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XxXxX
“The word pride can mean many things to many people,” Charlie spouted over breakfast one fine morning in April. “Webster's Dictionary defines the word as…” She drew attention to the blackboard she'd set up for this apparent surprise presentation and quoted from it.
“1. The quality or state of being proud, such as:
a) Reasonable self-esteem, confidence, and satisfaction in oneself.
b) Pleasure that comes from some relationship, association, achievement, or possession that is seen as a source of honor, respect, etc.
c) Exaggerated self-esteem.”
The Princess then went on to argue that it was that last bit, the “exaggerated” self esteem, that was what Heaven frowned upon. She reasoned that having pride in one's self and one's accomplishments wasn't a bad thing, so long as it didn't get out of hand and inflate your ego.
“Good morning, CharChar!” The King of Hell entered the dining room and chose a seat near his daughter, staring up at her in raft attention. “What'd I miss?”
‘Speaking of inflated egos…’ Alastor thought. Like every other day since Lucifer had moved in, all it took was the other man being in his presence to annoy him. He wished the miniscule monarch would buzz off and leave him in peace.
Lucifer, taking notice of the sinner's glare, turned to smirk at him.
Oh, how Alastor wished he could claw that stupid expression off his stupid, stupid face, but his standing at the hotel wouldn't allow for it. Part of living in a polite society was, unfortunately, the polite part, and his Maman didn't raise an animal. He felt a spike of rage as the King had the audacity to wink at him before returning his attention to his daughter.
“Hey, Dad! Good morning!” Charlie greeted. “We were just talking about Pride.”
“Ah! My specialty!” Lucifer replied, chest puffed out as though his Sin was something to be genuinely proud of.
Charlie's smile wavered slightly. “No, uh…not that kind of pride.” At the confused look on her father's face, she continued, “Let me explain.” She turned her attention to the room at large. “The second definition of pride is what we're going to be covering today.
"2. Respect and appreciation for oneself and others as members of a group and especially a marginalized group. Solidarity with a group based on a shared identity, history, and experience.
“That is what Pride…” she flipped the board to reveal the word in all capital rainbow letters, “is all about.”
Lucifer and Cherri perked in interest.
“As many of you know, June is Pride month, and since the Hazbin Hotel has become such a well-known and bustling venture, we've deciced…” Charlie took Vaggi's hand, staring adoringly at her girlfriend before once again addressing them all, “to participate in the Parade!”
The room fell silent. Then, quite suddenly, Lucifer and Cherri Bomb leapt excitingly from their seats.
“Fantastic idea, sweetie!”
“Oh, hell yeah! Let's fuckin’ go!”
“Hooray!” Niffty joined in, clearly not understanding what she was cheering for.
Charlie's smile brightened at their enthusiasm. The group spent the rest of that morning planning meeting times, while a certain Radio Demon sat back, brooding.
X
Over the course of the next two months, the hotel staff and its oldest residents designed their parade float and outfits. While the rest of them agreed to wear colors representing their various orientations, Alastor refused, claiming purple wasn't his color. Lucifer had, in an attempt to help, turned his strawberry red hair a deep violet with a snap of his fingers. He quickly turned it back after the sinner nearly mauled him. It was decided then and there that Alastor would not be dressing up.
X
The day of the parade arrived, and the hotel was buzzing with excitement. Even the newer residents who weren't participating were excited to see the float in action. Many of them were dressed up for the occasion, and the whole bottom floor was decked out in rainbow banners and streamers.
As Alastor passed the lobby on his way to the kitchen, his eyes were assaulted by color. ‘I never thought I'd be thinking this, but…I miss the tacky circus decor.’ He shook his head to rid himself of his madness before entering the kitchen. Things were quieter there. Alastor enjoyed spending his mornings in silence with a good cup of coffee, and while there were a few rainbow themed items scattered throughout the room in honor of the event, the relative lack of sensory stimulation calmed him. He quickly set to work, making coffee for himself and the rest of the hotel staff and their companions. They'd need caffeine to make it through the day.
Charlie and Vaggi arrived a few minutes after he'd finished. “Oh! Thank you, Alastor!” the Princess said gratefully. She walked over to the cupboard and removed her favorite mug. It had a rainbow on it, under which stated, ‘Inside of Every Demon is a Rainbow.’ She then grabbed Vaggi's grayish lavender mug, which read, ‘Time To Kick Today's Ass!’ The Princess poured coffee into both mugs, handing one off to her girlfriend.
