Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Five years ago, if anyone had asked Alastor what his life would be like in five years time, he would never have been able to predict his current existence.

Not that life was bad! No, no, far from it; life was good. But, that’s not to say the last five years hadn’t been challenging.

He and his ma had moved from New Orleans, Luisiana, when he was 22 - he had to drop out of college for that, but he didn’t regret it. Alastor and Jacqueline had traveled across the country, all the way to Mendocino County, California, where they settled down in a nice little town with a population of under 9,000 people.

The move was necessary; Alastor’s abusive, shit-for brains asshole of a father had come to an untimely end, launching their cross-country excursion. While the police agreed that it seemed the drunkard had slipped and hit his head on the boardwalk along the edge of the bayou and drowned, his ma knew the truth. But Jacqueine would be damned if she ever let anything bad come to her baby boy.

So she had taken Alastor out of school, packed up all their belongings that could fit in their little old Volkswagen, and with the insurance money and whatever small amounts of savings her good-for-nothing husband left her and her son, they booked it.

Jacqueline had no idea where she was going, all she knew was that she had to get as far away from New Orleans, from the reminders of her abuser and the death and horror of the place as humanly possible.

Alastor hated that he hadn’t been able to protect his mother more. She had always shielded him from the worst of it, taking the brunt of every blow, every harsh word, every hateful thing his dad had to give him. And he had a lot of hate to give.

At first Alastor was too small, too young to understand what was going on. The brunet spent most of his days out in the bayou, playing along the riverbank and catching frogs and fireflies. As he got older, he started to notice that his family dynamic was different from those of his peers at school. His friends’ moms didn’t have black eyes and fresh bruises on their wrists every week. His friends’ dads didn’t come home every day drunk, or hit them when they made a simple mistake or got a bad grade.

His family was… different.

Alastor grew to hate his father, especially as he got older and saw how badly the fucker treated his ma. But Alastor was still such a scrawny little thing, even as a teenager; he couldn’t do anything to protect his mother.

Even if he could, she wouldn’t want him to.

Jacqueline made it very clear that it was her place to protect Alastor. When he had hit puberty and suddenly felt so much more wrong and messed up than ever before, she had gently told Alastor that she would love him no matter what, support him regardless of who he loved.

It wasn’t until a couple of weeks later that he realized his ma thought he was a homosexual.

She wasn’t completely wrong.

Keeping his gender a secret from his dad was hard, but Alastor managed. He spent the majority of his time out of the house anyway, away from the yelling and the fists and the anger. He kept his hair short, and managed to get his hands on a second-hand binder from a friend at school.

The brunet wished he could take his ma with him to school, take her out of the house with him. But Alastor knew she wouldn’t have that. She was certain that keeping his dad’s attention on herself was the best way to keep Alastor safe.

Unfortunately, she was right.

Over time Alastor developed a fascination with serial killers; he listened to radio shows on true crime, read books on the psychology of killers, watched movies about murder mysteries. He imagined he was the main character - or the villain, the one with the knife, with the poison, with the gun. If he had that kind of weapon, that kind of power… well, he wouldn’t be so afraid of his father anymore, for one.

By the time Alastor had graduated high school his morbid fascination had grown from the hypothetical to the practical. He had taken to “borrowing” his father’s hunting knives, setting up rudimentary traps in the bayou to try to catch small game - little things, like frogs and rabbits. As he waited to hopefully catch something, Alastor practice throwing the knifes, working on his aim, developing his skills with the knives. He was beyond thrilled when he first caught a squirrel, thrashing frantically in its trap until Alastor stabbed it messily to death. It was not a clean kill in the slightest - he had no idea what he was doing yet.

A new urge reared its head in Alastor that day; the desire to consume the creature he had just killed, drink its blood, devour it whole and raw.

Alastor probably would have given into that urge there and then, if he didn’t know the dangers of eating raw, wild animal meat. However, he learned how to cook his catches to the bare minimum needed to be safe to eat, where the flesh was still tender and blood still spilled when he sliced into the cut. He would cook his meat just barely, so it was practically raw, at home before his father came back from work and his ma was busy, or out in the woods over a small campfire he’d construct.

The next couple of years found Alastor honing his knife skills, reading about hunting game alongside his schoolwork and radio shows on true crime, watching videos on how to skin an animal, going out into the bayou after school to see what he had caught in his traps - and practicing carving them up.

He intended to do something about his father eventually - that had always been his intention. But the brunet needed to get stronger first, get better and faster and smarter. Alastor had gone through a growth spurt his first year of college, leaving him at 6’4” - which only gave him a couple of inches on his father. But the man was stronger, more muscular than Alastor; he had worked as a miner (a dying, struggling business that definitely didn’t help his father’s sour disposition), a physically demanding job that left him very well built and fit. Alastor on the other hand was skinny as a pole, all lanky limbs and gangly awkwardness. He absolutely could not take his father.

But then came that fateful day, the day five years ago when everything had changed. Alastor had gotten back home from university early that day only to find his father choking his ma to death. He had done so before, but this was different; he was waisted, and boiling mad, and clearly serious this time. There was a pot of burnt food spilled across the kitchen floor - the catalyst for this altercation. An unfair, ridiculous, frankly disgustingly petty reason to lash out at his wife in such a way.

Vision going red, before he knew it Alastor had grabbed a rolling pin and bashed it into the side of his father’s head. The man stumbled back, hands coming up to clutch at his head, a cry of pain ripping from his throat. Alastor swung again, hitting him even harder, satisfied at the loud crack he heard as the rolling pin connected with his father’s skull. Blood welled up along the split skin of his temple, dark red liquid trickling down his face. His father stumbled, falling, turning as he did with wide eyes to stare at Alastor.

Alastor bludgeoned the man, hitting him again and again until his skull was split and blood coated his hands and rolling pin, until his father had stopped moving, stopped trying to speak, stopped breathing.

His ma had helped him dispose of the body.

The police hadn’t cared enough to investigate the death thoroughly.

It helped that Alastor’s dad was already known as a drunkard and violent fool around town. His going on a walk at night and falling off a dock onto some sharp rocks in the bayou made sense to everyone. No one questioned it.

No one questioned it when they moved soon after either.

The little town they ended up settling down in was honestly perfect, if you asked Alastor. Far enough away from the main hustle and bustle of civilization to explore his own dark activities, while also being a fairly popular tourist location - meaning that plenty of people came through town. Some more unsavory than others.

See, Alastor now had a taste for human blood, and he wanted more.

He got a job at the local radio station to support him and his ma, working as a paid intern. Alastor hit it off swimmingly with the network’s main radio host, who took Alastor under his wing as if he was the boy’s father. He knew the brunet didn’t have a dad, though didn’t press for details. His name was Zestial, and he was kind to Alastor, and that was good enough for him.

Also, Alastor was going to take over his job one day.

Zestial liked to hunt on the side, and when Alastor shared his interest in the activity as well, he quickly found himself a hunting buddy. Zestial taught Alastor how to use a gun, the best spots in the nearby woods to catch game, the ins and outs of setting up traps. The brunet was positively thrilled by this. Of course he didn’t tell Zestial that on top of deer and rabbits and pheasants he sometimes indulged in a different, more dangerous kind of game.

It didn’t take long before Alastor was rising through the ranks at work; his voice was simply made for radio. The young upstart who owned the local television station wanted Alastor for his enterprise, but he politely turned Victor down.

That (unfortunately) didn’t seem to dissuade the TV obsessed young man.

It didn’t matter though! Alastor had been promoted from getting coffee and organizing paperwork to having his own segment during Zestial’s morning show. Alongside getting coffee and organizing paperwork, of course.

The people of the town were generally an older population, folks that had moved out here to retire and be in nature. Radio was a thriving industry here, and the folks loved Alastor’s voice, especially his specific segment (today in history: what amazing things occurred on this fine day during the past couple of centuries?), which quickly grew in popularity.

From having a short segment in Zestial’s show, to getting his own time slot to expand on his segment, to being offered a whole radio show of his own three times a week, Alastor was doing fairly well for himself. Each upwards step brought with it a pay raise, and that he was more than happy to give ninety percent of to his dear old ma.

And then his beloved mother suddenly passed away of a heart attack.

The weeks after his ma’s death had been some of the darkest, hardest days for Alastor. They had only been living here for a little over a year, and while they were pretty well established and had gotten to know the community and people, Alastor still felt so alone and unmoored, especially now that his ma had passed away.

Zestial stepped up to help Alastor during this time. He even got a lot of the local community to chip in in whatever ways they could, offering food or money or goods to Alastor that he might need.

That’s how Alastor got to know Rosie better, the owner of the butcher shop in town better. He had already met her, given that he was carnivorous in nature, but his mother’s death had her reaching out to him and being there for Alastor unlike anytime before. He really appreciated it.

This was also how Alastor discovered that Rosie had a similar inclination for meat - and types of meat - as he did. Of course, they only discovered this about each other by accident, but it was a happy accident. One that only made them better friends.

Things were bad, but they weren’t all bad, Alastor had realized. He had found himself in a place where he could really be himself. So why not focus on being who he wanted to be and doing what he wanted to do?

The brunet was able to pull himself together once more, giving himself time to process his mother’s death properly while realizing he still had so much to live for. So much he wanted to do with his life. He decided to throw himself into being the best version of himself he could be instead. He started taking hormones. With Zestial’s help he found a plot of land near the state park for sale and bought it. Rosie with all her connections around town was able to give him information on the abusive, predatory scumbags and miscreants who came to their little town as a way to get away from it all and take a little vacation - they never made it home from their vacations. They were never missed.

Alastor shared the spoils of his hunts with Rosie of course - that was his thanks for the information she provided. It worked out well for the both of them.

He sold Jacqueline’s old Volkswagen, though it pained him to part with his ma’s car, and bought a sturdy pick up truck. He needed the truck bed for the game he would catch, and also for the next project Alastor intended to start.

Soon Alastor started building a house for himself on the plot of land he had bought. Zestial helped, as did the hardware store owner - Carmilla Carmine - and her daughters. Zestial had a crush on Carmilla, but he was a good bit older than her and shy about it. Alastor hadn’t even noticed Zestial trying to flirt with the woman until he had told the brunet about his woes in love. Then Alastor noticed, and did his best to wingman for his mentor.

It surprisingly worked - turned out Carmilla had been very aware of Zestial’s feelings and was just waiting for him to actually make a move.

They helped Alastor with the foundation of his cabin in the woods and getting materials, setting up plumbing and electrical work. But after that Alastor shooed them off, saying this was his project and no one else’s.

Truthfully, Alastor had some rather… unconventional plans for his cabin, and he didn’t want Zestial or Carmilla to see that.

It took the better part of three years, but Alastor managed to build his cabin (mostly) by himself. Zestial came back and helped a bit more here and there, after Alastor was sure the secret basement he put in was finished and properly hidden from prying eyes and questioning minds.

Alastor then moved out of the little apartment his ma and him had shared when they first moved to town, and into his new cabin.

It was perfect.

His next step in becoming his ideal version of himself involved getting top surgery; Rosie came to stay with him for a week in his new cabin while he recovered from the procedure, and after his post-op appointment to remove the dressing, Rosie started coming by every day instead of staying with him in the cabin. She still has a business to run! Alastor was grateful for her help, knowing she had to close the butchers shop fully for that first week, and had limited the establishment’s hours for the next two weeks to be able to make the trip out to check on Alastor every day during that time.

After that Alastor was able to return to work, though he had to take it slow and be gentle with himself. Rosie still stopped by daily to check on him, but only after work now and just for a couple of hours a day. He really appreciated her friendship and support.

Six weeks after his procedure, Alastor felt mostly back to normal. Zestial was planning on retiring soon, and he was thinking of giving his show over to Alastor. The brunet was thrilled by this, eager to rise even higher at his job. After a couple of weeks of talking with station management, Alastor became the official host of Zestial’s old morning broadcast, as well as being allowed to keep his afternoon show three times a week. People in town seemed to love listening to Alastor’s voice, and having two shows meant that the brunet had a decently thick paycheck every two weeks.

Suddenly Alastor was very busy, but that didn’t stop him from getting one more little procedure he had always wanted to get; tubal ligation. The brunet got his tubes tied, and was pleased as can be that the recovery period was fast and easy. He wasn’t interested in sex, never had been, but was even less interested in having children and wanted to make sure there was never a possibility of that happening to him. Now he felt more confident and happy in his body than he ever had before!

So yes, if five years ago someone had asked him what his life would be like in five years, Alastor would never have been able to guess. But things were good, so so good! He had a job he loved, a hobby he could indulge in, friends who were there for him, and had sculpted himself into the man he always knew he could be.

Alastor was happy.

The brunet hummed to himself as he left the radio station, getting into his pickup and sliding his bag across to the passengers seat. He was excited; it was late June on a Thursday afternoon, and hunting season would be starting soon. Sure, it was archery hunting season, but Alastor knew how to avoid the law in these parts. A silencer on his gun, traps set up in sneaky locations - he could still hunt the way he wanted without worrying.

Speaking of - Alastor had recently decided to try his hand at bear hunting. He had set up a rather large, expensive contraption deep in the woods, camouflaging it expertly. The brunet figured he should at least try to catch a bear sometime, considering that they were the closest thing to humans he could hunt in the woods. If this went well, he could repurpose the trap to hunt his fellow man - but mainly bears of course, since he didn’t want to attract too much suspicion. He bought a bear trap, he might as well catch some actual bears with it!

The trap had only been up for a day, but Alastor was itching to go check on it already. He knew he had set it up a tad early for hunting season, but could you blame him? He had gotten his hands on a shiny new toy, and had wanted to play with it!

The radio station was going to be having some remodeling done the next few weeks, so everyone had been given some paid time off. Rosie had given him the information of a new sleezebag (one that was running an underground trafficking operation) that had rolled into town recently and would be staying for a couple of weeks, so this was the perfect time for Alastor to do his research on this man and find out how he wanted to conduct his hunt.

Grinning to himself as he drove out of town, fingers drumming on the steering wheel with barely constrained excitement, Alastor made his way back home. It was summer, the sun still shining bright in the sky even though it was past five thirty now. He had considered stopping by Rosie’s for a bit before heading home, maybe picking up some fresh cuts of meat, but his desire to check on his new toy won out. He still had a little meat in the walk in freezer in his basement anyway, and he could always go back to Rosie’s tomorrow. He had the next three weeks off, after all!

Turned onto the gravel driveway marked ‘private property’ Alastor began whistling a bright, cheery tune.

It was going to be a good three weeks.

He could feel it in his bones.

Chapter Text

Alastor parked his truck in the little carport next to his cabin, eagerly hopping out and scurrying inside to drop off his bag and get changed. He practically flung his messenger bag onto one of the couches in the living room, taking the steps up to his room two at a time. Alastor shed his red pinstripe coat and dark brown slacks - people always said his sense of style was old fashioned, but he didn’t care. He felt most comfortable in fancy dress and silk shirts.

Aside from when he was hunting, of course. He pulled on a pair of army green pants and a camouflage jacket. The brunet was once again thankful that blaze orange was not a requirement for hunters to wear in California - besides, he wasn’t hunting right now, just going to check on a trap! Didn’t hurt to be dressed appropriately though.

Grabbing his favorite hunting knife and sheathing it in the utility belt around his waist, Alastor headed out. It was bright out, but not too hot; Alastor relished in the fresh scent of dirt and leaves crunching under his feet, the cool breeze rustling through the trees and his hair. It was a bit of a walk to where Alastor set up his bear trap, but he wasn’t in a rush. He took his time, walking through the woods without a care, knowing this land well. He paused here and there to listen to the sounds in the underbrush, the bird calls, a rabbit darting out in front of him. But he didn’t turn to investigate or hunt any of them; the brunet was on a mission right now.

A little past seven Alastor made it to his destination. The sun was low in the sky now, but still warm and bright. There was a small cluster of trees, with dense foliage around their trunks. Hidden in the center was the bear trap Alastor had set up.

Cheeks aching from how wide he was smiling, Alastor quickly started to make his way over to where he hid his trap, eager to check on the contraption and fiddle with it some more.

Something made Alastor pause in his tracks.

Still a couple of yards away from the tree cluster, the brunet frowned, tilting his head in confusion.

Something was off. But what?

Carefully Alastor let his gaze scour the surrounding area. His instincts were sharp, and his gut feelings had saved his hide more than a few of times in the past - so he knew better than to ignore the way the short hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end, or the prickling sensation traveling up his limbs. Now that he was looking carefully, Alastor realized that the dirt around him had been disturbed. Recently.

A low, animalistic sound reached his ears. It was coming from the cluster of trees surrounded by shrubbery; it was coming from his bear trap.

Slowly and cautiously Alastor began to creep forward, eyes locked on the spot he knew his trap was hidden. As he drew closer he realized that the counter-balance door was shut. Something was inside the trap.

Cold dread washed over Alastor. Realistically he knew he shouldn’t be worried - the animal was safely inside the trap, and he was outside! He hunted humans for crying out load, a bear didn’t scare him! But something was off. It had to be, or his heart wouldn’t be thumping this hard in his chest, every instinct telling him to turn tail and flee.

But Alastor was nothing if not curious. Besides, this was his bear trap. He would have to deal with his catch sooner or later.

No matter that he hadn’t even put out any bait in the trap the day before, just set it up. Some dumb animal (probably a bear) must have been stupid enough to crawl into it, and now it was trapped, so it was Alastor’s responsibility.

Carefully taking his hunting knife in hand, Alastor crept closer. He was now just a few feet away from the bear trap, could see deep gauges in the dirt around the entrance, splattering’s of red - and other colors - sparkling in the grass.

The brunet paused, not understanding. He felt dizzy, knuckles turning white from how hard he was gripping his knife.

There was something in his trap. Something that seemed to be injured, if the red droplets were anything to go by. The other colors were confusing though, he didn’t know what they could be. Paint? Was this bear covered in paint for some reason?

With trembling limbs Alastor stepped closer, trying to peer through the little slits meant for the bear to be able to breathe. It was dark in the trap, the bear obscured by shadow. Though Alastor could swear this bear had light fur. He wasn’t sure though, considering how obscured the bear was in shadow.

Alastor grimaced, mentally berating himself for not bringing his tranquiler gun with him. He had befriended a young vet tech a few months back, a girl with too much manic energy and a fascination with insects. Her name was Nina, and she loved hearing about Alastor’s hunts. He of course left out the more dangerous kind of hunts he indulged in - the little dear didn’t need to know about that! However, she had managed to order some bear tranquilizers for Alastor, having heard from him that he wanted to try hunting bigger game. Nina was more than willing to help him out in his endeavors.

And he hadn’t brought the bear tranquilizers with him! Granted, Alastor hadn’t expected to actually have caught anything today, but still. He should have brought that with him just in case!

It would take him over forty minutes to trek back to his cabin, and then another forty minutes to get back out here, and then he’d have to walk back home yet again - another forty minutes. On top of the forty minutes it had taken him to get to the bear trap to begin with! Alastor was not about to spend the rest of his evening walking back and forth to his cabin. No, fuck that.

Carefully Alastor began moving aside the foliage cover he had put on the bear trap, revealing more and more of the steel contraption and hoping this would give him a better look at what lay inside.

It helped a little.

The bear was curled up, though it was big, massive even. All Alastor could make out was a general bear-ish shape, no real head or paws visible. But through the slits he could make out glints of red and blue and gold matted in the creatures fur. And that fur looked filthy, muddy and tangled and full of twigs and debris.

There was a slight raising and falling of the bear’s flank, which was the only real sign Alastor had that the creature was alive. It seemed to be injured though; the brunet knew blood, the sharp tang of iron reaching his nose.

Sighing, Alastor leaned against a tree as he thought, fiddling with his hunting knife. He couldn’t just open the trap’s door - letting the bear go right now would be the best decision, but that would pose a huge risk to his own safety, considering that he hadn’t brought his tranquilizer gun and all he had to defend himself right now was his knife. He couldn’t call any park rangers - it wasn’t even hunting season yet, he would get in trouble for having this trap up already.

So that left him with only one real option, he supposed. Sheathing his knife, Alastor steeled himself for what he was about to do.

Slowly, cautiously, Alastor moved to the front of the trap, picking up the hitch extension and beginning to pull. The brunet was a lot stronger than he had been five years ago, though he was still tall and lanky. But he had filled out, actually had some muscle on him now. Hunting did that for him. As did taking testosterone - his T shots definitely helped him put on muscle.

The bear trap began to move, wheels squealing in protest as they started to turn. It was a lot lighter than Alastor had expected it to be, considering there was a whole ass bear in there at the moment. He had lugged the thing out there by himself, all 150 pounds of it. The fact that it was on wheels made it easier for sure; Alastor found that once he got into a rhythm he could pull that metal contraption around easily enough. So pull it he did, back in the direction of his cabin.

The bear didn’t make any sounds. It stayed quiet and still as Alastor made his way through the woods, stopping once in a while to catch his breath. He cursed himself for forgetting to bring a bottle of water with him on this excursion in his excitement to just get out into the woods.

The trek back took much longer than forty minutes. By the time Alastor got the bear trap out around the back of his cabin, the sun had gone down, darkness beginning to settle thickly throughout the woods. There was still a little bit of natural light left though, and the brunet was determined to make full use of it.

Alastor was panting, sweat matting his hair to his forehead, clothes sticking unpleasantly to his overheated moist flesh. He opened the door to the shed at the back of his cabin, shoving the work table at the back out of the way, roughly yanking the dirty mat on the floor to the side. Underneath lay the secret trap door, the one to his basement, his private, morbid work room.

Descending the stairs, Alastor made a beeline for his guns, picking up the tranquilizer gun and checking that the bear tranquilizer was in it already. Satisfied, Alastor headed back upstairs.

Light was fading fast, so the brunet had to act quickly; he was going to tranquilizer the beast, and then hook the trap up to his truck to drive a bit away from his house - where he would leave the trap with the door open and head home. By morning the bear should have shaken off the effects of the tranquilizer and lumbered off, and Alastor would go to pick up the bear trap once more.

Not a perfect plan, but the best he currently had.

Taking a deep breath, Alastor pressed the tip of the tranquilizer gun through one of the trap’s slits, taking aim and firing into the darkness. A slight thump told him he hit his target, followed by a low groan. Then silence.

Cautiously Alastor opened the trap door. Eyes adjusting to the darkness, Alastor gazed inquisitively into the cage. The bear was really quite big, it was impressive it had fit in there to begin with. And… wait were those horns?

Fear - acidic and nauseating - crept up the back of Alastor’s throat. He went to his truck, grabbing the heavy duty flashlight he kept in the glove compartment, and went back to the bear trap.

With trembling fingers Alastor shone the beam into the cage.

And promptly dropped the flashlight.

Whatever he had caught, that was not a bear.

———

After a couple of hours of freaking out - which involved falling to the floor and curling in on himself while staring wide-eyed into space, jumping up and pacing around the outside of the house agitatedly, and then frantically running around turning on all the lights in and out of his house (including those of his truck) on - Alastor decided he should get the creature out of the cage.

He went back into the basement and put on his latex apron and gloves, as well as a cap over his hair and a face mask. Alastor had no idea what he was dealing with, but he was going to take as many precautions as he could!

Armed with his butcher knife and bear spray, Alastor crept back to the mouth of the cage. The creature inside was still mostly hidden by shadow, but it was slumped over, relaxed, clearly in a deep sleep. Alastor thanked whatever higher power there was that the bear tranquilizer seemed to work on this thing.

Carefully he crept into the trap, grabbing it by its back legs and pulling. Surprisingly the creature was fairly light, easily maneuvered out of the trap and into the light cast by his floodlights and truck.

Alastor almost had another breakdown.

The thing was massive. Easily twice his size fully laid out. It had a long tail, was incredibly fluffy, and had horns. Alastor felt like his eyes were going to pop out of his head as he stared at this monster.

The beast was breathing slowly, chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. It was alive, but there were deep gashes along its back, and red blood was coating its fur. It was clearly very hurt - not to mentioned covered in other strange liquids, the blue and gold he had peeped earlier.

Oh, he had fucked up. He had fucked up big time. Whatever this thing was, Alastor couldn’t let it go back into the woods. This was a monster, a demon of some kind, something dangerous and deadly. His eyes landed on sharp claws, on massive jaws, and its big horns. Alastor couldn’t let that thing live free in the woods, where it might come across innocent people hiking through the parks or come after him again in the future.

Dread, cold and hard, dropped into Alastor’s stomach. He had caught this monster, it was his responsibility. The brunet knew he couldn’t call animal control or the park rangers, they wouldn’t believe him. And even if they did, Alastor had caught this thing in a trap he set up before hunting season had started - he would get in trouble with the law, and that was the last thing he wanted. He couldn’t call the cops - they never helped, they couldn’t be trusted, and Alastor definitely didn’t want the police sniffing around his property. And he didn’t want to burden his friends with this, this thing he had gone and accidentally caught.

No, Alastor had to deal with this monster himself. This was his responsibility. He had caught it in his bear trap, after all.

Trudging back down to his basement, Alastor selected a sleek, black rifle. It was late, and though the brunet lived deep in the woods away from any civilization, he didn’t want to alert any nearby people with the sound of a gunshot, so he attached a silencer to the firearm.

Back in front of the beast, Alastor raised the rifle in his arms, taking aim at the slumbering thing. As he gazed down the barrel at the monster, Alastor took a deep, steadying breath.

And then another breath.

And another.

His finger trembled over the trigger, unwilling to do what must be done. Alastor found himself captivated by the creature before him… despite his fear, despite his unease and gnawing dread, he couldn’t bring himself to kill it. While he was scared beyond a shadow of a doubt of whatever this thing was, the more he looked at it, the more Alastor found himself drawn to it. The beast was strangely beautiful, despite being covered in dirt and blood and paint or whatever else was splattered across its fur.

It would be a shame to kill such a beautiful creature.

Lowering his rifle, Alastor stomped back into his basement to put the gun away. Alarm bells were ringing loudly in his head, telling him this was a bad idea, that he should go back out there and kill this monster before it woke up and killed him instead. But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t.

Working quickly, Alastor prepped the cell he had in his basement. The one he used to keep his human victims in when he wanted to draw out their suffering, give them false hope of survival if they only answered a few of his questions and played along with his game. None of them ever left the basement once he dragged them in there. Not alive, at least.

Before he could stop or question what exactly he was doing, Alastor headed back up with a tarp. He dragged the large creature onto the plastic material, using it to maneuver the thing into his basement. Every thump of the monster’s large body on the stairs leading down made Alastor cringe, pausing each time with bated breath to see if the beast would wake up.

Thankfully it slumbered on. Whatever it was, the bear tranquillize was strong enough to keep it knocked out.

Alastor dragged the thing over to the cell at the back of the basement, shoving it into the space. It made the large cell look like a dog cage; small, but still with plenty of space for the creature to stretch out and stand up, if it so desired. For good measure Alastor attached the chain that connected to the wall to one of the monster’s back legs, pausing when he noticed the thing didn’t have claws on its hind legs. It had hooves.

Mystified by whatever the fuck this creature he was dealing with was, Alastor attached the chain with a sharp click, making sure it was secured properly. The keys to the chain were safely tucked away with his house and car keys, inconspicuous enough with the rest of his keys.

Stepping out of the cell, Alastor closed the door, fishing out said keys from his pocket to lock it. The latex gloves he was still wearing were now coated in a mix of red, blue, and gold viscous liquid, also streaked with dirt from tugging and pulling at the creature to move it down here. The same strange liquids had smeared along his apron. The brunet brought a hand up to his face, sniffing delicately. It smelled like blood, but surely the other colors weren’t blood, right? Just the red was blood. The overpowering scent of iron must be covering the scent of whatever the other colors were. Yes, that had to be it.

Peeling the gloves off of his hands, Alastor threw them into the sink along the wall, his apron soon following. He yanked his face mask and cap off as well, throwing them on the counter beside the sink. Exhaustion suddenly crashed over him, making the brunet’s legs almost give out on him right there and then. He steadied himself along the edge of the concrete sink, taking deep, shuddering breaths as his mind scrambled to make sense of the last few hours.

Peering over his shoulder, Alastor glared at the thing in his holding cell. He didn’t know why he had brought it in here even! He should have killed it. It was a monster, an unknown creature with unknown strength. It would probably have killed Alastor in a heartbeat if given the chance.

So why couldn’t he bring himself to kill it?

Pushing himself upright from the sink, Alastor ran a hand through his hair, feeling the way the strands stuck together unpleasantly from where they had dried in clumps after being slicked down with sweat.

Grimacing to himself, Alastor began to make his way back to the stairs. He needed a bath. This - this monster was a problem to be dealt with tomorrow.

Dragging his feet from fatigue, Alastor made it back out into his shed, closing the trap door and locking it for good measure, before putting the mat and table over the secret entrance once more. It wouldn’t do him any good to get sloppy now, just because of the weird, exhausting evening he had just had!

Closing the shed, Alastor locked that door too - he never locked the shed, deeming it an unnecessary precaution after two locked doors and a whole table to keep whatever he had trapped below stuck there. But, tonight he locked it. Though if that thing managed to get out of the basement and into the shed, Alastor wasn’t sure this wooden door - no matter how sturdy - would hold it.

The brunet turned off his car lights and returned his flashlight before heading inside, flicking off the porch and outdoor lights as well. He double checked all his windows, making sure they were secured tightly, locked the front door, checked and double checked that the secret back door that led directly into his basement was still locked, and then finally made it into the bathroom.

Peeling his clothes off of him, Alastor sighed in relief at getting the uncomfortable, sweat stiffened garments off of him. He shivered in the cool night air, turning on the bathtub to run himself a bath. At the sound of running water, Alastor suddenly realized how goddamn thirsty he was; he hadn’t had anything to drink since leaving work earlier that afternoon. And last he had checked the time it was past 10pm now.

Slipping his large, dark red bathrobe on, Alastor padded back out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, opting to drink straight out of the pitcher of water he had on the table instead of getting a glass. Once he started drinking, Alastor found he couldn’t stop; the crisp, cold water made him feel almost delirious. The clear liquid spilled past his lips, dripping down his chin, cooling his dirty, heated skin. And still Alastor couldn’t stop himself from drinking, taking big gulps as his very cells screamed out for more water, delicious and necessary for life.

He finished the jug, lowering it from his lips, panting lightly. Slowly Alastor refilled it, setting it back down on the table and wiping the wetness of his mouth away with his bathrobe sleeve.

Speaking of water, the brunet still had a bath to get to.

He made it back to the bathroom before the tub got too full, turning off the faucet and dipping a finger into the steaming water. He drew it back with a hiss; it was too hot.

Sighing, Alastor stood in front of the bathroom sink, staring at himself in the mirror. He washed his hands, before bringing clean fingers up to his eyes. Carefully he pinched his contacts out of his eyes, blinking a few times as his vision suddenly deteriorated sharply. Deliberately the brunet put his contacts in their case, adding fresh contact solution. Once that was done, Alastor sat on the edge of the tub. He considered getting something to eat, but truth be told he wasn’t hungry. However he was tired, and dirty, and confused. He absentmindedly fiddled with the belt of his robe as he waited for the water to become a less scalding temperature, mind wandering to the unexpected prey he had in his basement. Was it his prey though? Alastor could easily be that monsters prey… it wouldn’t be hard for that thing to become the hunter, and Alastor the hunted, considering its size and formidable looking claws.

Decided that he needed to soak in the tub now, boiling alive like a lobster be damned, Alastor shed his bathrobe and stepped into the scalding water. He winced as the hot water assaulted his flesh, but found himself adjusting quickly enough. Slowly the brunet lowered himself into the tub, until he was almost fully submerged, head above the water and arms resting along the tub’s sides while his long legs stretched out as far as they could, tan knees sticking up above the surface of the water.

Closing his eyes, Alastor let himself relax, muscles loosening, aches easing. He melted into the warm water, the stress and worry of the last few hours lifting.

Tomorrow would be a new day.

It was going to be a very… interesting three weeks.

Chapter Text

A piercing beeping woke Alastor up with a start. Groaning, the brunet reached across to his nightstand, feeling around blearily until he found his alarm clock and slapped it silent. He groused, internally cursing at himself. It was Friday, but he didn’t have work today - yet with all the excitement of the night before he had forgotten to turn off his pre-scheduled morning alarm. Which meant it was 5am.

Goddamn it.

Alastor had not had a restful night. He had finally made it to bed only a little bit before midnight, after a nice long soak and thorough scrubbing. Alastor had collapsed onto his bed, so tired he almost passed on pajamas altogether - but he managed to pull on a pair of boxers and the soft faded t-shirt he liked to sleep in before falling into the sheets. And then he had tossed and turned for hours, plagued by visions of monsters with golden horns and sharp claws.

Settling back under his covers, Alastor attempted to fall back asleep. It had been a weird day yesterday, fucking surreal as shit. In fact, it was completely unreal, improbable, and downright fictitious. No way had he caught a monster in his bear trap! He must have been imagining things. Maybe it was the effects of that edible Rosie had insisted he try with her the week before. He swore the effects of that thing hadn’t worn off yet. Yes, that had to be it! It was the only reasonable explanation!!

There was no way Alastor had caught a monster in his bear trap. Monsters weren’t real. It has to have been a bear! Or, or a moose? Maybe some sort of disfigured large sheep?? There had to be a perfectly reasonable explanation for the thing in his basement.

Thoughts getting more agitated, Alastor furrowed his brow, annoyed. He would not be getting any more sleep this morning, would he? The brunet sighed, resigning himself to an unnecessarily early morning. Body protesting at the movement, Alastor sat up heavily in bed. He fumbled along the edge of his nightstand, finding his glasses and shoving them onto his nose.

The brunet squinted as his room suddenly swam into focus; soft light filtering in through the closed curtains on the far sides of the room, his desk littered with books and scraps of paper and the chunky old iMac, his chair pulled out slightly with a flannel shirt slung over its back. His dresser stood against the wall, all sturdy mahogany and brass handles. The mirror atop the dresser reflected the other side of his room, bookshelves filled with books and vinyls and cassettes and other trinkets, a record player sitting pretty atop the shelves. Alastor’s room was nothing fancy, but it was his, filled with things that brought him joy.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Alastor planted his feet into the soft carpet below. He took a moment to stretch, luxuriating in the way his muscles pulled and pushed along his frame, easing the tension stored in them. Standing up, Alastor slipped his bathrobe on, tying the garment loosely around his waist. He stepped into his dark gray slippers, eyes landing on top of his dresser, picking up the shape of his little flip phone where he had left it the night before. The brunet shuffled over to it, muttering in irritation under his breath; the device was practically dead. He had forgotten to plug it in the night before.

Plugging it in with a huff of annoyance, Alastor finally headed downstairs. Everything was just as he had left it; his messenger bag on the couch, siting innocently in front of his boxy old television that he rarely ever watched. His dirty clothes were on the bathroom floor, left in a crumpled heap in his tiredness. Alastor sighed, picking up the soiled garments and shoving them into his washing machine.

As that machine beeped to life, Alastor headed into the kitchen. He really liked his open floor plan, the way he could see (almost) every nook and cranny of the place regardless of where he was standing. It made him feel safe, at ease; nothing could creep up on him like this.

He put a pot of coffee on, shuffling around in the kitchen for something to eat. The brunet had skipped out on dinner the night before, and had only had a light lunch earlier that day. Now that all his adrenaline and nervous energy had dissipated, he was ravenous.

Unfortunately Alastor didn’t have a lot of food right now. His fridge was pathetically empty at the moment, only half an onion and a mostly empty gallon of milk stared out at him forlornly. Groaning, Alastor decided to check the pantry. He had an open box of cereal, some pasta, and a whole jar of trail mix.

Cereal would do.

Pouring himself a bowl of cereal and finishing the little amount of milk he had left, Alastor munched away while sipping at his coffee. His mind kept circling back to the night before, to the beast in his basement. What would he find down there this morning, in the new light of the day? He had practically convinced himself that he had been hallucinating last night - he had seen things not as they were, distorted by the darkness and his overworked mind and whatever remnants of weed remained in his bloodstream. There was no way he had caught a monster!

Once he had some food in him, Alastor headed back upstairs to get dressed. He put on a more causal fit of loose red pants and a black and white flannel; he wasn’t going into work today, after all. His flip phone had charged a decent amount, so he grabbed the little device. The brunet decided to keep his glasses on for today; contacts were more practical for hunting and work, but otherwise he found them rather annoying. Alastor wasn’t a huge fan of having to stick those little disks into his eyes every day.

Back downstairs, Alastor stood in front of the closet under the stairs. His hands were trembling slightly, so he curled his fingers into fists, willing himself to stop shaking like a scared little fawn. He was a hunter for crying out loud! Whatever was in his basement didn’t scare him.

The brunet double checked that he had his hunting knife and bear spray in his utility belt, then took a deep breath, and opened the closet door.

Pushing aside the jackets hanging there, Alastor moved the false backing out of the way, revealing the secret entrance to his basement. Sometimes he didn’t want to walk outside and all the way around the house to the shed out back just to get down there, so he had created this more direct path. A way to get to the basement from his living room.

Ignoring the way his fingers were still trembling, Alastor unlocked the door, pulling it open slowly. He flicked on the light at the top of the staircase, waiting for them to flicker to life and hating that from this entrance he didn’t have a direct line of sight with the cell at the back of the room, and began to head down.

When his eyes landed on the cage at the back, Alastor almost turned around and headed straight back up.

He hadn’t imagined the creature. It was just as big and terrifying as he remembered it. Large golden horns split near the base, one part curling down like a rams, the other sticking almost straight up. Huge paws with wicked looking claws on its front feet, hooves on the back. Long, snaking tail wrapping around the creature.

Alastor’s heart rate immediately skyrocketed, frantically beating inside his chest. He swallowed dryly, forcing himself to stand his ground at the foot of the steps.

And then the monster opened its eyes.

Bright, blood red orbs stared intently at Alastor, framed by golden yellow triangular markings. The brunet’s breath faltered as he made eye contact with the beast, unable to look away from its inhuman, goat-like pupils.

Silence stretched out between them for a few minutes.

It felt like an eternity.

The spell broke when the monster let out a weary sigh, closing its eyes once more as its long tail flicked beside its head.

Alastor hadn’t even been aware that he was holding his breath until he was suddenly taking deep, gulping breaths of air.

So it hadn’t been a hallucination. The brunet really had caught some sort of foul demon. That was just his luck.

Once again the thought of killing it crossed his mind, but once again Alastor found himself unable to stomach the idea. No matter how afraid or uneasy this thing in his basement made him, Alastor couldn’t fathom killing it.

He stared at it in silence, under the bright fluorescent lights of his basement. It was strangely beautiful, despite all the muck and gunk caked into its fur. It really would be a shame to end such a beautiful creature’s life.

Was he just going to keep it like a pet then? Alastor pushed aside the thought, stubbornly ignoring the questions his mind supplied about what this would mean for the future. He had heard stories of people foolishly trying to keep wild animals as pets - wolves, or panthers - and those creatures turning on their masters and killing them down the line. He didn’t want to end up like that.

Regardless, Alastor found himself moving to the walk-in freezer along the side of the wall. He kept his eyes on the beast, making sure it stayed where it was. If the monster could have broken free it probably would have by now, but still, the brunet’s instincts demanded that he keep his eyes on the thing as much as possible.

Of course he had to break his line of sight to step into the freezer.

Against his better judgement, Alastor grabbed the only hunk of meat he had left in there; a deer leg. It wasn’t all that fresh anymore, but venison was his favorite, so he always tried to have at least some on hand.

Since it was currently the only thing he had on hand, it would have to do for the monster.

Lugging the leg over to his work area by the sink, Alastor reluctantly turned his back on the creature. His nose wrinkled up in distaste as his eyes landed on his bloody and colorful apron and gloves from the night before. He would deal with them later. For now he grabbed a fresh latex apron and pair of gloves, as well as his butchers knife, and began hacking a chunk of meat off of the deer leg.

He saved a cut for later; whether for himself or another meal for the beast remained to be seen. Grabbing the chunk he had sawed off by the hoof, Alastor nervously shuffled closer to the cell. The creature inside stayed exactly the same, eyes closed, tail gently flicking.

Before he could loose his never Alastor chucked the leg at the cell, cringing as it clanged against the bars. He jumped back immediately, watching as the monster jerked back at the sudden sound, startled. It stared at Alastor with its bright red eyes and unnerving horizontal pupils, gaze lowering to where the hunk of meat lay right before the bars.

The brunet waited with bated breath for the thing to reach through the bars and hook the meat with a sharp claw, but that never happened. The creature just stared at the leg, blinking slowly, before settling back down with its head on its paws.

Frowning to himself, Alastor grabbed a broom from under the stairs - where he kept the majority of his cleaning supplies. The brunet then proceeded to use the handle of said broom to poke the hunk of meat, pushing it closer to the monster, and eventually managing to maneuver it through the bars.

This resulted in the beast opening one eye to gaze at whatever Alastor was doing, but it promptly closed it once more, shifting away from the fresh meat.

Well. That was anticlimactic.

Alastor wasn’t sure exactly what he had been expecting, but he had been expecting more than nothing. He decided the monster probably just needed a minute to realize it was hungry and that the chunk of frozen flesh was food, so he headed back to the sink, where the brunet proceeded to wash his blood-stained gear.

After washing his things, and re-organizing his hunting gear, the creature still hadn’t taken a bite of the deer leg. It was starting to thaw, a mixture of water and blood pooling underneath it. Not sure what else to do, Alastor grabbed the cut of meat he had separated (he told himself it was for him, but part of him wanted to save it for the beast later) and headed back upstairs.

Once in his kitchen, Alastor patted his cut of venison dry and wrapped it in butcher paper, popping it in his fridge. It would be eaten soon, whether by him or the beast still remained to be seen.

The brunet tried to go about his day like normal, he really did.

He folded his laundry, went over his notes from the last week’s radio broadcasts he had done, started working on a few ideas for his show once the station was done with the remodeling and everyone could return to work after these three weeks. But Alastor was antsy, mind constantly drifting back to the monster in his basement. Had it eaten the meat? Was it moving about restlessly? Maybe it was thirsty.

Alastor hopped up from his desk, abandoning the half-baked idea for his radio show he had been working on and heading back downstairs. He grabbed a large plastic bowl, and then went back to the basement again.

It had only been a little over an hour, the clock on the kitchen wall telling him it was barely past seven thirty. But Alastor was burning with curiosity over his unexpected house guest (pet? Prey? Hostage??), itching to spend more time around the strange being and learn more about it just as much as he was itching to get as far away from it and never see it again.

He filled the plastic bowl with water, using the broom to once again push it closer to the creature, managing to slosh some of the water out over the side in the process. Unfortunately the bowl was too big to fit through the bars of the cage, but when it bumped into the metal rods the monster opened one eye again, blood-red orb staring intently at the plastic dish.

Watching expectantly, Alastor waited. And waited. And waited.

Nothing happened, and the monster eventually lowered its eyelid once more.

That was weird.

Narrowing his eyes at the beast, Alastor took a moment to really look at it. His gaze roved over the monster’s form with a critical eye, noting the dirty, matted state of its fur, the unsteady rise and fall of its breathing, the lethargic way it rested on its side.

It was clearly still hurting.

Eyes widening slightly, Alastor came to a conclusion; the creature had no appetite because it was in pain. Not to mention filthy - Alastor would not be able to stomach eating if he was covered in blood and mud and debris like this thing was! Well, the blood maybe, but even there it depended on whose blood.

The brunet decided there and then that he was going to nurse this thing back to health. He ignored the voice of reason screaming at him in the back of his mind that this was a bad idea. But Alastor was already in this far, why not go all the way? He had caught this beast and brought it into his basement, and if he wasn’t going to kill it and put it out of its misery, he might as well try to help it get better.

The only problem was that Alastor had no idea how to go about doing that.

He wasn’t a veterinarian! He was the opposite of a vet - instead of saving and healing animals he hunted and killed them!

But he had to do something.

Almost as if in a trance Alastor walked over to his hunting gear, rummaging around until he found some of his more… unconventional equipment. He pulled out a sturdy, metal muzzle, inspecting it before glancing back in the direction of the monster.

It would not fit that thing.

No matter, Alastor was good with his hands. He took the metal muzzle over to his work area, pulling out a box of tools and scrap metal he kept around. He set up the small welding kit he had, waiting for the iron to heat up. Expertly the brunet took the muzzle apart, adjusting its size and feeding new metal into the contraption, welding it together. He eyeballed it, glancing up at the creature from time to time as he worked, until he was satisfied with the result.

In his hands Alastor now held an oversized, intimidating looking muzzle. It wasn’t pretty, but it sure as hell would get the job done.

Now the question was how to get the muzzle on the monster.

Chewing on his bottom lip as he thought, Alastor turned to stare back at the beast. It did not look like it was doing too well.

The brunet was sure the bear tranquilizer had done a number on the creature, but it had obviously been gravely injured before it had stumbled into his trap. Alastor didn’t want to have to drug it again, worried that more of the tranquilizer drug in its system would do more harm to the beast than good for him… wait, since when did he care? Sure, Alastor felt some sort of misplaced responsibility for the thing, but that didn’t mean he would put its safety and comfort above his own!

Stomping back to where his tranquilizer gun was, Alastor loaded a new bear tranquilizer into it, not even moving any closer before firing it into the monster. It let out a hiss as the dart thunked into its flesh, eyes shooting open and mouth curling into a snarl, revealing rows of deadly sharp teeth.

Heartbeat suddenly spiking at the sight, Alastor let out a breath of relief as the beast slumped forward a second later, eyes falling shut once more as its breathing evened out.

Hanging the tranquilizer gun back on the wall, Alastor cautiously crept back towards the cage. He grabbed the broom once more, gingerly sticking the handle through the bars of the cell to poke at the monster. The brunet got no response at the prodding, even as he jabbed the handle hard into the creature’s ribs.

Satisfied that the thing was well and truly sedated once more, Alastor once again donned an apron and gloves, fishing out his keys from his pocket to unlock the cell door. The brunet secured the muzzle around the beast’s head, making sure it fit snugly behind its horns. He kept the chain on the monsters foot, but unlatched it from the wall so that he could maneuver the beast out of the cage. The chain would remain as a backup, as a leash of sorts to be able to pull on if needed.

Once again Alastor marveled at how light such a huge creature was. It made no sense, physically speaking - the monster was much bigger than him! And yet the brunet had no problem manipulating its form, dragging it along the floor easily enough despite its ungainly size. He brought the thing to the center of the basement, near the drain, and then unspooled the hose that was hooked up by the sink.

It was time to clean a beast.

Washing the thing took much longer than Alastor would have liked. Just hosing it down wasn’t enough, he had to get in there and scrub, pulling out tangled twigs and leaves form it’s fur, brushing out mats and knots. As he cleaned it, its fur got lighter, and Alastor realized it was actually practically white. The monster had off-white, creamy colored fur, with more yellow, blond fluff down its chest and around its neck, cresting over its scalp like a voluminous hairstyle. Its horns were a bright, shiny gold, two-part in nature and the same color as the golden marking surrounding the thing’s eyes. Its ears were droopy, kind of like a goat’s, which matched the eyes and the hooves it sported on its hind legs. The monster’s hooves were pink, strangely enough, along with its claws, and circular markings on its cheeks - both face and butt cheeks, Alastor realized, feeling embarrassed about this discovery for no reason at all.

As he cleaned it, Alastor noted deep gouges on its back, slowly scabbing over. That must be where the majority of the blood was coming from. However, though the scabs were pinkish, the slight amount of blood Alastor could see seeping out of the wounds seemed to be golden in color.

That made the brunet pause, fear rising inside of him so fast he almost felt like he was going to pass out.

This really was a monster of some kind, a demon or alien not of this world, something that bled gold instead of red.

What the fuck had he gotten himself into.

Taking a few deep breaths, Alastor forced himself to return to the task at hand, getting back to cleaning the creature. He had already gotten this far after all, might as well finish the job. The brunet gently cleaned the beast’s wounds, unsure if he should try to bandage them or put any sort of antimicrobial ointments on them. He decided against it, reasoning that this was a wild animal and wouldn’t have access to bandages or ointments like that out in the woods anyway.

As he continued to spray water over the beast, watching the water turn muddy with dirt and blood of red, gold, and blue, Alastor mulled over the discovery of golden blood.

He was dealing with something beyond his or anyone else on earth’s understanding, that was for sure. That cemented for the brunet that he couldn’t tell anyone about this thing he had in his basement. Not even Rosie. Alastor wasn’t sure if he wanted to laugh or cry; why him? Why had he been the one to catch this monster? He should have killed it. But killing it would be such a waist - it was such a magnificent beast, despite being terrifyingly huge and probably deadly.

He should have killed it. But he didn’t want to.

It dawned on Alastor that he felt a sort of kinship to this creature. It too, was different from everything around it, hurt by a cruel and uncaring world. It, like him, was a monster - though Alastor’s monstrous nature was more hidden, internal - and would be hated and killed if found out by other humans. The beast, like Alastor, was all alone, with no family or kin.

Maybe that’s why he couldn’t bring himself to kill it.

“You and I might not be so different, after all.” Alastor murmured to the unconscious monster.

Turning off the hose, Alastor went to turn the beast over. He had cleaned the thing’s back, the fur wet and dripping but white and free of debris now. Gently rolling it over, the brunet gave an amused huff as it slumped, easily manipulated like a gigantic rag doll.

Its legs fell open, and Alastor’s eyes snapped to between the beast’s legs.

He was curious as to the monster’s sex, that’s all! But the sight that greater him confused the brunet slightly.

The space between the creature’s legs was mostly smooth, just a slight swell and what could be described as very fluffy balls nestled securely at its crotch. Going off of that, Alastor would consider the thing male, but honesty he couldn’t be certain. He had no idea what the thing even was, how could he gender it correctly?

No matter, the monster’s sex didn’t actually matter to Alastor all that much. He got back to hosing the beast down, painstakingly removing stubborn twigs and tangled leaves from fur.

———

By the time Alastor finished washing the creature it was almost twelve. The brunet had shoved the thing back into the cell, hooked it up to the wall by the chain around its leg, and placed the water bowl inside the cell for good measure. He had even gotten a mat for the thawing hunk of meat, reasoning that eating off the dirty floor probably wasn’t the nicest. Not that a monster would care, but Alastor did.

He removed the creature’s muzzle before shutting and locking the cell up once more, and then headed up to have lunch himself.

Which is when Alastor was reminded of the pitiful amount of food he had left in his kitchen.

At least he had the cut of deer leg he had separated earlier.

Scrubbing at his face with a grumble, Alastor headed upstairs to his room first. His clothes were pretty wet and covered in fur, he needed to change. And take a shower.

One quick shower and a change of clothes later, Alastor found himself back in his kitchen, staring at his meager food options.

Grabbing the meat out of the fridge, Alastor went about preparing some semblance of lunch for himself. He put the hunk of meat to cook on the stove at a low temperature, monitoring the cut to make sure it cooked the barest minimum amount so as to practically still be raw while also safe to eat. At the same time the brunet grabbed the spaghetti he had in his pantry, boiling a pot of water next to the (barely) cooking meat.

Unsurprisingly the meat was done quickly, and Alastor set it aside while the pasta cooked. He got out the half an onion from the fridge, chopping it finely. Checking the condiment pantry, Alastor discovered that he was low on olive oil. He also found an old clove of garlic though, and plenty of salt. It would do.

He finished prepping the items for his meal, giving the spaghetti a stir and finding that it still needed a few more minutes to cook. The brunet’s stomach rumbled then, signaling that he was indeed quite hungry. So he decided to dig into his venison already. It was juicy, tender and still slightly bleeding, just the way he liked it. Alastor left it completely unseasoned. The flavor of the venison was delectable as it was, it didn’t need anything else. Alastor did use a fork and knife for his meal though, he wasn’t an animal.

The pasta was done cooking before he finished his venison, so Alastor paused to drain it and plate the spaghetti, drizzling it with olive oil and adding the garlic and onion, then salting it to taste. This was far from a gourmet meal, but it wasn’t bad, if he did say so himself - especially considering the limited ingredients he had to work with.

While he ate Alastor turned on his boxy old tv set. He didn’t really watch television, but the thing had been his ma’s, and he kept it out of a sense of nostalgia for her. Also, he could concede that the device had its merits, even if tv was the inferior form of media. Radio was obviously better. But, he could keep up with general world news this way, sometimes catch a sports game or something. Not often, but once in a while wasn’t so bad. He mostly got his news from the radio he kept in his room, of course.

Roughly an hour later Alastor was done with his lunch, having washed his dishes and headed back to his room for a moment. He tidied up a bit, organizing the notebooks and pens on his desk. He could continue his plans and scripts for his upcoming radio broadcasts later. Right now, he really needed to head into town and do some grocery shopping.

He grabbed his messenger bag, made sure his wallet was in it, checked his pockets for his flip phone and keys, and was about to head out the door when instead he pivoted and went back to the secret entrance to his basement.

It wouldn’t hurt to check on the beast one last time before heading out.

Downstairs he was greeted to the sight of… exactly what he had left. The monster was still slumbering in its cell, passed out and on its side, untouched and thawed meat on the mat against the edge of the cage. Streams of water were flowing down the creatures’s side and making their way towards the drain in the center of the room, fur still soaking wet and dripping. Alastor felt bad for a moment, wondering if he should try to dry it off. Lying in a pool of wetness with all that fur must not be all that comfortable.

Alastor had to remind himself that this thing was an animal, and that it would be fine. It would dry off on its own - it’s not like out in the wild it had anyone to towel it off! Besides, it was summer. It stayed pretty cool in the basement, but the weather was warm and dry. It would be fine.

Stalling for a few more minutes, Alastor slowly fetched his phone out of his pocket. Flipping it open and bringing it up to eye level, the brunet aimed the little device at the beast, snapping a quick photo. That was for him, just in case he started to doubt what he had in his basement, once again try to reason the monster away as a trick of the light or a hallucination. No, he now had a picture as proof of its existence, something to remind himself of the very real beast he had accidentally caught and was now apparently trying to nurse back to health.

Finally Alastor left the basement, locking the secret door and securing the fake backing of the closet once again before heading out to his truck.

He had errands to run.

———

After stopping at the gas station and filling up his tank and buying a goddamn grabber-reacher tool (it would be handier than using a broom to push stuff into the cell in his basement) in the convenience store, Alastor headed to the main grocery store in town. There were a few, but the biggest was in the center of town, and had the majority of the things the brunet wanted to buy. He would hit up the smaller ones for specialty and local items, though.

Since he was pitifully low on food, Alastor really needed to replenish his supplies; this would be a big shopping trip. A little over an hour and one overflowing shopping cart later Alastor made it back to his truck, shoving his grocery bags in the passenger seat in a precarious pile.

Usually he would put his shopping in the truck bed, but he still had one more stop to make, and Alastor was nothing if not distrustful of his fellow man. He would not leave his bags of food so exposed and easy to steal.

Last stop of the day was his favorite: Rosie’s butcher shop. The brunet felt lighter and more at ease as soon as he pulled into his parking spot in front of the store, a genuine smile spreading across his face.

Any day Alastor got fresh meat was always a good day. Not to mention he enjoyed the company of this fine establishment’s proprietor!

Rolling his rather large cooler along behind him, Alastor practically skipped into the butcher shop. It was a little before four, which meant the shop wasn’t particularly busy at the moment. There was always a bit of a ‘pre-dinner rush’ after folks got off work, but the work day wasn’t over yet!

“Alastor! Good to see you dear! I thought you’d have come over yesterday after work, we missed you.” Rosie smiled cheerily, noticing Alastor as soon as he stepped through the front door, little bell at the entrance signaling his arrival.

“Hello Rosie! Sorry I didn’t stop by yesterday, I had some immediate business I needed to run home to attend to. But I’m here today!” Alastor gave his friend a little wave, making his way over to the counter.

Rosie was a tall, slender woman with a stylish blond bob. Her smile was always bright, eyes twinkling as if she was in on a secret you weren’t. She was a couple of years older than Alastor, which she never failed to impress upon the brunet through light teasing and little jokes of “when I was your age-“ which Alastor took good naturally. Usually with an eye roll and a reminder that they were practically the same age.

While she was the owner of the butcher shop, Rosie wasn’t the only worker there. She had a few employees who helped around the shop, especially in the afternoon when the place was at its busiest. Rosie also used to have a husband she co-owned and ran the butcher shop with. But he had died in an accident involving a meat grinder during Alastor’s first year in town. It had been a tragic story, one that was covered by the local radio and television stations. Later, once his friendship with Rosie grew and he found out she had the same taste in meats as him, Alastor learned that while her husband had indeed died tragically, it hadn’t fully been an accident. Her relationship had already been deteriorating, and then Rosie had discovered that her late husband had been cheating on her, which was the last straw. So one day while they were preparing and cutting meats for the day she ‘accidentally’ pushed him into the meat grinder. It resulted in a few lovely meals for her, and a lot less of a headache surrounding that man. The condolences and pity gifts the people in town gave her as a result were just icing on the cake.

Today it was only Rosie and one other employee manning the counter. Alastor smiled politely at the young girl, who gave him a nod in acknowledgment but otherwise didn’t give any greetings of her own. Which was fine by Alastor - they both knew he was here to talk to Rosie. And buy a truck load of meat, of course.

Walking over to the far end of the shop, Rosie met him there. She invited him into the back for a spot of tea, telling the young girl to just yell for her if any customers needed Rosie for anything. And then the two friends ducked through the door out of the shop’s front.

The back room was quite nice, really. Rosie had a corner set up as a little lounge, with a couch and coffee table to take a break at between customers and when work was slow. Along the other side of the back room was a large metallic table, with a rack of knives and cutting boards and butcher paper. At the back of the room was the walk in freezer, with a door beside it leading into yet another room - storage, and the loading dock where trucks came in with fresh crates of whole cows, pigs, deer - and practically any other meat you could think of.

“How have you been, Alastor? I hear the radio station is giving everyone three weeks off - something about remodeling?” Rosie put the electric kettle she had on to boil, selecting some cups and tea bags for the two of them. Alastor sat down on the couch, scooting over to make room for his friend while he told her about the latest gossip at his work, what exactly was getting remodeled at the station, his plans for the time off, and the new podcasts he had been listening to.

Talking to Rosie was always so easy, so comfortable. Time slipped by as the two friends sipped their tea and caught up, Rosie telling the brunet about the drama her employees always seemed to find themselves in and the latest episodes of the soap operas she liked to watch. Of course, while Alastor generally trusted Rosie and told her practically everything, during their chat today he did not tell her about the monster in his basement. The brunet didn’t know where he would even begin with that story. Besides, she didn’t need to know about it - no one did. It was for him and him alone to know about.

He realized that he felt strangely protective over the creature for some reason. Maybe it was because he had identified with it earlier that day? Regardless, Alastor did not want to share its existence with anyone - to protect it and himself from outside forces that could wish either of them harm.

Alastor stayed chatting with Rosie much longer than he intended to. It was just so easy to lose track of time when he spend time with his friend! Both of them realized it must be almost five when the amount of ringing from the shop’s entrance began to increase, signaling that the pre-dinner rush was beginning as people were getting off of work and heading to the butchers’ to pick up some fresh meat for dinner. They agreed that they should put aside an actual time outside of work hours to get together and do something fun, Rosie promising to call him tomorrow to figure out the details.

The two friends headed back out to the front of the shop, and Alastor began to place his order. Rosie made no comment to the unconventionally large amount of meat he requested, though her employee raised an eyebrow at him. Once she had finished up with the previous customer, she and Rosie worked together to cut and package everything the brunet needed, heading to the back room for the cuts they didn’t have available at the front.

By the time Alastor had his order all ready and packed up, a bit of a line had formed behind him. He paid for his meat, and then Rosie helped him carry it out to his truck while the other worker began taking the next customer’s order. Alastor had bought so much meat that it did not all fit in the cooler he had brought with him.

“Correct me if I’m wrong - and I don’t think I’m wrong - but this is a lot more than you usually buy from me in a week, isn’t it? You planning a meat-themed party or something?” Rosie inquired curiously as she helped load the extra bags and cooler into the bed of the truck.

“I’ve just had a really big craving for flesh lately, I wanted to make sure I was stocked up is all.” Alastor hoped this answer would be enough to satisfy his curious minded friend.

Thankfully she accepted his response, not pressing further. The two friends exchanged a quick hug, Rosie promising to call the next day to set up a time when they could hang out properly again, and then she speed walked back into her shop. It was past five now, and her establishment was filling up fast.

Alastor slid into the drivers seat, peeling out of the parking lot and making his way across town and towards home. He really had bought a ridiculous amount of meat this afternoon. But he just wanted to be prepared! The brunet had no idea what the beast he had caught ate. Which is why he had bought meat of every kind, and different types of cuts of each livestock. Alastor had bought beef, pig, goat, poultry, lamb - even horse meat, which Rosie wasn’t technically supposed to have but did anyway. He had probably overdone it with the amount of meat he had bought, but the brunet would rather be safe than sorry. And anyways, if the monster didn’t like some of the cuts, Alastor could eat the rest.

By the time Alastor was pulling back under the carport next to his house, it was around six. The brunet sighed wearily, not looking forward to the amount of unloading and putting away he had ahead of him. Reluctantly Alastor dragged himself out of his truck, taking the first bags of groceries into his house. They had been sitting in his car much too long.

Thankfully Alastor hadn’t bought many frozen food items, and the few he had gotten had been packed together in an insulated bag, so they survived the summer sun. It hadn’t been a sweltering day anyway, and he had parked in the shade at Rosie’s.

Twenty minutes later Alastor’s fridge was practically overflowing, pantry and freezer fully restocked as well. He put a couple of cuts of meat in his fridge to be consumed soon, a few more in the freezer for himself for later, and the rest (including everything in his massive cooler) would head downstairs to the walk-in freezer.

Speaking of downstairs - it had been hours since the brunet last saw the monster. A burning curiosity lit up inside of him, making him wonder how the beast was doing. Had it awoke from its drug induced nap? Had it eaten the meat Alastor had left it? Maybe it was up and pacing around the cage, having eaten and drank and regained some energy?

Even though thinking about the beast in his basement still made fear and unease wash through his whole being, Alastor was starting to find a sense of excitement creeping up alongside those feelings. There was something thrilling about this situation, about having an unknown entity in his house that he had caught and was now taking care of. It was new, and exiting, and definitely dangerous, but in an exhilarating, delirious way.

Forcing himself to take a moment to breathe and calm down a little, Alastor gathered the first bag of meat he was bringing downstairs, as well as the grabber-reacher. He clicked the device a few times, snorting in amusing at how stupid a contraption it was. And yet he had bought it - he was sure it would come in handy when dealing with the monster in his cell.

Heading to the secret entrance to the basement, Alastor went downstairs.

The monster was awake.

That was literally the only thing that had changed in the five hours he had been gone.

The creature was lying on its side, fur still clinging to itself with moisture as it dripped. It was staring at the wall blankly, flank rising and falling in a much steadier rhythm than it had been before though. The hunk of meat was still on its mat, totally thawed and soggy and frankly completely unappetizing at this point. The water bowl was empty.

Wait-

The water bowl was empty! The monster had drank water at least, and had been quite thirsty it seemed.

Alastor felt a sense of relief, glad that the thing had some water at least. He was annoyed that it hadn’t eaten, but at least it hydrated.

As Alastor walked over to the freezer, the thing shifted its gaze to track him. Intense red eyes followed him across the floor, making his skin break out in gooseflesh and hairs stand on end. The brunet did his best to ignore the wave of fear that washed over him, instincts screaming at him that this was a predator and that he needed to run and hide.

Alastor was a predator too.

It took a few trips, but eventually the brunet had stored all the meat he had bought in the walk-in. The monster had rolled over onto its front as he had lugged the cuts down the stairs, resting its large head on its front paws and following Alastor’s path as he moved through the room. It was a little disconcerting, if he was honest.

Now that he was done with unpacking all his shopping of the day, Alastor paused for a moment, leaning against the counter of his work area. He stared back at the creature, head held high in a way he hoped came across as ‘you don’t scare me.’

Both man and monster watched each other studiously for a few minutes. Alastor was pleased to see that though the beast was still pretty damp, it was definitely drying - slowly - and at least it was clean now. The wounds on its back weren’t bleeding anymore either, so that was good. Alastor found himself gazing into those bright red eyes that stared back out at him, getting lost in them. He could almost swear he saw a spark of intelligence in those crimson orbs, a level of conscious thought higher than that of a regular animal.

