Morning came, and Adam slowly opened his eyes. He stretched and yawned then settled again. Adam closed his eyes again and just relaxed as he savored the feeling of Lucifer pressed up against his back. Whether or not he fell back to sleep, he didn't really care. Lucifer's heartbeat, his soft breath, his warmth, it all felt so soothing. After sleeping alone in heaven for so long, Adam had almost forgotten how nice it was to cuddle with someone.
Adam wanted to turn around and hold Lucifer in return, but he didn't want to wake his bedmate. The former exorcist laid his hand gently on the king's arm, just wanting more touch. Lucifer shifted slightly in his sleep, but did not wake. Yawning again, Adam began to fade back into a light doze.
Then, Lucifer began to stir. He opened his red eyes slowly and a sleepy contented smile graced his face. He gave Adam a gentle squeeze and kissed his shoulder. Lucifer let out a soft, birdlike coo.
The small sound roused Adam from his doze, but it was so soft he wasn't entirely sure he hadn't just imagined or dreamed it. Lucifer's hand gently stroked his fingers back and forth over Adam's chest, tickling him slightly. Lucifer pressed another kiss to the back of Adam's neck.
"My angel, my treasure, my prize, my gem, my Adam…" Lucifer whispered softly, nuzzling the back of Adam's neck happily. The King's heart felt light. He hadn't realized how heavy that gold ring had become. It wasn't until he'd freed himself of it that he realized how much the past had weighed him down.
"Yes, Lucifer?" Adam asked sleepily, turning his head to look at Lucifer over his shoulder. The archangel kissed Adam's cheek. Adam could see Lucifer's red eyes practically glowing with a soft joy and contentment.
"I was just appreciating you, that's all. I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep for a bit, if you want." Lucifer murmured softly as he caressed Adam's arm. Adam stretched again and yawned.
"You didn't. I was already halfway awake. I've noticed you usually sleep longer than me." Adam nearly whispered. With Lucifer awake, he turned on to his other side to face the other man. Lucifer pulled Adam more firmly against him, now that doing so would not put pressure on his wounds. Adam hesitantly put his arms around Lucifer. The king was very much pleased by the action.
"I've been sleeping better with you in my bed. Since the same night I leashed you, I have been falling asleep faster and sleeping deeper. I've woken feeling more rested. I… never did get used to sleeping alone." Lucifer admitted softly. Adam gently ran his own hand through Lucifer's soft blond hair.
"I understand…I never really liked sleeping alone either. I eventually got used to it while in heaven, but before I died I spent almost every day of my life with someone to hold at night. Lately, I have been remembering how enjoyable it is to cuddle, to have someone to hold and to be held." Adam muttered, glancing away as he spoke.
"Speaking of heaven, how are my siblings doing?" Lucifer asked. There was a distinct note of sorrow in the king's voice and a forlorn expression on his face. He hadn't heard from any of his siblings since his fall. Adam ran a hand through his own hair.
"Fine, as far as I know. They didn't really like me much. Probably happy that I'm 'dead', except maybe Raphael. He hung around me when I played music. He was willing to stroke my ego over my musical ability, so I was less of a prick to him than most everyone else. He kept trying to talk me into doing therapy with him, though. Looking back, I probably should have taken him up on it… He was the only one of your siblings I could have ALMOST called a friend, but I always kept him at arm's length.
Michael talked to me occasionally, but that usually ended in an argument… Now that I think about it, I'm surprised he never smacked the shit out of me. Didn't help that he looks so much like you. Everytime I would look at him, I couldn't help but be reminded of you, so I went into conversations with him angry and ready to pick a fight." Adam sighed, trying to keep his head in the conversation and not start sinking into regret.
"What did you and Michael argue about so much?" Lucifer asked, caressing Adam's neck. Adam sighed, enjoying the contact and closing his eyes.
"Usually? You. Michael really misses you. They all do. And I wasn't exactly kind whenever you became the subject of conversation." Adam looked away when he opened his eyes. He glanced at Lucifer's face and saw shock. Lucifer hugged him even closer.
"They… miss me? In all this time, they've never tried to come see me or contact me. Not even to see their niece… IF they even know about her." Lucifer's voice lowered to a whisper. Adam pressed his forehead gently to Lucifer's.
"They've never SUCCESSFULLY visited or contacted you. Your siblings never stopped supporting you. They would probably give anything to visit you, but the council won't allow it. The council won't let them communicate with you either.
"That's why Azrael never talked to you when you used to meet him at the gates to drop off sinners. The council forbade him from talking to you or stepping inside the gates. The council and Sera thwarted any attempts they made to send letters or other communication… And I helped them do it. I'm so sorry. Just one more thing to add to the list of unfair, hurtful things I've done to you." Adam muttered, looking away in shame.
