Angel and Husk took a few more steps in their dance, before realizing the music had abruptly stopped. They both looked at Adam, then followed his gaze. Alastor sauntered closer. Adam flinched a bit when Alastor approached the bar and seated himself on a barstool, back to the bar, eyes still on Adam. His expression was smug and pleased.

"Oh no, don't stop the music because of me. Do continue. Better yet, take it from the top. It's been quite a long while since I've been treated to a live performance."

Adam held Alastor's gaze in stunned silence. This asshole had the gall to act like he hadn't just humiliated him, reopened his wounds, and threatened his friend. Alastor held his gaze, relaxed and fully expecting to get what he wanted. The angel was stuck in a state of hesitation.

"C'mon Adam, get back to the music. We were having fun, right?" Angel Dust's voice cut through the tension. This made Adam's decision for him. He broke eye contact and turned his eyes back down to his guitar, repositioning his fingers on the strings.

"Hey, hobo man, hey Dapper Dan, ya both got your style…" Adam began again. Angel Dust grabbed Husk and resumed dancing with him again, earning a quick "whoa" from the catlike sinner.

Alastor fully enjoyed one of his old favorites, even tapping his foot along to it. His grin even appeared a bit more genuine. The angel played the song through. He was shocked when he finished and Alastor actually clapped.

"Wonderful! I haven't heard that old classic played live in decades! Let's have another." Alastor half requested half demanded. Adam glanced at the sinners with them.

"Encore!" Angel cried, following it up with a laugh. Husk gave a thumbs up, glad at least that Alastor was being pacified by the music. Adam paused a moment, thinking of the next song. He began playing a melody and clearing his throat.

Several songs later, music seemed to have soothed the savage beast. Alastor hadn't slung a single insult aside from continuing to address Adam as 'Pet'. In fact Alastor hardly said anything aside from demanding more music or a specific song.

The lobby door opened, revealing Charlie and Lucifer. The king was leaning on his daughter, his expression pained. Charlie was looking worried. Alastor swiftly rose from his seat and approached.

"Good evening, Charlie! How was your evening out?" Alastor asked, leaning down somewhat to be even closer to the princess. Lucifer grimaced at the volume of the sinner's voice and held his head.

"Well, it started out great, but then halfway through dinner, Dad started to get this splitting headache." Charlie replied, keeping her voice down and rubbing her father's back. Lucifer smiled at her.

"Don't worry, Starshine. I'll be fine. It's not my first headache. I just need to go take some aspirin and lie down for a while. I'm still glad we went out together. Why don't you go see how Vaggie's doing and I'll go take some pills?" Lucifer suggested, his voice full of love. Charlie pulled her father into a gentle hug.

"Okay Dad. Hope you feel better soon." Charlie murmured, concern laced her tone as she released him from her arms. Adam hesitated, unsure what he should be doing.

"Should I come with you? Or would you rather I stay with Husk so you can rest?" Adam questioned.

"Come with me." Lucifer's command was gentle as he beckoned to Adam. The former exorcist quickly placed his guitar in its case and put the strap over his body. He took Lucifer's hand.

"Bye, guys." Adam waved to the rest of the group as he walked away with Lucifer. Everyone but Alastor waved back and bid a goodbye.

Lucifer led the way back to the bedroom. This time Adam held the door for Lucifer. The fallen angel went to his bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet. He snapped and on the bathroom sink appeared a glass of water. Then Lucifer took a bottle of pills from the medicine cabinet and took two, washing them down with the water.

Adam removed his boots, went to the bed, and made himself comfortable on his side. The larger man positioned himself to hold Lucifer face to face. The king soon joined him and cuddled up, once he'd removed his boots and hat. Lucifer positioned himself over Adam again so that he could rest his chin on Adam's hair, trying to ignore the throbbing in his head and breathe deeply.

The first man sighed softly, wrapping his arms around Lucifer's torso and began to sink into his thoughts again. As much as he thought on his past with regret these days, he was feeling more peace than he had back in heaven. Adam wondered how to put words to this feeling.

He felt as if a weight had been removed, but not an ordinary weight. This weight had been there so long, the first man had forgotten it was there. The father of humanity no longer felt shame for being attracted to other men. The need to not be seen doing anything deemed unmasculine no longer consumed him. Adam felt that he had people who actually cared about him, as opposed to the shallow or distanced connections he'd felt back in heaven. Even those he had cared most about, he had been unable to fully open his heart to, not even Abel.

Adam's mind wandered to those he'd left behind, the handful of angels he believed gave some semblance of a fuck about him. Emily, Lute, Raphael, and of course Abel came to mind. He wondered how close each of them might have become to them, if he had not feared intimacy too much and let them become closer.

Abel had once been very close to him. The boy had greeted his father with joyous excitement when Adam ascended. Abel had once stuck close to his father, but over the years a wedge slowly came between them. Abel distanced himself as Adam had grown more arrogant and more bitter towards the sinners. Looking back, Adam chastised himself for allowing that rift to the centuries, father and son spending any quality time together had become a rarity. Still, the teary-eyed betrayal on Abel's face when he found out about the exterminations stung. He had refused to even speak to Adam and ran away sobbing, probably to go see Raphael.