Shaking his head roughly, Alastor pushed his glasses up to rub at his face. What was he even thinking? This was just a dumb beast. Unusual, majestic, strangely beautiful - but still no smarter than maybe a dog or a pig.

Unspooling the hose, Alastor crept slightly closer to the cage, aiming at the water bowl. He refilled it, managing to only spill a little in the process.

He frowned at the piece of deer leg beside the water bowl. What a waste of perfectly good venison. It looked pretty gross by now, just a lump of gooey, moist flesh. Eyes tracing over the hunk of meat, his gaze landed on the hoof at the end of it.

Oh.

Maybe trying to give an animal with hooves a piece of meat with a hoof still attached to it had been a bad idea.

Alastor was a cannibal, his meals looking like him did nothing to deter him in the slightest. However, he could see how that might be unsettling for some.

Perhaps even for a monster.

Grimacing to himself, Alastor fetched his handy-dandy new grabber-reacher tool, taking a couple of steps to be closer to the cell before reaching through the bars with it. He resolutely ignored the way his fingers were trembling again, concentrating on grabbing what used to be a deer leg and pulling it out of the cage. The monster did not move, just watched intently as Alastor dragged the piece of meat out.

He placed the ruined cut in the trash by his sink, then headed into his freshly stocked walk-in freezer, selecting a cut of cow flank. The brunet would not give up on feeding this creature; he would find the kind of meat it preferred, just you wait!

Alastor was fairly confident it was a meat eater. First - it was huge. All lean muscle and deadly claws. When he had shot it with the tranquilizer gun Alastor had gotten a glimpse into its mouth as it hissed in displeasure. That thing had sharp fangs, the kind meant for ripping and tearing flesh. Never mind that the beast also had horizontal pupils, like a goat or deer; it was definitely a predator, not a prey animal.

With fresh cut of meat in hand, Alastor walked back towards the cell, using the grabber-reacher to place the new hunk of flesh on the mat in the cage. Once again the monster made no move, just watched as Alastor did this.

“Go on, eat.” Alastor murmured softly, gazing at the thing expectantly.

Nothing happened.

Sighing, Alastor decided to give the thing a chance to explore the new type of meat at its own pace. It was past seven anyway, and Alastor was starving. He felt as if he hadn’t eaten all day - which given the kind of meals he had consumed, might as well have been the case.

So he headed back upstairs, leaving the beast to its own devices (which hopefully involved eating).

He washed his hands, and went about preparing dinner for himself. Something warm and comforting and familiar; Alastor cooked a big pot of jambalaya, making sure to have plenty of leftovers to last him a few days at least.

After dinner Alastor grabbed a book from his downstairs collection - all things he had already read before - and settled down on his couch with a glass of whisky to relax and wind down for the night.

After thirty-something minutes of reading and rereading the same couple of sentences over and over again, Alastor gave a discontented grumble, giving up on reading.

His endeavor to try to have a normal, chill evening of the kind he usually enjoyed on his nights off was not going well.

The brunet’s mind kept spinning around thoughts of the monster downstairs. Had it eaten? Did it need more water? Was it fully dry yet? Had it gone to sleep? Groaning, Alastor let his book fall across his face in frustration.

His brain seemed to be completely filled with only thoughts of the creature in the basement.

Peaking out from under the book, Alastor glanced at the clock in his kitchen. It was a quarter to nine, not even that late yet. Alastor usually went to bed around ten, after a nice relaxing time reading or listening to the radio, maybe indulging in a drink or two if it was the weekend.

Right now his body and mind could not care less about Alastor’s usual routine. He should have bought more alcohol when he was in town.

With a resigned sigh Alastor got up from the couch, placing the book back in its shelf and downing the rest of his drink before once more heading to the closet under his stairs.

He would check in on the beast one last time tonight. That’s it, one last trip down to the basement to see how the creature was doing. And then he’d either go back to reading, listen to a podcast, or head to bed early.

Almost too eagerly the brunet descended the stairs, looking towards the cell at the back expectantly. His excitement died down a little when his eyes landed on the prone form of the monster in much the same position he had left it in.

The new cut of meat was untouched once more, though the water level in the bowl was half what it had been before.

It had some more to drink, but still hadn’t eaten.

A red eye opened lazily to glance in Alastor’s direction before slipping shut once more, a rumbling sound emanating from the beast. The brunet froze for a minute, unsure what the noise could mean - but it stopped as quickly as it started.

He watched it for a moment more, wondering why it wasn’t eating. If all went well the hunk of meat would be gone come morning. Alastor hoped the meat would be gone come morning. The thing needed to eat to stay alive.

Alastor was pleased to see that its fur seemed to be even dryer now, still sticking together in moist clumps here and there, but in general looking softer and fluffier. At least the thing was clean and hydrating; it wouldn’t die. Not yet at least.

Fairly satisfied with things, Alastor plugged in the little automatic nightlights he sometimes used as backup lighting for the basement, then turned off the bright fluorescent overhead lights. He didn’t want the beast to be left in total darkness for some reason. The brunet thought the soft, low light of the nightlights were sort of comforting, gentle. He hoped they made the creature feel less alone in the empty, cold basement.

Frowning slightly to himself at that thought, Alastor locked the secret door to the basement, closing up the closet once more. Why did he care if the monster felt lonely down there? It didn’t matter. The nightlights weren’t there to be comforting or provide a sense of peace, they were there to help Alastor find his way easily without the big bright overhead lights on. They had a practical purpose, not an emotional one.

He brushed his teeth and washed his face, dumping his clothes in the washing machine before heading up to his room to get into pajamas. Alastor sighed at the soft caress of his faded t-shirt slipping over his shoulders, placing his glasses back on his nightstand and remembering to plug his phone in this time. Before he forgot Alastor also turned off the automatic alarm he had set for every morning. Sleepiness crept up on the brunet like an unsuspecting fog, slow and unobtrusive until it was curling in on him from all sides, coaxing Alastor into bed despite it only being a little past nine, a whole hour before he usually went to sleep.

But it had been a long day, and Alastor was tired in every sense of the word. Physically, mentally, emotionally - all his faculties were exhausted, telling him to succumb to the gentle tug of unconsciousness.

So Alastor did.

Chapter Text

Alastor jolted awake to the insistent beeping of his alarm. He haphazardly slapped the little device, sinking back into his mattress when blessed silence filled the air once more.

Why had he set his alarm for 7am this Saturday? He groaned, burrowing back under his blankets. Alastor usually woke up at five for work, so two extra hours had seemed like an overindulgence - not to mention he had gone to bed an hour earlier than usual. However, now that it was actually seven in the morning, Alastor cursed his past self for putting an alarm for this early.

Throwing his blankets off with a grumble, Alastor sat up in bed, squinting at the blurry surroundings of his room.

He had the next three weeks off. He was supposed to be on a sort of vacation, preparing for his next hunt and enjoying all the free time granted to him doing things that brought him joy. Like hunting. And listening to jazz, and reading, and pouring over psychology books, and trekking through the woods around his house.

Instead Alastor had a monster to deal with.

That sort of threw a wrench in the brunet’s plans.

Alastor got ready for the day slowly, making himself a proper breakfast of toast and eggs and ham. It seemed like it would be a hot day, so he dressed in a T-shirt and loose pants.

He then made his way back to his basement to see if the beast had eaten yet.

It had not.

Immense disappointment washed through Alastor as he stared at the lump of mushy meat on the mat. This was such a waste of perfectly good meat!

The creature was awake, lying on its front with its legs tucked under it. When Alastor approached it lifted its head up, watching him.

It was unnerving, having the thing’s intense stare on him whenever he was in the basement. Alastor’s skin prickled, a slight shiver running up his spine. However, he found that his fear of the monster was slowly starting to dissipate. Every time Alastor came downstairs, was face to face with the beast, his unease ebbed a little bit more.

Briefly Alastor wondered if he should be feeling more afraid rather than less, considering that the thing was healing well and overall seemed much stronger and more lucid than it had the last couple of days. If the thing was going to try to attack him, it was more likely to do it now than any of the previous days.

Yet Alastor couldn’t find it in himself to feel more afraid. That’s not to say he wasn’t still scared of the thing! It was still an unknown to him, a freak of nature, an anomaly in the world. But, he wasn’t terrified of the creature anymore. Alastor wanted to heal it, help it, nurse it back to health.

Which meant the blasted thing needed to eat.

Snatching up his grabber-reacher tool, Alastor plucked the spoiled cow flank up, disposing of it. Next he selected a cut of goat shoulder from his freezer, chopping a smaller portion off to hopefully minimize the amount of food waste he was producing.

Placing the fresh cut on the mat in the cell and topping off the monster’s water bowl, Alastor then headed back upstairs to try to make the most of this summer day.

———

To say the next few days were weird would be an understatement.

Alastor tired his darnedest to make his time off from work feel normal, to do what he would usually do on the weekend or a vacation.

Which involved polishing up skills such as his axe throwing, booting up his clunky old computer to do research for upcoming radio broadcasts, listening to horror podcasts, and scrapbooking and journaling. Rosie had also called, like she promised, and they had agreed to meet up Wednesday evening for a drink after she got off work. The brunet penned that into his schedule.

Between activities and after every meal Alastor would impulsively go check on the monster, unable to keep himself away from the beast for more than a couple of hours at most during the day.

He told himself it was because he was worried about the thing. It still hasn’t eaten anything! No matter what sort of meat or kind of cut Alastor put before it, the creature refused to even take a nibble. Which was worrisome, though Alastor tried to reason with himself that if the monster died it wouldn’t be his fault. He was doing everything he could (without endangering his own life, that is) for the thing! Despite it being Alastor’s fault that it was even in this position to begin with.

Alastor knew it wasn’t actually his fault - the beast had clearly been injured before it found its way into his trap. But as soon as the counterweight door of his bear trap had snapped closed over the monster it became Alastor’s responsibility.

At least, that’s how he saw it.

Every day Alastor found himself gravitating more and more towards the creature, unwilling to leave it all alone down in the basement. The days were beautiful and bright, sun warm and forest full of life - and yet Alastor just wanted to stay inside, downstairs with the beast. The brunet lugged a folding chair into his basement, and started bringing whatever book he was reading or his journal along with him when he went to check on the creature, sitting with the thing for hours while he did his own personal activities.

He tried not to think too much about why he was doing this.

Maybe the monster could use some company, okay? Maybe Alastor was just really curious about this creature, intrigued by the unknown being residing in his house! He was positive that there was intelligence behind those bright eyes that watched him so intently, tracking his movements across the basement and the different things he did while in its presence.

Something else that convinced Alastor the monster had some rudimentary form of intelligence was that it seemed to pick up on the brunet’s unease when approaching the cage. The creature would scoot back to the far wall of its cell, giving Alastor ample room to get closer to the bars without worry of the beast snapping at his fingers or clawing up his arm. It made changing out the cuts of meat easier, as well as refilling its water bowl. And once those tasks had been completed every morning and evening and Alastor had backed away from the cell’s bars once more, the beast would settle back down in the middle of the cage.

So it was at least sort of smart. Maybe the way a chimpanzee or a crow was smart.

Alastor had taken to sketching the monster in his journal. It was pleasing to the eye, fur soft looking and horns curling elegantly on either side of its head. The brunet found his hand outlining the beast’s figure on the page almost absentmindedly, drawing its form easily. It was almost second nature, capturing the creature’s essence on the page, though Alastor was never fully satisfied with the finished outcome. Soon his journal was filled with sketches of the monster from different angles and in different poses, drawn over the span of the last few days.

During his time in the basement with the monster and through drawing it Alastor had come to admire the thing’s soft looking fur and interesting markings. It had dried out fully a day after the bath Alastor had given it, and its coat was all shiny and fluffy now. Or it had been, at least. It was starting to lose a bit of its sheen, and Alastor could swear the creature’s ribs were more prominent now, and eyes more sunken in.

The blasted beast needed some goddam food in its system! Hydrating was good, but it needed more than water if it wanted to live.

Sighing, Alastor snapped his journal shut, giving up on his most recent figure drawing of the beast and packing up the pencil pouch he had brought down with him this Tuesday afternoon. Speaking of food in one’s system, he should start preparing dinner soon, and also put a load of laundry to wash.

He glanced at the monster one last time as he headed upstairs, brown eyes locking with red ones momentarily before he flicked the lights off. Alastor ignored the little flutter that went through his stomach at the eye contact.

———

It was Wednesday.

Wednesday was the day Alastor took his testosterone shot.

The brunet had been on and off T for a little over three years now. Sometimes he got so busy with work or involved with a hunt that he forgot to pick up or order more from the pharmacy and ended up skipping a week or two, but in general Alastor tried to be consistent with his hormone supplements.

They helped make Alastor feel more like himself.

Humming a cheery tune to himself Alastor headed down to his bathroom. He washed his hands, popping his contacts in and set out the equipment he needed for his T shot. Once everything was prepped, Alastor sat on his toilet seat, carefully cleaned his thigh with an alcohol wipe, and evenly injected the testosterone into himself.

Alastor sighed in relief, practically feeling the effects of the hormone already working through his body as he placed a small bandaid over the injection sight. The brunet could swear he immediately had more energy, feeling more awake and ready for the day than he had been even just a few minutes ago.

Hopping off of the toilet seat and disposing of the needle safely, Alastor started to get ready for the day in earnest.

He had things to do today after all!

———

Alastor checked on the beast after breakfast, of course. It seemed to perk up when the brunet headed downstairs, tail tip waving softly as if in a gentle wag. It appeared happy when Alastor came into the basement, though he was probably imagining it. Besides that, the creature still hadn’t eaten and was generally looking the worse for wear as a result.

The brunet brought a plate of crispy bacon down with him, having stared experimenting with cooking the monster’s meat before giving it to him. He knew it was a stretch, but maybe it would eat if its food was cooked and seasoned?

It was worth a shot at least.

He extracted the burger patty he had grilled for the creature the night before out of the cage with his grabber-reacher, sorrowfully throwing out the now spoiled patty before placing the bacon strips in its place. Alastor then lingered for a bit in the room, fiddling with his tools and cleaning equipment while shooting sideways glances at the monster to see if it would try the bacon.

It didn’t.

After maybe fifteen minutes of this, Alastor reluctantly concluded that there were better things he could be doing with his time right now, and headed back upstairs.

He spent the rest of the morning cleaning his hunting gear and checking his guns - it was almost July, hunting season just around the corner, and despite Alastor’s unusual house guest taking up the majority of his time (and brain space) he was still very much looking forward to getting out there and killing something!

Alastor went down to check on the beast a couple more times throughout the morning. After lunch he decided to get ready to head into town; it was early for his get together with Rosie, but the brunet found himself with energy to spare, and as much as he enjoyed the quite moments lingering in the basement with the creature, he wanted to get out and actually do something today.

Packing his messenger bag with a notebook and a few pens, Alastor got ready to head out. It was particularly hot today, so he had been in a plain white tank top and gray shorts, but Alastor was loath to let others see him dressed so casually, so he put on tan slacks and a burgundy t-shirt before heading out. Nevermind that it was too hot for long pants today. Regardless he did shove a flannel into his bag as well, since he expected to be out fairly late with Rosie and the evening might get a little chilly.

Before heading out for real Alastor went back into the basement one last time.

The monster definitely perked up as he descended the stairs, lifting its head off its massive paws, goat-like ears flickering and eyes trained on Alastor as he approached.

“I’m heading out!” Alastor told it, as if it could understand him. “So you probably won’t see me until much later. Try to eat something while I’m gone, okay?” He had no idea why he felt the need to let the creature know he would be out. The brunet supposed it might have gotten used to him checking in on it every couple of hours and might get antsy when he didn’t this afternoon? But it’s not like it could understand Alastor! So what was even the point of informing it of this?

Apparently it made Alastor feel better about leaving the beast alone for the rest of the day, for whatever reason. “Alright, bye for now I guess.” The brunet awkwardly gave a little wave at the monster, then headed back up, locking and hiding the secret entrance into the basement once more (he hadn’t been locking it lately, considering how often he was going down there during the day), and made his way to his truck.

———

It was a lovely day in town, and Alastor had time to kill.

He wandered around the central square downtown, picking up a newspaper and heading to the little park near the main grocery store to sit on a bench and read, and when done with the newspaper he journaled. Once in a while someone would pass who recognized Alastor from his work and would greet him, and he always politely returned the greeting, despite internally wishing they would just leave him alone.

Thankfully none of them tried to start up a conversation with him.

After a while the brunet decided he had gotten enough sun. Closing his journal back up Alastor headed to the liquor store - he had been going through his drinking cabinet much too fast these last few days. Dealing with a monster was still stressful, despite Alastor finding himself enjoying the creature’s prescience in his life and not being as scared of it anymore as he had been in the beginning.

It was still a wild, untamed thing. Alastor knew he couldn’t let his guard down when dealing with it, and as such his instincts were always on high alert when in its presence, even when he seemed to be completely relaxed and immersed in a book or whatever he was writing in his journal. So he had taken to drinking quite a lot before bed, to help him pass out all the quicker once he turned in for the night.

The brunet stocked up on a generous supply of booze, even picking up a few things he didn’t usually buy, like hard cider. Alastor put his bags of liquor on the floor of the passenger seat of his truck, then continued to walk around town.

The afternoon sun was hot and overbearing, and soon Alastor found that he was getting uncomfortably sweaty. He ducked into a store, decided to escape the heat by browsing random shops. It was also a decent way to pass the time until Rosie got off work!

Looking around, Alastor realized he had stepped into a thrift shop. He didn’t need anything from here of course, but he began to meander down the isles, checking out second hand clothing items, household wares, and interesting knick-knacks.

At the back of store Alastor came across a section filled with bedding; comforters, sheets, and pillows galore. As he was about to turn and head down a different aisle, a particular piece of fabric caught Alastor’s eye from under a pile blankets.

He approached the item, grabbing the corner that was visible and pulling it carefully out from under the other blankets. Successfully extracted, Alastor held it up to get a good look.

It was a plush blanket, dark blue with bright little yellow pinpricks spread across it. Stars, he realized, and a moment later - constellations. For some reason this blanket made him think of the monster in his basement. Maybe it was the golden markings that surrounded its eyes, like the points of a star?

Checking the price tag, Alastor found that the item was only two dollars. It was on sale, apparently having been there for a while now. Without thinking about it any further the brunet took his find to the front and bought it.

Walking back to his truck with the blanket (it was much too hot for a blanket today), Alastor wondered why he had even purchased the thing. He had bought it for the beast. He knew that. It was living in his basement, lying on cold hard concrete day in and day out. Maybe slightly more comfortable living conditions would encourage it to eat?

Alastor clung to this pathetic reasoning, telling himself that was exactly why he had bought the blanket. It’s not like he actually cared about the monster! It was just a dumb animal. But it was still his responsibility.

Shoving the blanket into his truck, Alastor checked the time. It was barely past five, Rosie wouldn’t be closing up shop until six. It looked like he still had some time to kill.

“Alastor? Alastor! That is you!” Suddenly the brunet found himself assaulted by a small bundle of bright red hair. Tight limbs wrapped around him in a deceptively strong hug, and while Alastor tensed up in displeasure at the sudden physical touch at first, he relaxed when he recognized who it was, patting the head of the girl attempting to squeeze all the air out of him.

“Nina! Hello dear, care to let me go? I do need to breathe, you know!”

“Sorry!” Immediately the young girl let Alastor go, beaming up at him happily. Nina was East Asian, with short hair that she liked to dye in all kinds of crazy colors. This week it was bright red with a shock of yellowish orange - it seemed to be one of her favorite combos, one she cycled back to every month or so after trying out any number of other colors and combinations. She was also the vet tech Alastor had gotten his bear tranquilizers from.

“How are you doing Nina? It’s been a while since I last saw you!” Alastor began to walk with the young girl back towards the little park downtown. He thought of her as quite young because of her exuberant demeanor and excess amount energy she always seemed to have, but Nina was a full adult at 22, and Alastor was 28, so they were only six years apart. Which, granted, was a bigger age difference than between him and Rosie, but really not that much.

“I’m doing so good Alastor! I’m doing great! Today is my birthday!!” The little dear was practically vibrating with excitement as she talked, bouncing along as they walked to the park.

Alright, so Nina was 23 now.

“Well happy birthday to you! That sure is exciting. You doing anything to celebrate?”

“Yes! They sang happy birthday to me at work, and got me a cake! Later I’m going to the bowling alley with some friends, you wanna come?” Nina gazed up at Alastor with the biggest, most sparky and hopeful eyes he had ever seen. She could be so high energy, yet Alastor found the girl so incredibly endearing. It helped that her obsession with insects was more morbid than he had originally expected. She might be a vet tech helping and healing animals, but Nina had no qualms when it came to blood and guts and gore. She and Alastor loved to discuss horror movies together, getting into the nitty gritty of the special effects and how realistic (or not) they had been. Nina also loved to hear all the details about Alastor’s hunts and kills, which he was happy to tell her all about whenever she asked.

She of course did not know that the brunet was a cannibal. The only person who knew that secret was Rosie, and she had only discovered it by accident. It had been a happy accident though, considering they shared the same taste for human flesh and could help each other out in that regard! But the less people knew about this side of Alastor, the better.

“That sounds lovely my dear! Unfortunately I already have plans for later today.” Alastor silently thanked whatever higher power there was that he did. As much as he cherished his friendship with Nina, he did not like bowling. Or her other friends.

“Aw, okay.” Nina deflated slightly, looking so put out that for a second it almost made Alastor wish he didn’t have other plans. Almost.

“Well you should at least take some cake!” In a flash Nina was back to her bouncing electric self, swinging her backpack off of one shoulder to dig through it. Before Alastor could protest, the young girl had a plastic take away box with a slice of what appeared to be buttermilk cake slathered with an excessive amount of vanilla frosting and drowning in rainbow sprinkles.

It was enough to make Alastor’s stomach turn.

The brunet was not a fan of sweets. At all. Except maybe some dark chocolate here and there. Like someone with a decent, refined palate.

“Oh! It’s alright, I don’t need any cake - that’s yours, I couldn’t possible take that from you!” Alastor tried to politely decline.

“Don’t worry about it! I have plenty more!!” Nina then opened her backpack further to reveal it was practically overflowing with containers of cake. “It was too much for us to finish at work, and we only had small takeaway containers. But that’s okay! This way I can give cake out to all my friends!!”

“That’s… so great!” Alastor’s smile twitched. He couldn’t think of a good reason not to accept this (gags) overly sweet sugary confection. Not without being rude, and Nina was looking up at him with her big, shiny eyes, expression full of hope. She held the container out to Alastor, jabbing it into his stomach playfully. He had no choice but to take it, forcing himself to smile brightly back at Nina. “Thank you, but you shouldn’t have…” he tried one last ditch effort to gently push it back into Nina’s hands, but she was having none of that.

“Don’t mention it! Can’t have you missing out on such a delicious piece of cake! I’m so glad I ran into you Alastor, even if you can’t come bowling with us I’m glad you got some cake at least!” Nina beamed up at Alastor brightly, before glancing down at a notification from her iPhone. “Oh! My friends are already at the bowling alley! Gotta go, but I’ll see you around okay?” And off she went before Alastor could say another word.

Huffing in bemusement over Nina’s chaotic entrance and exit, Alastor put the slice of cake in his messenger bag. He checked the time on his phone, pleased to see it was past five thirty now. Good, he could already make his way over to the bar he and Rosie would be meeting up at, save them a nice table at the back.

———

Rosie and Alastor stayed at the bar much longer than either one of them intended. They ended up ordering food there, too, happily chatting and drinking and munching as the time slipped by.

The owner of the bar was a family friend of Rosie’s. Alastor just thought he was an old grumpy man with a drinking problem, but he always reserved the best stuff for him and Rosie, so he stayed civil with the guy. His name was Hank, and on top of being an old family friend of Rosie’s, she had dirt on the guy. So if he wanted his back room illegal gambling business to remain a secret from law enforcement, he would continue to go out of his way for Rosie and Alastor.

The two friends gossiped and shared stories about this and that for hours, getting progressively drunker as the night wore on. Alastor cut himself off after only two drinks; he could hold his liquor, but he still had to drive home later.

By the time Rosie and Alastor parted ways it was past ten o’clock. The brunet had downed two bottles of water and hadn’t had any more alcohol for the last couple of hours, so he was fairly confident in his ability to drive himself home. Rosie did offer to let him spend the night at her place, but Alastor waved her off; he had a monster to get back to.

Of course, the beast did not come up during the conversations with Rosie that evening. Alastor knew he couldn’t talk about that creature with her. At best his friend wouldn’t believe him, thinking Alastor had just had too much to drink - or maybe that he had gotten his hands on some more edibles after getting high with Rosie that one time and was talking about a bad trip he had. At worst Rosie would be overly interested in the monster, wanting to see it in person and endangering herself and Alastor - perhaps even wanting to kill and eat it, taste the beast’s flesh. He couldn’t have that!

The drive home felt like it took forever. Alastor was mostly sober at this point, but he didn’t want to get in trouble with the law, so he was driving well under the speed limit. Even once he turned off onto the dirt road that read “private property” Alastor continued at a slow and careful pace. Deer wandered around at night and had a habit of jumping out in front of his truck! He didn’t want to have to deal with any dumb animals he might run over right now.

The longer he was on the road, the more tense Alastor got, fingers gripping his steering wheel tighter and tighter. He had left the creature alone all afternoon, and long into the night. Since bringing the beast into his basement Alastor had always checked in on it every couple of hours, making sure it had some food and plenty of water before heading up to bed. Now it had been alone since lunch time, and it was probably confused as to this change in routine. Maybe it was pacing around, agitated and scared without Alastor there to keep it company. It could be out of water, or could have hurt itself trying to escape its cage! Alastor gnawed at his bottom lip as worry blossomed thick and cloying in his mind.

It was after eleven when Alastor pulled into the carport. Past his bedtime. The brunet grabbed his messenger bag, leaving his other goods in the car to deal with tomorrow.

Heading inside, Alastor made a beeline for the closet under the stairs, fumbling with the locked door behind the hidden panel and getting frustrated at the uncooperative lock and key for a moment before managing to get it open.

Flicking on the lights, Alastor felt the growing tension of the past hour or so melt away as soon as his eyes landed on the beast. It perked up at the sight of him, lifting its head up as its ears flickered, tail sweeping across the floor in what could only be described as a slow wag.

Though he was sure he was just projecting that the monster was glad to see him, Alastor returned the sentiment.

“Sorry I was out so late, lost track of time with my friend! Hope you didn’t worry too much.” Alastor explained as he approached the cell, still keeping a good yard or so between himself and the bars of the cage. He once again wasn’t sure why he was trying to explain himself to the monster, but he felt like he should.

The creature tilted its head to the side, blinking slowly. It was almost as if it understood him. But that was impossible. Alastor looked away from the beast, checking to see if it had eaten (it hadn’t) or had anything to drink (the water bowl was empty).

“Figures.” The brunet muttered under his breath, heading to his work area to set his messenger bag down and grab the hose to refill the beast’s water dish. Before he had even begun unspooling the hose though, a noise behind him made Alastor snap his head back in the direction of the monster.

It had stood up.

Although Alastor thought he was over his initial fear of the creature by now, a sliver of nervousness and unease trickled down his spine. He knew the thing was big, but so far all the monster had done was lounge around in its cage.

Standing on all four legs meant it was now at eye level with Alastor. And he was tall. The monster was standing right up against the bars, too, staring intently out at him. The brunet fervently thanked his lucky stars that he wasn’t near the cage right now. It could easily reach an arm between the bars and try to claw at Alastor if he was closer - even the distance he usually stayed at to place fresh meat into the cage would have been within reach of the creature right now.

The monster seemed agitated. Its tail was flicking in the way a cat’s does when it’s annoyed, and its pupils were dilated. All at once the creature began to pace, tongue flicking out of its mouth as it made a strange chirping noise.

Alastor zeroed in on the beast’s tongue, heartbeat speeding up for some reason when he noticed the slick muscle was forked. Just another thing that proved this was not a regular animal.

What fucking planet had this thing even come from.

The continued pacing and chirping of the monster brought Alastor back, and he realized that its nostrils were flared. Now that he was paying attention to the thing as a whole and not just it’s strange tongue, he noticed that it appeared to be staring directly at his messenger bag, which had fallen open when he placed it on the concrete work area next to the sink.

There was something in his bag that had caught the creature’s attention.

Carefully Alastor walked over to his messenger bag, keeping the beast in his sight. Reaching into the bag, he carefully extracted the items inside; a folded up newspaper, the flannel he did not end up needing, his wallet, his journal - and a slice of cake in a plastic takeaway container.

A loud chattering sound reached Alastor’s ears as he took the container of cake out. Slowly Alastor turned to face the monster with the plastic takeaway box in hand, heart thumping so loudly in his chest he was sure the creature could hear it.

“Is this what you want?” He tentatively held the slice of cake up, watching as the beast’s dilated horizontal pupils tracked the container’s movement.

Wheezing slightly from a combination of confusion, amusement, and unease, Alastor opened the takeaway box. The creature pressed its face up to the bars, nostrils flaring and forked tongue flickering in and out of its mouth. A soft whine came from the monster, and the brunet let out a disbelieving laugh.

The monster had a sweet tooth.

Gathering whatever wits Alastor had left around him that night, he got his grabber-reacher tool and gingerly pushed the slice of cake in its open container towards the cage. To its credit, the creature waited until the slice was right up against the edge of the bars and Alastor had retracted his grabber-reacher. And then it pounced.

The slice of cake was gone in the blink of an eye, overly sugary baked good disappearing down the monster’s gullet. Then the beast proceeded to lick the container clean of all the vanilla frosting and sprinkles that had gotten smeared around the box during its time in Alastor’s bag, making contented little sounds as its ridiculously long, serpentine tongue worked.

Alastor watched, transfixed by the sight. It was over just as quickly as it had started, the beast sitting up and swiping its tongue over their chops to clean up any last trace of sugary sweetness.

“Well. I don’t know how healthy that was for you. But at least you ate something, I guess?” Alastor said, voice full of wonder. He knew chocolate was poisonous for dogs and garlic was toxic for cats, but the brunet had no idea what this thing even was. Were rainbow sprinkles and cake okay for it? Who knew.

The monster seemed incredibly pleased, corners of its eyes crinkled in what could only be described as a smile. Alastor watched them for a moment, captivated by the creature’s prescience.

He snapped out of it when the beast laid back down, settling into much the same position it had been in for the last few days. Alastor took this as his queue to refill their water bowl, and snatch the now old slices of bacon off the mat in the cell.

Looks like meat wasn’t on the menu for the monster anymore.

Which meant Alastor had a lot of meat for himself for the coming weeks - not that he minded. However, he didn’t have a lot of sweets for the creature.

Speaking of things he had for the creature - “Wait, I have something else for you! I’ll be right back.” The monster seemed to raise an eyebrow at the brunet’s words.

Alastor sprinted back upstairs and out to his truck, grabbing the blanket he had impulsively bought for the monster. He hoped they would like it. Not that they needed a blanket with all that fur anyway! But still. It was the thought that counts, right? And Alastor had gotten it so that the beast could have something soft and more comfortable than just the cold hard cement floor of the basement to recline on.

Heading back downstairs, Alastor held the blanket up for the creature to see. For some reason he felt nervous, anxious that the monster wouldn’t like his purchase. Which was stupid for so many reasons! One, who cared if the beast didn’t like the blanket? Alastor was the one who bought it with his own money. B, it was an animal - they didn’t have opinions on blankets and such! And lastly, Alastor liked the blanket, and it would serve its purpose regardless of if its intended recipient liked it or not. So there!

Alastor was feeling very frazzled. It was late, he was tired, and the creature had actually eaten something - which was making Alastor feel all kinds of emotions that he didn’t have the brainpower to sort through right now. Hope, exasperation, joy, annoyance, excitement, irritation - those were some, to name a few.

Taking a shaky breath, he lowered the blanket. The monster was looking at him inquisitively, head cocked to the side. “It’s a blanket.” Alastor explained unnecessarily. “For uh. Sleeping on. Since - since you’re on the cold hard floor? I thought. Why am I trying to explain this to you.” The brunet scrubbed a hand over his face, feeling ridiculous and exhausted.

“I’m just going to- here.” Using the grabber-reacher tool once more, Alastor stuck the blanket through the bars of the cell, trying to lay it out nicely on the floor but being severely limited by the bars of said cell and the fact that he was still trying to keep a good yard or so of distance between himself and the cage.

After a moment of frustratingly trying to spread the blanket out, Alastor gave up. “You get the idea.” He grumbled, though he was sure the beast did not, in fact, get the idea.

Whatever.

It was almost midnight, and Alastor desperately needed to go to sleep. And he still wanted to take a shower first! He had been out drinking, and before that wandering around baking in the hot sun. Alastor did not want to get into bed all dirty from the day.

Grabbing his messenger bag, Alastor was about to turn and head back up when the creature moved.

Slowly they extended their head, gently taking the edge of the blanket between large teeth and tugging at the fabric. Carefully the creature extended the blanket, shuffling slightly to spread it out across half the cell’s floor.

Alastor stood, dumbfounded as he watched the monster do exactly what he had been trying to (unsuccessfully) do from the other side of the cage. Once the blanket was spread out, the beast got up, walking to stand on it. They alternated pressing their feet into the fabric, as if trying to knead it, then circled around once, twice, three times - and laid back down. The creature glanced back at Alastor, lips curling into what was definitely a smile before tucking its nose under their tail and closing their eyes.

Well then.

He supposed they liked the gift.

Blinking rapidly and gripping the strap of his messenger back tightly, Alastor tried to get himself together. He really needed to get some sleep.

The brunet absconded back upstairs quickly, making his way to his bathroom as if almost in a trance. The cold water of the shower helped ground him a little more, and Alastor shivered pleasantly at the refreshing splash of the water on his tan skin.

He smiled to himself as he scrubbed himself down, pleased that the monster had liked the present. And they had eaten food, too! As Alastor stepped out of the shower he paused, realizing he had been thinking of the beast as a they rather than an it. He wondered when that had started. He still wasn’t sure what the creature’s sex was, though Alastor was leaning towards male still from what he had seen.

Heading to his room, Alastor slipped on his sleepwear gratefully, groaning as he finally made it into the comfort of his bed. It sure had been a long, weird day. And he was certain his days would continue to be weird, considering the house guest he was entertaining for the foreseeable future.

Chapter Text

That Thursday morning Alastor woke up feeling sticky.

Groaning, Alastor groggily threw his blankets off his shoulders. He felt too hot and over sensitive. Alastor knew exactly what this meant. And he hated it.

Sometimes a day or two after his T shot Alastor’s practically non-existent libido would decide to pop in to say hello. It was incredibly annoying.

He hissed as his movements pressed his hips into the mattress, sending sparks of pleasure up his spine, instincts demanding that he rut into the sheets.

Alastor gritted his teeth, gingerly turning over onto his back.

The brunet was asexual. He had realized that a year or so after he had realized he was trans. Growing up, hearing his peers talk about their love interests and celebrity crushes had always been painfully confusing. Alastor had crushes before, sure, but nothing like what others seemed to describe; he picked his crushes based on how nice they were to him, or artistic talent, or sense of style. Hearing how others rated men or made sexual comments about women always made Alastor feel uneasy. He just didn’t get sexual attraction.

He had tried his hand at dating both men and women, purely out of curiosity - it helped that other’s seemed to find him attractive, too. And while dating could be fun, and Alastor didn’t mind kissing, he always broke it off before things could progress further for fear of the expectation of sexual intimacy.

Not that he was sex repulsed! No, Alastor just didn’t care for sex. Human bodies could be fascinating, but that kind of physical intimacy was just not something Alastor was personally interested in or cared for.

Alastor’s sex drive was generally low to non-existent, and that was fine by him. Arousal only ever got in the way, and whenever the brunet did find himself in a state of arousal he would usually do his best to ignore it or take a cold shower to make it go away.

Testosterone had overall improved the quality of Alastor’s life, giving him the ability to live as his true self. In general his hormone supplements had provided more pros than cons for him.

Increased sex drive was one of the things he considered a con.

Kicking his blankets further off of him Alastor glanced down and was displeased to find the front of his boxers wet. Obscenely so, clinging to his dick and folds from the generous amount of slick he had excreted. Oh yeah, he was hard. The brunet did not remember what he had been dreaming about, but apparently it had been of the horny variety. Thanks, subconscious.

Grumbling an annoyance, Alastor peeled his slick-drenched boxers off of himself, throwing them aside to be dealt with later. He could head downstairs and take a cold shower, hope that would put an end to his body’s unwanted state of excitement, but Alastor knew from past experience that even then his hormone-therapy based arousal would linger under his skin, a distracting little flame of desire. It was more efficient to just rub one out and get it over with as quickly as possible.

Without any finesse or preamble Alastor shoved his right hand between his legs, gathering up the slick he found there and spreading it liberally over his cock. He shivered involuntarily at the touch, closing his eyes and letting his mind go blank as he touched himself. Alastor stroked himself, pinching and pulling at his small dick. His member was an impressive three inches - impressive for a T dick that was. Not that the brunet cared about size really; he didn’t care what he had between his legs, so long as he presented as male and others saw him as a man he was happy.

With his left hand Alastor rucked his sleep shirt up, tracing his top surgery scars before fingertips made their way to a nipple. His nipples had been quite sensitive before surgery, and after a year sensation had fully returned to them. Again, Alastor didn’t really care about this, but he took it as a blessing, considering it was quite common for most to never regain feeling in either or both their nipples.

Right now Alastor could use their sensitivity to his advantage.

He changed tactics, pressing two fingers into himself and scissoring them. Alastor curling them up into his walls, finding the soft sensitive spot inside of him and pumping his fingers in and out of him as he ground his palm against his cock. Alastor’s breath was coming hot and fast, and he switched his left hand over to his other nipple to provide the sensitive nub some stimulation, arching his back slightly as he gently tugged on the little bud.

Alastor picked up his pace, continuing to grind into his palm as he finger-fucked himself, face screwing up in concentration. He could feel the heat pooling low in his gut, building up in intensity and warmth, wrapping tighter and tighter. But his release remained just out of reach, frustrating and illusive. Right now Alastor could really use the help of some sex toys. Too bad he had never invested in any such things.

Hissing in irritation, Alastor switched back to jerking off, roughly squeezing himself in hand and rubbing his thumb over the sensitive tip. Half a moan tumbled out of Alastor’s lips, quickly bitten off.

It still wasn’t enough.

He let his left hand join his right, one pumping his cock while the fingers of the other delved back into his folds. Alastor just wanted to cum already; he could feel his release right there, hovering on a knifes edge, and this was taking much too long. He had a beast he needed to go check on.

Suddenly images of the monster flooded his mind. He pictured the creature’s regal looking face, imagined how soft their fur must be to the touch, wondered how that forked tongue would feel against his skin or what it would be like to be held in their strong looking arms, feel those muscles ripple around him.

With a shuddering gasp Alastor came. His cock twitched in his hand as the brunet’s walls clamped down around his fingers, a gush of warmth spreading from his core. Waves of pleasure washed over him as his orgasm finally hit, leaving Alastor warm and tingly in its wake. His whole body went lax, and he removed his hands from between his legs, wiping them off on his wrinkled sleep shirt. He could wash that old thing later.

All at once Alastor realized what he had just done.

He sat up suddenly, feeling sick to his core. Alastor had just masturbated - had just climaxed - thinking about the beast in his basement.

Alastor gagged, intense feelings of disgust and horror rapidly rising inside himself at his recent actions. What the fuck. What the fuck.

Lurching to his feet, Alastor staggered for a moment, face contorting into one of detestation as he looked down at himself. He felt nauseated.

The shirt he was wearing, shiny with trails of slick he had just wiped off on it, was not helping.

Alastor ripped the offending item of clothing off, chest heaving as he fought for breath as if he had just run a marathon. His heart was pounding, thoughts racing, skin feeling too tight and dirty and wrong.

He needed a shower. He needed to get clean.

Heading downstairs so fast he almost tripped and face planted on the last few steps, Alastor made it into his bathroom before the rising bile in his throat caused him to retch, what little food he had left in his stomach forcing its way back out.

The brunet clutched onto the edge of the toilet bowl desperately as he puked, whirlwind of emotions flooding his mind.

Self-hatred blossomed hot and heavy in his chest, quickly spreading itself through Alastor. He retched again, gagging, but there was nothing else in his stomach for him to throw up. Spitting into the toilet bowl, Alastor leaned against the cool porcelain, taking quick, shaky breaths.

While he hadn’t meant to, Alastor had just come while thinking about the monster. While thinking about a dumb animal. His skin crawled, and he bit his lip, hard.

The taste of iron flooded his taste buds, and Alastor realized he had split his lip. The metallic flavor brought him back into his body slightly, and the brunet pushed himself shakily back up to standing, flushing the toilet. He then proceeded to turn on his shower and step in.

He didn’t need a cold shower right now, he needed a hot one. Boiling water to burn away his disgusting behavior and thoughts and cleanse his body and mind.

Alastor leaned against the bathroom wall as steam started to fill the air. He already knew he was going to hell - he was a cannibal after all, he ate people - but this, this was a new low for him. Alastor prided himself on his sense of morals; he killed people who abused others, from their fellow man, to small children, to animals. The fact that Alastor had just masturbated to the thought of the beast in his care made him want to rip his hair out, loathing himself for having done such a thing.

The longer the brunet stood in the shower the more he calmed down though. As his heart rate returned to a more decent level, rational thought found its way back to him as well.

It wasn’t like Alastor had done that on purpose. Hell, he hadn’t been thinking about anything when he first started touching himself! He never thought of anything when he masturbated, it was a strictly necessary procedure that he would do quickly and to the point. This time Alastor had just gotten frustrated at not being able to get off faster since he had the creature to go check on. Thinking about the monster right then must have crossed some wires, and he just happened to have found his release at that inopportune moment.

Yes, that made sense! Alastor clung to this reasoning desperately. He was not that kind of degenerate, not that kind of fucked up sexual predator. The beast was just an animal in his care that the brunet cared about and cherished, as one would a beloved pet. That’s all.

Alastor scrubbed himself raw, stepping out of the shower feeling at least a little better about what had just transpired.

He headed back upstairs to get dressed, then chucked his soiled sleep ware into the washer before starting to make breakfast for himself. Part of Alastor wanted to go check on the creature immediately, make sure they were okay and see how they were doing now that they had some food and a blanket to sleep on. Another part of Alastor was reluctant to see the beast right now, shame and disgust still sitting heavy in his stomach. He knew the monster wouldn’t know what he had done, but still, the brunet wasn’t sure he could face them right now.

So he took his time with breakfast.

As ten rolled around Alastor finally decided he had put off seeing the beast for long enough. He wanted to at least bring them something to eat, but the brunet lacked the type of sugary sweets that the creature seemed to like.

Digging around in his pantry, Alastor improvised; he toasted some bread, and crushed some sugar cubes. He didn’t use sugar cubes, but the brunet kept some on hand for when Rosie visited. She liked to sweeten her coffee and tea, and Alastor prided himself on being a good host.

Buttering the bread, Alastor sprinkled the sugar over the warm toast. It wasn’t exactly a cake or anything special, but hopefully the beast would like it.

In the basement, Alastor found the monster lying on their back, staring up at the ceiling. As soon as they heard him approaching the creature twisted their head around, gazing at Alastor with those big bright eyes. Their tail thumped against the floor a couple of times before the monster fully turned themself over onto their front, watching Alastor expectantly.

“Hi. I, uh, brought you some food? It’s nothing like what you had last night, but it’s sweet, so hopefully it’s to your liking.” Alastor felt so incredibly awkward, face burning as his eyes locked with the monster’s, only to immediately avert his gaze. He knew they didn’t know what the brunet had done that morning, but it didn’t stop him from feeling so exceedingly guilty. Alastor had already reasoned with himself that he hadn’t even done anything bad! It had been an accident! A misplaced thought at the wrong time!!

Gritting his teeth in irritation at himself, Alastor pushed the toast towards the bars of the cage with his grabber-reacher. The creature lowered their head to be closer to the offered plate, nostrils flaring as they sniffed the food. Then one large paw reached through, plucking one slice of toast up and popping it into their mouth. Alastor suddenly realized that though he had been thinking of the beast’s forepaws as, well, paws, they were actually fairly humanoid. Uncannily so. Their paws were more like hands, with long, slender fingers, three joints per digit, four digits per hand. And… one of those digits was a thumb?

Alastor stared, dumbfounded at this discovery. He had been studying the creature for a week now, even drawing them obsessively in his journal, and Alastor had only just noticed this. Granted, the beast tended to rest with their paws (hands?) tucked under them, so maybe that’s why he hadn’t noticed before? Still, this discovery was unusual, strange, and a little frightening.

Especially the fact the animal had thumbs. He knew animals could have thumbs! Primates for example. But, this creature was nothing like a monkey. What did they need thumbs for?? Why were their hands like those of a human? Well, aside from missing a fifth digit, having wickedly sharp pink claws, and golden paw-pads on the underside of each finger and on their palm.

The brunet had the unwelcome thought that it was probably good he hadn’t noticed the being had human-like hands earlier, considering the kinds of thoughts that had flooded his mind that morning. He flushed brightly at the memory, shoving this new thought away forcefully as guilt twisted his stomach up into knots.

He needed to get out of here, get some fresh air, clear his head.

As quickly as he could Alastor refilled the beast’s water bowl and fled back upstairs. He still felt bad, and dirty, and like he had betrayed the monster’s trust. Alastor hated this feeling. Grabbing his messenger bag, Alastor marched out to his truck; he needed to get away for a bit, return to some sense of normalcy. Also he had some new errands to run, and Alastor was determined to make it up to the creature for his mental transgression somehow.

Once in town, Alastor decided to get lunch there. It was almost noon anyway, he might as well eat something! Sitting down for a bite also gave the brunet more time to think and deal with his mess of feelings and thoughts.

This had been a freak occurrence, Alastor told himself firmly. He had just been spending so much time in the basement with the creature, and had started to care for the being! He had developed a sort of companionable relationship with them. Maybe relationship was the wrong word here - but yes, Alastor and the beast had been hanging out and enjoying each other’s company! The way a human and their dog or cat or horse could hang out and bond with one another. This wasn’t weird, this was perfectly normal and natural!

So long as Alastor didn’t have a repeat performance of that morning.

His stomach churned at the thought, bile rising in his throat. Alastor closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. He had just eaten, he did not want to puke again, not right now.

The fact that Alastor was so disgusted and disturbed at himself for his actions and thoughts that morning actually made him feel a little better. It really had been an accident! He hadn’t meant to think about the creature while he masturbated! His absolute revulsion over the occurrence proved to Alastor that he wasn’t the kind of fucked up abusive scumbag he looked down upon and hunted. He was better than that.

Despite this, Alastor was forced to consider if keeping the beast in his basement was such a good idea after all. He wanted what was best for the monster, wanted them to be happy and healthy. They were healing nicely from their wounds, and had started eating now! That was good, that was good.

Maybe Alastor should let them go.

An intense feeling of wrongness clamped over Alastor at the thought; the idea of setting the creature free made him feel despair, and lonely, and anxious. He wheezed at the intensity of the feelings, shaking his head to try to dissipate them.

Why had he had such a strong emotional reaction? The beast wasn’t his to keep. Alastor didn’t own them. They were a wild animal, deserving of freedom and a life beyond hard concrete and metal bars.

Alastor tried to reason with himself that sooner or later he would probably have to let the creature go. Yet, part of him fought hard against this; the monster was still healing! They couldn’t be set free yet!! Not for a long, long while at least. They needed to stay somewhere safe and away from prying eyes and others who would wish the beast harm.

The brunet was protecting them, and feeding them, and making sure they were safe and sound. They needed Alastor.

He ignored the little thought that popped up telling him that he needed the creature, too.

It was settled then! Alastor would continue to keep the monster in his basement, feed and provide for them, keep them safe and protect them. This was the right choice - this way Alastor could continue to keep an eye on the beast and make sure they healed properly and regained their strength.

Paying for his lunch, Alastor left the restaurant and headed towards downtown. While the brunet felt a bit better, he still felt a little bad about his morning activities. He still wanted to make it up to the beast.

Stopping at the local bakery, run by a spunky firecracker of a woman called Cherri, Alastor looked around the establishment. He hadn’t been in here since his mother’s death. Alastor didn’t care for sweet breads or cakes, why would he?

“Oye, is that Alastor? Never thought I’d see you in here again! It’s been like, what, four years?”

Alastor glanced towards the counter, spotting Cherri herself grinning widely at him.

“Hello to you too, Cherri. Yes, well, I might not be the biggest fan of sugary baked goods, but my friends are. And maybe I was too harsh on them before.” Alastor shrugged nonchalantly, making his way to the front. It was a Thursday afternoon, which meant the shop was not at all busy right now, the majority of workers at the back preparing fresh treats for the afternoon or doing a spot of cleaning.

“Alright, sure. You don’t have to justify your being here, a customer is a customer! I’m not going to judge you for suddenly coming back to my bakery and paying me for my goods.” Cherri chuckled, leaning against the counter.

“Fair enough.” Alastor murmured as he gazed at all the options of sweets and treats available.

It was… frankly overwhelming. Did people really need this many different ways to eat bread with sugar and frosting?

“Sooo… what can I get for you today?” Cherri inquired, tilting her head to the side as she watched Alastor. The woman was Alastor’s age, with pale skin with light eyes. Cherri had strawberry blond hair she always had up in a high ponytail, and the edges of a tattoo could be seen peeking out from the collar of her shirt. The brunet thought Cherri might be Irish or something, but he wasn’t sure.

Humming in consideration, Alastor began his order. The more he added to it the higher Cherri’s eyebrows raised, until they had practically disappeared into her hairline.

“Damn, that’s a lot of baked goods and sweets! You really don’t half-ass things, do you? Diving right into the world of sugar and cakes without any preamble after four years! Gutsy, I can dig it.” Cherri shot Alastor two finger guns before getting to work on his order. He didn’t deign to respond to her comment.

Four overloaded bags of baked goods and sweet treats later, Alastor staggered back to his truck. He had bought cakes, Mexican sweet breads, chocolate croissants, donuts, pies - you name it, Alastor had bought some of it. As well as some ridiculously large cookies, vanilla pudding, and bars of chocolate that the bakery had on sale as well. The brunet had no idea exactly what the beast liked in terms of baked goods, but he knew they liked it sweet!

Once his nauseatingly sugary purchases had been put away in his truck, Alastor hesitated. He could head back home now. Alastor felt much better, more clear-headed and at ease. But, he still couldn’t bring himself to go home and face the creature. Not yet. He still had to make it up to them even more.

What the fuck did the monster like? Aside from sugar, that is.

Meandering around downtown, Alastor found himself standing before a pet store. With literally no better ideas, Alastor decided to head in.

Of course the creature wasn’t his pet! He knew that. But, maybe he could get them a toy or something nice here? Something that would erase any remaining guilt lingering in his mind and making his stomach twist up from self-loathing?

Wandering down the isles, Alastor made his way to the dog toy section. There he found a rather large lamb plushie; it could be a pillow it was so big. Maybe the monster would like it? Alastor picked it up, feeling the softness of the toy. Its white fur made him think of the creature…

Tucking it under his arm, Alastor was about to leave when he spotted something else. It was a large plastic ring, made to look like a pink-glazed donut and boasting the strongest most durable material for a chew toy. Smirking to himself, Alastor picked that up too.

Heading back to his truck, Alastor felt remarkably better now. He had bought the monster more food, and some presents! Alastor thought he could face the beast now, with his apology gifts and yummy treats. These things more than made up for his actions that morning! Since those actions hadn’t even been that bad to begin with - it had just been a stray thought, and it had been an accident!!

Alastor reminded himself that intention was important, and it had not been his intention to think of the creature in that context. He was a good person. Well, as good of a person as a cannibal who had killed his own father could be.

By the time Alastor made it home it was a quarter to three. The brunet found that he was happy to be home again, not anxious about having to face the creature in his basement anymore. His guilt had all but disappeared, rationalized away and dealt with through gift buying.

It took Alastor a moment to unpack all the baked goods from his truck. He had no idea where to even put them! But he managed to clear some space in the pantry for all the treats, with the exception of the vanilla pudding - that went in the fridge. It briefly crossed his mind that Alastor might be poisoning the monster with all these sweets; just because they actually ate them didn’t mean it was good for them! But right now Alastor just wanted the being to eat, hopefully rebuild their strength a bit. He could work on their nutrition later.

Excitement started to fizz up under his skin. Alastor couldn’t wait to give the creature the gifts he had bought them! They needed some enrichment in their cage anyway, it probably wasn’t very mentally stimulating for the beast to just be lying around in the cell all day. Though that was what they needed right now - the monster was still healing from their injuries and needed plenty of rest. Having some food in their stomach would definitely help!

And while they recovered they could entertain themself with the toys Alastor bought them.

Not wanting to wait any longer, Alastor headed to his basement, keeping the gifts in a plastic shopping bag so as to have them be a surprise.

“Hey! I’m back! Sorry for heading out so suddenly without letting you know.” Alastor apologized, giving up on trying to rationalize his talking to the being. People talked to their pets all the time, right? This wasn’t weird.

The monster lifting their head off of their hands, corners of their mouth twitching into what could only be considered a smile. They were lying on the blanket Alastor had gotten for the being; his last gift to them had been a success, hopefully these would be too.

“I got you something! Gifts! To celebrate you actually eating! And, to mark a full week of having you around, I guess.” It suddenly dawned on Alastor that it had only been a week since he had caught the monster in his bear trap. It felt like it had been months, like he had been living with this being for much longer than he had. The brunet was stunned by this realization, taking in how in such a short amount of time he had grown so attached to the creature, almost all of his fear surrounding the unknown monster having dissipated. Alastor felt at ease around the being, though his instincts still warned him to be on alert and wary around them; he wasn’t stupid. Despite feeling a connection to this beast, Alastor knew better than to intrinsically trust a wild animal. He wouldn’t let his guard down around them.

A sound of curiosity brought Alastor out of his head. The monster had fully sat up, back legs bent and front legs extended to support their weight, bringing them practically eye-level with Alastor once more. His breath caught in his throat as those deep red eyes locked with his, having to tear his gaze away immediately. It felt like the beast could see right through him, into his very core. Alastor shivered at the thought, a trickle of guilt creeping back into his mind.

Shoving his hand into the plastic bag, Alastor pulled out the large lamb plush. He had of course cut off all the tags before bringing the gifts down with him.

“Ta-da!” Alastor held out the plushie with a flourish, grinning widely at the beast. “It’s a stuffed animal! A lamb. I have no idea what you are, but this toy made me think of you. So, this little fella can be your new friend and keep you company when I’m not around! Or you can rip it to shreds. It’s yours to do what you wish with!” Alastor used the grabber-reacher to push the plush into the cage, the toy momentarily getting stuck due to its large size. Thankfully it was soft and malleable, and with a sturdy shove made it all the way into the cell.

The being watched with wide eyes as the lamb plushie landed on their blanket. Slowly they lowered their chest down to the ground, extending their neck to sniff at the item curiously. Alastor watched eagerly as the creature lifted their left hand to prod the toy with a finger, making a small chirping sound before grabbing the toy fully and pulling it closer. The beast patted the lamb, apparently pleased at how soft it was, before head butting it gently.

Alastor was smiling so wide it almost hurt. He was beyond elated that the monster seemed to like the toy. “There’s one more!” Alastor reached into the shopping bag for the second item, holding up the plastic donut ring up high.

The monster turned their head back towards Alastor, blinking a few times at the new item. Without wasting any time the brunet placed this item in the cell as well, watching intently to see if the creature would like this toy too.

“It’s a chew-toy.” Alastor explained as the beast looked at the item quizzically. “Supposed to stimulate you by giving you something to gnaw on, and supposedly helps clean your teeth too. Though you can do whatever you want with it really. Use it as a frisbee for all I care.”

Gingerly the creature reached out for this toy, poking it once more and finding it much sturdier than the plush. They raised their eyebrows at this discovery, hooking a claw into the center of the donut to drag it closer. The monster sniffed it curiously, then gave it an experimental lick, pulling a face at that. Alastor couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the creature’s reaction. They narrowed their eyes at him, seeming annoyed at his laughter.

“Sorry! It’s just - you’re being so cautious about these things! And I’ve never seen an animal make a face like that after licking something. These toys are made for animals, they can’t be all that bad! Though, I suppose you wouldn’t have ever experienced anything like this wherever you came from. These are dog toys anyway, and you’re clearly not a dog. I have no idea what you are.” Alastor murmured that last part under his breath, his laughter having subsided.

The beast seemed to roll their eyes at Alastor’s explanation, pushing the plastic donut aside to be able to lay back down. They curled up with the lamb plush, pulling it into a tight embrace and burying their face into the toys soft fabric.

Alastor felt a pang of misplaced jealously at that. He quickly pushed that feeling away.

Well, one toy seemed to have been a bigger success than the other. No matter, they were for the monster to do with as they pleased. Alastor had done his part (assuaging his guilt and inner turmoil), and that’s what counted.

“Alright, I’m going to head back up now. I’ll be back to check on you later, okay? Back to the usual schedule. I shouldn’t need to go into town for anything else for a bit now.” Alastor smiled warmly at the creature as they opened one eye back up to acknowledge his words, before letting it fall shut again. Alastor headed back upstairs, feeling generally content with how things were going.

He hoped things continued to go well. For him and the beast.

Chapter Text

The next week went by fairly smoothly.

Alastor settled into a comfortable rhythm with the monster; he would wake up around 8am, have breakfast and coffee, go into the basement to check on the beast and bring it something sweet as well as top off their water, then spend the day doing an assortment of different activities interspersed by checking in on the creature. After dinner Alastor would feed the monster some more baked goods and get them fresh water, then spend the hour or two before bed indulging in a drink (or four or five) with a good book or some soft jazz, before checking on the beast one last time before taking a shower and heading to bed.

Life was pretty good right now, all things considered.

During one afternoon check in Alastor walked in on the monster peeing, which seemed to embarrass the creature immensely. To Alastor’s amusement the beast’s face had slushed a bright gold and he had at once lowered his leg and stepped away from the edge of the cage. This also cemented in Alastor’s mind that the creature was male, considering the monster had lifted his leg to do his business. Once again the way the brunet thought of the beast shifted.

Cleaning up after the creature wasn’t a big deal; he was a very clean beast, always doing his business at the far side of the cell where Alastor could easily use the hose to spray the area down. And since the monster hadn’t been eating much until recently, there hadn’t been much to clean anyway.

Alastor had also taken to calling the creature ‘Bélier,’ which meant ‘ram’ in French. The brunet called him that because of the beast’s ram-like horns, even though they did split into two parts, one sticking up and the other curling around his ears. Kind of like that one species of sheep that had two sets of horn, except this creature had one set of horns that split into two.

Bélier seemed to like the gifts Alastor had gotten him. When the brunet checked on the creature in the morning, he would find Bélier using the lamb plush as a pillow, or hugging it close to his chest. It was a very sweet sight, one that made Alastor’s heart fill with joy at having given the creature his beloved toy. The donut chew toy wasn’t as beloved, but Alastor did catch Bélier experimentally chewing on it from time to time. While he didn’t seem fond of the texture at first, the monster kept going back to it, gnawing at the ridges and bumps along the hard pink plastic. Alastor supposed he had nothing better to do anyway, so chewing on that toy became an activity for Bélier regardless of how much he actually liked it.

The food Bélier ate was really ridiculously unhealthy, in Alastor’s opinion. A generous slice of cake, a couple of donuts, half a pie, a whole vanilla pudding - Alastor gagged at the thought of eating so many sweets. But he continued to feed Bélier these things anyway. For one, it made Alastor’s spirit soar to see the beast finally eating. The monster was regaining his strength, fur returning to shiny and full, eyes appearing less sunken, ribs less visible, and he was more full of energy, too, jumping up whenever Alastor came downstairs, tail swishing in a happy wag, a rumbling sound the brunet had started to identify as a deep purring emanating from the beast. For now at least Alastor was content to keep feeding the creature this junk, if it meant he was happy and healing. Later he would try to figure out how to get Bélier to eat a more balanced diet.

Today was Wednesday, which meant Alastor was due for his T shot. He got out of bed, eager to take his testosterone and get the familiar boost of energy that came with it. But as he reached out for his bedroom door Alastor paused.

Last week he had gotten a bump to his sex drive as well as his energy. And that had resulted in a very bad time for Alastor. His stomach churned at the unpleasant memory, his fingers trembled as his hand hovered over the doorknob.

Alastor did not want a repeat performance. He had to remind himself that what had happened had been an accident, a coincidence, a stray thought at an inopportune moment that had created an unsavory result. It wouldn’t happen again.

Taking a deep breath, Alastor firmly grasped his doorknob and headed down to the bathroom.

Only to find he was out of testosterone.

Eyes almost bulging out of his head Alastor dug through his medicine cabinet, frantically searching for a spare little vial of his hormones that maybe escaped his notice. Had it really been three months since he had last picked up testosterone from the pharmacy? Alastor leaned over his sink, staring down into the drain. Shit. Looked like he was going to have to skip his T shot for now.

Resigning himself to a T-less morning, Alastor went about getting ready for the day. He could go into town later to pick up his prescription at the pharmacy later. That perked Alastor up slightly. Only for him to find that his toilet was plugged when he tried to flush it.

After half in hour of trying to get the damn thing unplugged the brunet came to the conclusion that this was a bigger plumbing issue than he had thought.

It looked like Alastor would not be going into town today.

———

After a frustrating day of dealing with plumbing issues, Alastor was exhausted. Every time he thought he had fixed the issue, something else had broken or gone wrong, leading to Alastor being stuck in pipes and sewer water for the majority of the day. Most people might have called a plumber, but Alastor was not most people. He was handy, he could deal with this himself. Alastor had built this house, he knew what to do when things went wrong! Besides, the brunet did not like letting strangers into his space. If they went snooping and discovered something they shouldn’t, that could turn out really bad for Alastor - and for that individual.

So Alastor was determined to fix this on his own.

Unfortunately he hadn’t been able to fix everything. Yet.

He had gotten his toilet working again, and the shower was fine, but now the kitchen sink was making an awful rattling sound and spewing brown water when he turned it on.

He would deal with that tomorrow.

Alastor took a shower, made himself dinner, and went to the basement to check in on Bélier. The monster was fine at least, and the brunet found some of his tension and annoyance from the day ease just by being in the majestic creature’s presence once more.

“Hope you’ve had a better day than I have, Bélier. Damn plumbing is acting up. I think something might have gotten into the pipes somehow and died in there. Fucking rotten place to die, couldn’t it have chosen somewhere else? The roof gutters would have been preferable.” Alastor complained to the beast, flopping down on the folding chair he kept near his work area.

Bélier huffed out a breath, one Alastor took to mean ‘I’m so sorry you’re dealing with that old chum, do tell me more.’ The brunet proceeded to loudly do just that.

After twenty odd minutes of venting to a very patient monster, Alastor felt a bit better. He went back up to grab Bélier a few cookies for dinner, refilling his water bowl before wishing him sweet dreams and heading upstairs.

Alastor wasn’t ready for bed himself though, no, he needed to unwind some more after the day he had. Grabbing a bottle of his favorite whisky, Alastor didn’t even grab a glass, opting to drink straight from the source.

“Ah, that’s the stuff.” The brunet slumped against his couch with a groan, bringing the bottle back up to his lips and taking a generous gulp. He delighted in the slight burn of the amber liquid slipping down his throat, making its way down his body and loosening his limbs.

Not a great day, this one. But there was always tomorrow.

—-

Thursday was no better.

It had now been two weeks of living with Bélier. Alastor currently couldn’t care less.

Okay, that wasn’t true. He was delighted to have the beast in his life, despite how horrified and scared he had been when he first caught the being. Alastor now couldn’t imagine his life without this strange creature; he had grown accustomed to his company, enjoying the quite moments spent around the monster in his basement, finding meaning in feeding and caring for Bélier. It made Alastor happy to see how well Bélier was doing these days - the wounds on his back were basically completely healed now, leaving behind pink jagged scars. The brunet wondered if his fur would grow back there or not. Regardless, the scars did nothing to take away from Bélier’s regal, elegant beauty. He was still a stunningly gorgeous creature.

However, Alastor hadn’t slept all that well the night before, and thanks to some heavy drinking he had woken up with a hangover. On top of that, he still was out of testosterone, and his plumbing was still fucked. Overall not a great start to the day.

Whining pathetically into his pillow, Alastor squeezed his eyes shut, trying to ignore the light from his windows and the pounding in his head.

This wasn’t super effective.

