Morningstar Manor sat on the outskirts of Pentagram City, atop a small bluff that looked out over the city. Surrounded by an imposing iron fence with curlicues and fleur-de-lis designs, the two story manor could have been a haunted house. The driveway stretched between the closed gate and the manor proper, dark trees and hedges leaving the place looking more like the start of a maze than the manicured royal residence Wyr had assumed it would be.
The pentagram above had darkened as Wyr climbed the hill, trying pace herself so she didn't arrive covered in sweat. Black hid sweat, but the outfit Alastor had given her would not. She looked down at herself, smoothing out the fabric of her dress as it fell over her stomach. It was strange seeing herself in colour, with her black hands, her freckles standing out against the rest of her milky skin. Wyr checked her hooves, twitching the wine red skirt aside. They were still polished and clean, without a speck of dirt, blood, or muck, which was great when you walked through an entire district of Sinners intent on spending their Friday night getting rowdy.
Wyr looked back at the manor, swallowing the taste of ash as she looked at the brightly lit windows in the distance. There was no need to hesitate. No need to feel like the contents of her stomach was about to come back up. She should have taken O'Malley up on that shot of gin for courage, but Alastor had looked at her like she'd be an idiot for agreeing to one.
The iron gate looked locked tight, and Wyr took a midling step forward, reaching out like she was brave enough to push it open on her own. Did she just open it and walk up? Was she supposed to ring a bell? Wyr checked the posts either side of the gate but saw nothing that looked like an intercom or a bell. She pulled her phone from her satchel. It was something the younger sinners did now, and something she wasn't exactly fond of…But traipsing through a locked gate and into a royal mansion seemed like a terrible idea. What if Lucifer had hellhounds on staff just waiting to tear her legs off? She bet goat tasted good.

Hey, I'm here…But the gate is locked.

Wyr waited for an answer as she looked out over the view of the city. Despite the angel's clock tower in the centre of the pentagram, the different districts were bright with their distinct colours. As she looked across the cityscape, Wyr saw her shadow flicker and turned, only to see sparks of gold appear in the air in front of her. The golden sparks began to swirl and grow into a tall oval. It shone white and then Lucifer was standing there, the inside of the portal looking through to a kitchen.
She looked him over, a smile growing on her face as she took in the apron he wore over a bell sleeved black dress shirt and white waistcoat. The apron was covered in little rubber ducks. Lucifer opened his mouth, but no noise came out, as his gaze traveled over her. She watched his eyes dip, looking all the way to her hooves then snapping back up to her face. The fallen angel turned pink, then red, and he pulled at the collar of his shirt.
"You look-That dress-I mean…Wow. I've never seen you with your hair down."
Wyr felt hot, in fact, she felt like she was steaming under the heavy weight of his gaze. Just how red was she? In an act of giddy embarrassment, she twirled and held up her arms.
"I know I don't usually wear a lot of colour." Lucifer shook his head, and Wyr was almost ready to call it quits right then and there because having this man stare at her like that was making her think of how she woke up this morning.
"No, you look…Red suits you. You're beautiful."
He mustn't have meant to say it because as soon as the words slipped out and Wyr stiffened at the praise, Lucifer was laughing awkwardly, coughing into his elbow.
"Wow! Can you believe this guy? Let's get you inside! Welcome to the manor!" He stepped aside and gestured for her to step inside the portal. There was a brief moment as she stepped through, where she felt Lucifer's hand at her lower back and the touch sent little shocks through her as she brushed past his chest. He stepped in behind her and the portal closed behind them.

Inside, Wyr stepped into a warm, fragrant kitchen. It was styled after the old castle kitchens with a wide island bench in the middle of the space, but with all the modern amenities the sinners had brought down with them from earth. Wyr looked around, wondering how a kitchen was bigger than her apartment. It was empty beside Lucifer and herself, and Lucifer had walked around her to the oven. When he opened the door, a waft of whatever was cooking made her stomach growl as she breathed in the scent of garlic and rosemary.
"That smells amazing. What is it?" Lucifer turned and with a cheeky grin that had her pressing her palms together he replied.
"Lamb." Wyr rolled her eyes.
"I can't believe you thought I was a cannibal." He held up his hands in denial.
"No! No I didn't! I just haven't seen you eat anything."
"I had waffles at the hotel the other day!"

