Chapter 9
After two days of them waiting for Elleanor to wake, Allen decided that he needs to go to work. As much as he wants to stay and watch over his mother with Lucifer... it won't be a good idea to ignore his job when he needs the money to buy for his mother's newly added medicine.
He sighs in resignation as he looks at his partner sitting next to him at the dining table slowly eating the pancakes he made the both of them for breakfast. "I... I need to get back to work, they already have someone to replace me with if I don't show up another day." He looked to see the blonde had stopped eating his pancakes, giving him his full attention.
"I know that it's a bit too much to ask, given that you spending time with my mother is very different from me leaving you here to take care of her but-", He suddenly felt a finger being pressed on his lips, effectively shutting him up.
"Al, I love your mother dearly like I would love the angel that took care of me when I had just been created by God. She treats me like I'm family, and honestly? Even if you hadn't asked me to take care of her I still would've done so regardless." The blonde said with a serious look on his face before it softened as he saw the tears flowing from the brunette's face.
Lucifer stood from his seat, moving to stand behind the taller man as he wraps his arms around the other's shoulders letting him cry on his sleeve.
After a moment of Allen letting his emotions out, Lucifer looks at the brunette's watch to see that it was almost time for him to be live on air.
"You need to get going, I already packed your lunch." The blonde said as he handed over the lunch box to Allen as he stood up. "Take care dear-" he was about to give the blonde a kiss on the forehead when the other man suddenly rushed up the stairs then came back down tying a bow on his collar.
"Really, you almost forgot your bow tie!" He grumbled as he hurriedly tied the bow as neat as he would usually tie it for him. "Thank you sweetheart, I don't know what I could've done if you weren't here for me." His smile didn't quite reach his eyes making the blonde look at him in concern before he touched the taller man's face showing him a toothy grin.
"Remember Al, even if things are looking down for us at the moment, we need to keep our heads held high and be positive. At least, that's what your mother would've wanted us to do, okay?" Allen nodded at him, his smile a bit less strained than before as he kissed the blonde's forehead, "I'll try my best to think positively about this. Now I best be going before I miss the ride." He rushes out the door while looking at his watch, "Good luck!" The blonde yelled waving at him as he caught the ride to his work place waving back at him.
He walks back inside the house cleaning up the table before he went to check on Elleanor who they had moved to her bed yesterday so she won't be uncomfortable when she wakes.
When he sees that she was still unconscious he tidies up the make shift bed they had on the floor where they slept last night, He then opens the curtains and let's the sun light filter into the room. He looks back to see her pale face, staring at her as he sits on the edge of the bed waiting... Hoping for her eyes to open.
He can't help but feel sympathy for her after all the things she went through in the past, all the stories about the abuse... And now this.
Elleanor had told him about Allen's habit of thinking negatively whenever something bad happens in their life. Especially when her husband was still alive, she'd told him how he would abuse her and Allen whenever he'd come home drunk. He would yell at her and hit her for every little mistake she makes in the house, and when he turns to do the same to Allen... She can't stand by and watch her baby get hurt, so she shields him and takes most of the beatings instead.
Even if her husband was abusive, he was the only person who could provide a roof on their heads and food on the table is what she said when he asked her why she stayed. But, when Allen found three different jobs her husband suddenly didn't come home one night after he went out to drink with his friends like usual, then his body was found in an alleyway the next day.
At first she felt worried that she and Allen might not be able to pay the house bills. Then Allen took over his father's job at bringing food at the table by hunting deers and selling the parts and meat that he could profit out of.
His thoughts were caught off as he saw her steer before her eyes opened slowly, looking at him while squinting her eyes as she tried to sit up. He was by her side in an instant, helping her sit as he placed another pillow behind her.
"Luc? I-" she coughs before she could finish her sentence, "I- I need... Water." She motions to her throat as she says between coughs. "I'll go get some, hang in there." He rushes out of her room and goes to the kitchen where the pitcher was, he grabs a glass too quickly as it slips from his hand. He tries to grab it but it shatters on the floor making him curse himself for being clumsy at such a bad time.
