Adam looked around. He was somewhat surprised this didn't look like a fine dining place. The restaurant looked much more casual. The space was nice enough but not fancy. The lighting was low and there was a stage up front with a performer standing and singing in the spotlight. Many demons were seated at tables, seeming to be chatting calmly, drinking and eating.
"It's a little busy tonight. I thought you would like it here. This place is usually pretty quiet. The bouncers here are really quick to throw out trouble makers." Lucifer said, coming to Adam's side and looking around the place
No sooner had Lucifer mentioned it, than Adam noticed several large demons, standing in corners and by walls, quietly keeping an eye on everything.
A beautiful demoness approached them. She was statuesque, curvy, and slightly taller than Adam, looking like a mythical amazon warrior. Her skin was pale, and her hair was long and white, hanging loose all the way down to her knees. Her eyes were red and her customer service smile bore fangs.
She wore a black tank top and black short skirt. The visible portions of her arms and legs all had tattoos in one spot or another, but all in black ink. It was as if she had no color at all aside from her large red eyes. Adam thought she looked like a beautifully mad combination of angel and a demon.
"Good evening, Your Majesty. Finally showing off your new pet in public today? We've all been waiting with bated breath to see him." She had a smile on her face, but it looked more natural and relaxed than Danny's had.
She gave Adam a thorough look over, seeming to observe his face, his build, his clothing, maybe more. Adam almost felt as if she were looking into him rather than just at him, and he resisted the urge to fidget uncomfortably. He stared into her eyes with his poker face on, trying not to show her anything she seemed to be digging for. Lucifer seemed to be waiting, allowing her to have a good long look at Adam.
"His hair looks so soft too…" She whispered, speaking aloud an addition to her thoughts She reached out towards Adam's head. Adam took a large step back. Lucifer quickly moved between them.
"The last person to touch me without Lucifer's permission was thrown through a plate glass window… and not by me." Adam warned. The demon lost her customer service smile.
"Yvette, you may look but don't touch, please." Lucifer spoke firmly and gave her a sharp look. Adam glared at her.
Yvette cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, Sir." She said, clearly directing her apology to Lucifer and not Adam. "Where would you like to be seated this evening? We have some good spots open near the stage if you'd like to take in our acts for tonight."
"Actually, we'd like a booth in the back room. A little more privacy would be preferred." Lucifer stated.
"Are you sure, Your Majesty? The service tends to be a little slower in the back room." Yvette said. Last thing she wanted was to get bitched at by her boss because the King was sitting in the back room and not getting stellar service.
"I'm certain. Adam and I aren't in a hurry, so slower service is fine." Lucifer confirmed.
"This way, then." Yvette put her customer service smile back on, grabbing a couple menus of the stand as she passed. The tall woman led them into the lounge's back room.
The back room looked mainly the same, except there was no view of the stage and there were fewer booths and tables, spaced more widely apart. This space seemed to be geared towards more intimate interactions. The lighting in here was low like the other room, mainly lit by small hanging ceiling lamps with decorative, stained glass covers. Lucifer and Adam seated themselves in the booth Yvette indicated to. Adam stored their bags under the table.
"Here are your menus. I'll be right back with some water." Yvette left the back room. Lucifer picked up his menu and immediately started going through it. Adam ignored his menu, expecting that Lucifer would order for him. No one asked HIM anything anyway.
Lucifer noticed rather quickly. "Aren't you hungry?" He asked. Adam met his eyes.
"Yeah. Were you not going to order for me? Everyone just asks you anyway." Adam muttered sourly with a despondent expression. His chin was resting in his hand with his body in a slouched posture. Adam was looking rather dispirited.
"Wasn't planning to." Lucifer stated. He frowned a bit, missing that smile already.
Adam picked up the menu. As he looked it over, Adam's frown deepened as he realized he had a new problem. Lucifer had already spent a ridiculous amount of money on him today, so he didn't want to order anything expensive. But if he just ordered whatever was cheapest, it would be obvious that was what he was doing. And then a lot of the less expensive dishes came with some sort of sauce that would risk spilling on his brand new shirt. Adam actually felt his heart speed up a bit over this small problem that seemed bigger in the moment. He still didn't want to risk making a decision that would upset Lucifer.
Lucifer glanced up at Adam again. He couldn't help but shake his head a little at the sight of Adam studying the menu with such gravity. Lucifer reached across the table and set his left hand on Adam's right. The touch prompted Adam to look up.
"Adam, it's a menu, not a test. There's no wrong answer. Order what you want." Lucifer reassured. Adam turned his eyes back to his menu, but did not make any move to remove Lucifer's hand from his own.
Yvette returned with two glasses of water. "Do we want anything else to drink?" She asked politely. She glanced at their hands, but said nothing about it.
"I'll have sweet tea with lemon, please." Lucifer said.
"Same for me, but no lemon… please." Adam added.
Yvette wrote down the orders. "And do we need some more time to look at the menu?"
"Yes, just a little longer." Lucifer confirmed.
Yvette nodded and left the back room.
"Bitch." Adam muttered at her retreating back before going back to his menu.
"Mad that she tried to pet you? You seem to like it when I do it." Lucifer said with a smile. Adam's face heated up and he held the menu up more to try to hide it.