She crossed her arms over her chest, raising her eyebrow, but Lucifer went red and he coughed.
"Oh! Well, I, uh, it must have been after I left. For important business. And stuff." Wyr wanted to choke on her own tongue as she remembered why Lucifer hadn't been there, and uncrossed her arms, suddenly too aware of her body. She cleared her throat, looking around the space for any sort of distraction. Her eyes caught on a door and she flapped her arm towards it with a twitchy smile.
"So, uh, can the chef leave the kitchen for a tour?"
"Mm!" He seemed just as grateful for the distraction. Lucifer wiped his hands on the apron before removing it. "Yes, of course! I don't need to touch dinner. The servants will finish up." Wyr let herself look Lucifer up and down as he turned away to hang up the apron on a hook. He looked perfectly put together, and she appreciated just how tight his pants were, tucked into knee high boots. The kitchen felt warm. Lucifer turned back around and she knew she was busted when he shot her a sly grin and leaned against the placed in hands on the bench behind him.
"You still want that tour? Or are you busy?"
AbortAbortAbort! Wyr shook her head, and her fingers went to her loose curls, tangling in them as she plastered on a smile.
"Where to?"

Lucifer gestured to a door that led from the kitchen. They were quiet as Wyr followed him up a set of stairs and into a grand entryway. They walked through a cozy living room with velvet couches, a connecting games room with a large billiards table, crossed the foyer with a grand staircase and into a grand ballroom with parquet floors and gold gilding the walls. Hanging from the ceiling were crystal chandeliers with legitimate real candle lighting, all burnished in gold that flared to life on their entry. It was so grand Wyr's eyes were wide and dry as she tried to take it all in. One wall was taken up by large windows, and looking out she saw the lights of the room spilling out across the neat hedges of a garden wall. The light didn't reach far enough to make anything else out, and this far from the city, it was darker than Wyr was used to.

"This is incredible" she breathed.
She turned from the windows back to Lucifer and he looked almost sheepish, eyes darting back and forth across the space, and when she turned to see where he was looking, the dais at the back of the room held large, ornate thrones.
"Oh" she murmured simply, before making her way over. Three thrones sat next to each other, one simpler than the other, and another one was covered in a simple white sheet. Wyr didn't need to guess at who sat there. The throne off to the side was simpler than the center, with plush red velvet for the back and seat and gold leaf covered the arms. The center throne was taller and more imposing, but stood just as tall as the sheet covered on on its other side. Spires on its back reached into the sky, and carved into the back piece, above where Wyr guessed, Lucifer's head reached, was a carved scene of a tree in a garden.

"I never liked this thing." Wyr turned and Lucifer was standing at the foot of the dais, looking up at the throne with a rueful frown. His eyes looked further away than the dais, flung back in time to when this ballroom was no doubt in weekly use and music filtered through a warm crowd. Wyr looked back to the throne. She shot him a look as she reached out to touch the arm of the throne. Unlike the wooden one that must have belonged to Charlie, this one was cold to the touch. Like it was real gold. She ran her fingers against the smooth surface, then over the ruched red velvet back. The fabric was soft but the back was rigid. Wyr thought about it for only a moment before turning and plopping herself down on throne. She frowned at Lucifer who was gaping at her with a surprised, embarrassed look.
"I can see why. Is it a torture device or a throne?" A startled laugh burst from Lucifer and Wyr grinned back down at him.
"See what I mean?!" Wyr laughed and nodded before crossing one leg over the other, the slit in her dress baring a thigh. She slumped back in the seat and leaned one elbow on the arm. She grinned down at him. Lucifer's laugh seemed to die slowly as he stared up at her, face warming under her gaze.

