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As morning rose at the Hazbin Hotel, a very hurried Charlie emerged from a small portal into her room and rushed to her sleeping girlfriend.
"Vaggie! Vaggie! Wake up! Wake up!" The nephilim said, shaking her fallen angel.
Vaggie awoke with a grunt and sat up on the bed, rubbing her eyes as she noticed that her girlfriend was all dressed up, holding golden papers that could only belong to Heaven, and jumping up and down excitedly.
She cleared her throat and looked at the clock, "Honey, it's 6 in the morning? What are you doing? Did Heaven call back about your request?"
This only made Charlie more excited, but a little nervous, "Well you see! Emily called me late last night, she said if we could meet today at the earliest, so I did!" her bright smile returned.
Vaggie could sense that the meeting had gone particularly well, she just guessed that her girlfriend hadn't told her not to worry. She knew how worried the girl could get, especially after such a bizarre request.
"So... they gave you permission?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
Charlie just made an adorable squeaking noise, excitedly "Yes! Yes!"
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It was nine in the morning and Alastor was pouring himself a coffee in the kitchen when he felt two arms wrapped around his waist.
"I see you decided to join us this morning, my silly angel," he said as he grabbed his partner's 'Duck You' mug from the counter.
Lucifer yawned and shivered slightly, resting his head on Alastor's back.
"I always join in, I loooove mornings," he teased, his voice still sleepy.
Alastor just chuckled, "And it had nothing to do with me waking up earlier this morning?" he asked, pouring coffee into the other cup. He sensed angelic magic, not his partner's or Vaggie's, so he did a quick check of the whole hotel, it was a small flicker, so he wanted to make sure nothing had crept in.
Lucifer yawned again, rubbed his eyes, and let go of Alastor as he turned and offered him his cup.
He then crossed his arms, "Okaaay, I missed you," he pouted, taking the cup his partner had made and taking a small sip, "Did something happen?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Alastor leaned down and placed a kiss on his angel's temple, "Nothing mon amour, I just decided to take a little stroll around the hotel, that's all," he said, leading them to the kitchen table and sitting down.
Lucifer was about to ask him some more questions when Charlie burst through the door, more perky than usual.
"Dad!!" She said as she leaped into his arms, the smaller one almost falling over as he quickly placed the hot cup of coffee on the table and hugged his daughter in return.
"Good morning sweetie," he said before breaking the hug and looking back at her proudly, "How is my little apple pie? Sleep well?" he asked.
Charlie stood back and smiled, "Yes! More than well!" a lie, she had been thinking about the meeting all night, but the exciting news was masking her insomnia quite well.
Aaaaand she couldn't take it anymore, she was going to be a little later, but she had to tell them.
"So, so! I have a suuuurprise for both of you!" she said, watching the two men with doe eyes.
They both looked at each other in confusion. What was Charlie up to?
"What have you got for us, love?" Alastor said with a twitch in his eye, knowing all too well how Charlie's excitement could lead her to crazy and over-the-top date ideas for him and Lucifer. They were always planned with the best of intentions, but some of them were too much for the Radio Demon.
"Soo, I talked to a couple of you know, high seraphims and stuff," she began.
Lucifer's eyes widened "You did what? Why? For what? There wasn't supposed to be..."
"No, no, listen, Dad! It has nothing to do with the exorcisms, I just asked them for a little favour and... they granted it! It's only for 24 hours, I wish I could have got you more, but you Sera said..." the girl rambled.
Oh for Satan's sake, Charlie, don't tell me you got me and your father a one-day pass to Heaven, or so help me,' Alastor thought. He did not want to see the pearly gates or have to deal with obnoxious, morally strict angels. If anything, he would feast on them, ugh no, not even that, nothing compared to the taste of his own precious angel, thank you very much.
"Anyway, I got you both a 24-hour permission to go to Earth!" the girl cheered.
A what now?
Lucifer froze, Alastor glanced in his direction and noticed a few tears rolling down his partner's eyes.
Oh no,
"Dad! Oh my Satan, I'm so sorry! Vaggie told me to ask, I'm so stupid! You don't have to go if you don't want to, I'll go with her, it's OK!" Charlie said as she ran to her father, took his hand, and continued to apologize.
"I can... go to earth?" Lucifer asked. He had been punished, he could only see the bad in humanity, and even when he was summoned, it was to appear in front of bloody rituals, dark rooms, and unnerving scenarios. He could never explore.
