouldn't today, but back then when it was new, right? It's sort of like allowing new medications to be tested on your kids. No parent would be comfortable with that because they don't know what the side effects might be. I know I'd be concerned about any adverse effects," Chloe said.
Lucifer laughed, but it was more a sad ironic one. "Well, it did, didn't it? Free Will had a lot of adverse effects. It's almost funny. I wanted Free Will, but at the same time, I hated it for a long time. I hated it for the same reason I wanted it."
"I get that. Free Will caused you a lot of harm, but it was also the only way you felt you could protect yourself. But you have to remember that it's also the person choosing that matters. Someone with a conscience, someone who is truly decent, would never choose to do what Adam and Eve did," Chloe said.
"Yes, I realize that now, but back then, I thought all humans would be the same, and I hated that they existed. I hated my father for creating them. A part of me still hates him for that. Yet, I'm trying to save humans now," Lucifer said with another laugh.
"How we feel doesn't always makes sense. It doesn't have to either. We feel what we feel, and logic doesn't have to have a place in that. You went thought something awful, and humans were the cause. At the same time, you know that many are good. It makes sense that you'd have conflicting emotions about it, Chloe said.
"You're sounding like Linda again," Lucifer said.
Chloe chuckled. "Sorry about that." Just then, the timer for the oven went off. "It sounds like dinner's about ready. Are you okay? It can wait a few more minutes if you want to take some more."
"I'm fine, Detective. Let's eat," Lucifer said.
"Okay. I'll get it out. Trixie, dinner's ready!" Chloe yelled as she got up and headed for the oven.
Xxxxxxxxxx
Michael found himself in his quarters with several of his siblings, all of whom were furious. A few were angry just at the fact that a celestial was harmed by a human, but most were angry on Samael's behalf. Not all, but most seemed to have forgotten their anger at their brother. That suited Michael. They should forget. It wasn't Samael's fault.
Michael's thoughts were interrupted by his brother, Raziel's voice. "These monsters still remain within our walls!"
"Only until Father finds the appropriate punishment," Raphael said.
"The appropriate punishment is decimation! They should not be allowed to exist a second longer," Gabriel snarled.
There were many nods and murmurs of agreement around the room.
"That's not punishment. It might make us feel better for a couple of minutes, but it doesn't punish them for what they did. They should suffer for what they did to Lucifer," Azrael angrily. She'd never felt this level of rage before. The very thought of what those animals did to her big brother made her want to murder people, but she also wanted those responsible to suffer. Destroying them was too merciful.
"Azrael's right," Michael finally spoke. "As much as I would love for them to be destroyed on the spot, it isn't good enough. They need to suffer, as Father wishes," Michael said.
"Then we should see to it that they suffer. They do not deserve to simply sit in the cells. They should be in constant misery. We should see to that," Remiel said with vengeance in her eyes.
"Father said we must wait," Raphael said.
"No, he didn't. he said that he would come up with an appropriate punishment, and that they couldn't be destroyed now, but he never said we couldn't make them suffer," Gabriel said.
Michael stood up with a smirk on his face. "Samael has always loved loopholes. I think he'd appreciate this one most of all. Shall we act as he would and get some punishment on his behalf?" He watched as they all stood up, ready to follow him. Even Raphael, who was only violent when necessary, seemed eager for this task.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Michael led the way to the cells with his sword in his hand. When he walked into the room that held Adam an Eve's cell, he could see them tense. It probably wasn't hard to for the two humans to guess why they were there. Michael enjoyed their fear. Fear was his thing, just as desire was Samael's, but this was the first time he actually enjoyed seeing it. He took a lot of satisfaction from the fear his twin's tormentors were displaying as they got closer and closer.
Michael walked to the cell door and placed his hand on it. It unlocked and opened in seconds.
Adam and Eve both backed up as the group of angels advanced on them with rage on all of their faces. "You… you can't hurt us. You're forbidden to," Adam said.
"That's the same thing you used to victimize my brother, isn't it? You made him feel as though he could not defend himself. It worked then only because Samael was young. It will not work on us. I assure you, my father doesn't care what we do to you so long as we don't destroy you."
"And I assure you, there are plenty of ways we can make you suffer without doing that," Raphael added. He was familiar with both celestial and human healing. That might not seem very threatening, but because he was so familiar, he was also familiar with the ways you could injure someone without worrying about killing them. It was made even easier by the fact that Adam and Eve were already dead. Only certain celestial weapons, and of course their father, had the power to destroy human souls, so they could do almost anything they wanted.
"We didn't do anything," Eve cried.
Azrael launched forward and backhanded the poor excuse for a woman.
"You harmed one of us! We will make you pay!" Remiel said as she raised her sword.
"Be more careful with her. She has a human body now. She can die," Michael said.
Azrael shrugged her shoulders carelessly. "If she dies, I'll just yank her soul back in here."
"Very well. Have fun," Michael said with a smirk. Before turning his attention back to Adam. His sisters could deal with Eve. Adam was who he truly wanted to torture. Eve was no better, but Michael knew that Adam was the one that did the most damage to his brother. He was the one who started it all. "Where shall I begin?"
"How about his weapon of choice?" Gabriel asked as he glanced at the area below Adam's waist.
Michael laughed. "A bit sadistic aren't you, brother. Very well. If you and Raphael wouldn't mind holding him. I'd hate to slip if he struggles too much," he said as he raised his sword with an evil smirk.
Both Gabriel and Raphael each grabbed an arm and held Adam tightly as he began to resist.
"Unfortunately, it'll grow back since your already dead and don't actually have a real body, but you'll still feel it as if you did have a body," Michael said.
"N…no, you can't. I'm a human. You can't touch us. We're God's favorite creations," Adam said in a panic.
Michael wasted no time in his task, listening pleasantly as the human soul screamed in agony. "You overestimate your worth. You are nothing more than a failed science experiment."
"No one gives a damn what happens to you," Gabriel snarled as he brought one hand and put around Adam's neck.
Meanwhile, Eve was crying on the floor as Remiel and Azrael beat her to a pulp. "Stop, please!"
"That's what our brother said, isn't it? He begged you to stop as you raped him, but you ignored him! Why shouldn't we ignore you?" Azrael asked hatefully.
"He didn't mean it. He wanted to do it," Eve cried.
Azrael kicked Eve hard several times in the stomach. "Maybe you want this then. Maybe you don't really mean it."
When Michael was done, Adam was a bloody mess, but he was far from satisfied. "What next?"
Suddenly, a powerful voice filled the room. "You've made your point, Children! That will do. Return to your duties."
They all sighed like disappointed children.
"Raphael, you should feel no obligation to heal anyone. Let the filth suffer," God said.
Raphael smiled. "Thank you, Father. That was my plan."
Michael glared at the two humans. "Don't think it's over. You should consider it a taste of whatever punishment our father bestows. His wrath will be much greater than ours," Michael said before leading the way out of the cell. Once everyone was out, he locked it, and they all left.