chapter 4 - please just look the other way

Lucifer wasn't sure how long he stayed on the floor that night. The taunting image of his bed only a few feet away was all he could focus on. After the last bit of his panic attack had worn off, he was left with some bitter feelings he hadn't wanted to divulge in and then eventually, that faded to nothing. There was a small pile of rubber ducks next to him, ones that he made during the throes of his self-deprecation that evening. They weren't his best work. His muddled brain made it hard to concentrate on the finer details. They were deformed. Broken. Hideous. Mistakes.

Just like the fallen angel who made them.

He turned away from the pile with a huff, claws digging into the plush carpet beneath him and tearing through the fabric.

Sleep wouldn't come to him that night, Lucifer knew. Maybe he should have waited to heal Alastor, then all of this could've been avoided until later. Lucifer would still have the mental capacity to deal with whoever Heaven sent but now — the idea of coming face to face with other angels was too much.

At the same time, if Lucifer hadn't healed Alastor then those that came down would definitely be able to tell he was injured by an angelic weapon — if they're able to sense that sort of thing anyways. Then, they'd probably adopt some righteous, holier-than-thou attitude and insist on nursing him back to health and Alastor would not take that the right way. The last thing they needed was the dumbass attacking heavenly beings.

With a sigh, Lucifer rolled onto his back, limbs spread out next to him like a starfish. He should really get up. Check the time. It might be early enough in the morning to where it wouldn't be odd to see him awake. He might be lucky enough that Charlie is awake too and he could actually be a useful member of society and comfort her the best he can. She would be nervous for today, Lucifer was sure.

He did none of those things. No, he just laid there. Thinking. Thinking about Alastor. Thinking about Lilith. Thinking about Heaven. Just thinking.

It ended up an amalgamation of self-impudent thoughts he had become accustomed to over the span of his ancient life. They didn't often get under his skin anymore, only on the worst of days, and today was fortunately not one of those. Eventually, he gained just enough energy to lolled his head to the side and glance at the clock.

4:28 am.

Yup, no sleep tonight.

Lucifer let out a groan and slapped his hands over his eyes, rubbing harshly as if they'd get rid of any of his tiredness. It did nothing, as expected, and Lucifer opted to just glare up at the high-vaulted ceiling.

"Okay, Lucifer. Big day ahead that you have to be present for. Charlie needs you to be a supporting father and Hell needs you to be a half-way decent king." His voice was raspy from misuse and he cleared his throat to help with his little pep-talk.

"So just… get up on three." He shook his hands weakly.

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

Lucifer rolled onto his stomach, cheek pressed into the carpet. Well, it was something at least.

"...this is just pathetic," he whined, letting his eyelids droop shut. Some overly powerful being he was. Couldn't even get his sorry ass up off the floor he'd been laying on for who knows how long. This wasn't who he was supposed to be for Heaven or Hell.

This wasn't who Charlie needed him to be.

He growled. "Stop being useless for once in your fucking life and be there for your daughter." That was what finally got him to push himself up onto his knees. Lucifer's room spun around him for a moment, and he closed his eyes to stave off the wave of nausea at the movement. For humans, such vertigo was caused by low blood pressure paired with moving too fast. Lucifer wasn't even sure he could get that. Do his veins work perfectly like he was created to be? Maybe he was cursed with trivial mortal annoyances once he Fell.

Dehydration can cause that but Lucifer doesn't need to eat, more or less drink water to survive. That'd be a fun experiment — actually hydrate to see if it affected how his body felt. He knew food only gave him the serotonin rush of doing something he enjoyed with no other benefit.

… does he even have hormones? Okay, off-topic of what he should be doing.

Once his stomach settled, Lucifer released a shaky breath and crawled over to the nearest wall. He used it as support and dragged himself to his feet on unsteady legs. He checked the time again, and with red numbers blaring at him that it was only 4:56 am, he pushed himself away from the surface and walked into the connecting bathroom.

He looked, well… he looked like shit. His blond hair was a tangled rat's nest on his head, heavy eye bags prominent with the lack of sleep he's gotten the past month. The clothes he hadn't bothered changing out of were wrinkled and askew on his compact frame. Lucifer didn't dare smile, knowing full well the condition of his teeth based on the taste in his mouth.

Yeah, that simply wouldn't do.