Being the archangel of healing, Raphael was also heaven's best therapist. As a great lover of music, he had been the only member of the flock who went out of his way to spend time around Adam. He'd been willing to feed Adam the praise he so craved, even if only for his musical ability, so Adam had welcomed his presence more than the rest of the flock. Raphael had frequently tried to cajole Adam into agreeing to do therapy, either with him or one of the other therapist angels. Adam had always brushed him off, as he'd convinced himself he was happy and had no problems to work on. Now, Adam regretted not taking him up on his offer.

'Sick! You're sick in the head, Adam! How could you kill those poor souls?! I can't even look at you right now! Get away from me!' Adam could not help but grimace as Emily's voice rang in his head. Those were the last words she'd spoken to him after the trial. The grounded angel thought she was probably glad to be rid of him after the truth had come out. He fought the tears welling up in his eyes, and rubbed them casually as if he were tired. Adam tried to think of something else.

That was when Lute came to his mind. Fiercely loyal and his most constant companion, Adam found with some guilt that he did not miss her company quite as much as he thought he would. Though he did miss her, he realized she did not bring out the best in him. She had encouraged his self indulgent and callous behavior. His right hand woman had been an echo chamber for his self importance and sadism against the sinners. Unknowingly, she had been encouraging him to take his hurt out on others instead of trying to heal himself. Adam wondered if maybe he had been bad for her as well…

Lucifer, on the other hand, was bringing out the best in Adam. It was Lucifer who reminded him to check his temper, who showed him it was okay to be vulnerable and to trust again, who had given him the reality check he'd so sorely needed to finally break out of that miserable stagnation. Without Lucifer soundly humbling him, followed by nothing but compassion, Adam never would have gained the humility or the self awareness to see what a monster he had become. Now the first man was actually getting to know himself again, for the first time since he'd set foot outside the garden.

"Adam?" Lucifer's voice, though soft, disturbed Adam from his thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright? You're very quiet." Lucifer murmured.

"I'm fine. I just thought quiet would be better for your headache than conversation." Adam spoke in a soft tone. He felt Lucifer's hand caress the hair at the back of his head.

"I feel much better already. My headache is nearly gone now. So, tell me how your afternoon was with Husk. I'm sorry I've been gone all day." Lucifer muttered in a guilty tone.

"It's fine, really. You can't help having to do your job, and Charlie is your daughter. She's entitled to a fair share of your attention. You don't need to coddle me." Adam sighed. Lucifer continued to caress him.

"Oh, but I enjoy giving you attention. Don't you enjoy receiving it? You never did seem like you got enough attention in heaven. I thought you were always hungry for more." Lucifer chuckled, thinking of how Adam was any time there was a meeting at the embassy, always prodding at Lucifer to get a rise out of him.

"...Yes, I enjoy your attention. I just don't want to be demanding." Adam answered. Lucifer kissed the top of his angel's head.

"You are anything but demanding, my angel. How was your evening with Husk?" Lucifer enquired again. He sighed softly, grateful that his headache had gone from throbbing to a mild ache. Adam paused, considering how much of the truth to tell.

"It was fine. We had dinner. Alastor was a twat like usual. Husk and I left the table first, went to grab my guitar in case I felt like playing later, then we went back to the bar. We played some cards. Alastor showed up to bother us for a little bit, but eventually he left. Husk and I went back to playing until Angel joined us. A few hands later I started playing old music to make fun of Alastor. I was worried he'd want to fight when he showed up again like I had fucking summoned the bastard, but I guess he was actually into it. He was pretty much just there for the music until you and Charlie got back." Adam really did not wish to tell Lucifer just how viciously Alastor had treated him.

"I'm glad you found a way to shut his mouth without getting in a fight. Thank you for being good. I know he didn't make it easy for you." Lucifer lowered his voice to a whisper and nuzzled Adam's hair. The younger angel sighed, relaxing under his master's caress. The two fell into a moment of comfortable silence.

The younger angel snuggled closer, pressing his face gently to Lucifer's chest. The archangel felt his heart warm and the remainder of his headache slowly ebb away. These moments reminded him of the garden, back when Adam had been a very open, curious, sweet, and affectionate young man. He'd taken great joy in sharing words of love or cuddling with whoever was with him, be it Lilith or a visiting angel. His heart had been so full of love, until one day his behavior started to change, causing him to rapidly become domineering and reserved… That was when something clicked in Lucifer's mind. Everything fell into place and he finally understood his own actions on the last extermination day. He moved away from Adam just enough to readjust their position, so he could look Adam in the eye.

"Adam, the other day you asked me why I spared you, and I said I didn't know for certain. That was true at the time, but I believe I've just figured it out and I have a more satisfying answer for you now.