"YOU literally own me. You get to do what you want. Doesn't mean I want to be petted like a stray cat. I don't enjoy being treated like a possession." With that Adam sighed and withdrew his right hand from Lucifer's and set it on his neck, rubbing it lightly. Lucifer was disappointed, not wanting Adam to pull away from him.
"Guess I should have thought of that before I became one." Adam felt the heat fade from his face and closed his menu, knowing what he wanted.
Lucifer frowned thoughtfully. He'd hoped getting Adam out of the hotel and away from Alastor would lift Adam's somber mood.
"What's your favorite food, Adam?" Lucifer asked.
"Ribs." Adam answered. Lucifer couldn't help but snicker. Adam rolled his eyes. "You're not the first to laugh, probably won't be the last."
"Do you know mine?" Lucifer asked.
"Apples, duh." Adam answered. Lucifer smiled, not surprised Adam got it right.
"So Charlie tells me you can play the guitar?" Lucifer asked, trying to guide Adam's line of thought on something pleasant.
"Yeah, Electric and acoustic. I'm kinda rusty on the acoustic though." Adam answered. His body language didn't change much, but Lucifer could see some light come into his eyes and hear just a bit more energy in his voice.
"Ready to order yet?" Yvette aske as she returned with their drinks.
"Yes, I'll go with the rainbow chicken." Lucifer made his order.
"I'll have the dry rub ribs please. Just a half rack." Adam said. Yvette nodded and wrote the order down. "Back in a flash." She said, walking off. Adam contemplated flipping her off as she walked away, but decided the earlier 'bitch' comment was enough, and she wasn't worth wasting anymore energy on.
"So we were talking about music. Are you pretty good on the guitar?" Lucifer reminded Adam, trying to keep him on that slight upswing.
Adam sat up a little, "I am… WAS the best electric guitar player in heaven. That happens when you practice every day since the 1940s. Well, every day until recently…. I started playing a few years before they really blew up on earth."
Adam let his right hand rest on the table again, and Lucifer put his hand back over Adam's. Adam glanced down briefly, but brought his eyes back up to Lucifer's face.
"Do you still play the fiddle?" Adam asked. Lucifer smirked. It was good to see the light come back to Adam's eyes when he became excited about music. It warmed Lucifer's heart to see life finally coming back to Adam. He'd been hiding so adamantly behind his walls, it had been hard to tell there was still life behind those gold eyes.
"Of course. Maybe I can get you a guitar and we could play together sometime." Lucifer said.
"I can't ask you to do that, but I appreciate the offer." Adam uttered softly. Lucifer shook his head and rolled his eyes. Adam just wasn't getting it yet. Lucifer was glad to see Adam letting his walls down around him. It seemed Alastor had unwittingly done both of them a favor. Some level of trust had been established.
The two continued discussing music and songs for a few minutes until Yvette returned with their meals and to refresh their drinks. When she walked away again the hungry men dug into their meals and the conversation tapered off a bit as the angels enjoyed their meals.
"It's great to eat without Alastor's yapping and jabbing." Adam spoke with a small smile after a couple of ribs and a few bites of his baked potato.
"We're supposed to be having a nice evening off from dealing with him." Lucifer reminded him.
Adam went quiet, trying to block out Alastor's words threatening to invade his mind again. He started to sink into thought. Before he sank in too deeply, Lucifer spoke again.
"Maybe we can put him in a better mood if we get him a treat on the way home. We'll stop and buy him a bag of feed corn and a salt lick." Lucifer spoke with a smirk.
Adam started laughing, leaning his forehead into one hand. He laughed long enough that his face flushed a bit. Lucifer's smirk turned into a full smile.
"Is that laughter? Good. I was beginning to worry you'd forgotten how to do that." Lucifer looked quite pleased at making Adam laugh, and at the smile left behind in the laughter's wake.
"I haven't had much to laugh about lately, but that was pretty good." Adam said, finishing off his potato and starting to work on the last of his ribs.
"I believe you'll find there's more to laugh about here than you think." Lucifer chose his words carefully, not wanting to send Adam into a negative train of thought again.
"If you say so." Adam replied, not totally believing Lucifer but also not wanting to start an argument when he was actually feeling a little happiness.
When they were finished with their meal, Lucifer paid the bill and Adam retrieved their bags. As they exited the building back into the streets, Adam fell behind Lucifer again, not wanting to bump people with the bulky bags. Lucifer took him gently by his arm and pulled Adam forward.
"Don't walk behind me out here on the street. I want to be able to see where you are." Lucifer wanted to avoid Adam being snatched outdoors where disappearing would be a lot easier.
"Yes, Lucifer." Adam replied. He made sure to stay at Lucifer's side the rest of the way back to the Hazbin. Adam did his best to keep eyes front and ignore the staring. As the hotel came into sight, Adam put on his front again. Poker face, straight posture, and his mental guard up.
Lucifer glanced up at him and sighed softly as he saw the walls come back up. It appeared Adam wasn't quite ready to open up to anyone but him yet. 'Patience, Lucifer. Today he had tears, smiles, and a laugh. We've even started building trust, that's a lot of progress for one day.' Lucifer told himself.