With a snap of his fingers, his clothes were replaced with freshly pressed ones of his typical outfit sans hat and jacket. His hair magically corrected itself to appear silky smooth. Sometimes, there were perks to having more power than one knew what to do with. Lucifer couldn't remember the last time he genuinely took the effort to get ready for the day. Hell, his abilities even brushed his teeth for him!

He did, however, spend a few minutes carefully applying makeup over his eyebags. It was something he'd been doing for as long as he was down here and the last thing he needed was for Charlie to worry about him if she saw them. Not to mention he didn't need the interrogation that'd follow. That was a problem for Future Lucifer.

Once deemed decent enough, Lucifer moved back into his room. He stared at his overcoat and top hat for a second before he decided to leave them. He wanted to make some pancakes for everyone this morning in hopes to ease their nerves just a little. Cooking has always helped him calm down so really, it was a win-win.

He took one final breath — he plastered a wide smile on his lips in case he ran into someone — and swung open his door. The hallway was empty as to be expected and Lucifer only spared one look at Alastor's entryway before making his way down the stairs.

The hotel was quiet but Lucifer hadn't really expected anyone to be up yet — at least not for another hour. Charlie was usually the earliest riser, followed quickly by Vaggie and Alastor. Husk slept in depending on how much he had to drink the day prior, Angel and Cherri were up last, rising around noon but Lucifer suspected they'd be up before then today. He's convinced Niffty never actually slept yet he wouldn't see her until there were enough dirty dishes in the sink for her to clean.

As anticipated, the kitchen was empty. Lucifer was thankful for that, he really wasn't ready to deal with anyone quite yet. He rolled his neck, snapped his fingers so soft classical music played in the background from the old radio in the corner and got to work getting out all the ingredients. He's had the recipe long since memorized and decided to make both buttermilk and apple cinnamon pancakes. They were Charlie's favorite, after all.

He quickly fell into routine, letting the music wash over him as he swayed his hips to the beat. Lucifer hummed along, peeling the apples and cutting them into bite sized pieces, moving on to making the batter before cooking them. He made sure to cook enough that everyone could have one of either pancake and since flapjacks wasn't the most healthy breakfast (and Alastor didn't like sweets, the freak), he would make some other options for them as well.

"Wow, Dad. You really went all out." Lucifer jumped at the sound of his daughter's voice, his wings popping out involuntarily and he barely caught the spatula in his hand before it dropped to the floor. He whipped around and winced as a feathery appendage knocked the bag of flour off the counter. Belatedly, he stared at the mess before giving Charlie an apologetic smile.

"Ah, sorry. I didn't hear you coming, sweetie." He pocketed his wings back into their subspace before he put the last pancake on the serving platter and turning the stove off. Lucifer looked back at the large island and finally took in all the food he made. Yeah, maybe he did go a smidge overboard.

Four platters full of both types of pancakes, bacon, eggs of all styles, sausage links, hash browns, and even freshly squeezed orange juice he added as an afterthought. An assortment of all kinds of fruit that he had to summon were laid out on a tray, a little reminder of Earth that didn't make its way into Hell. There was a lot that would feed much more than those who currently lived at the hotel. Like he said, cooking calmed him down and he had a lot on his mind.

"Sorry for sneaking up on you." Charlie smiled tiredly, moving over to the coffee pot to make herself a cup. Neither said anything as Lucifer began to clean his mess, Niffty nowhere in sight. It was still a little awkward between them, his doing entirely of course. Seven years of abandonment and even more of neglect didn't just… go away. They were both trying though and the uncomfortable moments weren't as often as they were just two weeks ago.

Shortly after he started living in the hotel, during one of the times he was free, they had sat down together to actually talk about everything. Charlie made it clear she wanted open communication and Lucifer was more than happy to oblige. He wasn't ready to tell her everything but he wanted to someday. She deserved to know. He just couldn't bring himself to yet and Charlie never pushed the subject.

The sound of coffee being poured into her cup broke him out of his thoughts and he went back to what he was doing previously. Charlie moved over to the island, casting a side glance at her father before snatching a sausage link and popping it into her mouth. Lucifer saw, of course, but let it slide with a smile.

Charlie hummed, eyes sparkling at the flavor. It was hearty with a hint of spice on the side of her tongue and she extended her hand to steal another before it got slapped away by Lucifer. She pouted but simply took a sip of her coffee.

There was a beat of silence before she smiled sheepishly at him.