"It hit me just right now. No matter what you have done, mistreating Lilith, antagonizing me at every single meeting, even as far as being a threat to my daughter… none of it was ever enough to make me stop caring about you. I didn't realize it until I had defeated you. With the very real possibility of watching you die staring me in the face, I realized I couldn't let it happen. I didn't understand why at the time, but I knew I simply couldn't let you die. I knew things would only get worse if I let you go back to heaven. You'd come back madder and more destructive, so I had to pull a solution out of my ass.

"Grounding you was the best solution I could think of on the spot. Again, I am sorry it had to come to that. But once you couldn't fly back to heaven, only half the problem was solved. I knew the sinners would tear you apart if I let you go. You never would have made it to the embassy. But on the other hand, I could not predict how you were going to react to being stuck in hell. For all I knew, you might have lashed out violently. You could have hurt one of the hotel staff, or even Charlie. I wanted to keep you alive, but letting my daughter come to harm was a risk I couldn't take. As a father, I had to put Charlie's safety first.

"Striking a soul bargain with you solved both problems. It made you mine, and placed you both under my control and under my protection. That was the best way I had to keep everybody safe. That was why I spared your life, my angel. Because I never stopped loving you and simply could not bear to lose you."

Adam was still and silent for a moment, absorbing the information. It was shocking to know that Lucifer had cared for him all that time. This knowledge warmed his heart but also left him with a pang of guilt for turning on Lucifer, all over something that had ultimately been his own fault.

"Thank you. Having a solid answer helps me feel better." Adam replied softly. Lucifer gave Adam's shoulders a firm squeeze, with a smile on his face and a sparkle of joy in his eyes.

"Keeping you was the best decision I've made since Lilith and I decided to have Charlie. I truly adore having you at my side. Now that I've answered your question, would you answer one of mine?" Lucifer asked.

"I suppose I owe you that much. What is it?" Adam nodded.

"Back in the garden… I want to know what went wrong. You said so yourself, Everything was great at first. But what happened? You were so sweet and so happy to shower anyone around you with affection and attention. Especially Lilith and me. What changed your mind? I can't believe that you started acting this way simply because you were told that you and Lilith were meant to have children together…" Lucifer prompted. Adam sighed as the memories flooded back.

"It was Sera. She was the one who told us that we would be the parents of an entire race. We were both excited by the idea of being parents. Then she sent Lilith away to get fruit from a tree that grew on the other side of the garden. When we were alone, Sera told me it would be very important once I was a father for me to embody masculinity. I had to be their guide on what that looked like. She told me I needed to do this correctly, because if I didn't then Lilith and our children would not feel safe and happy. So she started teaching me everything I should do and be, bit by bit.

"She told me that Lilith needed me to be a leader, that if I was not in control Lilith wouldn't feel that she was protected. Sera told me that women were more fragile, so I couldn't lean on my wife in any way or I was being weak and failing her. I needed to be self-sufficient. She told me not to allow Lilith to tell me what to do, that it wasn't masculine… I should have known by the way Lilith reacted that Sera was wrong, but I thought an angel would know better than me…" Adam whispered, trying to reign in his emotions.

"She fed you a load of total horse shit." Lucifer's voice was filled with astonishment.

"Considering I was there when father made you, I can tell you for a fact you were not made to lead. The two of you were to be partners, equals in all things. You were supposed to lean on each other and take care of each other. Lilith was made to stand at your side, not follow behind you." Lucifer's heart sank at this new information.

"Sera insisted that Lilith was just getting used to the change, and she'd be happier once she adjusted. So I stuck with it, and I pushed both of you away and lost you…" Adam's voice broke with pain from reliving the memories and his eyes welled with tears.

Lucifer held Adam closer and a soothing birdlike coo sound issued from his throat. The archangel petted Adam's hair again, knowing it was usually an effective soothing technique.

"Hush, I'm here, my gem. You're mine. I'll never abandon you again." Lucifer promised, with warmth and love lacing his voice.

"I know now that my behavior drove her away, but at the time, I just thought I was doing what was best for her… When they went to try you two, I was left alone in the garden for days. I had no company and no news of what was going on. For a while I thought I had just been abandoned there." Adam hugged Lucifer tightly.

"You were misled. I'm sorry I left you behind. I promise you won't be alone again. Don't forget you wear my collar. Take that as your proof that you are mine and I will keep you at my side." Lucifer murmured. He kept a keen eye on Adam's expression, wanting to make sure his declaration had the comforting effect he desired.

Adam smiled. He found the promise comforting. Lucifer was such pleasant company, he really didn't mind that he had been forced into the position of being his companion. Knowing he belonged to Lucifer and would not be discarded was soothing. Lucifer caressed his cheek, pleased when Adam leaned into it.

"My headache is gone. How about we go enjoy the garden? I don't believe you've seen it since it was finished." Lucifer suggested. Adam nodded in agreement. When Lucifer had been putting in the hotel's garden, Adam had been working under Charlie's instruction on some of the hotel's rooms. He was curious what the garden had ended up looking like anyway.

"I'm glad you feel better. I'd like to see the garden." Adam murmured, moving away from Lucifer to get off the bed. Lucifer stood up, and they both straightened their clothes. The two of them readied themselves and left the room together, headed for the garden hand in hand.