"Water under the bridge. It's all in the past, my precious gem. Please, do go on. Why would the council stop them from visiting or talking to me?" Lucifer asked, trying to be comforting but also craving more information. Adam rubbed his eyes slightly and took a breath, pulling himself out of his emotions.
"Because the council is scared shitless of losing any of them. They're worried that if your siblings are allowed to be in contact with you, they'll decide to willingly fall to be with you. And yes, they knew about Charlie. Everyone in heaven knows about Charlie. Hell getting a princess was all anyone in heaven was talking about when she was born. I honestly thought Gabriel was going to try to fight Sera when she still refused to allow them to visit.
"Sera is the one in charge of relations and communications between heaven and hell now. She is as tight fisted with her power as a miser with their money. She likes everything just the way it is and doesn't like Charlie's ideas about changing the status quo. I think she sees any change or new ideas as a threat to her power. She only likes new ideas if they're HERS. She's probably afraid that if you and your siblings reunite it will end up threatening her power in some way.
"None of the flock has ever stopped supporting you… That's why Charlie didn't meet them at the trial. The council said they were too biased. How they kept them away from Charlie outside of the trial is beyond me, but they were mega pissed when they found out she'd been there and left. The heavens literally shook with their rage because they were denied their chance to see her…" Adam shivered a bit at the memory.
Lucifer's eyes were tearing up. His siblings were being kept from him. It was a bittersweet revelation. It hurt to know his siblings were being restrained from seeing or contacting him. Yet it was a comfort to know they still loved him.
The diminutive king's body began to shake with suppressed sobs. Lucifer clung closer to Adam and the tears began flowing. Adam went silent and continued to hold Lucifer close. The collared angel rubbed his master's back and whispered soothing words until Lucifer could compose himself. As once Adam had received comfort from Lucifer, he gladly gave it in return.
"Thank you for telling me." Lucifer murmured when he pulled himself together again. Adam gently wiped the tears from Lucifer's eyes with one hand while the other kept rubbing his back in comfort.
"Are you ready to get up now? We should probably get moving if we're going to take our shower." Adam commented, glancing over at the clock. Lucifer looked too. He wiped the last of his tears still welling from his eyes. Adam released Lucifer from his grasp.
"Yes, let's get in the shower." Lucifer and Adam left the bed together and prepared for their shower. Before they went into the bathroom, Lucifer stretched out his wings, then let them fold and rest on his back.
"Since you preened my wings yesterday, would you like to help me wash them today?" Lucifer asked, while he adjusted the shower temperature for them. Adam tried not to stare at Lucifer's ass.
"Yes, I'm glad to help you." Adam murmured as he followed Lucifer into the shower. This time, Lucifer turned his back, offering his wings to Adam.
As the rainfall showerhead wetted both the angels down, Adam took the soap in his hand and washed Lucifer's wings, being cautious not to pull or damage any feathers. He heard Lucifer sigh and relax as Adam washed his wings. Again the archangel was contented by the intimate contact. Adam took his time to be thorough yet gentle, until all six wings had been properly washed.
Adam paused a moment as Lucifer stretched out his wings around Adam to let the water rinse the soap out. Adam reached towards Lucifer's back with the soap and began washing Lucifer's back. The king didn't even jump. He just smiled and glanced over his shoulder, allowing Adam to wash his back.
Washing gently, the grounded angel washed from Lucifer's shoulders down to the small of his back. Once he was finished, Adam turned his back to Lucifer as he usually did and went to the task of washing himself without a word.
Folding his wings against his back cautiously, Lucifer turned back around towards Adam. The archangel wanted to enjoy the view while he washed the rest of his body. Besides, Adam's back would still need washing too.
Lucifer felt the muscles in his wings try to stiffen when Adam bent over to wash his legs, but he willed them to stay relaxed. The shower and tub combo was big, but certainly not big enough for free movement of his large wings. Once they were nearly finished washing, Lucifer stepped closer.
"Ready for me to clean your wounds?" Lucifer asked in a gentle tone. He glanced down at the tempting globes right within reach. Adam took a deep breath, preparing himself.
"Yeah, I'm ready." Adam muttered. He grimaced when Lucifer washed his wounds, but it didn't hurt as much as the first few days. Lucifer washed Adam's wounds gently and then moved on to wash the rest of his back.
Adam opted to finish with shampooing his hair. He finished his hair just as Lucifer finished with his back. Adam passed the bottle to Lucifer. When Lucifer's hair was clean, their morning routine was nearly finished.
When the two angels were dried, dressed, and had eaten breakfast with the group, their day properly began. As people began to leave the breakfast table, Lucifer checked the time on his phone.
" It's almost time for my meeting. I'd better get going, Apple Dumpling. Adam-"
"I know, Lucifer. I know. Behave for Charlie, and obey her like I would obey you. I won't give her any trouble." Adam cut him off, seeing the command coming. Lucifer gave him an affectionate smile.
