The next morning, the first to rouse was the king. Lucifer rubbed the sleep from his eyes and opened them. He looked around, confused momentarily by his surroundings. Seeing the rest of the hotel residents sans Alastor asleep on the large couch, he smiled warmly.
Glancing the other way, he realized he'd slept snuggled up to Adam's side and tucked under the larger man's arm. Lucifer stretched and heaved a deep sigh, then checked his phone. It was six o'clock in the morning, quite a bit earlier than he was usually awake. Yet, this presented an opportunity.
"Adam, Adam wake up." Lucifer whispered, gently shaking Adam. The first man shifted slightly but didn't wake. Lucifer tried again.
"Come on, Adam. Wake up for me." Lucifer whispered, gently patting Adam's cheek. That was enough to make Adam sleepily open his eyes. Adam looked around as he slowly came back to the waking world.
"Lucifer, what time-" Adam began in a low tone.
"Sh!" Lucifer held a finger to his lips. The king pulled the blanket off them, taking care to leave Nifty covered. He stood up and silently beckoned Adam to follow, which he reluctantly did. Soon they were down the hallway, and Lucifer was briskly walking towards his room. Adam plodded along drowsily.
"What are we doing?" Adam asked, still keeping his voice soft, so he wouldn't be shushed again.
"First, we're going to go check your wounds quickly and get dressed. We can shower later. Then we're going to surprise everyone with pancakes for breakfast." Lucifer spoke in an excited but hushed tone. It had been too long since he'd made his famous pancakes.
Adam yawned, still trying to wake up. Silently, he decided he preferred it when Lucifer slept later than him. Lucifer held the door for Adam, as he'd grown used to doing. Adam immediately stripped his pajama shirt off and tossed it in the hamper, then laid down on the bed. Lucifer fetched the supplies and removed the old bandages.
"Good, sleeping on your back didn't seem to irritate them." Lucifer stared at the wounds for a moment. He knew Adam must miss the freedom of flight, but his angel was bearing it in silence. Lucifer gently ran his fingertips over the skin between the healing injuries. The king leaned down and placed a kiss between the wounds.
Adam kept still. He didn't question what Lucifer was doing, just allowed his owner to do as he wished. Lucifer cleaned the wounds with disinfectant, then followed up with the pain reliever. Adam kept still as Lucifer placed the bandages.
"Alright, good to go. How are they feeling?" Lucifer asked. Adam stood up slowly. He went to the dresser to pick out what he was wearing.
"Not bad. They're starting to itch so that's annoying." Adam admitted. He pulled out a tee shirt Lucifer had bought him, a set of jeans, and fresh underwear. The shirt was cherry red with a thorny white rose pattern climbing up the right side. Adam donned the clothing and Lucifer pulled open the dresser to get his own clothing.
"That's good. Itching is a sign of healing." Lucifer murmured as he dressed. Adam sighed and gave no answer. When they were dressed, Lucifer led the way out and back to the kitchen. Lucifer found a couple of aprons, passing one to Adam and putting one on himself. Adam donned the apron, still fairly sleepy.
"Find a big sheet pan and heat the oven to 200 so we can keep the finished pancakes hot." Lucifer instructed. Adam did as he was told, searching the cabinets for the largest sheet pan he could find. They were going to be feeding eight people after all. Like a productive whirlwind, the cooking king went to work, getting out eggs and flour and the like, whipping up a batter, and heating butter in a pan.
Adam watched Lucifer as he worked and tried to assist. He did his best to stay out of the way unless Lucifer needed something. After Lucifer had the cooking in progress, he gave Adam the task of washing and chopping some fruits to go with the pancakes, which Adam did happily. He was glad to be both helpful and out of Lucifer's way. When they were nearly done, Charlie stepped into the kitchen, still in her fluffy pajamas.
"Good morning, Dad. Good morning, Adam. You two decided to make breakfast today?" Charlie asked, yawning sleepily.
"He did. I could have slept longer." Adam muttered, his sentence punctuated with a yawn. He tried to focus on his task.
"Good morning, Apple Dumpling. That was a lovely movie night. Did you sleep okay on the couch?" Lucifer asked cheerfully, flipping the pancakes.
"Yes, pretty well. I didn't expect everyone to fall asleep. Maybe it should have just been a double feature instead of triple." Charlie said thoughtfully.
"Or just plan for a slumber party next time." Adam joked. Charlie gasped and her eyes lit up. A huge smile graced her face.
"Oh that's a great idea! We should do a full on slumber party some time, with scary stories and games. Maybe I could actually get Alastor to take part this time." Charlie chattered happily. Adam almost regretted bringing up the idea, but Charlie's excitement warmed his heart and he smiled at her tenderly. She was so much like her father whenever she became excited.
Charlie was so excited by the idea, she didn't even notice Alastor walking down the hall behind her. The clatter of the kitchen at work drowned out the clicking of his footsteps. Adam noticed him but did not speak up, glad to be ignored by the deer sinner.
Alastor headed down the hallway and checked the room everyone had slept in. Vaggie, Angel Dust, Husk, and Niffty were all still asleep. Alastor picked Niffty up, cradling her like a child. He stepped out of the room with her and gently woke her.
"Niffty, Oh Niffty Dear. Time to wake up." Alastor said softly. Niffty yawned and stretched her small body. Her eye opened and she smiled sleepily at Alastor.
"Good morning, Sir. What time is it?" She asked.
"Past time for you to be up and about. Why don't you get dressed and get the table set? Lucifer is already preparing breakfast." Alastor suggested, setting her down.
"Oh! Thanks for waking me up, Sir!" Niffty ran off towards her bedroom. Alastor's usual smile seemed a bit more genuine as he watched her leave. Then he went back to the room the others were still sleeping in. He stood perfectly still and drew a deep breath.
Alastor let out a very loud radio static noise, the loudest he could manage. Husk jumped three feet in the air with a feline yowl of fear, and landed rather ungracefully on Angel's legs. Angel woke with a shout, looking around rapidly, then letting out an "Oof!" when Husk landed on him. Vaggie bolted upright, her single eye wide.
