Extermination Day, 1931
"You made us cookies?"
It was Lute who asked the question, more out of disbelief than anything.
Charlie nodded from the back of Dazzle, holding up a basket filled with the baked goods and keeping it away from Razzle.
"Yeah! I spent all day yesterday getting them right! I had to throw away the first ones that burned, but..." Charlie trailed off as she noticed the stares Adam and the Exorcists were giving the baked goods.
It was less disgust and more outright suspicion, as if the treats were hazardous in some way.
"Charlie," Adam said slowly. "We can't eat those."
"Huh?" Charlie looked up in surprise. Especially since he used her name and not Hellflake or any other nickname. "Why? Can Angels not eat stuff that comes from Hell?"
"Oh no, we can. I don't fucking advise it most of the time, but we can," Adam answered honestly before frowning. "But I literally refuse to eat ANYTHING that your parents could have potentially touched."
"Oh...Oh," Charlie said in understanding, looking down in disappointment. "I'm sorry. I...probably should have thought about that."
Razzle stopped trying to get at the cookies, cooing in soft confusion as he rubbed his snout comfortingly against Charlie's back.
Adam was about to speak when someone beat him to the punch.
"May I ask, why you bothered, Princess?" Lute asked in a less-than-cold tone.
"Huh?" Charlie looked up in surprise.
"Were you going to delay us all with treats? I doubt you thought we would be bribed off so easily," Lute explained with her arms crossed.
"I didn't really think about that. I just wanted to be nice. Or Kind? Adam said they're not always the same thing," Charlie answered, not noticing how every angel was giving her their full attention.
"No, they're not," Lute agreed. "And why would you, Princess of Hell, be kind to us?"
"I...can't say there was no reason," Charlie admitted uncomfortably. "I just want to show I'm not...evil."
Charlie couldn't read those stares behind their masks, but none of them made any word or motion against the notion of her being evil.
With a sad look on her face, Charlie was so distracted that the basket of cookies slipped slowly from her fingers.
She blinked Adam took it from her. "Ladies," he said with a nod.
As one they flew off, scattering out to lay siege to Hell once more.
Adam picked up one of the cookies and brought it to his face, smelling it. "Too bad, these smelled pretty damn good too."
"Do you...do you think I poisoned them or something?" Charlies asked softly.
"No, Hellflake. But I can just fucking see your parents slipping something in when you weren't looking," Adam explained with a frown to himself
"It's not like I can bake somewhere else," Charlie answered dejectedly. "And I know, you're not trying to be mean. I don't even think the others were this time. I just...really want to talk to you all. To understand them."
She froze as Adam placed a hand on her head.
The same hand that slaughtered thousands, crushed skulls, tore limbs apart, and vaporized entire souls.
It was gentle on her head, as light as a cat's step.
"I believe you," Adam assured. "And the girls believe that damn much about you."
"Do you...do you think I'm going to become evil one day like they think I will?" Charlie asked in a small voice.
Adam didn't answer for a moment. "Hellflake, you live in Hell. Your parents are the queen and king of it."
"But you said I'm nothing like them? So what does that have to do with it?" Charlie asked with a frown.
"Everything, really," Adam answered. "Hellflake, I'm fucking glad you're nothing like your parents. At least nothing in the ways that I give a damn about. But who you want to be and who you end up as? Trust me, that shit hardly ever turns out how you want."
Charlie looked down in disappointment.
"Come on, let's get you home," Adam said, still carrying the cookies in hand.
Charlie followed on Dazzle, Razzle holding to not be left behind as they ascended higher into the air.
"Well, this should be high enough for those fucks not to jump us without noticing," Adam mused, glancing up at the roof of pride.
Charlie did too. "I sometimes forget there is a ceiling up here," she said idly. "Adam? Have you-?"
"Yes."
"Huh? I did finish?" Charlie said in surprise.
"You were about to ask if I fucking ever knew kids as nice as you that turned out evil? Yeah, kid. I have seen literally everything. Good kids grow up to become saints or monsters, and bad kids grow up to be kind or tyrants. I have seen them start at every end of the spectrum and end up with every possible outcome. It's why I don't give a shit about nurture, nature, circumstances, or any of that shit. You end up in Heaven or Hell for the choices you make with the cards you're dealt."
"So...you don't think I'll be good or evil," Charlie realized in surprise, a smile coming to her face again. "You just want to wait and see for yourself?"