Adam sped up a bit once they reached the door and opened it for Lucifer, stepping aside then following the king through. In the lobby, Alastor was standing by the bar, apparently speaking to Husk as there were no drinks being poured. Adam was pretty sure he'd never seen Alastor drink anything alcoholic in the past few days. Lucifer tried to ignore him but Alastor walked right into their path.
"Ah the King and his new pet return from their outing. How did it go? I missed you two at dinner. A meal is far less interesting without you." Alastor said, grinning wide as always.
"It went just fine. And our dinner was lovely without you being a pest." Lucifer replied quickly. Before Alastor could reply, Lucifer grabbed Adam's hand and pulled him past Alastor.
Adam looked around as Lucifer led him to an unfamiliar part of the hotel. Lucifer opened a door and Adam found himself in a laundry room, Niffty was loading a few machines with the assistance of a stepladder.
Lucifer pulled one of the clothing bags off Adam's arm and rummaged around in it a bit, retrieving a set of pajamas, which he placed over his shoulder. He then took the other bag of clothes, leaving Adam holding only the bag of shoes.
"Hey Niffty, here's all of Adam's new clothes. Think you can get them washed for us by tomorrow?" He asked, setting the bags on the floor for her. Niffty raced over and immediately started going through the bags.
"Sure thing, Lucifer! Sure thing! I'll get them going right away. Let's see, light, dark, light, light, dark…."
"Thanks, Niffty." Lucifer said, turning to leave with Adam at his heels. Lucifer led the way towards his room, as Adam expected, and held the door open for Adam.
"Go put the shoes in the closet. Then we'll go spend some time with Charlie." Lucifer commanded. Adam did as he was told. Lucifer tossed Adam's new pajamas on the bed for use later that evening. Once they left the room again, Lucifer found Charlie and Vaggie sitting together in a communal sitting room planning a few of Charlie's workshops.
"Hey Apple Dumpling. Mind if we join you?" Lucifer asked.
"Hi Dad, sure, come sit." Charlie said eagerly. Vaggie looked at Adam with annoyance. Lucifer seated himself on the couch, right across from Charlie, leaving Adam sitting across from Vaggie.
"How did your shopping trip go?" Charlie asked, forgetting about the workshop work for the moment.
"Pretty well. We found some flattering clothes for him, bought some good shoes, and had a nice quiet dinner. Nothing too special." Lucifer said. Adam gave Lucifer the side eye.
"You're not gonna tell her about the store window you broke?" Adam asked
"YOU BROKE A WINDOW?!" Vaggie interjected, eye wide.
"Uh, there was a SMALL incident at the clothing store. Someone decided to attack Adam over an old grudge, so I had to make a point." Lucifer chuckled a bit awkwardly.
"You're too modest, Lucifer. A giant lizard demon three times my size tries to kidnap me at the store. You throw him around like a ragdoll, threaten to turn him into a pair of boots, and then end it by throwing him through the store window, and you call that a small incident and making a point?" Adam asked.
"Oh, Adam, you must have been so scared!" Charlie said sympathetically. Adam just shrugged.
"I'm fine. No harm done…to me anyway. I'm sure that guy's feeling it." Adam leaned against the arm of the couch, being he couldn't lean on the back.
"I told you that you'd be safe with me. I promised you my protection for your soul, and I deliver on my word." Lucifer then turned back to Charlie.
"Really, it was much less of a big deal than Adam makes it sound like. Nothing much happened at the shoe store and we had a nice, quiet dinner at Loca's after that. How was your dinner sweetie?" Lucifer asked.
"It was nice. Alastor made jambalaya like he said he would. I tried asking about his project but he refused to talk about it. He was quieter than usual without you two around." Charlie said. Vaggie frowned and crossed her arms.
"I don't like that project of his. I get bad vibes from it, but I can't place it." Vaggie said.
"Same. He was way too civil when he was talking about it. That guy isn't trustworthy and whatever he's doing in his room is not going to be good." Adam added.
"Oh you would know about not being trustworthy." Vaggie snapped at Adam.
"You're still pissed about the trial then?" He asked, looking at her with his poker face intact.
"Yes I'm still pissed about the trial, Adam! You could have destroyed my relationship with Charlie!" Vaggie said, glaring. Charlie took her hand reassuringly.
"That which can be destroyed by the truth, should be." Adam said, repeating something he'd heard in heaven many times. "Besides," he continued "Looks like your relationship survived it. The truth had to come out eventually. You're right. It wasn't my place to bring it up, but I can't take it back, and at least it's out of the way now." Adam stated.
"He's got a point. We're stronger than ever now." Charlie murmured, squeezing Vaggie's hand. Vaggie was disarmed by Adam's admission of having done something wrong.
Adam cracked a smile. The two of them were actually pretty cute together. Then Adam noticed what he was doing and quickly put his face back into neutral position. Even Lucifer seemed to have missed the brief smile, as he was focused on his daughter.
"So what are you planning here?" Lucifer asked, gesturing to the papers Charlie had spread out on the coffee table.
