~~~
When I was kissing on my baby
And she put her love down soft and sweet
In the low lamplight I was free
Heaven and hell were words to me
Work Song - Hozier
~~~
Staring up at the pentagram sky above you it was like cold water meeting your skin, goosebumps rippling across your flesh. To see the world at such a distance, Heaven in its splendour like a sun in the sky, radiant with holy light, but deadly if you got too close.
How could something so beautiful be so vile like a poisonous butterfly, elegant and yet, a single taste would slaughter you from within.
Laying back on the clay tile roof of Zestial's manor, you could just barely make out the bustle of the city, fully enraptured by your internal conflict of questioning your heritage. It wasn't that you hated the land of the holy, it was gorgeous beyond description, it was the angels that lived there that was the problem. Sera was stoic and deceitful. Michael was strict and ignorant to his cruelty. Emily was the only innocent one, but even she couldn't see beyond the bridge of her nose- not that it was her fault, you were like that once too.
Ouroboros was curled up against your wings, snuggled against the tips of your feathers that were still stained gold with your blood. The serpent had been preening them a moment ago, tugging out the broken or damaged feathers from your limbs so they provided no discomfort. A gentle and caring creature the Devil's soul was, it made you long for the man himself.
His taste still lingered on your lips, no matter how many times you had rubbed at them or stained them with sweets, you couldn't flee the memory of him and it made your heart throb. An ache, unquenchable and self-destructive, had spawned in your chest and it refused to leave- not until you saw him again, which you knew you would.
You would be helping with the battle tomorrow, after all.
Adam already knew you were here and who you were, so it didn't matter anymore if you were caught fighting alongside Lucifer. It would be a declaration of war on Heaven the instant you did and though you didn't want to put Lux in any danger, it was far too late to keep him from it now.
Everything was in such disarray in your mind. You wondered if your thoughts would ever be silent.
You'd be lying if you said you hadn't considered jumping again, allowing the pavement to swallow up the remnants of your worries, but you knew you'd simply regenerate again. There was no end for a deathless being like you, though the thought that there could be brought you some comfort; maybe, if you sacrificed yourself to Heaven, they'd spare Lucifer?
It was far-fetched, but not impossible.
Scoffing, you rolled your eyes, shifting to watch the adorable snake on your wings.
All this tragedy, it made you wonder if you were God's current favourite because to be such a thing is a death sentence or a promise of woe. Look at Job and Abraham, their losses, guilt and manipulation all a test of faith. Look at Lucifer who failed his test... You would fail it too if even given the chance and you just might once Michael finds out you're here.
Even in Hell you couldn't escape who you truly were. Once a Guardian Archangel, always a Guardian Archangel.
You were Meridies, Lux's midday where he shined the brightest, without him, you were nothing. He could afford to lose you, after all, the sun still shone at other times and his radiance would remain. There was no Meridies without Lux, but at the end of it all, Lux was eternal.
—
Preparations for the hotel had been made with haste and everyone knew their positions for when the time came to act tomorrow.
Charlie and Vaggie would hold the lobby and keep it secure. Angel and Cherri would be artillery from the balconies, with Husk assisting from the sky. Niffty was once again given a dagger to stab everything like she had the last time they quarried with Adam. Alastor and Lucifer would guard the back entrance so they wouldn't be tag teamed from behind. And both Zestial and Carmilla had surprisingly enlisted their own assistance, providing them with a team of snipers and armed men to better flesh out the hotel's offense.
Everything was set up at this point, ready for the scheduled battle that was to come tomorrow and Lucifer was grateful that everyone was confident and strong in their own right. However, he himself was worried. Not only did you leave, but you hadn't said if you'd be returning to help.
Carmilla had assured him that you would certainly be here when the time came, though he could tell from her tone that you hadn't told her that yourself and she was simply saying it to soothe him and, as much as he appreciated her comforting words, the lack of truth behind them was like a cold emptiness to his heart.
There was no promise that you would be here.
Not having your presence in the final battle with Adam would be a great loss in and of itself, but also, you had taken Ouroboros, his soul, with you and that weakened him greatly. Without the serpent, he couldn't access his halo or the full extent of his angelic and demonic powers, leaving him with very little to fight with besides his wings, teleportation and portals.