"Yep. Expectations are for suckers. That's how we all ended up in this shit. We all had expectations and they were wrong as fuck," Adam mused bitterly.
"You're...talking about Eden," Charlie realized.
"Among other things, yeah, Hellflake," Adam said with a sigh. "Look, just...change the topic a bit. I'm sure you have some stuff you want to talk about?"
"Well...you said you're Odin, right?" Charlie started, a bit awkward.
"Mostly, yeah," Adam agreed with a shrug.
"Well, who else were the other gods?" Charlie asked.
"Not always straightforward, Hellflake. Sometimes two or more different angels get confused as being the same fucker, other times an angel is mistaken as more than one god," Adam warned. "But...Heimdall is Gabriel."
"Gabriel, one of the Archangels?" Charlie realized with wide eyes.
"Yeah. Fun bitch that one. Believe it or not, but blowjobs were her fucking idea and one of her best!" Adam said with a grin.
Charlie blanched at that. "Why...why would an angel invent that...?"
"I mean, the whole idea beyond fellatio and cunnilingus was to selflessly pleasure each other at times. Suppose to be a gift between spouses, something to do when you weren't trying for a kid," Adam explained. "Kind of bummed we never got boobgasms to be a nature thing. Would have made titjobs even better as a natural thing."
"Can we change the topic, please?" Charlie requested pleadingly.
"Sorry, sorry. I don't know why humans got so prudish about sex. I get the who naked thing, obviously, but we never had an issue talking about sex," Adam mused. "But yeah, Gabs was Heimdall. Obviously when she was in war gear, really hid her figure a lot. She didn't INVENT the rainbow, but she did make the finished design."
"Right, so...who is Thor?" Charlie asked curiously.
"Fuck! Hahaha! I forgot about that shit!" Adam said with a snicker. "Okay, This? Thor is actually two people. One was a Gibborim, but the other? The other is why Archangels shouldn't drink."
Charlie tilted her head. "Angels can get drunk? There is alcohol in Heaven?"
"Umm, duh? Humans HAD to drink alcohol all the time at one point, the shit was safer than water," Adam pointed out.
"It was?" Charlie asked in surprise.
"Yeah, most humans alive now don't remember that, spoiled on this neat water treatment shit they got going now," Adam explained. "Anyways, moving our asses back to your question? Thor is what happens when Michael gets drunk."
"Michael? The Michael?" Charlie asked in shock. "Why would he get THAT drunk?"
"We experimented with how to make different heavenly booze, and we may have fucked up into success by inventing something WAY too strong. And Michael was kind of our volunteer to test it. He's a Patron of Warriors, so he wanted to know why they liked it so much," he explained with a smile. "Fuck, it was great to see that prick finally loosen up. He hated us the next day, punted my ass down to somewhere in India the next time we sparred, but we all laughed about it the night after. Damn was that a good century."
Charlie tilted her head. "You sound like you're good friends with them."
"Well, yeah? They were kind of my parents, kind of my siblings? We didn't really need a word for it beyond family," Adam answered idly.
Charlie blinked. The angels were like family to Adam. Did that include her father?
"And look at that, we're here," Adam said as he flew down. But not to Charlie's balcony.
"Umm, Adam? You're going the wrong way?" Charlie informed in confusion.
"No, no I am not," Adam said with a playful tone.
Elsewhere, Lucifer sighed as he sat at his workbench. He wanted to say he was having a creative block, but really he was just distracted. E-Day was never something he paid much mind to, but now?
Now he had to think about Charlie being out there in all that chaos with Adam protecting her. Adam, who despite everything about the First Man, his daughter seemed to delight in her conversations with him. Even though several of them had left her sad or worried.
And often left her asking questions that he and Lilith weren't expecting to answer for a few more decades. Or questions they just weren't sure how to answer in ways she'd understand. Some things only made sense when experienced rather than told or shown.
How did he explain the nature of Eden, a place where Uncertainties were tested and made Certain? How did he get across the wonders he had created? How did he explain there was a time when they had to decide if Light chased away Darkness or Darkness chased away Light? How did tell her, in all seriousness, the long debate on whether Humans should be more akin to Beasts, Stones, or Mushrooms?