There was a pregnant pause, filled with a tension Wyr was anxious to hurl away from her, but also drag closer. Lucifer's eye roamed over her figure, and she could feel it burning into the exposed parts of her, from her hooves, all the way up to her thigh, her collarbones. The ballroom, which had felt cool compared to the heat of the kitchen suddenly felt like a bath of hellfire.
She needed to move. This spot, on his throne, wasn't somewhere she should be taking liberties. It certainly wasn't a place where she should be feeling like she wanted him to be the one seated on the throne, and her sitting atop him. She should know her place. Wyr…Was a Sinner.
Wyr stood, righting her dress and willing herself to stop blushing scarlet at the way he stared at her. Her dream from this morning seemed to smear across her vision and she felt her blood pound through her. She needed to forget that dream. It had been a fantasy wrought from memory. Nothing more.

Lucifer moved, like he was captured in a dream and Wyr followed his movement, caught in the fever. He took a single step up onto the dais, and bowed, holding out his clawed hand to take. Wyr's skin prickled and jumped, sparking and arching as she reached out and took the hand offered. She'd thought his hand would be more smooth, but she could feel the light callousing across the tips of his fingers as he took her hand and helped her step down from the dais. He didn't kiss it, and Wyr was almost glad, but sorely disappointed as he tucked it into the crook of his elbow. He smiled at her, and the moment seemed to stretch like taffy between them.
"I have more to show you before dinner. Would you like to see the gallery?"
His voice was warm and soft in the echoing chamber, but Wyr felt they were tucked into a cozy room, packed up tight together with the way he spoke to her. She nodded, and Lucifer led them back out of the ballroom and began their tour anew.


Lucifer led Wyr through the rest of the manor, glad to be out of the ballroom and the charged air between them. Was it one sided when he'd wanted to devour her on the spot? Because the way she'd looked down at him, seemingly so comfortable on his throne…It had done many a thing to him, including filling his mind with tantalising ideas of what Wyr might be willing to do on a throne. When she'd stood up, he'd been under her spell like she'd bound him with magic, because the idea of not taking her hand, not helping her down from the dais hadn't even occurred to him. She was bewitching him, mind, body and soul tonight, from her red dress, the loose pile of curls that spilled down past her shoulders, to her warm, radient smile.
He had to remind himself they were only friends. They were friends and they were just having a casual dinner together. Which was only happening because her friend had said it would. Tonight was his chance to solidify this.

He led her upstairs and they were quiet climbing the grand staircase. He took her through the gallery, and Wyr paused at every piece. He couldn't bring himself to take in the scenes scattered over the long hall, the images of his long life, his family and friends scattered like pieces of memories he'd rather forget. Most of it at least. He listened to her croaking chuckle as she paused in front of a more recent piece, a photograph taken when cameras had just come down with a Sinner. He'd rounded up the other Sins and the group had stood poised in front of the camera for two minutes, waiting for the Sinner to take the photo. Instead, the photo had captured the moment Beelzebub had broken, unable to stay still that long, Wrath had sneezed because Asmodeuos' fur had caught in his nose, and Belphegor's eyes were closed. Lillith had rolled her eyes at the photo but let him put it up in the gallery. But Wyr's beaming smile warmed a spot inside him that he hadn't realised was cold.

"Are the Sins usually this chaotic when they get together?" Lucifer grinned wistfully. It had been a long time since they'd been together all in the same room.
"It used to be. We were something of a rag tag bunch down here." Wyr chuckled again.
"This photo reminds me of my coven. I think we would have been just the same if photos had existed back then" she said wistfully. Lucifer turned and looked up at the witch, stunned to hear this tiny admission of her history. He had to focus on not bouncing up on his toes as he replied as casually as he could.
"A coven of witches as wild as the Seven? I would have paid to see what mischief you might have gotten up to."
Her eyes shuttered and Lucifer cursed himself as she turned away from the photo.
"All of the mischief" was her strangled reply. Her smile was falling and he watched as she tried to hold it up. Lucifer was desperate to know just what his question had brought up. Was it the loss of her coven? Did she miss them? A memory of the other day tugged in his mind and he followed it back through the haze of depression that had clouded over that evening. They'd sat together, and she'd been comforting him.