"Good morning, Sleepyheads! Up up up! Lucifer and his pet are nearly done making us breakfast. Get up and get ready. Best to not be late." Alastor announced, both cheerfully and loudly.
Husk rubbed his face with his hands and climbed off Angel's lap and off the couch. He left the room, muttering and shooting a dirty look at Alastor as he went to get ready for his day. Angel Dust stood and stretched until his back popped.
"Damn it, Al. You're a brutal alarm." Angel Dust muttered as he walked past, still rubbing his eyes. Vaggie just glared at him and muttered a curse as she left the room to go get dressed. Alastor turned and followed the group out.
Half an hour later, the table was set and everyone was seated aside from Lucifer and Adam. The two of them carried in the pancakes, chopped fruits, butter and syrup. Adam and Lucifer took their seats and everyone began serving themselves.
"Mmmmm, Dad it's been way too long since you made pancakes." Charlie commented happily. Lucifer smiled warmly.
"Always happy to please, my little Apple Dumpling." Lucifer answered, scooping a big serving spoon full of the diced apples onto his pancakes. The king dug in happily.
"Hey Adam, pass the strawberries over here." Angel requested. Adam passed them to Husk, who passed them along. Adam decided to go for bananas on his own plate.
Once Adam took his first bite, his eyes widened. These pancakes were amazing. He'd already seen they were fluffy, but the taste was perfect and they were so tender. Charlie noticed his face and giggled.
"Adam, you look like you've never eaten pancakes before. Didn't they have pancakes in heaven?" Charlie asked. It was a halfway rhetorical question. Adam finished chewing and swallowed before he spoke.
"Of course. Heaven has damn near any food you could ever imagine. But I'm not fucking around when I tell you your dad's pancakes are BETTER than the ones in heaven." Adam stated.
"Are you just kissing up to your master to make up for your misbehavior?" Alastor taunted, about to take his first bite of breakfast. Adam glared. He gestured to Vaggie, whose mouth was currently full of pancake, chipmunk cheeks and all.
"Let's ask Vaggie if you don't believe me. Vaggie aren't these pancakes better than the ones in heaven?" Asked Adam. Vaggie just nodded her head and kept chewing.
"Angel slow down, you're going to choke." Husk warned as Angel wolfed down his food. Angel took a big gulp of his water.
"I gotta rush this morning or I'm gonna be late. Val's going to be in a bad mood as is, so I better not be late on top of it. Thanks for the pancakes, Lucifer." Angel finished and stood up.
"Bye, guys!" Angel Dust stood from the table and rushed off. Once he left the hotel, Angel speed walked towards the Vee tower and thus the studio. The spider sinner breathed a deep breath as he headed for the large tower.
Angel was worried about Valentino. Whether or not Lucifer had warned him, Angel wasn't sure Valentino would be able to keep his temper. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. Hopefully, Lucifer's threat could hold Valentino's temper at bay. If not, then there was nothing left to do but grit his teeth and bear it.
Once he arrived, Angel checked the time on his phone. Five minutes late. 'Shit.' He thought. Angel Dust mentally prepared himself as quickly as he could manage. Lingering any longer wouldn't make things better. He grasped the door handle and entered.
"Angel Cakes, there you are, I was just getting ready to call you." Valentino crooned in a smooth, syrupy sweet voice. He motioned Angel closer, a smile on his face. Angel smiled back a bit nervously.
"So sorry I'm late, Val." Angel's eyes quickly scanned over the tall moth demon, looking for signs of anger, but he couldn't see any at the moment. If anything Valentino seemed to be in a good mood. Valentino took a drag on his cigarette and waved off Angel's concern.
"No big deal, Baby. We'll just shoot an extra scene before you leave today and call it even. Fair enough?" Valentino asked. Angel wondered if perhaps Valentino was high on something or slightly drunk, but Val tended to work sober, and sober he appeared to be.
"Yes, of course. Absolutely, Val." Angel answered. Valentino waved him off towards his dressing room.
"Go on then, get ready and let's get started. Everyone else is ready and waiting." Valentino pointed out. Angel hurried off to his dressing room to get ready.
When Angel emerged from his dressing room, he noticed Vox sitting next to Valentino in an identical folding chair, along with Vox's assistant Papermint in a smaller folding chair. At the moment, Vox's eyes were down, staring at his phone. Angel smirked a little bit. Now he understood why Val had been so forgiving of his tardiness to work. Vox must have heard about Lucifer's threat one way or another and was keeping an eye on Valentino today.
From the moment Valentio called "Action!" to the moment he cried "Cut!" Angel noticed that they were doing mainly easier scenes, with a minimum of being thrown around or struck. Angel noticed, when he was in positions that allowed him to see Val and Vox, that Vox would occasionally glance up at the action, and either look down or whisper something to Valentino, after which Val would either call 'cut' and give some direction, or just whisper something back.
When Valentino called cut for the morning 15 minute break, Angel Dust headed to the break room, chatting with one of his coworkers. They were passing by Valentino and Vox as the two made their way towards the moth demon's office.
"Oh definitely, Yesterday I saw Lucifer and Adam lock lips with my own eyes." Angel said as they passed. Valentino's eyes followed Angel, wanting to hear more, but Vox kept him moving towards the office.
The two overlords took seats in Valentino's office. Valentino sat in his usual seat and Vox sat across from him in one of the two 'guest' chairs, Papermint silently seated in the other. Vox heaved a sigh. Valentino lit up a fresh cigarette.
"Voxxy I know you have work to do. You don't have to stay here all day. I've got everything under control." Valentino crooned to his boyfriend and business partner.
"I'm just worried about you. I know you are hot tempered. I don't want Lucifer to hurt you." Vox murmured in a soft voice. Valentino reached across the desk and placed a hand on Vox's hand.
"I understand, baby. Look I've been taking it easy on Angel all morning, haven't I? Everything is going to go just fine today." Valentino reassured Vox.
"I can't help but worry. Besides, don't you like having me around, Sugar Wings?" Vox cooed, Valentino's smile warmed and he leaned over the desk.
"Of course I do. I just don't want you to get behind on your own work." Valentino asserted, leaning forward and puckering up for a kiss. Vox leaned in and met his lips.