“Thanks, babe,” Vaggi said, rising up on her tiptoes to place a kiss on the tall woman's cheek.
“You're welcome,” Charlie replied, leaning down to kiss her girlfriend on the lips, causing the angel to blush. The Princess grinned mischievously at her before switching back to professional mode. “So! Alastor! You feelin’ pumped for today?”
‘I'm feeling something, alright,’ he thought, squirming at the idea of being forced to interact with such huge crowds. He didn't voice these feelings, of course, instead beaming at her with practiced ease. “You know me, Charlie, dear,” he said, voice chipper. “I can handle anything.”
“That's the spirit!” Charlie encouraged.
The kitchen door opened, and in drifted the overly enthusiastic voice of their King. “Mornin’, CharChar!”
Alastor nearly spat out his coffee at Lucifer's outfit. The man was almost naked, his pale white skin on full display. The only bits of clothing to be seen were a sleeveless black crop top with a heart shaped window over his chest and matching booty shorts, the hole through which the King's long black tail poked out also being a heart. On his feet were his usual black, knee-high heeled boots, which he used to strut into the room like he owned the place. ‘What the fuck?!’
Charlie turned to face him and gasped. “Dad, you look AMAZING!!! Your makeup is so pretty!”
Alastor, who'd been far too distracted by the King's clothing, or lack thereof, looked up to see that the man was, in fact, wearing different makeup today. In place of his usual periwinkle, his eyelids were now a sparkly pattern of hot pink, yellow and light blue, he wore winged eyeliner and his matte black mascara had been swapped out for a glossier version, drawing one's eyes to his. The King's lips were coated in a shiny pink gloss, accentuating his natural pout. To top it all off, his entire form was seemingly covered in glitter, which shined as Lucifer's cheeks flushed gold.
“Aww! Thanks, sweetie!” the man said, using magic to reach the Deer Season mug that Alastor had placed on the very top shelf out of spite. He poured himself half a cup of coffee, filling the rest with French vanilla creamer and sugar, saying, “I appreciate that,” as he stirred.
“Of course!” Charlie replied. “Credit where credit is due!” The two beamed at each other a moment before the Princess changed the subject. “So, when are Aunt Bee and Uncle Ozzie coming?”
“They said they'll be here at around 9:00. I'm honestly a little nervous to see them,” the King admitted, the tip of his tail flicking anxiously.
Since the whole Vox fiasco, Lucifer had slowly been attempting to step back into his role as King. He claimed he felt bad knowing how much his people, both sinners and hellborn alike, were suffering, and wanted to do something about it. At first, Alastor hadn't believed him, thinking instead that the Media Overlord's near takeover had wounded the man's pride. But, while that certainly seemed to be the case, Lucifer also seemed to genuinely care. The more Alastor thought about it, the more this made sense, seeing as Charlie very clearly took after her father. They were bleeding hearts, the both of them.
Stepping up wasn't easy, though, and required the King to do something he was absolutely terrified of doing: Reconnecting with the other Deadly Sins. It had taken Lucifer weeks to gather the courage to unmute and re-enter their group chat, and Alastor could see why, for as soon as he did, all Hell broke loose. Within seconds, message alert after message alert sounded from the man's phone. Lucifer had looked sick with anxiety, to the point where Alastor almost felt sorry for him. But, as he himself said time and time again, there is no undoing what is done, and so the King would have to lie in the bed he, himself, had made.
“I think it's really sweet that they want you to ride on their parade float with them,” Charlie stated. “I know how much they miss you, so you saying yes means a lot.”
Lucifer's tail drooped and he looked at the floor in a telltale sign of guilt. “Yeah…”
“Hey,” the Princess said, voice gentle. The King looked up at her uncertainly and her smile softened into something tender. “It's gonna be okay.”
Lucifer nodded, but didn't seem to truly believe her.
Seeing this, Charlie switched tactics. “What is it you always tell me?” she asked, encouraging him to fill in the blanks.
The King perked. He took a deep breath before saying, “The show must go on!”
“Exactly!” his daughter replied. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “You're gonna do great today, Dad. I just know it.”
Lucifer smiled up at her lovingly. “Thanks, sweetheart.”
Her smile widened and she pulled her father in for a hug, which he gladly returned.
