Lord, Let Me:
Charlie didn't mean to hide during Elanye's visit to her hotel and she overheard conversation Husk started. Urge to pop out and hug her when the mood went sour was suppressed. She fought to hold still and listen to fully listen to what was being said. Word Nephilim was uttered on her feet and Charlie went as she rushed forward. To find she was too late in stopping from leaving and talking with her. Leaving her deeply conflicted to tell her dad what she found out or keep it to herself. She didn't want to feel she was breaching a budding trust. One her father was already forming with someone he was just getting to know. She took a breath and got to her feet before picking up the pace.
"Wait!" Charlie yelled as she ran after Elanye, "I would like to talk."
Through the bar with Husk watching and out the front doors Charlie ran her legs off to catch Elanye. Who she found half way down the walk with her hood pulled up over her face. Stopping to face an out of breath Charlie standing at the doors with a arm raised.
"You look like you were chased down by miniature goats." Elanye lowered her hood.
"More like want to know if you're alright," Charlie tried to talk through her deep breathing, "I didn't mean to eavesdrop or anything like that, I just happened to be coming down and heard tail end."
"What is it you like to know," Elanye didn't one bit sad, "Being that you already know my background."
Two laughed in a way before Charlie was assured by Elanye that her father would be told. She was just waiting for him to get back to her about when he would see her again. Which still hadn't happened with all the waiting that was taking place. Only an idea struck her when she recalled a chat her father had with her.
"Can you be here for one of my activities?" Charlie asked Elanye, "I need to know how well at preening wings are you?"
"Very well," Elanye spoke of her experience with the harpies, "Why?"
Charlie explained what she had planned since a few people within the hotel had wings of their own. Teaching the residents to care for them was an idea of trust building for them. One that had to do with allowing someone besides oneself to groom your wings.
"Can you help with this group activity?" Charlie hoped as she asked.
"Well," Elanye needed to think about it, "I see what I can do."
Her and Charlie ended up going their own ways with meeting time for Elanye to come back. Left Charlie excited about how she would interact with everyone during this exercise. Which had her turned around and needing to plan what was going down. Which had everyone within the hotel except her dad worried about her. Since she spent the better part of the day planning who would be parted with who. By making a string chart with doodles of everyone connected with ones with wings.
8*8
How Charlie got her father to keep from rushing off and taking Elanye out on a surprise outing. Became a head scratcher for the hotel's current residents when they gathered. Since. Charlie's newest bonding activity brought an outside guest dressed rather differently. Vaggie tried to get a stunned Lucifer to speak when he went silent. Husk's voice got stuck in his throat when he couldn't come up with his usual comment. Cherri Bomb liked the outfit Elanye wore when she greeted everyone. Angel Dust wanted the name of her stylist since he loved the outfit. In a backless and sleeveless sweater with a halter top in these High Waist, Retro Rockabilly Style, Shorts. Knee length stockings and lace up boots. All came in all in a pastel shades that matched her hair's accessories pinning her hair up. Elanye greeted everyone while sitting in the area surrounding the fireplace.
"I was asked to help with today's bonding exercise," Elanye nervously addressed them, "Having to preen wings."
Her volunteer came in the form of Husk when she kindly asked about touching him when she spotted him. He sighed and allowed her to approach him from behind to show all. She brought a few items with her such as a unmarked fine mist sprayer and a empty pouch where broken feathers went.
"Preening is to take the keratin sheath off the feather." She was gentle with Husk.
She mist his wings and combed her fingers through each row after row of feather pins. Brittle bits that up and the way she smoothly moved her hands got Husk to relax. She called Angel Dust to take over for her with Husk since she was in a relaxed state. He eagerly took over while being reminded this wasn't a form of foreplay.
"Act of grooming," She stepped away, "Being entrusted with a simple task."
"A man could get used to this." Husk completely relaxed.
"You're telling me." Angel Dust enjoyed this.
Everyone ended up separating into partners according to Charlie's pre- planning the whole time. Allowed Elanye to take her precious seat and turn her attention to her perched owl. Who flew to her side resting on top of the chair she was when she sat down. Just she never got around to preening his wings when she got an unwanted visitor.
"Up for a set of three?" Lucifer asked her, "May I have a redo?"
" .. with your consent?" She asked.
He opened all six of his wings like a flashy peacock that had made her owl bob his head out. She happily smiled at his gesture and made a simple request. One he fulfilled for her by removing his coat and waistcoat without an second thought. Listening to her or relaxing the muscles in his back for what she was going to do. Which he did which laxed his wings for her to begin her work.
"Not what I had in mind," He felt her work, "When I wanted to see you again."
"What can one say," She giggled, "Circumstances, right?"
"That I can quite agree," He turned half away towards her, "Care to share what you've been up to?"
This was where she took a breath knowing what she was about to tell him was not going to be easy. Remembering what Husk and Charlie told her before she began speaking. By showing him the reason she wore gloves was to hide her hands. A black cord bracelet with an individual star enclosed in a circle as a pendant. Worn on one of her wrists as her hands lacked usual talons of sinner demon. Before going about her brother and her family's heritage to him. How she had to avoid touching people during deliveries most days, due to her empathic ability. Trying her best to not sound scared when she started to tremble from fear. Tears dared to spill from the corner of her eyes as she further spoke. Left Vaggie once more holds Charlie back and does not interfere with her dad and Elayne.