"I… I really miss your cooking." Lucifer paused in front of the sink where he was filling a kettle with water to boil. It sounded like an admission, something she was afraid would make him react poorly. He ignored the ugly feeling in his chest as he set the teapot on the stove and turned it on.

"I really miss cooking for you." He faced her, fiddling with his fingers nervously in front of him. "Maybe next time, you'd want to help me? Like when you were little?"

Lucifer didn't know why he was so anxious about her answer. Charlie was very busy, especially after the Extermination and with everything going on — she was probably wrung thin. He shouldn't have asked. She needed her rest and requesting her to wake up even earlier to help him cook when he's more than capable of doing it himself —

"I'd love that, Dad." Her smile brightened and Lucifer let his own match. He really needed to find more time to spend with her. Now that he's delegated some of his responsibilities for the moment, maybe they'd manage to steal an afternoon together. He definitely couldn't get his hopes up though. Who knew how hectic these next few weeks will be.

"Help me set the table, yeah? Everyone should be down here shortly." The two quickly got to work carrying plates of food to the dining room next door. The table was big enough to hold everything and leave plenty of room for the residents. Charlie grabbed some empty plates while Lucifer poured some more beverage options into pitchers.

By the time they were done, many of the other residents had joined them in the dining area. Angel and Husk both had made an immediate beeline for the coffee while Cherri took a seat next to Angel's spot with a ravenous smile on her lips. Niffty was vibrating to Husk's left and Vaggie placed a kiss on Charlie's cheek before taking her own seat.

Alastor manifested into the room at some point, eyeing the assortment of foods with a wrinkled nose aimed at the sweets. It took all of his willpower not to flinch at his appearance. The image of purple chains flashed behind his eyelids. It stole his breath — and not pleasantly.

Lucifer met his gaze from across the table. His eyes flickered briefly to his chest and he raised his eyebrow in a silent question. Alastor offered a near imperceptible nod before he bent down to talk to Niffty. Lucifer took that as his chance to sit to Charlie's right as everyone else got settled.

"Can I have everyone's attention for a moment?" Charlie cleared her throat, waiting patiently as the conversations died down. "I just wanted to say thank you all for staying with me through everything. I wouldn't have been able to do any of this without you. I know the next few weeks are going to be… tough so if you need to leave while our guests are here, I understand."

"Pfft, you can't get rid of us that easily, Princess." Angel teased though his smile was genuine. It had Charlie laughing, easing whatever tension she had at the rounds of agreement. Vaggie reached over to take her hand and after a moment, his daughter continued.

"Thank you, everyone. We'll talk more about everything later. For now, eat up! My dad spent all morning making this breakfast for us!" At that, everyone began serving themselves as conversations were struck up again. Lucifer grabbed cinnamon apple pancakes, some sausages, and scrambled eggs for his own plate. He took a mental note of what everyone else decided on for future purposes.

Angel was partial to the sweets side of the breakfast just as Charlie, grabbing three regular pancakes and drowning it in syrup. He added some strawberries and powdered sugar as Husk stared on in horror at the sticky concoction on his plate. Husk himself went for a much healthier serving: bacon, eggs, hash browns, and fruit. Cherri, it seemed, had decided to battle Angel for the most sugar filled breakfast if the mountain of whipped cream on her pancakes was any indicator.

Niffty was happy to stab her sausages and fruit whilst Alastor, to absolutely no one's surprise, only had servings of meat on his plate. Lucifer would have made some sort of jab about that if it wasn't hard to look in the guy's direction right now. He really needed to stop thinking about that, it wouldn't help.

The rest of his plate didn't seem so appetizing anymore.

It wasn't long before everyone had finished eating with Lucifer meticulously hiding his rather full plate underneath napkins. He'd put it in the fridge later, when no one would notice. The last thing he needed was for Charlie to start worrying.

The other residents very quickly fell into a routine: Charlie, Vaggie, and Husk moved all the leftover foods into the kitchen to put away, Cherri and Angel took all the dirty dishes to the sink to wash, while Alastor helped Niffty clean up the dining room. Lucifer sat in his chair awkwardly for a moment. He hadn't really joined them for meals since he moved in, but eventually, he grabbed his plate to head to the kitchen. When he was sure no one was looking, he quickly covered it in plastic wrap and stuffed it in the fridge.