And how did Adam answer questions like this so effortlessly? Charlie sprung random questions on the "First Dick" every year, and he answered them on the fly in such a short time. Lucifer, for all his creativity, was at a loss. He could talk out his ass if he needed to, but not to his daughter! Especially when it meant being outshone by ADAM of all people, who hadn't told a lie yet, as far as Charlie had told them.
Well, he told her some very strong opinions. He still stood by the first draft of the platypus! Then they had to take away the wings, the second mouth, and even the original tail ending! At least Lilith convinced Adam and the other angels to keep the bill, it would have been utterly ruined without the bill!
He always loved billed birds. The beaked ones always were too annoying to him, especially when they started pecking at something. He swore someone invented the woodpecker just to annoy him.
There was a tap on his window.
He nearly fell over backward in surprise, spinning around. He looked over but couldn't see anything from where he sat.
Another knock came, prompting him to get to his feet. "Okay, this better not be a sinner wanting to hide in here," he said, more confused than annoyed for the moment. No one had been that stupid in a long time, but maybe it was overdue.
Looking through the window, he saw nothing. And yet, there was another knock. His annoyance grew, and he opened the double window, looking around and down. "Okay, I hope you enjoyed the joke because-"
He stopped with wide eyes as Charlie was suddenly lowered down right in front of his face. "Hi, Daddy!" she greeted with a smile.
Lucifer didn't have time to respond as Charlie flew at him. Or rather, she was flung at him, her arms wrapping around him in a tight hug as he went tumbling down with her.
"Charlie? You're here. Wait," Lucifer glared, pointing a free hand at the window. "Did you just throw my daughter at me like a baseball!?"
Adam smirked as he stood in the window frame, Razzle and Dazzle on either shoulder. "Sorry, but the Hellflake had a special delivery for one Mr. Morningshit."
Lucifer stared as Adam held up the basket of cookies. It was a disturbing image in Lucifer's head for some reason, he just wasn't sure why. "Are those poisoned?"
"Daddy! I made them!" Charlie informed with a pout. "I wanted to make them for Adam and the other angels, but they said they couldn't because..."
"Because of...wait, really?" Lucifer deadpanned. "You think I'd poison my own daughter's cookies!?"
Adam's silence was deafening and damning.
"Hump! I'm offended! And how do I know you didn't mess with them?" Lucifer asked as he stood up, holding Charlie.
"Because you have a witness," Adam said, pointing to Charlie. "I fucking can't know SOMEONE didn't sneak shit into the goods when Hellflake wasn't looking. Besides, this is a win-win for me."
Lucifer opened his mouth and then paused. "Okay, how?"
Adam grinned. "Simple. This shit is poisoned? You got to deal with it. It's not? Hellflake gets to enjoy her treats with someone who'll appreciate them," Adam said, nodding to Charlie. "Your kid put a lot of work into it, so just take the shit and swallow it."
"I wished you had worded that better," Lucifer said with a sigh, noticing Charlie smile at Adam's praise. Without another thought, he snatched the basket from Adam's hand. "But thank you I'm sure you're first thought was to vaporize them."
Adam grunted. "Don't get the wrong idea. The fact this'll probably make you happy has my damn skin crawling in revulsion. But I'll stomach it if it means Hellflake doesn't feel like she wasted her time when she tried her best."
Charlie beamed and the sight of it made Lucifer smile a bit as well.
"Well, that's about all of you I can tolerate for the year," Adam said, glancing at the goat-dragons on his shoulders. "Raz, Daz? Make sure the Hellflake gets to bed before she sugar crashes."
They both baa'd in agreement as they flew over to Charlie.
"Why do they listen to you? I made those adorable guys!" Lucifer asked. Charlie was one thing, but Razzle and Dazzle?
"Bitch, please, I tamed worse shit when I was alive," Adam retorted with derision as he turned to the window. "Okay, the A-man is out of here!"
Lucifer was just a bit annoyed by the large gust of wind that went through his workshop as Adam left. Still, he smiled as he looked at his little girl. "So, cookies?"
"Do you think Mommy would like some?" Charlie asked, her smile a bit weaker, but happy nonetheless.
"I'm sure she'd love that," Lucifer assured as he turned with Charlie and the cookies to find his wife.
There was some bitter irony about this, he knew, having a family moment because Adam of all people had a good idea of how to soothe Charlie's tears.
Maybe that was what bothered Lucifer the most in all this. Moment's like these gave Adam's "shit father" comments more weight.