It was an unplanned hole in his armour that he'd just have to deal with when it came down to it.
To be so vulnerable, it frightened him to no end, though to know you'd be safe with Ouroboros, it filled him with hope. Should anything happen to him, at least you would have what's left of him and the serpent would take good care of you should he be unable to.
Sitting in the bar with the other residents of the hotel, everyone was trying to keep their spirits up and merry- even the extra team of a hundred trained sinners were mulling about, geared up and ready for the assault. Smiles were shared, along with stories and cheerful words of better tomorrows, it was like a final send off; a merry feast before a great battle.
However, the tense cheer in the air was broken as one of Carmilla's men burst through the archway of the speakeasy, their gun in hand as they hastily rounded the corner, followed by the chorus of alarmed shouts and gunfire.
"To arms!" the sinner ordered, "the enemy has shown up early!"
Panicked cries filled the room as everyone scrambled to their weapons, the professional team the most organized and swiftly making their way into the lobby, opening fire upon -not Adam's group, but Curtis', meaning they had switched up their attack plan and scheduled it a day earlier- the bastards!
Slipping off of the barstool he had been sitting on, Lucifer made eye contact with Charlie, giving her a firm nod as she offered him a strained smile.
"Be safe, sweetie, I'll see you after we've taken care of this," he drew his daughter in for a hug, going onto his tiptoes to kiss her forehead, Charlie embracing him back.
"Of course, dad, you be safe too."
Pulling back from each other, Vaggie shoved a spear into his hands, her expression stoic and full of grim resolve. He had confided in her the knowledge that he was vulnerable in this fight without Ouroboros and thus, she wasn't taking any chances, passing him her weapon of choice.
"We'll see you after the battle... dad," Vaggie assured him, referring to him as a father figure and he had to fight back tears, giving her a reassuring smile.
"Definitely," he nodded and just before the two women could leave to join the fray, he called out to them; "you have my blessing by the way!"
Beaming, faces red with embarrassment, Charlie shouted back, "Now is not the time, dad!"
Chuckling to himself, he knew he had just succeeded as a father by embarrassing his daughter in public- though Vaggie's soft expression wasn't lost on him and he meant what he had said. The two of them were perfect for each other, the former Exorcist would guard his daughter well and shield her from harm, and Charlie would do anything for her and be the sword if need be.
Their dynamic reminded him of you and he was overcome with a deep solemnity. He knew for certain you wouldn't be here now, Adam had thrown a wrench in the plan by adjusting the date. He was on his own, but at least he'd be fighting alongside a valuable, if annoying, ally.
Making eye contact with Alastor, Lucifer twirled his spear, tipping his hat as he motioned for the Radio Demon to follow him, the deer sinner making no complaint as the King of Hell opened a portal to their designated position near the back entrance of the hotel; the ballroom.
A massive empty space with windows along the lavish crown molding of the ceiling, a stylish granite floor and large decorative drapes lined the walls. It looked like a royal hall, just as intended when he had made and furnished it.
"So, Al, you think we'll get any dance partners?" Lucifer asked, motioning to the empty space around them, the Radio Demon humming in feigned contemplation.
"Hm, we'll just have to wait and see," Alastor responded, his staff set in front of him, his shadow creeping along the ground, an endless smile on its face as static buzzed through the air.
Sounds from the battle in the front foyer were muffled by the walls of the hotel, but the gunfire and explosions were clear as the foundation rocked. Angel and Cherri were surely doing their job well if their cheers were any indicator.
Air tense and filled with caution, Lucifer decided to speak again and get something off of his chest- if this were to potentially be his deathbed, then he needed to entrust something to the only person who was willing to call him out on his previously bad parenting.
"Alastor, I know you and I don't get along, and for good reason-" he shot the taller man a glare, earning himself a sharper grin in response "-but if anything happens to me, I am entrusting you with Charlie. Whatever she needs from you that I could give, provide it, and please, just be there for her."
Realising that the King was serious and not just making jabs at him, Alastor remained silent for a moment.
"Despaired already, your highness?" the deer sinner mocked, though there was a clear thrum of sincerity in his tone, "you don't intend to fall again, do you?"