The short morning break soon passed, and the overlords returned to their post. Vox stayed with Valentino all morning until Valentino called cut and announced it was time for lunch break.
"I'm going to have a quick meeting over lunch. See you in half an hour." Vox said, teleporting away through the wires. Papermint had already been sent up to the meeting room a few minutes earlier.
Valentino smirked. Finally, with Vox not hovering, he could get a moment alone with Angel. In a few large strides he caught up to Angel Dust and caught him gently by the shoulder.
"Angel, Baby, come have lunch with me today. I wanted to show you there's no hard feelings about yesterday. I ordered pizza with your favorite toppings and some sodas." Valentino wrapped an arm around Angel and redirected his steps to Valentino's office. The promised pizza was indeed waiting, smelling delicious as steam was still escaping the box. Valentino sat down in his usual chair and passed Angel a soda. He opened the box of pizza and helped himself to a slice.
Angel was on alert. This definitely meant something. He wasn't sure what yet, but when Valentino was like this, it was usually best to play nice. Angel opened and sipped the soda then took a bite of pizza, stalling for a moment while he considered what to say.
"Glad to see you in such a good mood today, Val. Did the call with Lucifer go well? He left Adam with me so I don't know what he said." Angel lied. He was gently poking Valentino's temper on purpose in hopes of getting him to spill what he wanted. Valentino frowned a bit.
"His Majesty… declined my offer. Never mind it, Angel. Let's not talk about unpleasant things. Why don't you share some of the gossip with me, Baby? I've been catching bits you've been sharing with the actors and camera operators. I want to know the buzz on Lucifer and his new squeeze." The moth suggested, having another sip of his soda.
Angel relaxed, leaned back in his chair more comfortably, and took a bigger bite of his pizza. If all Valentino was after was the hotel's hot gossip, then Angel was happy to indulge him. If that made work easier for himself, all the better.
"Oh, absolutely, Boss. For starters, here's something I learned just after you left yesterday. Lucifer has had Adam sleeping in his bed since his first night in hell."
"So Lucifer IS tapping that already? He really must not be a kisser." Valentino muttered, stroking his chin thoughtfully. He took a drink of his soda and leaned back further in his chair.
"Nah, they ain't fucking yet. Lucifer's a cuddler. He takes Adam to bed and spoons him at night. And yeah, Adam's the little spoon." Angel revealed. Valentino squirmed in his seat, getting more excited.
"What about the outfits you helped him pick out? How did Lucifer react to those? I bet he was losing it over those collars." The moth asked, leaning in.
"Oh he lost it over the collars, but not in a good way. He hated them. Lucifer had Adam on his knees in front of him and took it off him. Lucifer held Adam by the leash and said Adam shouldn't be wearing any collar but his. Nothing rough, just making his point." Angel grimaced a little at the uncomfortable memory.
"Oh my he really is the possessive type, hm? How much have you seen? Are they private or into PDA?" Valentino asked, prodding for more. The moth was grinning at the delightfully kinky image Angel had planted in his head. Angel partook of his pizza again and once he was finished with his bite, spoke again.
"The most I've personally seen is a kiss, no tongue, but Adam told me himself Alastor walked in on them tongue wrestling just before they made out. Making out is the most they've done, as far as I know." Angel offered. Valentino straight up giggled with glee.
"I just KNEW he was going to nail Adam. The very second I saw him buy that angel's soul, I knew Lucifer would make a bitch out of him. What better way to get it in Adam's head who he belongs to now?" Valentino mused. Angel shook his head.
"No, ya got it all wrong. Lucifer ain't the type to go out for revenge. This ain't about breaking Adam down. Lucifer treats Adam like a treasure. Those two… they're down bad for each other. I know it sounds like a weird couple even for hell, but trust me Valentino. I'm the one watching these two every day and they do all the coupley, lovey dovey shit.
"The coy looks, the way they hold hands and touch each other, the way they talk to and about each other. And I know for a FACT Adam likes it when Lucifer gets all 'Mine' on him. He's embarrassed to admit it right now, but he's totally into being claimed. Lucifer doesn't really make it a secret how into claiming Adam he is does he? You picked up on the vibes yourself." Angel pointed out. Valentino frowned just a bit at the thought of the phone call, but took another slice of pizza.
"No he certainly does not make it a secret. I didn't expect the romance angle, but this could still get very interesting, and potentially very hot." Valentino muttered, partially to himself.
"It's definitely cute, and I bet it'll get hot too. You would have loved to see Adam the first night he got drunk. Lucifer leaves the room for a minute and suddenly Adam's just spilling his guts to me and Husk about how attractive Lucifer is, praising his face, his hair, his body, even his confidence and speech skills. And you wanna know the funniest part? At this point Adam was still convinced he was STRAIGHT!" Angel Dust hit Valentino with the punch line of the scenario. Valentino cackled with amusement. Angel smirked.
"Yeah, I busted a gut too when he tried to convince us he was straight. Pretty sure he's settled into his bisexuality now. Actually said it yesterday, and he no longer needs booze in his system to admit he finds Lucifer attractive. I'll keep ya posted but there ain't much more to say right now… Oh I got this. I took it after they passed out last night."
Angel took out his phone and brought up his photos. He tapped on the photo he'd taken last night and it popped up. He handed the phone to Valentino, and the moth held the phone up close to his eyes.
The photo was of Lucifer and Adam asleep, Adam reclining slightly on his pillows and his head leaning on the corner of the couch. Lucifer was tucked under Adam's arm and nestled into Adam's side, both snugly under their shared blanket. Valentino chuckled.
"Isn't that cute?" The lone gear in Valentino's head started turning. Perhaps there COULD be more where this came from, with the right motivation. Valentino smirked and handed Angel's phone back to him.
"Well that's just as sweet as a slice of birthday cake. Such a shame you don't have any pictures a little… spicier." Valentino crooned. Angel's smile fell a bit. Valentino was getting at something now. The moth leaned over the desk a bit, but not uncomfortably close.
"You know Angel Cakes, I just had an excellent idea. If you could get me some spicier photos of these two, I could really make it worth your while. I'm sure it wouldn't be too much trouble for you." Valentino cooed. Angel bit his lip. He needed to tread carefully.