"Good boy. I'll see you both later." Lucifer kissed Charlie on the cheek and gave Adam a hug, then walked out the door. Adam watched him leave and then turned his eyes to the young blond. There was a moment of silence.
"Since you're in charge now, what are we doing, Princess?" Adam asked. He restrained the urge to bow playfully, thinking it might be taken as sarcastic. Even though Adam had much more trust in Lucifer than he'd had before, Lucifer's warning about mistreating or disrespecting Charlie still echoed in his head.
"Well, Vaggie went out back to train, so it's just going to be the two of us. I was thinking we could play some video games. We have Guitar Hero. Does that sound good?" Charlie asked, giving a charming smile. Adam nodded with a smile.
"Sure, we can play whatever you like." Adam murmured, following. She led the way to the same room where they'd had their movie night. Charlie went to a closet and pulled out a game system and hooked it up.
Adam noticed two guitar hero controllers put up on a shelf too high for Charlie to easily reach. The tall angel retrieved them himself and brought them over to Charlie. The princess smiled warmly as she took them.
"Thanks Adam. Okay let's get this hooked up… So obviously I know you can play guitar for real, but have you actually played this game before?" Charlie asked as she connected the controllers.
"Yeah, I've played it." Adam answered, restraining a sarcastic response in case she found it offensive instead of funny. He considered if he should let Charlie win. Though Charlie wasn't a child, Adam wanted her to enjoy spending time with him.
Once they were set up to play, Adam suggested Charlie select the first song. She chose something easy for a warm up. Adam found himself smiling, enjoying the music and the game.
Adam began letting her win, purposefully hitting wrong notes here or there or missing the timing. The angel was careful not to be obvious. He would play just as well as Charlie for a while, pulling ahead briefly then falling behind to make sure Charlie won by a slim margin in the end.
After a few rounds, Adam began to sink into the game and forgot he was letting Charlie win. The music took over and he put his all into following along. Consequently, he crushed Charlie's score. It wasn't until after the "winner" graphic came up that he realized what he'd done. He glanced at Charlie.
"About time you got warmed up. You've been sucking the last couple of rounds." Charlie commented, her tone playful. Adam rolled his eyes at her.
"Well excuse me, Princess. I've barely been doing worse than you." He pointed out. Charlie gave him a smirk.
"Yeah, but I've been going easy on you." Charlie replied smugly. She was purposefully poking at Adam's competitive spirit. Adam raised an eyebrow.
"I doubt it. I've been going easy on YOU." Adam rebutted, placing one hand on his hip. Charlie's retort was simple.
"Prove it."
Adam narrowed his eyes at the young woman. The angel cracked his knuckles. He selected a new song, this time a hard one.
"I'm not holding anything back this time. You brought this on yourself, kiddo." Charlie grinned, glad Adam was finally willing to really play.
This round, Adam put his all into the game. He followed along with the notes skillfully. Adam rarely struck a wrong note or missed timing. Charlie was struggling to follow along, her opponent pulling ahead fast.
With little difficulty Adam thrashed Charlie's score. The tall angel looked at Charlie with a cocky smirk on his face. Much to his surprise, Charlie was smiling.
"There, you see? You don't have to baby me. I can take a loss. I may be younger and smaller than you, but I'm still a grown woman. You can play for real. Okay, my turn to pick a song." Charlie turned her eyes back to the screen.
Together they played a few more rounds, some songs easy, some hard. Adam won most of the time. Once in a while he tripped up, allowing Charlie to pull ahead. Charlie laughed when she finally won a round without it being handed to her.
"Whew, okay let's take a break. My fingers are tired." Charlie declared, taking off the strap of her controller. Adam removed his as well and exited out of the game, shutting the system down.
Charlie seated herself on the couch and Adam joined her. There was an awkward but brief silence.
"That was a lot of fun, Adam. I… never imagined that WE would have fun together." Charlie admitted. Adam smiled with a dry humor.
"So you believe sinners are capable of changing and learning better ways, but not me? Eh, that's okay. Two weeks ago, I wouldn't have believed I could change either. I wouldn't have believed I NEEDED to change. I was too selfish and headstrong… too callous to care what I was doing to the people around me, not seeing that all along I was hurting myself too. I don't like the man I used to be. I don't want to be him anymore. I want to be a better person." Adam muttered, glancing away from Charlie. The princess of hell put her hand on Adam's arm and smiled gently at him.
"But you've already improved so much. You're a lot more considerate and caring than you used to be. Not to mention you're not pretentious at all anymore. The old Adam never would have befriended Angel and Husk. He wouldn't have lifted a finger to be helpful. And he CERTAINLY wouldn't have helped Dad preen his wings. Fuck, just the fact that you WANT to be better than you were is a sign of growth and change. And I believe as long as you want that and stay willing to work on yourself, you can be someone you're proud to be." Charlie praised. Adam felt affection swell in his heart. He turned and pulled Charlie into a hug.