"Oh! So we've got a bonding session for tomorrow, mainly a couple of card and board games. We'll see which games do well and then adjust that for another game night sometime. And then this one is our plans for a workshop on teamwork. We'll do it in the next few days. So the idea for this one is for everyone to pair off and build something with arts and crafts supplies. There will be building time then when time is up someone judges and picks the best one." Charlie was almost bouncing with excitement.
"You should skip the judging and picking a winner." Adam suggested. "You wanna keep the focus on cooperation, so it's probably best not to include competition at all. Just let the teams show off what they made at the end. You don't want people to have competing interests."
"That's… actually a helpful idea." Vaggie stated, surprised.
"Yeah, I have those occasionally." Adam said, trying not to sound sarcastic.
"I love it!" Charlie exclaimed, picking up her plans and scratching out part of what she had written down, then writing something new. Adam resisted the urge to smile again. Charlie's determination and passion reminded him of Lilith.
Lucifer and Adam spent the rest of the evening with Charlie and Vaggie. When it was time he said goodnight and left the room, Adam following silently behind him. Lucifer opened the door and stood aside. Adam took his cue to go in first. Lucifer followed.
Lucifer could practically see Adam's walls come back down as soon as the door was shut. The poker face dropped, allowing Lucifer to see the fatigue of a long day on his face. His back took a more natural posture, before Adam put both hands behind his head and stretched. Adam glanced over at Lucifer, his face showing his confusion and a little worry when he noticed Lucifer staring at him.
"What? Did I do something?" Adam asked. He quickly tried to go over the last couple hours to see if he'd said anything to Charlie that might possibly be offensive.
"I'm just waiting for you to assume the position so I can check your wounds before bed." Lucifer answered, removing his shoes and placing them in their usual spot near the door.
"Oh." Adam muttered. He stripped off his new shirt and tossed it in the hamper, removed and put away his new shoes, then laid down on the bed. Lucifer approached and carefully peeled back the bandages.
"Looks pretty good. I think these will do fine until morning. Stay still. I'll get some of the pain reliever to make sure you stay comfortable tonight." Adam sighed, closed his eyes and smiled a little. He felt more comfortable now that he and Lucifer were alone. That thought made him frown. Since when did 'Lucifer' and 'comfortable' go together in his mind?
Lucifer returned shortly with the gel and spread it on Adam's wounds, then gently put the bandages back into place, checking that the adhesive was still sticking properly. When Lucifer went to go wash the gel off his hands, Adam stood up and finished disrobing, putting on his brand new pajamas.
They were a pale blue and white, made of a soft but thin material Adam couldn't identify. The sleeves were just a bit longer than they needed to be, but Adam figured it wouldn't be an issue for sleep clothes. It had a simple vertical stripe pattern with the white and blue alternating, and a solid blue pocket on the shirt. Adam noticed there was a small capital A sewn onto the pocket in white thread. Adam frowned thoughtfully. Had that been there before? He couldn't remember for sure since they'd looked at so many clothes.
Adam sighed softly, the fabric felt soft and luxurious on his skin, much like the pajamas he'd been borrowing from Lucifer. The size was just right and the fit was loose, perfect for sleepwear. He couldn't help but think to himself that even though the clothing was gifted, today was still the first time he'd worn that was HIS, aside from his boots, since he'd peeled his ruined robes off his back… the robes which were ashes now thanks to that snarky cervid fuck.
Adam noticed the sound of Lucifer brushing his teeth in the bathroom. There would be no shower tonight as Lucifer preferred to bathe in the morning. Adam waited his turn until Lucifer came out of the bathroom, having stripped out of his coat, hat, and boots, but still wearing his shirt pants and socks. Lucifer smiled at Adam.
"Those are perfect for you. You look so cozy. Cute, even." Adam blushed a little at being called cute. He wanted to protest, but the cat seemed to have his tongue. He decided to say nothing and just go to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Adam grabbed his red toothbrush sitting next to Lucifer's yellow one and went to work.
While Adam was thus occupied, Lucifer disrobed and changed into his own pajamas. He turned down the bed, preparing it for sleep. The king of hell couldn't help but think how much he enjoyed having someone else in his bed again. A warm body to snuggle, the soothing rhythm of another's heartbeat, even Adam's occasional murmurs in his sleep were comforting. Lucifer had noticed his sleep quality had improved since Adam's arrival.
And Adam had ended up being far more compliant than Lucifer had first expected. When he'd originally bought Adam's soul, Lucifer had expected Adam to be much more combative and insistent on trying to get his own way. Yet instead Adam had acquiesced rather easily for the most part. Lucifer wondered if Adam had been 'fawning' out of fear of punishment at first. The king hoped that now, with Adam beginning to trust him, he could soothe that fear away and get Adam settled into his new life.
Adam came out of the bathroom, now fully ready for bed. Turning the bathroom light off, Adam came over to the bed which Lucifer was already climbing into.
"You forgot the light." Lucifer reminded him as Adam approached the bed.
"Actually, Lucifer… If you don't mind, I was hoping we could talk for a bit before we go to sleep." Adam asked.
Lucifer sat back and leaned against the pillows. "Of course. What's on your mind?" Lucifer asked. Given the go ahead, Adam settled himself against the headboard the same way, careful to place cushions under his wounds. He paused for a moment and looked down at his hands. Then he turned to look at Lucifer's face.