Lucifer led the way through the halls. Adam noticed this area was near Angel's room. Quickly, they came upon a pair of double doors, a sign above them labeled

'Garden' in elegant letters. Lucifer opened the door, but this time did not allow Adam to pass through first. He wanted to see the younger angel's reaction.

Adam's eyes opened wide when he beheld the hotel garden. Behind the hotel, Lucifer had created a lively patch of beauty about the size of a large back yard. The ground was covered in lush grass spattered with wildflowers. The whole garden smelled of flowers.

The entire area was surrounded by a tall stone wall, with a high domed roof of glass over top to keep out the pride ring's acidic rain. A path of stepping stones led around the garden, from one mini destination to another, creating a circle around the very center of the garden.

A small koi pond sat in one corner, with demonic but elegant looking fish. A stone bench sat next to it for those who may wish to sit and watch the fish. The water rippled and occasionally splashed with their movement.

In another corner sat a garden swing, flowering vines covering the frame. Weeping willows and wisteria trees dotted the area around the swing. A few petals from the wisteria trees fell occasionally, littering the grass with petal confetti.

Close to the wall of the hotel, there was a concrete slab upon which sat a large rectangular patio table along with six chairs. The table and chairs were all made of a metal mesh. Each chair had a cushion secured to the back.

In that center circle grew a large apple tree, the largest tree in the garden. The tree bore shiny, vibrantly red apples. Adam couldn't help but roll his eyes with a slight smile. Of course Lucifer would put an apple tree in the garden.

Surrounding the apple tree was a wide strip of flowerbed, with one gap to pass through. These flowers were not wildflowers but garden flowers. A rose bush, a lavender shrub, hyacinths in different colors, a patch of purple hearts, poppies, and a patch of catnip in bloom.

"Holy fuck, this is fucking beautiful, Lucifer." Adam murmured, taking it all in. Lucifer smiled with satisfaction at the awe Adam was displaying.

"Thank you. I worked very hard on designing and creating this. I thought it would be perfect for having a quiet spot to meditate or just think, I was sure Charlie would love it. I made something like this in a palace courtyard." Lucifer explained.

"If you could make it look like this, why does Pride… look the way it does?" Adam asked softly.

"The short answer is energy. The state of this garden is not natural to hell. It's like how if you take certain plants out of their natural environment, it takes a lot of work and special care for them to not just die. I will need to occasionally feed this garden with my grace to keep it alive. In a small patch like this, no big deal. But if I were to try to convert Pride's landscape into this, keeping it alive would be tremendously demanding on my energy." Lucifer explained.

Adam nodded, that explanation being good enough for him. Lucifer took his hand again and led Adam over to the swing. Adam sat down, expecting Lucifer to place himself in his lap. The grounded angel was not disappointed. Adam wrapped his arms around Lucifer's waist to secure him, and pushed with his feet to make the swing sway gently.

Lucifer placed himself sideways in Adam's lap and snuggled close. Adam sighed happily, feeling completely safe and at peace in that moment. Lucifer wrapped his arms around Adam and gazed at him, heart warming at the sight of Adam looking so comfortable.

"Thank you for being so patient with me today, my prize. I dislike leaving you alone so much." Lucifer reached up to cup Adam's cheek, stroking his thumb over Adam's beard again.

"It's fine, really. You have to work and you deserve time with your daughter." Adam assured him. Still, he was happy to have Lucifer back with him. Lucifer made himself comfortable and allowed his head to rest on Adam's chest. For a few minutes they held each other close as Adam gently rocked the swing.

As they cuddled together, Adam found himself wanting a kiss. This beautiful garden seemed like the perfect romantic setting. Adam's heart began to speed up at the idea and a blush came to his face. Lucifer lifted his head from the younger angel's chest and looked at his face. A small smile came to the archangel's lips.

"Adam, what are you thinking about? Your heart is beating fast." Lucifer asked softly. He thought he already knew, but the more accustomed Adam became to voicing his wants, the better. Adam looked away from Lucifer as his blush deepend.

"I was thinking about… kissing." Adam admitted shyly. Lucifer answered with a come hither look and leaned in closer.

"Oh ho, is that so? And who were you thinking about kissing, my prize?" Lucifer replied in a whisper. He enjoyed the sight of Adam blushing. The larger man looked away.

"I think you know…" Adam whispered back softly. Lucifer had an idea for a new method of flirtation. He put out his hand, manifesting Adam's collar and leash, and gave it a gentle tug. Adam turned his head back to Lucifer, blushing even brighter.

"Tell me anyway. I want to hear you say it." Lucifer murmured, still giving Adam those seductive eyes. Adam heaved a deep sigh.

"I was thinking about kissing you. I was starting to hope you would kiss me." Adam muttered. Lucifer kept the leash in his hand but readjusted his position to face Adam and straddle his lap. He gently cupped the side of Adam's face with his free hand.