He dragged himself out of bed, managing to pull on his bathrobe and step into his slippers before shuffling downstairs, where he proceeded to down half his water jug and a handful of Advil. Alastor then put his coffee machine on, making his way over to his couch and falling face first onto it. He willed the Advil to work faster as he lay there, grumbling to himself.

Alastor felt like shit.

As soon as his coffee was finally ready and in his hands, the brunet felt a little bit better. Sipping the warm, bitter drink brought some life back into Alastor’s body, and his headache began to recede. Good, good. Alastor set about preparing breakfast for himself, feeling more alive by the minute as the coffee in his system started to work its magic.

Once fed and generally feeling more awake, Alastor went back upstairs to get dressed before heading to the basement to see Bélier. The monster was fine, like usual. He perked up when Alastor appeared at the bottom of the steps, a small chirping sound and a tail wag greeting him.

Today Alastor brought Bélier some bear claws (the pastry, not the nails of the animal). He watched in fond amusement as the beast wolfed them down, closing his eyes and licking his lips in apparent satisfaction at the sweet treat.

“Well at least one of us is having a good morning. The day has barely started and I already am having a shit time.” Alastor told him, giving the creature a tired smile.

At his words, Bélier turned to look at Alastor. Hard. The monster squinted at the brunet, tilting his head to the side and making a small inquisitive sound. Bélier’s eyebrows furrowed as his horizontal pupils flickered all over Alastor. The creature lowered his head, expression one so obviously of worry that Alastor almost thought Bélier had understood him.

That was impossible though. Shaking to dispel the thought, Alastor waved away whatever concern the beast may or may not be experiencing for him. “Don’t worry about me Bélier, I can take care of myself! You keep being your usual charming self, I’ll get back to work on the damn plumbing.”

Bélier huffed out a breath of disbelief that Alastor chose to ignore as such, telling the creature he’d come back soon to check on him before heading up to work on the plumbing. For the second day in a row.

———

By the time Alastor finished fixing all the issues that had come up it was late. The brunet was absolutely exhausted, but generally pleased with himself: he had fixed everything all by himself!

Alastor’s suspicion that something had died in his pipes had been correct. He had ended up having to use a drain snake to drag out a dead rat, the drowned and rotting animal having plugged and accumulated all kinds of food items and debris and gunk until water just couldn’t flow past it anymore.

Regardless of how disgusting that had been, Alastor was proud of himself for not having to call a plumber. He was starting to get exasperated as the day wore on and he had continued to have problems with water and drainage. But he had done it! Alastor had fixed the issue!!

And now he was even more drained than he had been that morning.

On top of the physically exerting day, he was without his usual testosterone shot of the week, and Alastor was starting to feel the effects. Or, the lack of effects. He was more low energy than usual, feeling sluggish and not as sharp as he would like to be. Alastor was not a fan.

After showering, Alastor went to feed Bélier and see how he was doing once more. Bélier was chewing the donut toy, holding the plastic item in his hands as he lay on his front, absentmindedly gnawing away. When Alastor walked into his field of vision Bélier spat the item out and sat up, ears flickering in the way the brunet knew meant the beast was happy.

“Good to see you too, buddy. Sorry, I’m really tired right now, not up for hanging out. Just here to leave you some food before heading up to bed.” Alastor apologized as he refilled the water bowl and pushed a fresh pastry towards the cage with the grabber-reacher tool.

Bélier’s ears drooped at his words, and Alastor almost took back what he said. But he really was tired, and if he stayed down here with the monster Alastor was liable to fall asleep in his folding chair. Which would definitely be a bad idea! No matter how close he felt to the creature, no matter the amount of kinship he seemed to have with Bélier, Alastor’s instincts were firm in telling him that falling asleep near the beast would be a bad idea.

Stifling a yawn, the brunet headed to bed. He skipped out on drinking for the night, electing to just crawl under his covers and try to get some sleep.

———

It was the Fourth of July.

God fucking damn it how had Alastor lost track of time so thoroughly? He knew that stupid patriotic holiday was just around the corner, especially since it came just a week or so before hunting season officially began. And yet, here Alastor was, lying in bed feeling lethargic as shit and out of T and unable to get more because everything wound be closed this Friday and through the weekend.

Fuuuuck.

Alastor dragged a hand down his face, annoyed at himself for not going to the pharmacy earlier, pissed off at the plumbing issues that had taken up his last two days, and irked at his own lack of energy.

He was still so tired. With a groan Alastor pushed himself into a sitting position in bed, fingers fumbling along his nightstand until they found his glasses. Pushed them onto his nose, the brunet unwillingly got out of bed. Alastor would just have to survive the weekend without fresh testosterone. He could do that. He had done it before. As loath as he was to go on without his precious hormone supplement, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Sure, Alastor would continue feeling low energy and out of it, but that was manageable.

The brunet flopped back onto his bed warily. It was not manageable.

Alastor stared up at his ceiling, eyes tracing the beams that connected in a sharp triangle above his head.

Eventually he managed to convince himself to get up for real, pulling on his bathrobe and heading down for some breakfast. After getting dressed Alastor selected a generous slice of cake to take down to Bélier. His baked goods and sweet treat selection was starting to dwindle, but Alastor wasn’t worried about it. Not yet at least.

Downstairs with the beast once more, Alastor felt lighter, more at ease. A sense of contentment spread through him as he watched Bélier wolf down his breakfast, a small smile playing over his lips at the creature’s eagerness.

A yawn overlook Alastor as he leaned against his work area. His body felt so heavy, his mind sluggish. Maybe he should take a nap.

After another jaw splitting yawn, Alastor decided to do just that. Bidding Bélier a good day and promising to stop by later, Alastor headed back to his room to see if he could get some more sleep after all.

———

By the time Alastor awoke again it was past noon. He made himself some lunch, then grabbed his journal and a headed back to the basement. A nice, quiet time with the monster while he wrote a bit would do him good.

Bélier was lying on his back with his lamb plushie held up above his head in his hands. When he noticed Alastor he dropped the toy onto his chest, tilting his large head further back to gaze at the brunet upside down. The frankly adorable and silly sight brought a genuine smile to Alastor’s face.

He set up his folding chair by the work area, flipping his journal open to a blank page. Alastor settled down to write, pen in hand, with the companionable prescience of the large creature in his cell nearby.

After a couple of hours Alastor decided he had journaled enough, even having added some fresh sketches of the beast to his collection.

Putting his journal down, Alastor turned his attention fully back to the monster. Bélier was lying on his side, his lamb plush tucked close to his chest, eyes half-open as he watched the brunet. The corner of Alastor’s mouth twitched up into a smile, amused at the idea that he was studying the creature just as intently as he was studying Alastor.

He never got tired of watching Bélier. He was truly such a magnificent, regal beast. Wherever he came from, he must have been a king among his kind. Someone to be respected and looked up to by the other creatures of his land.

Alastor lost himself in thought, imagining what kind of place - or world - Bélier might have come from, and the other kinds of fantastical animals that might live there. Alastor got so lost in daydreams that he didn’t even realize what time it was until he heard the faint, telltale sounds of fireworks.

People in town must be starting their Fourth of July celebrations.

Bélier lifted his head at the sound, ears flickering up and training forward. His eyes were wide, nostrils flaring. Alastor realized this was probably a completely unfamiliar and frightening phenomena for the creature; weren’t dogs and cats scared of fireworks?

“Hey, don’t worry, ignore that sound.” Alastor told the beast, hoping his words would reassure him. Bélier ignored him, standing up and beginning to pace his cage.

“It‘s, it’s alright Bélier, it’s nothing. Just a stupid human celebration. I’ll be right back okay - wait here.” He wasn’t sure why he added that last part, considering that the monster was stuck in a cage, but still. If Bélier got worked up enough and tried to break out of the cell he could seriously end up hurting himself! And his wounds were healing so nicely!!

Alastor sprinted back upstairs, surprised to find it still very bright out. It was only five, why were people setting off fireworks already? What a stupid waste of time and clean air. Alastor never understood fireworks. Guns, now those made sense to him. But fireworks? They were just loud and polluting wastes of time, showy and flashy with no purpose. They reminded him of Victor, that television man who kept trying to get Alastor to join his network.

The fact that it was still early probably meant the few fireworks Alastor had heard were an outlier, a few overeager people wanting to start their celebrations already. That was good.

Heading up to his room, Alastor grabbed his portable radio and a few books. He tried to grab the red beanbag by his reading nook as well, but that proved too ungainly to carry with his other items, so Alastor resolved to come back for it.

Bringing his items downstairs, Alastor placed them on his work area, turning to find Bélier standing and watching the brunet over his shoulder. The creature had stopped pacing at least, momentarily more interested in whatever Alastor was doing.

“It’s the Fourth of July.” Alastor began to explain in his most soothing tone of voice, arranging his radio and books on the counter. “Here in America, it’s a pretty big holiday. Independence and all that jazz. Not saying I’m unpatriotic, but I just don’t agree with the way most of the country celebrates. Mainly, the fireworks - those loud explosions you heard? Yeah, they’re a nuisance. Never liked them, even as a kid. My dad threatened to tie me to one if I misbehaved one Fourth of July. Good times. Anyway! I’m not a big fan of fireworks, and from your reaction I’d say neither are you. So, we’re going to spend this Independence Day together, alright?”

Alastor spun back around to face Bélier, heart skipping a beat when his eyes landed on the beast. He was pressing his face against the bars of the cage, gazing out at Alastor with a soft expression he could almost call… fond. Swallowing thickly, Alastor gave the creature a nervous smile before pivoting on his heel and heading upstairs for the rest of the items he wanted to grab.

His beanbag of course, and a couple of beers as well as some snacks. Which included some popcorn, beef jerky, and trail mix. He also grabbed a few chocolate bars for Bélier - chocolate didn’t seem to hurt the creature, so why not get his furry house guest some snacks he would enjoy, too?

Lugging all this to the basement was a bit of a challenge, but Alastor managed. He wanted to minimize the amount of trips he made up and down the stairs!

The brunet set the snacks out on the countertop with his books and the radio, scooting the folding chair aside and plunking the beanbag down in its place. Alastor then flopped onto the beanbag, flashing Bélier a pleased grin.

“Carrying all that down here was tricky! I think I need a break.” Alastor announced, leaning back in his seat and getting comfortable. The creature had sat down, long tail wrapped over his front paws. Hands? Alastor still wasn’t sure about that.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Alastor let his eyes fall shut for a bit. He still felt generally low energy and out of it, but having something to do - doing something for Bélier made the brunet feel better. It gave him a purpose, something to work towards despite the fog in his mind and his body’s lethargy.

Alastor ended up resting a little longer than he intended. His stomach gave a helpful rumble, letting him know that dinner time was approaching. Oh, yeah. Dinner.

Extracting himself from the beanbag, Alastor stood up and stretched. “I brought snacks down, but that isn’t a proper meal. Let me go grab some stuff for dinner, okay? And then I promise I’ll stay down here with you while the fireworks go off.”

The monster nodded at him. Alastor paused at that, unsure he had seen that correctly. A moment later the creature was scratching himself, twisting his neck around to reach a spot on his back. The brunet must have imagined that Bélier had nodded.

He made himself a quick dinner of chicken quesadillas with guac. He even cooked the chicken - Alastor didn’t always eat his meat raw, he just generally preferred it that way. The brunet also grabbed a water bottle to take with him downstairs, and some conchas - a Mexican sweet bread - for Bélier to have for dinner, following the Mexican theme of the meal. Before heading back down, Alastor decided to go back up to his room, grabbing a pillow and a blanket for himself. It was probably going to be a late night, and Alastor wanted to be comfortable.

With a blanket and pillow tucked under his armpit, Alastor descended into the basement with dinner. The creature was lying down on his stomach now, seemingly calmed and resettled after the agitation of the first fireworks.

Speaking of - Alastor heard the distant sounds of more explosives going off. It was now past seven, and while it was still quite bright out, that wouldn’t deter people for long.

Bélier immediately lifted his head back up at the sounds, nostrils flaring and tail tip twitching. Alastor hurried to bring his new items over to the work table, setting the things down before sprinting back up the steps to close the door back through the closet. The wooden door added another layer of protection from the sounds, the noise of the fireworks now even more muffled than before.

“There. That’s better, right?” Alastor walked back over to the beanbag, sitting down in it once more. Bélier snorted, lowering his head again. Though the beast seemed to be making an effort to relax, he still seemed pretty tense.

“Here - this will help.” Alastor hopped back to his feet, turning on the radio he had brought down with him and fiddling with it until he found his favorite jazz station. Turning the volume up, the brunet noted with satisfaction that the sound of the fireworks was practically unintelligible now; being in the basement and behind closed doors with music blasting drowned them out. It helped that Alastor lived in the woods, away from where the main festivities would be taking place in town.

“How’s that?” Alastor grinned at Bélier, who had tilted his head to the side, staring with wide eyes at the radio. A giggle escaped the brunet at the creature’s expression. “I take it you like it?”

Alastor gave Bélier his dinner, plopping back into his beanbag to eat his own meal. They ate in comfortable silence, listening to the music together.

When done with his food Alastor broke out a drink and his journal, sipping away at a beer while he wrote a bit and sketched out some fresh figure drawings of the beast. Bélier was currently drinking some water, long forked tongue lapping up the clear liquid. Alastor was mesmerized by the sight, by the flash of bright white canines glinting in the light, shiny with moisture. The dexterous, serpentine muscle flickering in and out of that dangerous maw. He did his best to capture the moment in his journal, fingers moving quickly across the page.

As the hours ticked by Alastor switched to reading for a bit, opening his second beer of the night and grabbing his blanket and pillow to make himself more comfortable. He also broke out the popcorn as a snack, throwing a few kernels over to Bélier to see if he would like it. The monster just watched the popcorn land in his cage, blinking at the little puffs for a moment before crouching down to sniff them, then experimentally lick them. Alastor cheered out loud when Bélier actually ate one. The creature’s ears fluttered at his reaction, and he licked up the rest of the kernels that Alastor had thrown into the cell. The brunet giggled, feeling slightly tipsy but oh so pleased that Bélier was eating something that wasn’t nauseatingly sweet for once. He threw a couple more pieces of popcorn into the cage, laughing loudly as Bélier snapped them out of the air eagerly, tail thumping on the floor enthusiastically behind him.

A few more hours, another beer, plus some more snacks later, Alastor decided he had enough of jazz and went to change the radio station. As he flipped through channels, he paused on one that was playing polka for a moment. He had never been a huge fan of the genre, but it had its merits. As he was about to change the channel once more, Alastor caught something moving out of the corner of his eye.

It was Bélier. His eyes were closed, head bobbing along to the beat of the music.

Snickering to himself, Alastor watched in amusement. At his half-suppressed laugh the beast’s eyes shot open, and he looked momentarily embarrassed before he narrowed his eyes at Alastor. If the brunet had to name the expression on Bélier’s face, he would say it was one of ‘who are you to judge? I’m enjoying this, so shut up.’

“Oh by all means, go ahead! Don’t let me stop you from looking stupid.” Alastor let out a proper laugh, grabbing another beer and flopping back onto his beanbag. This was the last bottle he had brought down with him. He would make it last.

Bélier rolled his eyes at Alastor, continuing to nod along to the music. Alastor smirked, sipping at his beer slowly and just watching the creature for a moment.

Checking his phone, Alastor found that it was a quarter to midnight. If he strained his ears he could just faintly hear the boom of the fireworks in the distance, loud and overlapping. They were definitely in their finale, wrapping up the official festivities - but that didn’t mean the festivities in general would end. Oh no, there were plenty of people around who got their hands on illegal fireworks and would set them off way into the wee hours of the morning.

When Alastor glanced back up at Bélier he couldn’t help the bark of laughter that escaped him. The creature wasn’t just bobbing his head along to the music anymore; he was practically dancing. Bélier was moving his whole upper body, shoulders and neck swinging from side to side as he tapped his claws on the floor along with the song.

Bélier just shot Alastor a look, and then - and then he really did start dancing. There was no other word to describe it. The brunet doubled over in laughter, tears pricking at the corner of his eyes at his mirth. The beast just looked so ridiculous.

He had gotten to his feet, body swinging from side to side, hopping from foot to foot (or hoof, as the case would have it). Bélier did a twirl, chain around his back leg clinking at his movements, then did what Alastor could only describe as a play-bow, before bouncing back up and continuing his ridiculous dance.

Alastor was laughing so hard he couldn’t breathe. But instead of this discouraging Bélier, it only seemed to spur him on to continue dancing. The beast gave Alastor a wolfish grin, shiny teeth glinting as his eyes crinkled into a smile. Bélier’s tail was wagging frantically behind him, moving so fast it almost threw the monster off balance. The beast staggered, rearing up onto his hind legs momentarily - before tripping on the chain around his ankle, crashing into the wall.

Alastor fell off his beanbag at that, clutching at his stomach as he rolled around on the floor laughing.

“Ahahaha- okay that’s enough! You’re killing me!!” Alastor wheezed out, tears streaming down his face. He glanced over at the monster, spotting him crumpled on the floor looking dazed with his tongue sticking out - which only served to send Alastor into another fit of laughter.

“Your dancing is dangerously! Hahaha - no more polka for you mister!” Alastor gasped out between breaths, pushing his glasses up and wiping at the tears of laughter on his cheeks.

Bélier snorted, shooting Alastor a lopsided grin as he rolled over onto his back. The brunet managed to get himself mostly under control, just a few stray giggles escaping him as he pulled himself into a sitting position.

“Are you alright? You didn’t hurt yourself, did you?” Alastor craned his neck, trying to get a good look at the beast’s hind legs and the cuff around his ankle. Bélier was still chained to the wall, a precaution from when the creature first came to be in the basement. Alastor wished he could remove it now, but that would require getting up close and personal with the probably dangerous wild animal, and he didn’t want to tranquilizer him again unless it was really necessary.

Fortunately, Bélier seemed fine. He stuck his back leg out, showing that the limb was un-injured. Alastor sighed in relief, standing up and changing the radio station to something safer.

Like classical music.

Settling back into the beanbag, Alastor continued to nurse his drink. Time slipped by, and the amount of fireworks Alastor could faintly hear became less and less. The brunet found himself overcome with a fit of yawning, sleepiness settling over him like a warm blanket. Alastor had to keep shaking his head roughly, trying to dissipate the drowsiness from his mind every time he felt himself start to nod off. When Alastor almost dropped his beer he realized maybe he should just head up to bed. It was now past 2am, and Alastor hadn’t heard anymore fireworks for a bit. That wasn’t to say there wouldn’t be any more, but right now Alastor was exhausted. The alcohol in his system wasn’t helping with keeping his eyes open.

“I think I need to head up to bed, pal.” Alastor stood and stretched, groaning as his body protested the movement. Bélier had curled up with his lamb plushie, the toy safely tucked under his large arm, but at Alastor’s words he opened one eye and blinked sleepily up at the brunet. Alastor smiled warmly down at the tired monster, heart squeezing at the sight of Bélier all cozy and warm and soft. God, how Alastor wished he could curl up next to the creature, feel his soft fur under his fingers, warm breath on his cheek, strong limbs holding him close…

No, no no, snap out of it. Alastor slapped himself in the face, skewing his glasses and making Bélier lift his head slightly in concern. “Sorry, just falling asleep on my feet. Really should go now.” And with that Alastor headed up, leaving his radio on and playing classical music for Bélier. Hopefully the radio would drown out any impending fireworks that may go off during the night.

Dragging his feet from exhausting, Alastor didn’t even take a shower, too tired to care that he was getting into bed with the dirt of the day still on him. He barely even managed to strip out of his pants and shirt before crawling under the covers, sleep claiming him before his head even hit the pillow.

Chapter Text

The weekend was over before Alastor knew it. The momentary burst of energy he got from having a job to do - looking after Bélier and making sure he wasn’t too spooked from the fireworks - passed much too quickly, and Alastor found himself feeling lethargic and out of it once more. The Fourth of July celebrations had continued throughout the weekend, though not as intense as on Friday. Still, Alastor continued to spend the majority of his time in the basement with the beast, making sure Bélier was okay and not freaking out during this time of celebrations.

He probably didn’t need to; Bélier seemed fine after the initial explosions from Friday. It was like the creature had gotten used to the sounds of the fireworks, and they didn’t bother him anymore. And yet Alastor hovered nearby like a helicopter parent, just wanting to make sure his charge was safe and sound.

Monday rolled around, and Alastor realized the pharmacy would be open again. He really should head into town and pick up his prescription. But the brunet really didn’t want to do that today; his mind felt foggy, and though he knew a fresh vial of testosterone would help with his current disposition, Alastor was not in the mood for driving the hour or so it would take to get into town, talking to the pharmacist, socializing with them and whoever else was stupid enough to strike up a conversation with him, and then drive an hour back home.

Just the thought of it made Alastor’s head hurt. What would one more day without picking up his testosterone do? He could go get his hormones tomorrow.

Today, Alastor felt like wallowing.

He made himself coffee once he eventually managed to drag himself out of bed, pouring a generous amount of rum in his mug as well. He felt like he needed something a bit stronger than his usual morning drink today.

After his second cup of coffee - with rum - Alastor headed to his basement to see Bélier and bring the creature his breakfast.

To Alastor’s surprise, Bélier was still sleeping soundly. It wasn’t that early anymore, past nine thirty last Alastor checked, but the beast was curled up on his blanket, nose tucked under his long tail, lamb plush peaking out from where it was tucked against Bélier’s side. Quietly the brunet set down the pastry he had brought for the beast’s breakfast, sitting down softly in his folding chair to watch him slumber. Bélier looked so calm in his sleep, muscles relaxed and chest rising and falling evenly. Alastor took the time to trace the creature’s form with his eyes, noting the swell of his muscles, the well-defined shape of his body, the fine structure of his bones, the soft fluff of his fur. His fingers twitched with the desire to pet the beast, and he had to clench his hands into fists to remind himself that was not possible. It would be ill-advised to try to pet Bélier - he was still a wild animal, despite living in Alastor’s basement for the last few weeks.

Slowly Bélier came to, blinking the sleep from his eyes as he stretched out along the floor, long limbs extending to the edges of the cage. The beast yawned, lengthy pinkish tongue flickering out from between his rows of sharp white teeth.

Rolling over to lay on his side, Bélier pressed his face into the lamb plushie, nuzzling into the toy with a rumbling purr. He clearly hadn’t realized Alastor was there yet.

“Morning sleepyhead.” Alastor greeted the creature in a low murmur, not wanting to startle him.

The purring stopped, Bélier freezing with his muzzle pushed against the lamb plush. And then he snapped his head up, staring directly at Alastor with wide eyes. A faint golden blush dusted the beast’s cheeks, and Alastor smirked at his apparent embarrassment.

“Oh don’t be embarrassed, that was very cute to watch. Now, are you ready for some breakfast?” Alastor stood up, grabbing the pastry he had brought down and holding it out with a quirked eyebrow. Bélier smiled sheepishly at Alastor, tail swishing behind him in a gentle arc.

Taking that as a yes, Alastor placed the food onto the mat in the cage and refilled Bélier’s water bowl. He lingered a moment to make sure the creature ate his food, then headed back upstairs. Alastor had been putting off re-organizing his shed out back after he had ransacked it last week looking for his plumbing supplies. He knew he had a drain snake somewhere in there - and he had found it! After turning the place practically upside down, that is. If Alastor wasn’t going to go into town today, he might as well put the shed back in order.

But, it was approaching lunch time soon. The brunet decided he might as well eat before heading out back. As he prepared some food, Alastor spied the half-empty bottle of rum left from his morning wake up drink, and decided he might as well finish it off with his meal as well.

Alastor was definitely not going into town now.

A little over an hour later Alastor finally made it out to his shed. He had wanted to go down and see how Bélier was doing, but Alastor knew he would just dawdle down there if he did. The brunet told himself the sooner he finished organizing his shed, the sooner he could go and spend time with Bélier. So Alastor trudged unenthusiastically out to his shed, with a fresh bottle of rum. It was his consolation for not going down to the basement immediately.

The shed was chaos, and Alastor’s heart sank at the sight of it. He sighed, opening the doors of the storage room wide, and got to work. Alastor put tools back in their places, reorganized his building materials, and shoved cleaning supplies back on their shelves. Time went by slowly but steadily, with Alastor taking many breaks due to the fatigue he had been feeling. He took a swig of his rum every time he paused his work, and before long Alastor was properly tipsy.

It was late afternoon by the time Alastor deemed the shed organized enough. But all his rummaging and moving of things had really stirred up some dust and dirt… Alastor groaned, part of him wanting to leave the space dirty and just be done with the shed, another part of him insisting that he should clean it - he was already here, might as well finish the job.

The latter won. Alastor grabbed a broom from the cleaning supplied he had just put away, and began sweeping. And removing spiderwebs (spiders included), dusting, and mopping for good measure.

By the time Alastor had finished cleaning, the shed was sparkling clean - cleaner than it had been in a long time. And it was dark out. And he had finished the second bottle of rum.

The brunet was very much drunk by this point. He felt drained after all the work he had done in the storage room, and there was nothing Alastor wanted to do more than head into the basement and spend some time with Bélier. Instead of walking around the house to head inside and through the secret closet entrance, Alastor just pushed the table over the trapdoor to the basement out of the way, rolling the (now squeaky clean) mat back, and unlocked the main entrance to the basement.

Coming in from this angle meant Alastor had a direct view of the cage at the back of the room, and immediately the brunet felt more at ease. He gazed fondly at the creature in the cell, focusing so intently on Bélier that he almost missed a step as he descended the stairs. Thankfully Alastor caught himself, and continued down a little more cautiously.

“Hi Bélier, how’re you? Sorry I didn’ spend more time wit’ you today, I reeeeally needed taget tha’ done.” Alastor slurred, making his way over to the folding chair by his work area and sitting heavily in it. Alastor sprawled in his seat, a lazy, crooked smile on his face. He was so happy to be down here again, with Bélier once more. The beast was looking at Alastor curiously, with his head tilted to the side. It made Alastor giggle.

The brunet suddenly realized he hadn’t closed the trap door behind him - or his shed’s door. He grumbled, annoyed at himself for leaving those wide open, but didn’t make a move to go correct their current state. Alastor had just sat down, and he did not want to move. Besides, he lived out in the middle of the woods! On private property! And it was nighttime!! No one was around right now. It was fine.

Alastor gazed at Bélier through half-closed eyes, drinking in his form as one would a breathtaking painting at a museum. His eyes roved over the creature’s face, those triangle markings around his eyes, the little pink circles on his cheeks, the way his fur got longer and became a yellowish color at the top of his head, appearing as a slicked-back hairstyle with a few strands sticking out. Bélier was really such a handsome beast. Alastor sighed dreamily as his eyes traveled further along the creature’s body, over his wide shoulders, elegant curve of his horns, those long limbs… Alastor slid further down the chair as his eyes traced over the beast in his cell.

When his gaze reached Bélier’s back, he paused. He stared at the wounds the creature had suffered before finding his way into Alastor’s care. He frowned, momentarily angry at whoever or whatever caused such an injury to Bélier, but Alastor appeased himself with the thought that he had taken the creature in and practically nursed him back to health. Alastor didn’t know anything about taking care of animals! Hunting them, killing them, the proper way to skin and prepare their meat, he knew all that. But taking care of a living, breathing beast? This was new territory for him. New territory that Alastor was enjoying so much more than he ever thought he would.

He smiled dreamily to himself, noting how well Bélier’s wounds had healed. Wait… Alastor sat up straighter, adjusting his glasses and squinting at the creature. His wounds, they really were completely healed. Just a pink scar left, one that could have been months old.

The brunet blinked a couple of times, not understanding. The wounds Bélier had when Alastor found him had been bad, incredibly deep and jagged. And yet, in less than three weeks the beast had fully healed from them. It should have taken Bélier much longer to heal from an injury like that! But Alastor couldn’t deny the undeniable truth before him; Bélier was fully healed.

Pride blossomed in Alastor’s chest at the realization. He must be the best animal caretaker in the world! He was a natural at this!! Alastor grinned widely, overjoyed that his care and attendance had helped the creature in his basement recover so well.

All at once that joy and pride was snuffed out, as if a cold bucket of water was dumped over Alastor’s head. The brunet gasped at the sudden change, fighting the thought that had just wriggled its way into his mind; if Bélier was fully healed, there was no reason for him to stay in Alastor’s basement anymore.

Alastor struggled against this realization, screwing his eyes shut as if it was something unpleasant he didn’t want to look at. That didn’t work of course - the thought remained, growing louder and more insistent with every passing second.

Bélier was not a pet, not some domesticated animal that Alastor could keep in a cage and coddle forever. He was a wild, feral creature - a very well behaved one, sure, but still untamed. As much as Alastor longed for things to stay the same, for Bélier to remain a part of his life forever, some small part of him knew that wouldn’t be possible. Slowly Alastor opened his eyes once more, looking back at Bélier, who had rolled over onto his side and was staring blankly at the wall before him.

Despair filled Alastor, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. In his drunken state Alastor found himself completely at the mercy of his emotions. This just wasn’t fair! Alastor had grown so used to having Bélier around, accustomed to their routine, spending time in the basement with the beast, sharing quiet peaceful moments together. Alastor did not want to give that up.

He sniffled, wiping at the corner of his eye roughly. Alastor’s vision was swimming, whether from tears or being drunk (probably a mixture) he wasn’t sure. Bélier didn’t deserve to live out the rest of his days in a cage. As much as Alastor wished he could keep the creature as his own, Bélier was not his to keep.

Staggering to his feet, Alastor made his way over to the door of the cell. Alarm bells rang faintly in the back of his mind, but right now the brunet was too overcome with emotion to really notice or pay attention to them.

“I’sorry.” Alastor hiccuped, fishing his keys out of his pocket and struggling for a moment with the lock of the cell. He eventually managed to get it open, swinging the door wide and walking over to Bélier’s back leg - the one chained to the wall. “This’n’t fair…” Alastor told the beast as he unlocked the shackle on the creature’s leg, before shuffling back out of the cage. Throughout this Bélier stayed perfectly still, watching Alastor with wide, crimson eyes. Alastor stared back, convinced there was intelligence in their depths. Faintly the brunet registered that he had just done something incredibly stupid; he had just opened the cage of a wild animal and unchained him from his restraints. He could have lost a limb for that - or straight up been killed.

“Go. You’re f-free.” Trembling slightly, Alastor swept his arm out behind him; he had already gone this far in trying to set the creature free, might as well see if he wanted that freedom.

Bélier’s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, the creature slowly getting up on all fours. He took a step forward, regarded Alastor for a moment, at eye-level, now only a few feet away. Alastor’s heart was beating so fast he thought it might break free of his rib cage. Despite the fact that he had opened the door to the cell and been in the cage with the beast a mere moment ago, fear was now racing up his spine. The hair on the back of Alastor’s neck stood on end, gooseflesh breaking out across his skin. Shit, what was he doing?

Before Alastor could try to close the cell again or get further away from the beast, Bélier stepped through the doorway. The creature flowed out of the cage, gracefully moving across the basement floor and past Alastor, making his way up the steps to the shed. Alastor’s hair was ruffled as if by a slight breeze, the scent of apples faintly on the air, and before he could even blink, Bélier was gone.

The brunet stood, dumbfounded. The beast was gone. He was gone. He had left.

His legs gave out from under him, and Alastor crashed to the hard concrete floor, barely even feeling the sharp pain of his knees hitting the ground. Alastor stared unseeingly out towards the entrance of the basement, the last spot he had seen Bélier, that white furry tail disappearing into the night.

Alastor had no idea how long he stayed there, collapsed on the unforgiving cold concrete floor. Or when he ended up fully crumpled on the uncomfortable cement, feeling hollow and empty. Alastor felt emotionless, as if life had no meaning anymore. Nothing mattered anymore.

The beast had left. He left.

Bélier left Alastor.

Eventually Alastor’s brain registered pain. He was sprawled out half on his side, face flat against the floor at an awkward angle. It hurt. With a pained groan Alastor pushed himself back to sitting, wincing as his knees protested the movement. Glancing at his complaining legs, Alastor noted that he was bleeding. Or he had been bleeding, at least. He wasn’t sure how long he had stayed there, maybe a few hours. The knees of Alastor’s pants were scuffed and slightly torn, blood having soaked through the material.

Alastor couldn’t care less.

With some trouble the brunet managed to get himself to his feet, unstable and wobbly. He looked dolefully back at the cage, already missing the comforting bulk of Bélier behind those bars. With a sniffle, Alastor began to trudge towards the stairs.

He went directly to the secret closet entrance for the basement, foregoing the shed entrance and leaving it wide open. Right now Alastor really didn’t give a shit. He didn’t give a shit about anything.

Dragging his feet along the floor Alastor stumbled along to his bedroom, skipping every step he usually took before heading to bed. Distantly Alastor remembered that he hadn’t even had dinner. Whatever.

He managed to get himself over to his bed, collapsing on top of the mattress in a heap. Alastor didn’t get under the covers, didn’t change, didn’t even take off his shoes. He just crashed onto his bed, uncaring about anything, feeling so desolate. Nothing even mattered. What was the point of life.

Alastor closed his eyes, waiting for the sweet release of unconsciousness to claim him.

———

Morning came and went.

Alastor stayed in bed.

He wallowed in self misery all morning, falling in and out of fitful bursts of sleep. He was hungover, his heart hurt, and the sun was too bright. Every time he awoke Alastor willed himself to fall back asleep, not wanting to have to deal with the consequences of his actions the night before just yet.

What had he done.

A small part of Alastor whispered that he had done the right thing. That releasing Bélier had been the correct and noble thing to do. He couldn’t keep that creature in a cage in his basement forever! For one, Bélier didn’t deserve that. For another, Alastor needed that space for his human captives.

The brunet would happily give up on hunting humans if it meant he could keep the beast around for the rest of his life.

Squeezing his eyes shut tightly, Alastor screamed into his pillow. Why did he have to go and get so stupidly attached to that creature? His life had been just fine without him. Great, even! But then Bélier had to show up, with his ridiculously handsome face and silly mannerisms and endearing personality. Alastor liked having Bélier around, having the beast to talk to and care for. It gave his life a deeper sense of meaning, another layer of purpose. Something greater than himself to be a part of.

Alastor had been fine without that in his life, but now that he had had a taste of it, he didn’t want to go back. He did not want to go back to living all alone out here in the woods.

Maybe he should get a dog.

With a bitter, choked off laugh, Alastor rolled onto his back.

Fuck dogs! Dogs weren’t as interesting as Bélier. They didn’t have the same intelligent eyes and kind expressions. Dogs couldn’t make Alastor laugh the same way Bélier did. Dogs didn’t have a sweet tooth like Bélier or listen so intently when he talked.

Dogs had nothing on the beast.

Alastor found himself sitting on the edge of his bed after a while longer of wallowing. He picked up his phone, flipping it open and opening his photos. There, not that far back, was the picture he had taken of Bélier the day he had given the beast a bath. Alastor traced the photo gently with a finger tip. He had taken this picture as proof for himself that Bélier was real. So that he wouldn’t doubt what he had seen. Now it was the only reminder of the creature Alastor had. He pressed his phone to his chest, holding the photo as close to his heart as he could.

After a moment, Alastor put the phone down. His glasses lay on the comforter by his pillow, where they had been haphazardly pushed aside the night before. He supposed he was glad they hadn’t gotten crushed in his sleep.

He felt like a mess.

Glancing down at himself, Alastor grimaced. He also looked like a mess.

Reluctantly Alastor got up, wincing at the aches in his bones, the crick in his neck, the pounding behind his eyes, the way his knees smarted from where they made contact with the cement last night. Haltingly Alastor began to remove his clothing, before warily shuffling down to his bathroom. He needed a shower.

One shower, some bandages for his knees and some ibuprofen for his head, and a set of clean clothes later, Alastor felt slightly more human.

Only slightly.

He made himself a cup of coffee, but skipped out on breakfast (lunch?). Alastor found himself without an appetite, despite coming up on almost 24 hours since his last real meal.

Eventually the brunet came to the conclusion that he had to come to terms with what he had done. That is, set Bélier free.

He should go back to the scene of the crime and tidy up a bit, at least.

With heavy steps Alastor made his way back into the basement, steeling himself to deal with the remnants of Bélier’s time down there, clean and tidy the place up, and probably chuck the toys and blanket he had gotten for the creature.

Only to halt, completely flabbergasted, when he reached the bottom of the stairs.

Blinking rapidly in disbelief, Alastor pushed his glasses up to rub at his eyes harshly, readjusting his specs to squint incredulously at what was before him.

There, right smack in the middle of the cage, as if he had never left at all, was Bélier.

“You- you came back!” An explosion of emotion swept over Alastor, almost knocking him off his feet with how strong it was. He felt elated, giddy, ecstatic - just so fucking happy!

Bélier cocked his head to the side, lips twitching up into a smile as his large tail swept along the floor behind him. The door to the cage was still ajar, clear proof that Alastor had indeed opened it and set the creature free. Or tried to set him free; it looked like Bélier liked it there after all.

“Oh thank Heavens, I was so worried about you! Of course, all my fault, I let you go - which, granted, you deserve to be free - but it’s dangerous out there! What if you needed me and I wasn’t around? Doesn’t matter - you’re back. You came back to me.” Alastor’s smile was ridiculously wide, relief crashing through his system after his initial shock and delirious happiness. He didn’t tell the beast how much he had realized he needed Bélier in turn.

Quickly the brunet walked over to the cage, shutting the door and locking it once more. The shackle that used to be around Bélier’s leg lay pressed against the back wall, unnecessary and pushed aside.

“I’m glad you’re back. I promise to take care of you, Bélier.” Alastor whispered to the creature as he took a step back.

Alastor had been drunk the night before. He shouldn’t have let Bélier out like that! For one, it had been dangerous - he had seriously risked his life doing that! Stupid, stupid. It didn’t matter how much Alastor trusted or felt connected to the beast, he was still just a beast. And as such, Alastor would continue to keep him in his cell. Though, his fear around the creature was all but gone at this point, and he definitely didn’t need to use the shackle in the cage anymore.

“You must be hungry - let me get you something to eat!” Alastor rushed upstairs, taking the steps two at a time.

As he quickly grabbed a generous serving of cake for Bélier while whistling a cheery tune to himself, Alastor caught sight of the empty bottles of rum from the day before. He paused, narrowing his eyes at them. The brunet had made some poor decisions after drinking so heavily… he had been drinking a lot more than usual the last week or so, actually. That wasn’t good for him. Right there and then Alastor swore to never drink again. Well, maybe that was too harsh… he swore to moderate his alcohol intake to one or two drinks a week from then on. Alastor could do that - for Bélier’s sake. He felt like he could do anything if it was for the beast’s sake.

Alastor still felt overjoyed at Bélier’s return; he had been so distraught when the creature had left, had felt like a hole had been punched through his gut and his heart had been ripped out. Alastor would not take the beast for granted again.

Back in the basement he watched Bélier eat with a soft, fond expression on his face. He still used the grabber-reacher tool to push the pastry through the bars - the fact that Alastor hadn’t been mauled or attacked by the wild creature was honestly a miracle, and not something he wanted to test his luck with.

However, Alastor now felt so much more attached to Bélier. He now knew he didn’t want to go on without the beast in his life. He needed Bélier, just as much (if not more) as the creature needed him.

Alastor would just have to make sure Bélier was just as attached to him, so comfortable and happy in the brunet’s care that he would never want to leave ever again.

“I need to go into town and get some stuff, okay? I’ll be back as soon as possible - I promise I won’t leave you on your own for long Bélier.” The creature looked up from his meal, giving Alastor a slight nod of acknowledgment. Alastor grinned widely, heading out to his truck. He and Bélier had a special connection alright. Is this the way horse girls felt about their steed?

Downtown, Alastor stopped at the pet store first. He had something in mind that he wanted to buy for Bélier. A few minutes later Alastor was hauling out to his truck the largest dog bed he could find; it was dark gray, and very plush, and almost half the size of Alastor’s queen sized bed. He hoped it would be big enough for Bélier - the beast was as big as a horse!

Since he was in town Alastor stopped to pick up more pastries and baked goods for Bélier, and some fresh groceries for himself. He even bought a large amount of pancake mix, protein powder, and herbal supplements; he was going to get that creature to consume something at least moderately healthy!

It was not much past midday on a Tuesday, so Alastor’s errands went fast, most everyone else still at work. It wasn’t until he was halfway back home, humming pleasantly to himself, that Alastor realized he had forgotten to stop by the pharmacy. Oh, fuck it - he didn’t want to turn around now. Alastor just wanted to get back to his- to the beast. Bélier wasn’t his. He had to remind himself that even though Bélier was living with him and in his care, the creature was by no means his.

Back home, Alastor unpacked his groceries as quickly as he could, excitement dancing up his veins over the new gift he had gotten for Bélier. He hoped the creature liked it! The dog bed would be even better and more comfortable than sleeping on just a blanket!!

Lugging his ungainly purchase behind him, the brunet made his way downstairs, practically vibrating with anticipation. There was no way to hide this present, it was too big to keep a surprise, so Alastor didn’t even try.

“I’m back! And I brought you a gift!” Alastor called out as he dragged the dog bed across the floor, letting go of it once he was closer to the cage and gesturing to the item proudly. “I got you a dog bed! Well, since you’re not a dog, I suppose we can just call it a bed? Though it’s not a normal human bed… you know what, I’m just going to keep calling it a dog bed. It’s easier that way.”

Bélier had been lying down on his side, but rolled over onto his stomach when Alastor came in. He was now blinking at the dog bed, eyes darting between it and Alastor.

“Here, let me demonstrate.” Alastor got down on hands and knees, crawling to the center of the dog bed, turning around a few times like he had seen Bélier do, and then lay down on his side. He fit comfortably in it, the slightly raised cushioned sides of the bed cradling him like a soft nest. “See? It will be much more comfortable than just a blanket like you have right now.” Alastor popped his head back up, shooting the beast a wide smile. Bélier smiled back, appearing slightly amused at the Alastor’s demonstration.

Clambering off of the dog bed, Alastor hesitated momentarily. He was going to have to open the cage door again to get the thing in there. His heartbeat spiked at the thought, though not fully in fear.

“I need to open the door to get this in for you… you promise not to hurt me, right?” Alastor asked quietly. He knew he wasn’t going to get a response from Bélier, but asking still felt like the right thing to do, despite it not meaning anything in this situation.

So, Alastor asked. And to his surprise, Bélier stood and took a step back, away from the cell’s door. The beast pressed himself up against the far wall of the cage, as far away from the entrance as he could get. While this meant Alastor would indeed be out of reach of the creature, that didn’t mean he would be safe; if he chose to, Bélier could easily close that distance and sink his teeth or claws into Alastor’s flesh.

He shivered at the thought. Then proceeded to unlock the cell anyway.

As quickly as he could Alastor dragged the large dog bed over and shoved it through the cell’s door, re-locking it immediately. The cushion ended up flopped haphazardly on the floor, partly folded over itself. Alastor could have done a better job of getting it in the cage.

Bélier had it under control, though. The brunet watched, mystified, as the being gently grabbed the edge of the dog bed between his teeth, pulling it further into the cage. He then proceeded to straighten it out, grabbing the blanket (with his hands) Alastor had gifted Bélier before and putting it on the dog bed. The creature also placed his lamb plushie in the center of the cushion, and even the donut toy. He looked so incredibly pleased with this new addition to his living space, it made Alastor’s heart practically sing.

“I take it you like the bed?” Alastor asked, watching fondly as Bélier hopped into his new dog bed, sitting down on it and beginning to kneed his hands into the soft material. The beast gave a happy chirp at Alastor, then proceeded to curl up on the cushion with a contented sigh. Bélier was a little big for it, spilling out of the dog bed slightly, but overall the creature seemed incredibly pleased.

“Good. That’s good. I just want you to be happy here with me.”

———

The next day was Wednesday, which reminded Alastor that he really should go to the pharmacy to pick up his testosterone prescription. However, he wanted nothing more than to spend the day with Bélier.

One more day without his T shot wouldn’t hurt, right?

Alastor made pancakes for Bélier that morning, mixing in protein powder and herbal supplements to sneakily try to get the beast to eat something a bit more nutritious. He drowned the plate of pancakes in maple syrup, hoping they would be sweet enough for the creature’s taste.

Downstairs, Alastor realized he wouldn’t be able to get the plate through the bars of the cell.

Which meant… “I really shouldn’t keep doing this, but I’m going to do it again. Don’t make me regret it.” Alastor warned Bélier as he approached the cell’s door. “Mind stepping back for a bit?”

The beast hopped off of his new dog bed, moving to the back of the cage like he had the day before. Alastor unlocked cage and deposited the plate of pancakes on the mat gingerly, stepping back out as quickly as he could.

Once the door was secured once more, Bélier peeled himself off of the wall, coming over to curiously sniff at the plate of pancakes. Alastor was suddenly nervous that the beast would be able to smell the protein powder or herbal supplements he had mixed in, afraid he would turn his nose up at this meal.

He needn’t have worried. Bélier took an experimental nibble, eyes immediately going wide at the taste. He then took a large bite of the pancakes, groaning in pleasure at their taste. Alastor let out the breath he had been holding, relieved Bélier liked his experiment.

“You like the pancakes?” Alastor sat on the folding chair to watch as Bélier devoured his breakfast, eyes rolling back in apparent bliss. “I’m glad! I made them myself.”

Bélier gave a rumbling purr, polishing off the pancakes and licking the plate of any remaining maple syrup. He even went so far as to pick up the plate in his strangely human hands, bringing it up to his face to better lick it clean.

The sight reminded Alastor that Bélier was not a normal animal.

The beast suddenly paused in his dish cleaning, sheepishly lowering the plate to glance over at Alastor. The brunet just raised an eyebrow at Bélier in amusement, huffing out a little laugh as the creature almost bashfully put the plate back on the mat, licking his lips to chase the remaining taste of the pancakes.

Alastor leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head. Bélier was such a fascinating being, one he could never get tired of watching. He couldn’t wait to learn more about the beast and see how their connection would grow.

———

On Thursday Alastor finally convinced himself to head back into town. He was going to pick up fresh vials of testosterone! The thought actually made Alastor perk up slightly, even though he was loath to part from Bélier’s side just yet.

He managed to tear himself away from the creature after breakfast though, making the forty five-ish minute drive back to civilization.

Alastor headed directly to the pharmacy, not wanting to waist any time. He stood, impatiently drumming his fingers on the counter of the window as he waited for the pharmacist to fetch his prescription for him. What was taking him so long?

“Sorry, sir, your prescription seems to have been canceled.” The older man - whose nameplate read ‘Travis’ - informed Alastor in a monotonous voice.

“I’m sorry, what?” Alastor’s head snapped towards Travis, unsure he had heard that right.

“Yeah, your prescription was canceled. We can’t give you any vials of testosterone today.” Travis shrugged, unaffected by Alastor’s growing agitation.

“That, that can’t be right. I was supposed to pick it up last week, I know I’m late, but you know me! I’ve picked up my prescription a week late before and that’s been fine!” The brunet’s voice rose in pitch and volume as he spoke.

“I don’t know what to tell you, it’s been canceled. We can’t do anything about that unless you get a new prescription. So, call your doctor and get that sorted, then you can come back.” Travis turned away from Alastor, already checked out from the conversation.

“But-but I came all this way for this! Come on, Travis, you’ve given me my prescription before! How about you just give me some fresh vials since I’m here already and I’ll call my doctor to figure this all out as soon as I’m home, sound good?” Alastor desperately pleaded with the older man.

“No can do, buckaroo. They have cameras everywhere in here and I really can’t afford to lose my job.” Travis responded without looking back at Alastor, apparently engrossed in sorting bottles of pills now.

“Look, there has to be someway-“

“Listen, I’m just doing my job, there’s nothing I can do about this. So you better go before I have to call security to drag you out of here.” The pharmacist finally looked back at Alastor, narrowing his eyes at the brunet in distaste.

Alastor stood, dumbfounded for a moment, before he slowly nodded, backing away from the window. His skin prickled uncomfortably at the way Travis had looked at him, as if he wasn’t even a person really, just a problem to be dealt with. Alastor had experienced this kind of thing before, of course - perks of being brown in America - but not in a while. Not here, in this town he called home and cherished so much.

Shoulders sagging in defeat, Alastor trudged back to his truck, testosterone-less. He would be having a word with his doctor about that.

———

It turned out that Alastor’s prescription really had been canceled.

If Alastor deigned to check his email more than once a week he might have gotten the notice and been able to do something ahead of time. Even there, this particular message had somehow accidentally ended up in his junk mail.

Alastor groaned, grinding his teeth in frustration. It appeared that his usual doctor had left the practice, and Alastor had been randomly assigned a new doctor. Who had proceeded to cancel his testosterone prescription because it ‘wasn’t life threatening medication’ and he ‘wanted to meet with Alastor in person before signing off on such a prescription’.

Well, wasn’t that just grand.

His three weeks of time off from work were basically over, and now Alastor had to deal with this new doctor. Alastor let out a frustrated grumble as he clicked on his new doctor’s page, trying to find his availability to set up an appointment with him. His heart dropped when he finally found it, scrolling and scrolling further into the future… this guy was booked for weeks.

Finally Alastor found a time slot for - next fucking month. He scrubbed his hands over his face, pissed off at the situation he had found himself in. Alastor sighed, resigned, and confirmed the appointment, penciling it into his calendar. The brunet would just have to survive a month without testosterone. This would be the longest he had gone without the hormone supplement since starting his transition, but he could do it.

It was going to be a miserable month. At least Alastor had Bélier to keep him company and make things a little less bad.

Chapter Text

It was good to be back at work.

Or at least, it should have been good to be back at work.

Alastor had woken up early to feed Bélier pancakes (they were definitely the beast’s favorite, and Alastor liked making them for him - not just because he was able to slip some protein and herbal supplements for Bélier’s health in), letting the creature know he was heading back to work and wouldn’t be hanging out during the day anymore. Bélier’s ears had drooped sadly at the news, and a pang of regret shot through Alastor. He really wished he could just hang out with the beast all day.

But, Alastor had a job to do. One he really enjoyed, actually, and found quite enriching and fulfilling.

Despite that, Alastor found himself over eager for the workday to be over, speeding home to head directly into his basement, where he could unwind with Bélier, tell him about how his day had been, and relax in the comfort of the beast’s company.

That’s how the week went, every day; up early to feed the beast, head to work, do the work, then head home directly to Bélier where Alastor would spend the rest of the afternoon.

Hunting season had officially started, and Alastor wasn’t even out hunting.

He hadn’t even done any research on the scumbag Rosie had found for him to take out. Alastor had no information on the man (aside from the basics his friend had given him), no plans for the chase. Not right now, at least - he could always get around to that later.

Every day Bélier just seemed to get more beautiful to Alastor’s eye. His fondness for the creature just continued to grow, practically exponentially. The brunet never knew he could care for someone else so deeply; besides his mother, Alastor didn’t give out affection to others freely. His friendship with Rosie was an exception, and even there they both gained something more out of their friendship. They were both cannibals, after all.

So it definitely took Alastor by surprise when he realized how important Bélier had become to him. He cared about that beast so much more than he ever thought he could. Alastor would do anything to keep Bélier safe. To have the creature in his life forever.

The brunet had sort of gotten used to not having his T shots anymore. He still felt generally more low energy than when he was on T, but not as out of it and disregulated as when he had first run out of testosterone. Alastor wasn’t a fan of the feeling, but he would manage.

After a week to adjust to this new rhythm, Alastor started spending time outside of work not with the beast once more. He had been neglecting his human connections! Alastor began visiting Rosie every few days after work like he used to, and the proprietor of the butcher’s shop appreciated it greatly; she had been missing Alastor. And at least once a week Alastor made an effort to go see Nina too, which absolutely delighted the little bug freak. She had started writing her own gorey horror story, and she wanted Alastor to check it out! He was happy to oblige.

Another week went by, and everything was good.

Except, it was hunting season, and Alastor really should take advantage of that more than he was.

Around this time of year Alastor usually requested a week or two off. This was when he got the majority of his hunting done - both animal and human. He hadn’t asked for time off yet because everyone at the radio station had been given time off due to the remodeling, and Alastor didn’t want to come back to work only to immediately leave again.

However, he was itching to go hunting.

So Alastor put his request in to station management, promising to work overtime the coming week and pre-record plenty of content for them to air during his usual time-slot while he was out.

He was worried they wouldn’t approve of the vacation, given the break he had just had from work. But Alastor needn’t have worried; they knew him, and his usual schedule of taking a couple of weeks off for hunting season. Station management approved his time off because they knew Alastor was a hard worker and would provide prerecorded material ahead of time.

Alastor was thrilled by this, but that meant he had a busy week ahead of him. There was a lot he had to prepare before his two weeks off.

The good news was that this wasn’t the first time Alastor had done this, so he already had a system down. Working overtime was tiring, but he knew it would pay off.

Alastor clocked out from the radio station late that Friday, satisfied with the work he had done for the week. He left his pre-recorded broadcasts with station management, and then headed home.

Every mile away from town filled Alastor with a sense of elation.

His vacations were starting, and he was determined to make the most of them.

———

Alastor was in his basement, the part of his house where he felt most comfortable and at ease these days.

It was Friday night, after the brunet had eaten a lovely dinner of steak and roasted vegetables. Bélier had dined on vanilla custard, and was now lying on his dog bed with his front legs neatly folded out in front of him.

The brunet was pacing around, half a glass of whisky in hand. He had kept his promise to cut back on his drinking, and felt great about it! But today Alastor had wrapped up work for the next two week, and that was cause to celebrate.

And also cause to complain about general life things to his most attentive audience.

“-I just can’t believe I have to wait another three weeks before I can even meet with this doctor, and then he has to approve of my testosterone prescription! It’s bullshit, is what it is. I’ve been on T for years! I shouldn’t have to get a new prescription for this! This doctor must just be on a power trip - that’s always how it is with men like this, they show up to a situation where they aren’t needed, always trying to control everything around them when things were just fine without them shoving themselves into everyone else’s business. Fucks everyone else over and is overall completely unnecessary.” Alastor was ranting as he paced. He had called the doctor’s office to see if his appointment could be moved up or if he perhaps could be squeezed into his new doctor’s schedule sometime earlier, but had been promptly shut down. Which had irritated Alastor immensely - hence the current ranting.

Alastor paused to take a sip of his drink, current trajectory having him facing towards the stairs to the basement.

“That sounds really frustrating.”

A low, melodic voice reached Alastor’s ears.

The next sound to reach his ears was that of shattering glass as the cup Alastor was holding slipped from his fingers. He whirled around, frantically twisting this way and that, scouring every corner of the basement with his eyes. There was no one else around.

“H-hello?” Alastor called out tentatively, scooting closer to the corner of his room where his hunting equipment and butcher knives were.

“Yes, hi, hello.” The voice came again, and Alastor’s eyes snapped to Bélier.

“Did- did you just talk?” Alastor squeaked out, coming to a complete standstill. Bélier was sitting up, back much straighter than Alastor had seen it before, legs crossed underneath him in a… disconcertingly human way.

Tilting his head to the side as if in thought, Bélier regarded Alastor. And then his lips moved. “Yes, I do believe I did just talk.”

Alastor felt dizzy. He sank to the ground before he could faint, the sound of blood loudly rushing in his ears.

Was he losing his mind?

“No, you’re not going crazy.” It was as if Bélier had read his mind, a small smirk playing over the creature’s lips. “I really am talking. Have been able to the whole time, just didn’t before. I’m sure you have many questions, human. Starting with who, or what I am?”

The brunet just nodded dumbly.

Bélier continued. “My name is Lucifer. You might know me as the devil. Yes, that devil. From the Bible. It’s a long story. One that you probably aren’t in the headspace to listen to right now. I’m happy to tell it to you sometime though, if you want to hear it.”

“You- you’re the devil?” Alastor’s mind swam with questions, overwhelming fear swarming through his body; fear that he hadn’t felt so strongly while in the presence of the beast since the first week or so of having him around. “H-how? Why? What are you doing here? Am I going to die?”

A low chuckle left Bélier. “See, this is why I wasn’t sure I should reveal myself to you. I promise I’ll explain it all to you later, but right now your fragile mortal mind is overloaded. I suggest you sleep on it, let this revelation really sink in. I’ll still be here tomorrow, and we can sit down for a nice little chat then. How’s that sound?”

Alastor stared wide eyed at Bélier - at Lucifer. The devil. Alastor had caught the devil. For the last month and a half Alastor had been living with the devil himself in his basement.

It was a miracle he was still alive.

Bélier regarded him with a cool, critical eye. “I can see you’re scared. I’m, sorry. It’s not my intention to frighten. I swear I mean you no harm, human.”

“My name is Alastor.” The brunet responded automatically.

“Alastor…” Bélier- no, Lucifer- rolled the name around in his mouth, as if tasting the syllables. “That’s a lovely name.”

“Thanks, my ma helped me pick it.” He blurted out without a thought.

Raising an eyebrow at him, Bél-Lucifer (this was going to take some getting used to) gave a considering humm. “That sounds like a story. One I’d love to hear. Another day. Now, I do suggest you go to bed, little huma- Alastor. Sort your feelings over this out, think of all the things you want to ask me, and tomorrow we can discuss this in further detail. Okay?” Lucifer’s tone was so gentle, so understanding… Alastor found himself nodding along to his words almost instinctively.

“Good. Then off to bed with you! Sweet dreams.” B- Lucifer curled himself up into a ball on the dog bed, pointedly closing his eyes and settling in as if to sleep.

Numbly Alastor got to his feet, heading upstairs and turning off the lights as if on autopilot. Once the secret entrance to his basement was closed, the brunet felt the panic truly start to set in.

All this time, Alastor had been keeping the devil in his basement. All this time, the being he had been treating like a glorified pet was original sin, temptation incarnate, the most hated creation in all of history. Alastor felt as if he was in a trance, body moving without his direction. He stripped, stepping into the shower, proceeding to do his nightly routine mechanically.

Alastor’s brain was buffering. If Bélier was the Lucifer he claimed to be, then how was the brunet still alive? Why hadn’t the devil escaped, or killed Alastor for keeping him in a cage? That didn’t make sense. Alastor had never been particularly religious, but his mother was, and she had tried to pass on her love of the Bible and God to her son. It hadn’t really worked.

Despite that, some of the Bible and the Sunday services Alastor had attended with his ma did stick. Sort of. Lucifer had been an angel, beautiful beyond compare, but prideful to a fault. That didn’t sound like a being that would put up with being treated like an animal.

Also - why did Lucifer look like that. All the depictions of angels Alastor had ever seen were a lot more human. And depictions of the devil - well, they varied. The horns and hooves seemed accurate. But the rest of the Lucifer in his basement seemed utterly different from the one he knew about from Christianity.

Stepping out of the shower, Alastor dried off and brushed his teeth in a daze. He headed up to his room, getting into his sleepwear and under the covers, where he proceeded to lay wide awake, staring up at his ceiling.

He had so many questions. Not to mention feelings about this development. Alastor felt hurt. Betrayed. Lied to. The beast he had been taking care of wasn’t who he thought he was, and had never been. The connection he had with Bélier was built on a lie. Whatever bond and tentative trust Alastor had developed with the creature was gone now, replaced by confusion and fear and uncertainty.

Throwing the sheets off of him, Alastor made it over to his desk in a couple of long strides. His mind was buzzing with questions, heart overflowing with emotion; Alastor was a whirlwind of thoughts and confusion. The brunet knew he would not be able to sleep like this.

Lucifer had said to sort out his feelings and organize his questions for the next day.

Grabbing a pen and flipping his journal open, that’s exactly what Alastor intended to do.

———

The Saturday morning sun woke Alastor up bright and early. He went to sleep late the night before, after puking all his thoughts and feelings onto the pages of his journal with ink, and then jotting down a list of questions to ask Lucifer. Alastor did not sleep well, dreams plagued with visions of monsters with sharp, jagged teeth and cruel, uncaring eyes.

Despite not getting enough sleep, Alastor was out of bed in a beat. He wanted answers. He needed answers. Alastor’s heart started thumping loudly in his chest, acidic fear coursing through his veins.

It looked like Alastor’s vacation was off to a rough start. Again.

Getting dressed quickly, Alastor speedily made his way down, journal in hand. He paused at the bottom of the steps, considering foregoing his morning coffee and breakfast. A jaw-splitting yawn had him turning towards the kitchen though, decided he needed that caffeine boost today more than ever.

Automatically Alastor started preparing pancakes for Lucifer. He slowed down when he realized what he was doing, but in the end continued making them; maybe he could garner some extra points of appreciation from the creature, keep himself in Lucifer’s good graces - where he would hopefully not be killed.

Alastor drank his coffee, closing his eyes at the welcome bitter taste of it. He didn’t make himself anything to eat, just wanting to get to the basement as soon as possible - so as soon as he was done with his cup, Alastor picked up the plate of pancakes and made his way to the secret closet entrance.

Lucifer was just stirring, raising his head sleepily off of the lamb plush he had been resting his head on. The beast blinked his eyes slowly, shaking his head slightly as if to dispel the sleep. The basement was exactly as he had left it the night before, otherwise - shattered glass of whisky still left on the floor. Alastor thought maybe things would have been changed this morning - didn’t the devil have magical powers or something? He could have opened the cell door, or made the basement into a pit of fire and brimstone, or rearranged the layout of the room however he saw fit. But, that hadn’t happened.

The brunet’s heart was in his throat, the instinct to greet the creature as he had for the last few weeks rising. But things weren’t the same anymore; the being he thought he knew and had a connection to didn’t exist. He had always been something else, something sinister and conniving, keeping his true self a secret from Alastor.

He needed to find out why. And if his life was in danger.

“I uh, brought you breakfast?” Alastor held the plate out in front of him, uncertain on how to proceed.

“Oh! Thank you.” Lucifer sat up straight, rubbing at his eyes as a large yawn overtook him, rows of pointed teeth momentarily on display. Alastor’s stomach twisted itself into knots at the sight.

Lucifer scooter back against the wall of the cell, as he had been doing for weeks now for Alastor to place his breakfast in the cage himself.

This time, Alastor hesitated. He didn’t want to go in the cage today… despite Lucifer never having harmed him before, it was now more evident than ever that he could at any time.

Devils were not to be trusted.

“Oh come on, Alastor. I’m not going to hurt you. I have no reason to harm you. Besides, if I wanted to, don’t you think I would have already?”

Alastor supposed Lucifer had a point.

Cautiously the brunet unlocked the door to the cell, stepping in to place the plate of pancakes down and remove the plate from the day before. And then he was back out, cage door secured once more. The cage probably didn’t provide all that much protection, but having it closed and locked made Alastor feel a little bit more at ease. Only a little.

Lucifer settled down in front of his breakfast, sitting back on his haunches. Today he used his hands to eat, which is something the creature had never done before. Alastor supposed the beast didn’t have to keep acting like a mindless animal anymore, having revealed his true nature to the brunet now.

Dragging the folding chair a bit closer to the cage (but not much - Alastor still wanted to be a decent bit out of reach. Though if this Lucifer was really the devil from the Bible he wasn’t sure being out of reach would make a difference in terms of safety), Alastor settled down with his journal in his lap.

The creature continued to eat his breakfast, using a sharp claw to slice the pancakes and then picking up the bite size morsels and popping them into his mouth. The beast still groaned appreciatively at the taste of the pancakes, munching happily, causing Alastor’s heart to flutter even as his thoughts and emotions warred inside him, telling him the devil could not be trusted, that he shouldn’t care for Lucifer, that this being was just using him and manipulating him. But, Lucifer seemed to still genuinely like the pancakes Alastor prepared for him, and despite telling himself that the creature was probably just putting on a show to make the brunet lower his guard, he was happy the beast liked the food.

“I have questions.” Alastor started, sitting up straight and opening his journal.

“Yes, I’m sure you do. Ask away!” Lucifer nonchalantly continued enjoying his meal, looking over at Alastor expectantly as he chewed.

“Okay. If you’re really the devil from the stories, why do you look like that?”

Lucifer choked on his bite of pancake.

The being coughed, pounding his chest with a fist as he hacked.

“That’s - that’s not what I expected your first question to be.” Lucifer wheezed. Alastor just stared at him resolutely. “Okay, I can answer that. I’m an angel. Or, I was. I suppose I’m not anymore. Anyway, we can shapeshift, and as such change our forms depending on the beings we are interacting with. So, humans saw a lot of human-like angels. However, our true forms are a lot more, like this.” Lucifer gestured to himself. “We come in all shapes and sizes, and don’t really look like anything you have here on Earth. When I let original sin into Eden, the humans there had already seen my real form. Over the centuries it has gotten distorted, of course, but they got the goat-like legs and horns right I guess. Does that answer your question?”