With everyone helping, the clean up process was done rather fast and they all gathered in the foyer. No one moved to sit on any of the furniture in fear of messing up its pristine condition until Alastor sat down with little care in the world. The others slowly followed suit.

"Does anyone have any questions they want to ask before they get here? Concerns? Anything…?" Charlie piped up when the silence got too awkward and Husk raised his hand from where he was leaning against the back of the couch.

"You sure we ain't gonna get into more shit with Heaven?" He asked gruffly, raising an eyebrow at Charlie but it was Vaggie who answered for her.

"I don't think there's any ulterior motives behind this." She crossed her arms with a sigh. "Heaven has always been transparent about their goals and despite what it may appear as, they genuinely do care for human souls. Now that there's proof redemption is possible, they'll want to take that route instead of bloodying their hands any further."

There was a grumble of disbelief coming from the sinners on the couch and Lucifer couldn't blame them. It was hard to view Heaven as anything but bloodthirsty when that's all they're used to. Vaggie was right though. Lucifer also didn't think they had a hidden agenda for this. They were truly foolish if they tried to beat the Devil at his own game. Heaven wouldn't risk it.

"I would imagine they wouldn't be too happy with your presence, my dear." Alastor piped up, a sharp smile directed at Vaggie. "They will expect His Majesty, but I'm sure Heaven isn't too fond of the fallen angels as a whole."

Vaggie's glare was full of daggers, her body immediately going taut as if she was going to pounce. At least Lucifer wasn't the only one here who found Alastor insufferable.

"Okay!" Charlie butt in, facing her girlfriend with both hands on her shoulders. "Any other questions?"

"I know ya don't know who's comin'," Angel piped up, "but any guesses? Nice ta get an idea of what ta expect, y'know." It was… actually a good idea from Angel. At his inquiry, everyone turned to look at Lucifer and he didn't bother hiding the sigh.

Truth be told, he had no clue who Heaven could possibly send. Lucifer knew not to expect any winners or cherubs. They had no authority up there and it'd be risky sending those that could easily be killed by sinners. That also ruled out the exorcists and there was no way the Heavenly Council didn't realize how bad of an idea it'd be to send Lute.

The Ophanims and Virtues were all viable options, as were any of the Seraphims. He wasn't quite up to date with Heaven's politics as he used to be and he had no idea who was in charge of each Circle anymore, nor did he have an indicator of any new angels. Lucifer leaned forward with a contemplative hum.

"Don't expect to see any winners, that much I can assure you. Heaven wouldn't risk them getting corrupted. There shouldn't be any exorcists either. They don't have enough pull in the hierarchy up there." Lucifer looked over at his daughter. "You said a Seraphim by the name of Emily had vouched for you during the first trial?"

"Yes! Do you think she'll be visiting?" Charlie lit up at the idea and he smiled at her excitement. It was always so contagious.

"Maybe. Heaven might send her since she not only believes in the cause but is also familiar with you. I haven't met Emily myself, but Sera talks about her enough for me to know that if the Council did decide to send her then the Head Seraph would be adamant she not go alone." Lucifer was fairly confident Sera was the one who raised Emily after she was Created, and though she referred to her as a sister, he'd recognize that maternal instinct anywhere.

"So, what? We should expect to see this Sera here too?" Cherri looked rather bored from the discussions and frankly, he was surprised she even stuck around.

"No, Sera can't leave her post. She'd most likely advocate for a Power to tag along as Emily's protector. Who, I couldn't say." He smiled apologetically at the group as a whole. "My only real guess is her though. I don't know Heaven's politics anymore and who is in charge of what. I can give you an idea of how to act though. What to avoid, and all that. If I miss anything, I'm sure Vaggie can fill in the rest."

The rest of the time waiting for noon to roll around was spent giving the residents an impromptu lesson on how to behave around angels. How to address them, what to avoid saying and doing, and Lucifer could not stress enough how important it was they not take God's name in vain. Many of the holier beings had self-righteous sticks shoved up their ass and he couldn't imagine the fallout if any of them messed up when addressing Her.

Of course, should any of the angels attack first, Lucifer would defend them. Except Alastor. He might just leave him for the wolves.

Soon enough, it was nearing the time they'd be here and everyone was standing so Charlie could straighten out the couch cushions. Husk had moved back to take his spot behind the bar, both Angel and Cherri perching themselves on the stools anxiously. No one made a move to touch the alcohol. Charlie and Vaggie stood in the middle of the foyer with Lucifer by the stairs and Alastor, surprisingly, took place to Lucifer's right about two paces back.