"You know, you're free to initiate as well, if you wish. You're so shy, for a man who has done intimate acts so many times. Is it really so different just because I'm a man? Or is it so different because of this?" Lucifer asked, giving the leash another gentle tug.

Keeping the light pressure on Adam's leash, Lucifer leaned in to meet Adam's lips. To his surprise, Adam found this to be a turn on, and he kissed back in a hurry, readily parting his lips for Lucifer. The king made a mental note of Adam's eager response.

As the tongue wrestling match began, so did the touching. With one hand still on the leash, Lucifer's free hand slid under Adam's shirt. Adam followed suit, enjoying the feel of Lucifer's leanly muscled body. Both were too distracted to notice the door to the garden open.

Angel Dust gasped softly and quickly whipped out his phone. Trying to be both quick and subtle, the sinner hid behind the large apple tree. Quickly opening his camera app, he adjusted the settings for the best photos, and began capturing the moment. He soon had photos of the two kissing while Lucifer held Adam's leash, but the opportunity soon grew.

Lucifer leaned into Adam to nibble on the former exorcist's ear. Adam moaned softly. He gasped and shivered when Lucifer licked his ear. Adam's hand slid upwards to caress Lucifer's nipples, making the king of hell gasp softly. Lucifer allowed the leash to demanifest, wrapping his now free arm around Adam's shoulders.

The elder angel lowered his attention to Adam's neck, kissing and nibbling. The archangel deliberately focused on the same sensitive spot. Perhaps Valentino's offer had gotten to the king, but Lucifer wanted to leave a mark. He wanted everyone to know Adam was spoken for and not available for courtship. Adam began to pant and felt a stirring in his pants. As much as he didn't want this to end, he didn't want to become exposed here.

"Lucifer… The garden isn't exactly private." Adam whispered, reluctantly. The archangel sighed with a bit of disappointment. Yet, he felt himself beginning to stiffen as well, telling him Adam was right. He moved back to one side of Adam, snuggling back up.

"You're right, we should just relax for a while. Snuggling here in the beautiful garden is just as delightful." Lucifer said happily, leaning on Adam. The younger angel put an arm around his master. Lucifer could not feel more pleased at the moment.

"Shit." Angel Dust whispered softly. The door was in plain sight, and the tree was smack in the middle of the garden. How was he supposed to get out of his hiding spot without being noticed? If he was noticed, how would he explain?

Angel looked up into the tree's thick green leaves. The sight gave him a brief pang of nostalgia and hiraeth for earth. Quickly brushing in off, the spider sinner climbed up into the branches and tried to find the thickest cover he could. When he found a secure spot to sit, he folded his legs, knees against his chest, and made himself as small as possible to reduce the odds of being noticed. He would just have to wait.

Lucifer and Adam talked for some time, swinging gently on the garden swing. The pair of angels spoke softly, so that Angel couldn't hear what was actually being said. After a while Angel's legs were starting to become numb from folding up and being so still. Then came a miracle for Angel's poor legs. Lucifer received a phone call.

"Hello, Paimon. What do you need?" Neither Angel nor Adam could properly hear the other end of the conversation, but Adam waited patiently for Lucifer to finish. Angel was less patient as his discomfort grew. Silently, he cursed Valentino for the umpteenth time that week.

"I don't know off the top of my head, but I'm sure I have a record in my office. I'll go look and get back to you in a minute. Bye." Lucifer ended the call. For a brief moment he considered telling Adam to wait for him there, but then he remembered how quick Alastor was to snap up an opportunity to harass his precious angel, and motioned for Adam to follow him as he headed back inside.

Angel heaved a sigh of relief. He waited an extra two minutes to make sure they were gone. Once sure he was alone, Angel climbed down out of the tree and went back inside. He sighed in relief to find the hall clear. Strolling to his room, Angel let himself in and closed the door behind him. Fat Nuggets trotted up to him oinking and eager for attention. Angel scooped the pig up with a loving smile and carried him to his bed, where he sat.

"Hey Nuggets. Did you miss Daddy? Daddy missed you." Angel cooed. The little pig grunted and snuggled into Angel's arms happily. Angel reclined on his pillows and went through the last few photos he'd taken. He deleted any photos that hadn't turned out well due to timing or blur or any other unfixable flaw, then made slight edits to the rest for the best possible quality.

Angel still felt icky about agreeing to spy on them for Valentino, even if only out of fear, but he did have to admit to himself that the photos looked good. He was enjoying editing them to make them even nicer. Once he was done culling the metaphorical herd and primping the remaining photos, he was left with three good photos, two of Lucifer and Adam kissing, with the leash in Lucifer's hand, and one with Adam making an adorably shocked face when Lucifer had first started nibbling on his neck.

The spider stretched and relaxed. He wasn't a fool. He wouldn't send them right now. He would wait until Valentino's patience started to wear thin. That way, if he was lucky, he could have more photos ready and build up a reserve, just in case he went through a period where he wouldn't be able to get anymore photos for a while. Hopefully, something else would catch the moth's attention soon, and he'd forget about this desire to creep on Lucifer and Adam.

