The Devil & The Draxon

Interlude: A Different Path

Lucifer thought he was past all of that. He thought he'd shoved it so deep within himself it would never be dug up. Well, he's just unearthed it.

"Lucifer, we're not using him," Maze says tightly, a sneer curling her lips. The devil snaps back to the present, blinking blankly. Maze goes on. "You don't have to dredge all of that up. We'll find Charlie—"

"Maybe not in time," Lucifer said distantly. "We need something fast that will work—"

"But him? Why not one of the guard or something?"

"Maze, none of them have the power Nyxeus has."

Saying the name makes something in his head throb. It feels like something breaking away, a wall crumbling down with a grand crash and cloud of dust. Age old memories, colours faded and worn around the edges, all come forth in a slow trickle, hesitant like they might be beaten back again.

*Samael, welcome back to my realm.*

*You're home, darling. There is no use for fear.*

*Lucifer, my most beautiful.*

His throat tightens suddenly, tears building in his eyes. Lucifer presses his lips together, but it doesn't seem to help at all. He sinks into a chair just as his tears start to fall. Amenadiel is by his side instantly, hand on his shoulder. He says nothing though, and Lucifer is thankful for that. He doesn't know what can be said. He doesn't even know what he's feeling.

"Nyxeus," Chloe says weakly, her eyes wide. "As in the dragon king? That's real?"

"All of it is," Maze says stonily from where she's leaning against the table next to Linda. "The Dragonlands, Nyxeus, his relationship with Lucifer."

"You never talked about it, Lucifer," Linda whispers. Her eyes are teary, but her lips are pursed in thought. "Even if a majority of the stories aren't true, Lucifer, that's still a major point in your life, and talking about it could have helped—"

"I didn't want to talk about it, Doctor," Lucifer cuts her off. He ducks his head as a stab of pain sparks in his chest, branching outwards across his skin. "I couldn't— Nyxeus—"

He doesn't expect the whimpered gasp that tears past his lips. Amenadiel's hand squeezes his shoulder. It helps ground him somewhat, but the tears have started and now he can't stop them. With the tears comes the terrifying realization that he still loves the dragon. All these years, all this time forgotten, and nothing has changed. He still loves the millennia they'd had together. The freedom of the Dragonlands, the family he'd found, the caring nature of the king. He loves all of it, and he misses it.

But all of that was torn down eons ago. It's out of his reach now. It must be.

Lucifer is surprised by how much he finds himself wanting it all back. Those were simpler times. No matter how frustrating his father or siblings, no matter how dark the paths of Hell, he'd always had somewhere to flee to at the end of the day. Somewhere to find unconditional comfort. He misses it.

"Lucifer," Amenadiel starts, "It's been centuries. I want to find my son, but turning to Nyxeus—?"

"I have to, Amenadiel." Lucifer pretends his voice doesn't crack, and no one mentions it. "It's the best plan I have for finding Charlie as fast as possible."

Amenadiel's lips purse, his scowl deepening. "Then I'm coming with you. Who knows if Nyxeus is even sane, or safe to be around—"

"No," Lucifer cuts him off sharply. "No, I need you to stay here, on Earth. Just in case I get trapped again, or I misjudge how fast time is passing in Hell. After an hour, if I'm not back, you need to come find me."