Growling under his breath, Lucifer scowled, "affirm your mandate, bellhop."
Chuckling, Alastor faced straight ahead with his ever constant smile.
"Very well."
"I'll hold you to that agreement from beyond the grave if I have to," Lucifer threatened, the Radio Demon providing no rebuke as abruptly all of the windows in the space shattered, glass and several pieces of metal making contact with the granite flooring.
Startled by the sudden ruckus, Lucifer yelped with a glower, summoning his wings to fly back from the shrapnel, Alastor teleporting with his shadows to appear next to him.
There was only a few seconds for them both to recognise that the ping of metal they had heard were bombs, Lucifer hastily using his wings to cover both him and the Radio Demon, Alastor conjuring up a shield of black tentacles to guard them both as well.
A deafening rattle of explosions left both of their ears ringing, the force pushing them back as the whole rear wall of the ballroom was reduced to rubble, opening the area to the outside where Adam's forces waited patiently, the man himself standing in front of them, his electric guitar in his hands.
"Well, well, well, would you look at that!" Adam laughed, "surprise bitch! We came early. Just. For. You!"
With every word, the first man shot forward like a bullet, his guitar blade swinging down to make contact with Lucifer, only to be thrown away by one of Alastor's ebony tentacles, the first man's body making contact with the floor as he cussed. Though he was quick to his feet again, his small army of former Exorcists letting out a cry before charging forth, a few being picked off by the snipers on the balconies of the rooms above.
Sharing a glance, Lucifer and Alastor came to a mutual agreement of trust; cover each other if only for this fight alone.
The voracious echo of battle permeated the air, the hotel itself trembling under the assault. Lucifer used the spear Vaggie had given him with precision, infusing it with what little of his power he could spare, the blade laced in hellfire that he could use like an arrow, shooting scorching projectiles. Alastor, noticing that the King was oddly not as powerful as he used to be, was actually covering for him, using his shadow to ensure no bullets or weapons made contact with the ruler of Hell.
For only two people, a batch of snipers and a small squadron of elites that had come in as backup, they were doing quite well. Lucifer only wished that he could use his full demonic power and wipe the floor with these troops, but Ouroboros was absent, preventing him from being able to harness his full potential.
Engaged in combat with an abundance of ex-Exorcists, Lucifer was forcibly put on the backfoot, playing defensive as Alastor slammed and swatted enemies away left and right, light on his feet and evasive.
It was a struggle for him to remain calm, even as his wings were slashed at, drawing golden blood from between his feathers. It had been so long since he had been physically injured, he almost forgot what that kind of pain felt like until his wings were being pierced with blades, drawing a strained grunt from his lips.
Gradually regaining his footing in the conflict, Lucifer started to tear his way through the incoming force, his angelic spear carving through former angels with a vengeance. That was until he was tackled from behind, black feathers clouding his vision as he and Adam were tossed out of the ballroom and into the yard to the back of the hotel that hosted the lively garden that had since been trampled by the infantry.
Sent rolling across the ground, Lucifer dropped his spear in an attempt to catch himself, Adam and the King of Hell throwing punches at each other, making an effort to stand only to get knocked back down by the other. It was a brutal cat fight, fists making contact with each other's faces.
"You fucker!" Adam snarled, fangs on display as he landed a left hook on Lucifer, dizzying the seraphim, "I'm gonna end yours and your daughter's fuckin life and then I'll drag your bitch back to Heaven so Mikey can smite her!"
That comment filled the King of Hell with rage as he flipped them over so he was on top of the first man, his claws digging into Adam's skull, breaking through his scalp, the red blood of a sinner trickling down his fingers. Screaming, Adam thrashed violently, his own sharpened nails making contact with Lucifer's face, leaving deep gashes over his cheeks, nearly taking out his eyes.
Seething in pain, the Devil used his wings to pull himself off of Adam and away from the man's claws, flying a few steps back to make some distance. With Alastor still left in the ballroom, Lucifer was at a major defense deficit, but he was against Adam and that man left himself open to almost every attack.
Empty handed, though no less armed, Lucifer positioned himself for the one on one fight, Adam scrambling to his feet, wiping the blood off of his brow with a wrathful glare.