Their tender moment was interrupted by the kitchen door opening and two pairs of footsteps, one frantic and skittering, the other slow and calm.
“Good morning!” Niffty shouted up at her friends.
“Salutations,” greeted Baxter, just behind her.
“Morning,” Vaggi replied at the same time her girlfriend exclaimed, “Good morning!”
Charlie turned her attention to the newcomers, pouring them coffee and exchanging early morning pleasantries. As she did, Lucifer stood back, watching, as he often did. The King seemed to have difficulty in social situations, never quite knowing what to say or how to say it. He also had a tendency to space out and lose track of whatever conversation he was taking part in. He was awkward, but in a way the others found endearing. Alastor found his inattention and constant floundering annoying.
In fact, everything about the fallen angel seemed designed just to annoy him, to the point where the sinner had found himself questioning, on more than one occasion, if Lucifer's presence might be part of his eternal punishment. That outfit certainly was. Low enough so that only the King could hear him, he hissed, “What on Earth are you wearing?”
“Huh?” Lucifer asked, snapping back to attention.
‘Spacing out again, as usual,’ Alastor thought with a dramatic roll of his eyes.
The King looked down at his outfit, scrutinizing it. After a few moments he exclaimed, “Oh! You're right!” With a snap of his fingers, he was now also wearing rainbow fishnet stockings and fingerless gloves. “I knew something was missing!”
For the second time that morning, Alastor found himself choking, this time on his own spit. He spluttered, ears pinning flat against his skull as he noticed that he found these new clothing articles far more scandalous than the King's bare skin. He felt heat flare in his cheeks.
“Uh… Y'alright there, Bambi?” Lucifer asked, a look of mild concern on his face.
Alastor growled and refused to answer, instead turning to gather ingredients for breakfast; eggs, bacon, sausage, bread, and absolutely no sweets. This meal would be a silent punishment for the King's unwitting transgression.
Lucifer watched on in confusion.
X
After their high-protein breakfast, the group split up to change into their outfits and gather supplies. Alastor instead spent that time alone in his room, gathering what little energy he could for what he knew was going to be a long and trying day. Ten minutes before the agreed upon meeting time, he took a deep breath and walked downstairs, towards the lobby. His Maman always said it was better to be early when possible. It showed initiative, and Alastor had always been a go-getter.
Moments after stepping into the lobby, a voice called out to him. “Hey, Bambi!”
Alastor turned to see Lucifer prancing towards him with a smile on his face.
“I've got something for you!” the King announced.
“Oh?” Alastor asked, curious. “And what would that be?”
“Here!” Lucifer held out the large flag he was carrying. It was the same three colors as his eye shadow. “I know you don't wanna dress up, so I figured this was the next best thing!”
Alastor stared at it hesitantly. “I don't know what this flag symbolizes,” he admitted, not making any move to take the offered gift.
Lucifer rolled his eyes. “Just trust me, alright?”
For some reason, much to his great astonishment, Alastor found he did, and instead of brushing the man off, he carefully reached for the flagstaff. As soon as his hand was wrapped securely around the pole, the colors shifted to those Charlie had originally tried to have him wear, only there was a heart in the flag’s center with an entirely different set of colors. Alastor stared at it in surprise. “What does it mean?” he asked, not wanting to wave a flag without being certain of what it represented.
“It means you're asexual and homoromantic. You experience little to no sexual attraction, but enjoy romantic relationships with men.”
Alastor's ears perked in surprise at the astonishingly accurate description. “Very well,” he said. “I shall carry the flag.” Lucifer beamed at him, the look of excitement on his face almost…cute? A harsh spike of static accompanied the thought and the look on the King's face shifted to one of worry.
Lucifer opened his mouth to speak, only for it to snap shut at the sound of a loud knock at the hotel's door. His demeanor once again shifted, this time to obvious fear. The King looked at the heavy wood object and gulped before slowly walking over.
The second the door was open, Beelzebub zipped inside in a flash of sandy colored fur and wrapped Lucifer in all four of her arms. “LuLu!” she shouted, garnering the attention of everyone in the lobby. Once satisfied, she backed away just enough to raise two of her hands and cup her small friend's cheeks. “How the fuck are you?” she asked, a hint of sadness in her voice. It was obvious she'd missed him.
“I'm, uh…I-I'm good,” the King answered. “How ‘bout you?”