He glanced at the sinner with a raised brow but Alastor only smiled at him, nothing in his expression giving him away. The way he was looking at him though… it made the hairs on his neck stand on end. Lucifer narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything as he turned around to face his daughter. Her back was to him but he could see how nervous she was based on her body language.

Doubly so when there was a flash of bright light and a golden portal spun to life. Charlie stumbled backwards when she realized she was too close and Vaggie steadied her on her feet. She straightened herself up, hands folded in front of her and a welcoming smile plastered on her face.

Four angels stepped through the portal and simultaneously, Lucifer felt as if the air had been ripped out of his lungs. There wasn't much time for anyone to react before the only female squealed excitedly, six wings fluttering behind her.

"Charlie!" Lucifer felt himself tense up as she rushed towards his daughter, swooping her up in a hug. He only relaxed when Charlie laughed in turn, embracing the angel tightly.

"Emily! Oh my gosh, I was hoping you'd be one of the angels visiting!" Charlie pulled back with a huge, genuine grin that was reciprocated by the young seraph — Emily.

"The Council is putting me in charge of Heaven's side of the project! Since we already have a rapport and I've heavily advocated for the Hazbin Hotel, they thought it the best move!" She grabbed Charlie's hands and shook them as she spoke.

"That's amazing!" Finally, Charlie looked past Emily to the other three angels that were standing silently. "Who are your companions?" Even after she asked, Lucifer could see her expression falter at their similarities to herself. His stomach curled painfully as shame settled deep into his gut.

"You… you don't know who they are?" Emily hesitated, her brows knitting together in confusion. Charlie glanced back at her as she tilted her head to the side.

"Should I?" At this, Emily's gaze slid over to Lucifer, unsure how to continue. But he didn't register her eyes on him. All he could focus on was breathing.

The hand holding onto his cane gripped the top hard enough that he could've sworn he heard it creak beneath his claws. Everything in him was telling him to run. Take Charlie, take everyone in the hotel, and hide them far away from the beings before him.

Despite the fear, his legs were frozen to the ground.

The junction where his back turns into wings burned. His arms tingled with a sensation that never truly left but felt stronger than it usually was. The typically comfortable gloves were an unpleasant feeling against his skin. His ribs were hugging his lungs tightly. He couldn't get them to expand. Lucifer was afraid that if he took a step, his knees would give out and he'd go falling.

And falling.

Falling.

"Dad?" Charlie was facing him worriedly now and Lucifer didn't remember her being this close before. When had she moved? She reached out to him and in the back of his mind, he registered the steady sound of static. He focused on that, letting it wrap around his mind and ground him to reality. It was quiet. Too quiet.

Lucifer let out a shaky exhale, his chest quivering painfully before he slapped on his ringmaster's smile.

That's who he needed to be right now: Hell's King. A diplomat. A sovereign. He needed to be Lucifer Morningstar.

"Charlie." He breathed and released the death grip on his cane. "Allow me to introduce you to… to three of my siblings." Lucifer ignored the shocked look on her face. He had to. He'd deal with the repercussions of this secret later.

"Azrael, the Harbinger of Death." The shorter of the three angels, yet still taller than Lucifer, bowed with a kind smile. His hair was black like the night sky, slicked back into a low ponytail that rested over his shoulder. The robes he wore were black with white and wine red accents, motifs of silhouetted birds at the bottom of his apparel. They were cardinals, often represented by death and to which his wings resemble. In the red of Hell, the black of his feathers shone blue and green wherever the heavenly light of his halo touched before fading back to the darkest shade. The matching circles on his cheeks were of the same red as his robes, darker than Lucifer's own. The tips of Azrael's wings were clad in copper armor, three chains hanging from each one. His eyes were a dulled green. Despite his title, he was known to be one of the kindest higher angels in Heaven.

He and Lucifer were close, once upon a time. They always got into trouble pranking their siblings and spent late nights thinking of amazing ideas for Creation. Azrael was never one to step out of line though, easily molded to fit Her will, easily controlled. In the end, Lucifer was the one who Fell because of his pride.

When those green eyes met his, Lucifer found himself looking away. Instead, he lifted a shaky hand to gesture towards the tallest.