Meanwhile, Adam stood to the side while Lucifer looked through papers in his filing cabinet. He found the document he was looking for. He quickly took a picture of the paper and sent it to Paimon, then checked the time.

"How do you feel about hitting the hay early tonight?" Lucifer inquired. His statement was punctuated with a jaw-cracking yawn. It immediately caused Adam to yawn in response.

"I think it's been a long, tiring day. I'm ready for bed if you are."Adam replied. Lucifer put his documents away.

"Music to my ears" Lucifer declared, taking Adam's hand and leading him out of the room, towards his bedroom. With his free hand he sent a quick goodnight text to Charlie. The two returned to Lucifer's bedroom and Lucifer locked the door behind them as usual.

"Okay, you know the routine. Shirt off, lie down." Lucifer instructed as he hung up his hat and doffed his boots. Adam bit his lip nervously, hoping he and Husk had done a good enough job of covering for Alastor's violence. Reluctantly, he removed his shirt and took his usual position on the bed.

Lucifer fetched the supplies from the bathroom and returned, quietly tending the wounds. Adam started to relax as Lucifer was saying nothing about his wounds. He assumed the silence was just Lucifer being tired.

"Why are your wounds inflamed again?" Lucifer asked in a soft tone. He had a suspicion, but he wanted to see how much prodding would be needed to get the truth out of Adam. Silence was his most immediate answer.

Adam turned and looked at Lucifer. The archangel's face was calm but serious as he treated the wounds. The younger angel didn't want to lie, but he wasn't sure how to tell the truth in a way that wouldn't infuriate Lucifer.

"I… don't suppose you would believe I fell on my back?" Adam asked. Lucifer arched an eyebrow.

"I would believe you were pushed, but I'd like to hear the truth." Lucifer stated in a gentle tone. With the disinfectant and pain reliever applied, Lucifer then placed the new bandages. He waited patiently through Adam's pause.

"Alastor was harassing me while you were out. Please don't be mad at Husk. He tried to protect me, but he really couldn't do much to stand in Alastor's way." Adam admitted.

"Ah that explains the fur covered bandage in the trash. He changed them for you after Alastor drew blood?" Lucifer clarified. He knew Adam was downplaying Alastor's level of assault, but at least he hadn't tried to lie to him.

"Yes. Please don't start a fight with him. He's already shown he likes to bother you too, and that he's a very sore loser. I don't want things to get worse. I also don't want you to feel like you can't leave me alone for a minute. I can handle it." Adam looked away as he spoke.

"I absolutely will not have this. I wouldn't even if I could. In fact, this explains that awful headache I had earlier. You need to understand you aren't the only one bound by our agreement. Now that I own your soul, I cannot simply ignore my promise. I am bound to protect you. I failed to keep my end, so the magic binding our deal punished me. That splitting headache must have been my backlash. Thank you for telling the truth." Lucifer gently stroked Adam's hair and felt Adam relax from his touch.

"So, what are you going to do?" Adam asked softly, a bit worried about the aftermath. He knew Lucifer could beat Alastor in a fight, but would Lucifer be able to thrash Alastor badly enough to dissuade him from harming Adam again WITHOUT ending the annoying deer?

"I will make my point. Don't you worry about how. That's my job." Finished with wound care, Lucifer took the supplies to put them away. Adam stood up and finished changing into his pajamas. When teeth were brushed and their bedtime routine was complete, Lucifer turned the lights out and both climbed into the bed. Lucifer turned on his side, ready to wrap his arms around his bedmate. Adam paused before taking their normal position.

"Do we have to spoon tonight?" Adam asked. Lucifer raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong? I thought you were comfortable with sleeping in my arms now." Lucifer stretched as he prepared to rest. The idea that Adam didn't want to cuddle with him left him with a bit of a sting.

"I am. I was just thinking maybe tonight, instead of spooning, we could sleep… like this?" Adam turned on his side, but his other side, so that he was now facing Lucifer. Adam wrapped his arms around Lucifer, gently pulling the archangel so they were chest to chest. Lucifer's eyes shone with joy and he swiftly wrapped his arms around Adam, embracing him tenderly.

"Oh yes. I like this too. Goodnight, my precious treasure." Lucifer heaved a sigh of both relief and satisfaction, snuggling in and closing his eyes.

"Sweet dreams."Adam shifted until he was comfy and let his eyes close. He savored the intimate feeling of this position. It had been so long since he'd slept with anyone in his arms, and knowing it was Lucifer he was holding just made it all the more soothing. Sleep overtook him with ease.

The following morning once both angels were up, washed, and dressed, Adam went to the bathroom to comb his hair. Then something in the mirror caught his eye.

"Fuck!" Adam shouted. He turned his head and looked at his neck in the mirror. Lucifer quickly rushed in, thinking something was wrong.

"What?! What's wrong?" Lucifer asked. Then he caught what Adam was looking at and quickly relaxed.

"My neck! You left a mark!" Adam barked in shock. His fingers lightly touched the dark hickey. Lucifer just smirked.