Alastor nodded slowly. “I suppose that makes sense. If you can shapeshift, why have you stayed like this? You could have escaped at any time, or made yourself look like a real animal and avoided my attention. If you had just looked like a bear I would have let you go, you know.”

Smiling ruefully, Lucifer paused in his pancake eating. “Yeah, well. I can’t shapeshift anymore. When I was kicked out of Heaven and stripped of my status as an angel, they took my wings, and my magic. I’m stuck like this.”

The brunet’s eyes widened at this information. “Why are you telling me this?” He blurted out.

Snorting, Lucifer went back to his breakfast. “Because you asked?”

“No I mean - why are you sharing such vulnerable information with me? You could keep this to yourself, or just tell me half-truths. You’re putting yourself in danger by telling me you don’t have any magic or powers anymore.”

Popping the last bite of pancake into his mouth, Lucifer chewed thoughtfully. “I suppose I am. But, I have decided to trust you. That’s why I spoke last night.”

Shaking his head in disbelief, Alastor ran a hand through his hair in agitation. “That’s, a pretty poor decision. You don’t even know anything about me. Not really. I’m dangerous. I’m a hunter. I kill things. I could kill you.”

“I don’t think you will.” Lucifer said simply.

“You don’t know that! I thought about killing you. When I first found you in my trap. I wanted to kill you - it would have been so easy, and so much less trouble than keeping you locked up down here. I could still kill you - if what you say is true and you’re stripped of magic, you can’t stop me if I decide to point a gun at you.”

“But you won’t.” The devil murmured softly. “You could have killed me, but you didn’t. You took care of me, cleaned me, tended to my wounds. You fed me and made sure I was comfortable. You kept me company and stayed with me when I got scared or agitated. That’s why I decided I could trust you. I’ve been watching you, Alastor, for the last six weeks; I’ve been sussing you out, calculating your every move, and have come to the conclusion that if you wished me harm, you would have harmed me already.”

Alastor dropped his journal as his left hand came to join the right, tugging at his hair sharply in distress. His breath was coming in sharp, painful gasps as his thoughts whorled eccentrically. Lucifer was right, of course. But that didn’t mean Alastor liked that he was right; he was a ruthless killer, a self-serving individual with no regard for others unless they could be useful to him. Even Alastor’s friendships served a purpose for him!

He didn’t want Lucifer in his life. Not this devil, the most hated being in all of creation. Life was so much simpler when he thought this beast was just a strange animal, but now? Alastor wanted to get as far away from Lucifer as possible.

“Hey, you alright?”

The brunet glanced up. Lucifer was right up against the side of the cell, large hands wrapped around the bars as he peered out at Alastor in concern.

“What do you think?” Alastor barked back hysterically.

Lucifer grimaced slightly. “I know it’s a lot to take in. Especially for a mortal such as yourself…”

Abruptly standing up, Alastor began to pace. “Yes, it is. I still have more questions.”

“O-okay… carry on then?”

Pausing to pick up his journal off the floor, Alastor resumed his frantic steps around the basement. “So. You’re the devil. You don’t have magic anymore though. Are the scars on your back from your wings getting ripped off when you were kicked out of Heaven?”

The devil nodded in confirmation.

“But - that was recent. That wound was at most a day old when I found you in my bear trap. Your fall happened thousands upon thousands of years ago!”

Lucifer shrugged. “The Bible got a lot of things wrong. And as time went on, the stories in that holy book got more and more distorted. Yes, I tempted Eve. No, I didn’t do it alone. Lilith, Adam’s first wife, was with me. We just wanted to give all humans the freedom of choice, free will, the ability to create their own lives - but our actions let original sin into the garden of Eden. Lilith was punished harshly, cast out into a new dimension of pain and suffering; Hell. She became the ruler of that place, though the stories say I did… which is just another example of humans giving a man credit for something a woman has done. I, had a trial in Heaven. Father pardoned me, saying He understood where I was coming from, could see that I had good intentions even though I messed up severely. I was given a second chance. One Lilith was not afforded… the guilt ate away at me, century after century, until eventually I couldn’t stand it anymore.”

The devil paused, taking a deep breath. Alastor’s pacing had come to a standstill as he listened, entranced by the story. Lucifer continued. “I decided to sneak out of Heaven, go down to Hell to see how Lilith was doing and apologize to her after all this time. She, was fine. More than fine - Lilith had made a name for herself, had grown in power and status, empowering demonkind and ruling over Hell with a firm yet fair hand. She was respected, revered by her people. Lilith, did not want to see me. She did not want my apology. The human woman I had once known, once befriended in the garden of Eden was no more. Lilith tipped Heaven off to my little escapade, and I was ambushed when I returned. This was treated as my second transgression… and I was not given another chance. Honestly, I think Father regretted pardoning me and was just waiting for me to slip up again to be able to cast me out for good. I was stripped of my wings, my magic, my immortality, my home… I had no where to go. Heaven kicked me out, Hell didn’t want me. I was in pain, delirious and weak, and wandering Earth when I came across a cozy looking cave. It wasn’t until the ‘cave’ snapped shut behind me that I realized my mistake.”

Lucifer fell silent then, eyes cast down to the floor. Alastor stared at him, mouth hanging open. “So that’s what happened…”

Glancing back up at him, Lucifer gave Alastor a tired smile. “Yup. And now I’m here! If I had been at full strength and mental capacity when I stumbled into your trap I would have been able to break free, but honestly I was too tired and weak to do anything but curl up and pass out, hoping for the best. And lo and behold, the best did happen! You found me.”

Alastor found himself blushing despite himself. “Well, why didn’t you escape once you were better?”

Tilting his head to the side in thought, Lucifer hummed as he consider the question. “Honestly? Not sure. But, you didn’t hurt me, and you took care of me. At first, that was enough. You fed me, and I regained my strength, and sure I could have busted out - but I had grown fond of you by then. Or at least used to you. The night you drunkenly opened the cage door and let me out was definitely foolish on your part, but I would have been an even bigger fool not to take the opportunity presented to me and get out. However, once out I realized I had nowhere to go. And you had always been so kind to me, feeding me sweets and keeping me company. So, I came back.”

The brunet wheezed, making his way back to his folding chair and sitting heavily on it. “So I’m just a convenience? You staying with me was purely for selfish reasons?”

“No! I mean, yes, but also! I guess I started to care for you, too, in a way. You’re really something, Alastor. I’ve never met a human like you before. Granted, I have limited personal experience with humans - but I’ve watched them from a distance. They’re so fascinating, and you’re no exception.”

“Uh, thanks, I guess?” Alastor scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “Anyway. I have more questions for you…”

“Ask away!” Lucifer settled down in the dog bed, reclining on his side with his chin resting against his palm, bent elbow supporting his weight.

Flipping the journal open once more, Alastor found his list of questions. “Why are you so light?” He blurted out the first question his eyes landed on.

Lucifer stared at him for a moment, then burst out into laughter. “Really? That’s one of your questions for me?” Alastor just glared at the beast, refusing to back down from what he asked - despite it being a not so important question at the moment. “Okay, okay - I had wings, remember? Angel bones are hollow. That’s where the idea for birds came from! Our bones are stronger though, more durable, and flexible. They have to be, to carry our massive sizes!”

Ah, that made sense, he supposed. Still… “Even with that, how did one pair of wings support all your weight?”

“Three.”

“Excuse me?”

“Three pairs of wings. I have six wings total. Had, that is.” Lucifer corrected himself with a sad sigh.

“Oh.” Alastor tried to imagine the creature before him with six pairs of large, magnificent wings. The mental image almost took his breath away; Lucifer must have been even more regal, even more magnificent when he was winged. Shaking his head to clear the images, Alastor returned to his journal. “Right, right. Why wouldn’t you eat when I offered you meat? And why do you only eat sweet things?? That can’t be good for you.”

The devil huffed in amusement. “Angelic metabolism is different from mortal metabolism. You need a balanced diet, I don’t. My body will turn anything I consume into energy - as long as what I consume is made of organic material. That is, not made of metal or like, most artificial man-made things.”

“If that’s the case, why not just eat the meat I offered? You would have regained your strength so much quicker, and I would have wasted so much less perfectly good meat.”

“Sorry about the waste.” Lucifer seemed genuinely apologetic about the spoiled food Alastor had to throw out during the first week or so of their cohabitation. “I just, don’t eat meat, on principle. I helped design many of the creatures here on Earth, I witnessed their creation, even brought some to life myself. It, feels wrong to eat them, as a result. Now, the sweets and baked goods you brought me? I have no problem with eating those!”

Humming in acknowledging, Alastor moved onto the next question. “How did you heal so fast? If your wounds were that recent, and you don’t have magic anymore, it should have taken you much longer to recover from your wings getting ripped out.”

Lucifer winced at this question. “Yes, well, I might have had my magic and wings and immortality stripped from me, but they couldn’t take my blood. My blood has healing properties. The kind of wound I had, and the fact that angelic weapons were used to inflict them meant that my blood worked slower than it usually does to heal me, but I still healed faster than most would from a wound like that.”

Alastor’s mouth flooded with saliva at this information; blood with healing properties… oh, how he would love to get his hands on that. Or more specifically, his mouth. The brunet bit his lip, hard, telling himself sternly that Lucifer’s blood was not his to take. But maybe someday…

“Is that why your blood is gold?”

The fallen angel shrugged. “An angel’s blood color is an indicator of their status. Golden blood is the highest cast. Then there is blue blood, and below that is red. Red blooded angels share their color with mortal creatures, and they have the least amount of magic and powers.”

Well, that explained the mix of blood colors Alastor had seen on Lucifer when he first encountered the being. “Interesting, interesting. On the topic of powers - what kind of magic could you do before you were stripped of them?”

Lucifer flopped onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. A wistful expression came over his face as he reminisced. “Like I said, I could shapeshift. I had light powers - could make brightness, and warmth, in many different forms… fire, glowing balls of light, electricity. I had creation powers, bringing ideas into the realm of reality - for example, I could breathe life into sculptures of clay. Like I said, I helped bring some of Earth’s creatures to life! I could make music - such beautiful music - of any and every kind, without any need for an instrument. I could make copies of myself, lend myself a helping hand whenever I needed it. I had the power to create portals, traveling easily between dimensions and worlds. I had powerful illusion magic, which I used to delight and enchant my fellow angels. I had the gift of tongue - could speak any language, any dialect, understand any creature. Though, that one seems to have stuck around somehow.”

The devil fell silent. Alastor’s breath was taken away as he imagined the kind of magic Lucifer once had, the abilities this being had once wielded. What a shame that they had been taken from him.

“Wow…” Alastor breathed out. “I suppose that covers my next question - how do you understand me and speak English.”

Lucifer chuckled, turning his head to look at Alastor. “Yeah, I suppose that does answer that. I also understood the little French you would sometimes speak around me - that nickname you gave me, Bélier? Fucking adorable. Though, I’m more of a goat than a ram, really.”

The brunet choked on nothing, feeling unreasonably flustered and trying to cover it up with a fake cough. Lucifer just gave an amused smile while Alastor tired to get himself together again.

“Yes, well, anyway. What now? Like. Where do we go from here?”

The devil slowly pushed himself back up to sitting, rubbing his chin in thought. “Beats me! But, I want to stay here. With you.” Lucifer flashed a bright smile at Alastor. “I feel safe here, in your care.”

For the second time that morning Alastor felt his face heat up. Why was he so stupidly flustered whenever Lucifer said anything even remotely close to a compliment to him??

“Right. Yes. Okay. That’s fine.” Alastor stood up then, needing something to do with his hands. His eyes zeroed in on the broken glass from the night before, quickly making his way to where he kept his cleaning supplies under the stairs and pulling out a broom and dustpan. He set about sweeping up the broken glass, feeling a little more at ease now that he had something to do.

The little task was over much too quickly though.

Standing awkwardly before the cage once more, Alastor regarded Lucifer intensely. Lucifer stared back at him, one eyebrow raised quizzically. “Do you promise not to hurt me?” Alastor asked out of nowhere.

Bright red eyes blinked a couple of times. “Of course - I won’t hurt you.”

“Promise?”

“I promise. I swear I won’t hurt you - angel’s honor.”

“You’re not an angel anymore.” Alastor pointed out.

A hurt expression flitted across Lucifer’s face, but it was gone in a flash, the beast’s shoulders sagging in resignation. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right…. Fallen angel’s honor?”

Hesitating for a moment, Alastor then nodded sharply. “It will have to do.”

Without another word Alastor stepped forward, keys in hand. He smoothly unlocked the cell, swinging the door open. Lucifer’s eyes widened, but he otherwise didn’t move.

“It, it feels wrong to keep you locked up.” Alastor explained, taking a step back. “You aren’t a dumb animal, something for me to keep or try to control. As you said though, you don’t really have anywhere else to go. So, you can stay here. My basement can be your home. For now at least. The cell can be your bedroom, but you deserve more space to move around and stretch your legs. Just, don’t touch my hunting equipment.”

Slowly Lucifer stood up. Fully stood up; the fallen angel got up onto just his back legs, lifting himself up until he towered over Alastor. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes followed Lucifer’s upwards trajectory. Lucifer was too tall for the basement - he ended up hunched over, especially with the added height of his horns. Alastor gulped, reflexively taking another step back as his heart beat unsteadily in his chest.

Carefully Lucifer ducked out from the doorway of the cell, coming to stand just a few feet in front of Alastor. The brunet’s breath was coming in short, shallow bursts, and he willed himself to hold his ground. The devil had promised not to harm him. He had sworn it… though Alastor wasn’t sure how much the word of a fallen angel really meant.

“…thank you.” Lucifer’s voice came out low, thick with emotion. With a start Alastor realized there were tears gathering at the corner of the devil’s eyes. His heart constructed at the sight, and he had to fight the urge to reach up and wipe away the water gathering there. He clenched his fists to keep his hands down by his side, taking a deep breath. Alastor nodded, once, before tearing his gaze away from those emotion filled eyes.

“I, ah, should go. I haven’t had breakfast yet.” Alastor started towards the stairs.

“You brought me food but haven’t had anything to eat yet?” Surprise colored Lucifer’s voice, and Alastor couldn’t help but pause and glance back at the fallen angel. Lucifer somehow looked even more regal and beautiful as he stood there, basically at full height.

“No. I wanted to come down as quickly as possible to get answers from you. I’ll, I’ll see you later, I suppose.” Alastor turned back towards the stairs, heading up.

“See you later, Alastor.” Lucifer called after him softly.

Chapter Text

Oh what the fuck.

A month and a half. A month and a half of living with the devil under his roof. Alastor listlessly stirred his porridge around with a spoon. On the outside he seemed almost calm, eyes unfocused as he stared across the room. Inside, Alastor was in turmoil.

What was he supposed to do with the literal harbinger of original sin and temptation? Lucifer might not be the fearsome King of Hell the Bible depicted him as, but he was still a being of much greater strength and power than Alastor. If the fallen angel got tired of Alastor or their tentative new arrangement, he could kill the brunet easily.

This changed everything. Well, not everything… Lucifer would still be living in Alastor’s basement. He was still a fan of sweet things. The devil was maybe only slightly more dangerous than Alastor had assumed when he first thought Lucifer was just a wild creature. And the fallen angel had promised not to hurt him! However much that promise was worth.

Alastor sighed heavily, eyes refocusing back on his now cold porridge. He took a bite of it anyway, chewing slowly.

This, maybe wouldn’t be all bad. Alastor’s mind tried to find a positive to the situation, and he found that actually, yeah, there were some positives. Provided that Lucifer kept his promise of course.

For one, Alastor now had a conversation partner. Bélier - the beast - had been great company, but had been lacking in the department of stimulating conversation. Lucifer was sure to be very interesting to talk to. Alastor was incrementally warming up to the idea of having the devil as a house guest; if nothing else, he could probably use this to his advantage. By continuing to be kind and extending his goodwill to Lucifer, he could garner the fallen angel’s favor. He might not be as powerful as he once was, but Alastor could still use Lucifer as a powerful ally. Especially considering the being had healing blood.

Feeling slightly more settled, Alastor finished up his breakfast. As he was washing his dishes, an unwelcome thought popped into his head, almost making Alastor drop his bowl.

That time he had touched himself while thinking of the creature, hadn’t actually been that bad after all; Lucifer wasn’t an animal at all, but a fully conscious being capable of higher thought. Alastor’s face burned brightly as his mind told him that this meant he was absolved of his past actions! After all, the fallen angel wasn’t a dumb beast - he was remarkably human actually, and so ethereally beautiful. The devil was temptation incarnate, it was only natural Alastor had been drawn to him in such a way. Only natural to have these sorts of desires concerning the fallen angel…

Shaking his head roughly to dispel these thoughts, Alastor headed up to his room to prepare for the day. He refused to acknowledge the feelings of relief that bubbled up from the realization he had just had, the warmth spreading down his chest. This changed nothing. This changed nothing.

The brunet got ready; it was Saturday, and he had asked for two weeks off to go hunting. Despite last night’s revelations, Alastor was determined to make the most of his hunting vacation.

As he put on his usual hunting gear, Alastor realized he had left his journal downstairs. He should go retrieve that before heading out - and also maybe check in on Lucifer once more, let the fallen angel know he would be out. Part of Alastor was loath to return to the presence of the devil, while another part of him sang at the opportunity; despite Lucifer not being the creature he had thought he had bonded to and had a connection with, it seemed some of Alastor still wanted to continue to spend time with the being.

Which was dangerous. Alastor would continue to provide for and spend time with Lucifer, but he intended to keep the devil at arms distance. Though the Bible seemed to have gotten a lot wrong, it did depict Lucifer as a deal maker, a master of lies and manipulation - and Alastor was not keen on getting ensnared by a being such as that.

Heading back to the basement, Alastor called out. “Hey Lucifer, I’ll be out most of today, going hunting. Just came back for my-“

There, sitting in the folding chair (which was much too small for the fallen angel) sat Lucifer, hunched over the workstation - where he was reading Alastor’s journal.

“Excuse me? That’s private.” Anger flickered brightly in Alastor’s gut; how dare this being read his private journal? The brunet marched over, snatching the item out of Lucifer’s hand’s with a scowl. He glared up at the devil, who just looked down at him with slight confusion and embarrassment.

“Oh! Sorry - it wasn’t my intention to pry. You just left it down here, and it’s so boring in this basement, I thought maybe you left it on purpose for me to have something to read…” Lucifer smiled sheepishly down at Alastor, scratching the back of his neck.

Suddenly Alastor realized he was way too close to Lucifer. He had marched right up to the fucking devil and ripped a book out of his hands. His heart rate spiked - in fear Alastor told himself - and he quickly took a couple of steps back.

“No, I just forgot it down here.” Alastor held the journal close to his chest, taking a few deep breaths to try to calm his racing heart. As he did, Lucifer’s words sank in. The fallen angel had a point; the basement was pretty boring. If one wasn’t carving up a victim or preparing hunting equipment, which is mostly what Alastor used the space for. Before Lucifer came around, that is.

“…alright, I’ll bring you some books to read, okay? And then I’ll be heading out.”

The swish of Lucifer’s tail against the floor told Alastor that the devil was happy with this idea. “That would be really nice, Alastor.” Lucifer confirmed what his tail was saying with a smile.

Nodding curtly, the brunet headed upstairs to put his journal away. And then stood indecisively in front of his bookcase.

What kind of things would the devil like to read?

Alastor had a lot of books on hunting, psychology, murder mysteries, horror - but somehow those things didn’t strike him as Lucifer’s taste. But, he supposed he could be wrong. Alastor picked up a few old murder mysteries and a horror novel and was about to head downstairs when something peeking out from behind the other books caught his eye.

Crouching down, Alastor plucked the hidden book out from behind the others. Surprise colored his face as he brought the cover up to his face; it was a collection of fairy tales. Alastor had forgotten about this old thing - it had been his ma’s, a book filled with stories about fairies and magic and far away lands with princesses and wizards and dragons. She had read stories from it to Alastor when he was very young, as he snuggled up in bed after a long day. He had always loved listening to his ma read to him.

Alastor traced over the cover of the book in wonder. He had forgotten he still had this old thing. Alastor wasn’t a huge fan of fantasy and such, but had kept the book because of the sentimental value it held for him. And as his bookshelf got more and more full, he supposed this old thing had been pushed to the back, forgotten.

Standing back up, Alastor gathered up the books he had picked out and heading back to the basement once more.

Lucifer was now back in his cell, lying on his dog bed and staring up at the ceiling with his lamb plush in his arms. The fallen angel really did look bored out of his mind, but Alastor supposed after a month and a half of pretending to just be an animal anyone would get bored. It now made sense why Lucifer hadn’t been so enthusiastic about the chew toy Alastor bought him - he was more human than that, that kind of behavior was beneath him. But boredom had obviously won out, since eventually Lucifer had started using the chew toy - he literally had had nothing better to do with his time!

“Brought you some books.” Alastor announced, dumping the items on the work area. “Not sure what you like to read, so I brought you a few options. Please be careful with the pages, I don’t want you tearing them with your sharp claws, okay? They are my property, don’t destroy my property. Got it?” He turned towards the cage, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Don’t worry, I won’t harm your precious books.” Lucifer had sat up when the brunet walked in, placing the lamb toy down in the dog bed next to him. He stood, making his way out of the cell on two legs. It was a little awkward, considering his height and bulk, but the fallen angel managed, hunching over so as not to hit his head or scrape his horns along the ceiling. Alastor’s breath was taken away at the sight of the being walking upright like a human; it appeared he still wasn’t used to seeing Lucifer as more than just a feral creature.

“Okay. Good. Bye now.” Alastor stiffly nodded at Lucifer, then speed walked out of the basement. He needed to get out, get some space between himself and the fallen angel - some hunting would do him good, help clear his mind. Yes, the crisp air, lush forest, and fresh blood would surely put Alastor right once more.

———

After a few hours of fruitless traipsing around in the forest, Alastor decided to head home.

As much as he tried to get out of his head, to focus on his feet on the ground, the wind in his hair, the feel of the gun in his hands, Alastor just couldn’t stop thinking about Lucifer.

Which was a goddamn pain.

The brunet really had wanted to go out and kill something, lose himself in the thrill of the hunt, in the adrenaline of the chase. Alastor had been looking forward to the metallic scent of blood in the air, seeing the light wink out from his prey’s eyes, hoisting the comforting weight of his kill back home to skin and prepare.

But, none of that happened. Alastor was too distracted to be stealthy, over and over misstepping, alerting any wildlife to his presence before he even spotted it. His distracted mind kept him from properly scanning his surroundings in search of hiding fauna, and after the seventh critter had darted out from the undergrowth and disappeared deeper into the wounds, Alastor gave up.

Frustrated, he turned back in the direction of home.

Once back home Alastor change into something more casual than his hunting gear, hanging up his utility belt and putting away his gun and knives. It was still pretty early in the day, just past two really. So he made himself a proper lunch instead of relying on the snacks he had brought with him on his ‘hunting’ expedition.

After lunch Alastor stalled. He had nothing else to do today, really. The brunet had planned to be out hunting until the sun set, but his mind had betrayed him. Thinking about the stupid devil occupying his basement.

Alastor wanted so badly to go back to the basement, to spend more time with Lucifer. He gritted his teeth, annoyed at himself for feeling this way. Lucifer was not Bélier. Lucifer was more cunning and insidious - he had to be, he was the devil. Alastor shouldn’t want to spend so much time with him, the way he had wanted to back when he thought the fallen angel was just a strangely beautiful wild creature. And yet, part of Alastor yearned to be in Lucifer’s presence, regardless of who or what he was. Alastor wanted to spend time with Lucifer, talk to him, get to know him better.

Eventually this desire won out.

Reluctantly Alastor headed to the basement.

As the brunet started down the stairs, he had to stop. Lucifer was sitting at the bottom of the steps, blocking his descent.

“Hey, I’m back.” Alastor called out, making Lucifer jump. The fallen angel whipped his head around to stare up at Alastor, clutching the book he had been reading to his chest.

“Alastor! I didn’t think you’d be back so soon. You surprised me!” Lucifer got up, moving off the steps to make room for Alastor to get past. Alastor continued the rest of the way down, coming to stand a good yard or so away from the devil.

“Yeah, well, I decided to cut my hunting short today. It was too windy.” Alastor lied, not wanting to tell Lucifer the real reason he cut his outing short. Namely - that he had been distracted by thoughts of the fallen angel.

“Oh! Well, that’s too bad.” Lucifer nodded sympathetically.

They both stood there in awkward silence for a moment, before Lucifer held up the book he had been reading. Alastor noted it was the collection of fairy tales. “I really like this book, by the way! Human’s come up with such fascinating stories about magic and creatures unlike them.”

“Glad you’re enjoying the stories.” Alastor’s lips twitched into a smile.

“Yes, I am. Hey, can I ask you some questions? Since earlier you got to ask me about myself, it only seems fair if I can ask you some stuff, too.”

Shrugging, Alastor headed over to the folding chair to sit down. “Sure, why not. Seems fair enough.” Alastor would not admit that he was secretly thrilled over Lucifer wanting to get to know him better.

Lucifer sat down on the floor, staying a couple of yards away from Alastor. It seemed like he was keenly aware of Alastor’s wariness over the fallen angel, mindful to keep his distance and move slowly while in the brunet’s prescience so as not to startle or scare him. While Alastor appreciated this, a small part of him yearned for Lucifer to come closer, to be able to touch that soft fur, to run his hands over sturdy muscles… Alastor blinked rapidly to dispel these thoughts.

“So, what did you want to ask me?”

The fallen angel leaned back on his hands, humming in consideration. “I just want to get to know you better, I suppose. You work as a radio host, right? What got you into that?”

Alastor’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He had expected much more prying and personal questions after the kinds he had asked Lucifer that morning, not questions regarding his work. But, he didn’t mind this kind of question.

“When I was little, my ma gave me a portable radio. It was my constant companion when I would escape out into the bayou - a small, comforting token, practically my only friend. I wanted to work in radio ever since then. In fact, that’s what I was studying in school - until I had to drop out. Fortunately my old mentor gave me a chance even though I never finished my education, and I’ve risen through the ranks at the radio station since then.” Alastor found himself surprised at how much he was sharing with Lucifer; talking to the fallen angel just felt so easy. Like he could tell the being anything. Alastor wondered if that was part of the devil’s guile, something to lull him into a false sense of security before he would strike.

“That’s fascinating. So radio has kind of always been a part of your life. And your ma, she sounds lovely. This is the second time you mention her - you said she helped you pick your name?” Lucifer was listening intently, ears perked forward and eyes focused on the brunet. He seemed, genuinely interested in what Alastor had to say. Which was sending a warm prickling sensation up Alastor’s back, and he wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing.

“Yes. My ma was the most amazing woman. She was kind and gentle, and always made sure I was fed and clothed, even when times were scarce. She protected me from my father, directed his wrath at herself to spare me from the worst of it. Doesn’t mean I didn’t get my fare share of abuse from the man.” Alastor smiled wryly. “When I realized I was trans, my ma told me she would always love me no matter what. She helped me pick out clothing that made me more comfortable in my skin, defended me when I cut my hair short, and helped me choose my name. She said Alistair would have been the name she would have given me if I was born a boy. And while I liked the name, I gave it my own spin with how I decided to spell it.”

“That’s amazing. Your ma sounds like she was a wonderful woman. Your dad… not so much. I’m sorry you had such a rough childhood.” Lucifer tilted his head towards Alastor, a sympathetic smile on his lips.

Alastor waved away his sympathy. “Yeah, well, it made me who I am today. The only thing I regret is not having been able to do more for my ma, not being able to protect Jacqueline like she protected me. I wish I had killed my dad earlier.”

“You killed your dad?” Lucifer sat up straighter at that, shock coloring his voice.

“Yes, I did. The bastard deserved it. He had been trying to kill my ma. So I killed him first.” Alastor held his head high, staring down his nose at Lucifer, silently challenging him to disagree.

Lucifer slumped back into a more relaxed sitting position. “No, from what you’ve told me it does seem like that’s what he deserved. Once upon a time maybe I would have been horrified to hear that you killed your own father, but after living as long as I have, you kind of get used to the horrors humans inflict on one another… especially when those horrors are said to be your fault.” The fallen angel muttered the last part to himself under his breath, chin curling down to rest on his chest with lowered eyes.

“It’s not your fault.” Alastor blurted out without thinking. Lucifer’s head snapped back up, deep crimson eyes locking with Alastor’s and making his heart jump into his throat. He swallowed thickly before continuing. “It’s not your fault. You wanted to give humans free will, give them the right to choose their own path and create their own future. I, for one, am grateful for that. If a little bit of darkness is the price to pay for such a gift, then I welcome the darkness.”

The devil stared back at Alastor with what appeared to be wonder in his eyes. He blinked slowly, a smile pulling at the corner of his lips. “That, actually means a lot to me. I’ve always felt this guilt inside me for trying to give humans free will. Always thought your species would have been better off if I never intervened. So, thank you.”

“Humanity would not have been better off. Without free will our lives would be boring and pointless. We wouldn’t be able to learn and grow. And I would be stuck in the wrong body without any way to actualize my true self.” Alastor stated confidently. He firmly believed this.

“Hmm. I guess you have a point there. I’m glad you were able to make yourself the way you wanted; humans have such a wonderful gift for creation, including the ability to transform themselves into their ideal versions. Having the power to transform yourself in such a way is really amazing… for that I will never regret giving humans free will.”

Alastor gave Lucifer a genuine smile at that; part of him had been worried an (ex-) angel would disapprove of him transitioning. But Lucifer wasn’t a normal angel. He was a rebel, a free thinker, someone who challenged the status quo. Of course Lucifer wouldn’t care that Alastor was trans - of course he would be supportive of this.

The brunet relaxed substantially after this, feeling much more at ease around the devil. The two of them continued to chat, Lucifer asking more questions about Alastor - his life, his hobbies, his interests. The fallen angel was taken aback to find out Alastor sometimes hunted his fellow man, and enjoyed consuming their flesh. Though when Lucifer learned that Alastor only hunter and consumed the worst kind of men, killing only the ones who had done terrible harm to those less fortunate, that seemed to put him at ease; he seemed to approve of the brunet taking out the trash - even if Alastor’s way of doing so was rather unconventional.

They talked for hours, the conversation moving from Lucifer asking questions and Alastor providing answers to a more natural back and forth. He found himself enjoying talking with Lucifer, easily sharing parts of himself that Alastor kept hidden from the rest of the world behind towering walls. But with Lucifer, it was as if the walls were non-existent.

Which should concern him, right? Alastor found that he didn’t care right now. Lucifer was just so charming, so genuinely nice and interesting to talk to, that Alastor just couldn’t bring himself to feel concerned over how easily he shared his deepest, darkest secrets with the devil. It felt, natural. It felt right.

———

Four days had passed since that initial day where Alastor and Lucifer started to really talk and get to know each other. In those four days, Alastor had found himself inexplicably drawn to the fallen angel.

The brunet hadn’t even been out hunting, for crying out loud! He tried to get back out there, but hadn’t been able to concentrate on the hunt once again, every thought and nerve in his body wishing to be back with Lucifer.

They had been spending a lot of time together, as a result.

Alastor was treating Lucifer more and more like a human - or, human-like being. He brought down an actual glass of water for the devil to drink out of instead of the bowl on the ground, included forks and knives for Lucifer to use on his pancakes and napkins for him to wipe his hands and mouth on. The fallen angel appreciated being treated as more of an equal instead of a dumb animal, and voiced his appreciation. Which just made Alastor want to treat him even better.

He dragged down a folding table and a few more plastic folding chairs so that he and Lucifer could sit together. Alastor also brought down a spare notepad and coloring pencils he had, so that Lucifer had more than just books to entertain himself with. They spent many hours together, talking about this or that, sometimes just sitting in companionable silence while Lucifer drew and Alastor sharpened his knives. Alastor told himself he would get back out to hunting soon, he just had other things to attend to first. Like all those dull knives! And cleaning his guns!

It was almost disconcerting how quickly Alastor found himself getting re-attached to Lucifer. He thought everything would change now that the being in his care had revealed himself to be the devil, he thought it would destroy the connection he had thought he had with the fallen angel. But despite those doubts, Alastor and Lucifer seemed to be bonding even more than before.

And Alastor did not mind that one bit.

It was less than a week of the brunet knowing the true nature of the being living in his basement, and yet Alastor found himself trusting Lucifer so fully. It honestly scared him, but also sent a little thrill through him; Alastor had never had anyone in his life he could be so fully open and himself around. Lucifer was the devil, the most judged and hated being in all of creation. Something about that was so freeing to Alastor. He felt like he didn’t have to hide any part of himself from the fallen angel. And in return, Lucifer seemed to trust Alastor with his full self, too.

The brunet enjoyed the time he spent with Lucifer, and began to bring his meals down into the basement with him to eat with the fallen angel. Lucifer seemed absolutely thrilled by this, his tail thumping excitedly on the floor behind him the first time Alastor proposed this arrangement. Alastor tried to stifle the smile that overcame his face at Lucifer’s eagerness to share meals together, but the truth was he was beyond pleased that Lucifer wanted this too.

It surprised Alastor how much he cared about Lucifer - the real, authentic Lucifer, not the creature he had thought he knew before. The devil was just so much kinder than Alastor ever expected him to be, intelligent and keen and a great conversationalist. He always listened attentively to what Alastor had to say, but was not afraid to challenge Alastor or argue with him. Which was honestly incredibly refreshing, having such a sharp mind to test his wit against. And Lucifer was funny! He cracked the worst jokes, and yet Alastor couldn’t help but laugh at them. Alastor counted every time he managed to get Lucifer to laugh in return, snorting and shaking with mirth, sending pleasant tingles up the brunet’s spine and making his heart flutter, as a win. Not to mention Lucifer was stunningly beautiful, so otherworldly majestic. Alastor didn’t think he would ever get tired of just watching Lucifer, whether the devil was lost in a book, or concentrating on a drawing with his tongue poking out from the side of his mouth, or enjoying the food Alastor had brought down for him.

Everything about Lucifer just drew him in.

Alastor didn’t think too hard about it.

Wednesday morning, after breakfast in the basement with Lucifer, Alastor received a call. He checked the number, noting it was Rosie before picking up the phone.

“Rosie my dear! How are you?”

“I should be asking you that Alastor! Are you alright?”

Frowning to himself, Alastor responded. “Yes, I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

“I gave you information on a client, and you didn’t pick him up! In fact, he left town yesterday. What’s that about?” Rosie’s voice came out sounded mystified. Of course, his dear old friend was speaking in code over the phone - this ‘client’ was someone Alastor was supposed to kill for her.

Alastor’s heart dropped. Oh, shit. He had been so caught up in Lucifer, in the new friendship (was this a friendship? Was Alastor befriending the devil?) developing between himself and the fallen angel. He had completely forgotten about this client he was supposed to pick up - that is, hunt down.

“…oh, that. I’m so sorry Rosie, I should have let you know. I’ve just, been feeling really low energy and generally out of it. See, my T prescription has been canceled, and it’s really affecting my energy levels and mood.” Alastor thought quickly, using the first excuse he could think of.

There was silence on the other end of the phone line, and Alastor held his breath, hoping his friend would accept the excuse.

“Oh, Alastor, why didn’t you say so? I’m so sorry you’re dealing with that right now, that must be rough. I hope you’re able to get more testosterone soon and feeling back to your usual normal!”

The brunet let out a quiet sigh of relief, silently thanking the Heavens that Rosie had believed him. “It has been not ideal, that’s for sure. I have a new doctor, and just setting up an appointment to meet with him was a hassle! I hope I can get my prescription back soon though. I’m sorry for letting this one get away, Rosie, I promise I’ll get the next client.”

“Of course Alastor, of course. Don’t worry about it - one client skipping town out of the many you have faithfully taken care of isn’t the end of the world. Do let me know when you get your prescription sorted out, okay?” Rosie then bid Alastor farewell, wishing him a good vacation and that he at least get some animal hunting in.

After hanging up, Alastor went to sit down for a moment. He had screwed up that job pretty thoroughly, hadn’t he? Alastor didn’t usually hunt more than one human a year, just to make sure the police wouldn’t get too suspicious. Thankfully the kinds of scumbags he and Rosie picked as their targets were never missed - rarely did anyone put out a missing persons report for the types of people Alastor killed. As much as Alastor would have liked to wipe out all the abusive shitty assholes that passed through town, he knew he couldn’t. He had to pick his targets carefully and plan his hunts meticulously, so as not to get caught. Rosie helped tremendously with that, having connections with many types of people around town, including Hank and his illegal gambling operation. Many unsavory individuals passed through there.

Even if this dirtbag got away there would always be another one for another day. Missing this prey wasn’t the end of the world, though it did make Alastor pause. He had gotten so much more wrapped up with Lucifer than he had intended to. The brunet really, really should try to get his life back into some semblance of normalcy.

Normalcy for Alastor, that is.

Chapter Text

The morning sun gently brought Alastor back to the world of the living. He stirred, turning to look at the alarm on his nightstand. It read 7:47am, still thirteen minutes before his alarm was due to go off. Alastor turned over, deciding to stay in bed and relax for a bit longer.

It was Thursday, and Alastor was definitely going to go hunting today. For real. The first week of his vacation was almost over and he hadn’t done nearly enough hunting! His conversation with Rosie the day before had made him realize that.

That meant he would be spending less time with Lucifer today. The fallen angel would understand. Still, a small twinge of regret went through Alastor at the thought. He had to remind himself that Lucifer would be fine, and he’d still be there when the brunet got back.

His alarm finally went off, and Alastor got up for real.

Today Alastor decided to make French toast for Lucifer; he was trying to expand the devil’s diet, though so far breakfast foods and sweets were the only thing he’d eat. Still, Alastor had gotten Lucifer to eat not just pancakes, but also pop-tarts, sugary cereals, oatmeal, waffles, and cinnamon rolls. He had also gotten Lucifer to start drinking fruit smoothies - of course they were atrociously sweet, but still, Alastor took this as a win, especially since he could hide more protein powder and herbal supplements under all that sweetness.

Yes, Alastor knew the fallen angel didn’t actually need to eat healthy. But still, he wanted Lucifer to expand his palate. It made Alastor feel like he was making a difference for the devil, providing him with food that wasn’t only catered to his tastes but also good for him.

For himself Alastor made bacon and eggs and hash browns, and of course his usual coffee. He put everything on the tray he had been using to carry meals downstairs as of late, and headed to the basement.

“Good morning Alastor!” Lucifer called out from his ‘room’ - inside the cell, where the fallen angel was still reclining on his dog bed.

“Good morning Lucifer. Hope you’re hungry - I made you French toast today! And brought you a blueberry smoothie.” Alastor set the tray down on the folding table in the middle of the room. He momentarily got distracted as Lucifer stretched, long limbs extending to either end of the cage. The gentle ripple of the fallen angel’s fur fluffing up drew Alastor’s eye, and he couldn’t help but appreciate the supple way Lucifer’s muscles moved under his skin.

The devil caught him staring as he sat up, winking cheekily. Alastor felt his face heat up at that, quickly turning back to the tray of food he had just set down.

Lucifer stood, making his way over with lumbering steps due to having to be hunched over. “It smells delicious.” The fallen angel commented, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. Alastor let his gaze be drawn back to Lucifer at that, heart fluttering as his eyes traced the contour of the devil’s face, the delicate pointed markings around his eyes, the way his nostrils flared slightly as he inhaled the aroma of breakfast.

The fallen angel’s eyes snapped open once more as he moved to sit at one of the folding chairs. Alastor quickly turned back to the food, picking up the smoothie and holding it out to Lucifer. Lucifer smiled, reaching out with his left hand to take the glass from Alastor. As he did, Alastor noticed a small marking on the back of his hand, and he was about to ask about it when their fingers touched.

A slight shock flowed up Alastor’s arm as Lucifer’s fingers brushed his own. The devil took the offered glass, and Alastor quickly jerked his hand back, eyes flickering between his hand and Lucifer’s face, the marking on the back of the devil’s hand immediately forgotten. The fallen angel didn’t seem to notice, bringing the smoothie up to his face and taking a long drink.

“Mmm, this is delicious!” Lucifer rumbled in approval as he set the smoothie down, long forked tongue flickering out to lick up the traces that remained on his lips.

“G-glad you like it!” Alastor quickly sat down, pushing Lucifer’s plate towards him and bringing his own in front of him. The brunet could still feel a slight tingling across his fingertips where they had connected with Lucifer’s. He rubbed his thumb over the flesh, willing for the sensation to pass.

Lucifer happily dug into his French toast, (which Alastor had drowned in maple syrup for him), while Alastor slowly started at his own breakfast. What had just happened?

Heart stuttering, Alastor realized that was the first time he had actually touched Lucifer since dragging him down into the basement and cleaning him, back when he thought Lucifer was just a strange wild animal. They had been spending a lot of time together lately, sure, but they still kept a respectful distance from one another. Usually when Alastor brought something for Lucifer he would set down the object first, not hand it over directly. He wasn’t sure why this time he had done things differently.

“You alright there Alastor? You seem a little lost in your head.” Lucifer’s voice brought the brunet back to the present, and he forced himself to look the devil in the eyes with a smile.

“Yup! All good here. I’m going to go out hunting today, just thinking about that already.” Alastor lied, purposefully turning back to his food.

“Oh! Nice, nice. Well, you have fun with that. I’ll see you for dinner, right?”

“Of course you will.“ Alastor concentrated on his food, trying not to think about the accidental touch that had just transpired.

———

The rest of breakfast was fine, if slightly awkward - from Alastor’s perspective, at least. Lucifer didn’t seem to notice that anything was amiss, which the brunet was most grateful for.

He wasn’t sure how he would explain his awkwardness to the fallen angel.

Alastor got ready for the day, packing a small bag with water and snacks, his utility belt with knives and other tools, and of course a gun and plenty of ammunition.

The brunet was actually sort of excited to be heading out today! He was determined to make the best of the time off he had, and he had taken this time off to hunt - at least, that had been the original plan. So he was going to hunt, damn it!

As Alastor traipsed through the familiar forests, his mind began to unhelpfully wander. The short brush of fingertips from earlier that morning had been so quick and light, and yet it lingered on his mind. Alastor subconsciously rubbed his thumb over his fingertips as he walked, tracing over where Lucifer’s fingers had touched his. Even though it had only been for a moment, Lucifer’s touch had been so warm. And the fine short fur covering his fingers had been so soft, the pads on the digits velvety smooth. Alastor realized he wanted to feel that again; he wanted to touch the devil, pet him like an oversized dog, run his fingers through the light fur along his arms and into the longer fluff around his chest and neck…

Alastor shook his head roughly, furrowing his brows. He needed to stop that. He was sure Lucifer wouldn’t appreciate being petted like some sort of, of pet. Besides, that was weird. The fallen angel wasn’t an animal, he was more human than he appeared. And Alastor wouldn’t try to pet his fellow man. That would be ridiculous!

The absurd mental image that brought to mind did make Alastor giggle for a moment. Though after a pause he realized that maybe wouldn’t be so bad, actually. He himself enjoyed the feeling of the short hair at the back of his neck under his fingertips whenever he got a fresh trim. Alastor could admit that that felt nice. Maybe Lucifer would also agree that something like that felt nice.

The brunet lightly slapped himself in the face. God damn it he was supposed to be out hunting right now not fantasizing about petting the devil!

———

The sun was just starting to set as Alastor headed towards home, after a long and productive day out hunting.

Who was he kidding. It had not been productive. But it sure had been long!

Alastor was at least able to concentrate for short periods of time, even managing to track down a few animals. But even when he was looking down the barrel of his gun at the rabbit or wild turkey or the one deer he came across, Alastor wasn’t fully present. A small part of his mind was still in the basement, reliving the moment his fingers brushed against Lucifer’s over and over again.

As such, Alastor had missed every one of his shots. Which was incredibly frustrating! Sure, the brunet had bad hunting days once in a while, days where he missed his target or fumbled an easy shot. But those were rare and in between! And he usually still had something to show for it by the end of the day, having been able to find a new prey to hunt.

Today, Alastor had nothing to show for his effort.

Tired, sweaty, and defeated, Alastor trudged back home. He gave himself some points for at least trying; he got out of the house and actually shot at some animals. Didn’t manage to hit any of them, but still! It had to count for something that he tried. Even if his mind was unhelpfully elsewhere.

The closer he got to home though, the more Alastor perked up. His footsteps quickened as his overall sour mood from his lack of kills lifted; he would soon be able to see Lucifer again, spend time with the fallen angel, have dinner together.

All at once Alastor stopped in his tracks.

Was he… no, he couldn’t be.

Alastor slowly started walking again as his thoughts whirled. The brunet was just excited to get back home and spend time with his unusual house guest! Lucifer was incredibly interesting, and charming, and funny. He was fun to be around and talk to! Of course Alastor was looking forward to spending more time with him, it was only natural.

Of course Alastor’s feelings towards Lucifer were purely platonic and based on the burgeoning friendship arising between them. Nothing more.

Still, Alastor found that he wanted to spend as much time as he could with Lucifer. And he still wanted to pet him, no matter how much he told himself that would be weird and uncomfortable and awkward for the both of them.

As soon as he was home Alastor hopped into the shower. The cool water felt nice on his overheated, sweaty skin, and he let all his frustrations over his failed hunting drip down the drain. It was now dark out, and Alastor’s stomach reminded him that it was dinner time.

Once dinner was ready, Alastor loaded up the tray and headed downstairs, hair still slightly damp and flopping lightly into his eyes.

“I’m back!” Alastor called as he descended the stairs.

There was the sound of movement, and then Lucifer’s voice. “Welcome back! How was your hunting?”

Alastor walked over to the table and put the tray down, glancing over at the devil. He had apparently been sprawled out in his dog bed with papers and colored pencils all around him, and had sat up very quickly when Alastor came in - sending some of the papers flying and pencils clattering.

“Eh, it was fine. Didn’t manage to kill anything, but it was still good to get out there and shoot at things.” Alastor shrugged, unloading the dishes from the tray.

He stiffened momentarily when he felt Lucifer lumber up behind him, but the fallen angel just moved to his seat, plonking down on the comically small-looking chair for his size. Alastor blinked rapidly, ignoring the feeling of disappointment that suddenly sprang up in him. For a moment he had thought Lucifer was going to touch him. Why did he want that?

Lucifer told Alastor about his day - which didn’t take long, considering there wasn’t much for him to get up to in the basement. And then Alastor told the devil about his time out in the forest. He of course omitted how distracted he had been over their fingers touching that morning, just vaguely telling Lucifer that he hadn’t been able to land any of his shots because he was distracted.

Unfortunately for Alastor, he was still sort of distracted.

Dinner passed slowly, with the brunet getting lost in thought more often than not. His eyes would linger on Lucifer, watching him delicately eat his food with the fork and knife that were dwarfed by his large hands. Alastor followed the way the fallen angel’s horizontal pupils moved across his plate, the way his forked tongue flickered out to lick his lips, how his cute pink-circle adorned cheeks moved as Lucifer chewed. Alastor’s fingers twitch, the unwanted desire to reach out and touch the devil once more making itself known. Lucifer looked so soft, so inviting to pet, to run his fingers through the fallen angel’s fur…

“You alright, Al?”

Alastor’s eyes snapped up, locking with Lucifer’s for a moment before he tore his gaze away. He felt his face flush at the nickname, and embarrassment prickle under his skin at the thoughts he had just been having.

“Yup! I’m fine!” Alastor’s voice came out higher than he would have liked, and he stood up, busying himself with stacking plates and cutlery back onto the tray.

“You sure? You got kind of spacey there for a bit. Also you were staring at me for like, the majority of dinner. Not that I mind, but it makes me wonder what you were thinking about?” Lucifer tilted his head to the side curiously, leaning over to help clear his dishes as well. Alastor halted his movements as Lucifer reached across the table to put his plate on the tray, hands so close Alastor could easily reach out and touch them himself.

This was ridiculous; Alastor casually touched his friends all the time! A pat on the shoulder, a hug goodbye - it didn’t have to be a big deal! Besides, as he had reasoned early in the day, getting petted could actually be really nice. He would let Rosie scratch the short hair at the back of his neck after he got a fresh cut! Alastor would run his own hands over the fine hair of his undercut to distraction for days after getting it trimmed! It felt nice, damn it!!

“Can I touch you?” Alastor blurted out.

There was silence as both Lucifer and Alastor froze in place.

“I - I mean - you have very lovely fur. Hair? It looks lovely, and very soft, and I wanted to pet it. But if that would be weird or some kind of faux pas please do let me know and we can move on from this frankly mortifying conversation-“

“Is that what’s been distracting you? Yes, of course you can touch my fur.” Lucifer gave a rumbling laugh, corners of his eyes crinkling up into a smile. Slowly the devil moved closer, until there was only a couple of feet of space between them. Alastor stared up at the being towering over him, swallowing thickly as Lucifer gently lowered himself down into a crouching position before him, his gaze locked with the fallen angel’s as he became eye-level with Alastor.

Lucifer closed his eyes, dipping his head lower and towards Alastor in invitation. Tentatively the brunet reached a trembling hand out, his heart hammering in his chest. He sucked in a sharp breath as the pads of his fingers connected lightly with the top of Lucifer’s nose; it was warm, and so much softer than Alastor had anticipated. A soft puff of breath fanned out over Alastor’s hand as Lucifer exhaled. This close, Alastor had almost expected the devil to stink of sulfur and death, but he smelled sweet; like caramelized apples and cinnamon.

With a little more self-assuredness Alastor moved the pads of his fingers up over the top of Lucifer’s snout, enjoying the smooth velvety feel of the fur. Lucifer nudged into Alastor’s hand, making a breathy laugh escape him. This gesture also gave Alastor the confidence to pet the fallen angel properly, not just let his fingers run over Lucifer with a feather light touch.

Bringing his other hand up to the side of the devil’s face, Alastor gazed in wonder as he stroked over the being’s cheek. He rubbed little circles into the pink marking sitting there, heart fluttering at the pleased rumble Lucifer gave at this. This only inspired Alastor to bring both hands to Lucifer’s cheeks and rub his thumbs over those cute markings, watching the fallen angel practically melt into the touch. The brunet giggled as Lucifer leaned heavily into his hands, ears fluttering happily as his tail gave a slow wag across the floor.

After a while more of this, Alastor’s attention shifted to Lucifer’s ears, as did his hands. He gently petted along the floppy, goat like ears, trying to suppress his laughter as they flicked away from his touch. But when Alastor’s fingers scratched along the base of his ears they stilled, a deep purr vibrating out from Lucifer’s chest.

The brunet was smiling so wide it almost hurt. Time slipped away from him as he focused on scratching along the underside of Lucifer’s chin, rubbing his hands through the fallen angel’s longer blond fur at the top of his head, tangling his fingers through the mane across his shoulders and down his chest. The only thing that mattered right now was how soft and warm Lucifer was, how Alastor could make him continue to purr and feel good, and how right it felt to have his hands on the devil like this.

Time slowed down as Alastor got lost in these sensations, in this moment. All he wanted to do was keep petting Lucifer, have his hands on this majestic being’s body forever, feel his warmth, his power, his softness. In what other ways could he make Lucifer feel good? In what ways could Lucifer make Alastor feel good?

Abruptly Alastor yanked his hands away, taking a few quick steps back as his face burned brightly.

“I - it’s late, lost track of time there. Sorry! Goodnight!” The brunet couldn’t bring himself to look at Lucifer, instead turning towards the table to pick up the tray of dishes and booking it up the stairs as fast as he could.

A confused, “Uh, okay? Good, night then?” Followed Alastor’s hasty retreat.

Once back in the safety of his kitchen, Alastor harshly set the tray down on the counter with a clang.

What. The. Fuck.

Alastor had had to beat a hasty retreat thanks to his thoughts taking a turn for the decidedly more lascivious. He hadn’t meant for his thoughts to go that way, but they had. Alastor had just gotten so wrapped up in touching Lucifer, even just as innocently as he was doing, that his mind had wandered in a lustful direction.

Which was messed up. Alastor hissed in displeasure and disgust at himself. He shouldn’t be thinking about running his hands over Lucifer’s body like that, about what other sounds he could draw out of the fallen angel, or how much pleasure he could bring the being. That was wrong! Lucifer was barely even human. He was more beast than man, though above all other beasts in every way. Lucifer was smart, and kind, and incredibly human for such an in-human being…

But that was no excuse for the kinds of thoughts that had wormed their way into his mind!!

The brunet aggressively set to washing the dishes, scrubbing at the plates angrily. Alastor did not want these, these horny thoughts. And whatever feelings they were arising in him.

He gnawed on his bottom lip as he cleaned, internal turmoil bubbling hotly. Alastor had never had thoughts or feelings like this before. He had never desired to touch and bring pleasure and get pleasure from another in a carnal way. So why was a being so far removed from anything else on Earth inspiring such a reaction in him??

Shit. Alastor stopped his cleaning, realizing what he had just admitted to himself. The feelings he had for Lucifer weren’t just platonic… the brunet let out a hysteric laugh, supporting himself against the edge of the sink as he doubled over.

No. No no no. Alastor could not feel this way over a, a monster. Lucifer was the devil. He was a being of power and not human oh my God he was more animal than human. Though Alastor had never seen an animal like this before… it didn’t matter! Lucifer was not human. Alastor could not develop feelings for him.

No matter that he already seemed to have developed said feelings.

Pushing himself back upright, Alastor finished washing the dishes. He would just shove these thoughts and feelings down, keep them bottled up and buried deep inside, crushed under the weight of literally anything and everything else. Until they evaporated, snuffed out of existence by time and other thoughts and feelings. Yes, Alastor could do that. He could ignore these unwanted desires.

———

Ignoring these thoughts and feelings was a lot harder than Alastor anticipated. The next day he tried to act normal, as if nothing had happened the night before. And it sort of worked. But, Alastor’s unruly and unhelpful heart kept tugging him towards Lucifer, yearning to be close to the fallen angel, to touch him again, to make sure he was happy and healthy.

The brunet attempted to go out hunting again, but again was too distracted for it to be a success. He did manage to accidentally hit a squirrel, which Alastor took as a win even if he hadn’t meant to shoot it. He headed home fairly soon after that, with his one kill in hand.

As soon as he was back home Alastor headed to the basement - he was going to skin and prepare the squirrel, and the basement was his work area after all.

But when he walked downstairs Alastor was surprised to find a stack of chairs, the table, and a bunch of his cleaning supplies in a precarious pyramid.

“What…“ Alastor began, confused.

“Oh! You’re back! I didn’t expect you to be back so soon.” Lucifer poked his head out from behind the stack, waving a cleaning rag around.

“What are you doing?”

“Making a sculpture! I think. Not sure what it’s supposed to be really, just seeing what I can stack and balance I guess.” Lucifer shrugged, walking around from behind the stack. The table was on its side, with the two folding chairs stacked on top of each other at odd angles. There were buckets upside down balanced on the side of the table, with brooms and mops leaning against dustpans and a vacuum. Rags were tied together to keep things in place, and books were precariously balanced around the top of the contraption.

“I specifically told you not to touch my stuff.” Alastor huffed, moving to set his kill and hunting gear down before washing his hands and stomping over to start disassembling the pile before something could fall or break.

“Uh, actually, you said not to touch your hunting equipment. And I didn’t!” Lucifer crossed his arms over his chest smugly.

“Yeah, well, I meant my stuff in general. These are not toys, thank you very much. Now help me disassemble this mess and put things back in their places!” The brunet gingerly started to rescue books from the top, having to tip-toe to reach them without knocking anything over. His books were precious to him, Alastor did not want any misfortune to befall them! But aside from this, Lucifer had taken very good care of them, not ripping or tearing any pages.

“Okay, okay, fine… it gets pretty boring down here all day though. I’ve read the books you gave me like, five times each! Even the horror one. Which I’m not a big fan of, by the way. And there’s only so much writing and drawing I can do before I get antsy and want to do something else!” Lucifer’s ears drooped as he began to dejectedly take apart the strange art project he had been working on.

A thread of guilt pierced through his heart at that. Alastor supposed there was only so much entertainment books and drawing could bring a being such as Lucifer… he should have realized the devil would need more things to do with his time.

“…you’re right, it’s probably quite boring down here on your own. There’s not that much to do in the basement. I’ll bring you some more stuff for your entertainment, okay?” Alastor softened, his earlier annoyance dissipating faster than he anticipated.

Lucifer grinned at that, ears perking back up. “That would be great, Al.”

The brunet hummed, ignoring the stupid way his heart skipped at the nickname and Lucifer’s genuine smile.

Taking down the precarious structure went quickly with the two of them working together, and then Alastor was able to do what he had come down there for in the first place: skin and prep the squirrel. He’d be having squirrel meat for dinner it seemed.

Once that was taken care of Alastor returned upstairs, setting about on the task of finding new things for Lucifer to entertain himself with. He had a puzzle Rosie had gifted him, he’d bring that down for the devil. And he had a small portable radio he could leave down there with him so that Lucifer could listen to music or the news if he so desired. He’d bring down his beanbag again, why not - the fallen angel could use it as a big pillow or a cushion to sit on. Alastor also selected a few more books for Lucifer, since he had read the other ones repeatedly now, and he even found an old tennis ball he used to play with.

These would do, he supposed. Alastor brought down the new items, dumping them at Lucifer’s feet.

“Found some stuff that I think will aid in your boredom!” Alastor announced.

“Ooo, what’s this?” Lucifer crouched down, pointing at the puzzle box.

“That’s a puzzle. It’s a picture you have to build out of lots of tiny interconnecting pieces.” Alastor explained, picking up the box. “See? This is the picture you will end up with.” He pointed at the cover, which showed a herd of deer making its way through a lush forest scene. “But right now it’s all in little pieces.” Alastor opened the box and showed Lucifer a puzzle piece.

“Interesting.” The fallen angel carefully plucked the puzzle piece from Alastor’s hand, claws just barely grazing the brunet’s palm but still managing to make him shiver at the touch. “Yeah, this will probably keep me busy for a while. Thank you so much Al, this is great.”

Alastor swallowed roughly as large red eyes focused on him, warm and sincere. “N-no problem!” He managed to stutter out, mentally face palming for getting flustered over something as simple as Lucifer expressing his gratitude.

He quickly moved on to showing the devil what else he had brought down for him, the fluttering feeling in his stomach just growing with every item Lucifer excitedly squeed over and enthusiastically examined.

The brunet left Lucifer with his new toys, heading upstairs to begin preparing dinner. He wanted to make a nice stew with the squirrel meat he now had, and that would take a bit to prepare. But Alastor had the time.

He did not think about the way Lucifer made him feel as he chopped potatoes, celery and carrots. Alastor did not dwell on the fallen angel’s smile or the genuine wonder and delight at the things he had brought for Lucifer. He did not pay attention to the thought that he would like to be the cause of Lucifer’s smile for the rest of his life.

A couple of hours later dinner was ready, and Alastor headed back downstairs with a bowl of stew for himself and a plate of banana bread and some chocolate covered strawberries for the devil. Alastor had found that he could get Lucifer to eat fruit if they were part of the baked goods or sweetened somehow - like caramel apples and these chocolate covered strawberries.

Back in the basement Alastor found Lucifer already working on the puzzle, having set up on one end of the table and sitting on the beanbag. It was still a little small for the devil, but Alastor was sure it was much more comfortable than the folding chair had been for him.

“How’s the puzzle going?” Alastor asked as he unloaded dinner onto the side of the table that was puzzle-less.

“Good! I think. I’m sorting pieces by color - or trying to at least. I’ve found a few edge pieces, I’m trying to make the outside edge first and then go from there!” Lucifer appeared engrossed in his new project, but once Alastor began putting dinner out the fallen angel lifted his head from the puzzle, taking a deep breath and smiling warmly. Alastor pretended his heart did not flutter at the sight of that large toothy grin.

“You ready to eat?” Alastor took his seat, gesturing to Lucifer’s plate.

“Yup! Let me just-“ the devil stood, picking the beanbag up and moving the folding chair out of the way easily before placing the beanbag at his spot at the table. “There. This is much comfier for me!”

Alastor made a sympathetic sound, then turned his attention towards his meal.

In no time Alastor found himself relaxing and laughing at Lucifer’s jokes. It was as if he hadn’t realized his feelings for the fallen angel at all; everything was normal between the two of them, as it had been for the last week. The brunet watched fondly as Lucifer happily munched away. Yes, everything was fine between them. His stupid feelings were inconsequential - whatever had wormed its way into his mind and heart would pass in no time.

As Alastor was putting plates and glasses back on the tray to take up, Lucifer made a soft coughing sound. He glanced up at the devil, pausing when he noticed how shy and awkward Lucifer looked. He was standing even more hunched over than usual, one pink-clawed hand scratching the back of his neck and along his jaw, shifting from hoof to hoof as his eyes flickered all over the place.

Alastor raised an eyebrow up at Lucifer, slowly straightening up from where he had been leaning against the table to pick up some cutlery. “Can I help you with anything?”

“Aha, well, I sort of have an odd request. Desire? No that doesn’t sound right... I’m sticking with request I think-“

“Okay, out with it already Lucifer.” Alastor crossed his arms over his chest, huffing in amusement at the fallen angel’s flusteredness. “What do you want?”

“Soooo you know how last night you wanted to pet me?” Lucifer asked uncertainly, biting his lip. Alastor nodded slowly, and the devil continued. “Yeah, yeah. I was wondering if I could maybe, I don’t know. Pet you in return?”

Alastor blinked a couple of times in surprise. This was, not what he expected Lucifer to ask of him.

Before he could think it through, the brunet felt his mouth open and his voice respond with a “Yes, sure, why not.”

“Great!” Lucifer breathed a huge sigh of relief, some of his nervous energy leaving him. “I was afraid you’d find that too weird or awkward, haha, but being petted felt surprisingly nice and I just wanted to return the favor. Besides, I’m curious about how you feel too, it only seemed fair that I get to pet you back!”

Alarm bells were ringing loudly in Alastor’s head, telling him he should backtrack, that this was a bad idea, that he should leave immediately. But, Alastor couldn’t open his mouth to rescind his permission; he wanted this too, even if he shouldn’t, and the brunet’s sense of reason was fighting a losing battle.

Lucifer moved closer, lowering himself to squat before Alastor like the night before. His ears were perked up, tail swishing against the floor in a slow wag. The devil was so pleased by this, Alastor could not take back his consent now! He just wanted to make Lucifer happy, and this seemed to be making him happy.

Willing himself to stay still and take a deep breath, Alastor closed his eyes. The first touch was barely even noticeable, just a slight ruffle to his hair, and still Alastor jerked back, eyes flying open.

Concerned red eyes looked back at him. “You alright, Al? I promise not to hurt you.”

Nodding sharply, Alastor forced himself to smile brightly, hoping it came across as reassuring. He hoped Lucifer couldn’t hear how fast his heart was beating in his chest.

“Yup, I’m fine! You may proceed.” The brunet said, trying to convince himself he was fine and okay to go on as well.

Lucifer gave him a soft look, one that threatened to melt Alastor on the spot, and the brunet curled his hands into fists, digging his nails into his palms to try to keep himself grounded. He decided it would probably be best to keep his eyes open for this.

“Alright, I’m going to touch you now.” The fallen angel murmured softly. Slowly Lucifer lowered his hand back down, watching Alastor intently for any signs of discomfort. Alastor focused on taking deep, steadying breaths. When the devil’s hand rested fully on his head, Alastor relaxed incrementally; this wasn’t so bad.

He sucked in a harsh breath when the hand began to move. Almost tenderly Lucifer began running his fingers through Alastor’s hair, the gentle scritching of his claws on the brunet’s scalp feeling unfairly good. Alastor involuntarily shuddered, but not from fear or disgust; no, this shudder was because it felt good.

A low, pleased rumble reached his ears, and Alastor realized his eyes had fallen shut again. Cracking an eye open he watched as Lucifer gave a satisfied smile, continuing to pet through Alastor’s hair. “Heh, your hair is softer than it looks…” Long fingers reached the back of his head, and Alastor instinctively tilted his head to give better access to the short hair of his undercut. Lucifer took the invitation, running the pads of his fingers over the fine hairs there, scratching gently along the back of Alastor’s neck. “Oh! The hair back here is almost like fur.” The devil chirped happily at the discovery.