"By all that's holy, you're such a good kid. I've known I needed to do this for a little while. I suppose now is as good a time as any… Charlie, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was so rude and cruel to you. I'm sorry I tried to stomp out your noble dream. I'm sorry I acted like a smug, insufferable cunt at the trial. I'm sorry I killed your pet and your friend and destroyed your hotel. I regret so much…Shit, am I missing anything?" Adam asked. Charlie started to shake.
Adam looked down at her. Charlie's eyes were large and watery. Before Adam could say anything Charlie wailed and began sobbing heavily into her hands. Adam's eyes widened. Before he could try to soothe her, Alastor stepped out of a shadow. Immediately there was anger in his eyes, and Alastor's plastered on grin looked menacing.
"Pet, I suggest you explain why Charlie is crying. What did you say to her?" Alastor's voice had a threatening tone. The angel saw the sinner's antlers slowly starting to grow. Adam's words were caught in his throat.
"He… said… SORRYYY!" Charlie choked out through her sobs. Charlie threw her arms around Adam. The princess was deeply touched. Despite the change she'd seen in him, she still hadn't been prepared to hear him apologize to her. Charlie was so moved she couldn't help but cry.
Adam tightened his arms around Charlie and rubbed her back, trying to soothe her. The angel glanced up at Alastor to see the anger in the sinner's eyes had ebbed and his antlers had receded back to their normal size. Adam turned his attention back to Charlie as she sobbed into his chest.
"Should I take this to mean you forgive me?" Adam asked with a bit of dry humor. Charlie nodded into his chest, still sobbing. Adam's heart rate began to speed up as a thought occurred to him. He smiled nervously and continued to rub Charlie's back.
"Charlie, please try to calm down. If your dad comes back and you're crying, there's a chance he might fly off the handle and kick my ass." Charlie sniffled and muttered something Adam couldn't make out into his chest, but she did appear to be trying to calm down.
"Oh, how sweet of him to apologize, don't you think Charlie dear? It means so much coming from someone like him, doesn't it?" Alastor asked, his tone sounding genuine. Adam looked at him with confusion.
"Yes it does!" Charlie declared, her shout muffled by Adam's chest. She started to cry harder.
"I daresay it's a true sign of betterment. He must really have come to care for you if he's willing to apologize." Alastor spoke with an overly sweet, yet slightly smug tone and patted Charlie's head.
"I know!" Charlie said, lifting her face. She had a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. She snuggled into Adam but continued sobbing. It finally hit him why Alastor was being so complimentary.
"It's just so-" Alastor began.
"Shut up!" Adam snapped at the deer sinner. "Stop trying to work her up and get me in trouble! Charlie's fine so go away!" Adam demanded.
"How about you go away? Oh, wait, you can't. Your master said you aren't allowed to be left alone. I suppose you're stuck here with both of us." Alastor said smugly. Adam smirked.
"Oh, but I CAN go away." Adam picked Charlie up, the small young woman being easy for a man his size to carry. He stood up off the couch and walked out of the room with her.
Adam made the decision to carry the weeping princess to Lucifer's room, where he thought they were least likely to be disturbed. Charlie didn't look up from Adam's chest. Adam shifted Charlie's weight so that he was supporting her with only one arm, and let himself into Lucifer's room. Adam gently kicked the door shut behind him. With a sigh, Adam grabbed a nearby tissue box and headed over to Lucifer's armchair. He seated himself in the chair and placed the princess in his lap, then hugged her close and offered her the tissues. Charlie pulled herself together, making use of the tissues. Her sobs degraded into sniffles, then finally she went quiet.
"Are you okay now?" Adam murmured. Charlie nodded. They held each other quietly for a moment. Adam wondered again how Lilith could leave this child and her wonderful husband.
"Thanks for being patient. I didn't mean to get so worked up. It's just… you were never the type to apologize, so it means a lot coming from you. I really appreciate it." Charlie said warmly, not even seeming uncomfortable sitting in Adam's lap.
"I had some practice apologizing to your father. You two are easy to apologize to. Thanks for forgiving me, by the way." Adam murmured. The first man realized that it didn't feel strange or inappropriate for Charlie to sit in his lap. It felt the same emotionally as the many times he'd had one of his own daughters sitting in his lap. It was almost nostalgic.
"Dad… didn't put you up to this, did he? He didn't make you apologize to me, right?" Charlie asked, her smile fading. Adam shook his head.
"No, your father has never demanded that I apologize to anyone. I apologized to him because I chose to. I apologized to you because I chose to. That's why I waited for him to be out, actually. Because I wanted you to know for sure that he had nothing to do with it." Adam reassured her.