"I've been thinking about it all day and I… I want to say I'm sorry. For a lot, really. You are… pretty much nothing that I ever thought you were. I blamed you for stealing Lilith, but I'm the one who pushed her away. Same with Eve. I've misjudged, just about everything you've ever done. I've done countless wrongs to you and your daughter… and her friends too. And I'm sorry for attacking you too. And not just because it went really fucking awful for me.
"And for whatever it might be worth to you, I don't hold the whole clipping my wings and buying my soul thing against you either. You have people you love that I was threatening, and I needed to be stopped one way or another. I see that now. I just… I could say I'm sorry a thousand times and it would never be enough to make up for everything I've done." Adam teared up a bit but he quickly wiped them away on his hand rather than his new pajamas. He told himself to stay focused. This apology was about Lucifer and he could NOT turn it into a pity party.
"I don't expect you to forgive me. I totally understand if you don't, but I needed to say that and let you know how I feel." Adam looked away from Lucifer. "There, I've said my piece." He muttered with a sigh.
Adam gasped in surprise when Lucifer turned over, on his knees beside Adam, and carefully pulled him into a hug. Lucifer rested his chin on Adam's shoulder. Adam wrapped his arms around Lucifer's waist, finding the gesture more natural than it had been that morning.
"I forgive you, Adam." Lucifer said softly in his ear. Adam felt the slight shiver at the feeling of Lucifer's breath on his ear. Lucifer squeezed him a bit tighter, but not uncomfortably so.
"I'm more than willing to leave the past behind us. Just a few days in hell and you're already improving. Taking accountability, accepting consequences of your own actions, and apologizing of your own volition? I'm so proud of you." Lucifer said.
Proud of him? Adam felt his face heat up again. That seemed to happen a lot around Lucifer. Adam didn't know why Lucifer would be proud of him doing so basic as acknowledging his wrong.
Lucifer leaned back a bit. He smiled tenderly as he gazed into Adam's eyes with affection and pride. The king of hell moved his hands from Adam's back to his face. Adam was nearly mesmerized by that look in Lucifer's eyes. Adam felt his heart speed up. Was Lucifer about to KISS him?
Lucifer was thinking it too. The emotions within him were welling up to the point where the urge to act on them was strong. Adam had touched his heart, and he looked so adorable right now. Eyes wide, staring back at him with anticipation, face slightly flushed, and his lips looking soft and kissable.
Lucifer held himself back. He didn't want to act without thinking, nor did he want to make Adam feel taken advantage of in a vulnerable moment. Lucifer raised himself up on his thighs so that his head was higher than Adam's at the moment. He removed his left hand from Adam's face and stroked it through his hair, then lifted the right hand.
"Boop!" Lucifer said, gently poking Adam's nose to break the tension. Adam blinked at him and made a face of confusion. Lucifer chuckled and petted Adam's hair again. "Ready to go to sleep now, my angel?" Lucifer asked.
"I… Yes." Adam whispered, his blush still not disappearing on him yet. Lucifer snapped his fingers to turn off the light and snuggled down into the covers, stretching his back before he settled. Lucifer looked at Adam, who stayed in place for a moment.
"You know you sleep in my arms. An apology doesn't change that. Come here." Lucifer spoke with a smile. Adam gave him a small smile in return. He turned on his side and scooted backwards, adjusting his body to help Lucifer more easily get his arms around him. He moved back just a bit more so that Lucifer's chest touched his back ever so slightly.
Adam did something he hadn't done on the nights before. He rested his hand on top of Lucifer's left hand. Adam felt a small, metallic object on Lucifer's left ring finger. It was only then Adam noticed Lucifer was still wearing Lilith's ring.
It made Adam think. Here he was, lying in bed with the man who had stolen- with the man his wife had left him for. He was lying in bed with the man BOTH his wives had left him for. Here he was so sure Lucifer had been about to kiss him. What made him nervous was that he had actually WANTED that, at least a little. But he wasn't MEANT to be attracted to men… So why had he wanted to feel those lips? And why did being wrapped in Lucifer's arms feel so soothing? And the most important question of all, why had Lilith ever let go of such a man?
"Why is your heart beating so fast? Relax." Lucifer cooed in Adam's ear. Lucifer moved his right hand to pet Adam's hair and lull him to rest. Adam closed his eyes and breathed deep, trying to settle himself down.
"I'm fine. It's just been a long day. Goodnight, Lucifer." Adam said, without opening his eyes. Lucifer murmured "Good night". He could feel Adam's heart begin to slow back down to a normal pace. Once Adam was relaxed, Lucifer settled again. He loved the feeling of Adam relaxing into his arms, especially with one of Adam's hands on his. Slowly, soothed by each other, they drifted off to sleep together.
When morning came, Adam woke first. He stretched himself awake and glanced at the clock. It was seven thirty am. Lucifer had somewhat changed positions, laying partially on his stomach with just one arm wrapped around Adam.
Adam decided to try and slip away from Lucifer to get ready for the day. He slid sideways towards the edge of the bed. Lucifer stirred as Adam managed to get out of his reach. Lucifer's arm reached out and groped around, searching for his bedmate.
