TW: Some graphic medical descriptions.
Lying there for what felt like hours, the deer remained painfully on his stomach, the pressure causing it to bleed through the bandages which only increased the dire nature of his condition. His red eyes shifted towards the door as he seemed to be stubbornly keeping conciousness yet feeling unable to move. Maybe—for once he needed the help, not to be on the giving end of that help. Charlie would do something he thought, hopefully not make a big scene about it.
Downstairs Angel was carrying Fat Nuggets around, showing him the updated hotel proudly.
"Ya see that? That's you!" He grinned at the oinking pig as he showed him his reflection in a mirror in the parlor before touching his face to the piggie's snout and rubbing on it lovingly.
Husk was watching him from the near bar, some nicer booze than the radio demon offered in toe, pouring himself a shot that was swiftly downed. "I gotta say his majesty stocked this place up to the tens. Better than anything I've had here in a hell of a while."
"Well, duh. Short king's got more power than the red pimp. He acts a big game but he's just your personal Valentino. Sometimes there's no bite to that bark," the spider said while pouring himself a shot glass from the same bottle Husk drank from, Fat Nuggets resting on his lap.
"At least my lil baby is safe 'ere. The carnivore hasn't come down in a while."
Charlie was contently sitting with Vaggie, her head resting on her greyish shoulder when she started to get this inkling that Alastor probably needed aid listening to the pair at the bar.
Her dad wasn't around, perhaps he was in his new room? She couldn't imagine him returning to his empty workshop, but maybe he had to come up with some plans to show her. That would be so exciting! It was already thrilling to have him here helping out more than she ever expected. She stepped out politely to call him.
The circus ringtone sent the fatigued Lucifer jolting awake. He had fallen asleep at the replica workshop in his on site bedroom, his fingertips resting on the distressing gold band on his ring finger.
"Hey Charlie, something up?" He spoke with more confidence now, having grown used to her talking to him on the phone again.
"Yeah everything's great. Angel and Husk are probably about to go move their stuff in. I know you two kinda got off on the wrong foot...but could you check on Al for me? He seemed fine but he did fight Adam the asshole, apparently there was blood. Just see if he needs healing."
Lucifer rolled his eyes in annoyance, what was so special to her about this psychopath?
I mean sure Alastor had been there to help before even he himself, but the guy was clearly unhinged with questionable motives. Not to mention he challenged the king's most sacred remaining relationship.
"That guy fucking sucks. He really does."
"Com'on dad. Please. You took care of everyone else and they're doing so well thanks to you, at least go look at him?"
"Well...okay. Just because you ask, and because I promised to support you. Reluctantly." He muttered the last bit under his breath.
"Thank you dad! Don't worry I'll make it up to you. We can finally go have that celebratory pancake brunch we didn't have the time for!"
"I'd love that. Talk to you later."
He hung up and hung his head. This was going to be awkward.
He straightened his bow tie and adjusted his top hat, for some reason whenever he was around the demon he was even trying to top him with the smallest of adjustments.
With that he took his apple cane and sauntered to the deer's door, his lips scrunched in an impatient scowl. He knocked and listened for a response.
Nothing.
Hearing that, he cleared his throat insistently and knocked louder this time.
Alastor heard the sound and his ears flickered up, he looked like a murder had been committed, except this time he was the victim. Quick to react, his sweaty palms stretched forward, trying to lift himself which left blood seeping from the opening, feeling like a searing, burning pain hit his organs. His signal scrambled and static persisted as it was his only means to avoid actually crying or cursing or making any scene to whoever knocked.
"Hey. Uh, listen. I'm gonna knock one more time. If you're fine just tell me to go. If I don't hear anything I guess I'm coming in."
Alastor recognized the voice of the king, feeling even more mortified that he had help from the higher up rather than a companion, someone he trusted to respect his body. He tried to speak but his voice was hoarse, no words came out. Then he heard the door creak open as Lucifer used his master key to enter, Alastor couldn't help but feel lost as he didn't have a key yet to show off to his highness.
Seeing the sight of the pathetic man, Lucifer came in and closed the door behind him.
"You really don't look so good. It's pretty concerning actually, surprised you held up so well in front of everybody. Only an overlord or an idiot could do that. You must be both."
Alastor glared before he could feel the man reach down and lift him to his feet, he was hunched over to meet Lucifer's height and doing so made the wound even more excruciating.