"I'm going to fucking end you!" Adam screeched, launching himself at the Devil, Lucifer easily dodging out of the way as the battle was taken to the air.
Zipping through the sky like tiny darts, Adam and Lucifer used their dagger-like nails to scratch at each other, landing several slashes that dug in deep, tearing away chunks of flesh. The Devil also attempted to use his larger wingspan and extra two sets of wings to his advantage by messing with the air currents to no avail, Adam having definitely flown more often than him in the last thousand years.
It was an evenly matched fight until Adam, after being caught by Lucifer's claws and receiving a jagged slice across his chest, used his magic to conjure his guitar in a flash of crimson light, the blade slamming into the Devil's abdomen.
A startled cry of agony left Lucifer's lips as golden blood flowed freely from where Adam had struck, the force breaking through his skin and sending him plummeting to the ground below. Back making contact with the hard dirt, a pained gasp crawled its way through his throat, his wings shattering with the force of impact, crumpled at rough angles beneath him.
Breathing failed him, air forced from his lungs, he could taste the iron of his own blood pooling at the back of his throat. Landing in front of him, Adam leaned against the neck of his guitar, a smug grin on his cut up face, one of his eyes beginning to swell shut.
"How's it feel to be laying in the dirt?" the first man asked rhetorically, slowly encroaching closer to Lucifer, raising his bladed guitar. "To know this is where you'll die?"
The King of Hell couldn't deny that this scared him. He had lived for thousands of years, seen the beginning of human life, experienced the fall from Heaven and seen the good in souls he had thought were beyond hope. He was scared to die- he didn't want to! Not when he had just found something worth living for.
Watching, unable to move with the torment that plagued his limbs, his mind hazy, Lucifer thought back to you. If this were to be his end, he wanted to be thinking of you and his daughter in his final moments and imagine a future where you all could've been together like a happy family.
Just picturing his fantasy made a smile creep onto his face as he looked at the man who would be his death and gave him no satisfaction of a bitter end for the Devil, only the warmth of embracing it, which seemingly angered the first man more as he raised his guitar to end the King of Hell's life while he was weakened.
His blade was stopped however, as a sharpened bow of a golden fiddle was set against his throat, your voice so grim and soft like a ballad of dismay permeating the air.
"I may not have witnessed your creation, Adam, but I will witness its end. Let me strum the melody of death across your vocal chords."
With that you sliced across his neck from ear to ear, his eyes widening in his final moments as he released his guitar, the instrument dropping harmlessly to the ground with a thud.
Gasping and choking, the first man reached up to hold his open throat, hacking up crimson and crumpling in on himself as he fell to his knees, revealing your radiant form. Lucifer knew in that moment that he had seen an angel, true and holier than any others.
—
You had still been resting atop the roof, staring at the vermillion sky of Hell when Ouroboros had begun to get restless, his body writhing with an unseen pain as though an invisible force were harming him. It had concerned you greatly and you had stood up to your feet in alarm, holding the squirming ophidian as he hissed and all but wailed.
Desperately, he had tried to get your attention to help you understand what was wrong, but you couldn't speak his language, you couldn't understand that the other half of him was being killed as his soul fought for your comprehension, going so far as to nip at your hands.
Completely at a loss for what to do, you pleaded with the snake to try and find what it needed to convey and you had nearly given up until he coiled his way up your arm, slithering to perch himself on your head before grasping your halo.
Gasping, you didn't have time to react or conceal your symbol of divinity as he wrapped himself around the flower circlet, merging himself with your divine essence and in turn, his knowledge was made yours.
Lucifer was in danger, he was dying and you were perched on a roof halfway across the city.
The ivory veil of your halo drifted elegantly over your features as you took in a deep breath, attempting to reorient yourself as a sharp influx of power swept through you like a torrent. All of the Devil's angelic and demonic magic joined with yours the instant the snake fully melded himself to your soul, the lines blurring between which was yours and Lucifer's.
From above and below your wings emerged two more sets with a flourish like the blooming of a rose, the colours of them fading from white to red to gold like a mix of yours and Lucifer's feather styles. They bristled slightly with apprehension and through the collaboration of yours and the Devil's power you felt as though you could do anything, the whole world was in your grasp if you wanted it, but there was only one thing on your mind: Lucifer.