"Gabriel, the Messenger of God." Lucifer's voice was clipped and he had to take a deep breath to calm himself down. Gabriel, for his part, crossed an arm across his stomach and dipped slightly with a charming smile.

"A pleasure to meet you all." His voice was smooth like water, long brown curls falling over his back like waves of the ocean. There were lilac streaks through his hair complementing the circles of his cheeks and inner feathers of his wings, yet his eyes were a deep indigo. The blazer of his suit was a pastel purple that slowly faded into a dark violet. On the bottom of his sleeves were a series of diamonds representing a sun that matched the purple of his lapels. His trousers, the same shade as the suit collars, flared out at the end where a white arrow design crawled up his legs and stopped just below his knees. His boots were white with pastel purple diamonds on the top and a darker shade for the sole. The top set of wings had rose gold armor extending from the base to the bend of the limbs, glittering amethysts slotting in the middle of each that resembled a galaxy. A matching metal band rested on the index finger of his right hand.

Gabriel was the second oldest yet the tallest out of all of Lucifer's siblings, standing well over seven feet while Azrael was a tad shorter than Charlie. They hadn't spent too much time together before he was banished but he always indulged Lucifer in his rants. Whenever Lucifer wanted one of his ideas pitched in Creation meetings, it was Gabriel who would do so for him.

The charred scars of Lucifer's arms throbbed something fierce. He steeled himself before turning to introduce the final angel.

"And Michael… the Sword of God." The eldest of all Seraphims nodded in greeting. Strands of Michael's dirty blond hair, styled in a side part, fell in front of steel gray eyes. The circles on his cheeks were sky blue, matching his inner feathers peeking out through the armor on his wings. It started at the base in pristine silver with three tiers, the last one extending in what appeared to be a claw. The inner part of the metal was filled with parts of the Earth's stratosphere — as ancient as the planet itself. His suit was a darker blue, silver crosses clad on both arms sharper than any human creation. His trousers were even darker, nearly black, with a matching colored shawl covering his right arm. Lucifer's gaze, however, was stuck on Michael's chest.

There was a glowing white eye in the middle which wasn't odd — it's been there since the very beginning — but the alabaster skin around it was scarred a dark gray. There were golden cracks extending from the eye that glowed faintly from the angelic blood beneath it. Lucifer felt his throat dry up, the world around him going out of focus as he fixated on it. The breath in his chest stuttered and when he looked up, his eyes met Michael's cold ones.

He gave away nothing of what he may be thinking and somehow, that made Lucifer feel worse.

"This is Charlie, the owner of the Hazbin Hotel." Lucifer cleared his throat, eyes hardening as he finally tore his gaze away from Michael. "My daughter."

Gabriel's eyes widened in surprise, looking back at Charlie who shifted on her feet nervously.

"Daughter? I never imagined Sami would have a kid, more or less the first one to do so." Gabriel chuckled, his smile wide and genuine as he cocked his hip to the side. His tone was teasing but all it did was make a wave of annoyance roll over Lucifer. Everyone was looking at him in confusion but he ignored them to cross his arms and glare at Gabriel.

"It's Lucifer now." He snapped, his lip curling in a snarl that surprised Gabriel.

"I—" Before he could even start his sentence, Azrael placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. There was a warning in his stare that Gabriel seemed to heed. An awkward silence filled the foyer for a moment before Azrael stepped forward. He came to a stop next to Emily.

"I'm honored to meet you, Princess Morningstar. Seraphim Emily has spoken highly of your work and I look forward to seeing it for myself." Azrael let a small smile cross his lips and for all Lucifer could glean, it wasn't fake.

"Oh! Uhm, you can just call me Charlie, no need for honorifics." She waved an embarrassed hand. "If you're all amendable, my co-host, Vaggie, and I were wanting to give you a tour of the facility and an overview of what we do here. Then, you could join us for dinner and get acquainted with those living here."

She looked back at her partner lovingly, but Vaggie only stiffened as the attention was on her. No one said anything for a moment and Lucifer was more than ready to jump in to defend her if necessary. He knew they could tell she was a former exorcist just as he was able to sense it the first time he met her.

Azrael continued to smile politely, probably sensing her discomfort, while Gabriel looked at Michael warily. He only regarded Vaggie for a few seconds before looking back at Charlie, expression as neutral as always.