Put at ease by Adam's words, Charlie leaned on his chest. She paused for a moment, trying to decide how to continue the conversation. After a moment, Charlie broke the silence.
"You and dad seem to be getting really close. I didn't know people who used to be enemies could get so close. You almost seem like friends a lot of the time." Charlie's voice softened on the last sentence, hoping it didn't upset Adam. The grounded angel just stroked her hair.
"Well, your father and I were friends before we were enemies. I guess he wouldn't have bothered to tell you about that, though. Back in Eden, when your mother and I were still happy together, angels visited us pretty frequently to make sure we were doing well. Lilith and I thought of them as our friends. But none were there more often than your father.
"Back then, he had blue eyes and his red feathers were gold. Anyway, his main job was to tend the apple tree in the garden. It was his duty to see to it that the tree grew properly. But he spent a lot of time in the garden just… being with us. Of all the angels, he was our most favored company. Charlie, did you know it was your father who gave humanity the gift of music?"
"He did?!" Charlie asked, her eyes widening. When she was a child her father had rarely spoken of his past before the fall. She knew little beyond what had been written in the book. Charlie found herself hungry for that information. Adam gave a wistful smile.
"Yep. He taught your mother and I how to sing. We heard him singing one day while he was tending the tree. When he caught us eavesdropping on his song, he offered to teach us. We loved singing to each other, and it became one of our favorite things to do. Then, when I lost her and Lilith fell to hell with your father, I taught Eve. Together we taught our children, and they taught theirs, so on and so on." Adam looked into Charlie's wide eyes, reminded of his own children when he and Eve would describe the beautiful garden they'd never gotten to see.
"It's still so hard to imagine you and Dad being so close. You seemed to hate him to your very core. What else did you guys do in Eden together? " Charlie asked. Adam hugged her closer.
"There is no hate so powerful as the bitterness that grows where love has perished, kiddo. Your mother was my wife, the star of my world, and your father, one of my dearest friends. While things were still good, we were quite the trio.
Your dad played our games with us and taught us new ones. He sang and made music with us. He told us a lot of stories that sparked our imaginations. Your father told us about heaven, too. Of course, it wasn't QUITE the same back then as it was when you visited, but it was still very beautiful. He told us one day he would show us around himself… but that was before I started acting up and everything went wrong." Adam's voice went soft.
"Poor Mom, she never even got to see heaven." Charlie replied sadly. Adam looked away from Charlie and bit his lip. Adam quickly searched for a change of subject.
"I'm sorry, I'm rambling again. The point I was trying to get to was this: I know now that I was in the wrong. I know I pushed both her and your father away, but at the time that it happened, I didn't. I was too naive and stubborn to see that I was the problem. When they left me behind, I FELT that I had been betrayed by my wife and my closest friend. I hated them so much because I had once loved them more than anything in the world, and in my eyes they had betrayed and abandoned me. Take it from me, when you lose something or someone you love, it hurts. When you realize it was your fault all along… it just hurts worse." Adam whispered, tears sliding down his cheeks.
"I didn't mean to get all sappy on you." Adam grabbed a tissue for himself and dried his eyes with a shuddering sigh. Charlie hugged him tightly, as if she could pour love into Adam through the embrace. It was a surprisingly strong hug for one of Charlie's slight build. Adam supposed she must have gotten her father's surprising strength too.
"It's not 'sappy' for you to have emotions, Adam. It's okay for you to cry. It's not a sign of weakness. You come off a lot stronger now than you did when you were walking around like the living dead. So, is that why you shut down the way you did? Why you were so afraid of Dad? Because you expected him to hate you like you hated him?" Charlie asked. Adam gave a solemn nod.
"When it sunk in that I had sold my soul to Lucifer of all people, I thought I had made an incredibly foolish mistake. I expected unimaginable cruelty. I expected to be beaten and abused at his whim. I expected to be starved or fed on scraps. I expected to be locked in some kind of cell or cage at night. I expected to be humiliated daily. And I expected him to lead me around on his leash all day as a trophy of his victory." Adam admitted.
"Dad would never do anything like that." Charlie whispered, her eyes widening in horror and sympathy. What fear Adam had been feeling in his first first days, it was no wonder he had emotionally shut down as a defense mechanism. Charlie had a hard time imagining what it would be like to be forced to spend every waking moment at the side of someone she feared so much.
"Yeah, but I didn't know that. Closest I came to being right was that he keeps me at his side pretty much all the time. It took me a while to learn to trust his kindness. I had just assumed he had let his heart fill with hate like I had. Your dad proved to me that he was still as kind and loving as he ever was. Lucifer showed me that he didn't intend to be both my master and my enemy… maybe he never was my enemy at all… He's a stronger man than me."