You couldn't risk teleporting to the hotel and getting instantly thrust into battle, that would be reckless, but you could feel Lucifer's condition worsen by the second, so you had to make haste.
Spreading your six wings you shot into the air, taking flight in the direction of the hotel, conjuring your aureate, ivory and now vermillion armour, your fiddle appearing in your hands before shifting into a sword and shield respectively, small apple and snake designs now littering its surface with lighter intricacies.
Like a shooting star, you soared as fast as possible, the shouts and screams of battle getting clearer by the second as you got closer to the hotel, along with the ruckus of explosions.
Making yourself invisible as you flapped your wings, the oddness of feeling three sets of them lost on you in your panic to find Lux, you drew closer to the ongoing fight, watching Charlie and Vaggie work as a unit amidst a multitude of Carmine's elites, Cherri, Angel, and Husk tossing compact bombs at the enemy. So far, the hotel was doing well and was on the path to victory, but you couldn't see Lucifer or Alastor in the front.
Swooping around to the back of the hotel, you could see the entire back wall of the ballroom had been demolished, the Radio Demon taking on swaths of enemies alongside more of Carmilla's men and snipers. However, further out back in the garden area, you could see the fallen form of Lucifer, Adam before him, his guitar raised to bring it down on the crumpled form of Lux.
Without hesitation, a surge of pure defensive wrath overcame you and you teleported behind the first man, grabbing his ebony wings and pulling him back to you, away from Lux. His muscles atrophied beneath your touch, body tensing as pain flooded through his senses and your sword was set upon his neck.
"I may not have witnessed your creation, Adam, but I will witness its end. Let me strum the melody of death across your vocal chords."
The instant you felt your bow draw across his throat, blood spilling across your blade, you knew you had won. Lux was safe, still injured, but he would live. You just had to get to him.
Letting Adam's body fall, discarded against the dirt as he tried in vain to heal his gaping wound, you stepped forward and into the small crater Lux's body rested in, his ruby eyes barely open, yet watching your every move.
You offered him a smile he couldn't see behind your veil, kneeling down to take his hand in yours. The warmth of your angelic aura coated him and all those nearby with the protection all those who were innocent were deserving of. A gentle repose to bring him back from the brink of death.
Languidly, focus began to return to Lucifer, his expression shifting to gratitude and so much love you would've crushed him in a hug right then in there if it wouldn't have hurt him to do so.
"Meri, you came," he murmured, gradually sitting up with a wince as his bones mended themselves together with the help of your magic, "you actually came."
"Of course I did, Lux, I'd never leave you to die. I wouldn't have left you at your hearing either had I of known it were even taken place at the time," you assured him, wiping away some of the tears that spilled from his eyes, a dopey grin falling over his features as you carefully lifted him bridal style, your sword and shield vanishing in a swirl of silver and red tinted magic.
Exhausted, Lucifer clung to you, his breath heavy, but slowly returning to normal. Feeding off of your conjoined power, you channeled as much of your healing factor as you could through your touch, his wounds sealing seamlessly.
Ouroboros slowly unwound himself from your halo, his wings unfurling to fly to Lucifer, the apple on his hat rising to join in as the Devil's halo formed, his horns and tail appearing, slitted eyes peering up at you with adoration.
Carefully you set him on the ground now that he could stand, his tail curling gently around yours, ruffling the feathers that rested there.
It took a minute to notice, but even as his power fled from you back to him, a portion of it still hummed beneath your skin, the extra two sets of wings furling back into your shoulder blades, though you could sense that if you needed them, you could summon them again.
Now fully healed, only the stains of his blood remaining on his skin, Lucifer gave you a warm smile, a promise in his eyes. Sensing that you were about to join the fray once more, you both shared a glance, nodding to each other with confident expressions and somehow you could tell he could see beneath your veil- see you in your entirety.
"Ready to end this fight faster than it started?" Lucifer asked, sharp grin broadening as you summoned your sword and shield again.
"Of course, Lux," you agreed, returning his confidence, "let's show 'em hell."
"Already there, sweetheart, but let's send them back where they came from." he chuckled as you both took flight, throwing yourselves back into the heat of battle.