But now he could go? Just for a day, yes, but he could just wander, walk among humanity, and see and see... He had done good, right?
But a small cry jolted him from his thoughts as he saw his daughter's eyes filled with tears and Alastor's hand on her shoulder, comforting his little girl.
"Oh Charliee!" he said, running, no, flying to her, holding her in his arms and lifting her off the ground.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he repeated as he twirled her around the kitchen.
His girl looked back at him, the tears still there, but now she was smiling.
"Wait, you're not mad?" she asked as her father landed them both.
"What?! No, of course not! Sweetheart, I have never been to Earth without being summoned, I have never just explored! And now I can, thanks to you, my apple pie! Even if it's just for a day, I'm so grateful".
And so they both started yapping about how Charlie got permission in the first place. A story filled with colorful drawings, light manipulation, and doe eyes from both her and Emily.
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The day of their trip had come. At first, Alastor didn't like the idea, sure, he'd like to see Earth again, or more importantly, his hometown... But almost a hundred years had passed, it probably didn't look the same. But no, he wouldn't do that to his angel, not when he was so excited.
"Okay! I think we are ready! Let's go," Lucifer said, opening a small box that opened a golden portal that showed a small alleyway on the other side. He held out his hand to the radio demon.
Alastor took his hand hesitantly as he was pulled through the portal.
"Well, this seems... familiar," Alastor said as they were transported to somewhere in New Orleans. They both decided on the city, or rather Lucifer offered it as it was where his partner grew up and if they only had one day, it should be this one.
"Oh yeah? Well, this little alley is just perfect for our disguises, now hold this" Lucifer handed Alastor his small leather backpack, from which he pulled a velvet box out of one of the pockets.
Inside was an Asmodian crystal, Lucifer had to ask the Sin as Heaven pretty much only gave them a way to Earth and not a disguise, and we couldn't have the literal devil and a deer demon just walking down the street, could we?
Lucifer held the crystal and drew the magic from it, and with a snap of his fingers, they were both engulfed in a warm amber light.
Lucifer's skin was now a light pink color, more in line with a human's. His face remained largely the same, with his nose a little more pronounced and his trademark pink dots fading away. His eyes were also now a light shade of blue. As for his clothes, the angel now wore a white shirt, covered by an open light blue linen buttoned shirt that matched his eyes, it had a pattern of white Pekins wearing little blue hats and bow ties. All of this was complemented by light brown Bermuda shorts and a pair of white sneakers.
The angel jumped with excitement as he turned and saw his partner.
Oh, he was... beautiful.
Alastor's deer-like features were completely gone, his greyish skin had turned to a warm medium brown, and his bright red eyes had been replaced by a mesmerising shade of amber. His hair was also dark brown and shorter, and neatly arranged. Alastor's clothes had also changed, and he now wore a black t-shirt, covered by a tucked-in short-sleeved button-up shirt with a dark red rose pattern that contrasted with the black background. His only accessories were a simple black belt and a pair of round glasses.
Alastor was adjusting them as he looked back at Lucifer.
"I suppose you picked out his outfit, mon ange?" the man asked.
Lucifer just stood there, fascinated by his partner's new look, or rather, before-death look.
Alastor blushed slightly as he approached the smaller man and flicked his fingers across his forehead.
"Knock, knock, knock, is there anyone in that little brain of yours?" he mockingly asked.
Lucifer shook his head, oh yes, that was his partner, charming as ever.
"Hey!" he snapped, crossing his arms, "Yeah, I came out in that outfit, why? Don't you like it?" he raised an eyebrow.
Alastor hummed in response, " It's quite all right, mon ange, though," he snapped his fingers, the patterned shirt sleeves now covering his entire arms, " Much better," he said as he adjusted the sleeves.
Lucifer laughed, "You realize it's about 30 degrees, right?" he remarked.
Alastor scoffed "I'm aware Luci, but I prefer it like this, and I remember this weather quite well, so I'm used to it," he gave his partner his traditional smile as he came closer, leaned down and held out a hand.
"So mon cour, shall we see New Orleans?" he asked.
Lucifer jumped in excitement as he took Alastor's hand and hurried him out of the alley, the taller man almost falling from the pull.