"This requires more than my traditional magic. You let it get so bad, doesn't surprise me. Com'on smiles let's get you on your back."
He led the demon to his bed, carefully laying him back as he turned away, feeling a tinge of anger and shame that this was even happening. He needed to learn about this battle treatment if he was to avoid Lucifer's tiny ass hands being on him.
Lucifer sighed as he looked down at Alastor, who had now slipped a hand over his mouth with the bitterest of smiles.
"Keep it together. You're doing this for her." He whispered before walking away. He managed to find the basic things needed for a surgical intervention in the bayou like quarters.
"I don't have anything to put you under. So you're just going to have bare with me, the pain's going to get hellishly worse before it gets better." The devil grinned, a tad bit pleased to find the pompous sinner struggling.
He rolled back his sleeves and slipped off his black gloves to reveal his milk white hands, soon opening Alastor's torn coat and dressshirt to find himself staring at the red fabric that hid his torso. He shook his head.
"Not exactly the best solution."
With that he grew out a claw with his shape shifting abilities, cleanly cutting the fabric off to expose the deer's scarred chest and stomach. It was a recheed sight, the musty smell of infection and the metallic scent of death in the air as he noticed Alastor breathing harder, his smiling lips parted.
"Don't...don't you dare touch me." Was all he could manage to whisper, he hadn't even been grazed and now he was getting more attention from male figures than felt comfortable considering his closer companions to be women.
He could let Mimzy or Rosie, preferably Rosie, tend to him, but she wasn't coming, perhaps she wasn't even capable of doing something about this. Maybe she could just eat him instead? That would be less shameful than this.
"Yeah yeah...combative to the end. I have to touch you now so shut up. You were the one bold, or foolish, enough to challenge Adam. Save your energy."
Lucifer stretched out the arm resting by his side and inserted an IV he hung on the antler's attached to the demon's headboard. The prick felt worse than it normally would as he was low on blood, his veins fighting the shock. He flinched at the sensation before feeling his chest cavity opening up, snarling like a mad dog as Lucifer started working, hunting for infection he carved out with clawed fingers before using magic in specified areas to do specialized treatment.
Alastor tried to keep his mind off of the carving around his flesh, taking a look at the room. It was surprisingly similar to the one he crafted himself, given a few minor details with a frustrated sigh. At least he was in familiar surroundings, and feeling rather hungry at that.
A slight blush crept onto his cheeks when feeling his stomach grumbling, vibration the devil couldn't help but chuckle at, "You're gonna have to wait. I'm not using anesthesia but you can't be eating while you're all opened up like this."
The blood was managing to stay in with Lucifer applying pressure on as many things as he could, and that pressure only caused him to grit his teeth further as he eventually managed to speak again,
"You are really bad at this."
"You only say that because you're hurting. I know what I'm doing."
The king's hands slipped from his open wound, taking golden stitches that slipped and looped their way through his flesh, causing a strangely warm and searing pain; it almost felt fuzzy as he was neatly tightened together.
With his body closed, he breathed a shaky sigh of relief. Lucifer had gone quiet, staring at another example of his handiwork.
This healing session was far more...intimate than the others. Angel had light wounds and couldn't help but sexually tease him through the whole process of healing. While it made him blush, it was also too forward for his liking, not to mention Angel spoke to everyone that way.
Husk and the others with scuffs and bruises and a broken bone here and there were relatively simple fixes, no drama, except for holding the little bug Niffty down who was always buzzing off the walls, not that she had more than a scratch here and there.
Alastor eventually noticed in the deafening silence the king staring at him, a sheepish expression on his face, his eyes inevitably rolling.
"I'm honorable enough to say thank you my good man. So...could you quit staring?"
"Huh? Oh right, uh yeah sorry about that."
"For being the head of the pride ring you don't sound too confident, where's your smile? It was a job well done~," Alastor remarked to jab, sending Lucifer groaning.
This guy.
This guy.
Lucifer swiftly covered him up, pulling his hand down his face.
"I'll throw you some food. Don't tell anyone about this."
"Agreed good sir.~"
Tomorrow was going to be, awkward, uncomfortable, to say the least.
Lucifer left to head to the new pantry before turning his attention to the Radio Demon, his heart was being faster than it should have been. It was strange.
He could feel Alastor staring at him now, and he was starved.