Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was supposed to be a happy day. The day he, Lucifer, Charlie and Vaggie to their wedding outfits designed and fitted. However, said day was already soured before his normal wake up time.

Alastor had been awakened by a sensation he had felt before, roughly an hour or two before he normally did. He had felt it only once before, but he knew what it was and had quickly teleported to the training room.

Just in time.

His body changed to that the beast, the devourer, and proceeded to hack up a new blob of solid suffering.

Mimzy.

Alastor had stared at the greyish pink blob for a long time after he had returned to his normal form. Remembering that day he devoured her…

...against his will.

She had been a manipulative bitch, but she hadn’t deserved this fate!

Was he going to be forced to devour every sinner that was nonredeemable, regardless of the reasoning? The likelihood sat like a lead weight in his stomach, twisting and turning, making him nauseous. He wanted to help those that wanted it, punish those that deserved it….

...yet once more it seems black and white rules are being enforced.

He really hoped this was a ‘glitch’ in his new abilities as Akos suggested.

Still trembling, he had teleported back to his room. Lucifer had been awake, his sleepy gaze questioning. Alastor had crawled up next to him and scooped him into his arms, needing his comforting warmth in that moment, muttering Mimzy’s name as he did so. Thankfully, Lucifer understood, letting him weep into him until a restless sleep claimed him once more.

Things did not get much better once the morning ‘properly’ started.

He had told Akos about Mimzy and asked them if they can find some way to...reverse what had been done to her. His mentor had told him they doubted it, but they would at least look into it. The likelihood this was a permanent thing...did nothing for his mood.

Then he noticed Lucifer was hovering around him. At first he thought it was because of what happened earlier, and in truth he was still a bit depressed from it. However, as the day progressed, he noticed how Lucifer would always ensured he was between him and any of the new residents.

It was actually something he had been doing since the assassination attempt, Alastor realized, but had been more subtle about it until now.

Why was Lucifer acting like he wasn’t able to protect himself? Had he forgotten what he was capable of?

This realization frayed at his already shortened patience.

When it came time to get ready for their appointment at the VeeTower, Alastor tried to be excited for what Velvette came up with. Tried to let the excited energy the girls were giving off chase away that somber feeling that had been plaguing him all day.

One look at Lucifer though...ruined any chance of this being a happy occasion.

The King was fidgety and kept looking at him as they gathered in the lobby. Alastor knew his beloved’s anxiety was not about the fitting.

And he would be proven right when he was just about to open the portal…

“One sec, Al…,” Lucifer said, before starting to cast protective wards on him.

Alastor sighed with exasperation, his already low mood sinking even lower. “This is not necessary,” he told him, letting his annoyance bleed into his tone. “The portal will be taking us straight into the studio.”

“Juuust in case, love…,” Lucifer insisted.

“This does seem a bit…excessive…Dad,” Charlie put in, Vaggie nodding beside her. Thank Father they had noticed Lucifer being unreasonable! It made him feel a little better that he wasn’t alone with this foolishness!

“I’m not taking any chances, alright!?”  Lucifer snapped, surprising all of them, what little improvement to Alastor’s mood disappearing. It came back, if only slightly, as Lucifer’s expression had almost immediately softened, turning to regret.  “Sorry…I…I just…”

“We’ll talk about this later,” Alastor grumbled as he opened a portal straight to Velvette’s studio.  “We don’t want to be late.”

Focus...focus on the appointment first.

The girls went in first, though Alastor had to encourage Lucifer to go before him before stepping through himself.

“... need to be here?” Vox was heard saying as the portal closed behind him.

“Because you’re going to be Alastor’s Best Man...and I want to make sure your outfit matches their’s!” Velvette retorted.

“Guess I can’t argue with that…,” Vox said with a sigh, before noticing them. “Hey, Al! Ready for another round of torture? OW!” Vox cried out when Velvette punched him in the arm.

“It would appear the only one getting ‘tortured’ is you, right now, Vox,” Alastor stated with a chuckle, the girls giggling with him. The laughter improving his mood once more.

