Chapter Text
The night that truly changed everything happened only when the brave and foolish would be outside. Even now, he did not know which one he was. Brave for attempting to walk through what would later become a flash flood. Or, foolish, led out by hunger, in search to stop the hunger pains. But amidst the pouring rain and distant rumble of thunder, he met someone he swore was an angel.
He had stopped beneath an awning, pawing through his loose change, drenched to the bone. But, opening from a door of a bakery, the fresh smell of bread wafted out. Without realizing it, he entered and just stared at the display case. It was upscale, nothing he could ever afford. But, as he prepared to leave a woman, the angel on earth almost walked into him.
Dressed in a light plum business suit and honey blonde haired pulled back, she looked distant to his world. But, her lips, holding a light blue lipstick, parted with a fond smile, almost later akin to a smirk. While barely knowing each other, they had shared a table, where she ordered a a slice of orange Danish and a drink.
When the bill was paid and he begrudgingly was given a ride back to his dorm, Lucifer took a scrap paper from his pocket. Using a busted pen, one he had forgotten in his coat, to write his number down in his chicken scratch.
“Call me?” He said hesitantly, handing the woman, Lilith, the scrap of paper. “If you want to.”
Her car, some sports brand, sat there, watching until he came to the door. She was still there as he fumbled with his student ID and entered. It only pulled away once he was inside, out of sight.
It was a week later that she took him to, what Lilith called “her little estate” which was bigger than four dorm halls put together. It was a big space, with many rooms. Her bedroom was in the very back. It was small space, granite flooring, pale walls, large plush ruby bed, and tall shelves lined with books.
“You read..” His voice came out weakly, recognizing a few books that he had needed to buy for classes. “I..I heard some of these.”
He turned to her, and one look happened before he was pushed down onto the soft bed. Clothes being thrown off and rustling of covers, they were one.
This was the very moment that led him to now.
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Inside a place that was no longer home, rather a prison, time had changed. The blank walls of the home had changed. Now, photographs spread over the space. Four years in total, one with only a couple, and three with an additional person, their young daughter.
Before, a year with just them, held very little evidence. Lucifer dressed in a tuxedo and Lilith dressed in white. At a charity event, where Lucifer is almost awkwardly wrapped around Lilith. Lilith, beaming, a round stomach, Lucifer smiling for once.
Then, at once, there were not just two, but three. Their lives weren’t just about them anymore, rather about another. The photographs showed a small babe swaddled in a car seat, held by Lucifer for the first time, taking her first steps to her mother, a small childish drawing of three figures, labeled, “Mommy, Daddy, and Me” in elegant script. The biggest, a small girl holding a sign that read, “First Day of Preschool” while she wore a red dress.
All signs that many only saw the surface image of a happy family. The façade that Lilith wanted them to see.
But, beneath, twisted, it was different. And, it was about to change.
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In the way back, amongst the silk covers, Lucifer Morningstar lay awake. Face holding a bruised eye, and a bloodied lip was dark but calm. Unnerving and mask of calm. After that night, his mind was sealed, a decision made. He could no longer hold any hesitation. Now or never.
His sapphire eyes, almost unblinking, stared ahead. Gaze stained, but shine with determination, he watched the steady rise and fall of the person’s chest beside him. The soft breathing was from the woman tucked in beside him. Lilith, elegant even in her sleep, rested. Her designer robe, made of imported silk, was draped loosely over her.
Tired from another night of forceful passion between them, she had only slipped the robe on. Now bearing a shoulder, she drifted, falling into a deep slumber, untroubled by what she didn’t know.
The room, as before, was pitch black, suffocating. Everything pressed down, almost consuming him. But, a pale dapple of light of the moon, despite the sway of rain, slipping through the curtains, kept the waves of hysteria at bay, a reminder there was more awaiting.
But that did not stop the almost hopelessness of surroundings bleached it away. Walls, once pristine oak, now bore the marks of another fight, another one side argument. Jagged shards of a whine glass lay on the granite floor. Sharp edges glistening and threatening, almost crowing at his thoughts. Several homes, fist sized, had peppered along the lower, still red from the blood that was stained, splattered across the one beautiful place he could no longer consider safe.
Shifting slightly, careful not to awake the woman next to him, his gaze flickered to the alarm clock on the other side of the room.
2:13 A.M.
Time was going so fast, but at the same time so slow. Soon, at 3:45 A.M., Lilith would awake. But, she did not settle until almost 1:30 A.M, later than normal.
Whatever was to happen needed to happen soon. Or it would never be that.
Still, beside him, Lilith’s breathing was soft and steady. Chest rising and falling, blissfully unaware of what he was doing. For once, despite still being beneath, she held no control. For once, despite holding scars of another night with her, was scabbling to hold an ounce of the cards that she held above him. There was no warning of what he was starting to unravel. The very being who had been toyed with, finally felt as if he could do what was needed.
Still skittish, slow, he slipped from the bed, scared to wake her up. But, as he arrived at the closet, he bent down, reaching for the designer bag he had packed earlier. Filled with so few belongings, too little, was all that he had left. Everything that would come when he left this grand place.