Charlie rested her head on her chest and hugged him even tighter, trying to make him feel better. Adam tightened his hug around her too. He looked down at the princess and felt that parental urge to comfort her.
"Hey Charlie? Did your dad tell you much about your uncles and your aunt?" Adam asked, trying to make the question as casual as he could. Charlie looked up at him and shook her head.
"He mentioned them in passing sometimes, but never said much about them. Could you tell me about them?" Charlie asked, feeling that hunger for information again. Adam gave her that slightly sad looking smile again and began to oblige.
"Well, there's your uncle Michael. He's the oldest. He's the archangel of Justice, the Old Man's right hand man, and the biggest gossip in heaven. He also looks the most like your father. Basically the same face, other than he still has the blue eyes Lucifer used to have. He's just taller, about my height when I'm not wearing heels, with longer, kinda wavy hair. Personally he drove me nuts back in heaven. Wasn't his fault, it was just that every time I saw his face, I saw your father.
"Then, there's your aunt Raziel. She's the archangel of souls, responsible for making every human soul that has ever lived. Yes, that includes myself and your mother. She.. looks a lot like you honestly, other than her eyes being blue. You two could probably be mistaken for mother and daughter easily. She has a very… calming aura about her. Most people like her quite a bit.
"Your uncle Raphael is the archangel of healing. He's blond and has blue eyes like most of the group. His hair is down to his waist, and he's got a small goatee beard. He was actually the only one of the flock who hung around me. He loves music. Being I was the best guitarist in heaven, he was willing to hang around to listen to my playing. Since he was willing to praise me for it and feed my ego, I was less of a dick to him. He and Lute were probably the closest things to actual friends I had in heaven.
"Gabriel, he's the Old Man's messenger. He's the only one who knows where your grandfather is at all times, even when he slips off on one of his vacations. Gabriel has never once told on him though and I doubt he ever will. His hair is a bit darker than your Dad and Raphael's, more gold than platinum, and it always looks windblown. People think of him as a prankster and it's pretty true, but he's not the worst of the lot. His eyes are green because the punk just has to be different.
"There's Urial, archangel of wisdom and knowledge, kinda information in general. He's the tallest, a bit taller than me even in heels. His hair is strawberry blond and he keeps it short. He has bright blue eyes. He wears glasses and dresses very neatly so he has this very straightlaced look, like a meek librarian. His looks are a lie though. He's the biggest prankster in heaven. That's how he tends to handle anger too. People who upset him tend to find themselves getting pranked regularly for weeks.
"Then last but not least there's your uncle Azrael. He's the archangel of death and his main job is taking souls from the void. He's easiest to pick out because his short hair is jet black and he usually dresses in black. He's broader in the shoulders than the rest of his brothers, and he's got stormy gray eyes. He's the shyest one of the flock, if you ask me anyway. He disappears from heaven for long stretches of time. I'm not sure were he goes but his job always gets done so the council can't complain." Adam finished.
Charlie stared a moment, absorbing what she'd been told. She leaned into Adam and struggled for what to say. She wished she could have met them during her brief trip to heaven.
"Wow, that was more information about my family in heaven than I've heard from Dad in my whole life."Charlie said softly. Adam raised an eyebrow.
"Your dad didn't tell you ANY of that?" Adam asked.
"Well, Dad and I haven't really been close until recently. We were never really fighting or anything, we were just… distant. We didn't talk much until I called him to help me with the hotel." Charlie confessed. Adam's eyes widened in surprise.
"Really? That sounds odd. From everything I've seen, you're the center of his world. You two didn't spend a lot of time together when you were a kid?" Adam asked.
"When I was little it was like I really didn't know him at all. We didn't really spend a lot of time together, ships in the night I guess… He'd be busy a lot so Mom would take care of me most of the time. It always seemed like anytime we were together, it was lucky if it took an hour before something or other would call dad away. Some days I hardly saw him." Charlie admitted sadly.
Adam frowned a bit, finding this quite suspect. He had a hard time believing Lucifer would not make time for his beloved daughter. He chose his next words carefully and tried to sound casual.
"Didn't your dad ever give your mother a break? Child rearing is supposed to be a team effort. I won't pretend I didn't put an unfair share of the work on Eve in my younger days, but I can say I learned from my mistakes." Adam inquired. Charlie furrowed her brow in thought as she tried to call back old memories.
"Not really. I was either alone with Mom or if Dad did find some time to spend with me, Mom was always there too. Very rarely was it ever just me and Dad. Mom never seemed to mind though. I can't remember her ever ONCE getting upset about her always being the one taking care of me. She always reassured Dad we were fine whenever he had to go attend to royal duties or whatever other business he had."