“Excellent, now that we're all together again!” she answered.
Behind her, Asmodeus entered.
“Hey, Oz,” Lucifer greeted nervously.
“Hey, Lu,” the Sin of Lust replied, smiling warmly down at him. “It's good to see you.”
“Good to see you, too,” the King said, and seemed to mean it. “Hey…you guys… I'm-”
“Save the apologies for the ride over,” Bee instructed, cutting him off. “We don't wanna be late.”
Lucifer closed his mouth and nodded, silently exiting the hotel.
Bee and Oz watched him, looking at each other with knowing smiles on their faces as they followed after him, leaving Alastor to wait for the rest of his group.
X
The Pride Parade was loud and long and massive. Throngs of people gathered on both sides of the street to watch the floats drift by. Much to Alastor's annoyance, the Vees had a float driving just in front of theirs with a newly formed Vox standing atop it. The man seemed drugged, and considering the stunt he'd pulled only a few months ago, it's very possible he was. Hopefully that meant he wouldn't cause any trouble. Angel Dust was also there, the reason behind his subordinate's obvious melancholy. Husk sat on a pile of luggage, waving his flag listlessly with a huge frown on his face. This was going to cause problems, eventually, Alastor just knew it.
Behind them was the float Lucifer was riding on with Beelzebub and Asmodeus. The whole thing was decked out in the same colors as the King's eye shadow and the flag, before Alastor had grabbed it. Whatever his orientation, the other two Sins apparently shared it. The three powerful demons danced to the sound of a strong electronic beat, rutting and swinging about on stripper poles that were strategically placed throughout; an addition of Asmodeus’, most likely. The crowd went wild wherever they passed, eyes bugging out and tongues lolling as they panted hornily at the sight.
Lucifer seemed to be having fun, sliding up and down on the poles and shaking his hips for his audience, his long black tail swinging back and forth, almost hypnotizing. Alastor stared as the man's shorts rode up higher as he danced, showing off the edge of his ass cheeks. Lucifer's body glitter sparkled in the light of the harsh Pride sun as sweat dripped down his slim form. With each loud roar of the crowd, the King's excitement increased, his grin growing wide and infectious. He leapt up to the top of a pole and, in a flash of white, spread his six large wings, showing off their new Pride colors. A few feathers escaped and fluttered through the air around him, shimmering with unholy light.
‘Dazzling,’ Alastor thought, before he could stop himself.
“Oh, ho!” came the sudden taunting voice of Cherri Bomb.
The Overlord turned to see her grinning mischievously at him. “What?” he snapped, his tolerance for bullshit at a minimum.
“Nothin’,” she replied. “I just didn't realize your tastes ran so…royal.”
“What are you talking about?” Alastor asked. Cherri nudged her head towards his flag and he looked at it, only to stiffen when he noticed…it had changed. The colors on the flag were the same, but their configuration was now different, with a large white stripe on top, a large grey stripe on the bottom, and a thin purple line in the center. A black triangle pointed towards its center from the left, and the homoromantic heart, which had been at the center of the flag before, now sat inside the triangle. He had no idea what it meant, and it honestly freaked him out.
But Alastor wasn't an honest man, and so he simply smiled wider and continued on as though nothing had happened, causing Cherri to look away, uncomfortable. He spent the rest of the parade scared out of his mind.
X
After they were done, the group decided to hit up a nearby bar. The one they chose was owned and operated by a sinner who apparently loved Star Wars, the entire inside decorated to resemble a cantina from one of the earlier films. The food and drinks were themed to that and other popular film franchises from the human world, and the staff were all dressed in costumes. The place was packed when they arrived, and they slowly squeezed their way towards the bar to order.
Alastor stood there, feigning normalcy in the face of both his identity crisis and the massive crowd, which seemed to press in on him more and more with each passing second. He was so out of sorts, he didn't notice the King of Hell sidle up to him.
The small man smiled at him kindly. “Add your order to my tab. Whatever you want,” the King said.
Alastor straightened beside him, the picture of poise and control. “My, my, Your Majesty! That's quite the generous offer! In that case,” he said, turning to one of the bartenders, who had been standing there, anxiously awaiting his order, “I'll take two fingers of your finest rye, on the rocks.”
“I'll have a Tiki Temple of Doom and an order of Fully Loaded Vader Tots!” Lucifer announced excitedly, handing over his debit card. “Keep the tab open.”