Before I died…I put most of my sisters to rest.

Had he been so swallowed up by his own emotions he'd completely ignored her admission? How had he missed so crucial a detail? He was trying to know this woman…But he was so caught up in his own world, that he'd ignored hers entirely. He'd thought her only problems were the piles of paperwork currently in his office…Had he been writing this woman off as shallow? With paperwork being her only struggles? The thought made him sick. Was this one of the reasons Lilith hadn't introduced them? Because he was self-obsessed?

He tugged her onwards, thinking about somewhere else Wyr might find her smile again.
"Come with me."
They left the gallery behind and Lucifer led Wyr towards the back of the manor. They avoided the family wing, and walked past his office, the workroom, another small study, and then stopped in front of a large set of doors. He let go of her hand from his elbow and moved in front of her, hands on the door handles behind him. She smiled quizzically at him.
"You'll enjoy this one."
Her smile was more genuine now and he opened both the doors behind him, pushing them back hard enough that they swung open. Wyr's eyes grew wide and her smile opened in surprise. He held out his hand and she automatically seemed to reach out for his. He grabbed it, holding it tightly and pulled her into the room, letting her take her fill while he led her to the center.

The two story library was warmly decorated. He'd always enjoyed books, had enjoyed reading to Charlie when she was little in the comfortable armchair by the fire. With armchairs and sofas by the back wall, surrounding the fireplace, the center of the room was a set of tables with chairs that on more than one occasion Lucifer had sat helping Charlie with her homework. The surrounding walls were just rows and rows of books from all the ages and spanning any and all topics Lucifer had found interesting over the years. Off to either side were tight iron spiral staircases, leading up to the second story balconies and more books. It was only a small collection he knew…There was a second archive for the tomes he didn't want on hand…But he didn't think Wyr would care.
He briefly looked around the room, warmth filling him as he turned back to Wyr, whose eyes were glistening as she took in everything. Her hand was warm in his, and he couldn't tell which one of them had the sweaty palm anymore. Dressed in the dark red dress he supposed her friend had helped her choose, with her hair falling loose to the middle of her back, curls soft and springy when she twisted them…She looked just as ethereal as that first day they'd met. How a woman went from polite and firm, to a goddess of death, to a pagan priestess, to the very real, very human woman in front of him, Lucifer wasn't sure, but the sides he was seeing of Wyr was only solidifying just how much more he wanted to learn about her.
Wyr pulled away from him and walked to a wall of books. When her hand reached out she turned back to him, and he could see the question forming on her lips.
He answered before she spoke, unable to help the smile as he followed after her.
"Go ahead. All the books here are open to you."
Had that sounded too forward? He didn't know. But Wyr's smile grew fonder and excited as she turned away and that felt right. All his plans felt like they'd gone right out the window when they'd walked into that ballroom. He didn't want to talk about work, or go over the heavy topic of his brothers and Charlie's expectations of him. It was feeling more and more like a dream, one where he didn't feel the pressures of being a father, a husband or a king…And he felt like that was all this Sinner's doing.

"This is amazing Lucifer. I've seen some collections in my years down here…But this is…I can't fathom the amount of stories in here." Lucifer looked up to the second balcony and pondered the tomes. Her tone was warming something inside him.
"This is only part of my personal collection…The archives take care of most of Hell's history. These are just my favourites." Wyr spun, eyes wide, hand running over a gilded spine.
"Just your favorites?" He grinned at her ruefully.
"Even a king has time to read when they're immortal." Wyr shook her head, turning back to the books.
"That's not what I meant…I'm just surprised. I like your taste." Lucifer followed after her as she walked through the stacks, arms folded behind his back because he really wanted her trailing fingers to reach out and touch him instead of the books.
"My taste? I have a wide range of tastes, darling. Which ones are you talking about?" Wyr cackled and pulled the spine of a fairly new book. She waved it at him.
"You enjoy the romantics." Lucifer grinned at her.
"How else am I supposed to be the most pleasing to my lovers?"