“He is a pain to design for,” Velvette quipped. “As he won’t stay still!”

“I’m not that bad…,” Vox was muttering, Velvette rolling her eyes before she looked their way.

“OK, you boys first,” she said gesturing for them to come forward. Alastor did so, though Lucifer seemed more interested in the windows at first before he hurriedly stepped up. “Now...which one of you is wearing the dress?”

Alastor froze, his eyes wide, ears back as a record scratch sound played. Lucifer had also stiffened, eyes wide and looking...quite uncomfortable. The silence went on for several seconds before Velvette’s stone serious face turned teasing.

Then she started laughing. “Gods! The look on your faces was priceless!” she said, the rest of the room breaking out into giggles. “I’m just kidding of course! I know you two are both dudes through and through.”

They both released the breaths they’ve been holding., though Alastor did notice Lucifer shift with a bit of nervous uncertainty.

Oh right...he is a Seraphim...and they could...switch it up if they wanted. Best for Velvette to not know that, however.

“Now, a question before we begin,” the doll demon began. “Did you have a particular shade of green in mind?”

“Not really,” Lucifer admitted.

“Good! We’ll be avoiding heavily saturated greens then, especially for you.”

“Uhh...how come?” Lucifer was blinking at her with confusion. Alastor admitted feeling a bit confused himself.

She snapped her fingers and Lucifer’s clothing changed to a slightly dark, saturated green and dark green lining, his shirt now white. At first, Alastor didn’t see what was wrong with it, until she snapped into existence a pot of gold prop by his feet.

Alastor immediately started snickering, as did Vox. Lucifer still looked confused.

“Dad….,” Charlie giggled, Vaggie giggling with her. “You look like a leprechaun…”

“He just needs a beard to complete the look!” Vaggie added.

Lucifer then looked at the mirror and really looked at himself.

“Oh…,” Lucifer said, looking dejected. “Yeah...I can see why this wouldn’t be a good idea….”

Another snap and coat color changed to a green that was more toward the yellow side, but a little desaturated. Pants were med-green with a hint of desaturation. “I was thinking this would suit you best,” she was saying, snapping away the pot of gold prop. “Color wise anyway. As for the style...we got a lot of work to do!”

“Can’t we just keep-”

“No!” Alastor and Velvette said in unison.

“This a wedding, a royal one, not a circus,” Velvette said firmly, Alastor nodding in agreement.

Lucifer was scowling, but didn’t argue.

“Now, as for you,” Velvettte said, looking at him. “I want to avoid being too similar to what I made for before colorwise.”

She snapped but nothing happened. “What?” She blinked in surprise before snapping several more times but still nothing happened. “What the fuck….”

Alastor sighed, immediately knowing what the problem was and looked at Lucifer. “Luci...take off the wards,” he said.

“But…,” Lucifer started to protest.

“Just take them off!” Alastor snapped, the floor trembling slightly. Everyone jumped back in surprise, including Lucifer.

“O-OK,” Lucifer said as he snapped his fingers, still looking a bit stunned.

“Thank you…,” Alastor sighed deeply. “You should be able to proceed now, Velvette.”

“Right….” Velvette was looking between them, a hint of concern on her face before composing herself and using her magic to go through several color possibilities. Vox, he noticed, was looking at him with concern.

Once she found a combination she was happy with, with white being his primary color, she shooed him aside to focus solely on Lucifer on the style part of it. It was here that Vox motioned for him to come over.

“Is everything alright between you two?” his friend asked once he was by Vox’s side.

Alastor looked down and away, his ears drooping. “Just...under a lot of pressure...the wedding...the changes...and so on…,” he replied softly, feeling uncomfortable ‘airing his dirty laundry’ as it were.

Vox was giving him a look. “Al, talk to me,” he pleaded. “That outburst...was more than just ‘wedding nerves’.”

Alastor looked at him, seeing the concern and sincerity in his eyes. He took another deep breath and let it out. “On the way back from the declaration meeting, someone shot Lucifer...only we found out the intended target was me,” he explained, Vox’s eyes widening. “Since then...Luci has been….”

