Radioapple

Chapter three - Plans

Hope you're enjoying the story so far~
Also I LOVE Chaggie, such an underrated ship, so this chapter contains a lot of those two because they deserve some time in the spotlight too. Trust me, Radioapple is never far...

                              ~×~

When Lucifer went downstairs the next day, Alastor was nowhere to be seen. He felt he should be happy with this fact, but in truth, he felt disappointed.

Angel Dust leaned against the bar, flirting with Husker, who had finally begun flirting back. Niffty was chasing a very small, very terrified roach with a very large, very sharp needle. Something about that girl unsettled Lucifer, but he couldn't quite place his finger on it.

Finally he saw Charlie, sat on the sofa, leaning back with her hands over her face as Vaggie offered her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. As Lucifer got closer, he began to hear their conversation.

"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about, Charlie." Vaggie's voice was soft, trying to make Charlie feel better.

Charlie groaned. "It's just so... so infuriating, Vaggie! I ask him to help me on this one little thing... oh!"

She had finally moved her hands and saw her dad stood close by. Her face brightened up.

"Hi dad!" She chirped happily, standing up and hugging him. He returned the greeting, his voice muffled in her chest.
"Morning, Charlie."

She let him go and bounced excitedly on her toes.

"So, Dad. Alastor wouldn't help me, he said he had to go and see Rosie, soooo..."
Lucifer smiled and sighed. He knew what she wanted him to say.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Vaggie and I want to plan a party to celebrate our anniversary. We wanted some help, yknow... getting everything together!"
Charlie looked back at Vaggie on the sofa, who smiled patiently. Charlie was beaming. Lucifer was... unsure.

"Oh, well I'm not... I'm not really... I don't plan parties... or have anything to do with parties at all, actually..." he laughed nervously.

Charlie looked at him, her twinkling eyes pleading. Her bottom lip quivered and her eyes sparkled until Lucifer finally gave in.

"Ugh... I can't say no to that face. I'll do my best." He offered her a soft smile and she hugged him tightly.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyooouu! This is gonna be amazing."

Vaggie stood up and Charlie hugged her as well.

"We don't have to have a party... but whatever makes you happy, babe."

~×~

Alastor returned after a few hours, receiving a scolding off of Vaggie ("Inconsiderate prick! Where were you?!") to which he simply responded, "I was out, dear, but I'm back now. What's the fuss?" Vaggie spent a while telling him what the fuss was.

Charlie and Lucifer had already finished with most of the plans. Charlie ran through them, reading them out.

"So, the party will be small. Me, Vaggie, you, Angel, Husk, Niffty and Al... and Rosie too, because she's sooo nice!"

Lucifer nodded. This sounded fine.

"The party will be held here, at the Hotel. In the lobby! That way we have dancing room and a bar!"

Lucifer nodded again. Couldn't argue with that logic.

"And as for decorations..."

Lucifer spoke up. "Leave those to me."

Now it was Charlie's turn to nod. "Great! So... when do we have this little party...?"

Lucifer shrugged. "I mean, its your party. Whenever works for you and... uh... Vaggie."

Lucifer was still not very good with names. But he was making progress. Charlie smiled.

"Perfect! I'll talk to Vaggie about it."

She glanced at Vaggie who was still berating Alastor, who was beginning to look quite bored.

"Vaggie..." she began, before she went out of earshot from Lucifer. Alastor took his chance to get away and snuck across the room.

"Ah, your majesty~."
His voice prickled with sarcasm.

"Alastor."
Lucifer frowned at him. Then he remembered their deal and smiled as not-angrily as he could.

Alastor's own smile grew a little, as if he was returning Lucifer's fake smile.

Charlie watched this from the distance. She wondered if they thought they were doing a good job of pretending they didn't hate each other. Then she decided they weren't, but she appreciated the lack of verbal animosity anyway.

"Alastor, we need to talk."
Lucifer straightened his waistcoat out by running his hands down it.

Alastor tapped his microphone nonchalantly.
"Do we?"

"Yes. About our... agreement."

Alastor nodded.
"Come along then."

Alastor walked towards the elevator and Lucifer followed quickly behind, holding his hat to his head so it didn't fall off as he did.

The ride upstairs was silent. Only the faintest crackle of Alastor's radio static could be heard, and even that was a sound so quiet that it almost felt silent itself. The elevator doors opened and Alastor gestured for Lucifer to exit first, which he did, rolling his eyes.

They walked into Lucifer's room.

"So, what was it you wished to discuss regarding our deal?" Alastor said, picking up a rubber duckie from a pile. There were a lot of rubber duckies in here, but he figured it best not to point it out.

"Put that down." said Lucifer. Alastor complied. "Look... you said we'd keep this secret from Charlie. But when are we ever in the same vicinity as each other without her?"

Alastor laughed and stepped a little closer, already towering over Lucifer.
"We're alone now, aren't we~?"

Lucifer gulped. If he had a nickel for every time he felt like this when he was alone with Alastor, he'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.

"Well, yeah, but..."

Alastor raised a finger to Lucifer's lips.

"Shush... it doesn't matter what we do. Charlie is an intelligent girl. She is bound to notice something is wrong."

Lucifer nodded. Damn right his Charlie was intelligent. Yes, his Charlie, not Alastor's Charlie. Because he was Charlie's dad, despite what Alastor said.

"On the subject of Charlie..." said Alastor, seeming to read Lucifer's mind. "I don't actually see her as my daughter. So you're safe there."

Lucifer blinked. One eye, then the other.
"Say what now."

"I don't view her as my daughter." Alastor repeated.

Lucifer was confused. "Then why...?"

"Why?" Alastor laughed theatrically, leaning down to bring his face much closer to Lucifer's.

"To piss you off. Why else?"

Lucifer felt his cheeks grow warm. Then he felt like slapping himself across the face. He hadn't felt like this last time Alastor was this close, when they first encountered one another before Adam's attack.

"You... you're a bitch."

Alastor stood up to his full height again, looking down at Lucifer smugly.

"Oh, I'm sure I am. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a radio broadcast."

Alastor walked past Lucifer out of the door. Lucifer felt a little disappointed.

Then he blinked again. Hold on, why was he disappointed? He should be happy that Alastor was out of his room.

He groaned and threw himself face-first onto his bed, kicking his feet and punching the duvet.

"Stupid motherfucker...!!" He didnt know if he was talking about Alastor or himself.