With his full power restored, Lucifer tore through the former Exorcists as you covered him, blocking any attacks that might've made contact with him, your aura healing all of your nearby allies. The addition of yours and the Devil's might easily swept through Adam's unit, the ex-angels greatly weakened by their leader's defeat, falling to your blade in swaths.
None stood a chance against you and Lucifer now that you were reunited. It took only minutes as the remainder of the assailants fled or perished and the hotel's protectors reigned victorious in the battle.
Charlie and Vaggie hugged each other and cheered as you and Lucifer landed beside them. Husk and Angel were kissing on one of the balconies above and Cherri, who had been throwing Niffty like a projectile weapon, hopped down from her position to join you all, uncaring of the height she jumped from.
"We did it!" Charlie cheered, shaking Vaggie, the other woman laughing with a soft smile on her face as she basked in her lover's joy.
Blood was still smeared and splattered across both of their clothes, along with everyone else's. Even you weren't free of blood; the Archangel of innocence, soaked in the blood of the guilty- heh, what a sight to see.
"Hey toots, nice of you to join us!" Angel hollered from above, Husk shaking his head with a knowing smirk beside the spider demon.
Playfully flipping Angel off, the sinner laughed before turning around on the balcony to head inside and likely make his way down, Husker joining him. Though his comment drew everyone's attention to you, Charlie making a mad dash to envelope you in a hug as well, startling you.
"Oh my gosh, you came! Thank you so much!" she squeezed you, your bones nearly cracking under her strength as her father gently tapped her shoulder so she'd let up and you could breathe.
"I wouldn't leave you all to fight alone, I'm just glad Ourbi notified me that Adam rescheduled the fight," you responded sheepishly, allowing your halo to become invisible again so they could see your face, your armour remaining on your body, still accented with red from Lucifer's power- and you'd keep it that way, it looked much nicer.
"We didn't expect him to change the date," Vaggie muttered, irritated with the now deceased man, "he was rather punctual last time."
"He clearly learned from his mistakes then," you quipped, Lucifer's halo returning to his hat, his horns, tail and wings vanishing.
"Eh, who taught that fucker the element of surprise?" Cherri chimed in rhetorically, tossing one of her unused bombs in her hands, "was rather rude of him to just show up, yeah."
Everyone hummed or nodded in agreement a small chuckle coming from Lucifer before the group assessed the damages to the hotel, Charlie sighing at the work that would need to be done.
"Oh, don't wear a frown, my dear," Alastor shadow travelled behind Charlie, pressing his fingers into her cheeks to make her smile, "we built this establishment in a day, we can repair it in one."
Snapping his fingers, a group of varying voodoo doll creatures appeared, Lucifer glaring at the Radio Demon from afar. Though his agitation was subdued by your hand resting on his shoulder, his gaze softening, expression turning to that of hopeful longing.
"...You'll be staying, right?" he asked, a plea evident in his tone, "I don't want to lose you again- come Heaven or high water, I want you to be here, alright?"
Taking a deep breath, you already knew your decision -your heart had made it for you eons ago- but it would still take a lot of courage to stand up to the full force of the seraphims should you make the choice you wanted...
To hell with it, "I will be staying, for better or for worse." you stated, Lux's eyes filling with tears as he dove into your arms, his lips meeting yours before you had time to react.
Melding into the kiss, there was no sorrow this time, only the gentle ache of love that you returned with equal spirit. You could hear Charlie coo with glee off to the side, happy her father finally had someone else to care for after he and Lilith split before Vaggie tugged her away to give you and Luci some privacy, joining everyone as they started the process of reparation.
Drawing back, Lux pulled your hands into his, holding them to his chest, you could feel the pounding beat of his heart.
"I don't care what Heaven may try to do if they find out about us, we will deal with that problem if it arises. For now," he whispered softly, "we catch up and live our lives- angels be damned."
A Tearful smile spread across your lips as you dove in for another kiss, agreeing with him wholeheartedly, casting aside your worries as you had nothing to fear in his presence. In this moment, Heaven and Hell were words to you and not a thing in the world could tear you away from him.
He was your Lux and you were his Meridies and together you shone brighter than any other.