The bartender nodded, starting on their drinks.
The two were quiet as chaos rumbled all around them, and for just a moment, Alastor felt like he could breathe again.
“Demisexuality,” the King said, seemingly out of nowhere.
“Pardon?” Alastor asked, turning his attention to the smaller man.
“Demisexuality,” he repeated, holding up his phone to show a picture of a near exact copy of Alastor's new flag, sans the heart. “It's a form of asexuality that means you're only sexually attracted to those with whom you've formed a close emotional bond.”
“I just didn't realize your tastes ran so…royal.”
Alastor held back a snarl. Was that wretched woman suggesting he was bonded to Lucifer? Ridiculous!
“It's okay for your identity to shift and change the more you learn about yourself,” the King continued. “That's a pretty normal part of the queer experience.”
Was Lucifer…worried about him? This thought had his insides squirming strangely. “I appreciate your concern,” he said, “but I assure you, I'm quite alright.”
“Okay,” Lucifer said, putting away his phone. He didn't push, he didn't fight, he simply accepted what Alastor said and moved on.
The sinner felt taken aback by the King's behavior. It was so unlike him, this level of maturity and respect, that he found himself worrying, despite himself. Before this feeling could sink in, however, their drinks arrived. Alastor nodded in acknowledgement, taking his glass in his hand.
“Thanks!” Lucifer said to the bartender before pulling his ridiculous fruity cocktail towards him and taking a large sip. His smile widened in a clear sign of pleasure. “Mmm! Yum!”
Alastor felt the tension in his shoulders ease slightly. There was the Lucifer he knew. Moments later, it returned at the sight of a tall, bulky salamander sinner staring down at the King from his left. The man's pupils blew wide as he watched Lucifer's forked tongue poke out to lick a light layer of foam off his lips. Alastor caught the scent of the sinner's arousal through the thick crowd. Before he could even think about what he was doing, he locked eyes with the man, ears flat and antlers angled in an obvious threat display. The man flinched and quickly moved to another part of the bar.
Lucifer didn't seem to notice the exchange, happily sipping his drink and kicking both feet over the edge of his stool like a child.
Alastor sighed in relief. He had no idea what came over him...
The King's tater tots arrived and the small man pushed the basket closer to him. “Wanna share?” he asked.
Alastor, who hadn't eaten anything since breakfast, nodded, reaching for a tot and popping it in his mouth. It was surprisingly good for overpriced bar food.
The two sat, quietly enjoying their food and drinks. Surprisingly, the silence wasn't at all awkward. It almost felt comforting, in fact, having the opportunity for conversation without the pressure to hold one.
Half-way through his second cocktail, something called a Fantastic 4 Fizz, Lucifer stood. “Save my seat, will ya?”
Alastor nodded, watching as the King maneuvered through the crowd, never taking his eyes off him in case some sinner or another decided they wanted to mess with the semi-helpless monarch.
Lucifer returned a few minutes later, with two tall glasses of water. He set one down in front of Alastor. “It's a hot day,” the man reasoned, “and alcohol dehydrates.”
Alastor nodded his thanks, slowly sipping on the life-giving liquid. He immediately felt better.
They spent the rest of their time at the bar in silence.
X
After the bar, the group decided to head towards the vendor stands. They wandered past them casually, occasionally stopping to check out their wares. Most were handing out informational pamphlets and free rainbow colored accessories, but some had unique clothing and jewelry, soaps, and even whole walls full of stickers.
The King got particularly excited when he spotted a stand selling crochet animals, cradling a small yellow duck in his palms and cooing at it as if it were alive.
Alastor snatched it away, but before Lucifer could shout at him in protest, he placed it at the register and pulled out his wallet. Once finished with his purchase, he held the small paper bag containing the duck out towards the man. “As thanks for your earlier generosity.”
Lucifer stared up at him, eyes wide in shock and surprise. Slowly, he reached out and grabbed the bag, pulling it carefully to his chest. A light dusting of gold splashed across his cheeks. “Thank you.”
Alastor's sensitive ears caught the pounding of the small man's heart.
X
An hour later, they were all sitting in a shady spot on the sidewalk, resting. Charlie waved her bisexual colored fan to cool herself, sweat dripping down her brow. “Satan, it's hot,” she complained.