And they were already heavy enough on Luceifer's mind.
Extermination Day, 1932
"You...have a lead on an Overlord?" Charlie asked with a furrowed brow. "How? You all just got here?"
There were several chuckles and smirks from the exorcists about that. Even Adam was smirking. "I have my ways, Hellflake. But we need to go, like right now. Sorry to jump ship, but can you call up your dad to portal you home?"
Charlie had a look on her face like she was thinking.
Adam deadpanned. "Hellflake, no. You can't fucking come with us. This is a big-time Overlord, who will probably bathe in your blood if she gets a hold of you."
Charlie raised her hands from Dazzle's back. "N-no, I'm not stupid! B-but could I just wait for you? At the Embassy, maybe?"
Adam hummed, displeased but obviously unwilling to burst her hopes.
"Sir," Lute spoke up. "I can escort her there with a few others."
Adam sighed, long and suffering. "The Big Ls will probably throw a fit, but Fine. Lute, you stay with her until I get back, and try not to make her cry."
"Sir," Lute said, looking to the others. "You four with me."
"Okay, Ladies? Rest o you go wreck shit while me and the squad go hunt for a blood bitch," Adam ordered, six exorcists remaining behind with him before they flew off.
"By Adam," Charlie called after weakly.
"Come along, Princess," Lute instructed sternly, already heading in the direction of the embassy.
Charlie obeyed, keeping her head down as they flew. It was different than being with Adam. She knew the five exorcists wouldn't hurt her, but she felt calm and safe around Adam most of the time. Right now, she just felt...
Tolerated. Begrudgingly.
"So...what are your names?" Charlie tried with a small, forced smile. "I already know Miss Lute."
The four unnamed angels shared looks, but none were willing to answer her.
They reached the embassy in short order, being much closer than the Devil's Manor. The group landed, and Lute turned to the others. "You four head off, I'll watch the Hellspawn."
"Ma'am," one of them saluted. Would you like me to take your place? I'm sure Sir would appreciate having you there for the Overlord hunt."
Lute's face didn't react, but it was obvious by her eyes that she was tempted. "And I appreciate the offer, Sister, but the order was for me to watch her. Now, go."
"Ma'am!" they said before taking off.
"That was...nice of her," Charlie mused carefully. "Is she really your sister or is it just because you fight together?"
"Fight together," Lute answered as she led Charlie into the embassy.
The Hell Princess climbed off Dazzle's back and raced to keep up with the exorcist, the goat-dragon shrinking down to follow at Charlie's side. "Huh. This place is nice, but...kind of creepy. No one is here."
"There rarely needs to be," Lute answered as she led her to a meeting room. "Princess, I am not Adam. I have no desire to entertain your questions."
Charlie sulked a bit at that. "But I really want to know more about you."
"I'm the second-in-command of the exorcist. I relish in slaughtering the sinners of Hell and I would be all too happy to extend the same treatment to the Hellborn if the treaty didn't forbid it," Lute said bluntly.
Charlie winced but was undeterred. "I-I know that. But what about the rest?"
Lute didn't respond, just raising an eyebrow.
"Y-you only do that once a year. What do you do the rest of the time in Heaven?" she asked curiously.
"Whatever Sir needs me to," Lute answered. She crossed her leg over, laying her spear across her lap, and channeled some holy energy into her fingertips. She then proceeded to casually use that as a whetstone, to sharpen the spear tip. "What does a Princess of Hell do?"
"...Not much," Charlie answered softly. "I play with Razzle, Dazzle, and Keekee. Practice my magic and other stuff. Spend time with Mom and Dad. Try to...ask questions they can answer without making them sad."
Lute hummed.
"I meet other Hellborns sometimes. I'm penpals with some, but I don't know any of them very well. Mommy and Daddy teach me new things every now and again. Mostly Mommy, but Daddy tries. We have family time a lot," Charlie said with a small smile. "Lute? I know you...hate me for existing-"
"I'm glad you exist, Hellspawn," Lute answered instantly, without inflection.
Charlie's mouth stopped working for a moment. "You...you're not just saying that because you like to see me sad or hope you can...hurt me one day, right...?"
"No, I mean it genuinely," Lute answered, testing the tip of her spear. "Years ago, I would have simply said you're the foul product of a union that should have never existed. And you still are."