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As they entered the main street, colorful buildings appeared before them, adorned with ornate balconies, and overflowing with hanging plants and bright flowers. The air was filled with the lively sounds of jazz music emanating from the open doors of nearby bars and clubs. Street performers captivated passers-by with their melodies and acts, adding to the vibrant atmosphere. Alastor could smell the aroma of Creole cuisine in the air, mingling with the scent of freshly brewed coffee from the local cafés.
Alastor could not help but smile at this sight, and while he could clearly see that his city had been modernized, he could still recognize every street and building, even some store names. He felt nothing but comfort that the essence of his hometown had stood the test of time.
Lucifer strolled excitedly through the streets, taking every opportunity to engage in various conversations with people, learning about their lives on Earth. He listened attentively, his heart filled with joy and pride to know that humans had such fulfilling lives, making their own choices. Some stories had sour moments, but overall most humans said that those mistakes eventually led them to where they were today.
And Lucifer felt that perhaps his sacrifice, his fall, had been worth it.
They continued exploring, buying some souvenirs for Charlie and the others.
As they walked, Alastor taught his angel about his culture, explaining the history behind the buildings he could recognize. He went on to describe his usual routine, how he had worked since he was little, selling newspapers around the town, and then when he grew up, he changed and played piano in a speakeasy, where he met Mimzy. And as he was telling this particular story, he spotted the real bar down the street. They approached the building and it had been rebuilt into a restaurant. They decided to go in for a bite as it was almost two in the evening.
They sat down and ordered a plate of crawfish etouffee and jambalaya to share. Alastor went on with the story, his angel staring at him intently, fascinated by the way his partner was telling him how this place used to be set up, and how he had to sneak in the back door and hide this particular job from his mother, as Prohibition was in effect during his time. He then told him how he later got a job as a radio host and found his true calling in that line of work.
All in all, Lucifer realized that Alastor, apart from his own sinful choices, had also used the free will he had been given to live a full and happy life. He smiled fondly at the thought, that perhaps some sinners had good reasons to be redeemed.
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They were enjoying the rest of their meall when they heard loud cheering from outside.
"What's going on outside?" Lucifer asked one of the waiters.
"Oh, didn't you know? The Pride Parade is today!" The waitress said happily.
"Ohhhhhhh" Lucifer's eyes glistened.
Alastor frowned in confusion and took a sip of his wine as the waitress retired, "Pride? As in the Ring of Pride? Is this a cult to your name mon ange?" the man asked confused.
Lucifer snorted, forgetting that his partner didn't exactly keep up with the human world.
"Pfff no Al!" he laughed, "I mean I would rather be recognized as the King of this particular Pride..." he said, only to get a more confused look from his lover.
He laughed at the reaction, "It's about being proud to be part of the LGBTQ+ community, as in being gay or lesbian or bisexual, oh yes, asexuality is also celebrated". He told Alastor, "And this celebration happens throughout the month of June, each place organizes a parade to bring people together and raise awareness," he finished.
Alastor hummed to the information, "How do you know so much about the subject of mon ange?"
"Oh well, I like to keep up with everything I can from the human world!" Lucifer said happily and looked at the door.
Alastor chuckled at the sight and got up from the table "Shall we have a look then?"
"Huh? Really?! Isn't it too crowded for you?" the shorter one asked. He was aware that Alastor was not a fan of touch.
"Well, my dear, you said it was a parade, didn't you?" he asked, the angel nodding "Well, I've shared my fair share of Mardi Gras in my time, I don't mind," he said, dusting invisible particles from his shirt.
Lucifer jumped with excitement, quickly paying the bill and dragging Alastor away again.
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Outside, people waved rainbow flags and wore an assortment of colorful, sparkly, and extravagant costumes to show their pride. The parade was overflowing with rainbow decorations, music playing from loudspeakers, and dancers grooving to the beat. Lucifer blended into the crowd, never letting go of Alastor's hand. His partner was a little uncomfortable at first, but they found a space between the crowds where they could walk alongside the parade.
A woman approached Lucifer, "Hey! Would you like a flag?" she asked, noticing the couple holding hands.
"Oh! Yes, thank you!" Lucifer replied.
"Anything in particular? I have most of them," she said, showing her bag with all the different flags.
"I'll take the pansexual flag, please!" Lucifer said cheerfully as the girl handed him the pink, yellow, and blue flag.
She then looked at Alastor, "Would you like one?" she asked.
Alastor shook his head, "No thanks dear, I'm fine.