"Will Lucifer be joining us?" There was no intonation to Michael's voice. It was one Lucifer hadn't heard in 10,000 years and there was a sharp spike of fear that shot through his spine. The itch to hide was strong, no matter how much of a coward it would make him appear. Reputation be damned, he didn't want to be there. He didn't want to be around his siblings.

But Charlie needed him.

His daughter hesitated, glancing back at him and Lucifer looked up at her. His expression was schooled — his persona of confident, prideful King of Hell was firmly in place. He wouldn't give them the pleasure of knowing how truly uncomfortable he was. If Charlie wanted him there, he would do it for her despite his own grievances.

Charlie, however, knew him better than he expected. She could see just past his mask, the nearly imperceptible tense lines of his face, the tightness in his shoulders he hid behind the stance he decided to take, and the ends of his claws digging the smallest of grooves into the apple of his cane. Her eyes softened slightly and she turned back to address Michael.

"Tours aren't a duty my father — as sponsor of this hotel — partakes in. I'm afraid he has other things to attend to." Charlie smiled apologetically, though her tone made it clear it wasn't up for debate. Lucifer felt a swell of pride course through him. It was rare to see his little girl so immovable on a subject, only for those she cared deeply for. The fact he somehow managed to make that list was enough for him to forget his stress for just a minute.

"I see." Michael folded his hands behind his back, just underneath his middle set of wings that were tucked in. "Let us proceed then. Please, lead the way, Miss Charlie."

Lucifer watched as his daughter led the four seraphim up the grand staircase to begin the tour with Vaggie trailing behind. Their eyes met briefly and the King offered his best reassuring smile. She tried to give one in turn but anyone with a pair of eyes could see how nervous she was. He made a mental note to check up on her later.

No one in the foyer moved until the voices echoing down the hall faded into nothingness.

All at once, Lucifer's shoulders sagged and he released a shuddering breath. He dragged his feet over to the couch and flopped down onto his stomach with a groan. There was a snort from the bar, one that sounded vaguely like Angel, but he paid it no mind.

"I must say, you are quite the pathetic sight, Your Majesty!" Alastor, who had stayed in his original position behind Lucifer the entire time, was now sitting on the coffee table with his legs crossed. Lucifer huffed and turned his head so he could glare up at him.

"Fuck off, Alfred. I wasn't expecting to see three of my siblings that I haven't spoken to in nearly 10,000 years. Sue me for being a little overwhelmed." The annoyed twitch of Alastor's right eye made the corner of Lucifer's lips curl upwards. "Besides, I thought we agreed to leave the animosity to a minimum during their visit."

Alastor hummed. "I wasn't antagonizing you." His smile turned into a sneer. "Why, I was simply stating a fact!" Lucifer felt a growl rise in his throat and he propped himself up on his elbows to give Alastor a piece of his mind when a drink was thrust in front of his face.

He blinked at the honey colored beverage. His gaze trailed up the arm until he met Husk's bored expression. Lucifer sat up properly before he took the glass and a tentative sip. The taste of caramel apples and vodka hit his tongue and he let out an appreciative sound. The alcohol wouldn't do much with his angelic metabolism, but it was still delicious. Regardless, he shot the bartender a questioning gaze.

"You looked like you needed it." Husk plopped on the spot next to him, Angel and Cherri both making their way to the seating area as well. "Now that you know who they are, should we be worried?"

Lucifer looked at the drink in his hand, his claw tapping against the glass as he thought. Truthfully, he didn't know. He had his own feelings about them, of course, but he's not sure who his brothers even were anymore. The look in Michael's eyes as he was falling was engraved in his brain, the disappointment and apathy replacing the warmth that used to be there. Despite what his feelings may be about Lucifer, Michael was always doing what was best for the winner's souls.

He threw the rest of his drink back, letting the burn of the vodka ground him as it trickled down his throat. The tumbler floated from his grip to place itself on the bar and he used the moment of silence to collect himself before answering the question.

"I don't know." Lucifer grabbed the hat off his head, allowing it to dangle between his legs as he held out his hand. Helel unfurled herself from around his crown and slithered to rest in his palm. "As I've said, I haven't spoken to any of my siblings since I Fell." A contemplative frown etched itself on his face and he brought his snake companion to his shoulder where she curled around his neck.