"Val, I'm an actor, not a photographer. And what you're asking me to do is nowhere near ANYTHING that's in our deal." Angel reminded his boss, taking care to keep his tone gentle and non confrontational. Valentino stayed relaxed as he continued partaking of the food and drink.
"I know, Baby, I know. I realize what I'm suggesting is basically an extra job, but it's not that much extra work. All you'd have to do is keep your phone on you, keep your eyes open, and if you happen to see those two in any sexy situations or engaging in hot activities, just snap a little photo for Daddy, hm?
"And don't think I'm asking you to do this for nothing, Angel Cakes. I am a businessman, remember? I've got perks in mind for you. We're talking extra and longer breaks just for a start, Baby. If you can get me some really hot photos, then we're talking pay bonuses, extra time off, maybe even paid time off… What do you say, Angel?" Valentino crooned.
Angel took a big bite of his pizza and chewed, stalling for time. He had a choice to make. He'd seen Valentino like this before. When Valentino was being sweet and offering incentives to him in an attempt to get his way, it only meant one thing. It meant if he refused, Valentino would attempt to use violence to get his way, and that fit would be worse than any of his tantrums that were NOT preceded by sugar coated words and bribery.
If he refused, Angel knew he was risking one mother of a beating. Perhaps not today with Vox keeping his eyes open, but it would be coming. Valentino was very capable of holding a grudge. Angel considered that if he said no, Valentino may just beat him until he agreed to do as he was told. Besides, Valentino wasn't asking for him to do anything to bring harm. The horny moth just wanted some photos to drool over. Angel swallowed his bite of pizza, his decision was made.
"Yes, Val. I'll do it." Angel murmured softly. Valentino's smile turned into a grin.
"Good boy. Here, have some more pizza. I can't wait to see what you get for me. Oh, and let's not say anything about this to Vox, Hm? He'll just fuss and worry over a few little private photos." Valentino suggested, though it wasn't really a suggestion.
"Not a word from me." Angel confirmed, miming zipping his mouth shut. Only a moment later, Vox re-entered the room, Papermint trailing behind him. Vox's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the scene.
"What's going on here?" Vox asked. Angel glanced behind him at Vox and tried not to look nervous.
"Nothing, Voxxy. Look, you were worried about… that phone call, so I invited Angel to come eat lunch with me, to show him there's no hard feelings about yesterday. We're making nice and all is well, see? Would you and your cute little nephew like a slice? There's plenty. Angel, come sit on my lap, so they have space to sit down." Angel moved to stand up, but Vox placed a hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him back down into his seat.
"No thanks. We've eaten. I'm going to go get some extra work done while you're still on lunch. See you in a bit." Vox said, leaving the office again. Papermint glanced back nervously at Valentino and Angel, but hurried after Vox.
Several hours later, Angel Dust's work was done and he returned to the hotel. He walked in worrying about what he had agreed to. He'd have to produce some results quickly if he wanted Valentino to stay in a good mood.
"Legs, you okay? Did Valentino give you a hard time at work today?" Husk asked, for once not behind the bar. Angel jumped in surprise, having not seen him.
"Huh? Oh, no Husker, not at all. In fact he was pretty nice today. Seemed to be in a good mood." Angel checked around them to make sure there were no eavesdroppers, then leaned in and whispered.
"Lucifer threatened him on the phone yesterday. Said if I came home looking like dog shit today he was going to go rip Val's wings off. Vox was so worried he was at the studio basically all day to make sure Val played nice." Angel couldn't help but smirk. Husk chuckled.
"That must be why Lucifer asked to see you when you came home. He and Adam are waiting for you in the lounge." Husk muttered. Angel put his arm around Husk.
"Care to come with me." Husk shrugged, but put his arm around Angel's waist with a subtle smile. "Why not?" Husk answered.
Husk couldn't help but relax as they headed towards the lounge. He was glad to know Angel was alright after what happened yesterday. Angel sent a subtle, affectionate glance down at Husk. He could tell the grumpy old man cared about him, and that warmed his heart. Coming to the hotel really had been the right choice for the spider sinner.
The two sinners strode into the lounge. There Lucifer and Adam were sat on a couch together. Vaggie, Charlie, and Alastor were sitting on the couch across from them, with a coffee table in between them, a card game set up on it. Each person had a hand of cards.
"There you are. Husk, Angel, come have a seat with us." Lucifer called to them, moving over towards the arm of the couch to make room. Adam followed suit, sitting so that their hips were touching. Husk and Angel joined them. The couch was a tad crowded, but not uncomfortably so.
"How was work, Angel?" Lucifer asked casually. Angel tried not to smirk. One offhanded remark could get the shit beaten out of Valentino. As tempting as it was, Angel decided he had better not stir the shit pot.
"Pretty good, actually. It was kind of a light day. Vox was at the studio, so I guess Valentino was worried about scenes getting too intense. Heck, he even invited me to have lunch with him." Angel tried to reply casually. Lucifer gave a knowing smirk. Charlie breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm very glad to hear you had a good day, Angel. I was a little worried he'd be mad about his… proposal getting rejected." Charlie commented, looking genuinely glad. Angel and Adam shared a meaningful look.
"Personally, I'm surprised that slimeball had the balls to even suggest what he did. Let alone the brains to not throw a tantrum when he was told no." Vaggie muttered, playing her card for her turn. Though she didn't want to say it, she had been worried for Angel's wellbeing too. Secretly, she'd wanted to accompany Angel Dust to work with her angelic spear in hand.
"Well, I'm fine, so everybody can quit worrying, alright. Now finish this hand so you can finish your game. Me and Husk wanna play too." Angel Dust insisted. They finished their hand and Alastor won while Lucifer finished in last place.
"This is quite a good game. Shall we play again?" Alastor suggested. He sent a smug look at Lucifer. The king just rolled his eyes, resisting the urge to get worked up over a game.
"Oh, Charlie just got a new one. Take a stretch break, I'll go get it." Vaggie instructed, walking briskly out of the room. Angel opted to go get some snacks and drinks for the game. When Angel returned, Alastor was standing near the doorway of the room, watching Lucifer check Adam's wounds for signs of bleeding, then replace the pillow behind Adam. Lucifer seemed to rarely let Adam sit lately without having a pillow to protect his wounds from unnecessary pressure. Once he was sure Adam was comfortable, Lucifer stepped over to the other couch to talk to Charlie. Angel Dust turned to Alastor.