Alastor almost jumped when something touched his left arm, but it was just Lucifer’s other hand, tentatively trailing up his arm. He relaxed again, finding that he didn’t mind this extra touch against his skin, despite usually not being a fan of physical touch that wasn’t initiated by him.

“Is this okay?” Lucifer hesitantly asked, keeping his right arm still against Alastor. The brunet just nodded. When Alastor didn’t push his arm away, Lucifer got bolder, fingers gliding along his arm muscles, over the edge of his shirt sleeve and up to his shoulder, squeezing lightly. “Your skin is so weird… kind of spongy, but not in an unpleasant way. It’s supple, and so smooth…” His hand then made its way to Alastor’s neck, and while part of the brunet screamed internally at himself that this was dangerous and he should not be entertaining this, Alastor found he really didn’t care how dangerous it was.

Sharp claws tapped along his collarbone and up the side of his neck, barely there pinpricks that Alastor wished were harder. The hand traveled up to his jawline, feeling along and up to his cheek. Lucifer’s other hand joined this one at Alastor’s other cheek, caressing him in much the same way Alastor had caressed Lucifer the night before.

And Alastor loved it.

A warm, pleasant tingling was spreading across his body, alighting his nerves. Alastor found himself craving more, wanting this to never end, wishing Lucifer would continue his explorations, touch him more, be bolder-

Alastor tore himself away from Lucifer’s hands with a gasp.

“Well! That sure was something.” Alastor cleared his throat awkwardly as his face turned bright red. “Anyway, yes. Hope that was satisfactory for you, goodnight now!”

The brunet forced himself to glance back at Lucifer quickly, catching a glimpse of the devil looking so confused and mystified as he continued to crouch in the same position, hands still outstretched. As fast as he could Alastor finished loading up the tray and headed up the stairs, while a “Um? Yes, okay, goodnight?” Followed him.

Alastor unceremoniously set the tray down on his kitchen counter.

He couldn’t believe this had happened again.

However, this time was worse, much, much worse; not only had his thoughts turned against him, so had his body. Alastor was hard.

Bringing a hand up to clamp over his mouth, Alastor whimpered. Why was this happening to him?

Leaving the dishes on the tray to deal with tomorrow, Alastor hurried over to his bathroom. He needed a cold shower. Immediately.

Stripping quickly and taking out his contacts, Alastor got into the shower as soon as possible. The cold stream made him shiver, but the freezing temperature was welcome at the moment; it doused the flames that had been lit inside him, cooling off his overheated skin. Alastor sighed, surrendering to the cold water, closing his eyes and focusing on his breathing. Soon the only things in Alastor’s consciousness were the sound of the water running, the cold against his skin, and the steady beating of his heart.

Turning off the shower, Alastor stepped out, leisurely toweling off. He felt much better now, whatever flicker of arousal that had accidentally awoken in him having died down. The brunet paused with the towel over his head, frowning to himself. No, wait, there was still a faint glimmer of arousal underneath the surface… the cold shower hadn’t fully gotten rid of that apparently.

Alastor was sorely tempted to hop back in the shower for a bit longer, but truth be told he was tired. And cold. Alastor did not want to spend any longer under the freezing stream than he had to.

So the brunet opted to go to bed. These pesky feelings could be ignored. Alastor would shove them aside like he always did, and focus on getting some sleep.

Underneath the covers, in his sleepwear, Alastor stared up at the dark ceiling. He willed his whirring mind to shut up already and let him sleep. But his mind did no such thing.

Instead, Alastor’s brain kept replaying the scene from after dinner over and over. It was incredibly unhelpful.

Screwing his eyes shut, Alastor tried to focus on his breathing, on his heartbeat, emptying his mind of everything and anything. But the little prickle or heat under his skin stubbornly refused to go out, spreading slowly through his veins and making the brunet squirm.

Damn it. Damn it.

He was aroused. There was no denying it. Ignoring it wasn’t working. So, that left Alastor with only one choice.

Shoving his right hand under the waistband of his boxers, Alastor wrinkled his nose when he found how wet he already was. This was ridiculous! He didn’t do horny. He wasn’t even on testosterone right now!!

The brunet started to unenthusiastically jerk off.

Alastor alternated between stroking his dick and fingering himself, just trying to get off as quickly as possible so as to be able to fall asleep already. The heat in his veins bloomed brightly, licking up his insides and stoking the fire in his gut, forcing little moans and breathy gasps past his lips even as he ground his teeth and tried to swallow the sounds.

He just wanted to get this over with.

The longer Alastor touched himself, the more his control over his thoughts slipped; Alastor tried to keep his mind blank, but as pleasure lit up his nervous system the brunet’s thoughts drifted more and more to Lucifer. Alastor tried to redirect his thoughts whenever that happened, but it was hard to concentrate on that and chase his pleasure; he found that he couldn’t do both, time ticking by as his frustration grew at not being able to find his release quickly enough.

His mind uncooperatively showed Alastor images of Lucifer, his handsome face, twinkling eyes, bright smile. It reminded him of the devil’s touch, how gentle he had been despite his large size and formidable looking claws. Lucifer’s touch had been pleasant, soft, tender… and Alastor wanted more.

The brunet’s hold on his thoughts cracked, hasty wall he had tried to build around these unwanted desires crumbling fully. Alastor whimpered as he ground against his palm, rutting into his own hand like a dog. His left hand rucked up his sleep shirt, playing with his nipples desperately. Pleasure lit up across his body as heat coiled tighter in his gut, mind flooded with images of Lucifer, his voice, his scent, his touch. God, what would it feel like to have the fallen angel touch him like this? To kiss that maw filled with deadly sharp teeth? Alastor wanted to be surrounded by everything Lucifer, caged in by such an ethereal yet frightening being. He wanted to be at the mercy of the devil, to bring him happiness and pleasure, to feel those claws in his skin and that tongue against his own - fuck, what would that long forked tongue feel like inside of him?

With a cry Alastor came, back arching off the bed as his cock pulsed against his palm, fingers buried deep inside himself. Waves of pleasure washed over him, sending tingling warmth all the way through his limbs. Alastor panted as he came back down from his high, staring up at his ceiling. He removed his right hand from between his legs, blindly fumbling around for a tissue on his nightstand before wiping off his fingers. He was trembling slightly.

This time, this time Alastor had thought about Lucifer while he touched himself on purpose. Well, not exactly on purpose - he had tried to keep his mind blank, he really had! But concentrating on that had meant his masturbation session just stretched longer and longer, and so he gave in. Alastor knew that was no excuse, but he still tried to reason with himself that this wasn’t all that bad. Besides, he now knew that Lucifer wasn’t some dumb animal! He was a fully conscious being capable of higher thought!! That made this a little better, right?

Oh, who was he kidding. Alastor flopped back onto his bed with a groan, covering his face with his hands. Lucifer was still something completely inhuman, something he should not be attracted to in any shape or form. That was the goddamn devil in his basement! Alastor could not be into him - least of all because he resembled some kind of creature, beast, thing!

Exhaustion settled thick and heavy over Alastor, cuddling up next to his self-disgust and shame. In a few more minutes the brunet succumbed to sleep, feelings of guilt and loathing plaguing him even in his dreams.

Chapter Text

The next few days were, fine.

Just, fine.

Alastor was avoiding Lucifer like the plague, eating breakfast before bringing down food for the devil and then scurrying out of the basement as fast as possible. He was spending barely any time with Lucifer these days, which was for the best. Even though Alastor’s heart ached at being forced to keep his distance, this was definitely for the best.

He had fully acknowledged his feelings - his unnatural attraction - towards the fallen angel; and Alastor could not allow himself to have these thoughts and feelings. So he kept his distance from Lucifer, minimizing their interactions and conversation.

It hurt more than Alastor cared to admit.

The one good thing that came about from this was that he was actually getting out and hunting! Alastor was still mostly stuck in his head, but he was able to concentrate on tracking down prey and hunt for short stretches at least. He even managed to shoot a few fowl, which he was quite pleased with. This hunting vacation had been generally less productive than one’s Alastor had taken in the past, but as long as he had some game to show for it the time off wasn’t a total loss.

Alastor put the fowl whole in his walk-in freezer, not wanting to spend any more time than he had to in the basement at the moment. He could pluck and gut the birds later.

On Monday evening, after another day out hunting (in which Alastor hadn’t managed to shoot anything but had caught a rabbit in one of his traps) Alastor brought his catch of the day down to the basement, beelining for the walk-in freezer to deposit his kill. The brunet pointedly ignored Lucifer even as he called out a greeting, just nodding in the general direction of the devil and focusing only on the dead rabbit in his hands and walking to the freezer.

He intended to continue ignoring Lucifer and head immediately back upstairs to start preparing dinner. However when Alastor emerged from the walk-in he almost ran right smack into Lucifer. The fallen angel was standing directly before the freezer’s door, large and imposing. Alastor’s heart rate immediately skyrocketed, thumping unsteadily in his chest.

“Excuse me, you’re sort of in my way.” Alastor told the lightly golden fluffy chest before him.

“I know… this seemed like the only way to actually get you to stop, though.” Lucifer’s voice came out sounding dejected, and Alastor couldn’t stop himself from glancing up at the fallen angel’s face.

Lucifer looked… sad. His ears were drooping, eyes downcast and expression doleful. He was pouting, and not even looking at Alastor, gaze directed slightly off to the side.

Seeing Lucifer look so decidedly unhappy constricted Alastor’s heart something fierce, and he had to cross his arms to keep himself from reaching up and gently caressing the being’s face.

The fallen angel continued. “You’ve… you’ve been avoiding me, haven’t you? Did I, do something wrong? Was it, the petting stuff? Do you… do you not want me around anymore?” Lucifer’s voice got quieter and more forlorn, his head lowering to rest against his chest as the devil seemed to curl in on himself.

“N-no! You did nothing wrong - trust me, I definitely still want you around.” Alastor blurted out, desperate to dissipate the sadness settling over Lucifer like a dark cloud. He held his tongue on just how badly he wanted Lucifer around, how he wanted to be around the devil all day, every day, at all hours. Alastor couldn’t even freely admit that to himself. He made no comment on the ‘petting stuff’ - that technically is where this particular issue had started, but he wasn’t going to confirm or deny that. It wasn’t Lucifer’s problem, anyway; that had been Alastor’s own stupid fault and so he had to deal with it himself.

Lucifer snorted, turning to face away from Alastor. “Yeah, right. You’ve barely said more than a ‘hello’ to me for the past three days! You’ve only come to the basement to bring me food or drop off your game! Every time I try to talk to you, you’ve just brushed me off or responded in short, one word answers! And I’m supposed to believe you still want me around? Just, tell me what I did to upset you so I can apologize or try to make it right…”

Heart in his throat, Alastor reached a hand towards Lucifer. He hesitated, fingers hovering above the being’s shoulder; should he even touch Lucifer right now? Isn’t that what started this whole mess? But, Alastor hated seeing Lucifer so dejected and blue… yes, this was Alastor’s problem to deal with, but Lucifer shouldn’t have to suffer because of the brunet’s feelings. Alastor would just have to deal with his internal desires while still maintaining his friendship with Lucifer; it wasn’t fair for the fallen angel to have his only personal connection and friend taken away from him just because Alastor couldn’t keep a handle on his own emotions. Besides, touching Lucifer would prove that the ‘petting stuff’ hadn’t been an issue and Lucifer hadn’t done anything wrong! Right?

Tentatively Alastor put his hand on Lucifer’s shoulder. The devil stiffened momentarily at the touch, but slowly relaxed, glancing back towards Alastor with a doleful stare.

“I’m, I’m so sorry I made you feel like that. Like you weren’t wanted here anymore, or like you had done something wrong. I promise, you haven’t done anything wrong, and I still want you around.” Alastor gave a wry smile up at Lucifer, relieved when the fallen angel slowly began to turn back towards him.

“So, why have you been avoiding me and ignoring me, then?” Lucifer was now gazing directly into Alastor’s eyes, and he quickly dropped his hand from the being’s shoulder, instead clasping his hands together before him. Even though he had initiated the contact, he thought it was best not to touch Lucifer for longer than he had to.

Looking away from those bright, sincere eyes, Alastor tried to think of a good excuse. He couldn’t think of one.

Swallowing thickly, Alastor opened his mouth and tried his best to come up with something Lucifer would accept. “It’s, it’s complicated. But just know it’s not you! You are fine, you didn’t do anything wrong or upset me in any way. The problem is me. I’ve just been… distracted. Yes, because I’m supposed to be spending this break from work hunting! And I haven’t been hunting nearly as much as I would have liked! I’ve just wanted to keep spending time with you. Which isn’t your fault - you’re just, so charming and fun to talk to. But I’ve been trying to spend more time out hunting and doing what I usually do during this time of year. I’m sorry that made you feel like I was ignoring you.” The brunet hoped this explanation would be satisfactory for Lucifer; it wasn’t the full truth, not in the least, but he couldn’t tell the fallen angel that he had been having less than pure thoughts concerning the devil - especially after they petted each other.

Tilting his head to the side, Lucifer mulled over Alastor’s words. “I, think I get it. I sort of turned your life upside down, didn’t I? And while you don’t blame me for it, you were just trying to go back to how things were before. Well, I understand that, but I don’t think you’ll be able to go back to how things used to be, Alastor. Not unless I fully leave your life. Which, I could do, if you want…”

“No! No, that won’t be necessary. I do want you around. I’ll, I’ll do better at balancing my hunting hobby and spending time with you. I promise.” Alastor’s nails dug into his arms where they lay crossed at his chest. He couldn’t lose Lucifer. Even though Alastor’s thoughts and feelings had been working against him, the brunet was unwilling to go back to how things used to be without the fallen angel. He had grown so used to having Lucifer around, accustomed to having someone to talk to and share meals with. Someone to take care of, to cherish, to look after. Alastor couldn’t go back to how things were before, he realized that now.

His messed up internal desires be damned. Alastor would just work harder at burying those pesky feelings and unwanted thoughts.

“You, sure? I don’t want to cause you any trouble, and you’ve already gone so far out of your way to take care of me and make sure I didn’t die of boredom.” Lucifer shifted back on his hooves, rubbing his left hand over his right arm bashfully.

“It’s no trouble, really. I enjoy your company and conversation. Besides, where would you go?”

“I would figure it out-“

Alastor interrupted. “You don’t have to. I’m not going to kick you out, I’m not abandoning you. I care about you, Lucifer. Okay?”

Lucifer blinked slowly, gazing down at Alastor with an unreadable expression. Alastor ignored the way his heart was doing a little dance number in his chest.

“…okay. Well, in that case, I’ll continue to reside here.”

“Good.” Alastor gave a curt nod, releasing his arms from the grip of his fingers and moving to step around Lucifer. “I’ll head up to start preparing dinner for us then - and I’ll eat with you. Let’s bring that tradition back, shall we?” Alastor shot the devil a soft smile. Relief flooded the brunet; for a moment there he was terrified that Lucifer would leave him. Alastor would have to find a better balance between spending time with fallen angel and his own hobbies and personal activities. He could not make Lucifer feel unwanted - that was unacceptable, especially considering how badly Alastor wanted him around.

The fallen angel gave a tentative smile in return. “Sounds good, Al. Thank you.”

———

Things settled back down between Alastor and Lucifer. Alastor was almost surprised at how easy it was to go back to spending so much time with the devil, how casual and uncomplicated it was. He had sort of expected there to be a weird tension between them, maybe some awkwardness or unsureness. But no, things went right back to how they were before Alastor asked to pet Lucifer and his mind got infested with perverted thoughts.

That’s not to say those thoughts had disappeared, though. They were, unfortunately, still around. No matter how much Alastor tried to ignore those feelings, those desires, those unwanted intrusive thoughts, they kept floating back into his mind when he least expected it.

The days passed by slowly, with Alastor making an effort to balance his time out hunting with his time spent with Lucifer. The fallen angel was very accommodating, even encouraging Alastor to get out and make the most of the warm summer days when the brunet found himself staying late after breakfast. Alastor always spent a good amount of time with Lucifer after dinner though; the two of them would listen to music, or a radio show. Alastor had even brought down his chess board and taught Lucifer to play! The devil had been absolutely abysmal at the game to begin with, but he learned quickly, and it wasn’t long before Lucifer was winning practically every game against Alastor.

This new balance brought Alastor some peace. Though his thoughts still wandered into more lascivious territory - especially when he was alone in his room at night - Alastor found that he was able to compartmentalize a bit more. This allowed him to actually hunt properly, his kills increasing as the days wore on. His freezer would be fairly well stocked after all; even if not as well stocked as he usually managed to get it.

Wednesday evening found the two of them hanging out in the basement, like usual. Alastor had decided to cut his hunting day short, thanks to being incredibly productive. He had managed to catch a few turkeys in some traps and shoot two whole deers. That was more than he could carry back home in one trip, so he deemed his hunting for the day a success and called it early. It took Alastor a couple of trips to bring everything down into his walk-in freezer.

Now Alastor was reclining in a folding chair at the table in the basement, scribbling away in his journal while Lucifer toiled away at his puzzle. The fallen angel was making respectable progress, the edges of the image mostly found now, and some parts in the center filled in. Lucifer hummed in thought to himself as he worked, shifting through puzzle pieces of shades of greens and browns, looking for ones that would match what he already had put together.

“Hey, Al?” Lucifer tentatively called out, interrupting Alastor’s train of thought as he wrote.

“Mmm, yeah?” Alastor responded absentmindedly, continuing to write in his journal, trying to finish the thread of his thought before he lost it fully.

“So, I was wondering… I’m, sort of curious about your life. I mean - we’ve already talked a lot about you and your hobbies, but like. I’m kind of a part of your life now, right? But I’m confined to just this one spot, your basement. And, well, you live alone. So maybe, if you’d be willing to let me in, I could come upstairs sometime? See more of your life, where and how you live? Be a, bigger part of things here? If that would be too much trouble of course let me know, I don’t want to be a nuisance or an inconvenience - I’m just curious! And, and would like to see more of your life.”

Alastor had stopped writing, pen in hand, point still pressed to the page. But whatever sentence he had been finishing up was long forgotten in the face of Lucifer’s request.

The brunet glanced up at the devil curiously; Lucifer was hunched over his puzzle, not looking at Alastor at all. He seemed slightly agitated by his own request, tail tip flicking against the floor in quick, short bursts. Lucifer was gnawing on his bottom lip gently, a light golden blush dusting his cheeks and tips of his ears.

Honestly, Alastor wasn’t all that surprised by this request. If he was in Lucifer’s place, he would have probably asked this much earlier; Alastor would hate to be confined to one place for so long.

“Sure.” Alastor said simply, closing his journal without even bothering to finish up what he had been writing.

He stood and stretched, cracking his neck before heading towards the stairs. Alastor paused at the bottom, glancing back at Lucifer, who had not moved from his spot at the table by his puzzle.

“You coming?” Alastor asked.

“Ah- right now? I didn’t expect you to invite me up immediately!” Lucifer started, very nearly sending half his puzzle to the floor as he suddenly stood up, bumping into the table.

With an amused expression on his face, Alastor turned back to the stairs, heading up. “Why not right now? It’s as good a time as any for you to come up!”

Alastor heard the clicking of Lucifer’s hooves behind him, the swish of his tail dragging along the floor, but resolutely focused on his own ascension. He stepped through the secret doorway, moving aside to make room for the devil to get through.

Briefly the brunet wondered if Lucifer would fit; he was a rather large being, after all. But he wasn’t given much time to dwell on it - a moment later a large, white snout peaked through the doorway, red eyes curiously looking around. It was slightly awkward, but Lucifer managed to squeeze through the doorway without too much trouble. He just had to hunch down and twist his body sideways slightly, and then the fallen angel was in Alastor’s house.

Like, properly in his house.

His heartbeat sped up as Lucifer stepped fully into his living room, standing up straighter than he had been able to down in the basement. The devil still had to duck his head slightly to keep his horns from scraping along the ceiling or knock into light fixtures, but still, this was the closest Alastor had ever seen Lucifer to his full height.

It was doing something to him.

Something he was adamantly ignoring.

Lucifer took a slow look around, head swinging smoothly around the room to take in the space. Bright red eyed drank in their surroundings, noting furniture, pictures on the walls, and the general lay of the land.

“Welcome to my house, I guess.” Alastor swept his arm out behind him, feeling slightly awkward. The fallen angel had been living under his roof for roughly two months now, but this was the first time Lucifer had actually been in his house. The basement barely counted - it was where Alastor kept his meat, and his victims. Lucifer was neither of those things, though Alastor hadn’t been sure what to make of him (or do with him) for the majority of the time the devil had been around.

“Your house is lovely.” Lucifer rumbled in approval, dropping down onto all fours to more easily avoid hitting his head on lightbulbs. Leisurely the devil strolled through Alastor’s living room, inspecting bookshelves and trinkets and vinyls. He seemed, quite engrossed, seriously taking in every little detail of Alastor’s space, sniffing along the fireplace and the couches, making his way through the kitchen, peeking out through the windows. “Oh, it’s still light out! Been a while since I’ve seen the sun. Almost forgot how vibrant and full of life this world can be.”

All at once Alastor knew he couldn’t send Lucifer back down into the basement. It was a dank, sterile environment, and frankly no place for a being so full of life and beauty. The fallen angel deserved better, and though he couldn’t go out into the world, he didn’t have to be kept in the basement like Alastor’s prey.

“You can stay up here, if you’d like.”

Crimson eyes turned towards Alastor in surprise. “What?”

Clearing his throat, Alastor stepped a little closer to the golden being in his living room. “You don’t have to go back down to the basement. That space is not meant to house anyone - not comfortably, at least. You’re welcome to stay up here, in my living room, instead. I’m sure it would be much more to your liking. You’d get actual sunlight, and access to my bookshelves! And I wouldn’t have to carry food down to you every day.”

Horizontal pupils stared at Alastor intently. A slow grin spread across Lucifer’s face, and the devil pushed himself back onto two legs, coming to stand right before the brunet. “Honestly? I think I’ll take you up on that. It’s much homier up here, that’s for sure.” A pleased purr laced Lucifer’s words as he gazed down at Alastor in what he could only describe as in an affectionate way. Alastor ignored the way his heart fluttered at this, gut twisting up into misplaced knots of emotion.

“Good. You do that. I’m going to start preparing dinner - feel free to start bringing your stuff up from the basement, make yourself at home. You’re welcome to explore this space, but upstairs is off limits, okay?”

Nodding shortly, Lucifer sidestepped around Alastor, heading back to the closet entryway for the basement. “Can explore and make myself at home at this level, upstairs is off limits, got it!” And then he disappeared back down, supposedly to start bringing his things up.

Slowly Alastor moved himself into his kitchen; it was approaching seven, he really should get dinner going. But his ears were trained for the sound of Lucifer making his way back up, eyes darting back towards the basement entrance every couple of seconds. Shaking his head, Alastor stuck his nose in his refrigerator to try to focus on the task at hand.

That didn’t keep his mind from wandering, though.

While Alastor began taking out vegetables and meat for his dinner, he couldn’t help but go over the events of the last twenty or so minutes.

He had just invited the devil to stay in his living room. Lucifer was really and truly his houseguest now, residing under his roof and in his space.

This was bound to happen eventually, Alastor reasoned with himself; Lucifer couldn’t very well be expected to live in the concrete prison of the basement forever. Besides, Alastor needed that space! Especially if he was going to get back to hunting his more unconventional prey. The basement needed to be fallen angel free for that.

So it only made sense for Lucifer to move in upstairs. Even though this brought the being into a much closer proximity to Alastor, which was maybe not the most ideal considering his emotional state surrounding the devil lately. But Alastor couldn’t just force Lucifer to keep living in the basement; Lucifer was too majestic and noble for such a sterile and harsh space. He deserved comfort and warmth and softness. Alastor could give the fallen angel some of that, at least.

He turned his head slightly when he heard Lucifer come back up the steps, dragging his oversized dog bed along behind him. Lucifer brought the cushion over to the fireplace, right before the couches and lounge area, and plopped it down there. Immediately the devil turned back around to fetch more of his belongings.

Smiling softly to himself, Alastor continued to chop vegetables. It seemed like every few days his life with Lucifer was turned upside down, but overall, the brunet didn’t mind. Lucifer made things so much more interesting, so much more worthwhile. Alastor had been drawn to the fallen angel since day one, since he had found the terrifying being and had not known what he was or what to do with him but hadn’t been able to kill him regardless of his fear. There was just something about Lucifer, something that drew Alastor in like no one had before. It scared Alastor stiff, but also sent a thrill through him, lighting up parts of his brain that had never lit up before. As much as he fought this, as much as he told himself he should hate it and his conscience insisted it was wrong, Alastor couldn’t stop himself from wanting to get closer to Lucifer every day.

The next hour passed by in a blur, Alastor cooking a shrimp stir-fry for himself and baking a tray of brownies with berries for Lucifer. Meanwhile the devil continued to bring his things upstairs; his lamb plush and ridiculous donut chew toy, his plush blanket, the books Alastor had lent him, his coloring pencils and pages full of doodles, the portable radio, the beanbag.

Right as Alastor was plating their respective dinners, Lucifer spoke up. “Hey Al, do you think you could help me bring the puzzle upstairs? Not sure how I’m going to bring that one up.”

Glancing over, Alastor found Lucifer draped over the back of his couch, arms so long they touched the ground on the other side of the piece of furniture. The fallen angel had managed to bring everything else of ‘his’ from the basement up; he had arranged his stuff on the carpeted floor before the fireplace, having scooted the coffee gable off to the side first. Alastor didn’t mind the slight rearrangement of furniture. Honestly when he told the devil ‘make yourself at home’ he half expected Lucifer to completely change the layout of the living room. Instead, the fallen angel was being very mindful and respectful of things, only moving items that were directly in his way or taking up space that Lucifer (and his considerable size) could be using instead.

“Sure, I can try to help you bring that up. After dinner.” The brunet brought their plates over to the dining room table, scooting one of the chairs out of the way knowingly. Lucifer chirped in approval, bringing the beanbag over and placing it where the other chair had been before sitting down at the table eagerly.

There was a moment of silence as they both dug into their food. Alastor couldn’t stop thinking about how he had the devil at his dining table at the moment, eating off of his plates and drinking out of his glasses. They had been sharing meals already, but this was different - this was in his dining room. It was weird, for sure, and yet it felt so normal.

“These are really good!” Lucifer interrupted Alastor’s train of thought as he brought a forkful of brownie to his mouth, closing his eyes and sighing in appreciation. Warmth bloomed across Alastor’s gut at the comment, pleased that Lucifer liked what he had baked the being.

“Glad you like them. They have blueberries and raspberries in them. Perhaps one day you’d like to try them outside of a baked chocolate pastry?” Alastor asked between mouthfuls of vegetables and shrimp. He was still endeavoring to get Lucifer to eat a wider variety of foods, and while the devil was stubborn, Alastor was slowly but surely getting somewhere.

“Hmm. Probably not!” Lucifer swallowed his bite, sticking his tongue out at Alastor cheekily. The brunet just rolled his eyes with a noncommittal hum; the fact that Lucifer said probably instead of an outright rejection meant he actually wouldn’t be against it. The fallen angel just liked to make Alastor work for it sometimes.

The rest of dinner was normal. As normal as dining with the literal devil would ever be. Once Alastor had finished cleaning up after dinner, he headed back downstairs with the tray he used to use to bring food to the basement. Carefully Alastor scooted what was done of the puzzle onto the tray, tossing the loose pieces back into the box. Lucifer carried the box up, Alastor the tray. They set up the puzzle on the coffee table by one of the couches in the living room.

Alastor lingered in the living room a bit longer, helping Lucifer settle in fully and move things around if needed. He decided to leave the doorway into the basement open, if Lucifer wanted to head back down for any reason, or needed to disappear and hide unexpectedly. Alastor lived out in the middle of nowhere, so that was unlikely, but still - it was better to be safe and have that option for the fallen angel.

Spending any more time with Lucifer right now was unnecessary, so Alastor excused himself to go take a shower. The warm water on his skin felt nice, and he sighed at the pleasurable feeling, taking his time with getting clean. When he stepped out of the shower, Alastor realized he had made a grave mistake; he hadn’t brought his pajamas downstairs. Which meant he had no clothes to get changed into now that he was clean.

He stood on the bathroom mat, dripping, for a moment. Alastor wasn’t used to having a guest staying in his living room, okay? He could usually walk around half naked and it wasn’t a problem! But that was definitely not something he should do right now. Not with Lucifer around. That would be, unwise, considering the brunet’s internal affairs regarding the fallen angel.

Alastor was most definitely not going to get back into his day clothes; he was clean now thank you very much! He toweled himself off, knowing he only really had one option. Alastor was going to have to wrap himself up in his bathrobe and hurry upstairs to the safety of his room.

He did just that; Alastor slipped on his maroon bathrobe, tying it tightly across his middle, making sure the garment covered him as much as possible - even though it only went down to a couple of inches above his knees. Alastor peeked out of the bathroom door, but he couldn’t see Lucifer. It was likely that the devil was already curled up on his dog bed, obscured by a couch. So Alastor made his escape, quietly opening the bathroom door fully and quickly making his way over to the base of the steps.

“Goodnight Al! And thank you, again, for this. You have been, so accommodating to me. I know it can’t be easy having a monster such as me in your life… but I appreciate you taking me in and helping me out.”

Freezing with one foot on the first step, Alastor’s heart unhelpfully leapt into his throat. He turned slightly, squinting in the low light. Alastor had taken his contacts off before showering, and his vision was slightly blurry, which wasn’t helping. But, here, at the bottom of the steps, Alastor could see around the side of the couch, and there lay the large, white-and-gold ethereal form that was Lucifer. The being was lying on his side, neck craned upwards to gaze in Alastor’s direction. He knew those piercing red eyes were boring directly into his soul, yet the brunet refused to make eye contact.

“You’re, ah, you’re welcome. Good night, Lucifer.” Alastor wanted to say more, to tell the fallen angel that he wasn’t a monster, that he was the most beautiful being in all of creation, that he deserved so much better than Alastor could give him… but he swallowed down these words, knowing they could never be spoken out loud. His true feelings towards Lucifer could not be revealed. Alastor would just have to keep denying them until they went away for good.

Taking the steps two at a time, Alastor escaped into his bedroom, closing the door behind him with a soft click. He leaned against the solid wood, heart skipping a beat. Lucifer had literally just expressed his gratitude towards Alastor for being a good host. Which he deserved! He was going out of his way for the devil, after all; Lucifer should feel grateful and acknowledge Alastor’s kindness!

Even if he deserved such a thing, Alastor’s heart seemed determined to take Lucifer’s words as the highest form of praise, warping them into something they were not. The fallen angel didn’t care for Alastor in the same way the brunet cared for him. He couldn’t. Lucifer was a being so far beyond anything on Earth, so much brighter and serene than any other mortal creature. He would never have feelings for Alastor.

Alastor was fine with that. He understood it, it made sense. He was just a human, Lucifer was a fallen angel - a being so much older and wiser than he would ever be. Of course Lucifer would never see Alastor as an equal, as anything worthy of his time. Alastor had made peace with this.

So why did it hurt so much?

Pushing off from the back of his door, Alastor made his way to his bed, slipping out of his bathrobe and into his sleepwear. An unnatural sadness had settled over his heart, and Alastor tried in vain to push it away. But it persisted, spreading slowly throughout him like a thick fog.

Pulling back his sheets, Alastor settled into bed, staring up at his ceiling. He really couldn’t deny it now, could he? Alastor had feelings for Lucifer. He had a stupid, unnecessary, unwanted crush on the devil. Alastor had stopped trying to reason with himself over it; yes, Lucifer wasn’t human. Yes, Lucifer was more beast than man. Yes, Alastor still liked him, regardless of how smart or normal that was.

Curling up on his side, Alastor let his thoughts wander, tired of fighting them all day. His eyes fluttered shut, imagining what it would be like to be cared for by the devil, to have his affections returned by Lucifer. Alastor imagined what would happen if he went back downstairs, if he asked if he could spend the night with Lucifer. In his mind Lucifer was thrilled by this, scooting over in the dog bed to make room for Alastor. The brunet would curl up on the floor with the fallen angel, Lucifer wrapped around him like an oversized weighted blanket, a personal heater. The heat and weight of Lucifer would be a comforting presence at Alastor’s back, the feeling of the devil’s chest rising and falling a soothing melody. Lucifer would gently run a clawed hand over Alastor's side, nuzzling into the hair at the top of his head. They would fall asleep together, cuddling, finding peace in each other.

Alastor squeezed his eyes shut tightly, heart constricting as it yearned for what he could not have.

It didn’t matter, though. As long as Lucifer continued to be in his life, Alastor would take care of him. He would cherish and pamper the fallen angel, make sure he was happy and healthy. They would continue to have interesting talks and play games together, share meals and listen to the radio with one another. This was good. It might not be exactly what Alastor wanted, but it was what he had, and he would take it.

Given some time, Alastor was sure he’d be able to brush off these useless feelings he was harboring for Lucifer.

———

The rest of the week was pretty uneventful. That wasn’t to say it was boring, or bad - no, it was a really good week, actually.

Having Lucifer in his house proper was not as invasive as Alastor feared it might be. It saved him many an extra trip to the basement! And Lucifer was a model house guest, always offering to help with food preparation and clean up, setting the table for the both of them, putting things back in their places whenever he took books or vinyls off the shelves to look at. Having the devil in his house felt, right. Lucifer integrated seamlessly into Alastor’s day to day life.

Of course, Alastor had to be mindful of himself in his house now; he couldn’t walk around in just his underwear outside of his bedroom anymore! He had to keep that in mind for when he wanted to take a shower, bringing a change of clothes or his sleepwear downstairs with him whenever he was going to bathe. But this was a minor adjustment, and not really a huge inconvenience for Alastor in his day-to-day routine.

The two of them would eat breakfast together, then Alastor would prepare for the day and head out to hunt. He was doing well again, managing to kill at least two or three animals a day. Lucifer meanwhile stayed in Alastor’s home; he had a wider variety of books to read now, as well as his puzzle to finish. Alastor even showed Lucifer how to use his record player, but not before strongly warning the fallen angel that there better not be any scratches on his vinyls. Lucifer promised no harm would befall them, just as no harm had befallen Alastor’s books.

Having the basement back was also much appreciated. Alastor could now use the space as intended once more. He butchered his meat down there, expertly skinning and preparing his catches just the way he liked them. Alastor couldn’t wait to get his hands on some human meat again; he’d have to give Rosie a call soon for that.

Sometime during the week Alastor did head into town, doing a grocery pick up and general errand run as well as catching up with Rosie for a bit and checking in with Nina. His friends were doing well, and happy to see him after Alastor had disappeared for his hunting break. This wasn’t unusual for Alastor during this time of year though, they knew he got very into his hobby.

In the evenings Alastor and Lucifer would spend time together. The brunet had bought a few more puzzles for the devil when he was in town, as well as a few board games for them to play together. Lucifer was beyond thrilled at these, stacking his new puzzles and games to the side while he still worked on the first puzzle (which he had made great progress on - it was more than halfway done now).

Alastor wasn’t a huge fan of such childish nonsense, but he found himself easily indulging Lucifer whenever he wanted to play a game. The fallen angel always lit up whenever Alastor agreed to spend the evening playing something; he taught Lucifer lots of games they could play with a basic deck of cards, like gin rummy and cribbage. But they had other games they could play, like scrabble, and connect four. Lucifer loved all of them, and so Alastor played them with him.

The two of them would also spend time listening to music or engrossed in their own little projects while sitting side by side. Or, more or less side by side - Alastor often longed on a couch, while Lucifer sprawled on the floor. It was simple, and nice, and almost domestic. It made Alastor’s heart flutter in happiness and ache with pining.

It didn’t help (or did help?) that Lucifer had taken to casually touching Alastor and being in his space more often. The devil would brush against Alastor while moving past him to help set the table, or gently place a clawed hand at Alastor’s back to coax him to move when the brunet was in front of the cabinet Lucifer was trying to get to, or causally brush his fingertips over Alastor’s arm in passing. Alastor found Lucifer always nearby when he was in the kitchen or living room, the fallen angel just a few paces away, sometimes minding his own business, sometimes noisily sticking his snout into whatever Alastor was up to. When they sat together in the living room to play games or read or listen to music, Lucifer was always leaning against the front of the couch, so close Alastor could easily reach out and pet the devil if he so desired. And oh, did he desire that… not that Alastor would act on it though! He had been foolish to pet Lucifer before, and it had ended with a frankly embarrassingly horny display on his part. Alastor was not willing to risk that again; he cared about his friendship with Lucifer too much for that.

Lucifer and Alastor had also taken to doing nighttime strolls out in the woods. The brunet felt bad that Lucifer was stuck inside all the time, and had offered to go on a nighttime excursion together - and Lucifer had jumped at the opportunity. Night seemed like the safest time to go on walks together; no one ventured this far into the woods at this time. Alastor lived in a secluded area, private property, and no one bothered him here - least of all after the sun had set. It turned out the devil had excellent night vision, but Alastor of course didn’t, so he brought his heavy duty flashlight with him on these outings. It was nice, walking through the cool air of the nighttime forest, the crunch of leaves and twigs beneath their feet. Maybe they’d hear an owl somewhere in the distance, or the sound of some animal scurrying off in the underbrush.

Sometimes Lucifer would disappear from his side for a moment. This scared the shit out of Alastor the first time it happened, swinging his flashlight around wildly as panic began to build in his gut, calling out for the fallen angel. Lucifer had appeared directly before him a moment later, almost making Alastor jump out of his skin. It turned out that Lucifer had really missed being out in nature, and had just taken off at a sprint. The devil was fast, and full of energy, and Alastor felt kind of guilty for having kept such an awesome and powerful being cooped up in a cage for so long. But Lucifer was just happy to have this opportunity now, and was making the most of it.

Overall, things had been pretty good. Alastor was generally happy, even if at night his thoughts would fester with desires to be held and to hold Lucifer close, sometimes in a purely innocent way, sometimes not. But it didn’t matter - as long as Lucifer was happy in his care, Alastor was content. He would be the fallen angel’s caretaker and sole provider for as long as Lucifer wanted to stay with him.

The brunet was lying in bed, Sunday night drawing to a close. It had been a chill day, one where he had cut his hunting short in order to spend more time with Lucifer. The fallen angel had helped him meal prep for the week, and the domesticity of it had been incredibly soothing. But now Alastor’s two week break from work was up, and he’d have to return to the radio station.

Alastor sighed, turning over onto his stomach and trying to get comfortable. He’d be up early tomorrow. Lucifer knew he was returning to work; he understood and had no problem with this. Alastor had made sure the devil had plenty of books and activities to entertain himself with, as well as food and drink for in case Alastor was late coming back home.

Lucifer would be fine. He knew this, and yet he was loath to leave the fallen angel on his own. He had done it before, sure, but that was before Alastor had known Lucifer was, well, Lucifer. Things were different now, and Alastor did not want to be apart from the fallen angel for too long.

He willed himself to fall asleep, reasoning with himself that Lucifer would be fine. Alastor had a job to do, anyway - especially if he wanted to be able to keep supporting Lucifer and providing him with good food and fun things to entertain himself with.

Chapter Text

Being back at work was alright.

Sure, Alastor missed Lucifer during the hours he was at the radio station, but it was a necessary departure from the fallen angel’s side, so he sucked it up. Otherwise work was normal, and if Alastor ignored the inconvenience of being away from Lucifer, he really did love his job!

He still made a conscious effort to visit Rosie every few days after work, and to check in with Nina at least once a week. It was good to keep up to date with his friends - at minimum he kept his connection with them fresh, at best he could learn useful information on the goings on around town or get his hands on items he would otherwise not have access to. Unfortunately being back at work meant that Victor was once again sticking his nose into Alastor’s business and needling him to try to get the brunet to switch over to his television network (‘the media of the future!’ Barf). Alastor was able to brush him off fairly effectively though; he had become an expert in turning down Victor’s business propositions, as well as his other types of propositions.

But every day as soon as Alastor was done with work and could excuse himself from his visitations with friends without seeming rude, the brunet was hurrying home to be with Lucifer once more.

The devil was making a big effort to wake up early in the morning so as to be able to have breakfast with Alastor before he headed off to work, but Lucifer was clearly not a morning person. He was more often than not nodding off at the kitchen table as Alastor finished up his own breakfast, plate of pancakes getting cold on the table before the slumped over fallen angel. It was sort of adorable, in a way. Alastor hated how sweet he found Lucifer’s effort to join him for breakfast. He tried to tell the devil he need not bother with waking up so early, but Lucifer insisted on seeing him off every morning anyway, even if he was half asleep for it.

The brunet found it endlessly endearing.

Though breakfast was usually a pretty quiet affair, their evenings together were generally more lively. Alastor would tell Lucifer about his day, the fallen angel would share what he had been up to in the house, they would eat dinner together, and then play a game or listen to something on the radio. Lucifer had been curious about Alastor’s old boxy tv, and the brunet had made the mistake of turning it on to show him what it was, and now the poor old fallen angel had fallen prey to the beguiling nature of television. Though, it was another thing to keep Lucifer entertained during the day. Not that Alastor had many channels for the devil’s entertainment - but he didn’t seem to mind. However, this opened up a new activity for them, one that Lucifer insisted on at least every few days; watching something on the tv together.

At first Alastor outright refused, but then Lucifer had looked at him with those big, watery crimson eyes, sad eyebrows, and droopy ears, lower lip wobbling in an exaggerated pout… and Alastor had folded like a cheap lawn chair. He begrudgingly agreed to watch TV with Lucifer, even going so far as to stop by the library sometimes to pick up VHS tapes or DVDs. Alastor’s old TV had originally only played VHS tapes, but he had upgraded to a system that also included DVDs - he had never been happier with that decision than now.

Besides all that, Lucifer and Alastor were still doing their nightly strolls. And on the weekend, sometimes daytime strolls, too. Alastor was pretty confident no one would trespass on his property, and besides, Lucifer’s keen sense of smell would alert them if anyone unexpected was around. So daylight strolls became a weekend activity for the two of them.

The devil’s keen sense of smell also turned out to be most helpful for hunting! While Alastor wasn’t off of work anymore, he still used the weekends to hunt here and there, and sometimes Lucifer accompanied him. The fallen angel might not have been a meat eater, but he understood the circle of life, and respected Alastor’s dietary choices. Lucifer seemed more than happy to lend his nose to Alastor during his hunting outings, always thrilled to come along on these exclusions.

July was coming to a close. Time was going by much faster than Alastor expected. He wished it would slow down, let him really savor these days, this time with Lucifer. The only good thing about time seemingly going by so fast was that Alastor’s doctor appointment came and went quickly.

His new doctor was a nuisance, but not a total asshole at least. After a general check up and extensively going over Alastor’s health records with him, his doctor finally conceded to renew Alastor’s testosterone prescription. Which was a huge relief for the brunet.

Unfortunately his troubles weren’t over yet, though. Just because Alastor’s doctor gave him a new prescription didn’t mean insurance would be cool with this. It had been over a month now since his last prescription, and the new one would have to be processed as a completely different prescription under a new doctor. Which might take a while.

So, Alastor was still without testosterone. But overall he was holding up alright, having gotten used to being without his hormones by now. And, well, he had other things to keep himself busy with.

Or he would, if those things hadn’t started fucking off as soon as Alastor got home.

The first time this happened came as a complete surprise. Alastor had gotten home later than usual, having lost track of time while talking with Rosie, and as soon as he opened the door to his house Lucifer had zipped past him, calling out something about ‘needing to stretch his legs’ and that ‘he’d be back later.’ The brunet wasn’t even able to get a word in before the fallen angel had disappeared into the foliage and from sight, leaving Alastor alone at his front door. Mystified, Alastor had just headed in, setting down his messenger bag and beginning to unwind from his day at work.

Alastor reasoned with himself that Lucifer had probably just been antsy that he had been out so late and had extra energy to burn today. Or something like that. But as time ticked by and there was no sign of Lucifer, Alastor started to get sort of worried. He made dinner for the two of them like usual, and waited anxiously for Lucifer to return from his outing. Eventually Alastor just ate by himself, worry twisting his stomach up into knots.

The brunet really had no idea what to do; should he go out looking for Lucifer? Should he just head to bed like normal? Alastor hoped the devil was okay, wherever he was. Which was a silly thought - of course Lucifer was okay! He was big and strong, a powerful being with an intimidating aura. No other creature would dare mess with him! Besides, Lucifer could look after himself. He had sharp eyes and a keen sense of smell… he would be fine.

Eventually Alastor just headed to bed; he still had work in the morning, he still had to wake up at five - and it was already way past his bedtime. So Alastor went to sleep reluctantly, telling himself that Lucifer was fine and there was nothing to worry about.

The next morning Alastor came downstairs to find Lucifer curled up in his dog bed. Immediate relief flooded through him, almost making him lightheaded. The fallen angel was okay, and he was back safe and sound. Alastor carefully tiptoed around the kitchen as he prepared breakfast for the two of them, not wanting to wake the clearly tired being up.

The smell of pancakes seemed to rouse Lucifer from his sleep though, disheveled and fluffy head groggily peeking out over the top of the couch. Alastor covered his mouth with a hand to keep himself from laughing at Lucifer’s bleary expression and sleep-ruffled fur, pretending to be engrossed in his cooking.

Once food was ready Alastor brought their respective plates to the table, glancing over towards Lucifer, who appeared to be hiding behind the couch. It wasn’t a very effective hiding though, considering that the fallen angel’s snout was still cresting over the top of the couch, horns clearly visible thanks to the way they arched over the top of Lucifer’s head.

“Morning sleepyhead. Breakfast is ready. You wanna explain what last night was all about?” Alastor sat down at his seat, digging into his eggs and toast.

There was a beat of silence, and then the white furred muzzle sank back out of sight, taking the golden horns with it. A muffled “Mmmno. Still’sleeps.” Came from behind the couch, and Alastor huffed in amusement. It seemed like whatever Lucifer had been up to the night before had left him pretty worn out.

“Okay, fine. You continue to rest, your pancakes will be waiting here for you whenever you want them. I’ll see you after work, okay?”

Alastor did not get a response.

He did not see Lucifer after work.

The same thing happened - as soon as Alastor arrived home, Lucifer bolted out the door. Mystified by this repeated behavior, Alastor just headed inside and repeated the actions of the night before, except this time he didn’t wait up for Lucifer. The devil would be home when he was home, and he’d ask Lucifer about it in the morning.

Except come morning, Lucifer slept in again. He was so tired that he apparently didn’t even hear Alastor calling out to him that breakfast was ready, or that he was heading out to work.

It happened again when he got back from work that day too.

The brunet didn’t want to admit it, but this recent development was really hurting him. Alastor thought he and Lucifer had been bonding, getting closer, forming a deep friendship. And yet, here he was, spending his evenings alone because Lucifer was running off to who knows where to do who knows what. The fallen angel had yet to explain himself, which just drove the knife deeper into Alastor; was Lucifer finally getting tired of him? Was the devil avoiding him because he realized Alastor was so far beneath him at last? Did Lucifer want to distance himself from Alastor, wish to spend less time around him? These doubts plagued Alastor throughout the day, distracting him at work and keeping him awake at night. Alastor had thought he and Lucifer were close, but now he wasn’t sure, and that hurt. It hurt for many reasons, but the biggest reason was the more selfish one; Alastor wanted to always bask in Lucifer’s presence, have his attention all for himself, be the reason behind the devil’s smile and laughter. He couldn’t enjoy Lucifer’s presence if Lucifer wasn’t around!

On the fourth day of this strange behavior, Alastor finally decided he had enough. His sleep schedule was suffering, and that in turn was impacting his performance at work, and the brunet couldn’t have that.

Whatever was going on with Lucifer, the fallen angel had to explain himself. Even if what was going on was that he wanted to go out into the world and leave Alastor’s side. Alastor desperately hoped this wasn’t the case, but wherever it was, it needed to be talked about and dealt with.

That evening when Alastor got back from work he did his best to block the front door in order to keep Lucifer from escaping. However, he was a mere human, and Lucifer was much bigger and stronger. The devil easily and unceremoniously shoved Alastor out of the way, making the brunet stumble back against the side of his house as Lucifer once again took off into the woods.

“Wait- come back! We need to talk. Lucifer!” Alastor yelled after him, but it was too late. The fallen angel had disappeared from sight once again, and was either out of earshot already or outright ignoring Alastor.

Slightly miffed at being brusquely brushed off in such a manner, Alastor stomped inside, aggressively throwing his messenger bag onto the couch. Alastor pinched the bridge of his nose, forcing himself to take a few deep, calming breaths. He was going to get some answers out of Lucifer today, he was determined of that.

The rest of the evening passed by excruciatingly slowly. Alastor was basically on autopilot, heading upstairs to unpack after work, changing into more comfortable casual clothing, checking his emails. When an appropriate amount of time had passed, Alastor began making dinner. And then he ate.

During all this there was no sign of Lucifer.

So Alastor decided to wait up for him. The brunet didn’t care that he had work the next morning, or that it was past his bedtime; he wanted answers damn it! The fallen angel had been acting weird for half a week! And Alastor missed him. He missed his friend, missed unwinding with Lucifer, missed telling him about how work had been and what drama was going on at the radio station or what useless scheme Victor had cooked up to try to get Alastor to join his TV network. Alastor even missed the stupid games they would play together after dinner, or the old movies the devil insisted they watch sometimes! He didn’t know what was going on with Lucifer, but whatever it was, Alastor just wanted to solve it so that they could get back to how things had been between them before.

The brunet nodded off to sleep a couple of times, sitting on one of the couches in the living room, facing the front door with the lights turned off. Alastor’s plan was to catch Lucifer when he got home, like a disapproving parent when their rebellious teenage child stayed out too late.

The sound of the front door creaking open roused Alastor from his most recent round of nodding off; his eyes immediately flew to the front door, where a large, bulky shape stood in shadow, peeking around the slightly ajar door. Lucifer looked truly frightening in the dark, standing on all fours, backlit by the cabin’s motion-sensored flood lights, horns glinting and red eyes glowing.

Alastor flicked on the lamp on the coffee table beside him, feeling triumphant. He had managed to (sort of) stay awake to confront Lucifer! The brunet would definitely be suffering the consequences at work the next morning, but right now he was sort of proud of himself!

“Don’t even try to run away again, Lucifer. Come in - you have some explaining to do.” Alastor leaned forward, eyes narrowing as he stared Lucifer down.

The fallen angel hesitated, seemingly torn between turning tail and fleeing and heading inside.

“No, you will not head back out. Come on Lucifer, you’ve been acting weird as fuck these last few days. I think I deserve an explanation.” Alastor firmly called out to the devil, voice clear and commanding. He knew he didn’t hold any actual power over Lucifer, but Alastor hoped his tone conveyed how serious this was, and that the fallen angel would listen.

To his immense relief, Lucifer did listen. The devil slinked inside, head held low in apparent shame. He closed the door behind him with a flick of his tail, skulking around the edge of the living room, keeping his distance from Alastor.

“Lucifer. What’s going on with you? Is this going to be our new normal? Do you hate me now or something?” The brunet’s voice cracked as his insecurities over Lucifer’s strange behavior bubbled up, pushing their way into the questions he wanted to ask the fallen angel. “I, I thought we had a good thing going. I thought we were friends. I liked the rhythm we had developed… if you didn’t like it you could have just said so. I wouldn’t have been offended.” Alastor hunched into himself on the couch, shoulders up to his ears, head tucked against his chest.

“That’s… that’s not it at all.” Lucifer’s voice came out sounding husky and gravely, and a bit strained. Alastor lifted his head up slightly, glancing up at the devil. Lucifer was sitting in the corner of the living room, by Alastor’s bookshelves, apparently trying to make himself as small as possible.

“So what is it? You’ve been running off as soon as I get home, you won’t eat meals with me, you don’t get back until after I’ve gone to bed - aside from just being weird behavior, it’s made me really concerned! I have no idea where you go, or if you’re okay… what if you get hurt and can’t get back to the house? What if someone sees you and you get taken away by others? I’ve been worried about you, you prick!” Alastor’s worry gave way to anger, his voice rising in volume. He jumped off the couch, beginning to pace around the room in agitation. “The least you could do is give me an explanation - just, talk to me about where you’re going and what you’ve been up to!”

“…you’re right, I’m sorry.” Lucifer hung his head guiltily. “You do deserve an explanation. I didn’t think about what this would be like from your perspective - I didn’t mean to put you in any kind of distress or concern you! Really, truly, that was not my intention. I just, I thought this would be easiest. For the both of us.” Lucifer peeked up at Alastor from under sad eyelids, a light golden blush dusting his cheeks.

The brunet stopped pacing somewhere in the middle of the living room. “Okay? You still haven’t explained jack shit.” He crossed his arms over his chest impatiently, lifting his chin high. “I’m waiting.”

With a heavy sigh, Lucifer grimaced. “I’m, uh. I’m in rut.” The fallen angel cringed at his own words, averting his gaze as his face flushed even brighter.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment, Lucifer awkwardly hunched in on himself, Alastor’s brain buffering as it tried to process what it had just heard.

“You’re in what?” Alastor said smartly, brain not catching up with his mouth in time to stop himself from saying this.

The fallen angel covered his face with one hand, groaning. “I’m in rut! It’s my mating season! So instead of thrusting upon you the totally inappropriate and frankly mortifying situation that this is for me, I have been going into the woods to deal with it on my own. It’s embarrassing, so I didn’t want to say anything, but I didn’t want you to think I had completely left or abandoned you - so I have been waiting for you to get back from work before leaving, but yeah. That’s what’s going on with me.” Lucifer sank fully onto the floor, covering his face with both hands, clearly overwhelmed with embarrassment.

Alastor still felt like his brain was buffering. Whatever he had thought was going on with Lucifer, he had not expected it to be this. “I didn’t realize angels had mating cycles.” The brunet cringed at his own words, mentally kicking himself for saying that. This was awkward enough as it was, he did not need to go around making it even more uncomfortable for the both of them by dragging this conversation out!!

“Yeah, well, we do. I didn’t think it was necessary for you to know about. But I guess I should have known it would come up sooner or later… I’m sorry my disappearing during the night worried you so much. I, ah, am not able to think straight during this time. But I should have realized my absence would concern you.” Lucifer peaked out from between two of his fingers, still cowering on the floor in a heap of self-conscious mortification.

“Yeah. Yeah okay. Fair enough. Uh, sorry for making this weird. You um, you seem to be handling it. I’ll leave you to it then.” Alastor wrapped up the conversation smoothly, feeling his own face flush from the painfully awkward situation. “Okay then. Goodnight!” And with that Alastor fled upstairs to his room.

Once Alastor was in the safety of his own room, with the door firmly shut behind him, the brunet leaning against said door, he slid to the floor with a hand over his mouth.

It turned out Lucifer was in rut.

He had very much not expected this.

The brunet’s mind very helpfully provided imagery of what Lucifer was probably up to in the woods these last few nights… the majestic being that was Lucifer, reduced to an overly aroused, desperately horny mess, giving in to his body’s deepest physical desires. Alastor could imagine the devil humping a tree to try to get some relief, or sprawled out in a patch of grass, taking himself in hand and stroking furiously. He tried to picture Lucifer’s cock, hidden as it was by the being’s sheath. How big was it? Considering the fallen angel’s size, probably pretty big… he imagined it wasn’t particularly human looking, either. Did Lucifer’s dick have ridges? Was it multicolored? Did it have a blunt, or tapered tip?

Alastor slapped himself in the face, trying to dispel these filthy thoughts. Sure, he had fantasized about Lucifer before… but he had generally managed to keep the lascivious fantasies to a minimum, glossing over the details. This, however, had brought them out in full force. Shit.

Getting off the floor, Alastor slipped into his sleepwear, crawling under the covers and pointedly ignoring the flicker of arousal that had alighted in his gut. He needed to go to sleep, damn it. Alastor had to wake up at 5am and it was past 1am! He was going to be very tired come morning!!

The flicker of arousal was insistent, though. It spread slowly, infecting every part of Alastor, making him hiss in displeasure when he shifted in bed and involuntarily rutted into the mattress. Damn it. He was hard.

Gingerly Alastor turned onto his back, doing his best to ignore his throbbing need and the slickness gathering between his folds. He instead focused on his breathing, stubbornly reminding himself that he had work in the morning, and really needed to get to sleep. Alastor did not have time to masturbate right now.

Eventually the brunet fell into a fitful slumber, tossing and turning, body too hot, mind plagued with images of Lucifer.

———

Alastor finds himself deep in the woods. He’s out hunting, and his blood is pumping with the thrill of the chase. It’s a bright summer day, and he’s in his element, smile wide as he tracks his prey easily.

Suddenly it’s night time, and he finds himself near a lake. The moon is full, casting soft light over the scene. Alastor stands, staring out over the still water. Something large blocks out the little light of the moon, and Alastor turns, coming face to face with a large being. Lucifer is hunched over to be at eye level with Alastor, his bright red eyes glowing.

Next thing he knows, Alastor is in his bed, with Lucifer on top of him. The fallen angel has him caged in, hot breath fanning across Alastor’s face. He gently runs his hands through white and gold fur, delighting in the soft feeling, tugging at the longer strands. Lucifer growls, baring his teeth, but Alastor is not afraid. He brings the large face closer, placing a feather-light kiss against Lucifer’s lips, before the devil unfurls his long forked tongue, licking up the side of Alastor’s neck and his face.

Alastor feels warm and tingly, and he gasps when Lucifer bites into his shoulder. The brunet isn’t sure when he got undressed, but he’s naked, and he feels something large rubbing up against his small cock. Glancing down between their bodies, Alastor sees a thick, pale cock bumping against his own. Lucifer wraps a large hand around Alastor’s waist, and without any preamble shoves himself into Alastor’s cunt to the hilt. Alastor groans, hips jerking at the sudden intrusion. But it doesn’t hurt; it feels so, so good. Alastor moans, eyes rolling back, as Lucifer sets a brutal pace.

He’s a whimpering, writhing mess underneath Lucifer, the fallen angel using him like a living fleshlight. Alastor whines, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes at the overwhelming sensation, the animalistic sounds spilling from Lucifer’s lips driving him closer and closer to his release.

After what felt like an eternity and an instant all wrapped up in one, Lucifer spilled deep inside of Alastor, the brunet’s walls fluttering and clamping down around the devil’s dick. And then Lucifer opens his mouth, a high pitched beeping sound emanating from him.

———

With a start Alastor awoke, jerking up into a sitting position. He was panting, shirt sticking to him from sweat. His alarm beeped incessantly, reminding Alastor that it was time to get up and get ready for work.

Slapping the alarm off harder than he really needed to, Alastor sat numbly in bed for a minute. His hair was sticking to his forehead in clumps, and he felt disgustingly wet. And not just from sweat. Warily Alastor lifted his sheets off of himself, groaning as what he feared was confirmed; his boxers were soaked, and had even managed to spread their wetness to his sheets. How… obscene.

Alastor dragged his other hand over his face, equal parts annoyed and ashamed. He had just had a wet dream. Concerning Lucifer. And it had been… exceedingly vivid. Alastor could recall almost all of it with perfect clarity. It had been… extremely salacious - to the point it left not just Alastor’s boxers in a mess, but his goddamn sheets. Alastor shuddered, deeply displeased with the situation he found himself in.

Gingerly Alastor got out of bed, peeling his slick-drenched boxers off of himself and doing his best to ignore the sticky white residue on his inner thighs and on the fabric of his underwear. He needed a shower. Immediately.

Pulling on his bathrobe and grabbing a clean set of clothes, Alastor padded softly down to his bathroom. He peered over in Lucifer’s direction cautiously, but the fallen angel seemed to be in a deep slumber. Good, good. A ridiculously large yawn split his face, reminding Alastor that he had not gotten enough sleep. He’d be dealing with the consequences of that at work today he was sure. Thankfully it was Saturday, which meant things should be pretty chill at the radio station, and he didn’t work on Sundays.

One cold shower later, Alastor felt marginally better. He still had to deal with his dirty sheets though. Heading back upstairs, Alastor did just that, grabbing his soiled bedding and pajamas to toss in the washing machine. He’d make his bed up with clean sheets later - he was already running a little behind schedule considering that he didn’t usually take a shower in the morning.

Back downstairs, Alastor made himself coffee and opted to just have a bowl of cereal for breakfast. He was glad he had some leftover pancakes from the day before to heat up for Lucifer; he didn’t have time to make any from scratch. As Alastor shoveled cereal into his mouth and guzzled his coffee, the devil continued to slumber on. The brunet decided to let him sleep today… last night had been plenty awkward, and Alastor had had some very horny dreams. He didn’t really want to deal with Lucifer at the moment.

———

Work was fine. Though some coworkers did comment on Alastor’s apparent tiredness and more than usual amount of yawning. But overall, his radio show didn’t suffer, and the work day went by without a hitch.

When Alastor got back home, Lucifer was immediately out the door once again. This time he was expecting this though, and stood aside as the fallen angel made his escape into the woods. But Lucifer paused at the edge of the trees, glancing back at Alastor. The devil nodded in acknowledgement to him, and Alastor instinctively nodded back. Then Lucifer slipped under the tree cover and into the foliage of the forest.

Alastor proceeded with his evening as usual, but more at ease than he had been for the last few days. At least he now knew what was going on with Lucifer, and even though it was an awkward and embarrassing situation, Alastor knew the fallen angel was alright. He’d be back once more that night, safe and sound. Lucifer’s rut wouldn’t last forever… he hoped the devil’s mating season was only a week or two, and not months. That would be strenuous for the both of them.

Especially considering the… physical reactions Alastor’s body had in response to Lucifer being in rut. It was almost as if a mating cycle of his own had been awakened in him - and Alastor could not have that! He was a very busy man, he didn’t have time for something like, like a rut. Besides, Alastor could absolutely not under any circumstances let Lucifer find out about his feelings and desires involving the fallen angel. That would be disastrous. Both for his friendship with Lucifer and his own self-respect and sense of normalcy.

———

Lucifer’s rut cycle was, thankfully, only a week. The following Tuesday everything was back to normal once more, Lucifer joining Alastor for breakfast and sticking around after the brunet got home from work. Alastor was immensely relieved by this, for multiple reasons! One, the return of his and Lucifer’s routine was a balm to his soul. Two, the devil staying indoors and knowing he was safe and sound made Alastor feel much better about Lucifer’s wellbeing. Three, his libido had spiked in response to his overactive imagination obsessing over Lucifer being in rut, and Alastor was very much over that thank you very much.

It was now early August, still summer, still hot out, still hunting season. Alastor continued to take advantage of these things during the weekend, going out hunting - sometimes with Lucifer, sometimes on his own.

A week and a half had passed, and Alastor was glad things were back to normal once more for him and Lucifer.

The normalcy was short lived.

That Thursday Alastor awoke before his alarm went off, feeling slightly nauseous and with stomach pain. Groaning, Alastor slowly pushed himself into a sitting position in bed, wincing as the movement made his abdomen cramp up. He did not feel good. Alastor hadn’t felt this kind of pain since… since-

Suddenly Alastor threw his sheets off, staring down at himself with growing dread. A ripple of horror passed through him, nausea mounting.

There was a telltale splotch of red at the front of his boxers, confirming Alastor’s worst fears.

After years of not having a period anymore, Alastor’s body had betrayed him. He had most definitely been off of T for too long if his body was starting that wretched cycle up again. Horrid, bad, dreadful thing. Completely unnecessary too, considering Alastor had made sure he was one hundred percent sterile.

Grimacing, Alastor carefully stood up, doing his best not to immediately recoil at his own bodily condition. The cramps he was experiencing were already nightmarish, and by God was he nauseous. This sucked so bad. Alastor didn’t think he was going to be able to make it into work that morning. His alarm chose that moment to begin beeping, making the brunet jump and then hiss in pain as the sudden movement caused his abdomen muscles to spasm uncomfortably. He shut the blasted thing off quickly, clutching at his stomach.

Slowly Alastor shuffled over to his dresser, where he picked up his phone, dialing the number for the radio station. It was early, even for station management, but sometimes they liked to come in extra early to have a few hours for themselves before everyone else came in to work…

It seemed like today was one of those days. Alastor quickly explained that he had woken up feeling under the weather, and that he was most apologetic but would unfortunately not be coming into work that Thursday - or Friday, or Saturday. Station management wasn’t pleased, but conceded that Alastor sounded rough and should stay home and recover. He had the sick days for it. Alastor thanked them profusely before hanging up. It was going to be an unpleasant few days.