“Seriously,” Vaggi agreed, leaning back against the wall behind her. “I know it's Hell, but Jesus Christ…”
“I think I saw a convenience store a block back. I'll run and grab us all some water,” Charlie announced, preparing to stand.
“I'll get it, sweetie,” Lucifer offered.
“You sure?” she asked.
“Positive,” the King replied. “You stay here and rest.”
“Alright. Thank you.”
Lucifer smiled and ran off the way they'd come.
Not even five minutes later, Alastor felt restless. He had a bad feeling, memories of a leering crowd and that creepy man at the bar forcing their way to the forefront of his mind. He stood and, ignoring the odd looks he received from the group, followed the King's path.
Half-way up the street, Lucifer was holding a large case of water bottles with both hands as three shady looking male sinners blocked his path, chatting him up.
“Hey there, Your Highness,” one of them, a fox with turquoise fur who was leaning casually against the nearest building, greeted with a wink.
“Love your outfit,” his companion, a short magenta and purple cat with two tails, purred.
“Yeah,” the largest of the three agreed. He looked like some weird cross between a tiger and a bearded dragon. “It looks really nice on ya,” he continued, a salacious grin on his face. “How ‘bout we have a lil' chat? Get to know each other.”
The implication was not subtle.
“Sorry, fellas,” Lucifer chuckled nervously. “I'm kinda in a hurry.”
“Oh, but we're your subjects!” the fox said as he moved closer, tone filled with mock hurt. “Don't you wanna hear what we have to say?”
The three men crowded around him, slowly herding Lucifer into a nearby alleyway. The King’s eyes filled with fear as he realized what was happening. “P-please... I need to get back to my daughter.”
“Really?” the large sinner asked. “After all the shit you've pulled?”
The fox and the cat lunged at him, each grabbing an arm and holding him in place, malicious grins on both their faces. Lucifer dropped the case of water, eyes wide and whole body trembling in fear as the man slipped a large clawed finger under the elastic band of his shorts and tugged.
“I think you owe us.”
Suddenly, the alleyway was encased in a thick supernatural darkness. Three cries of pain rang out in quick succession before the light returned, revealing all three men on the ground with an enraged, Eldritch looking Radio Demon standing over them. They sniveled in fear as Alastor opened his gaping maw and let out a terrifying elk-like shriek.
Just as he was about to tear into their flesh, a soft whimper reached his ears. He turned to see Lucifer curled up on the ground in the fetal position, tears streaming down his face. Abandoning all thoughts of revenge for now, Alastor swiftly made his way to the King's side and lifted the small man into his arms. As he turned to exit the alleyway, a herd of footsteps thundered towards them.
“Dad!” Charlie shouted as she spotted them. “Alastor! What happened?!”
Alastor was having difficulty speaking, but managed to force himself to say, “Charlie, be a dear and alert the authorities. Tell them-” He felt Lucifer tense and chose his next words carefully. “Tell them…that those three lowlifes attempted to harm the King.”
Their entire group tensed in outrage, but it was Bee and Asmodeus whose full demonic forms flared to life in their rage.
“I shall attend to His Majesty. I trust you to handle the rest.”
Behind him, he heard Beelzebub roar, “How dare you hurt my LuLu?!”
“No! Auntie Bee! We need to call the police!”
Those were the last words Alastor heard before he disappeared into shadow, taking the King with him.
X
They rematerialized in Lucifer's private suite, the soft pastel colors surrounding them causing his smile to tighten. The room and its decor were definitely not to his tastes, but that mattered little now. He walked them to the horrendous duck themed bed and gently laid the King down atop his mattress, using his shadow tendrils to cover the man with the creamy white comforter. Not knowing what else to do, he turned to leave, but stopped as he felt the King grab his hand, his hold tight and trembling.
“Wait!” he shouted.
Alastor stared down at Lucifer. The man was afraid. So afraid.
“Please…” he begged. “Don't go.”
Something raw twisted in the sinner's chest and he sighed, summoning a plush high-backed armchair with the snap of his fingers. There Alastor sat, allowing the King to hold his hand as he lay there, processing his emotions. Before long, Lucifer once again began to cry, sparkling tears cascading down cheeks that still shone bright with glitter. Slowly, Alastor tightened his grip, engrossed in a feeling he could not name. All he knew was that he couldn't leave.
And he didn't want to.
XxXxX