The girl nodded and wished both men a happy pride as she continued through the crowd.
Lucifer wrapped the flag around his shoulders like a cape and took Alastor's hand once more. Both men walked through the crowd, Lucifer cheering while the other man took in the surroundings, there were a few more naked bodies than he would like to have around for his taste, but his angel was happy and that was all that mattered. Eventually another person approached and offered pins, Lucifer told Alastor to choose one, and so he did, choosing a small heart-shaped pin with the asexual flag. He pinned it on his shirt. It was nice and subtle, perfect for him, he felt no shame in how he identified, and since this parade was all about Pride, he might as well join in the fun.
They marched along with the crowd for a while until Alastor gave his angel a little signal to show him the time. Lucifer nodded and they both left the crowd, making their way through the streets until they reached the nearest bayou.
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When they reach a spot near the water Lucifer stored his flag in his bag along with Alastor's heart pin.
"Ohh, this is very similar to your old room Al!" Lucifer said as he walked through the forest.
"Quite yes mon ange, though..." he paused, feeling the breeze in his hair, taking in the damp and familiar smell, "The real thing is definitely better," he exhaled. Lucifer took his hand and pulled him in for a kiss, he leaned in and made the kiss a little deeper before his angel let go.
"I wish I could bring you here more often," he said with a sad smile.
Alastor shook his head and wrapped his arm around Lucifer's waist, pulling him closer to his chest.
"It's alright mon ange, this moment here with you is more than enough. Now tell me, have you enjoyed today? How is Earth treating you?" he asked, cupping his head with both hands.
Ah, he missed his cute pink dots.
Lucifer placed a soft peck on his lips, "Oh, the Earth is truly beautiful! The humans have really progressed so much and they... they have free will, Alastor! They enjoy life and explore new things and evolve... I just..." he paused "It's wonderful..." he sighed "Makes me wonder why my Father didn't tell me... I mean... It's not bad, is it?" tears began to form in his eyes.
Alastor wiped them away before they fell, "It's not bad, Lucifer, it never was, you've seen it yourself..." he said calmly, "People are happy. Do some of us make mistakes? Absolutely, that is what free will is, no choice will always be right. But even then, you know better than anyone how strict Heaven's rules are," he let go of his face and crossed his arms, "They are unfair in many things, and even if they realized that what you did was what humanity needed to thrive, they would never tell you. And honestly? You should not care, mon ange." He spoke firmly.
Lucifer processed his words, realizing that after all he had witnessed today, his partner was right. He shouldn't think too much about it, his choice was right, and he would never regret it. So take that, Heaven!
He hugged his partner again, his head on his chest, smiling, "You're right Al! I love you, thank you," he whispered as Alastor returned the hug, "I love you too, mon ange.”
And then, while hidden by magic but fully functional, Alastor's sensitive ears picked up a rustle not far from them, a ruffle of feathers.
He smiled and gazed towards where the sound came from.
"Luci dear, would you close your eyes for me for a moment?" he asked.
Lucifer looked up at him. "Ahm sure?" he replied, closing his eyes, trusting him.
Alastor took a step back, "I'll be right back," he said as he walked towards the ruffling, "And don't even think about peeking with those extra angelic eyes of yours, okay?"
Lucifer nodded, "Okay, okay, promise," he said, covering his eyes with his hands as an extra.
Alastor hummed and continued to follow the sounds, behind a few bushes northern pintails with their ducklings were playing in a small pond. The man approached them gently and led them to Lucifer. When they were close enough, Alastor walked ahead of them, touching his partner's shoulder.
"Darling, you can open your eyes, but please be careful and don't scream or you'll frighten them," he took a step aside.
Lucifer made a confused gesture and slowly opened his eyes, only to gasp at the little animals in front of him.
"Alastor, Alastor," he whispered, wiggling in place like a little excited child, " They're ducks, Earth ducks, I created them love!" he continued, pointing to the ground and looking back and forth at his partner.
"Yes mon cour, they are," he replied, nodding and watching him closely.
Lucifer knelt down and nervously offered his hand to the birds, he had been loved by them in Eden, his angelic essence attracted all living things, but he wasn't so sure of that now. Nevertheless, the ducks approached him, so the fallen angel smiled softly, sat down on the ground, and gained confidence. He cupped one of the ducklings in his hands. He interacted with the birds, summoning a small bag of seeds to feed them.