With lots of starting and stopping Alastor removed his bloody boxers, pulling on a fresh pair and shoving a handful of tissues into the underwear. He didn’t have any sanitary products anymore, having long since disposed of those things. He didn’t think he’d ever need them again! Still, Alastor really should head to the bathroom and clean up, maybe use some wash cloths or bandages as makeshift pads… but he was too tired right now, and slightly dizzy, and his cramps were getting worse. All Alastor wanted to do right now was lie back down and curl up into a tight ball.

Which is exactly what he proceeded to do.

Alastor drifted in and out of uncomfortable sleep for the next few hours, tossing and turning and trying to find a position that would keep his unnecessary uterus from trying to kill him.

A soft knock at his door brought Alastor fully out of sleep, and he lifted his head groggily to turn towards his bedroom door. The door opened softly, a white furred snout peeking around the corner. “Alastor? You up? I think you’re late for work.”

Alastor huffed in amusement, then groaned in pain. “Yeah, I’m not going to work today. Called in sick. I’ll be down in a sec.”

The snout pushed further into the room. “Oh no, you’re sick? That’s awful! Can I help you with anything?”

“I guess I am sick in a way. No, just head back down, I’ll explain it better once I’m there.”

The muzzle paused for a moment, then slowly retreated from sight, the door closing once more.

The brunet managed to drag himself out of bed, doubling over in pain for a few seconds as cramps wracked his body. With shaky fingers Alastor shoved his glasses onto his nose, then wrapped his bathrobe around himself, sluggishly making his way downstairs.

Alastor beelined for his bathroom, where he proceeded to shove toilet paper into his boxers. He also downed a handful of ibuprofen, hoping the pain killers would work quickly.

Shuffling over to the kitchen, Alastor paused, finding a ready made cup of steaming coffee waiting for him at the table.

“I, uh, I’ve watched you make your coffee enough times now that I thought I could do it for you. If you don’t feel good, I want to help in whatever way I can.” Lucifer sat by the kitchen table, looking over at Alastor with obvious concern.

“That’s, very kind of you. I can assure you that I can still take care of myself, even though I feel under the weather.” Alastor insisted, feeling weirdly soft over this action Lucifer did for him and yet indignant that the fallen angel thought he couldn’t take care of himself.

“I know, I know you can still take care of yourself, but you shouldn’t have to. Besides, you’ve taken care of me and nursed me back to health when I was hurt. If I can return the favor when you’re sick then I will!”

The brunet blinked at Lucifer’s conviction. The devil looked determined, not open to discuss this. Lucifer didn’t seem to see Alastor feeling unwell as a weakness, he just wanted to take care of the brunet in return for him taking care of Lucifer. He supposed he could allow that.

“…fine. Help me with breakfast then, will you?” Alastor begrudgingly relented, secretly quite pleased that Lucifer wanted to look after him. The fallen angel cared for Alastor - even if not exactly in the same way Alastor cared for Lucifer.

Lucifer was at Alastor’s side in a flash, lifting up to stand on two legs. Alastor directed him to wash his hands first, and then set the devil up to mix ingredients for pancakes together. Lucifer got the hang of it quickly, though he kept giving Alastor sideways glances, pausing in his mixing often as if distracted, nose twitching and brows furrowing.

Once the pancake batter was ready for cooking, Alastor began pouring the first pancake into the pan. Lucifer shifted awkwardly from hoof to hoof nearby, tilting his head this way and that.

“Are you, uh, are you sure you’re okay?” The fallen angel eventually asked.

“Yes, I’m fine. Fine enough at least.” Alastor watched the pancake, waiting for bubbles to start appearing in the batter.

“…are you hurt in some way? I smell blood on you. Your blood.”

Ah, so that’s what was up with Lucifer. Honestly, Alastor should have expected the being’s sharp nose to be able to pick up on this.

“I’m not hurt. Well, not really - my body has betrayed me today, so in a way I am hurt. Anyway, yes, I’m bleeding, but unfortunately that’s a normal thing for human beings that are assigned female at birth. I haven’t had to endure this particular torture of my physical form in a while, though.” Alastor vaguely explained, keeping his eyes on the pancake.

“Oh.” Was the only response he got from Lucifer.

There were a few minutes of silence as Alastor flipped the pancake, waiting for it to cook for a little longer.

“Yeah, I’ve heard of this actually. Not a super common reproductive cycle, but God did like to experiment with that stuff sometimes. It sounds, pretty unpleasant, as far as reproductive cycles go.” Lucifer spoke up again, sitting down on the floor, back against the lower cabinets.

“It is quite unpleasant. Though I’d rather not have a reproductive cycle at all.” Alastor lamented.

The rest of pancake making went by in silence, with Lucifer getting up to set the table when they were almost done cooking. Alastor opted to just have coffee this morning, his appetite practically nonexistent with his current predicament. At least the ibuprofen seemed to have worked somewhat, lessening his period cramps considerably.

Lucifer ate his pancakes slowly, continuously pausing to look over at Alastor and check if he was alright. Alastor said he was fine each time, continuing to sip his coffee.

After breakfast Lucifer asked if there was anything he could do for Alastor. He told the devil there wasn’t really, but he was planning on taking a long shower and then just relaxing at home for the day. Lucifer agreed that this sounded like a good plan, insisting on taking care of the dishes himself while Alastor showered. The brunet didn’t argue with that.

He went up to his room to get some clean clothes, and then headed to the bathroom. Alastor paused at the door, glancing over at Lucifer, whose back was to him at the moment, elbow deep in soapy water. He smiled fondly at the sight. As he watched Lucifer, Alastor had a thought.

“Hey, Luci?” Alastor called out, watching in amusement as Lucifer whipped around so fast he almost fell over.

“Y-yes? Is there anything else I can do for you?” The devil looked over at Alastor expectantly, eager to help out in any way he could.

“I was thinking we should make the most out of these days. I’m not up for much in terms of going outside, but this is practically time off for me. Once you’re done with the dishes, you’re free to go into my room and grab some of the extra blankets and pillows in the basket at the foot of my bed, and pick out some vinyls from my collection upstairs. How’s that sound?”

Lucifer beamed, tail giving a slow wag. “That sounds great! I’ll make sure to do that while you shower - just leave it to me!” The devil gave a silly salut with one hand, forgetting that it was still wet and soapy and managing to smear bubbles into his forehead. He blinked in surprise at the wetness, eyes crossing as he tried to look at the soapy patch of fur.

Alastor burst into laughter, having to support himself on the wall in his mirth. “You’re such a goof. Try not to get soapy water everywhere, okay?” And with that he slipped into the bathroom.

As he showered, Alastor went over the interaction between him and Lucifer. He found the fallen angel ridiculously endearing. Others would probably be terrified of the devil, scared shitless by his size and claws and maw… and sure, Alastor had been frightened of him at first. But he was the furthest thing from frightened by him now. Lucifer was such a lovable being, warm and friendly and caring. Alastor could not fathom how anyone could hate such a being. Especially considering how silly Lucifer could be! He chuckled fondly at the image of the fallen angel getting soap into his fur by accident, shaking his head in amusement. And the way Lucifer had whipped around so quickly when Alastor called his name and had almost fallen over! It was as if he was surprised by something…

Oh. Wait. Alastor had called Lucifer ‘Luci’ hadn’t he… he had accidentally called the fallen angel by a nickname. The brunet stared blankly at the wall for a second as this realization dawning on him. Ah, that would explain Lucifer’s reaction. He hadn’t meant to call the devil that! Alastor may or may not have been calling Lucifer by that nickname in his fantasies sometimes… that wasn’t meant to be said out loud.

He felt his face blush brightly at this realization, blaming it on the hot water of the shower. So stupid. Alastor would not let that nickname slip out again.

Stepping out after a long, hot shower, Alastor toweled off quickly, shoving some homemade ‘pads’ (bandages folded up into a thick wad) into his boxers. It was uncomfortable, but it would do.

Back in the living room, Alastor was greeted by a wholly rearranged living room. Lucifer had pushed the two couches together, arranging pillows and blankets on it like some sort of oversized nest. It looked, very comfortable, to be honest - but it was too hot for all that! It was still August, and the summer heat had not abated in the slightest. Sure, it was cooler indoors, but not cold enough to swaddle up in layers and layers of blankets!

“Hope you had a good shower!” Lucifer appeared at his side, grinning widely. “I set things up to be extra comfy for you! And since you didn’t have anything for breakfast, I made you some food. I also made you tea.” Lucifer pointed to the coffee table beside the couch nest, where a plate of barely cooked ribs and a baked potato sat beside a cup of steaming tea.

“Well that’s just excessive. But, thank you anyway.” Alastor made his way over to the couches, clambering into the nest and settling down at the edge closest to the coffee table. Now that he was clean and the ibuprofen was doing its thing, Alastor found that he was indeed quite hungry. Lucifer’s setup was definitely over the top - more than Alastor had expected or asked for, really. But he was secretly thrilled by this display of obvious care and consideration from the devil. The brunet deserved to be pampered and taken care of! Especially right now, while his body went through this horrible procedure.

Lucifer beamed at Alastor as he got comfy in his couch configuration, bringing his plate into his lap and taking a bite of the ribs. Alastor groaned at the taste, blood dripping down his chin. Lucifer had done an excellent job at preparing them just the way Alastor liked his meat - practically raw. The fallen angel settled down at the side of the couch, where he had dragged his dog bed to. As Alastor ate, Lucifer turned on the tv, the two of them watching whatever sports game was on at the moment.

Food definitely made Alastor feel a lot better. Once he was done with his meal, Lucifer cleaned up, insisting that Alastor stay in place and just rest. I could get used to this, Alastor thought to himself as he lounged on the couches, a light blanket over his legs. After cleaning up Lucifer suggested the two of them play a game together, which Alastor agreed to easily enough - it’s not like he had a ton of other things to do at the moment anyway.

The day passed by pleasantly, with Lucifer making sure Alastor was well taken care of and all his needs were met. The devil kept alternating between being practically glued to Alastor’s side, bringing him snacks and drinks and anything else he requested, and being as far away as he could from Alastor, pressed up against the walls and pacing and making weird chattering sounds. Alastor was curious about this behavior, but he didn’t question it; last time he had questioned Lucifer’s behavior had ended up in the most embarrassing and awkward conversation of his life.

After dinner (which Lucifer cooked himself), Alastor decided to head to bed early. He brushed his teeth and downed some more ibuprofen, exiting the bathroom to find Lucifer waiting for him right outside the door. The fallen angel insisted on helping him up the stairs, which Alastor didn’t see an issue with so he allowed it. Once in his room though Alastor expected Lucifer to leave so that he could change and get into bed, but it turned out the devil wanted to fully tuck him in. So Alastor shoo’d Lucifer momentarily so that he could get changed at least.

Alastor crawled under the covers, bemused by Lucifer’s overbearing protectiveness. Though he wasn’t really complaining; it was sort of nice to have the devil’s full attention and care all for himself. A soft knock on his door reminded Alastor that Lucifer was still waiting to tuck him in, and the brunet huffed out a soft laugh, calling out that he could come in.

The fallen angel pushed open his door, coming into Alastor’s room fully. Lucifer looked a little out of place in his room, but Alastor thought he could get used to having the devil here.

“I like your room. It’s very you.” Lucifer commented, head swinging in a slow arc as he took in the space. Alastor realized this was the first time Lucifer had properly been in his room. The brunet looked around at whatever Lucifer was gazing at, trying to see it from his perspective. He had posters of horror movies on the walls, some animal skulls from hunts, a taxidermy raven on his dresser. Alastor supposed it was very him - it was his room, after all, and away from the main area of his house, where he let his more morbid fascinations fully express themselves, where he could be fully comfortable and not hide anything from polite company.

“Thanks, I suppose.” Alastor settled back into bed, turning onto his stomach and eyeing Lucifer. “Are you just going to keep staring at my things? I thought you were here to tuck me in.”

Snorting in amusement, Lucifer turned his deep red eyes back to Alastor. “Yes, of course, sorry your highness. I’ll get right on that.” Lucifer was at his bedside in two long strides, gently plucking the edge of the sheets up and bringing them over Alastor’s shoulders, tucking them in around his body. Alastor felt little prickles of heat light up under his skin wherever Lucifer’s fingertips brushed against him, even with the sheets separating his flesh from Lucifer. Maybe letting the devil tuck him in had been a bad idea.

Lucifer brushed his hands over Alastor’s back, leaning his head in close. Alastor’s heart started thumping loudly in his chest, his mind convinced that the fallen angel was going to kiss his cheek or something. But Lucifer just paused with his maw a few inches away from Alastor’s face, took a deep breath, and then straightened back up. Or straightened up as much as he could in the room.

“Alright, goodnight then, Al. Sleep tight.” Lucifer said in a low murmur, eyes glowing softly. Alastor just hummed in acknowledgment, not sure he trusted his voice at the moment. Lucifer turned and exited his room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Alastor stared at the wall for a while after that, not fully sure what had just happened. Lucifer had been acting strangely that day, sure, but his behavior hadn’t been all that weird! Lucifer had flip-flopped all day between being extra clingy, wanting to do everything for Alastor, and being distant and trying to keep as much space between them as possible… insisting on tucking the brunet in was part of the extra clingy behavior, though his leaning in and sniffing Alastor had definitely been bizarre. Maybe he should have asked the fallen angel if something was up. He’d ask tomorrow.

———

The next day passed by in much the same way.

Alastor woke up to painful cramps, made his way downstairs - where Lucifer had prepared coffee for him - dragged himself into the shower, downed a bunch of ibuprofen, and then proceeded to lounge in the couch nest Lucifer had made for him. The two of them spent the day together, listening to music or podcasts, playing games, and just talking.

It was comfortable, and incredibly domestic. Alastor found it much more pleasant than he cared to admit. Lucifer continued to wait on Alastor hand and foot (hoof?), insisting on doing every little thing he could for the brunet. Making him food, heating up water for tea, bringing him any book or items Alastor requested. Alastor indulged in the pampering, reasoning with himself that he deserved some tender treatment right now, considering what his body was putting him through. And besides, Alastor had taken care of Lucifer for months now, it was only fair that the devil take care of him in return.

Lucifer’s strange behavior continued, though. In the early evening, during a spell where Lucifer was sitting by the base of the stairs and making strange clacking noises with his teeth, Alastor finally asked him what the fuck was up with his strange behavior. Lucifer had immediately snapped out of it, swinging his head around to stare at Alastor with wide eyes, claiming it was nothing. Alastor raised an eyebrow at this, unconvinced, but Lucifer waved him off, changing the topic to ask Alastor if he wanted to watch a movie that night. Alastor decided why not.

After dinner they settled down to watch a movie, Alastor having instructed the devil on how to make popcorn. That still seemed to be one of the few non-sugary food items that Lucifer liked to eat, and it was practically a mandatory snack for movie watching.

They settled down to watch American Psycho - one of the small number of movies Alastor actually owned on DVD. Alastor sat in his couch nest, loosely wrapped up in a blanket as he ate his popcorn, while Lucifer was curled up at the side of the couch, with his own bowl of popcorn. The further into the movie they got, the more distressed Lucifer seemed to get. Alastor found this quite amusing, especially since he didn’t consider this movie to be that dark or disturbing. Then again, his tolerance for ‘dark and disturbing’ was generally higher than most.

When Lucifer was cowering on the floor with his hands over his eyes, Alastor turned the movie off. They had only made it about halfway through the film, and though Alastor had initially found Lucifer’s fearfulness amusing, it had quickly lost its appeal. He didn’t like seeing Lucifer upset, not even by a stupid horror movie.

As soon as the television went dark and the sound cut out, Lucifer uncovered his face, lifting his head up in confusion. “Wha? Why’d you stop the movie?”

“Because you clearly weren’t enjoying it.” Alastor lounged back in his nest of pillows and blankets, finishing the last of his popcorn.

“Nonono, I was enjoying it!” Lucifer insisted, sticking his chin out stubbornly.

“You obviously weren’t. You were cowering with your hands over your eyes.”

“So? This movie was for you! As long as you were having fun, who cares if I didn’t really like it?”

“I do.” Alastor said simply, licking his fingers clean of butter and salt.

The fallen angel just stared at him for a moment, before shaking his head slightly. “Okay, well. I didn’t hate the movie! I’ve just been, kind of skittish lately. This sort of thing might not be my favorite, but it doesn’t usually bother me this much, I swear!” Lucifer hung his head, apparently crestfallen that his behavior had ended up cutting their movie night short.

“Lucifer. It’s not that big a deal. Horror isn’t for everyone. I appreciate the sentiment regardless, though.” The brunet leaned over the side of the couch, reaching over to gently brush Lucifer’s hair out of his eyes. The devil leaned into the touch with a sigh.

“I just wanted you to have a really good day. I know your menstrual cycle is a pain for you… I wanted to make sure you had all your needs met and got to do things that you liked.” Lucifer mumbled, closing his eyes as Alastor ran his fingers through his long blond fur.

“I know. Today has been wonderful, thank you.” Alastor couldn’t bring himself to tear his hand away from Lucifer, to stop touching the angelic being before him. The being that had gone above and beyond in caring for him these last couple of days, catering to his every whim and desire, cooking for him, cleaning for him, doing the things Alastor wanted to do for fun. It made Alastor’s heart bubble with affection for the devil at his side.

After a few more moments of petting Lucifer, Alastor reluctantly drew his hand back. The fallen angel blinked his eyes open slowly, a lazy smile gracing his face.

Swallowing thickly, Alastor threw his blanket off. “You know what? I might as well go to bed now. I’m pretty tired and all that.”

The brunet got ready for bed, Lucifer once again insisting on helping him upstairs and tucking him in. Alastor didn’t protest, privately thinking he wouldn’t mind if this routine continued even after his period ended.

That night Alastor could not sleep.

He had taken ibuprofen before bed once more, but his cramps were being particularly bad tonight. Alastor tossed and turned, sharp pain piercing through his abdomen. This absolutely sucked.

After roughly an hour of this, Alastor sat up groggily, grumbling to himself. He was sure he had a hot water bottle somewhere downstairs… surely that would help, at least a little.

Without even bothering to put on his bathrobe or slippers, Alastor headed downstairs. He padded softly down the stairs, squinting blearily as his tired, sore body protested the movement.

At the foot of the steps, Alastor came to a complete standstill, eyes widening in shock and suddenly feeling very awake.

Thanks to Lucifer’s furniture rearrangements, the brunet had an unobstructed view of the dog bed where the fallen angel slept. Except, Lucifer was most definitely not sleeping right now.

The devil was sprawled out on his back, his head pointed away from Alastor, his hooves and tail towards the bottom of the stairs. In Lucifer’s right hand was the blanket Alastor had been wrapped up in earlier that day, the fabric held up against the fallen angel’s face.

His left hand was… occupied.

Alastor swallowed dryly as his eyes zeroed in on the space between Lucifer’s legs, where his left hand was busy at work.

A rather large, pink cock was standing proudly to attention, lazily being stroked. It was long, and thick, with a tapered, almost heart-shaped head that was flushed gold. A bright pearl of precum beaded at its tip, Lucifer swiping his thumb over it with a low moan, hips canting up to thrust into his fist as he took deep snuffling breaths of the blanket held to his nose.

The brunet immediately turned around and headed back upstairs, heart pounding in his chest.

Silently Alastor got back into bed, pulling the sheets over himself and staring up at his ceiling.

He had just walked in on Lucifer masturbating.

Not only that - the devil seemed to have been masturbating to thoughts of him.

A needy little whimper escaped Alastor, and he slapped a hand over his mouth, heart in his throat.

Oh fuck. Alastor squeezed his eyes shut, breathing coming out in stuttering gasps. His uterus was killing him, sharp pains cramping his abdomen, horrid and tight. At the same time, arousal was blooming low in his gut, insistent, warm. The fingers of his left hand dug into the sides of his face harshly.

Alastor had never felt more aroused and in pain at the same time.

The brunet’s right hand snaked under the covers, palming himself over his boxers. He was hard, and desperate for touch, for pressure, for friction - but Alastor was also keenly aware of the messy situation down there right now, and was not willing to get himself or his bed dirty… especially if he couldn’t immediately head down to the bathroom to clean up.

Downstairs… Alastor’s mind was overcome with the image he had just seen in his living room, a picture that would be seared into his mind forever. Alastor’s hips jerked against his hand, grinding into himself as he gritted his teeth against a whine.

Lucifer had looked so beautiful, all laid out like that. Dick fully extended from his sheath… fuck, he had a pretty dick. Delicate cock head, heart-shaped, golden and flushed so brightly. His dick nestled perfectly above his fluffy blond-furred balls, with a fine trail of white fur along the seam of his scrotum. Alastor wanted to gently massage those globes, cup them in his hands, run his finger tips over that trail of white fur, along the edge of his sheath, up that elegant cock-

He hissed at a particularly painful cramp, curling in and onto his right side reflexively. Alastor panted into his left hand, right still smooshed between his thighs, applying pressure to where he needed it most. It wasn’t enough.

Damn it… Alastor had not expected this at all. He had fantasized about Lucifer in less than pure ways before, sure, imagined what his dick looked like, pictured what it might feel like - but actually seeing it had lit up all the pleasure receptors in his brain, making Alastor so unreasonably horny, even now while he suffered from cramps and was on his period. A decidedly unsexy bodily function.

Hips circling in little, pathetic thrusts against his palm, Alastor moaned softly into his left hand, mind helpfully conjuring up images of Lucifer once more. The fallen angel had been huffing the blanket Alastor had been wrapped up in earlier - shit, fuck, Alastor’s brain almost short-circuited. Did Lucifer really… want Alastor in that way? No, no, he couldn’t. This must just be some side-effects of Lucifer’s recent rut. Some late, hormone induced symptoms of arousal still running their course through the fallen angel’s body.

Alastor tried to ignore the rush of disappointment he felt at this thought. Lucifer was an ancient being of power and light, he’d never see Alastor as a potential partner. This had just been a fluke, a culmination of Lucifer’s rut week that had recently taken place and Alastor just happening to be the only living thing in contact with the devil right now.

The brunet whimpered pathetically into his hand, willing himself not to cry. God, he was a mess. A horny, pathetic, sad and lonely little crampy mess.

He removed his right hand from between his legs, missing the pressure already, but stubbornly refusing to continue humping his palm like a dog. Alastor felt pitiful enough as it was.

Eventually Alastor passed out into a fitful sleep, tossing and turning as his uterus continued to torment him, brain not helping in the slightest as it continued to plague Alastor with images of Lucifer.

Chapter Text

To absolutely no one’s surprise, Alastor slept like shit.

He woke up that Saturday feeling groggy and quite unrested. At least his bout of arousal had dissipated sometime during the night, not being able to keep up with the pain of his period cramps.

Alastor was not looking forward to going downstairs this morning. Not only did he have a pounding headache from his lack of sleep, he also just didn’t want to face Lucifer after last night.

Last night… when he had walked in on Lucifer masturbating. Alastor swallowed thickly, brain immediately bringing forward the images of the fallen angel’s cock and the way Lucifer had been sniffing the blanket Alastor had been wrapped up in earlier. The brunet scrubbed harshly at his face, pointedly ignoring those images and thinking about something else instead. Like the fact that he desperately needed a shower.

Which meant Alastor would have to head downstairs. Groaning, Alastor slowly got out of bed, wondering when things had gotten so complicated for him. This was all on him, of course; Lucifer had recently suffered through his mating cycle, which was a completely natural and normal (albeit embarrassingly awkward) thing for the devil. Alastor was the one who had gotten unreasonably hot and bothered when he learned about that. Lucifer had probably just been dealing with the after effects, and hadn’t expected Alastor to go downstairs when he did. The brunet shouldn’t have gotten so stupidly turned on by the sight. Regardless of how tantalizingly arousing Alastor had found the display.

Sighing deeply, Alastor wrapped himself up in his bathrobe, rummaging around in his dresser for clothing to wear that day. It was a little past 9am - he had slept in. If his fitful tossing and turning could be called sleep. Alastor picked out clothing to take down to the bathroom with him… he would just have to face Lucifer with a straight face, pretend that everything was normal. The fallen angel didn’t need to know that Alastor had walked in on him while he was… taking care of himself. Or what Alastor had done and thought about upon returning to his room.

He shuffled downstairs, avoiding looking at the scene of the crime when he reached the living room, making his way directly to the bathroom.

“Morning! Hope you slept well last night.” An overly cheery voice called out from the kitchen. Glancing in its direction, Alastor found Lucifer up and preparing breakfast already. The fallen angel had gotten very familiar with his way around the kitchen. Alastor couldn’t stop his eyes from flickering down Lucifer’s body, noting the smooth swell of the devil’s sheath, all signs of what he had been up to the night before completely hidden from view once more.

Face heating up slightly, Alastor tore his gaze away from Lucifer’s crotch, turning back towards the bathroom door, where he gripped the doorknob a little too tight. “I slept like shit actually, thank you for asking.” Maybe he should request that Lucifer start covering up around the house? Wear clothes of some kind? No, no - that was ridiculous. Especially after having lived with the fallen angel for this long and not having a problem with his lack of clothing until now.

“Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that. Anything I can do?” He heard Lucifer take a few steps towards him, hooves clicking on the smooth marble flooring of the kitchen. Alastor’s heart started picking up speed, and the brunet quickly escaped into his bathroom.

“Nope! I’m just going to shower now!” Alastor called out through the door, holding his clothes to his chest tightly.

“O-okay. I’ll have coffee and breakfast ready for you when you get out then!” Lucifer’s muffled voice said through the bathroom door.

Taking a few deep, calming breaths, Alastor let himself relax. Fucking hell, he needed to get a grip! It was going to be hard acting normal around Lucifer, but not impossible. Alastor knew how to put on a show, how to slip into a role and hide behind a mask. He could do this.

Showering was nice, and taking a few more ibuprofen pills would hopefully take the edge off of his cramps for the day. At least he was halfway through his menstrual cycle, which meant the worst of his cramps should be over.

Lucifer made himself pancakes the way Alastor had taught him, and prepared a large and meaty omelette for Alastor. As well as a steaming pot of coffee, of course. Alastor forgot about his awkwardness around Lucifer for a moment as he sat down to eat, digging into his breakfast with gusto.

“You’re getting quite good at cooking.” Alastor commented between bites.

“Thanks! I dare say I had a rather good teacher.” Lucifer beamed at Alastor, tail thumping happily on the floor behind him.

The fallen angel once again insisted on taking care of Alastor for the day, doing the dishes while the brunet sat on the couch with a book. He spied the blanket Lucifer had been… smelling the night before back on the nest of other blankets and pillows, unsure of how he felt about that. Gingerly Alastor picked up the blanket, looking out of the corner of his eye to make sure Lucifer was still occupied with washing up. Alastor ran his hand over the soft fabric of the gray blanket, picturing the way Lucifer had held it up to his snout the night before… yeah no he needed to stop this train of thought.

Alastor surreptitiously moved the blanket further away - not out of the nest, but not right next to him either. He didn’t want Lucifer to suspect that he knew what the devil had been up to with said blanket the night before, after all.

It was another fairly chill, relaxing day. Alastor managed to keep his thoughts mostly in check, making an effort to act completely normal around Lucifer. Even though the fallen angel continued his strange pattern of behavior from the previous two days - switching between clingy and all up in Alastor’s space to being distant and staying as far away from him as possible. Alastor wondered if this behavior had anything to do with Lucifer’s actions the night before; maybe it was some sort of post-rut symptom after all?

Sometime in the early evening Alastor got a phone call. He didn’t recognize the number, so he was tempted to let it go to voicemail, but it wasn’t like he was busy with anything else at the moment. So he answered the call.

And boy was he glad he did.

The brunet sat up straight, relief instantly washing over him. It was his insurance - his testosterone prescription had been approved, and it would be ready for pickup on Tuesday. Thank God. Though he knew God had nothing to do with it.

After that Alastor was in a generally good mood for the rest of the day. He didn’t even let Lucifer’s weird flip-flopping behavior bother him! He’d be back on T next week, and never have to deal with a period ever again. If all went well.

———

Sunday morning was slightly better for Alastor. At least he had been able to actually sleep! Though he had been tormented by unhelpful thoughts concerning Lucifer all night long. Stupid, pretty, kind, unfairly sexy Lucifer. Alastor felt like he was maybe losing his mind.

He was feeling generally better, but still sort of antsy and awkward around Lucifer. Alastor decides a trip into town was in order to clear his head and run some errands. Maybe he’d even stop by Rosie’s for a bit.

Lucifer fretted and fussed over Alastor, concerned over him not feeling well enough to drive into town on his own. Alastor reassured the devil that he was fine, that while he might still be bleeding his cramps were now over and done with.

Alastor drove into town after breakfast, feeling much better than he had in days. Though his feelings for Lucifer continued to confuse and complicate things for him.

The long drive into town gave Alastor plenty of time to think. And as much as he enjoyed being around Lucifer, sometimes the fallen angel’s presence made it quite hard for him to think straight. Now, in his truck, away from Lucifer and all the confusing feelings he inspired in Alastor, the brunet had time to really sift through his emotions and thoughts.

The biggest, most confusing one was why Alastor was so attracted to Lucifer. He was asexual for crying out loud! Alastor had never experienced sexual attraction towards anyone before. Romantic attraction, yes - but it had never extended beyond that, which is part of why Alastor always cut ties with someone after a couple of dates. The longer he dated someone, the more likely they were to expect sex from him, and that just wasn’t something Alastor was interested in.

Or at least, it wasn’t something he thought he was interested in.

When the devil came into his life, he turned Alastor’s world upside down in more than one way.

Sure, Alastor could see what made others ‘sexually attractive’, but it never did anything for him. His libido had always been practically nonexistent, and that only changed to slightly more existent when he got on testosterone. Even there, his random bouts of arousal had never stemmed from - or were directed towards - anyone. They were purely physical reactions to his hormone therapy, ones that Alastor was no stranger to dealing with on his own.

With Lucifer… that wasn’t the case. Alastor couldn’t blame his testosterone supplement on this. He hadn’t been on T for half the time he had known Lucifer! For fuck’s sake, Alastor had been sort of attracted to the fallen angel before he even knew he was more than a beast he had caught in a trap.

What was it about Lucifer that drew him in so fully? What about the devil awoke parts of Alastor that he had never even known existed in him before? Temptation incarnate indeed… Lucifer probably inspired this sort of response from every creature he came across. He was, after all, the most beautiful of God’s angels. And it showed. Lucifer, with his white fur and deep crimson eyes. Lucifer, with his golden horns crowning his head and those sweet pink circles adorning his cheeks. Lucifer, with those golden triangles decorating his eyes like points of a star. He was ethereal, majestic, beautiful beyond compare… a fallen star on Earth.

Alastor sighed wistfully to himself. He hated having feelings for someone as unobtainable as Lucifer. Out of all the people on Earth, why did he have to go and develop a crush on the only being that would never be able to like him back? Alastor knew he was attractive. He used that to his advantage to hunt his human prey. The brunet knew he could get any date he wanted, really - and Victor’s constant (unwanted) flirting was a consistent reminder of his good looks. Still, compared to Lucifer, Alastor was nothing more than a worm writhing in the mud. He didn’t deserve the attention of such an otherworldly being.

Pulling into the parking lot outside of Rosie’s butcher shop, Alastor hopped out of his truck. It was early afternoon on a Sunday, which meant the lot was empty. Rosie didn’t work on Sundays.

He hoped she wouldn’t mind his showing up unannounced.

Going around the side of the butcher shop, Alastor stood at the side door, the entrance he knew led up into Rosie’s house above the shop. He rapped his knuckles on the wooden door, then waited.

After a few minutes he repeated the process.

As Alastor was about to knock a third time, he heard the telltale sound of locks unlatching from the other side. He took a step back, smiling pleasantly as Rosie peeked suspiciously through the crack she opened. However when her eyes landed on Alastor she threw the door fully open.

“Alastor! I didn’t expect you to be stopping by today. Come in, come in!” The tall blond woman stepped aside, gesturing for Alastor to come through the door. He did just that.

They exchanged a quick hug and pleasantries before the two friends headed upstairs. Rosie put some tea on and grabbed some snacks for them, while Alastor sat at her dining room table. His friend soon joined him there, with two steaming cups of herbal tea.

“Missed you around the shop the last few days, Alastor. I meant to give you a call but we’ve just been so busy! Are you doing alright? How are you holding up without your T shots?” Rosie asked gently.

“Yes, well. I’m actually on my period right now.” Alastor grimaced, clutching at his cup of tea tighter than necessary.

“Oh, I’m so sorry dear! You haven’t had to deal with that in ages… I take it you still haven’t gotten a new prescription yet?”

“No, not yet. Though my insurance finally came through and approved the thing, which means I will be able to pick up my prescription this week.”

“Well that’s good at least! Do you think you’ll be back in business to hunt for me after that?” Rosie smiled widely.

“Yes, I should be able to get back into that soon.” Alastor hesitated, staring down at his tea in thought.

“…is something else the matter, dear? You know you can talk to me about anything.”

Not about this, Alastor thought grimly to himself. The brunet chewed on his bottom lip absentmindedly, distracted by thoughts of his predicament concerning a certain blond devil. Obviously he couldn’t tell Rosie about Lucifer! No, no. But, she might still be able to help Alastor sort out some of the confusing jumble of feelings and desires he had been experiencing as of late. He knew he had feelings for Lucifer - but why? What did it mean?

Rosie waited patently as Alastor thought, organizing his thoughts into some semblance of order. She sipped on her tea, giving Alastor all the time he needed.

After a few minutes, Alastor came back out of his head, blinking a few times as he lifted his gaze up from his tea to Rosie’s. She smiled softly at him, not pushing in the slightest. Alastor loved this about Rosie; she might be an incorrigible gossip, but she knew when to be patient and let others find their words. Probably why so many people felt safe around her and spilled their guts to the woman so easily - she gave off such an aura of kind and patient understanding!

Steeling himself, Alastor began. “Alright. There, might be something else going on with me.

He paused, and Rosie nodded in encouragement.

“You know… you know I’m asexual. I’ve never cared for the carnal pleasures of the body. That stuff has never held any real appeal to me! Doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy companionship. But that’s not a necessity for me, either - honestly relationships are more of a hassle than they’re worth. I’d rather just not deal with them as a whole.” As he talked, Rosie’s eyes widened in surprise. She leaned forward curiously, dark brown eyes sparkling with interest.

Alastor continued. “So as you can imagine then it’s come as quite a surprise to me that I am suddenly being plagued by… by sexual desires.” He gagged on the last few words, bringing his tea up to his mouth to take a long sip.

“When did these desires start?” Rosie asked, practically vibrating in her seat.

“A month or so ago?” Alastor responded vaguely.

“I see. And did anything in particular bring these new desires out? Maybe a book you read, or someone you met?”

“I don’t see how that’s a relevant question.” He avoided answering with a huff.

“Alastor, dear. If you want help figuring this out, I need more information. Maybe you’re somewhere else on the asexual spectrum than you thought, like gray-asexual or demisexual? But it’s hard to say without more details.”

The brunet thought about it for a moment. He was loath to say more than he needed to about this situation, but he really did need someone to talk to. Being alone with his thoughts was not helping, and obviously Alastor couldn’t talk to Lucifer about this.

“I… it maybe started when I met someone new.” Alastor finally admitted.

Rosie let out a high pitched squeal, leaning forward. “Alastor! Why didn’t you tell me you met someone? That’s so exciting - who is it, anyone I know?”

“No. They already left town.” Alastor lied quickly, knowing he couldn’t tell Rosie he had a fallen angel living under his roof. He also decided to use gender-neutral pronouns so as to give Rosie the least amount of information on Lucifer as possible.

“Ah… well, that’s too bad. I would have loved to meet them. Anyone who’s able to catch your attention must be a very special person indeed.” Rosie settled back down against her chair, taking another sip of her tea.

“Yes, well. They have completely turned my life upside down. And now I have these - these horrid feelings. My body keeps betraying me, getting… aroused. At the most inconvenient of times.” Alastor’s voice got quiet as he spoke, until it was just a hushed whisper, eyes darting around the room as if in fear someone would overhear him confessing these things.

“Hmm. So, let’s see. You met someone, someone who caught your fancy like never before. In general you still don’t feel sexual attraction though, right? And if this person was only in town for a short while, I can’t imagine you got to know them all that well before they left. Are those the facts?” Rosie tilted her head to the side, looking at Alastor inquisitively.

“Yes. That’s more or less it.” Except for the part that this person is the devil and he lives in my house and I walked in on him masturbating the other night Alastor thought to himself, gritting his teeth.

“Okay. I’m not you, so obviously I can’t tell you exactly what’s going on, but I can give you an educated guess.”

“By all means, please do.”

“It sounds to me that you have met someone who is an exception for you. You’re still asexual, this doesn’t take away from that! But, this person, whoever they are, managed to get your attention so fully, unlike anyone has before - to the point that they have awakened desires in you that you didn’t think you even had. Someone like that is special; you don’t come across an exception like this every day, Alastor.” Rosie nodded seriously, splaying her hands out on the table.

Alastor sat in silence, mulling over Rosie’s words. Lucifer certainly was special alright. When Alastor thought of engaging in sexual intercourse with any other human person, it did literally nothing for him. But, with the fallen angel… a little shiver ran up Alastor’s spine at the thought. Yeah, alright. Lucifer was definitely an exception for Alastor. In more ways than one, it seemed.

“I… I suppose you’re right. This person really does something to me that no one else ever has. Makes me feel things I’ve never felt before, makes me want to touch them, to let them touch me. I’ve never wanted that before.” Alastor shuddered, fingertip tracing the edge of his teacup. Admitting all this felt weird, and invasive, but the brunet trusted Rosie. They were both cannibals, after all - they had trusted each other with much darker secrets before.

“Alastor, that’s amazing! I’m so happy for you. Not that I wasn’t happy for you before, but this, this is special! You should go after this person. Don’t let your exception get away from you, or you might regret it for the rest of your life.” Rosie spoke softly, placing a pale hand over Alastor’s darker one, gently squeezing his fingers in hers. Alastor turned his hand over, squeezing back.

“Thank you for your help with this, Rosie. Having someone to talk to instead of stewing in my own thoughts has been most helpful!” Alastor chuckled dryly.

“I can imagine! Now, I do hope you find this person again, I would love to meet the one who has managed to steal your heart! And it would be most amusing to rub it into Victor’s face that he wasn’t the one.” Rosie giggled, taking her hand back and picking her tea up.

“Ha, ha. We shall see about that.” Alastor took a sip of his tea as well, not wanting to give Rosie false hope - she would never meet Lucifer. Nor would Victor.

Lucifer was for Alastor and Alastor alone. No one else. Maybe he was Alastor’s exception, maybe he just held this kind of allure over other beings because he was a fallen angel and Alastor couldn’t resist his charms. Either way, the brunet didn’t want to lose this. Even if it was one-sided, Alastor was happy just to have Lucifer in his life.

No matter what happened, Lucifer was Alastor’s exception. He would cherish and care for the devil for the rest of his life, always at a distance, if it meant he could continue to bask in Lucifer’s light.

———

Monday saw Alastor back at work.

His period wasn’t over, but the flow was much lighter, so he saw no reason not to return to the radio station. And even though Alastor had now fully accepted his feelings for Lucifer and had sorted out his thoughts on the matter, getting out of the house and having some space away from the fallen angel was good.

Having feelings for someone who could never have feelings for him was hard.

Work was a blur, and before he knew it the day was over. Alastor went to sleep feeling fairly content with his lot in life, looking forward to tomorrow; after work he would finally be picking up his testosterone prescription. After being off of T for over a month, Alastor was beyond relieved to be getting his hands back on his hormone supplements.

——-

After work that Tuesday Alastor beelined for the pharmacy, finally picking up his new testosterone prescription. He was in a substantially better mood on his drive home, feeling more at ease than he had in a while. Soon he’d be back on T, and everything would be normal. Alastor would feel like himself again, and he wouldn’t get a useless menstrual cycle, and he’d be able to go about his days like usual.

Lucifer of course noticed that Alastor was in such a good mood, and was genuinely happy for Alastor that he had finally gotten his hands on some fresh testosterone once more. They played a game of chess that night, Alastor even staying up a little later than usual to indulge Lucifer in the game.

He woke up bright and early that Wednesday, shooting out of bed immediately and heading downstairs to his bathroom. It was time for his T shot. At last.

As soon as Alastor injected himself with the hormone he let out an audible sigh of relief, slumping back on the toilet seat where he was sitting. He could practically feel the immediate boost of energy spreading through his body, making him feel stronger and ready for the day. His mood soared, and Alastor grinned to himself. Fuck was it good to be back!

Alastor put a small bandaid over the injection site, hopping up and disposing of the needle properly. He still had to get ready for work!

However, as Alastor popped his contacts in, shifting closer to the bathroom mirror and inadvertently pressing his hips into the counter, the brunet realized in displeasure that there was a small trickle of arousal spreading from his core. One that was slowly but steadily growing stronger. It seemed that his T shot was trying to make up for lost time, increasing everything for Alastor all at once; mood, energy levels, and libido.

He groaned, thumping his head against the mirror. Right now was not a good time for increased libido. It had already been generally higher than Alastor had ever experienced it before - and that was without testosterone! While in general Alastor loved what T did for him, this, this was really something he could do without.

Especially with Lucifer around.

A soft rapping could be heard at the bathroom door, Alastor jerking back from the mirror and counter - where he had been unconsciously grinding into the edge of the sink. Shit.

“Al? You alright in there? It’s been a while… want me to get breakfast started for you?” Came a sleepy, muffled voice.

Speak of the devil.

A jolt of arousal shot through Alastor at Lucifer’s low, sleep-rough voice. He hissed in annoyance, very aware of the slick gathering at his folds and his cock twitching to life. God damn it.

“A-all good in here! Yes, if you could go ahead and get breakfast going that would be most helpful, Luci.” Alastor grimaced as the nickname slipped out, holding his breath for a moment.

“Okay! I’ll do that then.” The fallen angel responded, and Alastor slowly moved to the door to press his ear against the wood. Faintly he could make out the clattering sounds of Lucifer taking out pans and bowls and such. He was starting his pancakes, and who knows what for Alastor.

Carefully the brunet cracked open the bathroom door, peering around the corner to make sure Lucifer was occupied before scurrying out and up the stairs, retreating to his bedroom.

Alastor sat on the edge of his bed, fingers drumming against his thighs. He had work today. He should not take some time right now to masturbate… but, Lucifer was taking care of breakfast, which gave Alastor a little extra time, and he was painfully aroused right now, and he hadn't masturbated in quite a while… a quick jerking off session wouldn’t hurt. Besides, getting off would help Alastor concentrate at work! He wouldn’t be distracted by unnecessary lustful thoughts or physical reactions if he just took care of it now!!

The brunet reasoned with himself that this was necessary, and that he’d be quick about it. He stripped, shivering as the cool morning air kissed his heated skin. Alastor bit his lip as his right hand descended between his thighs, gently caressing his T-dick, eyes fluttering shut as he imagined it was Lucifer touching him instead.

Bracing himself with his left hand, legs spread wide while sitting on the edge of the bed, Alastor began to slowly pump himself in hand. He moaned softly, picturing Lucifer’s much larger hand, only needing his index finger and thumb to engulf Alastor’s small dick fully, stroking over the tip, making Alastor’s hips jerk at the sensation, pulling back down, exposing more of the brunet’s sensitive head. Alastor groaned, sinking back onto his bed as he picked up the pace, rolling his hips in time with his hand squeezing along his cock.

Panting slightly, Alastor felt the wetness gathering at his entrance drip down, switching from stroking his dick to pressing a finger into his cunt. He whimpered, imagining Lucifer fingering him gently, curling his finger in just the right way, hitting the spot inside of Alastor that made him gasp and his walls flutter. He imagined Lucifer licking his thighs with that devilish forked tongue, imagined the fallen angel scenting Alastor like he had that blanket the week before.

He quickly added another finger, pumping them in and out of himself steadily. Alastor’s left hand found its way to his chest, pinching and tugging at his nipples lightly as he scissored his fingers inside of him. Alastor wanted more - needed more. He pushed a third finger inside, a low and debouched moan reverberating from him as he stretched his entrance out further.

Heat was pooling in Alastor’s gut, winding tightly, urging him on. But even with three fingers inside of himself, Alastor didn’t feel full enough; Lucifer was big, bigger than his three fingers. He couldn’t do the devil justice like this…

Sitting up suddenly, Alastor cast about his room frantically, fingers still pumping inside his pussy, though slower now. He cursed himself for not having any sex toys, scouring his shelves and tables for something - anything - he could shove inside himself at the moment. Alastor’s eyes landed on his hairbrush. It was a big, boar bristle brush, with a thick wooden handle.

It would do.

Removing his fingers from his cunt with a whimper, Alastor darted to his dresser, snatching the hairbrush up before returning to his bed once more. Scooting further up the mattress, Alastor made himself comfortable, using the slick coating his fingers to warm up and lube the brush’s handle a bit. He also didn’t have any lubricant… maybe he should invest in actual sex toys and lube at some point.

Propped up on his elbow, Alastor slowly brought the blunt rounded tip of the hairbrush’s handle between his legs, teasing his entrance with it. He pushed the handle up against his cock, pretending it was Lucifer’s dick bumping against his own. His arousal-addled brain could picture it perfectly; the fallen angel’s lovely, gold-flushed cock head dwarfing his own, rubbing against his member, along his folds, before pressing the tapered tip in slowly and gently…

Alastor gasped, falling fully onto his back as the hairbrush breached his entrance. It was still much smaller than Lucifer’s cock, but the girth of the handle was a pleasant stretch, and oh, could it reach deeper than Alastor’s fingers.

A whorish moan tumbled past his lips, hips rocking up as he pushed the hairbrush deeper within himself. Alastor felt feverish, sweat tricking down his temple as his body burned brightly with desire. Slowly he pulled the hairbrush out, leaving just the tip inside, before slamming it back into his pussy.

He gasped, back arching off the bed slightly, legs tensing, free hand scrabbling in his sheets as he struck up a steady rhythm with the hairbrush. The obscene wet squelching sounds of the item dragging against his inner walls mixed with Alastor’s breathy moans and panted breaths as he lost himself to pleasure.

“Oh, Luci…” the brunet groaned, eyes closed, imagining Lucifer over him, thrusting into him, taking him, making Alastor his. “Ah! Yes!” Alastor cried out in pleasure, the coil of heat in him winding tighter, his left hand abandoning the sheets to desperately stroke his twitching cock. He pictured Lucifer mouthing at his neck, wicked teeth teasing at the tender flesh there, maybe even biting. He was close, he was so close.

“Hey breakfast is read-“

With a screeching halt the world came to an end.

Or at least, Alastor wished the world would come to an end. Explode. Burst into flames. Swallow him whole.

The brunet froze as soon as his brain registered the words, hands stilling between his thighs, hairbrush still inside himself. His eyes flew open, and out of the corner of his eye Alastor saw Lucifer, half through his doorway, staring wide eyed at the scene before him. The devil’s nostrils flared, tongue flickering out, horizontal pupils suddenly dilating.

Alastor quickly pulled the hairbrush out of himself with a wet pop, face feeling like it was on fire, unable to look at Lucifer. He snapped his thighs closed, embarrassed and humiliated, awkwardly holding the abused hairbrush in one hand as he fumbled for the sheets with the other, trying to cover himself up.

“Oh- ah- sorry for interrupting- bye!” Lucifer squeaked out, bolting out the door and closing it behind him.

Leaving Alastor alone to stew in his shame and mortification.

Alastor sat up slowly, staring unseeingly at the wall. Ice cold dread drenched his veins, as if a bucket of freezing water had been dumped over his head.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

His breathing came out in short, panicked bursts. Alastor gripped his sheets below him tightly, twisting the fabric up into knots. This, this was bad. Really bad. Alastor wasn’t even aroused anymore, despite not finding his release. His arousal had wilted quickly, replaced by humiliation and embarrassment in the blink of an eye.

Did Lucifer know he had been masturbating to thoughts of the devil? Self-conscious shame flooded through Alastor, and he curled in on himself with a whimper.

What if Lucifer was disgusted by this? What if their friendship was shattered, ruined after Alastor foolishly touched himself to thoughts of the fallen angel again - but this time getting caught in the act? Stupid, stupid… Alastor would never forgive himself if Lucifer distanced himself from the brunet over this.

Gradually Alastor uncurled himself, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. The soiled hairbrush was still being clutched in his hand, and Alastor wrinkled his nose in distaste at the thing, flinging it across the room. It clattered noisily against the wall and to the ground, where it lay accusingly, reminding Alastor what he had just done with it.

A glance at his bedside table told Alastor he really needed to get going; despite the horribly awkward situation he had managed to find himself in, he still had work that morning. He grabbed some tissues, cleaning his hands and between his legs hurriedly before pulling on a pair of slacks and a button up shirt. He tucked his shirt in, fastened a bow tie around his neck, grabbed a comb to quickly rake through his hair - Alastor was not going to use that hairbrush for a while after today.

He got himself ready for the day, grabbing his messenger bag and phone before heading downstairs. Alastor resolutely avoided looking at Lucifer, keeping a safe distance from the fallen angel.

The brunet sat at the dining room table, heart fluttering pathetically at the warm cup of coffee and plate of scrambled eggs and sausage waiting there for him. Lucifer was sitting at the far end of the table, supposedly eating pancakes. Alastor was still not looking at him.

There was a beat of awkward silence, during which Alastor concentrated on eating as fast as he could. And then Lucifer spoke.

“I’m - I’m so sorry for walking in on you in such a, ah, compromising situation! Breakfast was ready and I was coming to let you know and the door was slightly open so I thought you left it open for me, I didn’t even think to stop and knock or anything-“

“Just, stop talking.” Alastor croaked out after a minute of enduring Lucifer’s rambling explanation. He really didn’t want to talk about this. Though the fact he had left his door slightly ajar during such an activity made his stomach churn; Alastor had been so consumed with lust he apparently didn’t even realized he hadn’t closed it properly. This situation had been all Alastor’s fault, of course.

“Uh, okay, yeah, I can shut up now.” Lucifer’s voice got quiet, and Alastor couldn’t help but shoot a quick glance over at the devil. He looked awkward, fidgeting with his hands, ears drooping and eyes downcast. Also, his fur seemed to be… wet?

No matter - Alastor didn’t have time for this. He didn’t have time for any of this! He shoveled a few more forkfuls of egg into his mouth, chugging the rest of his coffee before standing up abruptly.

“I’m heading to work. See you later.” Alastor said monotonously, once again avoiding looking at Lucifer as he walked to the door. He didn’t wait for a response, just headed out and to his truck, starting the engine and pulling out of the car port as quickly as he could.

Alastor needed to get out of there, escape the shame and embarrassment of that morning. He’d deal with the fall out later, after work. Hopefully by then Alastor would be a lot calmer and have his thoughts in order, be able to talk to Lucifer without feeling the urge to run and hide in humiliation.

———

Work was torture.

The day dragged by painfully slowly, every little thing aggravating and grating on Alastor’s nerves. He snapped at the new intern, got irritated at having to re-do his scripts for the following week, and to top it off Victor came by the studio to pester him during his lunch break.

Overall, not a great day at work. And after the morning he had? This was turning out to be a very bad day indeed.

Alastor was distracted all day, though he did his best to not let it interfere with his work duties. He managed, though by the end of the day he felt like an exposed live wire; any little thing could set him off.

He could not go home like that.

Instead, Alastor headed to a bookstore, losing himself in the aisles of paperbacks and horror stories. It was quiet here, away from the hustle and bustle of downtown. Alastor felt himself relax incrementally, browsing the shelves for new reading material to distract himself with.

Time slipped away from him, lost between the pages of a new murder mystery novel. Alastor decided to purchase the book, as well as a few others on hunting and a new book on the psychology of serial killers.

With his new purchases in tow, Alastor got back in his truck. He curses softly to himself when he realizes what time it is; almost dinner time. He would be getting home late. Alastor hoped Lucifer wouldn’t be upset at him for his tardiness.

It was just past sunset when Alastor pulled under his car port. Light was fading quickly from the sky, and Alastor’s stomach rumbled loudly as a reminder that he was late for dinner.

He hoped things between him and Lucifer wouldn’t be too awkward or strained.

However, as Alastor unlocked his front door, something felt… off.

Dread slowly started creeping up his spine as he pushed his front door open. Cautiously Alastor stepped inside, looking around the house. Despite it getting dark out, no lights were turned on.

That was his first sign that something was wrong.

The second sign was that there was no sign of Lucifer. And apparently there hadn’t been any sign of Lucifer for a while; no food at the table, no furniture (which had been put back in its usual configuration earlier that week) disturbed, no games in process or books left open at the table.

Lucifer was simply gone.

The growing dread inside Alastor blossomed into a full fledged garden of panic. The devil wasn’t home - where could he be? Had walking in on Alastor masturbating really disturbed him that much? Had he finally realized that the brunet was so far beneath Lucifer that he had left without even saying goodbye? Even when the fallen angel was dealing with his mating season he had made sure to wait for Alastor to get back from work before taking off into the woods; the fact he wasn’t here right now definitely signaled that this was different.

Fearing the worst, Alastor stumbled blindly up to his room, leaving his messenger bag and new books on his bed and grabbing a flashlight. He needed to go out and find Lucifer, he needed to at least try to find him. Even if Lucifer never wanted to see him again, Alastor at least needed to see him one last time, apologize, maybe even manage to find the words to make things right between them once more.

He choked on a sob as he rushed back out, picking a random direction and pushing into the woods. The bright beam of his flashlight cut through the darkness, casting trees and shrubbery into disturbing shadows.

“L-Lucifer? Are you out here? Lucifer! I’m back! I’m back home!” Alastor called as he ventured deeper into the woods, desperate to find the devil. He didn’t want to lose Lucifer, not like this, not over something so stupid as his unruly libido and festering feelings for the fallen angel.

“Lucifer! Lucifer, come back!” Alastor lost track of time as he went further and further into the forest, calling out for the devil, mind a whirlwind of anxiety and regret.

Alastor had fucked up. He had really fucked up this time. Not only had he unsuccessfully attempted to keep a lid on his feelings towards Lucifer, he had let those feelings manifest in physical ways, ways that put his friendship with the fallen angel in jeopardy. And instead of nipping that behavior in the bud, the brunet had let it continue! He had fantasized about Lucifer over and over again, in pure ways and not-so-pure ways, just feeding the fire of his desire for the otherworldly being residing in his house.

He shouldn’t have let things go this far. He shouldn’t have let things get to the point where Lucifer walked in on him masturbating while imagining the hairbrush he was using as a makeshift dildo was the devil’s dick.

The brunet was breathing harshly, barely paying attention to where he was going. Branches scratched at him, leaves and needles whipping into his face and arms. Alastor stumbled over rocks and uneven ground, cursing. He continued to call out for Lucifer, voice getting horse.

“Lucifer! If you can hear me, please respond! Please, Lucifer… Lucifer!” Feverishly Alastor thought to himself that if he found Lucifer, if the devil would just come back to him, he would never masturbate again. Hell, Alastor would never even think of Lucifer in such a way again, if only he could continue to have the fallen angel in his life. He would give up any and all carnal pleasures of the body - that had never been his sin of choice to begin with anyway, it had been foolish of him to let such desires control him.

“Please, Luci… come back.” Alastor continued his frantic search, throat parched from all his screaming into the night. His foot caught on a root, crashing down into the dirt and grass, yelping in pain and surprise.

“God… fuck.” Angry tears sprang to his eyes as he struggled into a sitting position, grabbing his flashlight from where it had fallen a foot or so from him. Alastor swung the beam back towards the root he had tripped on, the light instead landing on glowing red eyes and bright white fur.

Reflexively Alastor scrambled back, fear making his lungs constrict even as his heart leapt with joy at the same time. Lucifer hadn’t left him, hadn’t abandoned him - Lucifer had come back to him.

Tears of anger morphed into tears of relief, Alastor unable to stop the sobs forcing their way up his throat. He desperately tried to get his breathing back under control, shove his emotions back into their box - Alastor had just gotten the fallen angel back, he didn’t want to scare him off with this unseemly display of emotion so soon.

Before he managed to get himself into some semblance of order, Alastor found himself being wrapped up in something sturdy and warm and soft. He stiffened for a moment, confused, tilting his head up to see what was going on - and found that his nose was firmly planted in blond chest fluff.

Alastor’s instinct was to tear himself away, to put some much needed space between himself and Lucifer… but then he heard the soft cooing and gentle murmured reassurances being whispered into his hair, the feeling of strong arms holding him tight, a hand rubbing soothing circles up and down his back.

He couldn’t help but melt into the embrace.

Lucifer held Alastor close, letting the brunet catch his breath and steady his racing thoughts, letting his sobs and tears peter out. They sat there on the forest floor, together, taking comfort in one another in the dark of the night.

After a few minutes of this, Alastor deemed himself steady enough, gently pushing back against Lucifer. Immediately the devil backed off, letting his arms fall away and scooting back a few feet on the mossy ground. Alastor’s flashlight lay beside him, momentarily forgotten and only partially lighting Lucifer up in the shadows of the nighttime forest.

He picked up the flashlight, keeping the beam low to the ground so as not to blind Lucifer. Suddenly Alastor felt awkward, unsure of what to say or do.

Lucifer broke the silence first, with a quiet little “Hey, Al.”

The brunet blinked at Lucifer incredulously. “Don’t you ‘hey Al’ me! Is that really the first thing you’re going to say to me after everything that’s happened today?”

“I mean… gotta start somewhere, why not with a greeting?” Lucifer shrugged sheepishly.

“How about you start with telling me where the fuck you were? You weren’t at home when I got back from work, and I couldn’t find you for - I don’t know how long I’ve been out here - hours? I thought you had left… for good.” Alastor brought his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs defensively. “Do you, do you want to leave? I get it if you do-“

“What? No! I don’t want to leave. Really, Al - I’m not going anywhere. I’m sorry I scared you with my little disappearing act today, but I swear to you that I’m not leaving you. Okay?” Lucifer scooted a little closer, appearing agitated that Alastor thought he wanted to cut ties and go somewhere else.

“So where were you? Even when you were in rut you made sure to wait for me to get home from work before going into the woods so that I would know you were still around and okay.” Alastor sulked, sitting hunched over, chin resting on his knees.

“I… I just got antsy and needed some fresh air. After, ah, after this morning - I felt like I had messed up, overstepped your boundaries. You wouldn’t even look at me at breakfast, didn’t even say goodbye properly before heading to work. I felt awful, and waiting for you to come back from work was just making it worse. So I decided to go out, let off some steam, run through the woods to shake off my nervous energy. I just, happened to run much further than I intended. Did you know the ocean is nearby? It’s lovely there.” Lucifer spaced out for a moment.

“I’m sorry, are you saying you ran all the way to the beach? That’s like, over fifty miles away Lucifer.” Alastor furrowed his brow at the fallen angel.

“I suppose I did! Anyway, that’s probably why it took me so long to get there. And back. I was, really lost in my head, not paying attention to where exactly I was going or what time it was. By the time I started heading back it was already getting dark. But, I wasn’t sure you’d want me back? You seemed, like you wanted space. So I thought maybe I’d just, stay in the woods for a bit longer. I dawdled on my way back… and then I heard you calling for me.”

“Why didn’t you come back as soon as you heard me?”

“I don’t know.” Lucifer shuffled awkwardly, dragging a claw through the dirt in random patterns. “I, I guess I thought you were angry at me, and I wanted to give you space to blow off steam and yell into the trees. But, the longer I listened to your calls for me the more I realized your yelling wasn’t of the angry variety. You were worried for me, maybe even scared that I was lost or hurt. Still, I felt like I had messed things up enough for you, and that I should just keep my distance. And then you fell, and I just, I couldn’t stop myself from going to you. I wanted to make sure you were okay…”

Alastor sat up a little straighter. “I’m not angry at you or anything. But yes, I was worried. I totally get it if you need space from me, or are repulsed by my actions, but please don’t run off like that again.”

The fallen angel tilted his head at Alastor in confusion. “Why would I need space from you or be repulsed by you? I’m the one who messed up. I barged into your personal space while you were, you know, busy, without knocking. I clearly made you uncomfortable! Not to mention the awkwardness from my rut cycle. I know that bothered you too, and I’m, really, really sorry about that.” Lucifer hung his head in shame.

The brunet blinked rapidly to himself. Did Lucifer, blame himself for all the mishaps and mortifying things that had happened between them? No, that couldn’t be right - it was all on Alastor, always had been.

“Pardon?” Is all Alastor was able to get out, thoughts all a jumble.

“I just - look at me, Al. I’m a monster. I know what I am, and I get it! I’m nothing like you, I don’t expect you to ever be fully at ease with something like me around. But I appreciate the effort you have made to make me feel at home in your space, to make sure I am comfortable and fed and entertained. Your friendship means the world to me, Alastor. Even though our friendship is far from normal, I would never take it for granted. I don’t want to cross your boundaries or make you feel uncomfortable. Even if sometimes I want to be closer...”

Alastor stared wide eyed at Lucifer as he spoke, inhaling sharply at the fallen angel’s last words. “What, what was that last part?”

“Hmm? Oh, uh, that I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable or push your boundaries?”

“No, no, the other part.”

“Um, our friendship is far from normal? Which makes sense, considering I’m the devil and you’re a human, there isn’t really anything normal about this situation.”

“No - I mean, yes, you’re right, but I don’t care about that!” Alastor let his arms fall away from around his legs, changing to sit cross legged and leaning forward towards Lucifer slightly. “But, I think you said something about sometimes wanting to be closer.”

Lucifer scratched at his cheek awkwardly, eyes flitting away. “Hmm, did I? I don’t recall.”

Swallowing thickly, Alastor decided to take a leap. “What if I said I felt the same way.”

The fallen angel stopped scratching at his cheek, gaze darting back to Alastor. They locked eyes for a moment, dead silent, aside from the sounds of crickets and frogs and the distant hoot of an owl in the dark.

“You, really?” Lucifer asked hesitantly, clearly not really believing Alastor.

“What if I said I wanted to kiss you.” He barged on, heart pounding in his chest. Alastor had already gone this far, why not go all the way… things couldn’t get any more awkward between the two of them anyway.

A strangled chirp escaped Lucifer, ears flicking up and forward in surprise. “What if I said I want that too.” The fallen angel breathed, tail swishing in a slow arc along the ground behind him.

“I would say that probably makes us both the biggest idiots in the world right now.”

Lucifer laughed lightly, bright and clear, making Alastor’s heart flutter at the sound. He scooted closer to the devil, wanting to be closer to such a joyous, effervescent display from this beautifully magnificent being. Lucifer gazed down at Alastor affectionately, eyes crinkling in mirth. He brought a large hand up to Alastor’s face, gently caressing his cheek. Alastor leaned into the touch easily, humming happily.

The fallen angel nuzzled into the top of Alastor’s hair, making him giggle at the snuffling against his scalp. Lucifer pulled back with a bright smile, dimly lit by the flashlight Alastor had left behind himself in the dirt somewhere. Slowly, so as to have his movements clearly telegraphed, giving Alastor plenty of warning and an easy out should he want it, Lucifer leaned in towards the brunet.

Alastor leaned in as well.

The kiss was like nothing Alastor had ever experienced before.

He half expected it to be slimy and sort of unpleasant, what with Lucifer’s face being more animal than human - lips stretched along a long snout rather than placed at the front of a flat face. But it was nothing of the sort; no, the kiss was a light press of lips to lips, warm, gentle, soft. Alastor’s eyes fell shut as he brushed his lips to Lucifer’s, fingers curling tightly into the fabric of his pants.

This felt… good. This felt right.

The devil pulled back after a moment, giving Alastor some space to breathe, though he tried to follow Lucifer’s lips. Lucifer chuckled, instead ducking down to place a feather-light kiss to his forehead.

Alastor gave a pleased hum at this, content. Until the reality of what had just transpired between himself and Lucifer crashed down around him.

He pushed the fallen angel away roughly, feeling his face heat up in embarrassment. Suddenly Alastor found himself incredibly flustered, busying himself with brushing dirt off of his clothing and scrambling back to pick up the flashlight. Lucifer just rumbled in amusement at Alastor’s behavior.

“We should probably head back to your place.” Lucifer said, not commenting on the kiss they had just shared.

The brunet wasn’t sure if he was grateful for Lucifer’s discretion or annoyed with him for not talking about it at once.

“Yeah, I suppose we should.” Alastor stood back up with flashlight in hand, straightening his shirt out. He decided it had been enough of an emotionally taxing day as it was, no need to discuss their kiss at the moment. Besides, if this meant what Alastor thought it did, they would have plenty of time to talk about it in days to come.