"Ain't Lucifer and Adam a cute couple, Al?" Angel asked. Alastor turned his head slightly to look at Angel. He chuckled and rolled his eyes.
"Angel, I believe you are letting your profession get to your head. They are not a couple. Those two are master and slave. It just so happens that Lucifer has made a pet of his slave, and spoils him." Alastor stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Angel laughed.
"Alastor, you may know a lot, but when it comes to matters of sex and romance, I am the expert in this hotel. And those two are definitely a couple. I'll prove it to ya." Angel Dust shifted the snacks and drinks to his lower arms while he straightened his clothes, quickly primped his hair, and fluffed his chest floof with the uppermost arms.
"Watch this, and pay attention to what Lucifer does." Angel strutted over, walking as if he was on camera, quickly depositing the snacks and drinks on the coffee table. Angel seated himself sideways in Adam's lap, so that his left side was up against Adam's chest. Adam jumped just slightly and looked at Angel with confusion.
"Hey, Adam. Did ya miss me while I was out at work? I definitely missed seeing you." Angel gave Adam a flirtatious smile. He wrapped his left arms around Adam and made sure to give the former exorcist his full attention.
"Yeah, sure I missed you. I'm glad your day went well. Thanks for bringing the snacks." Adam answered. He did not attempt to extract Angel from his lap, but nor did he put his arms around him, or make any other gesture encouraging Angel to stay put.
Lucifer on the other hand, turned from finishing his conversation with Charlie. His eyes narrowed at what he saw and he was hit with a wave of jealousy and possessiveness. The king strode over to the other couch calmly. He turned a serious gaze on Angel Dust. Lucifer cleared his throat.
"Angel." Lucifer called for the spider sinner's attention. Angel turned his head away from Adam and looked at Lucifer with a slight smirk on his face.
"Yes, Your Majesty? Can I do something for you?" Angel asked, with the most innocent tone he could muster.
"You can get out of my seat." Lucifer seized Angel by the waist and, relatively gently, tossed Angel over his head and behind him, landing the tall man perfectly on his ass on the other couch, next to Charlie. The princess jumped. Angel Dust laughed, having not expected that dramatic of a reaction, but glad to have shown Alastor what's what.
With the former occupant of Adam's lap now evicted, Lucifer seated himself there, making Adam blush. This time the larger man put one arm around the king and let his hand rest on Lucifer's thigh. Settled comfortably, Lucifer took Adam's free hand and held it, leaning his cane up against the side of the couch.
Angel stood up and went back to the other couch where Adam and Lucifer were. He seated himself next to Adam where Lucifer had been sitting. Husk returned to the room and sat down with Angel. Alastor returned to his seat next to Charlie.
Vaggie soon returned with the new game. Charlie opened the box up and explained the rules. She set up to play and the game began. Angel Dust managed to sneak a good, cute picture of Lucifer in Adam's lap. He knew it wouldn't be nearly enough to satisfy Valentino, but if opportunities ended up being slim, it would be better to show the horny moth he was trying.
About halfway through the game, Niffty rushed into the room. Adam noticed quietly that she always seemed to be in a hurry for some reason. The calmest he'd ever seen her was last night's movie night.
"Time for dinner! Come eat while it's hot!" Niffty cried. Lucifer slid out of Adam's lap. The archangel helped the girls pack away the game, while Adam stood and replaced the pillow, putting it back where Lucifer had retrieved it from.
Niffty had made tacos, burritos, and assorted Mexican cuisine. Everyone made up their plates and started eating dinner. Charlie decided to try and get the conversation moving from the lull that had been created between game and food.
"What's everybody's plans for this evening?" Charlie asked. She adjusted her hair and went for a bite of her burrito.
"Oooh once I'm finished with the dishes I'm done for the day, so I figured I'll just spend a quiet evening in my room reading." Niffty declared, giggling as if she'd be reading something nefarious.
"I was planning to go out on the town tonight. Let someone serve ME drinks for a change. Speaking of which, you wanna join me, Angel?" Husk asked.
"No thanks, another night. I think I'm just gonna chill here this evening." Angel replied. He DID want to go out with Husk, but felt he shouldn't. With the agreement Valentino had extracted from him, Angel needed something of 'value' to show his boss. He needed to stay home and hope he could get a few pictures. Valentino's patience for results would only last a couple days at best.
"I'll be in my room working on that project. It'll be ready to show you all quite soon." Alastor answered, his eyes resting on Adam for a moment. Adam looked away. Alastor mentioning that project made him nervous.
"Well, I've already done my work today. I think Adam and I will just relax in the lounge and watch some tv." Lucifer stated. He was in the mood for a nice long snuggle session and some tv seemed like just the best excuse to do so without necessarily locking Adam in his room.
"I'm going to be out back doing some battle training." Vaggie mentioned casually. The mention brought a frown to Adam's face.
Adam was a jack of all trades in his life, having to learn how to do all the things one needed to do to survive, but for the majority of his afterlife he'd been a warrior. The last few days, the pain had mostly killed any desire to practice. Even now, he still hurt, but the mention of training made him miss it. He missed the rush of a good sparring match. He missed having a weapon in his hand. He missed the exercise.
After a moment's thought, he opted to remain silent. He didn't believe Lucifer would allow him to go back to training. Even though Lucifer seemed to trust him more than he did the first few days, Adam doubted Lucifer would trust him enough to let him hold a weapon again. Even if Lucifer DID agree, Vaggie would likely have no interest in doing anything with him, let alone sparring with him, which in Adam's opinion was the best part of battle training.
"What about you, Charlie? Do you have any plans?" Lucifer asked, unintentionally jogging Adam out of his thoughts. Charlie shifted in her seat.
"Not really. Might just have some quiet time alone. Vaggie thinks I've been working too hard."
"I believe she has a point. You do deserve a rest, Charlie." Alastor chimed in.
"For once Alastor and I agree on something. You're certainly welcome to join us, if you decide you want to." Lucifer invited. Adam gave a small smile and a nod of agreement.