Just as Adam sat up and was about to get off the bed, he felt the collar on his neck. Suddenly, he was yanked back towards Lucifer and down onto the bed, a small yelp drawn from Adam's throat. He cringed as the action forced him to land on his back. Thankfully the bed was soft, but the sudden impact on his wounds was painful. Another pull strangled Adam momentarily as he was dragged by his neck across the bed and towards Lucifer.
The collar disappeared and Lucifer wrapped his arm around Adam's stomach and pulled Adam back up against his body while Adam gasped for air. Once he caught his breath, Adam made a small noise of discomfort as his wounds were jostled again. He looked at Lucifer to apologize for trying to get out of bed while he was still asleep.
Looking at Lucifer's face, Adam blinked. Lucifer's eyes were still closed. His breathing was deep and slow. Lucifer showed no sign of actually waking.
"Lucifer?" Adam whispered. The king of hell did not respond. Adam huffed. "Did you seriously do that in your fucking sleep?" Adam muttered. With Lucifer settling again, Adam carefully turned onto his side to get off his wounds. Lucifer resumed spooning position. Adam waited patiently.
Half an hour later, Lucifer opened his eyes. He stretched contentedly, having been sleeping quite well. The fingers of his right hand drifted gently over Adam's chest.
"Are you awake, yet?" Lucifer whispered.
"Yeah, I've been up for a little bit." Adam said softly. He sat up now that Lucifer was awake. Lucifer stood up and began to disrobe for their morning shower. Adam followed suit. He still felt shy and continued to turn his back to Lucifer in the shower.
Without a word, Adam turned his back to Lucifer once his shirt was off. Lucifer took the opportunity to remove last night's bandages. He peeled them off and tossed the old bandages in the trash. Hell's king didn't like what he saw.
Lucifer frowned thoughtfully. Adam's wounds looked like they had been bleeding and looked irritated. Something had happened while they were in bed. Adam started to remove the rest of his pajamas.
Lucifer finished undressing and preparing their shower. Adam stepped in first as was their barely established routine. Why Lucifer always wanted him to get in first, Adam didn't know.
Once they were finished showering, drying off, and combing their hair, Lucifer opened the door to the bedroom. Niffty had apparently come in, as Adam's new clothes sat neatly folded on the end of the bed.
"Oh, right." Lucifer said to himself. He snapped his fingers and his dresser magically expanded in size with double the amount of drawers. "There you go. Right side is yours, Adam. But first let's get those wounds dressed." Lucifer dressed himself up to his pants and shirt and went back to the bathroom for the medical supplies.
Adam put on some of his new underwear and a pair of black slacks and a belt. He laid down on the bed. Lucifer returned with the supplies and applied the pain relief gel.
"So, are you going to tell me what happened, or do I have to pry it out of you? You're clearly sore, your wounds are irritated, and you've had a guilty look on your face all morning." Lucifer said in that calm, knowing tone.
"I… I didn't mean any harm or trouble. It's just you were still sleeping and I wasn't tired anymore. I thought I could save some time if I got up and ready by myself." Adam admitted. Lucifer frowned, knowing that Adam had broken a rule yet still confused.
"Yet I woke up with you tucked against me, in my arms as it should be. How did your wounds get irritated and sore?" Lucifer asked.
"When I was almost out of bed you… you used the leash in your sleep to pull me pulled me down pretty hard on my back then dragged me over to you still on my back. Then you grabbed me and put me back up against your chest without ever waking up." Adam admitted.
Lucifer was silent for a moment, considering the situation as he put fresh bandages on Adam's wounds. Adam had deliberately disobeyed him. Yet he had confessed when asked. He had already suffered pain as a natural consequence of his actions. Lucifer also considered that the trust growing between them was still new and tender. He didn't want to damage it by being too harsh. Adam waited nervously for Lucifer to speak, expecting an announcement of his punishment.
"I told you I didn't want you sneaking off. You know you are not to leave the bed while I'm asleep. You are either to wake me or wait." Lucifer said in a very serious tone as he laid the second bandage.
"But I wasn't going to sneak off, I was just-" Adam began, starting to get up when the bandages were placed.
"You were just disobeying me." Lucifer said sharply, raising his volume only slightly and placing a hand on Adam's lower back. Adam stayed on the bed, taking that as an indication that he should stay in place.
"Yes. I'm sorry, Lucifer. I won't do it again." Adam said softly. He kept his eyes down on the sheets. The anticipation was killing him. He wished Lucifer would just come out with it. Lucifer moved closer to Adam's head. He held Adam's chin and tilted his head up to look into Lucifer's serious face.
"I am sorry I hurt you like that, even if only in my sleep. I am going to let the extra pain you are enduring from your actions be your punishment. The rules I make are for a reason and I expect you to respect them. Is that clear?" Adam paled just a bit, remembering the last time Lucifer used that phrase in such a serious tone.
"Yes, Sir. I won't leave the bed while you sleep again. I will respect your rules." Adam promised. Lucifer petted his hair and smiled softly.
"That's my good boy. Now sit up and let me check your neck." Lucifer said. Adam sat up on the edge of the bed and let Lucifer inspect his neck, tilting his head as Lucifer needed.