Charlie furrowed her brow. "I don't understand. Then why...?"
"Time with you makes him happy."
Charlie starred.
"Sir...Lord Adam, he enjoys your visits. That alone is reason enough for me to be glad you exist, origins regardless," Lute mused, looking at Charlie again.
"You...you really care about him, don't you?" Charlie asked with a small smile before frowning. "Lute, are you...?"
"I am whatever he needs me to be," Lute answered vaguely, but solemnly.
Charlie let that hang in the air, not sure what to make of that admission. "So...you don't want me hurt, because it would make Adam sad?"
"Is genuinely caring for another that foreign to you?" Lute asked with an eye roll.
"No! Of course not! I care about all the Sinners in Hell! That's why I keep asking you all to go home," Charlie said firmly.
"Do you really care about them? Or do you care about how it makes you feel?" Lute challenged.
Charlie stopped, staring at her. "What do you mean?"
"Say you convinced us to stop, saved those sinners outside. Are you doing it because you care about those miserable souls, or does it just make you feel good to think you helped others?" Lute turned back.
"I'm...What?" Charlie shook her head in bewilderment. "I don't understand. Is it wrong to feel good about helping others...?"
Lute sighed. "Princess, I warn you. I am Heavenborn. I have no idea how to treat small children like you, no matter where they are born."
Charlie raised an eyebrow at that but waited for Lute to elaborate.
"What I mean is it about their benefit or your satisfaction. Do you want their happiness or their gratitude?" Lute explained.
"I..." Charlie looked down. "I don't know. I've never really...been able to help someone, besides my parents. And Adam. I don't know if it's different with strangers. But does it... really matter?"
Lute paused. "Have you ever heard the proverb about teaching someone to fish?"
"Give them a fish, and they eat for a day, teach them to fish, and they'll never be hungry again?" Charlie recalled with a head tilt.
Lute nodded. "Someone who wants to be nice and feel good about helping others will provide the fish. Someone kind and that truly cares will provide the fishing lessons."
Charlie blinked with wide eyes. "That's what Adam meant," she said under her breath. "Wait, what if you don't know how to fish?"
Lute rolled her eyes. "It's a metaphor, Princess. The idea is to teach them to provide for themselves and be better for it, regardless if it benefits you in any way."
"...I don't like fish," Charlie confessed idly.
"Neither do I," Lute agreed with a shrug. "I prefer the taste of lamb."
Dazzle neighed, running behind Charlie's legs. "Was...that a joke?" Charlie asked uncertainly.
"No," Lute answered. "Not that I'd eat a Hellbeast. But yes, I prefer lamb to other meats."
"Wait, how do you get meat in Heaven...?" Charlie asked curiously.
"We can create any food desired. The meat tastes delicious, but it was never alive to begin with," Lute informed.
"Huh. That sounds...nice," Charlie said with a smile.
The door burst open from a kick. "Danger-tits, we got skunked!" Adam said with a scowl. "Hellflake, you're not crying. Good."
"Why would I be?" Charlie asked.
"Lute here is great, but she is a crazy bitch at times. She makes me look calm," Adam mused.
"I do," Lute agreed with a smirk.
Charlie was torn between saying Adam probably shouldn't insult Lute and the fact that Lute seemed to enjoy the insult. If it was an insult. Adam and Lute's relationship confused Charlie sometimes.
"Come on, let's get you home before Old Scratch gets worried," Adam said.
"Sir? Before you go, what do you mean by skunked?" Lute asked with a frown.
"Damn bitch left a decoy behind in her safehouse," Adam grumbled.
"So, our informant lied?" Lute mused.
"Probably not. I figured they just got fucked over intentionally by the Overbitch. She probably knew the little shit was turning on her and wanted us to take them out for her," Adam mused. 'I obviously did, can't let the fuckers think they can get away with dead leads."
Charlie listened to the exchange uncomfortably. Sinners were turning on each other to save themselves from the angels. Then again, was that really different from normal, when they sold each other out to other sinners? She didn't know, but she knew that when the angels were involved, a sinner ended up double-dead.
"Come on, Hellflake, let's get going," Adam said, picking her up without a second thought.
Charlie blinked. It wasn't the first time Adam held her, but it was more spontaneous than the others. Regardless, as he took her away she waved goodbye to Lute.
She didn't wave back, but Charlie liked to think the ends of Lute's lips twitched up at the sides.