When the meal ended and the group split up, Lucifer led Adam to the lounge. Adam sat down on the couch, and Lucifer for some reason chose to stand as he surfed the channels, until he found a show that seemed interesting to them both. Once a channel had been chosen, Lucifer removed his hat and set it aside on the coffee table in front of them, then seated himself in Adam's lap, this time facing the television instead of sitting sideways as he usually did. Adam wrapped his arms loosely around Lucifer's stomach. Lucifer in turn rested his back on Adam's chest comfortably. The king rested his hands on top of Adam's, holding them loosely.
Both of them enjoyed the quiet contact, watching their show and chatting to each other during commercials. It seemed to both an enjoyable way to spend the evening. After about an hour and a half of watching tv, Adam tapped Lucifer's shoulder gently.
"I need to go to the bathroom." Adam murmured. Lucifer slid off his lap. He clasped his hands over his head and stretched.
"A quick stretch break is probably a good idea anyway." He murmured. Adam went a few doors down the hall to the nearest bathroom and shut himself in. Lucifer didn't feel the need to follow as the bathroom was within earshot.
While he was alone, Lucifer stretched his limbs in a few different stretches. Then he let his wings out and stretched them. After a good stretch he curled them in towards himself and inspected the red feathers on the underside.
Several were damaged and loose, and there were pinfeathers that needed the keratin removed. He needed to preen his wings soon. Lucifer with some difficulty looked over the back of his wings. They were in somewhat worse condition as they were harder to reach by himself. The king considered leaving Adam with a sitter tomorrow so he could take care of his wings…
"Lucifer, when was the last time you had your wings preened? Your wings… don't look great." Adam commented. He held back the brutally honest thought that Lucifer's wings were a mess. He approached Lucifer to get a closer look. Lucifer's wings were so messy that Adam was surprised he hadn't noticed in the fight. Lucifer flushed with a bit of embarrassment.
"It's been a month or so. I know, I know, they're a bit unkempt." Lucifer admitted sheepishly. Adam frowned at this admission.
"You know you shouldn't go that long without taking care of your wings. Who's been doing it for you?" Adam asked softly.
"I've just been doing it myself. I don't like to bother others with it." Lucifer let his wings rest on his back. Adam gave a mild, disapproving look.
"Lucifer, when was the last time someone else gave you a good, thorough preening?" Adam asked.
"The last time Lilith did it…" Lucifer admitted in a small voice.
"Are you fucking kidding me?! You haven't had a proper preening done since Lilith divorced you?! You didn't even ask Charlie, did you?" Adam demanded, raising his voice.
"She's my daughter. It's my job to take care of her. Not the other way around." Lucifer asserted firmly. Adam hesitated a moment to answer. The first man told himself that aggression was not the solution to this problem. Looking upon Lucifer's neglected wings stirred a sorrow in his heart only another angel could understand, and he knew what he needed to do. He brought his voice back down to a murmur.
"Will you let me do it? I know preening is kind of intimate but..." Adam struggled for the words he wanted. Lucifer smirked a bit.
"But we've already been engaging in intimate activities, haven't we?" Then Lucifer's expression changed to a more sympathetic one as his train of thought changed tracks. "I'm surprised you want to do it. I didn't want to ask you, because I was worried it would remind you about your own wings being clipped. I didn't want to rub salt in the wounds." Lucifer murmured softly.
"Believe me, with the pain in my back, I cannot possibly forget. You…you've been taking care of me, so please let me do this to take care of you. It sucks trying to do it yourself anyway. Will you let me preen you?" Adam requested softly. Lucifer gave him a caring smile.
"If you really want to, I'd be happy to let you." Lucifer answered. Adam smiled, genuinely happy to be allowed to do this task.
"Hang on, I'll be right back." Adam instructed. He went back to the bathroom to collect the small, empty trash can and set it in front of the couch. The two of them seated themselves on the floor, Lucifer in front and Adam behind Lucifer and to the left, so he could work on Lucifer's left wings more easily.
Adam began preening the archangel's wings, somewhat still watching the television over Lucifer's head, but mainly focusing on his task. He ran his fingers gently through the soft white feathers on the back of Lucifer's wings. Adam enjoyed the feel of the fluffy feathers and warm skin underneath. He carefully removed damaged feathers, and the keratin sheaths off the pin feathers that were ready for it. The former exorcist discarded these unnecessary bits into the trash can. It was easy to see where Lucifer had not been able to properly reach for some time.
Lucifer released a soft sigh and relaxed as Adam slowly and carefully worked on grooming his wings. For millennia Lilith had preened his wings for him. No one else had touched them since she'd left. The sensation of Adam's fingers tenderly combing through and grooming his sensitive wings made him feel cared for and loved on a deep, primal level. He almost wanted to cry from joy.
It was yet another form of intimacy Lucifer had been deprived of and desperately craving. Once again Adam was providing the fallen angel with what he needed, even requesting to be allowed to do so. The cuddles, kisses, and more passionate contact, the trust and emotional bonds they were building, and the effort Adam was putting into being a better, more selfless person all meant so much to Lucifer. It all made Lucifer even more attached to his beautiful, precious angel. Lucifer had already figured out he was falling in love with Adam. This base, instinctive gesture of love and care made him even more determined to persuade Adam to fall in love with him.
As Adam continued to work on cleaning up the first of six wings, he felt a strange mix of emotions. He loved seeing Lucifer relaxed and enjoying the preening. Clearly his wings were in dire need of it. Adam couldn't help but feel just a bit of sadness.. He missed his wings, and that included the relaxing feeling of having someone he cared about preening them.
Adam tried to put the sorrow out of his mind and put his focus on the bliss he was giving Lucifer. It felt good to do this for Lucifer, to do something for the Archangel to at least somewhat repay his kindness. He savored the feeling of performing a labor of love.
Lucifer was making very small, soft moans of contentment that made Adam smile as he slowly worked his way through the first wing. Neither man noticed when Charlie poked her head into the room. She blinked in confusion for a moment before she realized Adam was preening her father. She stepped into the room.
"Hi Dad. Hi Adam. Is that invitation to join you still open?" Charlie asked.