The two of them walked back in companionable silence. Alastor had no idea where in the woods they were, but Lucifer with his night vision and keen sense of smell was able to guide them back home. The devil led the way a few steps ahead of Alastor, walking on all fours, stopping once in a while to glance back and make sure Alastor was keeping pace.

Alastor just reheated some leftover rotisserie chicken for his dinner, and popped some ready-made chocolate croissants in the oven for Lucifer. They talked a bit as they ate, but neither one of them brought up the kiss, or Alastor’s behavior earlier that morning. That was stuff that could be discussed tomorrow.

However, Alastor did ask Lucifer why his face had appeared to be wet when he came down to breakfast. Sheepishly the fallen angel admitted that he had dunked his head in cold water after walking in on Alastor - that he had needed something to calm himself down and keep himself grounded. The brunet felt his face flush at this information, quickly changing the topic and focusing intently on his chicken. Lucifer seemed happy enough to leave the awkward topic behind for now.

After dinner Alastor took a shower and got ready for bed. It was late, but not terribly so. Though he still had work the next morning, so he should really head to sleep. Lucifer wished him sweet dreams, curling up on his dog bed in front of the couch, and Alastor returned the sentiment before heading upstairs.

They would talk more tomorrow. They would figure this thing out. Whatever this thing between the two of them was.

Chapter Text

Thursday morning went by without a hitch, Alastor and Lucifer having breakfast together before the brunet left for the radio station. He promised he’d be back as soon as he got off work.

Things at the station went well that day. No problems, no interns messing up, no unnecessary drama. It helped that Alastor was in a good mood, feeling energized and focused on his job.

When Alastor got home from work, Lucifer was there. The devil was spread out on his front in his dog bed, his lamb plush nestled next to him and hooves kicking in the air behind him as he drew on some loose pieces of paper. Alastor made a mental note to buy Lucifer an actual notebook or something next time he stopped in town.

“I’m home!” Alastor announced, dropping his messenger bag near the couch and flopping backwards onto the piece of furniture. Lucifer immediately shot up into a sitting position, ears up. The lamb plushie toppled over the side of the dog bed.

“Welcome back! How was work today?” The fallen angel carefully picked up his stuffed toy and placed it back on the dark gray cushion before scooting closer to the couch Alastor was on.

“Fine. No, better than fine - work was good today! Didn’t even see hide nor hair of Victor around today. Always a good day when that meddling television freak keeps his nose out of my business. How was your day?”

“Oh, you know. Same old same old - I cleaned up the dishes from breakfast, read a bit, tuned into your radio show, tried to build a house out of a deck of cards-“

“Wait, you listen to my radio show?” Alastor sat up slightly, looking at Lucifer.

“Yeah? I mean, duh. You left me a radio, why wouldn’t I?” Lucifer raised an eyebrow at him.

“I- I left you a radio to be able to tune into sports games or listen to radio dramas or just put on some music! I didn’t expect you to listen to me on there. You already listen to me when I’m here.” Alastor turned to fully face Lucifer, sitting cross legged on the couch.

“If I wanted sports I’d turn on the TV, if I wanted a story I’d read a book, and if I wanted music I could always select a vinyl from your collection to put on. I primarily use the radio to listen to your broadcast - I like listening to your voice, and besides, your show gives me a good sense of the goings on around town! The weather, traffic reports, upcoming community events, your covering of fun and important news stories that have happened, and of course your historical segment. I enjoy tuning in and hearing you in your element.” The fallen angel shrugged, tilting his head at Alastor.

Alastor had no words. He hadn’t realized Lucifer was listening to his radio show - for how long now? It didn’t matter. It did however make a warm fuzzy feeling spread across his chest. Alastor felt touched that Lucifer liked listening to him that much, that he would tune in to his show even though there were so many other things the devil could be doing or listening to instead.

“That’s… that’s nice.” Alastor managed to say after a moment, words feeling inadequate for how much this truly meant to him.

Lucifer smiled softly, tail thumping on the ground beside him. The fallen angel seemed to get it, even if Alastor hadn’t been able to express himself properly with words.

“Hey, uh, actually. Can we talk about yesterday?” The devil suddenly became shy, hunching in on himself as his ears drooped.

He supposed they should talk. They had… a lot to discuss. Alastor hoped he would find better words to express himself for this upcoming conversation.

“Y-yeah, we should talk, shouldn’t we.” Alastor nodded, giving a small strained smile at Lucifer. Who wasn’t looking at him.

“I, I can start. I, um.” The fallen angel huffed, shifting from side to side nervously. “Not sure where to start actually. But, uh, let’s see. You’ve been, so kind and accommodating towards me. Ever since you found me, you’ve gone out of your way to make sure I was safe and comfy in your care. Even before you knew my true identity - and even after! I, um, I’m aware of who and what I am. Your Bible stories might have gotten a lot of details wrong, but I’m still the devil, still the creature that invited sin into the world. I’m inhuman, and I’m a monster. You had every reason to be distrustful of me, to hate me, to want me gone. But, you didn’t. You still wanted me around, still looked after me, still cared about me. I, haven’t had anything like that in a long time….”

The devil took a deep breath before continuing. “Somewhere along the way I went from not knowing if I could trust you, to deciding to trust you, to considering you a friend. I couldn’t help it! You’re so interesting and fun and have always been so good to me, Alastor. I’ve been, a very solitary and lonely creature for most of my life. After my actions in Eden, most other angels wanted nothing to do with me. I guess it’s only natural that after all that time alone I’d grow so attached so quickly to the first being that treated me with actual care. My feelings for you quickly became more. I didn’t want that to interfere with our friendship though! I did my best to keep that under wraps. My rut cycle made it hard for me though, I must admit. And your menstrual cycle? Also weirdly affected me. But I just wanted to return the favor of you taking care of me, so I pushed aside my personal feelings to try to do so.”

Lucifer gave a sideways glance at Alastor, who was sitting ramrod straight on his couch, speechless. So the fallen angel pressed on. “Yesterday I messed up though, and I’m really sorry about that. I’ve been so good at keeping my feelings for you separate from our friendship! But then I stupidly went into your room without knocking, and saw you - doing - that - and that sent my system into overdrive or something.” Lucifer laughed nervously, head lowering so much it almost touched the floor. “I overstepped your boundaries, I intruded on you and your space, and that obviously made you uncomfortable and mad at me, which I don’t blame you for! That’s why I ran off while you were at work yesterday. And then when I found you in the woods and you were distressed, I just wanted to calm you down. You said you wanted to kiss me, but that was probably just to appease me and keep me from running off again… you don’t have to do that, Al - I know you’re a human, you deserve someone who you can spend the rest of your life with and be normal with. I’m not that. I’m a monster, with fangs and claws and hoofed feet. You can’t have a normal life with me… which is why, I should leave.”

Alastor stared wide-eyed at Lucifer, who had finally fallen silent.

“No.” The brunet blurted out, panic rising alarmingly fast in him at the thought of Lucifer leaving.

The devil tilted his head slightly towards Alastor in confusion. “No?” He repeated.

“No.” Alastor stated again, knuckles turning white from how hard he was clenching his fists. “You’re wrong - you shouldn’t leave.” Alastor added on.

Lucifer lifted his head a bit, looking at Alastor incredulously. “Obviously I should, I’m making your life more difficult-“

“No you’re not.” Alastor said with conviction. “Just - listen to me first, before deciding something like that! You don’t speak for me, you didn’t even ask me my own thoughts or feelings in this situation!” Alastor exploded, panic turning into anger.

The fallen angel just blinked at him in surprise. “O-okay, yeah, sure, what are your thoughts and feelings?”

“I think you should stay. Because I want you to stay. God, Lucifer, I want you so badly, you don’t even know. I don’t care that you’re not human, you’re the most interesting person I’ve ever met. You’re funny, and kind, and smart - though you’re acting like an idiot right now. Don’t you get it? I feel the same way for you. I have for a while, I just didn’t think you wanted to be anything more than friends. How could you, after all? You’re a fallen angel, a being of light older than any living creature on Earth. You’re so out of my league, in so many ways! But the fact that you’re not human is not a problem for me. In fact, I think that’s one of the reasons I’m so ridiculously attracted to you… I’ve never felt this way for another human, but you, you manage to inspire these feelings in me that I’ve never had before! I don’t care if my life will never be normal, I’d rather have you than any semblance of normalcy in my life ever again.” Alastor was breathing hard, running his hands through his hair, tugging sharply at the dark brown strands. He felt like he was going to cry.

Before he knew it, Alastor was being wrapped up in a bear hug, strong arms coming around his shoulders and holding him close. For the second time in as many days Alastor found himself being pressed into Lucifer’s chest, held close as the devil rubbed his back. Lucifer had gotten up onto the couch with Alastor, pulling him into a hug. This time the brunet snaked his arms around Lucifer in return, burying his face in blond chest fur.

“It’s alright, Al. I got you.” Lucifer murmured softly. Alastor let himself stay in the fallen angel’s embrace, sniffling softly as he tried to keep himself from crying.

“I… I didn’t realize I meant so much to you.” Lucifer continued, rubbing soothing patterns down Alastor’s back. “I never thought… it never crossed my mind that you might feel the same. You, do feel the same?”

“Yes, God, you’re an idiot.” Alastor gave a watery laugh. “I like you. As more than a friend. That’s why I said I wanted to kiss you last night.”

A deep, rumbling purr started up in Lucifer’s chest, comforting and relaxing. Alastor snuggled closer into the fallen angel, feeling much better already. This, was really nice actually.

“Yes, well. I guess I am an idiot. But, I could be your idiot?” Lucifer nuzzled into the top of Alastor’s head.

With a contented sigh, Alastor nodded. “Yes, I think I’d like that.”

———

The next few days involved a lot of starting and stopping, a lot of figuring out what each other’s boundaries were going forward, a lot of re-evaluating their dynamic.

Alastor found himself almost shy around Lucifer now. Which was ridiculous - he had been living with the devil for over two months now! There was no need to skirt around Lucifer or walk on eggshells in his presence.

This period didn’t last too long though, much to Alastor’s relief. It helped that Lucifer seemed to have the opposite problem; where Alastor had gotten sort of bashful around the other, Lucifer had grown so much bolder. The fallen angel was a lot more touchy-feely now.

From literally anyone else, Alastor would have hated this. From Lucifer, he relished it.

The two of them were practically inseparable - so much more than before. Of course, Alastor still had to go to work, but whenever he was home, Lucifer was always nearby. They always had breakfast together, and spent the evenings cooking and chatting, playing games and watching movies. Lucifer had taken to crawling onto the couch with Alastor. Which made it a pretty crowded piece of furniture, the devil’s large furry body taking up the majority of the space on the cushions. But that just meant Alastor had no choice but to cuddle up with Lucifer. Oh well!

Lucifer would curl around Alastor, like a living, protective blanket, resting his large head on his hands as the brunet leaned back against his flank. More often than not Lucifer would end up purring, the rumbling in his chest a comforting vibration against Alastor’s back.

The fallen angel had also started making little comments on Alastor’s appearance. Alastor thought they were his attempts at compliments, but they were not what the brunet would have expected. Lucifer would stand on his hooves near Alastor and comment on how small Alastor was compared to the devil. Or hold up Alastor’s hand and coo over how dainty his fingers were without any claws, or how strange it was that he didn’t have any paw pads. Once Lucifer even grabbed Alastor by the chin, making his heart thump loudly in his chest as his face was brought close to Lucifer’s, eyes fluttering shut as he expected a kiss - only for the fallen angel to yank his mouth open and inspect his teeth. He had remarked on how flat and dull Alastor’s teeth were, how short and stubby his tongue was compared to Lucifer’s. Lucifer had then proceeded to jab his fingers into Alastor’s mouth to feel along his teeth and squish into his tongue.

That had been where Alastor shoved Lucifer back away from him with a spluttering cough. Lucifer had apologized for overstepping, but Alastor just waved him off.

Truthfully, he didn’t mind this behavior from the devil.

Sure, sometimes Lucifer’s excessive touchy-curiosity could be a tad annoying, but honestly? He found these comments sort of… exciting? Alastor wasn’t sure how to describe it, but they made his heartbeat pick up and his cheeks burn and pleasant tingles to shoot up his spine. He didn’t mind these comments at all.

It reminded Alastor that his… partner? Boyfriend? Being he was sort of dating? Was not human. Not human at all. Lucifer was bigger, stronger, deadlier than Alastor. He was a predator through and through, and the brunet knew predators - he was one himself, after all. It didn’t matter that Lucifer didn’t use his predator status, that didn’t change the devil’s sharp fangs and wicked claw. Didn’t minimize Lucifer’s speed and keen nose, or his impressive hearing and ability to see in the dark. Lucifer might not hunt and kill like Alastor did, but he was still a predator.

That reminder always sent a thrill through Alastor.

Days went by as the two of them adjusted to their new, tentative relationship. Though neither Alastor nor Lucifer called it a relationship. But that’s what it was, wasn’t it? Soft evenings spent together, cuddling up on the sofa, cooking food for one another, soft caresses throughout the day. They had even kissed a couple more times, chaste little things before bed or as Alastor left for work, but they never failed to make Alastor’s heart skip a beat and blood pumping.

Which brought up another thing for the brunet; his asexuality.

Alastor didn’t mind Lucifer’s touchy-feelyness. He didn’t mind it in the least. In fact, Alastor was really into it. But, he was still asexual, and on most days the idea of sex didn’t hold much interest for him. Not that he was against the idea of sex! But, he was also a virgin, and Alastor’s inexperience with all things related to the carnal bodily pleasures made him a little nervous. Especially because Lucifer was probably not a virgin, and also so, so big. In more ways than one.

Regardless, Alastor steeled himself to talk to Lucifer about his sexual orientation.

“It’s not that I don’t want sex, like, ever, but in general the act holds no real appeal to me? I’d rather just cuddle, or go on a walk together, or share a good meal. My libido is generally pretty low to non-existent, but sometimes I do get aroused… in fact, that has been happening more often ever since you moved in with me. You, sort of bring out that side of me, I guess.” Alastor scratched at the back of his neck awkwardly.

“You’re asexual, got it. That’s not a problem for me, Al. I can tell you were nervous to bring this up, and I just want to reassure you that sex is not the end-all for me. I’m used to taking care of my own arousal, really. And besides, I’m much more interested in companionship and an emotional bond over a purely physical connection.” Lucifer smiled reassuringly at Alastor from the other couch, having sat further away to give the brunet space for this difficult conversation.

It hadn’t been all that difficult, after all. “Thank you for understanding.” Alastor sighed in relief, slumping against the back of his couch. Of course Lucifer would understand; a being as old and wise as him? He’d probably seen it all, understood all the different kinds of sexualities and inclinations and such. The fallen angel was so caring and kind, he’d never break Alastor’s trust or overstep his boundaries. Not on purpose at least. Which is why Alastor had felt the need to have this conversation, so that they would be on the same page regarding physical intimacy.

“Thank you for trusting me and sharing this part of you with me. Um, should I take my physical touch down a bit? I know I can be… really handsy. If that’s too much, do let me know.” Lucifer fidgeted nervously from his couch.

Rolling his eyes, Alastor patted the space on the couch next to him. “No, of course not. I rather like your casual touches throughout the day. If it was too much for me I would have let you know, I promise. Speaking of touch - you’re too far away right now. Why don’t you get over here?”

In a flash Lucifer was off of his couch and on Alastor’s, head held a few feet above Alastor as he sat down beside him. “This better?” The devil ducked his head down, nuzzling against the side of Alastor’s cheek.

Laughing at the show of affection, Alastor gently pushed Lucifer’s face back, keeping the fallen angel’s head in his hands. He gently caressed Lucifer’s cheeks, thumbs rubbing over pink circles, smiling to himself as Lucifer’s eyes fluttered shut at the touch. Alastor leaned his own head in to gently thump their foreheads together. “Yes, this is better.”

———

It was late August now, and though the days were getting shorter, it was still summer, and Alastor intended to continue taking advantage of the hot days. Especially since it was still hunting season!

Lucifer was coming out hunting with Alastor more often than not these days, his keen nose and sharp eyes a huge boon for the brunet. Still, he didn’t want to over-rely on the devil’s senses; Alastor needed to keep his own skills sharp, especially for when he got back to hunting humans.

Which he was, in fact, preparing for. Alastor had called Rosie up the other day to see if she had any new clients for him, and she had said she did. A drug dealer who specifically targeted the weak and down on their luck was coming through for a little get away; he had had a close brush with the law and needed to stay low for a while. This little town was the perfect hideout.

Alastor couldn’t wait to take this target out.

He had spent the last few days doing research on the guy, learning his routine and pinpointing the places he frequented most. The sex club at the edge of town seemed to be one of the places this piece of shit spent the most time at. He’d be easy enough to dispose of.

Planning his human hunts took a while though, and Alastor was never one to rush the process. Besides, he had plenty of other things going on at the moment, things he had to balance on top of work.

Namely Lucifer. Not that Alastor minded of course - if it was up to him, he’d take Lucifer with him everywhere. Obviously Alastor couldn’t do that.

Still, at night after they parted ways, sometimes with a little kiss, sometimes just with a gentle hug, Alastor would lay in bed and miss being close to the fallen angel, even though said fallen angel was just a flight of steps away.

That Saturday night the two of them stayed up late watching classic Disney movies (Alastor had started taking out animated movies from the library - Lucifer seemed to really enjoy these fairy tales and silly little children’s stories). Alastor didn’t have work the next day, so he had indulged the devil when he wanted to marathon three movies in one night. It also gave Alastor the perfect excuse to stay cuddled up with Lucifer for longer into the night.

But now it was late, and the brunet was dozing off, and the movies were over. Lucifer leaned over to grab the remote and shut the old boxy television off, jostling Alastor slightly and causing him to grumble. Lucifer apologized softly, curling back around Alastor. He felt like he could just go to sleep right there and then.

“Hey, Al, you should go to bed.” The fallen angel whispered, snaking an arm around Alastor’s shoulders to gently shake him awake. Alastor furrowed his brow, turning his face into Lucifer’s fluff in disagreement.

“Nnno.” He mumbled into soft fur, fingers digging into the strands stubbornly.

A gentle laugh caused him to crack an eye open, heart skipping a beat at the fond expression gracing Lucifer’s features. “Come on Al, you’ll sleep better in your bed. Don’t want you to get a cramp in your neck or anything.” Lucifer gently tried to coax Alastor into a sitting position, giving little snuffling kisses along the side of Alastor's face as a reward when he finally complied.

“There you go. That was the hardest part! I can help you to the bathroom to brush your teeth if you’d like?”

“…least you could do.” Alastor mumbled, standing up on half-asleep legs.

Lucifer easily stood beside Alastor, catching his weight as he swayed. The devil stayed close as a grounding presence for Alastor to hold onto as he made his way to his bathroom. He prepared for bed really quickly, just brushing his teeth, removing his contacts, and washing his face. Alastor usually took a shower before bed, but he was too tired right now. Besides, he hadn’t gotten all that dirty today. He’d be fine skipping one shower.

The fallen angel helped get Alastor up the stairs, too, tucking him in like he had when the brunet was suffering from period cramps. This time Lucifer leaned in and placed a kiss to the crown of Alastor’s head before turning to head back down.

Except he didn’t.

He couldn’t head back down because Alastor had reached out and grabbed his right hand.

“Al?” Lucifer turned back curiously, red eyes glowing faintly in the dim moonlight wafting in through the window.

Alastor tugged Lucifer closer by the hand, tracing over the devil’s knuckles and pressing gently into his paw pads. “Stay?” Alastor asks sleepily, looking up at Lucifer from under thick eyelashes.

Lucifer swallowed visibly, slowly coming to stand right before Alastor. “You, you sure?”

“Yes. Please, stay.” Alastor restated firmly but softly.

“Well, then. How can I say no?” Lucifer crawled over Alastor, the brunet dropping Lucifer’s hand so that he could more easily maneuver onto the bed. Alastor scooted closer to the edge to give Lucifer some space, but squeaked in surprise when instead he was grabbed from behind and pulled into a tight embrace.

Alastor held his breath as Lucifer settled down, fully wrapped around the brunet. The devil fit in Alastor’s bed, but only just; Alastor was glad he had invested in a queen sized bed. Not because he had ever thought he’d share it with anyone, but because he had just wanted the extra space to be comfortable and spread out. Except now he did have someone to share it with, someone who this size bed wasn’t really made for. But that was alright; Lucifer made it work by curling himself up, with Alastor’s back pressed to his chest.

It was perfect.

This, this was basically what Alastor had fantasized about roughly a month ago - except it was so much better than what he had imagined. Lucifer was a comforting presence at his back, the rising and falling of his chest a soothing melody, the sleepy purr emanating from him a gentle, comforting vibration. Soft fur brushed over his arms and legs, tickling gently along his side where Alastor’s shirt had ridden up a little. The fallen angel’s breathing evened out, but the low sleepy purr continued.

He smiled to himself, heart filling with warmth and happiness, closing his eyes and letting Lucifer’s sleep sounds lull him to sleep as well.

———

They started spending the night together more often after that.

More often than not Alastor would invite Lucifer to bed with him. Almost every time the devil accepted.

Sometimes he declined though, and after the first time Alastor asked him why not in surprise he didn’t ask anymore.

Lucifer sometimes stayed downstairs to take care of… business. Sometimes he’d creep into bed with Alastor later in the night, the brunet waking to find his face planted in a furry chest or with strong arms wrapped around his waist. Usually Alastor awoke alone on these days though. He didn’t mind; he knew Lucifer was keeping his sexual needs separate from Alastor out of respect for him and not wanting to make him uncomfortable.

Alastor still wasn’t sure how - if at all - the two of them should proceed in terms of physical intimacy.

For one, Alastor was woefully inexperienced when it came to such things. And for another, there were… a lot of differences in their anatomy, which could make this difficult. So, for now at least, Alastor was perfectly fine with Lucifer doing his own thing on his own time. His own libido was still generally pretty low, though it did tend to spike a day or two after his T shot, or when he let his mind wander too far on exactly what Lucifer might be up to when he didn’t spend the night with Alastor. If his libido did spike, Alastor would take care of it by himself in the shower.

Another week passed, and the two of them had settled into a rhythm. Alastor was happy with Lucifer, and Lucifer seemed happy with him, too. Things were good between them.

That night they were curled up on the couch together, watching a movie. Not a children’s animated film, no, not this time; this time they were watching a horror movie. Alastor indulged Lucifer’s taste for the whimsical and silly and childish - they had watched many a Disney movie, the devil’s favorite so far being ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (he said the characters in that film made him think of himself and Alastor). But Lucifer also indulged Alastor, watching horror movies and thrillers with the brunet. He really didn’t mind - that time when Lucifer had gotten overwhelmed by a horror movie had apparently been from a combination of factors. Like the fact that Alastor had been on his period and smelling like blood, and then they were watching a scary film where people were getting murdered, and the fallen angel’s instincts were already screaming at him to take care of Alastor, to be a better partner (even though they weren’t, dating or whatever at the time)… basically, the film had just aggravated Lucifer’s biological instincts and pressed upon him that he had failed to protect and take care of his partner.

This time Alastor wasn’t on his period, and Lucifer and his senses where on the same page - aware that they weren’t failing the brunet in any way, so Lucifer didn’t have a problem with a horror movie. They were watching ‘The Shining,’ which Alastor had already seen many times, but was always down to see again. Lucifer was spread out on his side across the couch, Alastor sitting practically on the devil, leaning back against his chest. Lucifer had propped his lamb plush up on the back of the couch (which is where he often put the toy when they were watching movies), but this time he turned it around so that it was facing away from the TV - supposedly to keep the stuffed toy from getting scared by the movie. Which was very silly, but also very cute in Alastor’s opinion. The two of them had finished their popcorn a little while ago, Alastor even indulging in a few fingers of rye. By this point he wasn’t really paying attention to the movie anymore.

Instead, Alastor was fully immersed in Lucifer. Watching the devil watch the movie was almost more fun than the film itself. Lucifer was staring wide-eyed at the screen, making little sounds of surprise at every twist and turn in the story, ears flickering up and down. It was super cute, and it made Alastor want to rub his hands all over that big fluffy face and scritch those ears and tug on those long silky strands of fur-

“Are you even watching the movie? This was your pick, you know.” Lucifer’s voice cut through Alastor’s thoughts. He realized he had been daydreaming, spacing out while staring intently at Lucifer. The alcohol in his system probably wasn’t helping. Now the fallen angel was looking back at him with a raised eyebrow, a slightly amused expression on his face.

“Yes, well. I’ve seen this movie many times before.” Alastor waved off Lucifer’s comment, face flushing slightly, telling himself it was the whisky causing this reaction.

“Okay? You still chose this movie to watch tonight, and yet you aren’t paying attention to it. Something on your mind?” Lucifer propped himself up on one elbow slightly.

“Nope! Nothing on my mind or distracting me.” Alastor turned back to the TV, willing his face not to heat up anymore than it already had.

“Come on Al. I know you, you’re hiding something. You can tell me! What were you thinking about?” Lucifer sat up further, jostling Alastor a bit. The brunet grumbled at having his warm backrest moved.

“Excuse me, you’re pushing me off the couch! Lie back down so that I can continue leaning against you. Please.”

“Only if you tell me what was on your mind!”

“Lie down first and I’ll tell you.”

“Fine. I’m lying down again. Happy?”

“Yes, quite.”

Silence fell between the two of them as Wendy on screen discovered the typewriter with all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy repeated over and over again.

“So… you gonna tell me what you were thinking about now?” Lucifer looked back over at Alastor from where he was lying on his side once more, pressed up against the back of the couch with Alastor leaning against him.

With a deep sigh, Alastor shrugged halfheartedly. He might as well tell Lucifer. “I suppose I did say I would. I was just thinking about… petting you.”

“Oh? You know you can pet me anytime. I don’t mind.” Lucifer beamed at Alastor, tail giving a happy flick. He was much too pleased by this admission.

“Yeah, well, I don’t want you to feel like a pet dog or something! But I do want to pet you, to rub my hands through your hair, to feel your horns, see how different your paw pads are from my palms…” he trailed off, embarrassed, focusing on the TV once more.

“I absolutely do not feel like a pet dog in this situation. Even if I do sleep in a dog bed. Besides, I like to pet you and compare how different you are to me all the time. You’re more than welcome to do the same, Al.”

“Are you, sure?” Alastor asked hesitantly, turning back to Lucifer.

“More than. In fact-“ Lucifer shifted on the couch, stretching out more fully and ending up partially on his back, taking up practically the whole seat cushion this way - almost pushing Alastor fully off. Alastor gave a disgruntled yelp at almost falling off the couch, but Lucifer caught him, steadying the brunet by pulling him against the fallen angel’s chest. “There. Now you have easy access to pet me as much as you like!”

Alastor just stayed where he was for a moment, heart hammering in his rib cage as his face heated exponentially. He kept his face hidden in the blond chest fur his face had found itself in, taking deep breaths to try to calm down. The overwhelming scent of apple blossoms and honey filled his nose. This was fine, this was fine! He had wanted to pet Lucifer anyway! Alastor just hadn’t expected it to go like this, or to find himself face-first in Lucifer’s fur and with a nose full of what was essentially candied apple perfume. The fact that he was lightly tipsy wasn’t helping Alastor at the moment.

“Uh, Al? You alright there?” Lucifer’s voice sounded a little concerned at Alastor’s lack of movement.

“Yup! I’m fine!” Alastor popped his head up, deciding he was indeed fine enough.

“Okay, good. Well, go ahead! Pet away!” Lucifer grinned goofily up at Alastor, ears fluttering adorably.

“Yeah, yeah, okay.” Alastor sucked in a shaky breath, pulling his legs under him and settling against Lucifer more comfortably. He was leaning into the fallen angel’s middle, the gentle rise and fall of Lucifer’s chest at his side strangely comforting. Swallowing thickly, Alastor slowly brought his hands to the thick golden yellow fur in front of him.

He had just barely skimmed his fingers through the fur when Lucifer shivered, grabbing his wrists suddenly. The fallen angel’s left hand snatched both of Alastor’s wrists, and though he was gentle, Alastor’s breath hitched at how easily Lucifer could wrap his fingers around both of his wrists at once.

“Sorry! Reflex - that tickled.” The devil smiled sheepishly, releasing Alastor’s arms.

Quickly Alastor grabbed Lucifer’s hand in turn, pulling it closer to his chest. “Don’t worry about it.” He murmured, inspecting Lucifer’s hand. The fur along his fingers was so short and fine, tiny, slightly off-white hairs covering a pale, pinkish-yellow skin. And the paw pads he found there were golden, pretty little jelly beans adorning the pads of Lucifer’s fingers and spread out across his palm. Alastor gently pressed into a paw pad, delighted at the slight give, the velvety feel of the thicker flesh here. Slowly the brunet traced a fingertip over a wickedly sharp pink claw, toying with the tip. He was having a lot more fun than he had thought he would - though maybe the alcohol in his system was playing a part in that.

As Alastor was teasing along the sharp claw, it all at once disappeared. In fact, all the claws were just, gone. Alastor blinked rapidly, not understanding.

“Oh, yeah, my claws are retractable. Have I not mentioned that?” Lucifer gave Alastor a smug little smile, wiggling his fingers in his grip and letting his claws out once more.

“No, you haven’t mentioned that. Would have been good information to know, thank you very much!” Alastor grouched, a little annoyed at Lucifer for not sharing this earlier. Though that made sense as to how the devil never tore any of his books or scratched his vinyls, he supposed.

“Your hands are so different.” Alastor held up Lucifer’s hand next to his, comparing their contrasting colors and shapes and sizes. Lucifer’s large, white furred one, against his smaller, darker skinned one. The fallen angel’s hand could easily envelope Alastor’s. “Strange how you only have four fingers though, instead of five.” Alastor pressed his palm to Lucifer’s, lining their hands up - though it wasn’t perfect considering Lucifer’s lack of a fifth finger. But even without that digit the devil’s hand was much bigger than Alastor’s.

“Honestly I find your five fingers weird. Is four really not enough? I can do all the same stuff you can with my hands. I think an extra digit would just get in the way for me.” Lucifer curled his fingers over Alastor’s, claws retracted so as not to scratch him.

“Oh, hey, what’s this?” Alastor had caught sight of the marking on the back of Lucifer’s left hand again. He had been meaning to ask about it for ages, but always forgot about it until he wasn’t around Lucifer. Now seemed like a good time to ask about it once and for all.

“That? That’s a scar.” Lucifer let Alastor turn his hand over, bringing the back of it closer to his face for inspection. Two jagged, light pink lines intersecting into an ‘X’ shape decorated the skin there.

“What happened? If - if you don’t mind me asking.” Alastor traced over the scar gently, feeling the edge of the rough skin where the fine fur of Lucifer’s hands hadn’t grown back.

“Eh. It’s from when I was kicked out of Heaven. Same as the scars on my back. Most, if not all of my scars come from that. They attacked me with angelic steel, the only metal that could actually kill me. The only metal that would leave scars on my body, even after my healing powers had done their job.”

“Luci… I’m so sorry. They were fools to kick you out and treat you like that.” Alastor hated that Lucifer had suffered so much at the hands of Heaven, hated that his wings had been stolen from him, that he had been scarred for life - physically and mentally - and kicked out of his home.

“Hey, it’s alright. If those fools hadn’t kicked me out, I wouldn’t have met you now, would I?” Lucifer gently squeezed Alastor’s fingers in his grip.

“I suppose you’re right. Still, I hate that they hurt you. If I could make them pay for the way they treated you, I would. I would make every last wretched angel who ever laid a hand on you, or spoke ill of you, or treated you poorly, suffer.” The brunet brought Lucifer’s hand up to his lips, placing a reverent kiss against the scar. Alastor kept his eyes locked with Lucifer as he did, needing the devil to see how deadly serious he was about his words.

Lucifer exhaled slowly, light golden blush dusting his cheeks. “Ha. You really know how to threaten a guy's whole family on his behalf. As much as I enjoy this protective streak of yours, please don’t ever try to go up against Heaven - that would be a very bad idea.”

“No promises.” Alastor smirked, releasing Lucifer’s hand. He had explored it pretty thoroughly at this point.

Scooting further along the couch to be closer to Lucifer’s head, Alastor dug his fingers into the fallen angel’s luxurious neck floof. And luxurious it was.

The yellow-blond fur here was longer and thicker, curling over and around Lucifer’s neck and up the back of his head, as well as extending into a cascading waterfall of fluff down the devil’s chest. Alastor gave a satisfied hum at the feeling of the silky strands, moving his hands further up to Lucifer’s face. A deep rumbling purr had started up in Lucifer, a content smile playing over the being’s lips.

“Enjoying the petting?” The corner of Alastor’s lip quirked up.

“Very.” Lucifer sighed happily, practically melting into the couch.

Giggling to himself, Alastor continued his explorations. He had pet Lucifer’s face before, but he took his time to rub circles over the pink markings on the fallen angel’s cheeks and rub his fingers over the warm, incredibly soft snout. Lucifer’s nose twitched at the touch, little puffs of warm breath flitting across Alastor’s hands.

“My turn to inspect your mouth.” Alastor announced, grabbing the large maw before him and prying it open. Lucifer gave a bleat of surprise, stiffening for a moment as Alastor yanked his mouth open. The devil narrowed his eyes up at him, but otherwise let him proceed.

Alastor’s heart had started thumping hard in his chest; he had acted rashly, grabbing Lucifer like that. And grabbing his mouth no less - where the fallen angel’s razor sharp teeth lived. And now Alastor was face to face with said teeth.

They were really pretty.

Pearly white and glistening faintly from saliva, Lucifer’s teeth glinted up at Alastor invitingly. He couldn’t help but admire their pointedness, the way each fang was delicately curved, how Lucifer’s biggest teeth were as long as his pointer finger. Almost as if in a trance Alastor carefully ran a digit over Lucifer’s canines, wondering how hard he would have to press to nick himself on one.

Gentle hands wrapped around his wrists, pulling them back. “That’s enough of that now. I let you stick your hands in my mouth only because I stuck mine in yours the other day, okay? Seemed only fair. But I don’t want to accidentally bite you or anything.” The fallen angel’s serpentine forked tongue licked over his teeth, absentmindedly feeling along the fang that Alastor had just been touching.

“Yeah, alright. Can I continue?” Alastor wriggled his fingers in Lucifer’s grasp, itching to continue petting the devil, discover more about him, learn everything he could about Lucifer.

“Sure, Al.” Lucifer chuckled fondly, releasing his wrists once more.

Somewhere on the TV, Danny was running through a snow covered maze to try to hide from Jack.

In Alastor’s living room, the brunet continued to devoutly caress Lucifer.

Next he gently stroked one of Lucifer’s cute little goat ears, causing it to flicker wildly at the touch. Lucifer scrunched up his nose, commenting that it felt weird and apologizing for the erratic movement. Alastor told him it was fine. After a moment he tried again, finding that if he started at the base of the ear and worked his way up the flicking was kept to a minimum. Lucifer’s ears liked to have a warning it seemed. Lucifer himself seemed to really enjoy scritches right behind his ear, if the deepening of his purr was anything to go by.

Alastor almost worshipfully traced the little triangles of gold surrounding Lucifer’s eyes. The fallen angel fluttered his eyes closed for this, nose twitching as Alastor slowly ran his fingers over the star-like points. He then leaned down and left feather-light kisses over Lucifer’s eyelids, to which the devil responded to with a happy little chirp.

He then stole a quick kiss from Lucifer’s lips, the fallen angel blinking up at him tenderly, eyes full of warmth and affection.

Delicately Alastor trailed his fingertips over Lucifer’s golden horns, feeling the slight ridged texture of the hard keratin. He gently scratched a nail along a curved split of Lucifer’s horn, before moving to run his hands through the fallen angel’s tuft of blond hair-like fur. Alastor gave a pleased hum as Lucifer’s eyes fluttered shut appreciatively, leaning into the touch.

Smiling to himself, Alastor moved back down to Lucifer’s chest fur. He hadn’t petted that enough yet! He pushed his hands through white fur and into blond, fingers teasing along the edge of where one fur color changed into the other. Alastor brought both hands to Lucifer’s chest, eagerly tangling his fingers in the silky strands there, scratching across the devil’s collarbone and down his pectorals, tugging at the longer fur gently. He was having so much fun, reveling in the soft feel of Lucifer’s fur, in the gentle rise and fall of his chest, in the delightful purring-

The purring suddenly cut off, Lucifer stiffening under Alastor’s hands. He glanced up in mild concern, finding Lucifer staring resolutely up at the ceiling with wide eyes, a light blush on his face.

“Uh, Luci? You alright? I didn’t hurt you or anything, did I? If I was pulling too hard on your fur I can tone it down-“

“No! No, you didn’t hurt me. I’m just, uh, sorry.” Lucifer suddenly propped himself up on his elbows, trying to turn over onto his front. This almost knocked Alastor off the couch, the brunet reaching out to steady himself against Lucifer. Which is when his eyes traveled further down the devil’s body.

Oh.

Oh.

Between Lucifer’s legs, peaking out from the slight swell of his sheath, was the golden tip of Lucifer’s dick.

The fallen angel managed to turn fully onto his side, pressing his thighs together and using his tail to try to cover himself up further.

“I’m sooo sorry, I didn’t mean to- it wasn’t my intention- I just got lost in the sensation of you petting me I guess- you should probably not touch me right now.” Lucifer’s face was now bright gold, and he quickly brought his hands up to cover his eyes. The devil was clearly mortified over getting aroused from this.

“It’s alright, no need to be embarrassed about this. I can sit on the other couch while you calm down a bit, okay?” Alastor got off the couch they had been sharing, moving to sit at the other one. He stayed close to Lucifer though, sitting on the side that was nearest to the fallen angel’s head.

Lucifer whimpered, curling in on himself fully now that Alastor wasn’t in the way, hiding his shame more effectively with his body. Alastor sat quietly on the other couch, not sure what to do.

Truthfully, he had no problem with Lucifer getting turned on right now. In fact, Alastor found it kind of hot. But he didn’t want to make Lucifer uncomfortable, and the fallen angel was clearly very self-conscious about his body reacting this way to some light petting. A little bubble of pride grew inside Alastor; he had done that? He had turned Lucifer on with just a little bit of petting and light caressing? Alastor bit his lip to try to stop himself from breaking into a wide grin. He, a mere human, could get a being such as Lucifer going so easily?

He was definitely letting that go to his head.

The sound of TV static filled the room, the movie having ended a little while ago. Alastor stayed lost in his head for a bit, weirdly proud of himself for turning the devil on right now.

After a few minutes Lucifer slowly uncurled on his couch, pushing himself into a sitting position. His head was hung low, and he gave Alastor a bashful look. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be.” Alastor wanted to say more, but wasn’t sure what to say exactly. He was woefully inexperienced when it came to this kind of thing.

“It’s late, you should probably get ready for bed.” Lucifer sat up a little straighter, and Alastor’s gaze automatically flickered down the fallen angel’s body. There was just the swell of his sheath there, dick hidden once more from sight.

Face flushing slightly, Alastor quickly turned away, getting off the other couch. “Yes, right. Will do that now.”

He brushed his teeth and took out his contacts, hopping in the shower to quickly wash up before bed.

Once toweled off and in his pajamas, wrapped up in his bathrobe, Alastor stood by the foot of the stairs leading up to his room. “You coming?”

“N-no, I think I’m spending the night down here.” Lucifer gave a sheepish smile. Ah. That implied…

Alastor wondered what would happen if he offered to help Lucifer out with his arousal. What if he just walked back over to the fallen angel and started touching him again, exploring further down, teasing the edge of his sheath, coaxing his cock back out-

“Well, goodnight then Al.” Lucifer walked around in tight little circles around his dog bed, before flopping down into it. He then jumped back up to grab his lamb plush from where he had left it on the back of the couch, settling down with his stuffed toy on the dog bed once more.

“Y-yes, right, goodnight.” Alastor turned and headed up the stairs, chickening out on the thoughts he had been having a second ago.

In bed, Alastor tried very hard not to think about what Lucifer may or may not be up to downstairs. He should have invited Lucifer up with him anyway, told him he didn’t mind that the devil had gotten aroused, that in fact he had liked it and wouldn’t mind continuing, seeing where things went.

The brunet sighed, resigned. It was too late this time, but next time - next time Alastor was going to show Lucifer that the fallen angel had a similar effect on him. Just because he didn’t have any experience with physical intimacy didn’t mean he didn’t want it! And fuck, did Alastor want that with Lucifer.

He just didn’t know where to start.

Chapter Text

Another week went by, Alastor and Lucifer getting closer every day. It was now early September, and though it was still hot and summery out, Alastor knew the seasons would be changing soon. Thankfully hunting season was still ongoing for a while longer.

Speaking of hunting - Alastor had finally gone after the target Rosie gave him. Sometimes the brunet liked to drag these things out, play with his food so to speak. But with Lucifer around, Alastor just wanted to get this hunt done as quickly and efficiently as possible so as to be able to spend the least amount of time away from the fallen angel. Lucifer did offer to help Alastor take out the piece of shit he was hunting, but Alastor declined; this was his hunt.

Alastor ended up with two for the price of one! Which wasn’t even a challenge. The man Alastor was hunting stumbled out late from the sex club downtown one Friday night, with one of his drug dealing friends. Apparently one of his ‘coworkers’ had come up to visit him! Alastor had done his research on his target and knew who he worked with, immediately recognized the newcomer as one of his target’s accomplices.

Which worked out perfectly for Alastor. He knew where his target was staying, a sketchy little hotel on the outskirts of town, and intercepted him and his friend as they were walking back, striking up a friendly conversation with them. He charmed them easily, and the two drug dealers offered Alastor their services.

He smiled and accepted, telling the two men his home wasn’t too far away and offering for them to come over. The men were wasted from their time at the club, and obviously thought the two of them could take Alastor without a problem.

Boy were they wrong.

The brunet led them deeper and deeper into the woods, until he deemed they were far enough away from town. And then he turned on them, retrieving the pistol that was tucked into the waistband of his pants, and shot them.

The two men didn’t even have time to scream.

Alastor then got his truck, which he had parked not too far away, loading up his kills into the bed and covering them with a tarp.

Rosie would be very pleased to have a whole kill for herself. They usually split Alastor’s victims between the two of them, after all. She had connections with people at the hotel, too - Alastor would be able to return the keycard he found on the man’s body, and she would be able to give it to her friend who worked there, telling her the man had checked out early and in a rush and had left a few things behind. This ‘friend’ of Rosie’s knew better than to question her.

He kept Lucifer out of the basement while he gutted and prepped the meat for himself and Rosie. Alastor would deliver that to her early in the morning before work the next day.

The thrill of the kill - and getting two birds with one stone - left Alastor in a very good mood! So the next day (after dropping off Rosie’s meat and after returning from work ) the brunet offered to stay up late and play as many games as Lucifer wanted. The devil was more than happy to take advantage of this.

The two of them played checkers, tic-tac-toe, charades, and ended up with a long and chaotic game of monopoly (Lucifer did not get the rules of the game). By the time they went to bed it was well past midnight, and considering that Alastor had stayed up late the night before to complete his hunt and had still gone to work the brunet was exhausted.

Alastor was more than happy to fall into bed with his fallen angel, snuggled up against fluffy blond fur, held in warm powerful arms.

———

Muted sunlight fell across Alastor’s face, slowly rousing him from his sleep. He groaned, squeezing his eyes shut tightly; at least it was Sunday, he didn’t have work today. Still, Alastor was exhausted. Maybe he could fall back asleep, get a little more rest.

He snuggled back into Lucifer, the devil spooning Alastor, much larger body curled around the brunet’s smaller form. Alastor smiled to himself sleepily, enjoying the warmth radiating from Lucifer’s chest pressed into his back, the comforting weight of the arm slung over his side, the soft sounds of the fallen angel breathing. He didn’t even need to use a blanket when Lucifer slept in his bed with him; the devil was his blanket. Alastor could stay like this forever.

Alastor drifted in and out of sleep for a little, until Lucifer shifted in his sleep, pulling Alastor closer into his chest with a snuffling sound. He bit his lip to keep himself from giggling, not wanting to disturb Lucifer’s slumber yet. Alastor sleepily pressed himself back against Lucifer in return, back of his body flush against the devil.

Which is when Alastor registered something hard poking into the back of his thigh.

Suddenly very awake, Alastor froze, holding his breath. Was that…?

Lucifer shifted again, hips moving forward a bit. Alastor’s eyes widened as he felt a hard length drag against the back of his thigh.

Oh… Lucifer was hard. He was definitely hard. The fallen angel had morning wood.

Letting out a shaky breath, Alastor slowly tried to shift around to get a look at it. The only time he had seen Lucifer’s cock was when he had walked in on the devil masturbating, and he had walked out immediately after that without really getting a good look at it. Last week when Lucifer got turned on by Alastor’s petting didn’t count - he had only seen the golden tip that time! And, well, Alastor was curious about it.

Heart pounding in his chest, Alastor attempted to shift up a little, craning his neck around. No luck - Lucifer’s sheer size and amount of fur were in the way… he’d have to turn more.

Suddenly Alastor found himself fully on his side again, head tucked under Lucifer’s chin. His breath hitched as he realized Lucifer was waking up, the hand slung over his side having moved up and pulled the brunet back down. A low rumbling came from Lucifer, sounds of the fallen angel waking as he nuzzled into the hair at the top of Alastor’s head.

“Mmmorning.” Lucifer slurred, voice thick and gravely with sleep.

“Mhm.” Alastor responded, not sure he could trust his voice at the moment.

Lucifer continued to nuzzle into Alastor affectionately for a moment, until he wasn’t. The devil had suddenly stopped, going deathly still.

The next moment he was shoving Alastor away from him and scrambling back on the bed. The brunet almost fell off the mattress, but managed to catch himself.

“Oh- shit- sorry-!” Lucifer floundered, flustered and embarrassed.

Alastor took this opportunity to roll over to be able to face Lucifer. The fallen angel was pressed up against the wall, face a bright shade of gold. His hands were between his legs, covering himself up even as his knees came up to his chest. Lucifer’s tail wrapped around himself as an extra barrier.

“I- I didn’t mean to- I’m sorry this happened.” Lucifer cowered, head tucked into his chest as his ears plastered themselves down the sides of his face.

“Don’t be.” Alastor sat up slowly, moving cautiously as if dealing with a wild animal he didn’t want to spook. Which, in a way he was.

“But- I… I was uh, poking you in my sleep, and that couldn’t have been very comfortable, and I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable ever-“

“Lucifer, stop it.” Alastor interrupted, tone gentle but firm. “Bodies do these things sometimes. It’s fine. I don’t mind.”

“Okay, like, that’s nice and all of you to say? But still, I never want to put you in an awkward position like this or make you uneasy - you’re asexual, I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable or push your boundaries!” Lucifer cringed at himself, clearly mortified by his own arousal.

Carefully Alastor scooted closer to Lucifer. “You don’t make me uncomfortable or uneasy, Lucifer. In fact, quite the opposite! Yes, I’m asexual, but I’m not sex repulsed. You bring out a side of me I never knew existed before… and besides, I like you. All of you. Including when you get turned on from me literally just petting you, or wake up with morning wood.”

“…you’re just saying that.” Lucifer pouted up at the brunet through thick lashes, though his ears did perk up a bit.

“No, I’m not just saying that. I mean it! In fact… I’m curious about what you have going on down there.” Alastor did a meaningful little head jerk towards Lucifer’s crotch.

“You, wanna see my dick?” Lucifer’s face somehow flushed an even darker shade of gold. Alastor found it delightful.

“Yes, I suppose that is what I’m asking.” Alastor felt a little thrill go through him; he really wanted to get a good look at Lucifer’s member. He only had his half-second glance from before, but what he had seen then had left him wanting more.

“Um, I guess I can let you see it… it’s not like I can get any more embarrassed, right?” The devil chuckled nervously.

Alastor sat up straighter, heart thumping steadily in his chest. He didn’t want to let the other see how excited he was about this, how badly he wanted to see all of Lucifer. But it was Alastor’s fault the fallen angel was aroused, right? Didn’t he deserve to get a good look?

Gingerly Lucifer uncurled his tail from over himself, hesitantly lifting his hands out of the way before letting his legs fall open.

The brunet couldn’t help the little gasp that escaped him, or the way his heart jumped into his throat. His eyes locked onto the sight between Lucifer’s thighs.

And what a sight it was.

Maybe it was because Alastor was closer this time, but Lucifer’s cock seemed bigger than he remembered it. It was thick, and long, curving slightly inwards towards the devil’s abdomen. The head was golden the way Alastor remembered, the gold fading to pink halfway along the shaft. Lucifer’s cock twitched under Alastor’s scrutiny, and he realized he had been leaning in closer and closer.

Glancing back up at Lucifer’s face, he found the fallen angel worrying at his bottom lip, light golden blush lighting up his whole face as he watched Alastor take him in fully.

“Sorry for staring, didn’t mean to be rude.” Alastor felt his own cheeks darken, running a hand through his hair. “You’re just, you’re beautiful.”

“Whu- me? Beautiful? You’re one to talk.” Lucifer brought a hand up to his face, bashfully shielding his eyes from Alastor.

“No, really, you are. Every inch of you is gorgeous… you’re the most beautiful being I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

A low whine escaped Lucifer, ears fluttering adorably. “Stooop you’re just saying that because I’m lying here with my dick out and you don’t want me to feel mortified.”

“I mean it Luci! And not just because you’re lying here with your dick out. You have a really pretty dick, too, though.” Alastor chuckled, eyes roaming back down Lucifer’s body to said pretty dick.

A little bead of precum had appeared at the tip. The pretty, tapered, upside-down heart shaped head of Lucifer’s lovely hard cock… Alastor wanted to touch it. He had never wanted to touch someone else’s genitalia so badly before.

“Can I, can I touch it?” Alastor asked tentatively, sitting back with his knees folded under him.

The fallen angel made a strangled sound, horizontal pupil in a sea of red peeking out from between his fingers. “I- yeah? I, I suppose so- if you want to?”

“I do.” Is all Alastor said before scooting closer, settling down besides Lucifer’s thighs. The devil shifted fully onto his back as well, propping himself up on his elbows to get a better view of whatever Alastor was up to.

Which, he had no idea what he was up to.

All Alastor knew was that he liked Lucifer, liked petting him and touching him, and that he inspired feelings of arousal for the fallen angel - and vice versa. Though, right now Alastor wasn’t aroused; he was just curious.

Cautiously Alastor brought a hand up right above Lucifer’s cock, letting it hover there. The devil’s shaft bobbed slightly below, gold and pink like a sunset. Swallowing thickly, Alastor slowly let his fingers brush against the head.

It was slightly sticky and moist from precum, but not unpleasantly so. Hard, but with a fleshy give to it. And warm, oh so warm. Alastor let his fingers trail down the shaft slowly, marveling at how smooth it was, the slight texture given to it by darker gold and pink veins. And it was big; Lucifer’s dick was easily as long as Alastor’s forearm, and definitely thicker, thinner at the top and thickening the further down it went. Experimentally Alastor tried wrapping his fingers around Lucifer’s cock at the spot where gold faded to pink, a small thrill going through him when he found his fingers couldn’t touch around it. From this close, Alastor realized he could smell the scent of cinnamon and caramelized apples coming from Lucifer. Lucifer usually smelled sweet, like honey and apples, but this was much stronger, much sweeter.

A muffled moan came from above, Alastor glancing up at the sound. Lucifer was still propped up on one elbow, but the knuckles of his other hand were in his mouth. The fallen angel was breathing hard, pupils blown wide.

Pride coursed through Alastor’s veins, warm and tingly, making him puff his chest out. He was so, so pleased at how easily he could turn Lucifer on, how much the devil craved his touch alone. Alastor didn’t even know what he was doing really, unsure and inexperienced as he was, but the reactions he was getting from Lucifer spurred him on.

“You doing alright, Luci?” Alastor checked in with the fallen angel, fingertips teasing along the side of the pink and gold cock, tracing along the veins he found there. He let his pointer finger swipe over the head, smearing the precum that was gathering at the slit.

Stuttered breathing and hips jerking at his touch told Alastor that had felt good. Lucifer wrenched his knuckles out of his mouth with a slight gasp, a little bit of drool escaping from the corner of his mouth. “Y-yes, I’m doing alright. You?”

“I’m doing fine! Enjoying your reactions to my touch. Want me to continue?” Alastor wrapped his fingers around Lucifer’s cock again, fingertips just barely making a closed circle right below the head, where the shaft was narrowest.

“Yeah, i-if you wanna continue.” Lucifer breathed, muscles of his abdomen contracting.

“I’m having fun, so I think I will.” Alastor grinned up at Lucifer, heart rate quickening. He had never done anything like this before, and though he was a virgin he wasn’t completely innocent. Alastor was sure he could give Lucifer a decent handjob.

Clumsily Alastor began moving his hand up and down Lucifer’s dick, fingers encircling the shaft as best they could, spreading further apart the further down they moved. Lucifer fell backwards onto the bed fully, no longer propped up on his elbows as he panted heavily, little whines and moans escaping the devil. One long leg was sticking out over the side of the bed, the other bent in half, hoof firmly planted in the sheets. Lucifer’s sounds encouraged Alastor to continue, swiping his thumb over the head of his cock to gather up the pre leaking at his slit, making the slide of Alastor’s hand even smoother.

As he worked, Alastor watched Lucifer, the way the fallen angel’s eyes fluttered shut, his fingers (claws retracted) tangling in the sheets and in his neck fur, the way his hips jerked minisculely whenever Alastor swiped over the head of his cock. Lucifer was clearly trying to keep himself still for Alastor. How sweet.

“You don’t have to stay perfectly still, Luci. I want to hear your sounds of pleasure, see the way my touch affects your body. Let me see.” Alastor murmured softly, getting more confident with his movements. His hand found a steady rhythm, the generous amount of precum leaking from Lucifer’s dick making the slide much easier.

“Ah-ha, just - don’t wanna overwhelm you.” Lucifer groaned, biting his bottom lip.

“I’m sure I’ll be fine. Come on, show me how good you feel.” Alastor squeezed Lucifer’s cock gently, feeling out of his element and yet so enraptured by the devil’s reactions.

“F-fuck, okay, okay.” Lucifer moaned, serpentine tongue lolling out of his mouth as he canted his hips up into Alastor’s fist. A rush of exhilaration went through the brunet, singing with glee at being able to see such a magnificent being lost to pleasure in such a way - and all because of him. Alastor was the one bringing Lucifer such feelings of bliss, no one else.

Despite his lack of experience, despite his usual lack of interest in such carnal pleasures, Alastor thought he could watch Lucifer in the throes of passion and never get tired of it.

His hand started to find some resistance lower down on Lucifer’s dick, and his movements slowed as Alastor dragged his eyes away from Lucifer’s delightfully disheveled and flushed face down to his crotch. There, at the base of Lucifer’s dick, the skin seemed to… swelling?

“What’s this?” Alastor traced his fingers over the growing bulge, curious.

“Ha, that’s um, that’s my knot. Don’t worry about it.” Lucifer panted lightly, taking the respite from Alastor jerking him off to catch his breath.

“You have a knot? How interesting…” Alastor’s eyes widened at the information, and he experimentally pressed down against the swelling knot. Immediately Lucifer’s hips rocked up into the touch, a high pitched whine escaping him. Very interesting indeed.

“Lovely.” Alastor whispered to himself. He took a moment to gently run his fingers over Lucifer’s knot, and slowly trace along the veins on his cock. The fallen angel was so hard, it was probably bordering on painful. But Alastor wasn’t done with his explorations yet.

He brought his slick-free hand up to run a finger along the white stripe of fur on Lucifer’s balls, biting his lip to stop a wide grin from splitting his face at the devil’s shuddering groan at this touch. Alastor had wanted to trace that cute little stripe of white in the sea of blond for a while now, and this was finally his chance.

“You are gorgeous, Luci. The most beautiful being in all of creation. Every little part of you is a wonder, and I am so privileged to be able to witness and touch you like this.” The brunet’s voice came out rough, more vulnerable and filled with emotion than he had intended.

A huffed laugh reached his ears, and he glanced back up at Lucifer’s face. The devil smiled lopsidedly at him, eyes swimming with affection. “The privilege is all mine.”

Alastor couldn’t stop himself from preening at Lucifer’s words, grinning widely. Lucifer had gotten that right; Alastor didn’t go around giving handjobs to just anyone. This was a privilege indeed - a privilege for the both of them.

Turning back to his current task, Alastor continued to fondle Lucifer’s incredibly fluffy balls with his left hand, his right moving back up to continue stroking that thick cock. Lucifer sighed at the renewed attention to his leaking member, back arching slightly as Alastor resumed his earlier pace, using every little thing he had learned so far to his advantage. Lucifer seemed to like it when he tightened his grip on the downstroke, and when Alastor swiped his thumb over his head. Alastor was now also gently massaging his sack, and the sounds Lucifer was producing as a result were like music to his ears.

Determined to bring Lucifer to completion, Alastor focused fully on the task at hand. Or in his hands, in this case. Lucifer was undulating his hips now, not fully letting himself go but not stopping his body’s movements in reaction to Alastor’s touch. Good, good.

The slick sounds of Lucifer’s dick in his fist filled the air, speeding up incrementally, accompanied by the fallen angel’s heavy breathing and whorish moans. He must be close.

As if in response to Alastor’s thought, Lucifer managed to stutter out, “S-so close.” Between panted breaths, hips bucking more forcefully into Alastor’s hand. The brunet bit his lip, redoubling his efforts to get Lucifer off. He wanted to see the devil come undone by his hands.

His left hand joined his right on Lucifer’s cock, working together to bring the fallen angel to his peak. With each downward stroke Alastor made sure to press back on his knot, noticing the way Lucifer’s cock twitched every time he did that.

“You’re doing so well Luci, come on now, let go. You can do it.” Alastor encouraged him, heart hammering in his chest as excitement zipped up his spine. He was going to see Lucifer come, and it was going to be all thanks to him.

The verbal encouragement seemed to be all that Lucifer needed. With a loud keen the fallen angel’s body locked up, dick pulsing in Alastor’s hands as it shot ropes of pearly white cum high into the air. The brunet watched, mesmerized, continuing to work Lucifer through his orgasm, but keeping one hand firmly pressed back on Lucifer’s knot as his other flew up and down his dick, milking the devil of everything he could give. Spurt after spurt of cum shot from the tip, a strong scent of caramelized apples accompanying.

“Ha-shit.” Lucifer’s back arched sharply off the bed, his seed landing in messy globs along the fur of his abdomen and streaking over his chest. His cock gave one last twitch, one last spurt of cum, and then went still. Lucifer collapsed back onto the bed, spent, as Alastor slowly removed his hands from the fallen angel’s dick.

“You alright?” Alastor tentatively asked. Lucifer was breathing hard, knot rapidly deflating and cock beginning to soften, retreating back into his sheath.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine, just need to catch my breath. You?”

“I’m okay. More than okay, actually - that really was something, Luci. Thank you for letting me do that.” Alastor smiled shyly at the devil, suddenly bashful at the lascivious activity they had just been up to.

Lucifer barked out a laugh, gazing fondly at Alastor. “Why are you thanking me? I should be thanking you. Especially since you didn’t get anything out of that interaction.”

“Oh, I got plenty out of it, thank you very much!” Alastor scooted to the edge of his bed, grabbing some tissues to wipe his hands off. He definitely needed to wash them, but right now this would do.

“Yeah? Well in that case, maybe we could, I don’t know… do this sort of thing again sometime?” Lucifer propped himself up on an elbow, scratching at his neck awkwardly as a light blush rose to his cheeks. Even after getting jerked off by Alastor, Lucifer seemed nervous about pushing the brunet when it came to physical intimacy. Which, if he was honest, Alastor appreciated - and found immensely endearing.

“I think I’d be amenable to that.” Whatever shyness Alastor had been feeling as well melted in the face of Lucifer’s own bashfulness. It was sweet how much the devil cared about his personal preferences, how Lucifer wanted to make sure Alastor never felt forced or coerced into anything he didn’t want to do.

Alastor scooted back to Lucifer’s side, bringing the tissue box with him. He began to wipe the worst of the cum off of Lucifer’s fur, though the fallen angel would probably need a bath to get the sticky stuff out fully.

“Well, that’s good to hear.” Lucifer gave a rumbling purr, sitting up further to be able to caress the side of Alastor’s face with a massive hand. Alastor hummed in agreement, not wanting to interrupt his work at the moment.

Once he deemed Lucifer clean enough, Alastor threw the dirty tissues and the tissue box off his bed. Immediately Lucifer wrapped the brunet up in a hug, pulling him back down into the bed as he fell backwards onto the mattress again.

He let out a squeak of surprise at suddenly being engulfed by fluff and strong arms, but it quickly morphed into a giggle, Alastor allowing the ambush of affection. Lucifer was purring loudly now, nuzzling into Alastor’s hair happily. Alastor returned the embrace easily, fingers digging into soft fur.

Whatever he had going on with Lucifer - a relationship, a partnership, a mutual arrangement between an ancient being of power and a mortal - Alastor was more than happy to see where things went. He was happy with the devil, and the devil seemed happy with him.

———

After that, Alastor and Lucifer’s ‘relationship’ shifted. While Lucifer had already gotten a lot more touchy-feely, he became even more forward when it came to physical affection. He still respected Alastor whenever the brunet declined, but overall Alastor rather liked having the fallen angel’s complete and undivided attention, including physically. Though, aside from the handjob Alastor gave Lucifer the week prior, they hadn’t done any more sexual exploration.

That wasn’t to say they kept their hands to themselves.

Cuddling was a daily given, and make-outs on the couch after dinner were more common than not. Alastor found that he rather enjoyed French kissing; the feeling of Lucifer’s long, forked tongue in his mouth, wrapping around his own tongue, exploring every nook and cranny of his mouth… it was delightful.

In turn, Alastor rather enjoyed having his hands on Lucifer, petting and tugging at silky strands of fur, the feeling of well developed muscles rippling under his fingertips. And Lucifer seemed to enjoy it, too. The devil also rather liked petting and caressing Alastor, though whenever his hands ventured too low the brunet would gently move them back up. Lucifer never pushed it.

It wasn’t that Alastor didn’t want Lucifer to touch him in such a way. It was just… he was nervous about that. As much as Alastor wanted to be able to feel Lucifer inside him, to be connected with the fallen angel so wholly, he just wasn’t ready for that.

Not to mention, Lucifer was not small. Alastor was as afraid of Lucifer’s cock as he was enticed by it.

So, for now at least, Alastor kept Lucifer’s physical affections on him above the belt.

Which was going just fine! Until that Friday, when Alastor woke up before his alarm, only to find himself sticky.

Grimacing in displeasure, the brunet tried to carefully extract himself from Lucifer’s arms. He had work today, he couldn’t let his hormone-therapy induced arousal get the better of him. Alastor would just slip out of bed, take a cold shower, and hope that was enough to calm his system down and get him through the day at work.

He had managed to cautiously move Lucifer’s arm off of him, and was about to slowly scoot to the edge of the bed, when said arm came up to wrap around Alastor once more, pulling him back against Lucifer. Alastor bit back a little grumble, not wanting to wake the devil.

Turns out he needn’t have worried about that.

“And where do you think you’re going?” A sleep rough voice rumbled in Alastor’s ear, warm breath fanning out over the side of his face. His breath hitched, a little shiver running up his spine.

“I just - was going to get ready for work! Woke up before the alarm and didn’t want to disturb you, I was just going to head downstairs and take a quick shower.” Alastor’s voice came out higher than he would have liked, pulse quickening.

“Hmm, you don’t usually shower in the morning. Can I help you with your arousal instead?” Lucifer nuzzled against the top of Alastor’s head, his arm tightening around the brunet’s middle.

“I - uh - how did you know?” Alastor squeaked out, electricity zipping through his nerves even as he tried to deny his own arousal. He had work today damn it!

“I can smell it on you, Al.” Lucifer licked a long stripe up the side of Alastor’s neck and over his cheek, making him shudder violently. Warmth was spreading out from his core, unhelpfully affirming just how turned on Alastor was right now.

“I-ngh- really should get ready for work.” Alastor weakly protested, though he didn’t make any effort to get up or push Lucifer away.

“If you want me to stop, I will. But I know you’re aroused right now. Let me help you, like you helped me the other day?” Lucifer asked gently, placing a feather-light kiss to the cheek he had just licked.

Fuck. Who was Alastor to refuse such a request? He wanted this, and he was so very horny right now, and Lucifer wanted to help out…

“Fine. But make it quick, I do have to go to work today.” Alastor relented, rocking back to press further into Lucifer.

