Lucifer drops down to his knees and peers over the edge into the water. Ace bites his bottom lip as he does the same, keeping a hand on the small of Lucifer's back to keep himself from falling in, his other hand flat against the cool stone below them.
The clear water is still, not a single disturbance or ripple in the water. Ace feels almost terrible for being so close to the water. He isn't sure why he suddenly feels like he shouldn't be here. Like he doesn't have permission. Then his neighbor's face's flash across his vision. He murdered an innocent family. Perhaps that is why he doesn't feel welcome by the water.
Lucifer points at the water. "Do you see those bronze coins?"
Ace has to look hard, his eyes trying to look straight passed them and into the scenery of Earth on the other side. Ace has a hard time focusing so he only sees the coins, but he manages it by blinking a few times and zeroing in on them.
"Yeah," Ace replies. "What are they down there for?"
"The demons throw them in after sealing a wish inside them,"
Ace blinks a few times before looking at Lucifer who was already looking at him.
"You mean, it's sort of like a wishing well then?"
"Exactly what it is," Lucifer smiles. "This water is holy water though, since it came from Heaven. So, the demons cannot touch it, so they know their wishes are safe. It also helps that no one will raid the coins and steal them,"
"Do the wishes come true?" Ace asks curiously.
"Once a month, I come here and pick a coin at random. If the wish is attainable, I grant it,"
"What do you mean by attainable?"
"The wish cannot be outrageous; I will not grant those. For example, if a demon wanted to live on Earth or Heaven, I would not grant it. If a demon wanted to rule over Hell, Earth, or Heaven, I would not grant it. But if a demon were to wish for health, I would grant that. If someone were to wish for better sales, I would grant it. As long as the wish is attainable, I will grant it. But I only grant one wish every month,"
Ace grins. "You continue to surprise me every day, Lucifer,"
Lucifer tilts his head to the side. "Why is that?"
Ace looks back down into the water and focuses on the bronze coins.
"I thought you would be different. Like, sort of evil. But you're not. You're actually really sweet. You have your moments, but you are kind. You care for the demons. Like that orphaned demon child, Akuji. You brought him into the castle, fed and clothed him, and now you're giving him a home. You pay outrageously when we go to the village even though they say you don't have to pay. You don't treat your staff wickedly either, you even help them on occasions,"
Lucifer frowns at Ace's words. "You thought I would be evil?"
Ace shrugs his shoulders as a slight blush tints his cheeks. "I don't know, you are the Devil himself after all. I just sort of figured you would be different," He snaps his head up to Lucifer then. "Not that it's a bad thing or anything. I like you just the way you are. You don't have to be cruel or change or anything like that," He says quickly.
Lucifer smiles. "I can be cruel, though," He says honestly. "You have never seen me with the damned, not that I want you to see that side of me of course. But I didn't used to be like this. When I first came to Hell, the demons were wild and out of control. There is a reason they respect me now,"
"Did you scare them into submission?" Ace asks with an eyebrow raised.
"Sort of," Lucifer chuckles nervously. "But, that was a long time ago, I am a different person now," He says as he shakes his head from the memories. "Anyway, I came to grant a wish today and thought you would like to see it,"
Ace snorts as he looks back at the pool of water. "Of course I would," He says like it was the dumbest thing he'd ever heard.
Lucifer smiles at his response. "Very well then," He grins.
"So, how does it work?" Ace wonders as he works hard to focus on the bronze coins.
"Well, all I do is pick a coin," Lucifer says as he reaches into the water and plucks out a coin.
Ace frowns as he watches Lucifer pull the coin out of the water. The water from his arm literally gets sucked back into the pool of water, as if it didn't belong anywhere else but there.
"Wait," Ace says. "If this used to lead to Earth, how is there a bottom? Wouldn't the coins just go to Earth?"
"That is a very good question," Lucifer says as he holds the coin between two fingers, then shifts the coin between all his fingers in a showy manner that Ace will not admit looks cool. "The easiest way to explain it is an invisible barrier, or a wall if that makes more sense. The barrier, or wall, stops the coins from entering Earth. It is a way to keep Hellish things in Hell, and Earthly things in Earth,"
"Earthly things?"
"Like litter," Lucifer explains. "When it was in Heaven, it kept Heavenly things in Heaven and Earthly things out,"
"But, doesn't that defeat the purpose of people and animals getting through? Wouldn't they just... get stuck?"
Lucifer chuckles and shakes his head. "No, it doesn't act as a barrier for the humans or animals. Just a barrier for garbage on Earth, the coins here, and anything and everything divine from leaving Heaven,"
"Oh," Ace mutters as he starts to understand. Then he shakes his head. "Okay, so how does this wish thing work? How do you know what the wish is?" He asks as he watches Lucifer shift the coin between his fingers.
"They whisper," Lucifer answers. Then he flips the coin into the air and catches it easily without missing a beat. "Listen," He says quietly as he puts the coin up to Ace's ear.