"Of course, Charlie. Always." Lucifer answered immediately. Charlie approached the two men. Adam looked at Charlie thoughtfully for a moment.
"Hey Charlie, do you preen Vaggie's wings for her?" He asked. Charlie looked worried.
"No, should I be?" Charlie asked. She wondered how she hadn't thought of it. She guessed it must have been because it had been a while since that last time she'd seen her mother preening his wings.
"Either you or someone else, but preening is kind of an intimate bonding experience so she would probably prefer you. Come here and look at this." Adam beckoned Charlie over. The princess of hell gasped when she saw the state of her father's wings. Lucifer blushed in embarrassment.
"It's impossible to do a thorough preening by yourself. There are just spots you can't reach on your own wings. Want me to teach you how to do this?" Adam asked. Charlie nodded eagerly and sat down beside Adam. She was sad to see her father's wings looking so uncared for, and she didn't want Vaggie's to end up looking like that too.
"So what we're doing mainly is removing damaged feathers and taking the keratin sheaths off the pin feathers. So when you see a feather that looks damaged, give it a very gentle tug. If it doesn't come out easily, that means it's still connected to the blood supply. Pull a feather that isn't ready and it will hurt like a bitch and bleed." Adam found a damaged feather and showed her how to test it for readiness, discarding the ones that came loose. Charlie imitated on one of Lucifer's right wings.
"Charlie, you don't need to-" Lucifer protested.
"Dad, please. Your wings are… really messy, and you have six of them. This is going to take Adam all night by himself. Let me help." Charlie asked softly Lucifer sighed.
"Alright." Lucifer murmured. Together Adam and Charlie worked their way through Lucifer's wings. Lucifer slowly relaxed again, that primal feeling of being loved and belonging flooding his being. Once they finished with the backs, they moved to the front which were in somewhat better shape, as Lucifer was more able to reach the front on his own..
"There we go. We're all done." Adam spoke softly as he stroked his hand gently over the soft red feathers. Charlie glanced at Adam. She could see the gleam of sorrow in his eyes. Adam glanced at Charlie and gave her a gentle smile.
"Thanks for helping. You're a really good kid, Charlie." Adam was almost whispering, giving her a gentle pat on the back. Charlie smiled back at him.
"Thank you, Adam. That means a lot to me." Charlie murmured. The princess meant it. To hear the man who had once done nothing but discourage and belittle her speak kindly of her warmed her heart. If someone like Adam could change this much… Lucifer interrupted the moment by clearing his throat.
"Charlie, I have a meeting I need to go to tomorrow. Would you like to watch Adam for me?" Lucifer asked. Eventually, he planned to bring Adam with him, but he needed to make sure the other big players in hell knew Adam was not a toy for them to play with.
"Oh of course! Uh, that is if Adam doesn't mind. Adam if you'd rather hang out with Husk or Angel I-" Adam held a hand up to hush her.
"I'd be happy to spend some time with you, Charlie. As long as it wouldn't hinder any of your plans." Adam murmured. Charlie couldn't help but beam. Adam felt his heart melt. How had he not noticed before being collared just how cute Charlie was? Adam was starting to understand why Lucifer seemed to give her everything she wanted.
"Well, now that that's finished, shall we make ourselves comfortable on the couch again?" Lucifer asked. Adam and Charlie agreed. Promptly they all seated themself on the couch, Lucifer in between Adam and Charlie. Lucifer put his arm around Charlie and held Adam's hand, feeling completely content with well groomed wings and his loved ones by his side. Time flew as they all basked in the company of someone they loved.
Later on Vaggie entered the room, hair damp and dressed in pajamas. They didn't notice her right away. Vaggie cleared her throat to get attention.
"Charlie, are you coming to bed or staying up? It's getting a little late." Vaggie stated. Charlie checked her phone. She quickly stood up.
"I'd better get to bed. Goodnight, Dad. Goodnight, Adam." Charlie gave her father a hug and a kiss on his cheek, then opened her arms to Adam, offering a hug. Adam hesitated just a moment before embracing her. Adam kissed Charlie's forehead.
"Goodnight, Sweetheart. Sleep well." Adam murmured. They parted ways and both couples headed towards their rooms. Vaggie frowned thoughtfully as she walked hand in hand with Charlie.
Vaggie was finally starting to believe Adam had actually changed. Every time she'd seen him, he had been nothing but considerate and polite. He seemed by all means to be honestly doing what he'd claimed, attempting to make a bearable life in hell, and accepting his fate of life on Lucifer's leash. He even seemed to have befriended Lucifer, or even more if Angel was right, despite Lucifer once being his mortal enemy and now his master.
"Vaggie? You okay?" Charlie asked. She looked more curious that worried. Vaggie smiled.
"Yeah, it's just hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that Adam's started to change. I knew him for so long and he never seemed capable of it. I'm finally starting to believe it, but I still don't understand HOW it happened. Was HEAVEN somehow bringing out the worst in him?" Vaggie wondered aloud.
"We'll figure out how it happened eventually, but one thing that Adam's change has made me even more sure of. Redemption HAS to be possible. I mean I know I've been saying that, but if ADAM can change for the better, is anyone REALLY hopeless?" Charlie asked.
"Alastor." Vaggie answered. Charlie made a noise of suppressed laughter.
"Vaggie, not nice." Charlie scolded lightly. They fell silent for a moment. Then Vaggie remembered something.
"Oh, why did you have that trash can in there? Were you watching something sad or something?" The angel asked. Charlie frowned.
"Oh, no. Adam and I were preening Dad's wings. Adam was doing it when I came in. He showed me how, so now I can preen you, when you need it. I can't believe I didn't realize how unkempt they were…" Charlie started on a ramble.
"Wait, are you saying that your dad was letting Adam preen him? Like without you?" Vaggie asked, surprised.
"Yeah, he was doing it himself before I got there. Dad didn't even want to let me help, because 'a father is supposed to take care of his daughter, not the other way around.' I had to talk him into letting me help. Dad's wings were in such bad shape, it was going to take hours for Adam to do it alone." Charlie explained.