There was a beat of silence between them as Lucifer registered what flirtatious words had come from his traitorous mouth. Pleasing to his lovers? What lovers? What pleasing? He had only been with Lilith! And that was seven years ago! Wyr looked as though she was biting the inside of her cheek, only to give up and let loose a cackle that lit up the room. She turned, and shelved the book, going back to running her hands across the spines of the books.

Oh to be those books.

"Lucifer? Is everything alright?" Lucifer looked up and Wyr was standing next to him, holding a book close to her chest. He smiled.
"Yes! Yes, everything is fine! What was that?" Wyr's gaze dropped and her smile was twitching as she clutched at the tome she held. Lucifer looked over her, the way her hooves shuffled in place and the hand not clutching the book had reached back to tug on a curl. Her eyes darted back to his and their gazes met. He cocked his head, grinning at her questioningly. Wyr looked away, looking to the fireplace. Her cheeks went the lightest shade of pink.
"Would you be willing to lend out this book?" She thrust the book out, and Lucifer took it, holding back laughter as he read the title.
"Have you read it before?" She nodded but then her eyebrows drew together.
"It's been a hundred and fifty years since I read it…But then the guy I lent it out to died and all his stuff was burned down…So I lost my copy."
He wanted to know how she'd managed to get her hands on Pride and Prejudice, when most books written by people who went up, weren't available in Hell... But she wanted something from him, was asking him for something, and she was embarrassed, and it was cute. How could he not acquiesce?
He handed it back to her.
"Go for it."

He wasn't expecting the squeal of excitement or the jumping, or the lunge at him with arms wrapping around his neck and bringing him close. Lucifer was not expecting the warmth of Wyr's body pressed against his as his hands panicked by his sides, not sure if they were allowed to wrap around her waist. Not to mention just where his head pressed against her body. That was something he should pretend didn't faze him at all. Right? His control slipped, and his hands did wrap around her waist, resting on her hips, and as she pressed her cheek into his hair, he pressed his into the bare skin of her collarbones, inhaling that herbal beeswax scent she carried with her. She was warm to the touch. Lucifer wasn't sure why he thought she'd be cold, maybe with her skin so white he'd thought her frozen…But she was warm and practically vibrating with excitement.

As quick as she had jumped on him, she pulled away. Her cheeks coloured in a rosy glow and her grin making her eyes crinkle at the edges. Her freckles stood out stark against her snowy skin and Lucifer was struck dumb as her hands wrapped around the book, black as charcoal. She was beautiful.
He stepped back as she did, trying desperately to regain his composure when faced with the stunning reality of this night. He pulled at the collar of his shirt and coughed.
"Will every book I lend you have that reaction?" His remark turned her cheeks from rosy to a pretty shade of crimson.
"Well I do have my favourites. There aren't many things I wouldn't do to get my hands on a book I want. When O'Malley brought me a copy of Shakespeare's First Folio I kissed her flat on the mouth. She was not pleased." Lucifer choked on the breath he'd been taking, thoughts about dinner slipping as he ran over just what Wyr had said. His gaze caught her silver eyes, then flicked to her lips and she flushed, shrugging like it was no big deal.
"How-How about some dinner? I'm getting a little peckish." She changed the subject.
Lucifer nodded emphatically, mind beginning to race. What were her favourite books? It felt important that he found this out. Not for anything other than making her happy. Grounding their friendship. Really.

"Wonderful idea! Let's do that."

Lucifer held out his arm again and Wyr grabbed a hold. It was so easy to reach out to her all of a sudden, like her embrace had broken a pattern of nervous, hesitant, touching.
He started towards the library doors but Wyr seemed reluctant to leave, eyes eagerly roaming over the walls like it was the last time she'd see them. Lucifer nudged her side with his elbow.
"You can come back any time." Wyr shot him a look.
"Anytime? You sure about that?"
"Well…Yeah. That's what I said." She blinked, and her white cheeks turned pink again. She sighed, and clutched the book in her hands to her chest. Lucifer paused in the doorway, and with a keen look at Wyr, turned back to the room.
"Shut your eyes."
Wyr cocked her head questioningly and Lucifer waggled his hand at her.
"Come on! Close your eyes."