He swallowed. “Very protective...to the point of paranoia...a-and it’s…really starting to grate on me.”

Vox nodded, his expression one of sympathy. “Have you tried talking to him about that?” he asked.

“A couple of times...but he always brushed it off,” Alastor revealed. “It-it’s like he’s forgotten how I am...that I am capable of fending for myself. More so now than before.”

“Then you need to make that clear to him...remind him,” Vox told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t let him wear you down to the point of being just a pretty thing on his arm. You are the Radio Demon, Al….”

“Y-You think he would go that far?” Alastor asked, feeling a shudder go through his body, not liking what Vox was implying. Surely Lucifer wouldn’t...but with what happened and the prophecy hanging over their heads?

At this Vox sighed. “You know him better than me,” he said. “But...the signs of that possibility are there. Better to nip it in bud before it goes too far.”

“I...I...understand.” Alastor didn’t have much confidence he’ll get through to him, however.

It didn't pass his notice that Lucifer’s eyes rarely left him, a faint, worried frown on his face…

---

The rest of the appointment Alastor spent mostly silent, only talking when spoken to directly, his mind mainly on how to talk to Lucifer.  He chuckled a little when it was Vox’s turn and saw for himself that he really couldn't stand still.  It took Lucifer ‘offering’ to magically freeze him in place before he made a real effort to stand still.

Once they had returned to the Hotel, Alastor had gone immediately to their room to put the new suit away.  For a moment, he stared at it, hanging in the wardrobe, wondering.  Questioning.

If this relationship had moved too fast.  If he was really ready for this.  He loved Lucifer, of that there was no question, but….

…Perhaps there was too much going on for them both right now to tie the knot.   Redemption.  The economy.  The corruption in Heaven.

The prophecy.

Yes…it was too much at once.  But they couldn't walk any of it back now.

“Hey, Al…what the fuck was that earlier?” 

Lucifer’s tone was a mix of annoyed and concerned.

Fuck, he wasn't ready for this talk yet. He needed more time to sort his thoughts.

Alastor turned to see Lucifer looking at him, his own wedding suit now hanging in his wardrobe. His hands were on his hips, one brow raised and a faint frown on his face.

“Stress...from so much going on,” Alastor said simply. He really wanted to add that Lucifer’s over protectiveness was not helping, but it couldn’t get it past the tip of his tongue.

Lucifer looked like he was about to retort, but then appeared to think about it a bit more. “Yeah, I can see that,” he sighed, rubbing his head, before turning serious once more. “What was Vox talking to you about?”

“He was just concerned if things were fine between us,” Alastor stated.

“He’s not trying to worm his way back in, is he?” There was a hint of something darker in Lucifer’s tone.

Alastor rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. Overprotectiveness was one thing...but adding jealousy on top of that? “No, Luci. We are friends, nothing more,” he said. “He has eyes one someone else now.”

Thankfully, Lucifer believed him, the tension in his smaller body easing. “Good...I don’t need someone stealing you away on top of trying to kill you…,” he muttered, turning away slightly and starting to take off his coat.

He should just leave it at that for now, give himself more time to think this through, but….

“You know I can protect myself…,” he stated, softly. “That day...I put up a barrier to…”

“That had been an angelic steel bullet, Al,” Lucifer said stiffly. “Th-there was a chance that would have punched through….”

Th-that was a possibility but….

“I was still warded that-”

“And I will keep warding you every time you leave the Hotel!” Lucifer snapped, his coat being thrown roughly onto the bed.

Alastor recoiled, his ears dropped, then went back as anger boiled to the surface. “There is no need to do that every. Singe. Time!” he snapped, his frustration reaching a boiling point.

“I beg to differ!” Lucifer shouted back, both his hands on the bed. “I am not losing you to an assassin, Al!”

“There was no risk of me being attacked at the VeeTower!” Alastor shouted back. “The wards were pointless and interfered with Velvette’s work!”

“They could have sniped you through the windows!” Lucifer insisted. “They could have been tipped off by an employee!”