He tries to clean it up as fast as he could a shard scratches his finger making him hiss at the sting. He stands back up to clean the wound as his golden blood flows out. He watches the blood drip from his finger, an idea suddenly struck him.
If he can't heal someone who's not related to him by blood.... Then what if he uses HIS blood to heal them? Even if it might not fully heal Elleanor... If it could just temporarily slow the flu down and inevitably her death... Then she might just get to see their wedding and her grandchildren like she wanted...
He carefully takes another glass, pouring water into it till it's full. He hovers his bleeding finger over it then let's his blood drip into the water... Watching as the golden blood dilutes into it. He heals his wound then face palms as he remembered that he could've just used his magic to make the broken glass disappear as he does so.
He hurriedly walks back to Elleanor's room with the water and slowly gives it to her as she coughs. She drinks the water once she tried to suppress her coughs, her shoulders still trembling as she gulps.
He stares at her, trying to see the effects of his blood slowly healing her. Her face started to regain some color, her shoulders have stopped trembling from her suppressed coughs. She placed the empty glass on the bedside table as she stretched her back.
"H-how do you feel, mother?" He asks, anxious to know if it really had made her feel better than just making her appear so. "I feel... Great actually, well- at least better than I did when I.... Oh- did I faint?" She asked him as she recalls having tea with Mrs. Thompson while her head was still aching, then all she remembers was blocking out after suddenly feeling dizzy then waking up in her bed.
"Yes... You did, we were so worried about you when Mrs. Thompson came and told us how you suddenly collapsed..... would you mind if I check your temperature, please?" Her brows furrowed in confusion as she nods at him. Did she have a fever? She wouldn't be surprised if she did catch a fever after all the coughing and aches she felt on her body.
Lucifer sighs in relief as he looks at Elleanor's temperature which was normal. "At least you don't have a fever anymore, Are you hungry? I made some jambalaya earlier, followed the recipe you taught me and all." He tries not to sound too concerned, if he were to suddenly treat her like she's something fragile.... She might feel like he's hiding something from her.
He thinks about Allen then, how confused the younger man would be once he comes home to see his mother, awake yet not attached to the bed as he would've assumed she would be.
He could try to convince the brunette that it was just a misdiagnosis. After all, Elleanor wasn't the one who told Mr. Thompson about how she actually felt at that time, she could have also fainted because of low blood pressure or something else that could be the cause of it.
"I do feel very hungry.... that's strange, How long have I been unconscious for?" She hadn't felt this hungry in a very long time, not since her husband hadn't brothered to hunt for food because of how tired he was from work. He only gave her bread which she gave to Allen since it wasn't enough for the both of them to share. Besides, her son was a growing boy, he needed all the food he could get.
"It's actually been two days now, Allen had to go to work though since his boss was threatening to replace him..." He helped her get out of the bed as she tried to stand, walking with her to the dining room.
"I'm not surprised he had to go to work, Allen has always dreamed about being a radio host you know? He'd always listen to the songs on our old radio, but his favourite has always been jazz. Though he's told me that if he ever finds himself a partner, he would love to dance to jazz with them all day if he could. And to think that's exactly what he did with you on Valentine's day!" She giggled at the blush that crept onto Lucifer's face though he's happy that She's back to her usual chatty self.
He could never forget it, how could he when his feet were starting to feel sore and numb with all the dancing they did that day. It was all worth it when Allen had given him a duck themed home baked chocolate cake with the first sweater he's made for him with hearts that has a swan couple in the middle with their little ducklings around them.
He then gave the brunette a book about creature summoning to help him just in case he needs assistance from something other than his shadow buddy. When they were about to sleep that night, he felt very grateful when the brunette had given him a foot massage as an apology for making him dance too much.... In heels no less.
As they went into the dining room, the blonde gave Elleanor some jambalaya and prepared some tea for them both with Elleanor's medicine beside her as they started to talk about what they were going to do.
Lucifer already plans on contacting Mr. Thompson to come and check on Elleanor later that when he's done with work, preferably when Allen gets home.
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"Loosen up Al pal! I gotta say.... I Can't believe you'd be a sucker for some blonde chick other than miss Mimzy ovah there." A white haired man said motioning to the said blonde woman who winked back at him as he patted Allen on the back, sliding him another drink which he chugged down without a pause.