When she did, he made a portal to the kitchen and stepped through, closing it behind him. The servants stood, waiting at attention and Lucifer clapped his hands.
"We're having dinner in the library. Send up everything up now." The imps jumped at his command, and a flurry of activity broke out. He made another portal back to the library, picking up the bottle of red he'd set aside with glasses and stepped through again.
Looking at Wyr while she waited, not having peeked while he'd portalled in and out, he was once again struck by the woman. She held the book close to her chest as she chewed on her lip, hips shifting side to side and she shifted her weight from hoof to hoof. He gently grabbed her elbow and brought her towards the fireplace, which sprang up at his approach. He snapped his fingers and the cozy set of couches and armchairs transformed into a small, round table and lush dark wood and green fabric backed chairs on either side.
He settled Wyr in one chair, pushing it in for her and then took his own opposite.


"You can open your eyes now."

Finally.

Wyr opened her eyes, blinking in the warm light of the candle on the intimate table and the warmth of the fireplace. She placed Pride and Prejudice on her lap, reluctant to let the copy go far as she looked across the table to Lucifer. His grin was expectant, waiting for her reaction to the dinner spread out on the table. A decanter full of wine sat to the side of them, and both plates were full of lamb shanks in stew over creamy mashed potato. The steam coming off the plates was filled with warmth and heat and the maddening smell of a hearty meal.
Lucifer was still waiting for his praise and Wyr felt the blush spreading across her face. Tonight was starting to feel more like a date than two friends coming together, and the thought was making her body act out. Lucifer was a host. He was the sin of Pride, and it was a matter of pride to be an amazing host. This wasn't because she was special, or different. It was a matter of pride. But had he moved their dinner because she'd been reluctant to leave the library? He had been intent on leading her somewhere else for dinner…Had he changed the plans so she could enjoy more time in the most exquisite room she'd ever seen? Looking up to the second balcony had sent her head spinning with the knowledge that was contained in the room. Thousands of years of history littered the space along with a hefty dose of magic.
She smiled at him across the table.
"Dinner in the library?"

Lucifer tugged at his sleeves, a gesture she was beginning to learn denoted his nervousness at being caught at something.
"You didn't seem to want to leave." Wyr looked down at her food, then back to his golden eyes.
"You…Didn't have to" she started. "But thank you. This may be the most impressive collection of books I've ever seen." And she meant it. When he'd made a beeline for another place to show her after the gallery, Wyr wondered what on earth he was so intent on showing her…He'd noticed her mood shifting…And he knew she liked books. The thought that Lucifer was aware of the things she liked made her hands shaky. Had he been watching her as much as she had watched him?
She held back the swell of emotion and picked up her knife and fork.
"Well, this looks amazing…Pity it's not human." She winked and Lucifer snorted and he picked up the decanter and poured them both a glass.
"I was being a good host! It's not an insult!" Wyr cackled in response.
Taking her first bite of the meal she was transported, setting down her utensils and looking wide eyed at the fallen angel. He was sipping his wine and set the glass down, eyes meeting hers.
"Is it okay?" She nodded quickly and swallowed. Chasing the bite with a sip of her own glass. It was fruity in flavour, cutting the richness of the stew and she moaned, putting her glass down.
"Lucifer…This is incredible."

