Chapter 8
As soon as Lucifer portaled to the bar he heard Alastor’s teasingly smug sing-song voice call, “Ah, there’s our Lu.” To think he did, in fact, at one time find that voice rather pleasing. It had been a smooth soothing vibration that rippled through him from his radio during his long hours of self-isolation. Lucifer supposed he had fancied it.
However, it now provoked him rather than soothed. What was most annoying was that even as that sultry voice tormented him, he still couldn’t help fancying it just a bit. He sighed, “we promised to behave, remember?”
“And so I am,” offered Alastor unapologetically.
“Oh, come off it, what’s with the ‘our Lu’ crap? And don’t even get me started on all the ‘my dears’ and you know how I feel about that ‘our Charlie’ nonsense!”
“I do.” Alastor smirked.
“And you say it on purpose just to be a jerk!”
“Hmmm, if you say so, dear.” Alastor teased while tracing his figure around a very deep red drink.
“Enough already with the ‘dear’!” Lucifer pinch the bridge of his nose, what little there was of it anyway. “Look, how about this, you quit with the ‘dear’ stuff, and I’ll quit with the deer references.”
Alastor’s smile spread wickedly and he extended his hand. “Oh? Is that a deal, then?”
Lucifer recoiled, “No! No, no deal! No! None of that, you! Just a verbal agreement between two gentlemen trying to be civil to one another for the ladies’ sake.”
“Hmm, well, that’s a lot less fun.” Lucifer sat himself on the bar stool right next to him, why, Alastor had no clue. There was no one else around at the moment, except Husk. The rest of the hotel crew was off assisting Vaggi in getting the influx of new guests settled into some sort of routine. There was just Lucifer and Alastor, and Husk of course but he didn’t really count, in an empty hotel lobby with a tray of mimosas and a pitcher of sangria, all of which Alastor had prepared himself. The point being, there were plenty of empty bar stools and no need for Lucifer to sit right next to him.
Lucifer must have noticed as he looked up at Alastor’s quiet staring and just shrugged. Well, if he wasn’t bothered by their proximity, Alastor wouldn’t be either. It’s not like he cared. They could just sit there and silently sip their drinks until the ladies arrived. Lucifer was apparently incapable of patiently sitting silently.
Breaking Alastor’s contemplation, Lucifer made an attempt at polite conversation. “So…you, uh, met Lily before? Annnnd…you…helped her?”
“I made a deal, Lucifer, or did you conveniently forget that part?”
“yea, I really don’t like the idea of my wife making a deal with a guy like you, but she’s a free spirit and the Queen of Hell. She can handle herself. Not like any dumb radio speaker box guy is enough to give her any trouble.”
“I believe we just established that I HELPED! When did I ever give her trouble?”
“Whoa, now, Red Guy, no need to get all worked up again. I didn’t say YOU, did I?” Lucifer smirked at him. Ha! Score one for me, jerk! Alastor growled low and barely audible in his throat, which actually sent a shiver down Lucifer’s spine.
Lucifer was intentionally being an arrogant prick yet again. It must come with being the Sin of Pride. At least when Alastor teased him, it was for good reason, like to point out the conceit and overly haughty attitude of this pompous FALLEN angel. Lucifer may have been God’s favourite, at one time, and may have gifted humans with freewill, and art, and music, and fire, and science, and…the point is he still fell due to his own folly. You would think that would have tempered his pride a bit. Though, Alastor supposed even God’s favourite angel couldn’t be perfect.
In Alastor’s opinion, Lucifer hadn’t actually done anything wrong and should have been praised by humanity for his deeds. It wasn’t what he did BEFORE the fall that Alastor considered to be his folly, but how he behaved after. How could he just hide away and sulk? With all that pride one might have expected him to boast a little. Instead, he acted ashamed and regretful over his literally crowning achievement.
Meanwhile, he struts around proud of his status, power, and title, rather than anything he might have actually done to earn them. That is his folly. How foolish and disappointing for the angel who defied heaven for humans to now think himself so above them. Sin of Pride indeed. “You now, Lucifer, you could simply go back to hiding from us lowly sinners now that your wife has returned. I’m sure our Dear Charlie,” said with extra emphasis, “won’t mind now that the real parent is here for her. She doesn’t need you anymore, does she?”
Lucifer had been grinding his teeth sine the ‘our Dear Charlie’ bit, trying to contain his frustration, but telling him he’s not needed? Oh that did it. How dare he?! “I don’t know just who you THINK you are, ‘Mr. look At Me I’m The Big Bad Scary Radio Demon And I Think I’m Special’, but if anyone isn’t needed around here it’s you. What do you even do, anyway? And don’t say you’re the host! What do you actually do? Hm? Let me remind you, this place was practically falling apart before I showed up.”
Alastor tsked, “YOU have only ever imposed YOUR aesthetics upon this place all who reside here. You showed up and immediately snubbed your pompous, haughty, barely existent nose at the hotel, at Charlie’s efforts, and especially at us sinners.”
Lucifer shifted into his devil form, “I HAVE NEVER, AND WOULD NEVER, SNUB MY NOSE AT CHARLIE!”
Alastor wasn’t the least bit bothered by his display. Perhaps on another day he might have even admired it. “Just her friends, then? The sinners in this hotel? Your people? We’re so far beneath you that you couldn’t even be bothered to fake civility? You might have found this place and its residents more charming had you behaved in a more gentleman like manner.”
Lucifer was taken aback. Had he been uncivil? He was just nervous about seeing Charlie and wanted to make a good impression. Did all her friends think this way of him? He HAD said to Charlie that their people are the worst, he even mentioned his thoughts on sinners to Vaggi, but he hadn’t said any of that directly to them. Besides, he wasn’t wrong. Sinners ARE the worst. They’re just awful.