"That's… that's big. For an angel, preening someone else or being preened is one of the biggest gestures of trust and affection. They must really be getting close." Vaggie murmured.
"Maybe Angel was right?" Charlie muttered softly. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. Part of her wanted to hold out hope that one day her mother would come back and take her father back, and they could be a family again. Another part of her wanted her father to be happy, even if that meant leaving her mother in the past. She wanted Adam to be happy too, especially after the progress and personal growth he'd shown. Vaggie squeezed her hand.
"Do you need to talk?" She asked softly. Charlie smiled.
"I think I do." Charlie answered. The two made it to their room and went in.
Lucifer and Adam made it to the king's room shortly after. As soon as the door shut Adam removed his shirt and shoes then laid down on the bed, ready to have his wounds attended to. The king went to the bathroom to fetch the supplies.
"Thank you for doing that, Adam." Lucifer murmured softly as he removed the old bandages and gently cleaned the wounds with antiseptic. Adam tensed up as usual from the sting.
"Thank you for letting me. I was glad to do it. I don't like seeing your wings in such bad condition. Please tell me that wasn't a one-time thing. I don't want you to neglect yourself like that. If not me, then someone else.." Adam's voice dropped to a whisper at the last sentence. Lucifer stroked Adam's hair and then opened the jar of gel.
"There is no one else I would rather have preen me, my gem." Lucifer whispered. He applied the gel and the clean bandages. Adam blushed a little. It was a big compliment to the grounded angel. Back in heaven, only Lute and the other exorcists would allow him to preen them.
When the wound care was done, the two brushed their teeth, changed into pajamas, turned the light out, and climbed into bed. Adam laid down on his side and waited for Lucifer to settle himself against him. The first man wondered at the fact that he'd become accustomed to going to bed with Lucifer Morningstar.
Said Morningstar had something besides sleep on his mind. Instead he stayed sitting up, leaning on one arm. He placed the other hand on Adam's side. Lucifer leaned over and kissed Adam's shoulder, slowly rubbing his hand up and down Adam's side.
"Adam, are you tired right now?" The king whispered softly. He resisted the temptation to let his hand wander to less polite places than Adam's side.
"I'm a little tired." Adam sat up and turned to look at Lucifer. The archangel was smiling gently and giving him amorous eyes. Adam felt his heart speed up.
"Too tired for a kiss before we go to sleep?" Lucifer murmured, leaning in, but not trying to plant a kiss. Adam adjusted his position, sitting up more.
"...I think I'd like a kiss." Adam wrapped one arm around Lucifer's waist. That was all the invitation Lucifer needed. He moved to straddle Adam's lap, seating himself strategically over Adam's member. The archangel wrapped his arms around Adam's shoulders, and closed the distance between them.
Adam wrapped his other arm around Lucifer's waist as their lips met. Lucifer began with a few slow pecks, and felt Adam relax beneath him. Then Lucifer let the tip of his tongue out to slide along Adam's lower lip. Slowly growing more confident, Adam parted his lips readily.
Lucifer swiftly delved his tongue into Adam's mouth, savoring both the pleasure and the taste of Adam mixed with mint. He traced his tongue along Adam's teeth briefly, until Adam's tongue demanded his attention by caressing his. Lucifer happily obliged.
Adam moaned into Lucifer's mouth as the kiss gave both of them jolts of pleasure. He wondered at the skill of Lucifer's tongue. The king moaned back into his mouth, making Adam kiss more vigorously to try to give Lucifer more pleasure.
Lucifer let the kiss intensify a bit, but drew away when he felt the beginnings of stiffness in his pants. Adam opened his eyes and looked confused. Lucifer smiled tenderly and ran his hand through Adam's hair.
"Best not to get too excited right before bed, my treasure. Let's get some sleep." Lucifer removed himself from Adam's lap and settled himself down into the blankets. Adam turned back onto his side and adjusted to settle himself into their usual spooning position.
Lucifer snuggled comfortably against Adam. The king rested his head on the pillow and just savored holding Adam for a while. Soon, Lucifer's precious angel fell asleep in his arms. Lucifer subconsciously let out a soft, dovelike coo.
Lucifer raised his left hand to pet Adam's hair. The gold band on his ring finger glinted when it caught a stray beam of light from the window. The king stared at it, contemplating its meaning.
He'd worn his wife's- his EX wife's ring for seven years. Deep in his heart, he'd worn it in hopes that she would come back to him. He sat up slightly and leaned over Adam's side to look at his peaceful, sleeping face. A part of him still missed Lilith, but Adam eased that pain.
Since coming to hell, Adam had become much more like the man Lucifer had met long ago, in Eden. That man, Lucifer had once called his friend. Then he'd started acting strange and pushing Lilith away. Adam's change, in some ways, was a return to the man he'd been long ago.
Perhaps that had been the reason Lucifer had wanted to spare Adam. Maybe, despite all Adam had done, Lucifer had been unwilling to let a man he had once called a dear friend die before his eyes. Lucifer remembered the deep, but platonic love he'd once felt for Adam eons ago.
Lucifer knew Adam would never quite be the man he was. Just as Lucifer himself would never quite be the innocent young angel he was back then. That was okay, because Lucifer loved the man Adam was and who was growing into anyway. He loved Adam in a much more amorous way now.
Lucifer raised his hand and gazed at the ring again, sadly. Lilith had left him, but Adam was here to stay… It was time to let go of his past and make way for his future with Adam. Lucifer slipped his right arm out from under Adam and removed the golden ring. He looked at his left hand. Surprising himself, Lucifer smiled. Letting go felt good. The archangel felt lighter. He moved over to the side of the bed and opened the drawer of the nightstand. With a feeling of closure, Lucifer placed the ring inside and shut the drawer.
"Lucifer?" Adam opened his eyes, the lack of warmth at his back had woken him. Lucifer moved closer and cuddled back up to Adam, wrapping his arms around his new lover. Lucifer placed a kiss on Adam's shoulder again.
"I'm right here, my prize. Go back to sleep." Lucifer settled himself against Adam again and rested his head on the pillow. He felt Adam rest his larger hand on top of Lucifer's smaller one. Soon, Adam was snoring lightly. Lucifer closed his eyes and fell asleep with a smile on his face.