It wasn't long until they were back in the air, Charlie on his back.
"So...who were you hunting?" Charlie asked in morbid interest.
Adam made a noise of aggravation. "Elizabeth fucking Bathory."
Charlie's eyes went wide. "The...Blood Countess."
Adam nodded. "Dracula's Hellbride. Bitch has been hiding ever since we impaled the Impaler. Ohhh, she's been on my to-kill list since she got down here."
Charlie swallowed. "Mommy and Daddy have a list too. It's a list of sinners I am to never go near if I see them. She's one of them."
Adam hummed. "Well, they did that right at least. They say why she isn't dead yet?"
"Mommy says some of the Hellborn are hiding her in the other cities. They...have similar tastes to her," Charlie answered with discomfort.
"Yeah, that's about what we figured," Adam muttered. "And your folks of course can't be bothered to deal with her any other day of the year."
Charlie wasn't sure what she could say about that. She didn't know the situation really. "...Why would she be back here then?"
"Good question. Powerplay, probably. Pentagram City isn't the only shitstop in Pride for sinners, but it is where most of them spawn in at. Most of the big fish are here, where the new sinners will fall into their fucking laps," Adam mused darkly.
Charlie said nothing on the rest of the way home.
"Wait..." Adam said with a frown as they reached the balcony. "Did your parents fucking not know she was back in town?"
"Did we know who wasn't back in town?" Lucifer asked, stepping onto the balcony with a confused look.
"Daddy!" Charlie greeted as she jumped from Adam's shoulder to Lucifer's arms.
"CharChar!" Lucifer said, grabbing her and spinning around. "I missed you! But seriously, who are we talking about?"
"Bathory, Dracula's bloodwhore," Adam informed with a scowl.
"Yes, I heard about her. Very recently she did," Lucifer said with a scowl, holding Charlie a bit closer. "Are you about to say I'm a shit father for not warning Charlie?"
"Nope, she already said you did. Just making sure you got some damn eyes on the situation," Adam said with a scowl. "Hellflake, see you next year and- wait, the fuck is Daz?"
"Sir?"
All eyes went wide and looked out to see Lute hovering there, holding Dazzle by the scruff of his neck, giving out a baa.
"I believe this belongs to the Hellspawn Princess," She said, releasing the beast, who flew over to them.
"What's she'd just call my daughter?" Lucifer muttered with a twitching eyebrow
"Thank you, Miss Lute!" Charlie spoke up before the angels and her father could get into an argument. "Dazzle! Oh, I'm so sorry we forgot you! I was sure you were on Adam's back with me!" Charlie said, rubbing the creature's head, Dazzle baa'ing happily.
"Thanks, Danger-tits," Adam said idly as he took off to hover. "Until next time, Morningshits."
"Oh, ffffuck off!" Lucifer called off in annoyance.
Charlie giggled at the way her father said the curse word.
"And you!" Lucifer said, pointing a finger at Dazzle. "How dare you leave Charlie alone!"
"You said they have to keep me safe, Daddy," Charlie reminded with a smile, petting the goat-dragon affectionately. "Dazzle knew I was safe with Adam."
Lucifer tried not to feel part of him die at that simple and sweet logic from his daughter. "So...Lute. Is that his girlfriend? Daughter? She has his eyes, but he calls her...Danger-tits?" Lucifer asked thoughtfully.
Charlie shrugged. "I wanted to ask, but she just said she's whatever he needs her to be."
Lucifer chose not to make many, many crass jokes about what Adam needed.
Elsewhere, Lute furrowed her brow at what Adam had given her. "This was in the safe house?"
A photo hastily burned but still recognizable. It showed a moment of Adam flying through the skies of Hell.
And Charlie Morningstar clearly on his back.
"Did you tell the Pitking, Sir?" Lute asked evenly.
"He already knows. Trust me, I can tell," Adam mused ominously. "Bathory bathed in the blood of many young girls while alive. She's kept that practice going in Hell as best she could. Imagine how much she'd want to soak in the blood of the Princess of Hell."
Lute could imagine. If treated like money, Charlie and her blood would be worth far more than gold and diamonds to a fiend like Bathory.
"The day is almost done, Sir," Lute mused. "We won't be able to find her until next year."
Adam nodded. "Let's see if Old Scratch can actually do his job this time."
'Deal with the Blood Countess?" Lute asked.