"So I did." Lucifer replied in a self-satisfied tone. He found Adam's reaction cute.

"What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to hide it?" Adam buttoned his shirt up all the way and pulled the collar of his shirt up, trying to see if he could get it to stand up enough to hide the mark.

"Adam," Lucifer motioned for Adam to lean down. Adam leaned down to Lucifer. The king unbuttoned the shirt back to where Adam had it before and adjusted the shirt collar to sit comfortably.

"You don't, my angel. Why hide it? Many would give anything to be in your position as the object of my affection. Wear my marks with pride." Lucifer commanded softly. Lucifer leaned in to bestow a brief kiss. Adam felt his anxiety calm. Perhaps he was making too big a deal of it…

"You don't want me to hide it?" Adam asked, straightening back up. Lucifer smiled up at Adam, looking very proud. The king's eyes lingered on the mark he made. His face made his satisfaction plain to see.

"I reiterate, why hide it? We aren't teenagers sneaking around. You and I are grown men who have been participating in consensual carnal activities. We're both divorced from our previous partners. We have done nothing wrong. I see no reason to hide." Lucifer murmured. Adam paused before he answered.

"You're not embarrassed to be… doing this kind of thing with me?" Adam spoke in a whisper.

"Absolutely not. I know of at least a few people who have vied for this sort of attention from me, whom I was not interested in giving it to. You are the one I have chosen. Are you ashamed? Do you feel our sensual activities are wrong? Or have you only been participating because you felt you had to? I thought I was perfectly clear that I care about your honest consent." Lucifer questioned calmly. Though the idea that Adam might have not been truly consenting made his stomach twist.

"No, I don't think we've been doing anything wrong. I like… your attention and our activities. I know you don't want me to… participate against my will." Adam couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated with himself. Why was it so hard for him to just say things plainly when it came to his emotions with Lucifer? Yet, Lucifer seemed to understand anyway despite the indirect language.

"Then there is no wrong being done, and nothing to hide. Now get your hair combed and put your boots on. The limo driver is probably waiting for us already." Lucifer stated as a matter of fact.

"We're taking a limo? Can't you just open a portal to travel?" Adam asked. He recalled Lucifer had rushed late into a meeting occasionally, always using a portal when he did. Adam quickly combed his hair and stepped back into the bedroom to don his boots. Lucifer followed so he could grab his hat and coat.

"I can, but I thought you might enjoy getting a look at Pride without needing to worry about who is looking at you. I don't want you to feel cooped up if I can help it, but I can see going out also stresses you out. The windows are tinted, so we can take the scenic route and won't have to worry about anyone trying to hurt you." Lucifer gave himself one last check in the mirror and looked Adam over, making sure they were both presentable. Taking Adam's hand, Lucifer sauntered out happily, locking the door to his room behind them.

Adam followed Lucifer almost thoughtlessly. Staying at Lucifer's side had quickly become second nature to him. He didn't complain about the lack of breakfast, despite the smell of food floating through the halls. He'd gone without food for days back on earth.

Lucifer led the way out the front door, where the parked limo was indeed already waiting. The driver, a gray muzzled hellhound, stepped out to open the door for them. He nodded with a smile to Lucifer.

"Good morning, Your Majesty. Visiting Madam Rosie awfully early today, aren't you?" He asked cheerfully, pulling the back door open. Lucifer smiled warmly.

"Good morning, Orion. We're joining her for breakfast today. Thanks for getting here so quickly. I apologize I didn't remember to text you last night."

"All part of the job, Sire. And Adam, good morning to you too." The hellhound greeted jovially. He noticed Adam had been staring at him, but thought nothing much of it. He supposed that as all hellborn in Pride ducked to lower levels during exterminations, Adam had likely seldom if ever seen a hellhound.

"Good morning." Adam answered with a nod. Lucifer nudged Adam towards the limo. Adam took the hint and ducked his head to step into the limo, taking a few steps and sitting down. Lucifer followed after him.

Once the two were settled in their seats, the vehicle started moving. Adam looked out the window curiously. Lucifer took Adam's hand, but allowed Adam to keep his attention on the window. He had deliberately instructed Orion to drive slowly. He glanced out the window himself.

The sinners they passed stared at the limo, but Adam didn't mind. Knowing they could not see him behind the tinted glass did make him feel safer. He took the chance to look over Pride as he had never seen it before. This time he was neither the threat nor did he feel in danger. He could simply observe the city and its people. It was only when the vehicle passed through and out of the city, towards cannibal town, that Lucifer finally spoke.

"So now that you've had a better look without needing to watch your back, what do you think about Pentagram City?" Lucifer asked, as the scenery faded away in favor of the open road.

"It looks like hell." Adam blurted out thoughtlessly. It then hit him how insulting his words were. He gasped softly and tried to course correct.

"I'm sorry, Lucifer. I didn't mean that." Adam declared, turning his head to Lucifer. The king's expression was calm and unoffended.