Breath caught in his throat; he shouldered the bag. Heart pounding and body stiff, the man knew he could not turn back. Turning back would mean admitting defeat.
Lucifer had gone barefoot as he slipped out of the room. He slowly padded down a dimly lit hallway to where their small daughter, Charlie, rested in her toddler bed. Her nursery was the one place untouched, looking like a true place of paradise.
The sight of her asleep caused the young father, barely twenty-three, to pause. Curled beneath the blankets, her small form bathed in the faint glow of the nightlight from the corner. Her curly pair pilled over her pillow. Small chest rising and falling, her tiny face was peaceful, untouched by the chaos around her, something he worked so hard to do.
This decision, one he hadn’t fathom making before, was because of her. Because of Charlie, he managed to find a way to get playing cards into his hand and leave.
Lucifer took a shaky breath as she leaned down, gently picking is daughter, taking her into his arms. Charlie felt so small, vulnerable. But, this small toddler was her entire world. Holding the girl close, savoring the last warmth of the paradise of the nursery, she knew what would come.
A husband of an affluent family, like the Magne's, did not just leave without a fight. Even with the marks he bared, it wouldn’t be easy. But, it was something he was willing to try.
Slowly, starting to stand up, Charlie stirred from the slight jolt of being lifted. Her violet eyes, the carbon copy of the very women that he hated, fluttered open in confusion. A tiny, soft whimper, almost scarce, escaped.
Blood roaring in his ears, he froze, straining for any sign. Any sign of danger. But there was none. Lilith, to his knowledge, was still asleep, her chest still rising and falling. Hopefully, too lost in the world of sleep to notice them to leave.
“Shh, Duckie..” He spoke in a stressed whisper, patting her back gently. “Shh..It’s quiet time.”
But Charlie was too young, so sheltered to understand. Rather, drowsy of being awakened, nuzzled against him, violet gaze dark. Softly, freeing one hand from gripping onto his nightshirt, the small girl gestured somewhere in the darkness.
While too dark to see what his daughter wanted, Lucifer knew. Her favorite stuffed toy, a raggedy little goat, named Razzle Dazzle. It had been better days, found at a thrift store just a few weeks after she was born. Lucifer had been so proud when finding it, even after Lilith bad mouthed the poor toy. But now, it settled against the nightlight, the one that projected scenes on the ceiling, nearly thrown away in an earlier fit of rage.
He knew that they could not stay any longer. But, Lucifer would be dammed that his daughter wouldn’t get the comfort that she sought. Yanking one of her old diaper bags, once used for outings when she was a babe, he moved over to the dresser. Fingers wrapping around the cold cord and yanking it, the nightlight projector ended up in the bag. While the goat. Tucking it beneath her chin, she settled back against her father’s shoulder.
Relief surging through him, he fought the childish urge to stick his tongue out in the direction of the bedroom. Lilith had belittled him for the little things he bought for Charlie. The projector and stuffed goat from the thrift store were more sought after than the silk bedding or wooden toys that she bought.
All the money that she threw at Charlie couldn’t replace what he gave her, stopping all this from happening.
Moving with the grace of a bull in a China shop, Lucifer exited from the nursery, careful with trying not to make noise. He held his daughter close, taking a deep breath to keep himself calm. But, before he could make it to the door, his heart dropped. The car keys to his useless car.
In all plans, he forgot to grab them. His gaze scanned the large living room, trying to find them. If nothing could be found, it would all fall apart.
Laying his daughter down onto the couch, rubbing her back, he stretched to fumble through the table in the center. The pads of his fingers brushed over glossy magazines, a half-used bottle of Lilith’s favorite perfume, which he mated. Then, cold mental, his car keys. They had been beneath one of the many silk scarves that Lilith kept around the place. Breathing a sigh of relief, he snatched them up, forming a fist around them.
Despite the reassurance, it still gave a bitter thought. The car that his thoughtful wife gave him was partially on its last legs. A second hand that sputtered and groan with each movement. It was another manipulative way to keep him dependent, tied to her. While he dealt with that, she flaunted her brand-new car, a sleek, polished jaguar that roared with no effort.
Now, that did not matter. The car was his, in his name, and could be taken without legal trouble. And it meant that he could get Charlie far away from where as possible.
Picking Charlie back up again, he grasped the cold metal of the handle. Taking a deep breath, this was the last piece that kept him here, kept him where he was abused, emotionally, physically, verbally and more.
Hand shaking, he turned it slowly, praying that no alarm would go off. He couldn’t remember if Lilith had gotten another alarm after the other gave it. It was hard to remember.
But, as the door swung open, he was greeted by the night air, then the alarm. It was cold, frigid against the wind. But, it was welcomed, a sign he was actually doing it, actually leaving.
Squaring his shoulders, Lucifer stepped out into the night air. Charlie resting against his shoulder, two bags over his shoulder, and the small toy goat in her hands was with him as it closed shut. The sound feeling of a firecracker amongst the rustling trees and low crickets of the night, and low drizzling of rain.
It did not dampen his feelings. Rather, it almost energized him, even the rain didn’t stop him. It was done.
There was nothing now. Nothing with him except for his daughter, two small bag of belongings, and a worn out toy.
But, he had done it.
He was leaving.