"No marks, good." Lucifer stepped away to don his shoes, coat, and hat. Adam picked out another button up, this one a raspberry red. As he buttoned it up, Lucifer couldn't help but notice Adam's chest looked very attractive framed by the open shirt.
Adam finished up with his shoes then quickly put his clothes away in the newly expanded dresser. Once ready, Lucifer led the way out.
Lucifer restrained a sigh as he watched Adam's walls go back up the moment the door opened. Once again the king silently told himself to be patient. They arrived at the table and ate breakfast with the group. Alastor jabbed like usual, but today Adam refused to respond to him. He didn't want to make Lucifer upset after this morning. He kept his facade up and didn't let it break.
Once breakfast was done, Adam couldn't help but sigh softly with relief as he and Lucifer left Alastor's presence. Lucifer headed to the lobby to find Husk at the bar, as he had finished and left the table earlier than everyone else.
"Husk, I was wondering if you'd watch Adam for me for a bit. I have an errand to run, which I'd rather not take him on. I won't be too long. An hour or two maybe." Lucifer leaned on the bar and smiled at Husk.
"Lucifer, I'm a bartender not a babysitter." Husk responded flatly.
Lucifer pulled a stack of bills out of his pocket and held them in front of Husk's face. "Sure I can't convince you?" He asked. Husk frowned heavily at Lucifer.
"You think you can just buy me with a wad of cash? …Well, you are correct, Sir." Husk snatched the money out of Lucifer's hand and began counting it. "Adam, have a seat. You're with me for now." Husk added.
Adam reluctantly sat down at the bar. He really didn't want to be left alone with anyone else when he had only just become comfortable with Lucifer, but he didn't think trying to change Lucifer's mind would do any good. Lucifer patted Adam's head.
"Be good for Husk, Adam. Until I get back, mind Husk like you would mind me. See you in a bit." Lucifer said, turning and strolling out the hotel's front door.
Adam leaned on the bar and glanced down at his hands. He wished Lucifer had warned him he was going to do this so he could ask to get a book or something to do. Adam didn't have much else to do but sink into his thoughts.
Just last week, he had been high and mighty Adam, first man, head of the exorcists, best guitar player in heaven. He used to be a man who nearly always had his own way. It was hard for Adam to fathom how quickly things had changed. Within the space of a few hours he'd been reduced to a docile slave at Lucifer's beck and call, too scared to disobey.
Where once fear had been a stranger to him, it seemed to be around every corner now. Fear of angering Lucifer, fear of Alastor's very presence, fear of showing weakness to those around him. It felt as if fear was a constant companion now… at least until he was wrapped in Lucifer's arms at night.
"So, ya wanna drink or something?" Husk asked, trying to break the silence. Husk watched Adam remove his hand from his neck, which Adam hadn't realized he'd put there. The cat demon could also see the walls which had momentarily slipped come back up.
"Just water, please. I've never had alcohol so there's a good chance I have little to no tolerance." Adam requested. Husk sighed and gave him a glass of water.
"Look, you're going to have to stop with that fake shit. I find people bullshitting to be really fucking irritating." Husk told him.
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not bullshitting anything, just sitting here and answering when you speak to me. If you want me to shut up, I can do that." Adam kept his tone flat and devoid of emotion, taking a sip of his water.
"Adam, I'm a gambler. You can't fool me with a poker face. And everyone in this hotel has seen what you used to act. We ALL know this broken man act is fake. Every move you've made for the past three days, you've been hiding behind the mask of a man who doesn't exist. The only time anyone sees YOU is when Alastor pisses you off and you forget to act." Husk spoke with a slight growl to his voice. Adam kept his poker face on.
"I would think you'd prefer this to the way I acted before Lucifer put a chain on my neck. You didn't seem very fond of me, if I recall." Adam kept his tone flat, thinking of the agonizing shove Husk had delivered to his back right after he'd lost his wings.
"That persona was just a different brand of bullshit, no more or less annoying. MAYBE the others couldn't see through that one, but I did from the start. No one who is actually confident peacocks the way you did. They don't need everyone else around them to know they're confident. They just are. But people who are hiding insecurities and trying to fake it? They need everyone to know how sure of themselves they are. You absolutely reeked of overcompensation. Now you can't wear the old mask anymore, so you slapped on a new one that's even less believable. Stop fucking hiding and just be you." Husk demanded, trying to keep his temper.
Adam glared. Husk had successfully made his poker face slip. Adam turned on his bar stool to face Husk more completely.
"I CAN'T be me anymore, because that guy will get me fucking killed here. I'm trying to be someone who can fucking survive in the situation I've found myself in. I'm doing what I NEED to do to get by. The moment YOU GUYS severed my wings, I could no longer afford to be who I was.
"Since that moment, I have been trapped in a world surrounded by enemies. So I've got to be quiet and polite, because I can't afford to fight anymore. I have to keep walls up because, let me reiterate, I am surrounded by enemies. Any vulnerability or weakness I show is going to get exploited. I can't afford to be proud because everything I had to be proud of has been stripped away from me. I have to watch every word I say because saying the wrong thing could let sensitive information slip or get the fuck beaten out of me.