No, this was spiraling out of control. He needed to pull it back. But the words kept spilling out.

“Ugh! Lucifer! You are being ridiculous!” Alastor cried as he threw up his hands. “Paranoid!”

“I will do what I must to protect you!” Lucifer cried. “If I have to restrict you to the Hotel itself, I will!”

Alastor felt like he was punched in the gut. He looked at him, shocked, hurt at seeing Lucifer was dead serious about that. The boiling frustration briefly cooled.

Then exploded like a volcano.

He screamed. Black antlers branching out. Radio feedback shrill. The floor trembled. Cracks creeped along the wall. Lucifer covering his ears as every glass item in the room, including the door to the duck sanctuary, shattered.

Alastor then grabbed the Devil by the shirt and pulled him close, tears rimming his eyes from hurt and rage.

“I am not your property…,” he growled, his voice trembling. “I am not your slave. I am the Radio Demon!”

Lucifer’s eyes had widened in surprise, but Alastor didn’t take time to read further into his reaction.

Instead he dissolved into shadow, leaving the room, the Hotel, itself.

He needed to get away. He needed time to think.

To clear his head.

Chapter Text

“I am not your property. I am not your slave. I am the Radio Demon!”

The ringing in his ears had only started to fade when Alastor had said that, but he understood it all the same. It echoed in Lucifer’s head, the look of hurt, betrayal and rage in his beloved eyes burned into his minds eye. How his voice had trembled with hurt and anger clung to insides of his mind.

An empty space where Alastor once stood. Not even flicker of shadow remained.

Breathing started to come in short, panting gasps. Eyes flicked side to side, searching, hoping...he was still the room.

Gone.

Lucifer looked under the bed. In the wardrobes. The duck sanctuary.

Nothing.

He clenched the bed sheets as he leaned upon the bed. Heart thudding in his chest. Blood pounding in his ears.

Why did he leave?

What did he do wrong?

“I am not your property. I am not your slave. I am the Radio Demon!”

No. Was that what he thought he was doing? No...that wasn’t his intention! He just wanted to keep him safe!

Why didn’t he understand that?

He sank to his knees, his elbows now on top of the bed as he gripped his hair. Wetness around his eyes.

Fucked it up. He fucked it up again. Only this time he didn’t know how!

“Dad!” The door slammed open as Charlie and Vaggie rushed in. “Is everything-” Lucifer looked toward her to see both women’s eyes widen in surprise.

“Ooooh...things are not OK…,” Vaggie muttered, the former exorcist looking around the room.

“D-did you see Alastor?” Lucifer croaked out, his body trembling as he rose to his feet.

“No,” Charlie replied. “Dad, what happened?”

“W-we n-need to find him…,” Lucifer panted as he headed for the door. “M-make sure he’s...st-still in the hotel….”

Charlie and Vaggie had looked at each other, then stepped in front of him. “What happened?” Vaggie insisted, her arms folded.

“N-no time...we have to-” Lucifer insisted.

“Dad!” Charlie snapped. “Alastor is a grown man, an Overlord, he can take care of himself!”

“I know that!” Lucifer whined. “But there are things that even he-”

“Lucifer,” Vaggie said sternly. “He nearly has as much pride as you do. Did you really think being this protective of him would sit well with him?”

That was a point...but….

“Dad.” Charlie’s voice was softer, her hand on his chest. “I know you mean well and you both have been under a lot of stress lately. But you know how much of an independent soul he is...how much he prefers to handing things himself.”

“I am not your property. I am not your slave. I am the Radio Demon!”

Finally, it clicked.

“I-I….” Regret washed over him as he staggered back until his legs hit the bed and he sat down upon it, placing his face in his hands, tears rolling down his cheeks. “What have I done? I-I...threatened to strip him of his freedom! I...I just...wanted to….”

“Protect him, we know,” Vaggie said with a sigh. Lucifer felt the bed dip on either side of him as both women sat down next to him. Two hands were now on his back.

“H-how can I fix this?” Lucifer sobbed. “Can it be fixed? The wedding….”