Ace makes eye contact with Lucifer like he is crazy. He doesn't hear anything from the coin for the first few seconds, then, just as suddenly, it sounds like a light breeze picking up. The noise is faint but gets louder by the second, until it is a whisper in his ear.
"Please, my king, please, I beg of you, please," The coin whispers in a male voice. "Help my mate get pregnant. Her name is Astaroth. We desperately wish for a child. Please, my king, if you hear this wish, please, I beg of you, grant us a child,"
Ace blinks in shock as he continues to stare at Lucifer. Lucifer heard the wish alongside Ace, so he smiles at the wish.
"That, my sweet boy, is an attainable wish," Lucifer grins as he retracts his hand and holds it up for Ace to see. "You see, it is very rare for demons to love their mate, however, Astaroth and Kanamos love each other. They are true mates,"
Ace nods his head. "Yeah, I remember," He says. "True mates are rare down here, too. Usually, the parents choose their offspring's mate for them,"
"Yes," Lucifer smiles at his sweet boy. "However, I have granted a few wishes from demons seeking out their true mate. I do love granting those ones," He grins wide. "Love is a beautiful thing. I never truly understood it until I met you. It was a foreign emotion to me, but I liked the way love made the demons happy. When they found their true mate, it made them very happy,"
"But love is also rare down here," Ace points out.
"Yes, but, I'm hoping that can change eventually. Everyone should experience love. Loving someone and being loved back, it is a wonderful feeling," Lucifer says with a cheesy grin that has Ace blushing hard.
"Okay, so how do you grant the wish then?" Ace asks curiously.
Lucifer grins wide. "This is the fun part,"
Ace blinks in shock at how excited Lucifer looks. He watches Lucifer intently, though, so he doesn't miss a thing. Lucifer continues to grin wide as he throws the coin in the air and watches it flip. Then, he throws his arm in the air and catches the coin in his hand before tightening his fist and crushing the coin. He moves his hand down and holds it out in front of him and opens his fist to show Ace the dust in his palm.
Ace's eyes widen as he looks at the dust in Lucifer's palm. He has to remind himself that Lucifer is the Devil himself so he can do otherwise impossible things. The dust looks like glittering gold in Lucifer's palm, which confuses Ace because he thought it would look brown as it was a bronze coin.
"Now, the really fun part," Lucifer says giddily. "Do not blink or else you'll miss it,"
Ace watches as Lucifer turns slightly so he is facing the pool of water before he lifts his hand and then blows the dust out of his palm. Ace gasps as the dust goes flying over the water, making it look like it is raining gold. The entire pool of water glitters and sparkles for a moment, it almost looks like pictures of the cosmos as it lights up in every color known to man.
Ace is speechless. His mind goes completely blank as the glittering and colors disappear and the pool returns to normal. Ace cannot take his eyes off the water, however, even though it is back to normal now.
Lucifer looks at Ace, his smile growing even more at his reaction. Lucifer knew Ace would love it, which is exactly why he brought him here. He wanted to show his pretty boy something beautiful and spectacular.
Lucifer chuckles. "Judging by the look on your face, you enjoyed it?"
Ace blinks for the first time since Lucifer blew the dust out of his hand. He looks up at Lucifer with wide eyes and nods his head furiously.
"That was amazing! It was so cool! It was, it was," He shakes his head to try and collect his thoughts. "It was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"
Lucifer pouts at his words. "The most beautiful?" Ace raises an eyebrow. "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen,"
Ace rolls his eyes. "Okay, yeah, you're beautiful, but that was just so amazing and beautiful is the only way to describe it. It was gorgeous,"
Lucifer drops his pout to smile at him, then he pulls him into a hug, Ace's arms immediately wrapping around him. Lucifer bends his head and kisses the top of Ace's head, his hair tickling his nose slightly.
"I am glad you enjoyed it," Lucifer whispers into his hair. "I knew you would,"
"I loved it so much, thank you, Lucifer," Ace grins into his chest. "This whole place, thank you,"
Lucifer kisses his head again one last time before he sighs. "Shall we head home now?"
Ace lifts his head to look at the pool of water and the lush green plants one last time. He breathes in the cool fresh air, memorizing the scent. Then he closes his eyes and rests his head against Lucifer's chest again with a soft sigh.
"Yes, we can go home now," He whispers.
This truly was a piece of Heaven and Ace enjoyed every second of it. He never thought he would miss Earth so much until now. Seeing the plants and the color green everywhere. Feeling the cool breeze against his skin. The sweet earthy scent. Everything was perfect and reminded him of Earth.
However, Ace does not wish to go back. He would never wish to depart from Lucifer, not after everything he has given and done for him, not after falling completely in love with him. Earth was not a pleasant place for Ace, so why would he ever want to go back? Except, perhaps if he were to visit with Lucifer now, without having to worry about parents or anything else, perhaps he would find pleasure in the place God created.