"And most importantly, I have to be obedient because Lucifer has the power to do whatever he wants to me. If I step out of line I am going to suffer for it, and how much is entirely up to him. My entire life is in someone else's hands, Husk. You have no idea what I'm going through. I HAVE to be someone else, or I'm going to get eaten alive down here." Adam ended his rant with a deep breath. It actually felt good to let some of that steam off. Husk released an irritated sigh.
"I wasn't talkin' about the other mask. I was talking about being the real you. Adam, I'm startin' to wonder if you're one of those people who have been bullshitting for so long, they started believing their own lies. Tell me straight, do YOU even know who you are? Because if not, you're long overdue to figure it out." Husk asserted. This silenced Adam for a long moment. He rested his hand on his head to think.
When was the last time he'd willingly trusted someone when he was feeling vulnerable? When could he fully relax as if no one was watching? What absolute truths did he REALLY know about himself?
"I…don't think I do. I know I'm scared, and I want to go home, but that's never happening. I know that I'm glad Lute's safe, even if I can never see her again, knowing she's safe back in heaven is good enough for me. And I know the only thing that gave me any real peace of mind was playing music, but I can't do that anymore either." Adam murmured softly, rubbing his eyes in an effort to stop the tears gathering there. He finally raised his eyes to Husk's face again. Much to his surprise, Husk smirked, in a friendly and knowing way.
"Finally, you show your face and say something you actually mean. That is the most honesty I've ever heard and seen from you." Husk declared. Adam was baffled that Husk somehow seemed LESS agitated after the aggression that had been building between them.
Husk leaned on the bar. "Adam, what you don't seem to get is that I DO know what you're going through. Every sinner does. Every new arrival felt exactly like you do. Vulnerable, terrified, trapped, and most of us homesick too. Only the hellborn escape that whole experience because they don't know anything else.
And the thing about putting walls up is they keep EVERYTHING out, not just the bad shit. If you let the walls down, you might let something good in. If you relax, and stop trying so hard to keep enemies out, you might find you have a few less enemies than you thought and a few more friends… Except Alastor. He's definitely your enemy.
"The only thing you're going through that not all sinners go through is the fear and powerlessness associated with selling your soul. And you may not realize it yet, but as far as that goes, you're in pretty good hands. Lucifer isn't a cruel man. The way he handles you is very gentle actually. I've seen far, far worse. I doubt he'd ever do any real harm to you unless you hurt Charlie or something big like that. I wouldn't bring out the protective Papa Bear in him." Husk said.
"Bringing out the protective Papa Bear is how I ended up on his leash in the first place." Adam pointed out, rubbing his neck for a moment. Husk seemed to be pleased that the poker face was not returning.
"I'm not stupid, you know? Okay, maybe I AM stupid, but not so stupid that I can't see that I'm the one who put myself here. I could have listened to Charlie, or even just kept the extermination schedule the way it was, and left the hotel alone. I would have still been sitting pretty as a free angel in heaven. But I had to go and pick a fight I couldn't win.
"Even then, I might have still made it back to heaven with my wings and my soul intact if I'd turned tail and fled when Lucifer arrived… I didn't realize until yesterday just how BADLY I was out of my league when I tried to go up against him." Adam muttered.
"Could have, would have, might have. None of that matters anymore. All that matters now is what is." Husk said. Adam nodded solemnly in agreement.
"The point I meant to make is; I had it coming. Nobody to blame but myself. Now I just have to make the best I can of it." Adam rubbed his neck again, this time just with his fingertips. Husk noticed it again, noticing the connection between the tic and what he was thinking. Adam's hand left his neck again and he sighed, looking Husk in the eye.
"You know, it's a little bit funny. This conversation is actually pretty similar to one I had with Alastor just yesterday. Well, that was less a conversation and more him just talking at me. It was about like this except with a lot more vitriolic hatred. He made a lot of the same points though." Adam pointed out. Husk shrugged.
"I call 'em how I see 'em. But now ya got me curious. What happened yesterday?" Husk asked, casually rearranging some bottles behind the bar as he talked.
"When we were clothes shopping, this massive demon who probably weighed three or four times as much as me tried to drag me away when Lucifer turned his back. When Lucifer saw what was going on… I've never seen such a casual display of so much power.
"He threw the guy around the store like a ragdoll. This small man just acted like it was child's play to throw this massive hulking brute around. Lucifer wasn't anywhere near tired by the time he was done. He tossed the guy through the store's front window then went on with his day like it was routine. That was the moment I realized I never even had a prayer. I was done the moment I tried to fight him. I look back now and I see he was toying with me, too. The taunts and showboating…. He was never worried about fighting me for a second." Adam picked up his water and took another drink. He felt so foolish not thinking of it until now.
"How's your back doing?" Husk asked, trying to change the subject.
"Hurts like a bitch, just like you'd imagine. But Lucifer puts this weird gel on it twice a day and it helps with the pain pretty significantly. I haven't asked him what it actually is though."
Before Husk could answer, both of them could hear a tapping sound coming down the hall towards the lobby. It was a sound Adam knew and Husk knew very well. "Shit." They both said as Alastor entered the lobby.