"I don't think we need to worry about Azrael. Despite his moniker, he is also the Virtue of Patience and his kindness does extend to the sinners. That much I know hasn't changed considering he's the one ferrying new souls to both Heaven and Hell. Many of the damned advocate that." And he's the only one who argued on my behalf. Lucifer released a breath through his nose, leaning back to rest his head on the top of the cushion. He stared at the pristine ceiling above, the nature of this world not yet marring the new building.

"As for Gabriel and Michael…" Lucifer brought his fingers up to rub against his temples. "I was pretty sure the last thing they wanted was to see me so I don't know what their motives may be. I can't say they're here to cause harm but I can't say otherwise either. I'll keep an eye on them."

That's when Angel squeezed in between Lucifer and Husk, slinging one of his arms around the former's shoulders. The king squeaked as he momentarily lost balance.

"Hey now, short daddy. You ain't in this alone. We'll all figure out what they want by the end of their visit. We defended this shithole once, we ain't lettin' it get ruined again." His smile wasn't flirtatious for once and Lucifer felt himself relaxing into the side hug.

"Now, while the bitches are busy, let's relax a bit, yeah?" Cherri pulled a couple of shooters out of… somewhere and shook them enticingly in her hand. They were looking at Lucifer for permission and his eyes drifted to where the touring group disappeared. He hesitated for a moment before shrugging with a smile.

"Oh, what the Hell." Cherri whooped, passing around drinks to everyone. Alastor politely declined but, surprisingly, he summoned his own whiskey on the rocks to sip from. Finally, she handed Lucifer his own to which he stared with wide eyes.

"Uh," he said oh-so-eloquently.

"What? Never taken a shot before?" Angel teased with a waggle of his eyebrows and Lucifer felt his face heat up in embarrassment.

"W-Well, these didn't exist when I was still in Heaven!" The golden blush spread from his cheeks down his chest at their laughter.

"It doesn't even matter! Mortal alcohol doesn't affect me!" He shoved the shooter back into Cherri's hand. She didn't say anything between her laughs, only opening both bottles and cheering with Angel, Husk, and Niffty. All four downed their shots in one go.

"You have anything that can make you drunk?" Husk quirked an eyebrow curiously, tossing the empty bottle onto the side table. Lucifer shifted under their gazes.

"Uhm… I can conjure up something, sure. But you definitely won't like me under the influence." Lucifer chuckled humorlessly, remembering the last time he got drunk some thousand years ago. He was the most pathetic kind of person: excessively sad and crying.

"I'd love to see that." Angel's smile was that of a shark and he finally removed his arm from Lucifer's shoulder to face him directly, leaning against Husk. Lucifer laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck.

"M-Maybe another time," he stuttered and they dropped the subject at least. Cherri somehow grabbed another round and seriously, where the fuck was she keeping them? They agreed to stop after two though and Lucifer watched in amusement as the tension slowly bled out from their bodies. Husk had masterfully swapped Niffty's out for water and she was none the wiser.

His gaze drifted over to Alastor who was watching him behind the rim of his glass, head tilted to the side in… discernment? Consideration? Annoyance? Lucifer truly couldn't read him most of the time but he felt like he was being judged under his scrutiny.

Like Alastor was privy to something about Lucifer he shouldn't be.

He swallowed thickly, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat that felt too tight all of a sudden. Did… did Alastor know that he knew about his whole soul situation? Lucifer figured if he did, Alastor would opt to make his life a living Hell (ha, as if it wasn't) to ensure he told no one. Not that he would but the deer clearly had major trust issues.

Should he bring it up? Certainly not now in front of everyone but he could casually suggest they talk later. Right, as if that wouldn't be weird. They're supposed to hate each other. The only reason they even spoke last night was because Lucifer needed to get Alastor's ass in gear before their guests arrived. Maybe he could hint at it instead.

Lucifer opened his mouth to say something when he was abruptly manhandled until he was in between Angel and a vaguely murderous looking Niffty.

And then she lunged and Lucifer ducked with a yelp to avoid her sharp claws. Angel scrambled up from the couch and ran across the foyer as she chased him around, yelling something about her collection. Husk had gotten up with a grumble and walked after them at a lackadaisical pace.

Lucifer watched them with a smile, momentarily forgetting about the seraphim upstairs. It was good to see them finally relax under the pressure. He let Cherri lean against him for support as she turned silent with the strength of her laughter. They'd have to get it together before the tour group came back downstairs but for now, Lucifer watched them find comfort in each other's company before shit truly hit the fan.