Adam contemplated silently as he became suspicious of his ex wife. He didn't believe Lucifer would willingly stay away from his daughter. Lilith being more than willing to do the vast majority of childcare sounded suspect, but he wasn't about to go making an accusation on a teaspoon of anecdotal evidence. He'd ask Lucifer some questions later.
Before Adam could decide what to say next, the door to the room opened. Lucifer stood there. He looked confused for a moment, and then smiled.
"Ah, there you two are. I was just about to call you, Charlie. What are you two doing in here?" Lucifer asked, approaching the chair. Charlie slid off Adam's lap to go and hug her father.
"Well, we WERE in the TV room playing Guitar Hero. Then Alastor came in to bug Adam so we left. Adam figured he wouldn't bother us in your room." Charlie explained.
"Well, I hoped he wouldn't. How did your meeting go?" Adam added, standing up.
"Oh, it went about as well as a meeting goes. One of the overlords is a friend of mine. She was wanting to get together, so I'm going over to visit her tomorrow." Lucifer's tone was chipper, as he was excited to get out and go see his friend again.
"So who's going to be watching me tomorrow, then?" Adam inquired, trying to suppress his disappointment. Though he was growing fond of most of the hotel crew, he disliked Lucifer leaving him behind.
"I will. You're coming with me. Rosie wants to meet you." Lucifer informed him. Adam could not suppress a groan. It was only at that moment he realized he disliked being brought out of the hotel more than being left with a sitter.
"Great, I'm going to be gaped at again. Damn near everyone outside this hotel stares at me like I'm a dangerous beast." Adam complained with a huff. Then Adam had a thought that seemed to emerge from Charlie's mouth.
"Well, I mean… for the last several thousand years you only came here to slaughter sinners. It's not really surprising that most sinners WOULD see you as a dangerous animal." Charlie pointed out. She tried to say it as gently as she could, but there was little she could do to cushion the blow of the reminder, short of lying.
Adam heaved a deep sigh of regret and ran a hand through his hair. The first man could think of no valid rebuttal. He gave a slight nod.
"I guess you're right, kid. I'm reaping what I've sown. I should take what I've earned like a man and not complain." Adam muttered. Lucifer set a comforting hand on Adam's shoulder.
"Don't worry, you'll like Rosie. She's delightful." Lucifer murmured reassuringly. Charlie gasped in excitement.
"Oh, I've met Rosie! Alastor has introduced me to her before. Dad's right, you'll love her." Charlie added.
"Whatever you say." Adam replied, trying not to sound sour about it.
"Oh, Charlie, I wanted to ask you, how would you like to go out to dinner tonight, just you and me? If you're up for it, I'd like a little Daddy/Daughter quality time." Lucifer suggested. Charlie grinned.
"That sounds great! It's been forever since we've had any one-on-one time." Charlie chirped excitedly. Lucifer smiled and pulled out his phone.
"Excellent. Let me just see if I can find someone to watch Adam." Lucifer typed away on his phone.
"I'm sure Vaggie would do it if I asked her." Charlie suggested. Adam couldn't help his worried expression.
"I don't think Vaggie would like to spend time with me. She seems to have a very understandable distaste for me." Adam answered. Charlie furrowed her brow in thought.
"Well, maybe some time together is exactly what you need. You and Husk bonded because you were left alone together, right?" Charlie asked. Adam sighed a bit and nodded.
"Yes, but the situation is different. Husk hated me like every other sinner. He hated me for what I was doing year after year. Vaggie's a different story. She hates me for much more personal I condemned her to hell, I betrayed her in a very personal way. She hated me for who I am. " Charlie put a reassuring hand on his arm and gave Adam a gentle smile.
"Who you WERE, Adam. You're a much different man now than you were when you did that. Whether or not she's ready to forgive you, I can't say, but I can say she DOES see the change…" Adam set a hand on Charlie's head and gave her a warm smile.
"I appreciate your encouragement, but I think the best thing in this case is for me to keep my distance. I'll let her come to me. I think if I try to extend the olive branch, she'll just assume I'm trying to trick her again."
"Well, I've got Adam covered. You'll be spending the afternoon with Husk… I hope you don't mind me leaving you again so soon…" Lucifer spoke with a bit of guilt in his tone. Adam shrugged it off.
"No, I don't mind. I'll be fine, I'm a grown man you know. I don't need to be watched at all, but I understand why you feel it's necessary, so I'm not going to start a pointless argument over it. Besides, you should have some quality time with your daughter. I'll be fine hanging out with Husk." Adam replied.
In truth, he did mind a little. Adam didn't want Lucifer to leave him again already. He could admit to himself he enjoyed being with Lucifer, but they clearly needed this alone time. Adam could grin and bear the separation a bit longer. He had come to care for both of them, and refused to stand in the way of something that would be good for both of them.