As always, he let's his boss drag him into the bar on a Saturday night. He could've rejected the offer when his boss said he'd pay for his drinks, but with the news of his mother having the Spanish flu lately? He can't help but want to be drunk Senseless if only his alcohol tolerance wasn't so high.
"Come on kid! I know that yer goin to get married in a couple of months so ya gotta get some action before ya get to commitin ya know?" He pushes the brunette out of his seat and into the petite blonde woman who squeezed his cheeks as he forced a smile at her. "Oh my~ Allen you wittle sweety face you~! When were ya going to tell me about this wedding of yours huh~? Am I invited~?" She pulls him into the crowd as she keeps up with the fast pace of the loud jazz music in the room.
"Why of course you are! I wouldn't let you miss it for the world!" He said as he danced with her not really minding if she went to his wedding. She does drive the lust filled women away from him whenever he goes to the bar alone.... And perhaps even added a few people she's been getting into trouble with to his hit list.
"Finally! And here I thought you were going to have this wedding without me!" She moves closer to him as she looks at the white haired man Allen was with earlier. "Say~, have ya hooked me up with that handsome devil over there yet~?" Allen sighs as he looks at his clueless boss who's focus was now on a red headed woman sitting next to him.
"Apparently blonde's aren't his type..." He sees her bristle at that as she grumbles about how older men are being so picky nowadays. "Well too bad! He's missing out on THIS!" She motions to her body making the brunette roll his eyes at her. "Well- speaking of Blonde's.... How's yours doin? Has she figured out about you being a heartless wittle psychopath yet~?" She purposefully steps on a man's foot who was trying to cope a feel from behind her.
"You'd be surprised how much she can actually tolerate about me..." He slows his dancing down as he looks at the time which was already near ten in the evening. "Well, I best be going now. Don't forget that the theme for the wedding is maroon!" He yells at her through the loud music as she gives him a thumbs up while he walks away from the crowd to tell his boss that he'll be going home first.
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He opens the door to his mother's house, pausing as he hears voices coming from the living room. He quietly walked towards it standing near the door frame as he watched, stunned to see Mr. Thompson putting his stethoscope on his now conscious mother's chest who's looking far from someone who has the Spanish flu.
"Well, she's in a much better condition now.... It appears that you may have been right about it being just a fever, miss Luc, I'm sorry for making such a serious misdiagnosis on your soon-to-be mother in law..." Lucifer smiled at him reassuringly as he waved him off.
"Don't worry about it Mr. Thompson, we understand how stressful it must be for you to be a doctor in these trying times." He hands over the same amount Allen had given the doctor last time only for Mr. Thompson to shake his head.
"It's best if you keep it, I should've checked her blood pressure to see if it was low rather than jumping to conclusions. You all must've been worried sick. Ah, well look at the time, I better get going now before the missus drags me home." He bids them goodnight, before moving out the door frame where he saw Allen, "good evening Mr. Thompson, thank you for checking on my mother again." The man gives him a pat on the shoulder.
"Why, that fiancé of yours is certainly a keeper. She was really happy when she found out that your mother doesn't actually have the Spanish flu. Trust me, some women these days don't want their in laws to be in their lives for long, so you better not let this one go." He waves a finger at Allen who just chuckles at him.
"Oh trust me sir, I'll treasure her as if she's the most rarest type of jewel i've ever seen."
"Good lad, have a nice evening then Allen."
"Will do sir, will do..." He says as he watches the man go out the door, he locks it for the evening before coming back to the living room where his mother and Lucifer were waiting for him.
He felt tears streaming down his face as he rushes forward to tightly but gently hug his mother. "There there now, I'm here my sweet baby." Allen sobs into her shoulder, not even bothering to feel embarrassed about her calling him a baby at the moment. All he feels now was that his mother was healthy, safe, and not on the verge of suffering from the flu in her death bed.
Lucifer tears up as he watches Allen being cradled by his mother as she as well had tears flowing from her eyes. He knew then and there, that he made the right decision.