“I think the best thing you can do right now, dad, is to just give him space,” Charlie suggested.

“You both need time to cool down and talk about this with clearer heads,” Vaggie agreed. “Trust in his ability to take care of himself in the meantime.”

That didn’t sit well with him at all. Alastor was out there, alone and angry. Angry people don’t make the best decisions!

But….

The Radio Demon won’t be found if he didn’t want to be. If he attempted to track him down, he would only drive him further away….

They were right...he needed to give him...and himself...time.

---

For the rest of the day all Lucifer could do was keep himself busy by helping around the hotel, including repairing the damage to their room. Wedding plans? Ha...not a good thing to work on right now. His mind was busy enough replaying everything that happened that lead to this. Realizing he should have...talked to Alastor about additional protective measures instead of forcing it upon him.

That impulsivity...may have cost him dearly. His stomach felt like a lead weight, dragging him down, threatening to send him spiraling into major depression crash. Some how, some how...he managed to keep it at bay.

As tempting as it was for him to try to reach out to him telepathically, he didn’t. He already knew from past experience Alastor wouldn’t answer when he was upset with him. Lucifer could only hope if Alastor got himself in too deep, he would call to him.

Late that evening, Angel got a message from Velvette. The doll demon had asked what pissed Alastor off, as he made ‘a mess in the Doomsday District’. ‘Blowing off some steam’ was likely be best answer Angel could give her and it wouldn’t have been exactly a lie either.

Unfortunately this news was both good and bed. On the one hand, it helped remind people that his new Consort was not someone to mess with. However, on the other, it was not a good look for said Consort to appear to be a ‘loose cannon’. Not to mention someone whom was supposed to be helping people redeem acting like that would surely be a turn off.

Nothing could be done about it right now though.

Bedtime. Still no Alastor. No warm, fuzzy pillow named Alastor to curl up against this night. His only comfort was that their deal was still intact and had no shown no sign of threatening to break. Still, sleep alluded him until well past the midnight and even then, it was restless.

Morning, he was still alone. Hoping Alastor was in the kitchen, Lucifer had quickly washed up and dressed. His heart sank when he saw his beloved was not among the sinners and staff at breakfast. He almost turned and went back to his room, but Charlie encouraged him to join them. Cold cereal was all he could stomach to eat, but at least he ate something.

As for motivation to do anything else? Yeah, that wasn’t there. So after breakfast he went back to his room, thinking of just curling up in bed and wallowing in despair and loneliness.

When he entered his room, he heard water running. The shower? He didn’t take a shower….

His breath hitched when he saw a familiar red coat draped over a chair. It was covered in blood and had a lot more tears and holes than usual. A black pair of pants and red shirt were also on the seat: they both looked worst for wear. Most of the blood he saw was sinner blood, but there were traces of Alastor’s bronze blood here and there.

Raising a hand, the magic to clean and repair the garments was on the edge of his mind, the tip of his tongue, but he thought better of it. He had no idea what Alastor’s mental state was right now and he didn’t want to risk him running off again. Last thing he needed was to trigger another day of carnage by giving him unwanted help.

So he just stood there, staring at the bathroom door. Waiting. Unable to move as his heart hammered in his chest. Hoping he got the chance to talk, to apologize….

The water was turned off. Lucifer felt his chest tighten. Tried to remember to breathe.

Several minutes passed before the door finally opened….

...and Alastor stepped out.

Lucifer’s first instinct was the to call out, but he stilled his tongue. Same with the urge to run to him and wrap him into his arms. He just stood there, silently examining him, his widening and mouth falling open in slight shock.

Alastor was still in the process of drying himself off, so was completely nude, giving Lucifer a full view of the body he so adored….

...and the injuries that now marred it.

Most that he could see were minor. Small cuts and scraps, a few bruises. All of which Alastor could have healed with his angelic magic, but hadn’t. Which meant….

Either he wanted Lucifer to see the injuries or he was too drained of magic to heal them now.

As he looked up at his face, Alastor had stopped his forward momentum. The deer finally noticing him. Their eyes locking.