It’s not like he hadn’t tried, several times actually, but lesser beings are so easily corrupted. Oh…wait, lesser beings probable would sound a bit snobbish if he said out loud. It’s true, though, they ARE lesser beings. Another point that he and others like him tried to make in heaven. Humans aren’t like angels. They’re weak and susceptible. They aren’t made of fire and holy light. They’re just made of the dust of creation. You can’t expect beings made of dust to hold the same significance as angels made of the infinite.
It wasn’t just Lucifer. Many angels fell after him for refusing to kneel before Adam, the created mud man. Rightfully so. Angels shouldn’t have to bow to that prick. Oh he was ‘the first dick’ alright. What was heaven thinking? Lucifer had just been the first to fall. Lucifer had welcomed his fallen brethren with understanding. And, despite everything, they had all tried to welcome sinners.
Lilith loved that, like the other angels had followed Lucifer and found him to be an inspiration, other humans followed and admired her. They were her people and Lucifer loved Lilith so he tried to welcome them, but they were just so…awful. They’re all for what they can get. Selfish, unfeeling, and entirely uncultured. What do expect from beings made of mud an dust?
Oh sure, some humans managed to create marvelous things from the gifts Lucifer had given them. Some created beautiful art, music, stories, all sorts of things. Their creations, of course paled in comparison to his, but he still enjoyed them. They, however, didn’t even appreciate their own creations. They didn’t appreciate one another or even themselves. What’s worse, most blamed him, the devil, the ultimate bad guy, for every wicked thing THEY did.
Well, Alastor didn’t. He’s…different. Yea, he’s different and Lucifer knows it and, oaky, maybe he did go out of his way to ignore Alastor and act like he was unimportant, which probably hurt his pride. Ha! Serves him right! He’s just as bad as himself. Wait…no maybe ‘bad’ isn’t the right word. Nope. Bad it is. They are both bad at a lot of things. They’re bad at getting along, for one. Lucifer wonders if he had been more pleasant in his greeting to Alastor and had admitted to enjoying his radio show and his voice, would they be friends?
Nope! Na uh. Forget that. So what if Lucifer didn’t flatter him. That’s no reason to try and steal someone’s daughter right in front of them and insult them to their face. The nerve of this guy! Putting it all on Lucifer just because he didn’t flatter the all important radio demon. Lucifer rolled his eyes, “did you expect me to rejoice upon meeting you? To flatter you? To take pride in becoming acquainted with such a man whose station in hell, whose values, whose very existence is so decidedly beneath my own?”
Alastor seemed to give up. “You are mistaken,” he said. His eyes, his body language, even his voice seemed resigned as he spoke, and Lucifer, for once, found no joy in this exchange. This was not their usual banter. He could hear it in Alastor’s voice as he continued, absent of his usual radio filter. “The mode of your declarations regarding your assessment of this hotel and all within only spared me any concern I might have felt about addressing you the way I have. Had I thought you capable of any consideration of the opinions of us lowly sinners such that it might make any difference at all, I might have at least tried to behave more gentlemanly myself.”
Lucifer just stared for a moment. That was certainly some reproach. It almost felt…personal? Like there was more behind Alastor’s less than favourable opinion of Lucifer and his behaviour. Sure, Alastor was a sinner, but it’s not like he actually cared about other sinners or any of the people of hell. Charlie or Lilith saying this sort of thing to him would have crushed him, but Alastor? He’s just using the sentiments of Lucifer’s own wife and daughter against him, right? Alastor doesn’t actually mean any of it, does he?
Not that it matters. Like Alastor himself said earlier, what’s done is done. Just like Lucifer can’t undo the condemnation of all mankind, he also can’t undo feigning disinterest upon meeting Alastor. Besides, Lucifer gets the feeling that it wouldn’t really have mattered all that much anyway. He’s certain Alastor already had some sort of opinion about him before they even met, and not a positive one. The guy just really seems to dislike angels?…or is it kings?…higher ups?…Oh got it, authority!
Alastor must be one of those types who doesn’t like authority, and, uh, establishment? Lucifer remembered seeing some sinners around not too many decades ago that had an…interesting view. They had left quite an impression and influence on Charlie during some of more impressionable years. Oh that had been something, alright! Hippers or dippies or something like that, they were called. Lilith, of course, had actually rather liked them. They were free spirited and enjoyed music and just sticking it to the man.
Lucifer supposed they weren’t too bad. However, this place had a way of either changing the softer sinners for the worse or, well, things happen to those who are too weak for the likes of hell. Not that Lucifer cared. He had his own problems and his own fair share of struggles. Besides, they were still sinners. They made their choices. Lily wouldn’t like hearing him say that. Alastor probably wouldn’t like it either.
Of course, who cares what that guy thinks! Geeze! How did his opinions come to mind again just as his mind had drifted back to thoughts of Lily? It’s because he just had to be right next to the guy, isn’t it? Stupid, dumb, red, deer guy! Maybe it was just guilt. Yea, Lucifer was just maybe feeling a tiny bit guilty for…what exactly? Hurting Alastor’s feelings? Did he even have those?
Lucifer looked at him again. Alastor had apparently just decided to resume his usual nonchalant attitude and continue swirling his figure around that drink that didn’t appear to be one of the prepared options from the tray. Those were delicious looking light fruity cocktails. It also wasn’t Alastor’s usual drink of preference, not that Lucifer had been observing him enough to know his preferences or anything. He just sometimes noticed stuff.
Eventually Lucifer’s curiosity got the better of him and he was just about to ask Alastor what kind of drink it was when Lilith and Charlie arrived as promised. Wow, he hadn’t even noticed them approach at first.
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