Whether he was embarrassed or shy, Lucifer's red cheeks grew bigger as he blushed and took a bite of his own food. He nodded.
"Lamb is my favourite. I don't cook it as much anymore." Wyr cocked her head at the tone that infiltrated his words.
"You're sad about that. Why?" Lucifer looked to the fireplace and Wyr followed his gaze, up above the mantel where a portrait was mounted. She hadn't noticed it before, taken aback by the sheer amount of books, but the portrait was of the Morningstar family. Happy, loving, and together. At once she understood what he was saying. Why cook hearty meals if not for others? Eating by yourself day after day…There was no point in delicious, hearty meals if you couldn't share it with the people you loved. It made Wyr remember the way her coven would come together and share meals. The way they'd gather around a large table, sharing ale and bread, feasting on a massive pot of stew. The warmer times.
She touched his hand, reaching over the table, dangerously close the flame of the candle between them. His gaze flitted back to hers, and Wyr noted how far away he was.
"I bet if you made a dinner for Charlie and her residents at the hotel, she'd be so happy." Lucifer blinked, his pupils shifting as he seemed to come back. His gaze dropped to their hands and slowly, he turned his hand, and squeezed hers. She squeezed back and pulled back, digging into her food again.
"I guess…I hadn't thought of that."
"Once the meeting happens, and the extermination is pushed back, I bet there will be an influx of guests. Charlie will probably need all the help she can get. Cooking a meal or two, as wonderful as this? That would help anyone's chance at redemption."
She watched Lucifer wince into his food and she frowned. Had he not gotten a meeting yet? She watched him struggle with something for a moment before he set down his knife and fork and tangled his hands together.

"I need to apologise for something." Wyr set her utensils down too, and dabbed at her mouth with her napkin. She gestured for him to continue.
"When I called you today" he started "I was actually calling for another reason."
"So you weren't just checking in on me?" Lucifer winced and hurried on.
"No, no, uh, I mean, yes, but not originally. I mean-I wanted to reply to your message-And check on you, and let you know I was doing okay." He began tugging on the neck of his shirt.

Where was this going? What on earth was Lucifer getting at? Anxiety began to chew at the edges of Wyr's composure. Was he about to tell her he knew something? Was he about to say Heaven had gotten in touch? Was the extermination cancelled?
Wyr tucked her hands under the table, and clutched at the book still sitting on her lap.
Be calm. Be calm. Cool, calm, collected.

"I was actually going to ask if you'd help me pick out photos to send to my brothers."

Wyr's twisting thoughts took a pause as she registered what Lucifer was saying. She looked up from her lap. The Devil looked downright ashamed of himself. He didn't look at her, instead he was particularly interested in the folds of his napkin. Relief felt like a cool salve on the burn of anxiety that had invaded. Sweat that had been pooling under her arms became sticky, and not for the thousandth time, did she wish he could flex her toes. Instead her hooves shifted under the table as she took a gulp of the wine. The rich taste of dinner, the heady smoky warmth of the fire and the whole night seemed to compound on her.

"You wanted me to help you pick out photos?"

Wyr wanted to be annoyed, felt like Lucifer was expecting her to be upset…But she couldn't find any negative emotions bubbling at his request. Relief was potent. She'd had thought he'd mention something else...Another time, why they felt so familiar to each other... But was he waiting for her to tell him she didn't want to help him? Or maybe ridicule him for a request so simple? It was something he could do himself, yes, but was it something he had to do alone? No.
"Are you still going to ask?" He flinched, and their gazes met. She was smiling, and his mouth had popped open, slightly ajar. The request was something friends made of each other. Lucifer had come to her as a friend and was asking for help…As a friend.
"You-you're not-I mean, you're not upset?"
"Should I be?"
"Well…I just thought you'd think I only contacted you because I need help."
"We're friends Lucifer" she stated. "I'd love to help." Her heart felt swollen in her chest, making it difficult to breathe as Lucifer's touched smile lit his face. The way his eyes crinkled, and the shadows of light that played across his face made her almost weepy.

Hell was a cruel place. Wyr had allies, enemies, and only a handful of dear friends. In six hundred years though she'd never had someone look at her with so much feeling. Her throat felt felt tight and ash coated her tongue, covering the taste of the wine and lamb. She swallowed tightly, clearing her throat. She patted the book in her lap, like it was an anchor holding her in place.
"Wyr…" Her name carried a heavy weight behind it and she couldn't meet his eye.

We're friends. Nothing more.

"I meant it, you know, before. I…Don't have many friends who would visit. Whenever you want, you can come and visit the library." A moment of silence seemed to stretch out into minutes as in the warmth of affection between them, two more words seemed to fill the gaps.

And me.