He still saw hurt in those crimson eyes, but that was nearly overshadowed by exhaustion. Eyes that started to shimmer with wetness. Alastor started to stumble forward, then his legs buckled.

Lucifer rushed forward and caught him, gentling guiding him down to his knees, then onto his rear. Alastor’s forehead was on his shoulder, one arm around his back while the other just hung there.

“I’m tired, Luci….,” Alastor whispered softly as he held him.

“Well...I would think destroying half of the Doomsday District would make anyone tired…,” Lucifer quipped halfheartedly.

Alastor made a half-snort, half-laughing sound. “Half? Oh please…,” he grumbled. “Two blocks...maybe three.”

“Just two or three?” Lucifer teased.

“Oh fuck you...I wasn’t trying to be a one-man apocalypse!”

Lucifer laughed and nuzzled the side of his head. His next words came out after a stuttering sigh. “I’m...just glad you’re back safe, Al….I….” A forced swallow due to both nerves and a dry throat. He pushed Alastor up just enough so he could press his forehead against his.

“I’m sorry…,” he told him. “I...shouldn’t have forced those things upon you...I should have asked...talked to you first….I shouldn’t have threatened to-to...lock you away.”

His breaths started coming in quicker as he continued. “The prophecy...the assassination attempt...I lost my head…,” he whimpered, tears filling his eyes. “All I could think about...was keeping you safe for as long as possible…and...I forgot what you said...about letting fear rule your life. I hurt you because of that...and I am sorry.”

Those crimson eyes were blinking at him slowly as he said all this. A line of moisture growing along their lids before spilling over. Lucifer could feel his own tears slipping down his cheeks as he felt Alastor cup his hands around his face before kissing him.

It wasn’t a deep kiss, but it was enough. Enough to know, that his apology was accepted, that he was forgiven.

“I was foolish myself…,” Alastor stated softly as the kiss broke. “I...I failed to to articulate myself properly...how your actions, as good intentioned they were, made me feel weak. Made me feel like you didn’t trust me. An-and….” He huffed a sigh.

“I went and purposely put myself in danger…,” he continued. “Both to vent in an attempt to prove you wrong. I...didn’t attack anyone outright, just presented myself as a target...and the people there took it. Word got out...and...I ended up over extending myself...nearly got overwhelmed. I...I had to hide until I had recovered enough magic to come back.”

“Al...why didn’t you call me?” Lucifer cupped his face with his hands. “Or Akos?”

“Why else? My damn pride,” Alastor said with a scoff. “My time in hiding gave me time to think...to realize...th-that….I do need you...your protection...even if it’s...to protect me from myself.”

This time Lucifer initiated the kiss. Again, not a deep one, but enough to tell. To show. “I guess we were both idiots…,” Lucifer said with a small smile, Alastor lightly chuckling in response. “Do you...want me to take care of the rest of those cuts?”

“Please.”

The healing session turned into a couple of hours of pampering. After the cuts were healed, Lucifer brushed out his fur, then trimmed his hooves and gave him his first wing preening. Then they just cuddled, relishing each other’s presence, promising each other to do better at communication, before Alastor fell asleep in his arms as they lay in bed.

When lunch time came, Lucifer let him sleep and teleported down. He told everyone that Alastor was back and that they made up (Angel predictably asking if they had ‘make up sex’ yet, much to everyone’s annoyance). Lucifer ate quickly, before fixing a large plate for Alastor and returning to his room.

The smell of food roused the deer and Alastor devoured the food, before promptly curling up against Lucifer and falling asleep once more. Only for an hour or two more though, before he woke up and got a bit frisky.

Make up sex of course followed and they basked in the afterglow until dinner time. This time, Alastor went down with him in casual attire, holding hands. To show everyone that Lucifer hadn’t been lying when he told them they had made up earlier.

Everyone was certainly happy to see that was truly the case.

There was some discussion about the repercussions about Alastor’s rampage through the Doomsday District, but for the most part the conversations were kept light. Jokes and laughter filled the air and things felt...almost normal again.

Well, as normal as Hell could be.