"Explains a lot about your brother and you," Lucifer wipes those tears from her eyes, "Still full of surprises."
"Your," Elanye was surprised, "Not?"
The answer she feared never came when he asked if she was willing to share her magical knowledge. Somehow become a request for a demonstration of what she could do. Charlie allowed the use of her hotel with all the residents as a selected audience for her. Vaggie had a few to go over with Elanye about what she can and can't do. Angel Dust and Cherri Bomb wanted her to share her fashion sense. Husk didn't care as Niffty had too many questions being spoken a second by her. Had her owl flapping his wings and hoot so loudly over the excitement.
"Calm down," Elanye gently whispered to him, "Sorry my familiar is just excited."
"That's kinda like a pet?" Lucifer asked, watching her.
"Their guides, who take the form of animals on Earth, act as protectors and guardians while assisting us," She tried to explain, "I am just lucky to have two of them."
"Are you talking about the tarantula?" Charlie recalled seeing one.
"Back in the woods with my brother," She recalled, "Prefers quiet and dark places."
Lucifer made a joke about knowing such a place that Elanye could drop in whenever she wanted. Has her teasing right back at him for permission to visit her unannounced, or just drop in. Way she winked with a slight bite to her lower lip made Lucifer grin. While imagining her in a clawfoot tub just filled with apple scent bubble bath. Smile on her face when she invited him and rubber ducky of his choice to join her.
"Dad?" Charlie asked to notice his weird face, "You ok?"
"I would like to know what is going through his head." Angel Dust whispered to Cherri Bomb.
Blush that coated his face before he could pull the brim of his hat down to block the view. Was stopped by Elanye when she gently reached out to stop him from shying away. Which had him looking up to those kind eyes searching for his own as they looked down. Took her saying that his blushing was the cutest thing about him. Had him taking advantage of the close she was to his face to capture her lips. He was careful not to cut or bite into the plumpness of her lower lip when he nipped. Brought her closer to his own with him angling he is head to coma date hers.
Just his hat blocked the view of what Charlie would call her dad's first kiss
8*8
Lucifer looked upon the portrait of his wife with his fingers brushing the surface of his ring. Loneliness that pulled at his heart's strings surface like a sudden ping. One that follows centuries worth of lonely memories for him. A large bed that grew colder every night he had slept in it. A bathroom made for two felt too large to its only occupant. A second teacup was left covered in dust and untouched in a cabinet where he stored his. Seat next to him was left empty and unused on the breakfast nook table. Places were his wife once used by him when they were together, but no longer kept warm by her.
"Now I know where Charlie gets her charm," Elayne looked upon the painting, "I feel inferior to this woman's voice."
Elanye stood by his side after he took her back to his part of the hotel to preen his wing more privately. Where she could get better access to the base of his wings from his back. Watching him undress when she was invited into such a large bedroom with antique furniture. Would have her watching with desire running rapidly, but didn't. Since instead the two stood before a portrait of Lilith as the queen.
"You still have your good points," He was ready to share his list, "Your own singing voice holds a lullaby- like quality. You fill out those backless items you have been wearing very nicely."
"Is it true about her horns?" Elayne wondered, "She had the ability to change the shape of her horns at will."
"Even had adjustable horn ornaments made from precious gemstones and metals," He pointed to Lilith's jewelry box.
"Nice taste," She looked to where the jewelry box stood, "Craftsmanship and materials were nice choices."
"Lilith always had an eye for that type of thing." He suddenly sounded sad.
She ended walking closer to him to place a hand on his arm in a comforting sense. Which he accepted without any ulterior motives to sneak a kiss from her in a dimly lit room. How they stayed that long before one painting with flinching was a surprise.
"Give me a minute." He returned to undressing.
"I am not in a hurry," She stepped back, "Can I ?"
On to his bed she sat without noticing the side she took up calling to her owl to join her. To the foot board her owl flew with one of Lucifer's rubber duckies within its talons. Into her basket she placed the duck before being treated to a rare sight. One most women in Hell would make a deal with an Overlord or one of the other sins. To watch the ruler of Hell remove his upper layers of clothing one at a time. His bowtie and black gloves he wore were put aside before he started on his waist coat. That soon got put down as he walked toward her with his shirt halfway undone. He sat before her, lowering his shirt with his wings reappearing before her.
"How can she not be missing this," She adored the view of his toned muscles, "Good golly."
"You like what you see?" He felt the void in his heart shrink.
"Does wanting to see you in a duck floatie and shirtless tell you anything?" She pulled out her supplies.
He found the ping in his chest lessen when she returned to her work on his other wings. Allowing her to work in silence with crinkle sounds filling the air before he relaxed. Which made finishing up easier on her while asking what she thought about Ozzie's. Joy could hear from her voice alone and the way she talked about the atmosphere.