"Yes you did. It's okay. I know Pride is a dump. It was never great. The sinners have always caused messes constantly, but I'm sure you remember it used to be better. Ever since Lilith left, I fell into such a depression, I hardly had the motivation to do anything. I pulled away from Charlie and the sins because I didn't want to burden my loved ones, especially when they really couldn't do anything to fix the problem… I've been letting the overlords do the vast majority of my job for me for far too long. It's high time I get back on my throne properly."

Adam pulled the hand that held Lucifer's away, only to wrap the arm around Lucifer and pull him into his lap. This brought a smile to Lucifer's face. He cuddled close into Adam, resting his side against Adam's chest.

"I'm sure you will rise more brilliant than before, like a phoenix from the ashes. I believe in you." Adam murmured. He rubbed Lucifer's back. Lucifer happily leaned into him. Adam held him close and let his gaze return to the empty wasteland. They sat in comfortable silence while Adam looked out over the barren landscape. Before too long, a town appeared at the end of the open road. Adam watched with curiosity. It had been a couple years since he had personally led the squad to exterminate in cannibal town.

When the limo pulled into town, the sight of the cannibals made Adam tense up. Seeing the crowd of cannibals brought to mind the battle. He recalled the sight of the hoards of cannibal sinners bringing down the exorcists, his girls, left and right. Angels he'd considered practically immortal falling to the ground in a flash of steel. The bodies being carried off, surely to be consumed, flashed before his eyes.

Lucifer became more alert as he noticed the growing tension. Leaning on Adam's chest, he could feel Adam's heart race. The archangel felt his beloved prize begin to tremble. Lucifer looked up to the former exorcist's face and saw Adam's eyes wide, dilated and staring at the cannibals.

The king of hell reached up and grasped Adam's head gently on each side of his jaw. Minding his strength, he turned Adam's head away from the window and guided Adam's face to meet his gaze. Golden eyes blinked and refocused on Lucifer's red orbs Once their eyes locked, Lucifer lifted one hand to stroke Adam's hair.

"Adam, the battle is over. I am here. You are under my protection. I will keep you safe. They are not going to hurt you. Take slow, deep breaths. Focus on me." Lucifer said in firm but soothing murmurs. Adam hugged him closer.

"It's over. You're here… I'm safe." Adam repeated softly. Lucifer cuddled closer and made a soft, dovelike coo. Adam melted as Lucifer's hand moved through his hair. The king's serious face turned to a smile.

"That's it, good boy. All is well." Lucifer gently tugged Adam's head down a bit more to place a kiss on his lips. There wasn't time for much more, as the limo was pulling into Rosie's driveway.

As the limo pulled up to Rosie's home and came to a stop, Lucifer slid off of Adam's lap. The king let himself out, not bothering to make the driver do it. He held the door for Adam with a smile. Adam carefully stepped out, minding his head.

Rosie was already outside, having seen the limo from the window. She giggled as she noticed Lucifer conspicuously examining Adam's ass as he exited the limo. When Lucifer shut the door, Rosie swooped in and scooped Lucifer up into a big hug.

"Hello, Lucifer! So good to see you outside a meeting again! It's been far too long since you've actually come for a visit!" Rosie's face was glowing with joy, even more so when Lucifer returned the embrace.

"Hi, Rosie. It's great to see you. It really has been too long. I don't think I've come for a visit since before the divorce. I apologize for being so distant." Lucifer replied softly. Rosie set him down.

"I understand. You were grieving. It's great to see you finally on the upswing again, Your Majesty." She set a hand gently on Lucifer's shoulder with a smile that looked genuine and caring, despite the threatening sharpness of her teeth.

Rosie's black eyes turned to Adam, giving him a once over and taking him in. She, like most sinners, had never seen him without the robes and mask until recently. Adam stood to the side silently watching the interaction, hands clasped in front of him. He looked away when their eyes met. Had the cannibal not seen his face when Lucifer destroyed his mask, she would have never guessed this seemingly timid man was the boisterous and brash Adam who had once flown through the skies raining terror from above each year.

The overlord approached Adam and reached out her hand with a smile. Adam looked at her, seemingly a bit baffled that Rosie would even acknowledge his existence. He reached out and shook her hand.

"Good to finally meet you face to face, Adam. You certainly look well. I can tell Lucifer's been taking VERY good care of you." Rosie greeted, noting the hickey on Adam's neck. The reference flew over Adam's head. He assumed she was just referring to him looking healthy and clean.

"Yeah, I am and he does. Are you surprised?" He asked in earnest. Rosie released his hand.

"Not a bit. There may have been many sinners in hell who expected Lucifer to make you into his own personal stress toy, but only those who don't know him very well. Anyone more like myself knew he would be good to you. Lulu doesn't have a drop of cruelty in him. I admit I was a bit worried about how YOU would handle the situation, but from what I can see now, Lucifer really made a great decision." Rosie sent a wink at Lucifer.

"Well thank you. I'm very happy with my decision to keep Adam. Shall we go inside now?" Lucifer replied with a chuckle.

"Oh of course! Look at me, just gabbing away. Come in, come in. You two must be starving too." Rosie promptly ushered them both into the house.