"Protect his damn cichlid."
Three Months Later
"Adam?"
Adam looked up from the drum set that Emily had created from the aether. "Drums are good, but you made the sticks too pointy," Adam informed, showing the pointed stick for effect.
"Right, sorry," Emily said softly.
Adam hummed, glancing around at the items Emily had made. A harmonica, a piano, a chair, a bathtub, and more. She was getting rather good at it Granted, it wasn't the main job of a Seraphim to make things like this, but it was good practice for her control. "Okay, spill, what's eating you, Fluffcake?"
"Sorry, I was just thinking," Emily said, fiddling with her hands. "A few days ago, I saw two souls talking. They were both soldiers in life."
"Okay, so? A lot of winners up here like to find people who were like them on Earth," Adam pointed out.
Emily looked at him uncertainly. "They died killing each other."
"Ah. Yeah, that happens sometimes," Adam said in understanding.
"It's just...strange to think about. They both killed people and died killing one another, and they both made it to Heaven," Emily said softly. "And now they both seemed like they were...friends now."
She started at the chuckle, turning to see a smile on Adam's mask. "I'm always a bit proud when people can put the war behind them after it's over and respect each other."
"Isn't...isn't killing a sin?" Emily asked softly.
"Yeah, but the entire concept of war complicates shit," Adam mused with a sigh. "Look, Em? Most of the time, Soldiers don't go to Hell for killing enemy soldiers. Fighting for a cause isn't enough to damn a soul, usually."
"But...why is it okay for them to kill each other?" Emily asked uncertainly.
Adam shrugged. "Sorry, this shit is easier to understand than explain. The main thing is that there is a big ass gap between killing someone and straight up murdering them."
"...There is?" Emily asked in surprise.
Adam nodded. "Yeah, a lot of killings don't count as murder. Say you kill someone by an honest accident, bumping them off a huge ass cliff? You're probably going to feel bad as shit, but that's not murder. And yes, soldiers killing each is usually not going to damn you. Again, usually. It's too complicated for this brief ass summary. But once you get into pillaging and raiding villages? That's when the pits start making a spot for you."
Emily looked thoughtful now. "I never liked to think about things like that too much, but I guess that makes sense. Things aren't black and white down there, is it?"
"Nope. You won't find any shit written down, Ems. Hell wasn't supposed to exist, so things got fucked and complicated once it formed," Adam said bitterly before shaking it off. "But enough pissing around. We should get you back to Sera."
Emily nodded. "I'm just glad she apologized to you for telling you to not be around me."
"Yeah, Big Fluff decided I was a decent influence after all," Adam said with a chuckle. "Don't take her babying you too hard, Fluffcake. Sera means well with your ass, she's just worried about fucking up your childhood and innocence."
Emily tilted her head. "Does Sera see me like a daughter?"
"Daughter, sister, something? She's your guardian if shit else, she just doesn't realize it. She's like a lot of first-time parents or siblings. They don't know HOW to be protective, so their asses get overprotective," Adam explained in amusement.
"..." Emily was looking at him with a long, curious look.
"What? Is my fucking mask messing up?" Adam asked with a raised eyebrow.
Emily smiled. "No, nothing at all."
Adam narrowed his eyes. He knew that smile on kids. It was either really good or really bad.
Oh well, he'd find out eventually.
End of Chapter
Well, there goes those years. A lot of interesting talks. Got the first mentions of the other Archangels. And Charlie made cookies! But no one would eat them because they do not eat ANYTHING that was near Lucifer or Lilith. For valid reasons. Lucifer is still accepting but eternally troubled(slightly envious) of Charlie bonding so easily with Adam. Now Charlie and Lute got some time together! And Lute is...Lute, but did provide a lot of insight into things, and gives Charlie a lot to think about. Finally, there's the scene with Emily. Yeah, so, you guys know the "Thou Shall Not Kill" rule? It really means "Don't Murder" as there is a LOT of killing and war in the Bible. Ahh, right, and the Blood Countess is in Pentagram City, and possibly looking to take a bath in Charlie's blood. Not good, obviously!
All around an eventful couple of years for this chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it!
PS Started a collection for my Hazbin oneshots, called "Fruit of Alternate Universes." It's mainly for plotbunnies that might become their own stories. The first oneshot is about Eve reuniting with Adam in Heaven.