"Now that you're back, I'm going to go work on planning the next workshops and bonding activities. I'll see you when we meet up for dinner." Charlie jumped into her father's arms so they could exchange hugs and kisses.
"Don't work too hard, Apple Dumpling. Pace yourself. Though, speaking of work, I should get some done myself. See you later." Lucifer murmured. Charlie left the room.
Lucifer then retrieved his laptop from the closet. He removed his shoes, coat and hat and made himself comfortable on the bed. Adam took his shoes off made for the bed, intending to pick up the book he'd been reading.
"Oh, Adam, would you mind playing some music for me? The last time I worked on my ducks, it really helped me concentrate. Don't feel obligated if you'd prefer to read." Lucifer requested.
"Sure, I'll play for you. I would think you would know I love playing music." Adam replied. He went to get his guitar from its case and sat down in Lucifer's chair. It occurred to Adam that the large chair seemed to fit him better than it did a slight man like Lucifer. Adam mused that it was a good thing it fit him comfortably, considering Lucifer's penchant for sitting in his lap.
Adam began to play a slow, relaxing melody. He felt his body start to relax as the music enveloped him once again. Adam made up his song on the spot as he so often did. Leaning back into the chair and falling into the music, he let the soothing notes dance in the air. Out of all the gifts Lucifer had given him, Adam treasured the guitar the most.
Lucifer looked over his laptop and admired Adam for a moment. He loved that look of peace and relaxation, an expression that Adam only seemed to wear when playing music, or when Lucifer was petting him. The King's eyes dropped to the screen and the soft tapping on his keyboard became a slight undertone to Adam's music.
Time slipped away as Adam played and Lucifer worked. When he was done, Adam was too lost in the music to notice that the tapping of keys had stopped. Lucifer closed his laptop and set it aside, watching and staring for a moment.
"Beautiful." Lucifer whispered, barely audible above the soft music. He was referring to both Adam's music and Adam. After a few moments of quiet appreciation, Lucifer snapped his fingers for his fiddle. The fiddle appeared in his hands. Settling into playing position, Lucifer put the bow to the strings and began.
Adam didn't notice at first that Lucifer had joined him, too lost in his own song. Gradually he became aware that notes not his own were dancing in the air. Adam looked up. His heart warmed at the sight of Lucifer playing his fiddle. Adam closed his eyes again and let their mini symphony wash over him.
Just like the last time the two men played together, they soon became lost in their music. Neither man led, they simply engaged in a natural harmony, each instrument in perfect balance with each other. Lucifer mused that they really should play like this in front of the others sometime. As much as he loved Adam's guitar playing on its own, the archangel had to admit to himself that they both sounded better in harmony.
Hours slipped by as the two played, neither taking notice for some time. Eventually, Adam paused and stood up to go to the bathroom. Lucifer took the opportunity to check his phone. It was nearly time for dinner. With a snap of his fingers, his fiddle was put away. He'd missed Charlie's text message asking if he was ready to go out. Fortunately he'd only missed it by five minutes and quickly responded. Adam emerged from the bathroom.
"Are we done?" Adam asked, noticing the absence of Lucifer's fiddle.
"We had better be. It's nearly time for dinner. PLEASE do your best to keep your temper with Alastor at dinner. I know he's an ass and he likes to purposefully anger you. I don't want him to hurt you because you gave him the excuse. Be the bigger man this time okay?" Lucifer instructed.
"I could if you hadn't gotten me flat boots." He teased, trying to lighten the mood. Lucifer chuckled.
"Very clever, my Angel. Now, are you ready?" Lucifer asked. Adam packed his guitar back into its case carefully.
"Yes. And don't worry, I remember. I'll mind Husk like I would mind you." Adam murmured, straightening his clothes. Lucifer smiled affectionately.
"Good boy. Alright, come on then." Lucifer led the way down to the lobby. There Charlie and Husk were waiting for them. Wordlessly, Lucifer handed Husk some money, which the sinner accepted and tucked into his pants pocket. The king quickly turned his attention to his princess.
"Hi there, Apple Dumpling. Ready for some quality time?" Lucifer asked, beaming with anticipation. Charlie was beaming just as brightly. Their smiles warmed Adam's heart.
"Absolutely, Dad. Bye, Husk, Bye Adam! See you guys later!" Charlie took Lucifer's hand and the two strode out the front door together. Husk and Adam both smiled after them for a moment. The cat sinner turned to the angel.
"Ready to go suffer Alastor's presence for an hour?" Husk asked. Adam groaned, halfway playfully.
"Do I have to be?" He asked, adding an exaggerated whine to be clear it was a joke. Husk chuckled and pretended to think about it.
"Well, I'm fucking hungry and don't wanna skip dinner. And I'm in charge of you for now, so yes. C'mon." Husk turned and headed for the dining room.
"Eat quickly, got it." Adam answered sassily.