Alastor could only watch, captivated by his lover's happiness. Oh God, Lucifer was truly an angel. And God could suck it up, even if he came down to get him, he would never let him take away the love of his life.
He summoned his microphone and began to play a soft jazzy tune to accompany them as he sat next to Lucifer, resting his head on his shoulder, to which Lucifer kissed his forehead gently and then went back to playing with the ducks.
And there they stayed for a couple of hours, humming to the music and hanging out with the feathery creatures Lucifer created.
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It was now nine in the evening and both Alastor and Lucifer were walking through a smaller neighborhood. The streets were quieter, but smooth jazz could still be heard emanating from the various houses.
Then Alastor stood in front of one of the homes and looked at it, nostalgia filling his mind. This was where he had grown up. A small house with a porch raised by steps where he sat with his mother every night, watching the stars while she told him a story just before it was time to go back inside and sleep. It was the porch he came to every day from work to find his mother waiting for him at the window, finishing her delicious gumbo...
...But now there was a different family inside.
A small tear escaped from his left eye and Lucifer squeezed his hand gently, shaking him from his thoughts. He looked down at him with a smile.
"Let's go dear," he said, not wanting to explain at the moment. She wasn't here anymore.
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The pair continued their walk until they came to a small graveyard. It was closed for the night, but Lucifer teleported them both inside. Alastor walked through the graves, moving away from his partner as he searched each name. If he was right, she should be next to his grandmother, she had so many stories and respect for her.
Surely, she was here, right?
"Ah, there you are, manman," Alastor said as he approached a small grave, his mother's name a little faded by time, but visible enough. With a snap of his fingers, his human disguise disappeared, revealing the true form of the Radio Demon. Kneeling before it, he took a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and began to clean it with some magic, slowly restoring it.
"Al!" Lucifer whispered calling him out, "Hey! What if someone sees you?" he continued.
"I don't care, darling," the man said as he continued to clean, "I'm not going to hide what I look like from my mother."
Lucifer just held one hand to his chest and watched in silence as Alastor finished restoring the tomb to its original state.
When he was finished, he stood up, dusting off his own coat
"There you go, manman, looking as beautiful as I remembered," he said softly, "I know I wasn't the best son... I know I let you down... That I wasn't as good as you told everyone I was," he paused, "but as you always said... I faced my mistakes with a smile," he put on his traditional grin, "I wasn't afraid of my judgement, and I don't regret my mistakes, so you shouldn't worry about me. As I'm not worried about you either, I know you're safe," his smile softened.
Then he stood up and looked back at Lucifer, holding out his hand for him to come closer. Lucifer took it, removing his disguise as well, certain it would be more respectful of his partner's wishes.
"Manman, this is Lucifer, my partner," he chuckled as he continued, "Now I know, I know, you always warned me about the Devil and his charms," he teased, making his angel blush at the words, "And you were, as always... right. He is quite charming, but he is also very caring and loves me as much as you do," he hummed, "I just hope you see what I see in him," he looked up at the sky and laughed as if he had been reprimanded, "And before you say anything, I treat him well too, don't I darling?" he asked, looking at his angel.
Lucifer chuckled softly and moved closer to the demon, "Yes, Miss Aurélie," he said as he read the name of the grave, "Your son loves me very much, I mean, yes, he can be a bit over his head sometimes," he teased, causing Alastor to roll his eyes at the remark, "But he...". He paused, noticing a faint angelic figure in the distance, so faint that Alastor couldn't sense it, Lucifer smiled as he looked at it, "He cares for me, he's attentive and always knows what's best for me. You have raised a good son." He looked back at Alastor who was now smiling softly at the grave and then his gaze returned to the figure "And I will look after him too, I will love him endlessly as long as he lets me and beyond. You have my word, Miss Aurélie," he promised, intertwining his finger with Alastor's.
Alastor leaned against his angel and kissed him softly as he said these words. Then they decided it was time to return. Lucifer manifested a small bouquet of white roses and placed it on Aurélie's grave. His partner thanked him as they both went back, opening the portal and stepping into her room.
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They let Charlie know they'd returned and told her they'd tell her all about their trip tomorrow. Then they took a long, warm shower together, and after drying each other's hair, they both snuggled into their bed together, cuddling.
The moment was quiet, their day had been long, and they were tired. They exchanged little kisses and sweet I love yous before falling asleep in each other's arms.