The fallen angel gave a pleased rumble, giving Alastor’s midsection a squeeze before unwrapping his arms from around the brunet. Alastor made a confused sound at suddenly being left without his living personal heater and weighted blanket, rolling over onto his back to be able to see what Lucifer was doing.

Which brought him face to face with Lucifer. The devil was hovering over him now, a wicked grin playing over his lips. Alastor’s heart jumped into his throat at the sight, cock twitching in his boxers. Shit. He was so stupidly smitten with Lucifer.

He barely had time to think before Lucifer was pressing their lips together, kissing him with a hunger and a passion that lit up Alastor’s brain like nothing had before. He wrapped his arms around Lucifer’s fluffy neck, keeping him close. The fallen angel licked into Alastor’s mouth, serpentine tongue tracing over his teeth before meeting his tongue in a frenzied dance. Alastor moaned into the kiss, body feeling like it was on fire in the best way possible.

Lucifer broke the kiss much too soon in Alastor’s mind, long tongue swiping over his lips as he grinned wolfishly down at Alastor. His left hand trailed down Alastor’s chest to the hem of his shirt, before rucking the fabric up.

The cool morning air caressed his skin as Lucifer pushed his sleep shirt up and over his chest, bunching it up along his collarbone. The devil made a pleased noise, before ducking down to lick a path from Alastor’s navel all the way up to the base of his throat.

Alastor’s breath stuttered, pleasant shivers racing up his spine. Lucifer smirked at his reaction, continued to lave his chest with licks and kisses. Lucifer traced Alastor’s top surgery scars with his tongue, paying undivided attention to them one at a time, in such a way that made Alastor feel lightheaded at the clear and obvious devotion behind the act. He could feel more slick gathering at his entrance, his hard little T-dick throbbing with desire.

With the desire came fear, though.

As much as Alastor wanted this, part of him was still terrified of how this would even work. He was stupidly turned on right now, and did not want to stop, but Alastor had no idea what Lucifer had in mind for helping him out this morning. Would the devil just use his hand, the way Alastor had for Lucifer before? Or would he try to go all the way? Alastor wasn’t sure he could handle that right now-

“You’re thinking too much.” Lucifer rumbled, deep crimson eyes locked on Alastor’s face. The brunet felt his cheeks heat, turning his head to the side to break the intense eye contact.

“I’m just- what’s your plan for helping me, exactly?” Alastor had no idea how to express his concerns right now, afraid if he did Lucifer would stop. Even though he was nervous about… what was going on at the moment, he also didn’t want it to stop.

“Don’t worry, Al. I got you. I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to taste you. Is that alright with you?”

He was going to- “Oh. Y-yeah, that’s fine. You may proceed.” Alastor let out a shaky breath. Lucifer wanted to perform… cunnilingus on him. Yes, that was acceptable. His nervousness about their current physical intimacy began to dissipate, Alastor allowing himself to just enjoy the sensations of Lucifer touching him.

Alastor gasped, eyes snapping back towards Lucifer as a warm wetness suddenly engulfed one of his nipples. He whined, back arching into the touch, a fresh wave of slick drenching his boxers at the barest hint of teeth scraping against the sensitive nub.

“Ah- fuck.” Alastor’s hands flew to Lucifer’s head, tangling in the long blond fur there.

“Mmm, didn’t realize you’d be so sensitive here. Delightful.” Lucifer purred, eyes narrowed in amusement up at Alastor.

“Shut up.” Alastor growled back, though there was no bite to his tone.

Lucifer just laughed, moving to his other nipple, devilish tongue flicking over the perky bud playfully as Alastor gasped and moaned beneath him, fingers tightening in Lucifer’s fur.

Both of them jumped when Alastor’s alarm suddenly went off, loud and offensive. The brunet cursed loudly, heart pounding from the startling grating beeping. Before he could move though Lucifer had shut the alarm off in a flash and re-settled himself over Alastor.

“Lucifer, that was my work alarm, I should-“

“I’m not done yet. I said I’d help you with your arousal, and I intend to do just that. Though I suppose I should speed things along.” Lucifer pressed a large hand against Alastor’s chest to keep him in place, claws retracted so as not to hurt the brunet.

“…okay, but you better make it quick. I don’t want to be late.” Alastor relented without any real fight. Yes, he needed to get ready for work - but he also wanted to see this through. And Lucifer seemed to want that, too, so who was Alastor to deny the literal devil?

Though, he knew if he insisted Lucifer would stop. His heart constricted with affection for the fallen angel at this thought; Lucifer only ever did things he knew Alastor wanted. And if Alastor said he didn’t want something, Lucifer listened.

Before he knew it Alastor found himself underwear-less. The devil had quickly peeled his slick-drenched boxers off of him, pupils somehow dilating further than they had already been as Alastor’s cunt was exposed to the air. Lucifer took a few deep breaths, mouth hanging slightly open, tongue flickering past his lips.

“You just going to sit there or-“ Alastor began, getting impatient.

“Don’t worry, I’m going, you won’t be late for work.” Lucifer huffed, rolling his eyes. Alastor craned his neck to the side, angling his vision down the fallen angel’s body curiously. He could just barely make out the golden tip of Lucifer’s cock peeking out of its sheath.

This was definitely affecting Lucifer as well.

Alastor didn’t have time to even take another breath before Lucifer spread his legs apart, scooting so that the devil’s lower half was off the bed and lowering himself onto his front between the brunet’s thighs. Alastor groaned at the sight of Lucifer between his legs, wicked fangs flashing only a scant few inches from his most sensitive and vulnerable area. It sent a jolt of arousal - and fear - through Alastor.

“I haven’t even started yet and I can smell the fresh wave of arousal leaking from you. I can’t wait to taste it.” Lucifer rumbled, voice deep and gravely. Alastor felt his cock twitch at Lucifer’s words.

He moaned, eyes screwing shut as he let his head hit the pillows. “Just get on with it already.”

“With pleasure.” Lucifer chuckled.

Alastor gasped, eyes flying open once more as he felt the flat of Lucifer’s tongue lick a long stripe from the base of his pussy up to the tip of his dick. A full body shudder wracked his body, legs spamming slightly. Lucifer’s tongue was slightly rough, adding a layer of texture to the feeling of it against Alastor’s skin.

“Shit.” Alastor stared up at the ceiling, breathing harshly. He was suddenly unsure he’d survive this.

“Whoa, either I’m really good at this, or you’re super sensitive.” Lucifer laughed softly, arms hooking under Alastor’s legs and around to grip at his hips and hold the brunet in place.

“Maybe both.” Alastor blushed, fingers curling into his sheets. “Do hurry this up though, we’re on a time crunch, remember?”

“Mmm, yeah, unfortunately.” Lucifer let out a regretful sigh, before giving Alastor’s hips a little squeeze in warning and diving back in.

Warm breath and a wet tongue assaulted Alastor’s core, making him squirm at the overwhelming sensation of it all. Not that it was bad, oh no, it was good, much too good. Alastor’s brain felt like it was melting from pleasure, unable to do anything but writhe against Lucifer’s snout as he licked over his folds, bumping against his dick and lapping up every bit of slick, teasing at his entrance.

Alastor moaned, fingers clawing at the sheets below him, sweat gathering at his temples and dripping down his sternum. He had never felt such pleasure, such fire burning through his system. Lucifer made sure to lick up every little drop of slick he could, before letting his tongue slip inside of Alastor, just barely, gathering up the slick that was there, too. Alastor froze at that, jerking back from Lucifer slightly.

The fallen angel pulled back with an inquisitive sound.

“S-sorry, just… maybe, not inside? This time?” Alastor squeaked. Though that had felt good, the idea of anything penetrating him - even something like Lucifer’s tongue - suddenly seemed much too overwhelming. While he did want that eventually, right now it sent a spike of fear through Alastor… maybe it was the sharp teeth flashing so close to his entrance?

Lucifer nodded, unoffended. “Not inside, got it. Want me to continue?”

“…Yes.”

With a satisfied smile, Lucifer moved up to suckle more purposefully at Alastor’s cock.

If what Alastor had been feeling before was good, this was even better. White-hot pleasure flooded all of Alastor’s senses, all thoughts leaving him except for those concerning Lucifer and Lucifer’s mouth and how good Lucifer was making him feel. The tines of Lucifer’s forked tongue traced up along the sides of Alastor’s T-dick, wrapping around the little shaft and stroking along the engorged flesh, flicking up over the head delicately. Alastor couldn’t stop the moans from tumbling past his lips, hips trying their best to buck into the warmth of Lucifer’s mouth. But the devil’s hands kept Alastor firmly in place, Lucifer letting out a low moan of his own, vibrating up through the brunet’s core.

He felt himself rocketing towards his peak alarmingly fast, heat coiling quick and tight in his gut. Alastor’s hands found their way back into Lucifer’s blond locks, holding on for dear life as the fallen angel swirled his tongue around Alastor’s dick and sucked gently but insistently at the overwhelmingly sensitive bundle of nerves of his cock head.

With a cry Alastor came, body spasming violently as his thighs clamped around Lucifer’s head, inner walls fluttered around nothing. Lucifer dutifully worked Alastor through his orgasm, suckling at his cock delicately as Alastor was wracked with waves of pleasure. His vision whited out momentarily, bliss overloading his system.

Alastor gasped as he began to come back down from his high, taking heaving breaths as oversensitivity began to set in. He whimpered, struggling weakly against Lucifer’s grip and mouth on him. The devil gave one last parting suck to Alastor’s cock, pulling off with a wet pop. He sat up slowly, licking his lips smugly.

“I’d say that went well. You were so good for me, Al, a perfect little treat to wake up to.” Lucifer purred deeply.

The brunet just groaned, unwilling to move just yet. That had been, the most mind-shattering orgasm he had ever had. Alastor would be more than happy to be a treat for Lucifer if it resulted in feeling like that again. Though, he wasn’t sure he would be able to handle it all that often! It had been intense.

“You with me, Alastor?” Lucifer asked after a moment of not getting any response.

“Hrrm, yeah, I’m with you. Just, need a moment. Definitely gonna need a shower now.” Alastor chuckled breathlessly, running a hand through his sweat-damp bangs.

“I can help clean you up a bit!” Lucifer enthusiastically ducked back down, head nestling between Alastor’s thighs once more.

“Wait- sensitive!” Alastor whined, trying to close his legs.

“This will only be a minute, just need to lick up all the fresh slick you produced. Don’t wanna let that go to waste!” Lucifer murmured against Alastor’s skin, tongue making quick work of the sticky wetness that had gathered at his folds.

Lucifer was gentle, very aware of how oversensitive Alastor was at the moment. He didn’t apply too much pressure, didn’t dip his tongue into Alastor’s core, just cleaned up the slick that had gushed out when the brunet came.

He was done as quickly as he started, sitting back up to swirl his tongue over his lips once more. Lucifer was much too pleased with himself.

“You done now?” Alastor huffed, shoving his shirt back down from where it had remaining rucked up over his chest.

“I think so.” Lucifer gave a cheeky grin.

Alastor pushed himself up to sitting slowly, stretching luxuriously. That sure had been a way to start the day!

Oh - shit - it was a work day - Alastor quickly turned to his alarm clock, which read 5:16am. Fuck. He wasn’t late, not yet, but he still needed to shower and have some breakfast!

“I gotta shower - now.” Alastor hopped out of bed, grabbing his clothes for the day before heading towards his door. Glancing back, he saw Lucifer sitting on the floor at the foot of his bed, the tip of the fallen angel’s dick still poking out of his sheath. “Sorry I can’t help you with your arousal right now, I’m gonna be late!”

The devil just waved him off. “Don’t worry about it, it will go away on its own. I can get breakfast started while you shower! You won’t be late!!”

The brunet smiled to himself as he hurried downstairs and stepped into the shower. Lucifer had promised not to make him late with this! He was sure the fallen angel was whipping up a quick breakfast while Alastor got himself clean; Lucifer would be determined not to be the cause of the brunet being late for work.

Regardless, it had been a most insightful morning. Alastor had really rather enjoyed that, and he knew Lucifer had too. He looked forward to whatever else came of their being together.

Chapter Text

The morning events from a couple of days ago had been… most enlightening. Alastor had really quite enjoyed that, and Lucifer had clearly enjoyed that too.

Naturally, Alastor wanted to continue these explorations concerning physical intimacy with Lucifer.

However, he still had no idea what he was doing, really.

Which is what led Alastor to where he was now.

It was Sunday morning, and it was a beautiful, warm summer day. Lucifer had wanted to go out for a stroll in the woods, but Alastor had insisted he had research he needed to do for work. He told Lucifer that he should not disturb the brunet during this time, and that he was more than welcome to go on a walk on his own as long as the fallen angel was careful and back before the sun set. Lucifer had pouted, ears drooping and puppy dog eyes turned up to 11, but Alastor had stayed firm. Even though it was excruciatingly hard for him to say no to those puppy dog eyes.

So Lucifer had gone out on a walk, promising not to disturb Alastor while he did research for work.

And Alastor was doing research! Just, not for work.

He was up in his room at his desk, sitting near the balcony but keeping the doors leading out firmly shut despite the heat, clunky old computer turned on and navigating the confusing expanse of the World Wide Web as best he could. Alastor was doing research on sexual intercourse.

There was… an overwhelming amount of information online. Alastor started with Wikipedia, reading about different types of sex acts and positions, then googling said sex acts and positions for pictures and videos to help when he got confused.

Which is how Alastor ended up on a porn website.

It was… horribly lecherous.

There were too many naked people doing all kinds of depraved and sexual acts, some more extreme than others. Alastor felt his face heat up as he scrolled through the videos, turning the volume of his computer all the way down so that the sounds wouldn’t travel and if Lucifer came back from his walk early he wouldn’t hear the lewd sounds emanating from the speakers.

As he scrolled Alastor got some annoying pop up ads; some for other porn websites, some for sex games, some saying there were women nearby that wanted him. He closed every ad that popped up, but the nasty things were insistent, and eventually Alastor misclicked on one.

The ad took him to a site where people were apparently streaming their sexual activities live. Alastor panicked, trying to backtrack from this overly lubricious site he accidentally found himself on, but more ads popped up, some flashing red and yellow and saying this wretched site had given him a virus. In his panic Alastor clicked those ads, not wanting a virus on his old computer - it had sensitive information on it!

Unfortunately that seemed to make things worse.

More ads sprang up, and little windows with code Alastor didn’t understand flashing through them. His computer started overheating, internal fan laboring on overdrive. Alastor was fully freaking out, trying to return to the previous site but finding his computer completely unresponsive.

Unsure what else to do, Alastor tried to turn his computer off. Unfortunately the stupid old thing didn’t even respond to that. Alastor hissed, alarm mounting as his computer seemed to go completely on the fritz, screen flashing saucy ads and pop ups insisting that he had a virus and needed to download more unknown things.

Abruptly Alastor stood up and unplugged the computer. The screen went dark.

Slumping back into his chair, Alastor groaned, pushing his glasses up and dragging his hands down his face.

What. The. Fuck. Had just happened.

It was days like this that made him despise modern technology even more than he already did.

Alastor sat there for a while longer, unsure of what to do. He seemed to have gotten a computer virus. Drat. Alastor couldn’t have that! He used this computer to do research for work from home, as well as research for his hunting trips on the ‘clients’ that Rosie provided for him. He needed this computer to continue working! It had so much information stored on it, and Alastor was not willing to lose those files.

He headed downstairs after a bit. It was lunch time anyway, and sitting at his desk staring at the black screen of the boxy old computer wasn’t helping anything in any way.

The brunet made himself a ham and cheese sandwich, something simple and quick. Lucifer was nowhere to be found, so he was probably still out enjoying the woods. Alastor wished he had joined him on his walk after all; at least that way his computer wouldn’t be infected right now!

Alastor was just washing up after lunch when Lucifer returned.

“Oh! You’re back already. Thought you’d be out later.” Alastor called out as he dried his hands on a dish towel.

Lucifer pushed his way through the front door, closing it behind him before lifting up to stand on two legs. “Yeah, well, running around in the woods is great and all, but there’s only so much fun I can get out of that on my own.”

“Hmm, guess that makes sense.” The corner of Alastor’s mouth quirked up into a smile, secretly pleased that Lucifer was back already and had apparently missed his company.

The fallen angel strode over to where Alastor was standing, pulling him into a big bear hug and snuffling into the hair at the top of his head. It always felt funny whenever Lucifer did that, but it was also such a genuinely affectionate gesture that Alastor never complained.

“How was research?” Lucifer released Alastor from the hug as he asked, tilting his head to the side.

“It was eh.” Alastor stepped further away from Lucifer, adjusting his glasses. He did not want to admit what he had been researching, but he really needed help fixing his computer. Not that Alastor thought Lucifer could help with that! No, no. But, he did need help.

“Just eh?” Lucifer walked over to the cabinets, fishing around for some trail mix. Alastor had managed to get the devil to try some when he bought the kind filled with M&M’s and chocolate chips, and now it was one of Lucifer’s favorite snacks. Even though it was half sugary nonsense, Alastor considered this a win - there were still dried raisins and an assortment of nuts in the trail mix after all!

“Yeah, just eh. On a completely unrelated note, I think I’m going to call Rosie up, see if she wants to come over. You’d have to hide out in the basement though, sorry Luci.”

Lucifer paused with a handful of trail mix to his mouth. “Uh, okay? I could do that. This seems, pretty sudden though. Is everything alright?”

“Yup! Everything is fine. Just need to call my dear old friend up and have her come over as soon as she can. Been much too long since we last hung out outside of her fine establishment!” Alastor gave Lucifer a reassuring smile, hoping the fallen angel wouldn’t question this further.

“Um, alright, yeah, that’s fair. You give her a call while I finish up my snack okay?” Lucifer shrugged, still seeming a little confused but willing to let Alastor do his thing. Which was a relief for the brunet.

“Grand! I’ll just go give her a call then.” Alastor turned and headed back upstairs, where he had left his flip phone. Alastor made sure to close his door before picking up the cellular device and dialing Rosie’s number, listening to it ring a couple of times before she answered.

“Hello? Alastor? How are you darling?” His friend’s voice wafted through the airwaves, making Alastor feel a little more at ease at his stupid predicament.

“Rosie my dear! I’m going alright, how are you?” As much as he wanted to dive right into the reason he had called, Alastor was nothing if not polite. He would ask how his friend was before getting to business.

Rosie launched into a story of someone bringing their ‘service dog’ (it had clearly not been a service dog) into work and the animal getting loose and causing havoc in the store. It had ruined a lot of perfectly good meat, taking bites and slobbering over everything it could get its mouth on before the dog had been able to be caught. The owner was at least deeply apologetic and paid for all the meat the dog had gotten into, but it had ruined Rosie’s day and she had had to close shop up early to clean up the mess.

He listened patiently, adding little comments to show his shock or sympathy when appropriate. When Rosie was finally done with her story, she asked what she owed the pleasure of this phone call to.

“I, actually am having some computer troubles.” Alastor admitted, glancing towards the offending item sitting on his desk. “And I was wondering if you could come over and help me fix it? And of course you’d be welcome to stay over for a bit too. It’s been a while since you’ve been over!”

There was a moment of silence on the other end, and Alastor was momentarily worried that the call had maybe dropped. “Computer troubles, you say? You know I’m not the most tech savvy my dear, but I’ll see what I can do. Though I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again - you really should just get a new computer!”

“Nonsense! This old thing is holding up just fine. I just made a mistake I don’t know how to fix is all.” Alastor waved her off, even though Rosie couldn’t see the gesture. “Besides, I have a much newer computer provided for me at work, I don’t need one at home too.”

“I suppose. Listen, I just have to finish doing laundry and then I can come over, okay? I’ll be there in about two hours!” Rosie cheerily agreed to come over without any more questions or arguments.

“Marvelous! I’ll see you then!” Alastor ended the call, pleased that his friend agreed to help him out with this.

Heading back downstairs, Alastor found Lucifer reclining on a sofa, sprawled out on his back. As soon as he heard Alastor coming back downstairs though he sat up, long legs draped over the side of the couch. “Hey! How was your call to Rosie?”

“Fine. She’ll be coming over in a couple of hours. You’ll have to stay in the basement while she’s over. I’ll retrieve you once she’s gone, okay?” Alastor was straight and to the point, not seeing any reason to delay things.

“Ooookay? That’s fine I guess, but can I ask what exactly this is about? Obviously I’m happy you’re hanging out with your human friends, but this seems really last minute and sort of frantic. Did something happen?” Lucifer tilted his head to the side inquisitively.

“Nothing happened! Nothing of consequence at least.” Alastor tried to causally wave Lucifer’s concern off.

“So something did happen? I don’t know Al, you inviting your friend over out of the blue like that makes me think it is something of consequence.” The fallen angel slowly got off the couch, making his way over to Alastor. “You can talk to me about whatever it is, you know.”

“It’s - it’s nothing. Rosie is just coming to help me with some computer problems I’ve been having.” Alastor took a step back from Lucifer, currently a little annoyed at how observant the devil could be.

“Ah, that makes sense. Yeah, I’m not very good at human technology things, I can definitely see why you’d need one of your kind for this. What happened to your computer that needs to be fixed so immediately?”

Alastor was absolutely under no circumstances going to tell Lucifer that he had gotten a computer virus (or three, or four) from looking at porn. Nope, definitely not going to tell the fallen angel that! He didn’t need to know about it, or why Alastor had even been on porn sites to begin with.

“It’s - just - nothing! Really, Lucifer, this doesn’t concern you, you wouldn’t understand anyway.” Alastor crossed his arms over his chest, hoping this would end the conversation.

Furrowing his brow, Lucifer stared down at Alastor. “…I get the feeling you’re hiding something from me. What happened to your computer?”

“Nothing! Nothing all that bad! I just got a computer virus and need help fixing it. You done asking stupid questions now?” The brunet was getting frustrated with the continued conversation, snapping back at Lucifer in a harsher tone than he meant to.

Lucifer flinched at Alastor’s tone, ears drooping. “Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to push. I didn’t think talking about your computer was a sensitive topic… I’m sorry. And I’m sorry it got a virus. I hope your computer feels better soon.”

The devil turned away from Alastor, shoulders slumped, deflated. Alastor felt a pang of guilt at Lucifer’s dejected body language as he walked towards the secret entrance to the basement, dragging his hooves and tail. He hadn’t meant to be snappish, he just hadn’t wanted to talk about the intricacies of how he had gotten a computer virus to begin with. Alastor knew that Lucifer hadn’t meant to be invasive with his questions; he had just been curious, and had wanted to be included in whatever was going on. Especially since he would be relegated to the basement for the next few hours or so.

Regardless, Alastor still found himself annoyed at Lucifer’s prodding. He stayed firmly planted near the dining room table, watching Lucifer make his way to the closet under the stairs and slip through the secret passage to the basement.

The door clicked shut behind the fallen angel, silence falling around Alastor.

“Whatever. It’s better this way. He doesn’t need to know the details of this anyway.” Alastor muttered to himself, uncrossing his arms to put his hands on his hips. Turning to survey his living space, Alastor’s posture sagged when he realized there was… a lot of Lucifer around. The devil’s dog bed, the childish books and movies he liked, the piles of board games and puzzles… those were very much not Alastor. And Rosie would know that.

Grumbling in annoyance, Alastor began organizing his space. He stacked the toys and games into the closet under the stairs, shoving the dog bed and blanket in there as well. The brunet paused when he picked up the lamb plush, Alastor’s gift to Lucifer over two months ago, so cherished by the fallen angel. He held it for a moment to his chest, taking in the scent of honey and crisp apples. Lucifer was all alone in the basement right now, without any of his puzzles or things to entertain himself with. Without any of his creature comforts… it made Alastor feel even more guilty, for keeping things from Lucifer, for snapping at him, for sending him to the basement on such short notice.

No! He didn’t need to feel guilt over this! Lucifer had been asking invasive questions, even when Alastor clearly didn’t want to talk about it! The devil brought this on himself!!

Anger started to rise up in Alastor instead, and he continued to put Lucifer-things away, hiding them from sight. He was acting like a petulant child, but he didn’t care. This was his house, and he didn’t have to explain shit to anyone! Alastor could invite people over last minute for no reason at all! He didn’t have to give excuses for that! The brunet stomped around the living room, aggressively shoving furniture back into order, pushing books and games under the couch and into cabinets. Lucifer didn’t shed much, but there was also some fur that Alastor found around the house and on the sofa. Obviously he vacuumed that right up.

There. Things looked fine now. No sign of another being cohabitating with Alastor was visible anymore. Irritation was still present in Alastor, prickling up his spine and along his limbs. Of course he had had to clean everything up on his own! Just another reason to be annoyed at Lucifer today.

He grabbed the beanbag that Lucifer used as a chair before also stomped upstairs to make sure his bedroom was acceptable and didn’t have any signs of Lucifer around. The beanbag was placed back by the bookshelves where it had once belonged. Looking around his room, Alastor noted that aside from a couple of books and fur around, it wasn’t so bad. It didn’t take Alastor too much time to clean and organize his room.

Huffing grouchily, Alastor then stomped back down and into the kitchen. Rosie would be over in less than an hour now. But he was going to be the perfect host! Even if she was coming over specifically to help Alastor with a technical problem, she was still making the journey out to his place very last minute and it would be rude of him to send her away immediately.

Alastor got started on making a charcuterie board, placing lots of thin slices of different types of meats and a lovely selection of cheese and crackers on a wooden cutting board. His irritation had only mounted as time progressed, annoyed at himself for even being in this situation, annoyed at Lucifer for asking too many questions, annoyed at having to clean up around the house by himself. And Lucifer hadn’t even argued! He had given in so easily, just gone downstairs without another word or putting up a fight. He hadn’t even stopped to take a book with him or asked if he could help out with anything first!

He growled to himself as he aggressively sliced a few more cuts of meat for the charcuterie board. It dawned on Alastor that he wasn’t actually mad at Lucifer for asking about his technical difficulties or how he had even gotten a computer virus; he was a little peevish about the prodding questions, yes, but he was more angry that Lucifer hadn’t tried harder to get an honest answer from Alastor.

Underneath Alastor’s discomfort over the situation and embarrassment over what he had been up to, he actually did want to talk to Lucifer about this. Alastor found that even though part of him really didn’t want Lucifer to know the details of what and why he had gotten a computer virus, another part of him really wanted to tell Lucifer all about it. Lucifer was his - his partner, and Alastor realized he actually did want to trust Lucifer and share everything with him. Even embarrassing and stupid things like this.

Even though Alastor was loath to admit to the fallen angel just how sexually inexperienced he was, if Alastor had sucked it up and just talked to Lucifer about this maybe he could have avoided getting a computer virus and not even be in this situation to begin with.

Groaning, Alastor pushed his glasses up to rub at his eyes. He had never been in a serious relationship before - a fling for fun and just to see what all the fuss was about here and there, sure, but nothing serious serious - and this, this thing he had going on with Lucifer was far from a regular relationship. Alastor was way out of his depth and had no idea what he was doing. Which was exactly why he should communicate with Lucifer better! Lucifer had every right to ask questions to try to figure out what was going on with Alastor.

The guilt Alastor had felt from before came back with a vengeance. The brunet felt excruciatingly bad for getting testy with Lucifer, and sending him to the basement without anything at all. He should go down and apologize, bring him some books or-

A knock sounded at his door, followed by the muffled but distinct voice of Alastor’s dear friend calling a greeting out to him. He hadn’t even heard Rosie pull up - she drove a Toyota Prius, and Alastor had not heard the silent hybrid arrive.

Well, never mind then. Lucifer would just have to stay down there all on his lonesome and keep himself entertained.

Alastor really owed the fallen angel an apology.

He’d make it up to Lucifer later! Right now he had a guest to let in.

———

Having Rosie over was lovely, regardless of the circumstances.

It had been a while since she had last been over to Alastor’s place anyway. They took some time to just chat and enjoy their meat and cheese and crackers. It was nice having Rosie back in his house. Though the guilt and anger (at Lucifer and himself - mostly himself though) continued to war hotly inside of him. However, Alastor found that the longer he talked with Rosie the more those negative feelings receded into the background.

Alastor chatted with Rosie about this and that while they ate their way through the charcuterie board, and the brunet had just decided that an appropriate amount of time had passed before jumping to the task at hand when Rosie asked about just that.

“So.” The blond started, propping her head on her hands, elbows resting on the table. “What exactly have I been called over to do today? Something about a computer virus?”

“Yes, that. I got some kind of computer virus and need help dealing with it.” Alastor stated matter of factly.

“Care to share how exactly you got a computer virus? You’re usually pretty cautious when it comes to technology.”

“I don’t care to share how this happened, in fact. I’d rather you just help me fix it.”

A delicate blond eyebrow arced up in amused interest. “Oh? Is that so? Well, that doesn’t dissipate my curiosity at all. In fact, considering my curiosity piqued! Shall we head up and see what I can do for your computer? Though, I might need more information in order to fix this.”

“Sure, let’s head up.” Alastor stood, unconcerned with the rest of the snacks they hadn’t finished. If all went well this would be done quickly and they could retire back downstairs to snack and chat for a little longer. Not too long, though - Alastor was keenly aware that Lucifer was still holed up in the basement all on his own.

They headed upstairs, Rosie taking the seat at Alastor’s desk while he stood behind her. “It wouldn’t even turn off, the stupid contraction was completely unresponsive - I had to unplug it fully.”

“That does sound pretty bad… mind plugging it back in for me? Can’t help you if I can’t even turn it on.” Rosie hummed nonchalantly.

“Yes, alright.” Alastor squatted down next to his desk to plug his computer back into the wall. When he stood back up, the screen had lit back up again, flashing all the lovely erotic ads alongside pop ups of code for who knows what.

A hand flew to Rosie’s face to cover her mouth in surprise. “Al…? What exactly were you doing to get this kind of a mess on your computer?”

Alastor grimaced, aware that his face had heated up uncomfortably. “I… it’s nothing.” He stared resolutely out through the glass doors of his balcony, focusing on the patterns the shadows and sunlight made through the trees.

“Alastor, darling.” Rosie slowly turned to look at the brunet with an inquisitive eye, lowering her hand from her mouth. “No need to keep things from me. You know I won’t judge you or what you do in your free time.“

The brunet grumbled, flustered and once again annoyed and still refusing to make eye contact. But, maybe this would be good practice for being vulnerable; Rosie was his best friend after all, and he did generally trust her more than most. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to tell her the truth… and it could give Alastor a good starting point for figuring out how to have difficult conversations with Lucifer, too.

“I… may or may not have been doing some, research. On, ah, sex.” Alastor awkwardly tried to explain while giving the minimum amount of information. His gaze flickered over Rosie’s anxiously at his admittance.

Rosie’s eyebrows shot up, almost disappearing into her hairline. “You mean you were looking at porn?”

“I- no- w-well, yes- but only as research!” Alastor stuttered, face somehow heating up further.

“Hey, there’s no shame in that. Everyone looks at porn at some point or another, whether just out of curiosity or to get off. Though I never thought I’d see the day where you went onto a porn site on purpose!” Rosie tried to appease Alastor, but she was clearly very amused at the situation.

“It was for research! I’ve never looked up porn before in my life! And now I got a virus, so that was the first and last time I’m doing that!!” Alastor insisted, pinching the bridge of his nose in flustered annoyance.

“Okay, okay, no need to get all worked up about it. I just think it’s sort of funny, but I’m not judging you or anything. We literally kill and eat people, this in no way changes my view of you.” Rosie tried to sooth Alastor’s nerves, looking up at him with sincerity.

“…We are cannibalistic. I suppose as far as sins go this isn’t all that bad.” The brunet groused, generally appeased but still a little touchy about the situation.

“Can I ask why you were doing research on the carnal pleasures? I know you don’t generally care for such things.” Rosie turned back to the computer, experimentally grabbing the mouse and clicking about to see what she could do.

“No.” Alastor stated flatly.

Huffing out a small laugh, Rosie just shook her head. “Fine, fine. I’ll still help you even though you’re being rude and not telling me all the details of this situation! You don’t have to worry about me gossiping about this to anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Alastor thought for a moment, debating how much he should or shouldn’t tell Rosie. On the one hand, the less she knew the better. On the other, she was his best friend and he was trying to practice being more emotionally vulnerable.

Sighing, Alastor went to sit on the edge of the desk, beside the boxy computer, facing the balcony. “I, uh, remember how I discussed maybe having developed feelings for someone? Yeah, well, I wanted to do research on sex to… see what I was missing out on.” Alastor twisted the truth around, deciding Rosie didn’t need to know the levels of physical intimacy he had already experienced. If the blond thought his ‘exception’ was still around town she would ask to meet him, and Alastor couldn’t have that.

“Hmm, I suppose that’s understandable. Have you been able to find your exception again? You never did give me an update on that.” Rosie glanced over at Alastor as she waited for his computer to reboot.

“…No.” Alastor lied.

“Did you even try?”

“Not really.” He shrugged, turning away from the view of the forest and towards his friend. It would be easier to keep Rosie as in the dark as possible about Lucifer.

Sighing theatrically, Rosie turned back to the computer. “Really, Alastor. Someone shows up in your life that turns your whole view of yourself upside down, makes you feel special and different and good, and you don’t even try to go after them? You know, if you gave me a name and a short description I’m sure I could do some digging myself.”

“It’s fine, you don’t need to concern yourself about this. I’m doing things my way, in my time, alright?”

Rolling her eyes, Rosie jerked her head towards the clunky computer. “Like looking at porn on sketchy websites and getting a computer virus?”

“…A miscalculation. Won’t happen again.” Alastor gave Rosie a tight smile.

“Fine, fine. Do things your way.” The blond shrugged, dropping it. She clicked away for a few more minutes, doing who knows what. The computers fan was whirring aggressively as she worked.

“Okay, I managed to get your computer working again! However, I am not a tech person, and I’m not sure I was able to really clear the virus - or viruses - out. If you want I could take this old thing over to Sir Pentious to see if he can fix it for you? I’d of course say it was my computer and stay to watch so that he doesn’t snoop around on here!” Rosie patted the top of the computer, the old thing continuing to whir loudly as its internal fan struggled.

“You really should stop indulging that man’s silly fantasies. His surname is Penton, not Pentious, and he was never knighted so addressing him as ‘sir’ is unnecessary.” Alastor sneered at the mention of the man. He was an eccentric middle aged man who was obsessed with history and war. He also had a fascination with Britain for some reason, and kept snakes as pets. Alastor found him quite annoying.

“He’s sweet, and he’s so good with technology and fixing things! Calling him Sir Pentious doesn’t hurt anyone, Al. And it makes him happy.” Rosie leaned back in her seat. “You didn’t answer me though. While your computer is technically workable again, it seems… very slow and overworked right now. Which makes me think I didn’t fully fix it. Sir Pentious could take a look at it and fix it all the way! Clear out any virus I may have missed. What do you say? Let the silly old dear take a look and have a fully functional computer again, or don’t do that and have a computer that could crash again at any moment.”

The brunet mulled over his options for a minute. He really didn’t like Penton all that much, but the fool was mostly harmless. Even if his sense of style was horrible - what was it called again, ah, steampunk? He always looked like he was going to a comic convention or something silly. Penton was pretty good with technology though… “Fine, you can bring my computer to Penton. But you better stay with him while he works on it - I have sensitive files on there.”

“Of course! She won’t leave my sight.” Rosie promised, patting the top of the computer and smiling up at Alastor reassuringly.

They unplugged the computer and bundled it up in a blanket for safekeeping, then shoved the old thing into a box for easier transport. Alastor helped Rosie carry it out to her car, and then the two friends returned inside to chill in the living room and finish their charcuterie board. Messing with the computer had taken less than an hour, and it was barely past four - sending Rosie home so soon would be rude.

The two of them chatted and snacked for a little longer, polishing off the rest of the meat and crackers and cheese with some sparkling water. Surreptitiously Alastor kept glancing at the clock, itching to send Rosie on her way and go downstairs to Lucifer but not wanting to be rude. Finally, at a quarter past five, Alastor deemed enough time had passed.

“Anyway, you probably want to be heading home soon. By the time you get back it’ll be dinner time, and I don’t want to keep you!” Alastor said jovially, standing up to take the empty charcuterie board and their glasses to the kitchen.

“I was thinking I could stay for dinner, actually!” Rosie turned in her seat to watch Alastor trek to the sink, making no move to get up. “That way I don’t have to worry about getting home by a certain time and we can keep spending time together!”

Alastor gripped the side of the wooden board in his hands a tad too tight. Carefully he placed it in the sink, mind scrambling to think of a good excuse to send his friend on her way already.

“Oh, ah, I have things I need to do. And I wasn’t expecting a guest for dinner, so I was just going to have leftovers. You should really just go home and eat at your place!” Alastor shot what he hoped was a charming yet apologetic smile over in Rosie’s direction as he began to wash up from their afternoon snack.

The corners of Rosie’s mouth pulled down into a slight frown. “Come on Al, I’m sure whatever it is you need to do can wait until after dinner! And it’s been much too long since we last hung out. Now that I’m here why not take advantage of it?”

The woman was making a really good argument, unfortunately.

But Alastor wasn’t giving up yet. “Yes, while it’s true you’re already here, I’m afraid that what I need to do requires daylight! So it cannot wait until after dinner.”

“The sun doesn’t set until like, eight, I’m sure if we get going with dinner now you could still get to that before it’s dark out!”

“No, it’s a time consuming thing. Gotta hike out into the woods for this. I really should have done it earlier but I didn’t want to be rude and send you off so soon!” Alastor gave Rosie an apologetic little shrug.

That seemed to do it.

Sighing, Rosie stood up from the couch and made her way over to the kitchen just as Alastor placed the last glass on the drying rack. “Alright, alright, I guess I’ll be heading out then. But you are making it up to me another time mister!” She made it over to where Alastor was standing, poking him firmly in the chest.

“Yes, of course my dear. You can come over for dinner another time for sure! We’ll make plans for it, I promise.” The brunet beamed at Rosie, pleased that he had won this discussion. The two of them were roughly the same height, but only thanks to the heels Rosie always liked to wear.

Saying his farewells and getting Rosie out of the house after that went fairly quickly, and in no time Alastor was alone once more.

Well, alone except for the being hiding out in his basement.

With heavy steps Alastor made his way over to the closet under the stairs. His stomach was twisting up in knots out of anxiety; he had left Lucifer down there for hours after snapping at him. What would he find? Would Lucifer be upset at him? Would the fallen angel have run off, escaping through the shed? He really hoped not.

Haltingly Alastor opened up the closet, momentarily surprised to find it stuffed with a dog bed and blankets and boxes of board games and puzzles. He shifted through all the things, pulling out items and pushing them aside unceremoniously. The brunet could put things back properly later; right now he needed to get downstairs to Lucifer.

He paused when he came across the lamb plush, gently picking it up and cradling it in his arms. Stepping over the remaining books and games, Alastor opened the secret entrance to his basement.

Lucifer hadn’t run off. The momentarily flood of relief quickly shriveled up into guilt and gnawing regret though.

The devil had curled up inside the cell at the back of the basement, on the cold hard cement floor, with his back towards the stairs. Alastor clutched the lamb toy to his chest, tentatively shuffling towards the cage and the being laying on his side in it.

“Luci? You can come back up now. Rosie has left.” Alastor called out to the fallen angel’s back.

There was a deep, weary sigh. “…You sure you want me up there?”

Frowning, Alastor crept closer. “Of course I want you up there! What kind of a question is that?”

Craning his neck around to be able to give Alastor a doleful stare, Lucifer blinked at him. “You sure? I might intrude or ask stupid questions again.”

Alastor winced. He had clearly hurt Lucifer with his words more than he had thought he had…

“Luci, come on. You didn’t intrude. You didn’t ask stupid questions. I, I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier. Won’t you please come out of there? Let me explain things properly to you.” Alastor sat down a few feet from the cage. “And I brought down your friend for you. He missed you.” Alastor held out the little lamb plushie, using it as an olive branch.

Lucifer just watched, and Alastor was afraid the fallen angel would just turn back over to face the wall and ignore him. But Lucifer didn’t do that. Instead the devil slowly rolled over so that his back wasn’t towards Alastor anymore, gradually sitting up and maneuvering out of the cell to sit down across from Alastor. He then reached out and plucked the lamb plush out of the brunet’s hands, bringing the white fleece toy up to his face to rub his nose against. The peace offering seemed to have been accepted.

“She.” The fallen angel murmured.

“Pardon?” Alastor wished that was him being nuzzled and caressed instead of the toy.

“She. The lamb - her name is Charlie.”

“Oh. That’s a… that’s a lovely name.”

A few minutes passed where Lucifer just cuddled with the lamb plushie - Charlie, apparently. Alastor waited patently, giving Lucifer a moment.

The fallen angel then spoke. “You don’t have to apologize. I should be apologizing for being invasive and pushing your boundaries.” He muttered into the plushie, avoiding eye contact.

“No, no you shouldn’t be apologizing - you literally did nothing wrong.” Alastor scooted a little closer, diminishing the space between the two of them a little. “I was stupid, and irritated, and I took that out on you when you just wanted to know what was going on with me! Your questions were valid. My reaction to them was not.”

The devil lowered Charlie into his lap, looking back up at Alastor with a blank expression.

Taking a deep breath, Alastor steeled himself. “Just, listen to me, okay? I didn’t mean to get angry at you. I’m sorry I did. I, uh… I got a computer virus because I was looking at porn on my computer.” The brunet felt his cheeks heat up at the admission, but plowed on. “I got pissy because obviously I didn’t want to get a virus, and looking at porn isn’t exactly what I want to do in the middle of a beautiful summer day, so overall I was embarrassed and annoyed at the whole situation.”

Lucifer was now staring at Alastor in surprise, eyes wide. “You, um, you don’t have to explain yourself to me. It’s really none of my business - you don’t have to justify your actions, I shouldn’t have pried.”

“Lucifer.” Alastor sighed with exasperated fondness. “You are much too forgiving, and trying way too hard to be understanding. Though I do appreciate what you’re trying to do, it’s okay to ask me questions. It’s okay to want things explained and clarified for yourself when I’m being cryptic. I’m… not always the best at being emotionally vulnerable. Or vulnerable in general. But, if I had been vulnerable to begin with and just - gone and talked to you instead of going on porn websites, I could have avoided this whole mess from the start.” As much as Alastor instinctively shied away from spilling his guts to others, Lucifer was… different. It was still hard, but underneath Alastor’s initial instinct to keep himself behind tall, thick walls, the brunet really wanted to share everything with Lucifer.

The devil was fidgeting with the Charlie lamb, fingers caressing the fleece and playing with her little white legs. “I, I never want to make you uncomfortable. You don’t have to talk to me about things that make you uncomfortable.”

“Yeah, well, maybe being uncomfortable is a necessary part of life from time to time.” Alastor stated softly. “I want to be able to talk to you about anything. But, it can be difficult for me to open up. Which is why I need you to know that it’s okay to push me. It’s okay to make me uncomfortable sometimes. Sometimes I need you to ask those questions I don’t want to answer. Because even if I don’t want to talk about it, I should talk about it.”

This time Lucifer scooted closer, now only about a half a foot of space between the two of them. “Hmm, I see… okay, I’ll keep that in mind. Still, I never want to overstep. It’s good to have clear boundaries, and I want to respect your boundaries. How do I know I’m respecting your boundaries when you need me to leave them intact, and when you need me to push and break your walls down?”

“That’s… a good question. Let’s circle back to that later. But for now - thank you for listening. Do you, still want to know how and why I got a computer virus?” Alastor fidgeted with the material of his pants, suddenly nervous about the real topic of conversation he needed to discuss with Lucifer.

Tilting his head to the side, Lucifer raised en eyebrow. “You said you got a virus looking at porn. That sounds like the how and why to me.”

Once again Alastor felt his face heat up. “Yes, well. Quite. But, uh, there’s more to the story.”

“Oh?” Lucifer said simply, clearly curious but holding his tongue.

“…You can ask.” Alastor begrudgingly prompted, his heart helpfully beating unsteadily.

“Um, yeah, okay. What, what more is there to the story?” Lucifer asked almost shyly.

It made Alastor’s heart flutter, already unsteady heartbeat getting even worse.

“I was looking at porn for, for research. Like I said I would be doing while you were out in the woods. Except, this wasn’t work related research. This was, personal… see, I, uh, I’m… really very inexperienced when it comes to sexual relations.” Alastor cringed at himself as he talked, fingers drumming over his knees in agitation.

“Is that so?” Lucifer prompted, both eyebrows raising slightly. “Could have fooled me, with how eagerly you jerked me off the other day.”

Somehow Alastor’s face burned even hotter. “Yes- well- enthusiasm can make up for lack of experience sometimes I suppose.” He cleared his throat awkwardly, staring down at his hands.

“…When you say inexperienced, just how inexperienced do you mean?”

“I’m a virgin.” Alastor blurted out, closing his eyes tightly.

There was silence for a moment, followed by a soft exhale of “oh.”

“You… why didn’t you tell me?! Oh my stars - was that - was me eating you out - was that your first orgasm!?!”

Eyes snapping back open, Alastor found Lucifer staring at him with a mixture of wonder and incredulity, cheeks dusted a light gold.

He wheezed out a laugh. “No! I mean - not my first orgasm in general, but yes my first that wasn’t by my own hand.” Alastor bashfully rubbed at the back of his neck. Jesus this was awkward as fuck to talk about.

“You- if only- I wish I had known that before hand!” Lucifer slapped a hand over his face with a groan. “I would have gone slower for you, been more careful and checked in more often and made sure you were okay and-“

“Lucifer. It’s alright. You were fine. You were perfect. There was no fault in you. Yes, I probably should have said something before, but I didn’t. That’s on me, not you. Okay?” Alastor scooted the last bit between the two of them, his legs pressing up against Lucifer’s as the brunet reached up a hand to cup the devil’s cheek. His touch seemed to have the desired effect, comforting and grounding Lucifer a bit.

“Ah, ha, okay.” Lucifer leaned into the touch, rubbing his face against the palm of Alastor’s hand. “You’ll tell me about important things like that next time, right?”

“What, about me being a virgin? I’m still a virgin, but once that’s gone it’s not exactly coming back for a ‘next time.’” Alastor sassed back at Lucifer.

“You know what I mean. Asshole.” Lucifer rumbled in amusement, before going silent for a beat. After a moment he hesitantly asked, “Is that why… you were nervous about me helping you out with your arousal that morning? I thought you were just nervous because I’m not human.”

“You not being human isn’t an issue for me... But yeah, I, uh, have some trepidation about… penetration. The sexual kind, that is.” Alastor admitted with a wince.

“I figured, considering what we’re talking about.” Lucifer snarked at the brunet.

“Quiet, you, I’m being vulnerable.” Alastor rolled his eyes, moving the hand cupping Lucifer’s cheek to instead press a finger to the devil’s lips to shush him. “Anyway, as I was saying… it’s not that I don’t want that! It’s just. Not something I actively wanted before meeting you. And, well. You’re… big. As much as I want to… do that with you, I’m afraid it’s going to hurt me.” Alastor lowered his hand back to his lap, where he clasped his hands together tightly, nervous about how Lucifer would respond.

He really didn’t need to worry.

“Oh, Al. That’s, more than understandable. You humans are so small and fragile… I never want to hurt you. If you never want me inside of you like that then we never have to do that. There are lots of other ways we can be physically intimate, anyway - if you want, that is.” Lucifer took Alastor’s hands in his own, gently stroking his thumbs over the brunet’s knuckles.

“Th-thank you. I, um, definitely want. To, uh, be physically intimate. With you, that is.” Alastor found himself suddenly flustered as he stared down at their clasped hands, his small and darker skinned, Lucifer’s large and white furred. It reminded Alastor of their stark size difference, of how different the two of them really were. Maybe that should have scared him, made him re-think this whole relationship-thing he had going on with the devil. But it did the exact opposite for Alastor; it made him crave Lucifer even more.

Chuckling softly, Lucifer gave Alastor’s hands a little squeeze. “Good. Cuz I do too.”

Glancing back up from their hands, Alastor met those bright red pools with horizontal pupils swimming in them. Lucifer was so beautiful, so bright and warm and inviting. He was so lucky to have the fallen angel in his life. If Alastor was going to have anyone take his virginity, he’d want it to be none other than Lucifer.

Which, made Alastor wonder about the devil’s level of sexual experience.

Clearing his throat, Alastor decided to barge ahead and ask the question that had just popped into his mind.

“What about you? Are you a virgin?”

A bark of laughter escaped Lucifer before he could stop it. “Sorry! I was just - not expecting that question! Thought maybe I should have, heh. Anyway, to answer that - nope!”

A pang of misplaced jealousy shot through Alastor. It made sense, of course, considering that Lucifer was the devil. From the Bible. And he was thousands upon thousands of years old. But, still; the idea of anyone else having Lucifer, of getting to experience his pleasure, of laying their filthy unworthy hands on the fallen angel… it made Alastor feel sick.

Which was apparently a prominent emotion on the brunet’s face.

“Whoa, hey there - are you jealous? I’m literally millions of years old, I’ve been around, I’ve seen it all. It would honestly be weirder for me to still be a virgin than to not be one!” Lucifer quirked an eyebrow at Alastor, trying to reassure him with his lighthearted comment.

It, sort of worked.

“No, no, yeah, of course, that makes sense. I’m not jealous! I just - were you ever married? Did you ever have kids?” Alastor’s mind was a whirlwind of questions. Lucifer was old, had been one of God’s original angels, of course he’d been around, of course he wasn’t a virgin. And yet, an acidic taste was rising at the back of Alastor’s throat at the thought of Lucifer being with anyone else, of having a fulfilling relationship, a loving family - not that the fallen angel didn’t deserve those things! It was just, Alastor didn’t share well. What was his, was his. Even though Lucifer’s past was a lifetime ago, even though this shouldn’t bother him, the idea of it still managed to get under Alastor’s skin.

“Oh, hah, I didn’t peg you for the possessive and jealous type. You’re lucky you’re so cute, human.” Lucifer smirked, patting Alastor on the head. The brunet narrowed his eyes up at the devil as his hair was flattened, slightly peeved at how easily Lucifer was able to read him.

“Not jealous. Not possessive.” Alastor insisted ineffectively, crossing his arms over his chest with a huff.

“Sure you’re not, Al. How about I put your mind at ease then?” Lucifer settled back on his haunches, turning slightly away with a far away look on his face. “Yes, I’ve had relationships in the past. No, nothing super serious like getting married or starting a family. See, I was a bit of a flirt back in the day, when I was a young angel. Father created angels to be His family, the closest thing to kin he would ever have. He made all of life, but wanted His creations to be able to partake in creation a little bit - to have true kin. Which is why Father gave us angels mating cycles, to encourage us to form bonds and families and create new life with one another. And before you ask - sex isn’t a sin, it’s the overindulgence of sex that becomes lust, and that’s a sin. Just like eating isn’t a sin, but gluttony is. Anyway - Father gave angels mating cycles, but he didn’t want any new angels to be brought into the world unwanted; unless both parties want to have a baby together, a new life would not come of an angels’ copulation. He gave us built in contraception, basically. Not sure why He stopped giving his creations that later on.”

Lucifer paused to take a breath, then continued. “I was young and naive. I didn’t want to start a family, but yes, whenever mating season came around I was more than happy to engage with others of my kind. And then… then Father created humans. You guys weren’t the first of his creations - we all chipped in here and there with ideas for new animals or plants. My ideas were often rejected though - I was too rebellious, my suggestions were too weird, too wild. Humans were supposed to be Father’s greatest creation, and as such I took mild interest in them. That mild interest grew when I realized Lilith was also a rebellious soul, like me.”

The fallen angel glanced over at Alastor. “You following?” The brunet nodded, so Lucifer went on. “I shapeshifted to be more human and get closer to Lilith, and we quickly became close friends. We might have been… more than friends. So, uh, yeah, you’re not the first human I’ve been with.” Lucifer blushed lightly, scratching at his cheek. “Anyway! Nothing really came of that. When Adam cast Lilith aside and was given Eve as a replacement, she and I agreed that the new human deserved a chance to be her own person. To have the gift of free will, of knowledge, of choice. You know how that went though. After Lilith was banished from Eden, I didn’t see her again for a long time. And even though Father pardoned me, the other angels didn’t want anything to do with me after that. I’ve spend thousands of years on my own since then, thousands of years enduring my rut cycle by myself. I’m used to it by this point, so it’s not that bad really. When I snuck out of Heaven to go see Lilith in Hell, I thought maybe we could reconnect? But no, turns out she hates my guts. For good reason honestly. So, yeah. I think that about answers your question? I’m not a virgin, but I never really had a serious relationship or settled down with anyone. Despite being alive for as long as I have, being the most hated being in all of creation really does a number on your potential for finding meaningful connections with others.”

The devil fell silent, staring down at the cement floor. Alastor deliberately placed a hand on Lucifer’s knee, a physical point of contact to anchor the being before him. “Thank you for sharing all that. It can’t have been easy to talk about those things…” Alastor said softly.

Lucifer shrugged. “I’ve had millennia to think about my actions and process my feelings about those things. I don’t regret what I did. I do regret what happened to Lilith though. I wish I could have protected her from Father’s wrath… but, what’s done is done I suppose.”

“I suppose.” Alastor gave Lucifer’s knee a gentle squeeze, pleased when the fallen angel lightly placed his own hand over Alastor’s.

“Anyway. Did that help with your bout of jealousy?” Lucifer teased, leaning into Alastor’s space.

The brunet huffed in amusement. “Yeah, yeah. It did. Though it seems like you’ve always had a thing for humans?” Alastor raised an eyebrow suggestively at Lucifer.

The devil spluttered, yanking his hand off of Alastor’s. “What? No! What gave you that idea?”

“The fact that you had a thing with Lilith back in Eden, and that even after thousands of years you went to look for her. Not to mention how into me you seem to be.” Alastor teased lightly, running his fingers up Lucifer’s thigh.

“You- little shit!” Lucifer grabbed Charlie and scooted away from Alastor, his face a lovely shade of gold. “Lilith was just another rebellious soul like me! So we bonded! If any of my fellow angels had been more rebellious it could have gone a completely different way!!”

“Hey, no need to get all worked up about this! You having a thing for humans works out in my favor, since I happen to have a thing for you.” Alastor giggled at Lucifer’s flustered state. “Though, you better not go off trying to seduce other humans. I don’t play well with others.” Alastor smiled sharply.

“As if I’d do that.” Lucifer had regained some of his composure, smoothing down his ruffled chest fur. “You’re unlike any human I’ve ever heard of or seen before, Al. Trust me, I’m not interested in anyone but you.”

The brunet crawled over to where Lucifer had scooted off too, sitting on his knees before the fallen angel. “Good. And I’m not interested in anyone other than you.” Alastor hesitated for a moment, biting his lip, before plowing on. “You said you’ve never been in a serious relationship before, right? Well, neither have I. But, um, if you want… I’d like to be in a serious relationship with you.”

Lucifer let out a high pitched chirp before he could stop it, ears flickering up in surprise. “I thought that’s what we already had going on?”

Alastor blinked rapidly, face flushing as he momentarily floundered. “I, ah, wasn’t aware if that was the case. I don’t think either of us said that in as many words? At least, not that I can remember. And I’m pretty sure I’d remember that.”

“Oh, well, in that case: Alastor, I would really very much like to be in a serious relationship with you. I promise I’ll treat you right and take care of you, be there for you in whatever way shape or form you need me. I’ll be the best partner you could ever ask for, if you’ll have me.” Lucifer looked down at Alastor with warm, sincere eyes.

Why did that sound like wedding vows Alastor thought to himself hazily, swallowing thickly. “Ditto.” Was all he managed to croak back.

He was immediately wrapped up in a tight embrace, air almost fully squeezed out of his lungs. Alastor wheezed, wrapping his arms around Lucifer’s neck in return. And then the devil was pulling back - but only just enough to be able to kiss him.

Butterflies exploded in Alastor’s stomach, jittery and delightfully tingly. He melted into the kiss, large warm hands at his back holding him close.

The kiss ended much too soon, Lucifer breaking it to beam down at Alastor brightly. “Well! Glad that’s been sorted. Can we please get out of the basement now? It’s sort of uncomfortable and not very pleasant down here.”

Alastor couldn’t help but laugh, leaning against Lucifer for support. “Yes, yes, let’s get out of here. I am truly sorry about confining you down here all alone with nothing to do for hours… want to help me bake a cake?”

“Bake a cake? What’s the occasion?” Lucifer helped Alastor get to his feet, tucking Charlie the lamb plush under his arm.

“The occasion is ‘I’m sorry for being rude earlier and leaving you on your own in the cold hard basement.’” Alastor stated, grabbing Lucifer’s hand and tugging him towards the stairs.

Chuckling lightly, Lucifer followed. “Alright, sounds like a good enough reason for baking a cake from scratch! I’m warning you though, it’s going to be the chocolatiest, sugariest, over the top cake you’ve ever seen!”

Groaning, Alastor stifled a smile behind his other hand. “Sounds horrendous. But, I suppose you deserve it for putting up with my shit today.”

“Hey, I don’t mind putting up with your shit! It’s part of the package that is Alastor. Though getting to bake a cake together is not something I’m going to turn down!”

They giggled and bantered as they made it back into the kitchen, letting go of one another’s hands to be able to start pulling out ingredients and pots and pans. Charlie was placed safely on a couch, out of reach of flour and chocolate syrup and other dangers of the kitchen while they got to work.

It hadn’t been a perfect day, but things had turned out fine. Now Alastor knew exactly where he stood with Lucifer, which was very much appreciated and put his mind at ease. Lucifer liked him. Lucifer liked liked him. The brunet wondered if this was what his peers in middle school felt like when they talked about their crushes and objects of affection. Alastor never understood what all the fuss was about back then, didn’t fully get what they were talking about, never thought he’d ever feel that way too someday. And yet, here he was, baking a monstrosity of a cake in his kitchen even though he hated overly sweet things like this and as such had never bought baking ingredients or things like whipped cream and chocolate chips before. But, when he looked over at Lucifer, grinning excitedly as he mixed ingredients, making pleased little chirps as he worked, Alastor couldn’t imagine not doing this for Lucifer. Of course he would fill his pantry with things the devil liked. Of course he’d indulge the fallen angel in games and movies that weren’t usually to Alastor’s taste.

How could he not, when it brought such a bright smile to Lucifer’s face?

———

It was a sweltering September afternoon. Even though fall was supposedly just around the corner, the sun hadn’t gotten the memo yet apparently. The air conditioning at work had broken, so Alastor had been suffering in his dark brown slacks and pinstripe coat. Though he did remove the coat - but that left him in his waistcoat and button up shirt and bow tie, all of which he was loath to remove at his place of employment.

Thankfully station management agreed that working conditions were not ideal at the moment and told everyone they could head home early if they wanted. And since it was Tuesday and Alastor did not have his afternoon broadcast, he took that opportunity. Usually on the days Alastor didn’t have an afternoon show he still stayed until the end of the work day planning out upcoming radio shows or doing research to stay up to date on segments, talking to journalists and seeing what was new around town and such. But not today, not with the air conditioning broken. He really hoped station management would get that fixed for tomorrow.

Before heading home Alastor decided to run some errands, since he got off work early anyway. Alastor did roll up his sleeves and loosen his bow tie as well as unbutton his waistcoat, giving into the heat some. As he was walking around the store, Alastor spied an end of summer sale; since fall was apparently starting soon, they seemed to be selling a lot of their summer things for pretty cheap.

Alastor decided to take a look, though he didn’t expect to find anything he was interested in. There were a lot of beach related things on sale; beach balls, beach towels, inflatable floaties, little plastic toys for kids to play in the sand with. A bunch of useless stuff, in Alastor’s opinion. Though, a soak in a cool body of water on such a hot day would be most welcome…

The brunet’s eye landed on a plastic foldable kiddie pool. It boasted being easy to use and store, was over nine feet long, and was on sale for just $9.99. How could Alastor say no to that?

He bought the thing, partly because it was a good deal and he could really go for a nice refreshing swim, and partly because he was sure Lucifer would appreciate the little pool. It was probably big enough to fit the fallen angel in it.

Eager to head home and set up the plastic foldable kiddie pool, Alastor wrapped up the rest of his errands quickly.

Alastor got home a little past two, which was much earlier than he usually got off work. The sun was beating down on his truck unforgivingly, and even the short walk from the car port to his front door felt like stepping into a furnace.

Lucifer almost fell off the couch he was sprawled out on in surprise when Alastor opened his door. “Al!” He yelped, limbs flailing momentarily before he got a hold of the back of the couch and steadied himself. “I did not expect you home already. You’re back early!”

“Station management let us go home early since the AC wasn’t working. It was too hot to stay there, so home I came.” Alastor immediately set down his messenger bag and shopping bags, ripping his bow tie off and shimmying out of his waistcoat.

“Not sure it’s all that much cooler here, I’m afraid.” Lucifer lamented. Alastor had decent heating in his house for the winter months, but generally relied on open windows and fans for the heat. He usually wasn’t at home when it was sweltering, anyway, safely tucked away in the radio station’s nicely air conditioned rooms.

Except that had been broken on this particular day.

“Fear not, I have a solution to the heat!” Alastor dropped down to grab a specific item, standing back up with it and holding it out in front of his body triumphantly. “A pool!”

“Oh! That does sound like a great solution. I could use a nice refreshing swim to cool off. All this fur of mine is suffocating me in this heat.” The fallen angel scratched at his neck fluff uncomfortably, a good amount of fur flying up around him. He was shedding like crazy these days, poor thing. Alastor made a mental note to vacuum again later.

“Help me put my groceries and things away and we can go set this up, okay?”

“Deal!” Lucifer hopped off the couch eagerly, padding over on all fours to do just that.

Putting things away went quickly with Lucifer’s help, and in no time the two of them were setting up the plastic kiddie pool under a shady patch of trees near the house. Lucifer offered to fill the tub with water while Alastor got changed, and the brunet took that offer.

Upstairs in his room, Alastor got changed into the only swimsuit he owned; an old, red-and-white stripped pair of swim shorts. Alastor stared at himself in the mirror on his dresser, self consciously rubbing his hands over his top surgery scars. Lucifer had already seen him practically naked - the devil had eaten him out for fucks sake. And yet, Alastor found himself nervous about being so undressed in front of Lucifer.

Telling himself he was being silly and to quit stalling, Alastor resolutely marched himself back downstairs, picking up a few towels and making a quick detour to grab a folding chair to lug over as well. The brunet set the towels up on the chair, not really paying attention to the pool at the moment.

“Come on Al! Get in!! This really was a great idea, buying a pool has to have been one of the smartest things you’ve ever done.”

Alastor finally glanced over, doing a double take when he realized Lucifer was already in the foldable pool. The fallen angel was lying on his stomach, fitting snugly but otherwise able to get his whole body in the tub with his legs tucked under him. He had already taken full advantage of the pool, apparently; Lucifer was dripping wet, blond mane of fur laden with water and clinging to him. He looked like a wet dog. Thankfully he didn’t smell like a wet dog.

“You look ridiculous.” Alastor smirked, walking over to the edge of the pool.

“Yeah, well at least I look ridiculous and am cooled off, instead of looking ridiculous while still being fried. Nice underwear, by the way.” Lucifer taunted back, sticking his tongue out.

“These are swim shorts, not underwear, thank you very much.” Alastor huffed, blushing slightly despite himself.

“Uh-huh, sure. Are you just going to stand there all day or are you getting in?” The fallen angel lifted a hand up to push his dripping bangs out of his eyes, flashing Alastor a smile full of sass.

“I would get in if I could, but there seems to be a giant fur ball hogging all the space.” Alastor fired back, jutting his chin into the air.

With a laugh Lucifer sat up, scooting slightly to make room in the pool, water sloshing around at his movements. “You fit, you fit. Now get in before you spontaneously combust!”

Even in the shade, it was still stiflingly hot out. Alastor didn’t waste anymore time, stepping into the coolness of the pool, the refreshing water caressing his overheated tan skin. With a contented sigh he sat down, leaning against the plastic side of the tub and closing his eyes. “Oh, this is quite nice.”

“Isn’t it?” Lucifer’s voice sounded very pleased. Alastor just hummed in response, letting himself relax.

Until he was suddenly sprayed by a shower of water.

Spluttering, Alastor’s eyes flew open, arms coming up to shield himself. “What the-?”

Lucifer was shaking himself like an oversized dog, droplets of water flying off of him every which way. “Lucifer! Stop that!”

The devil stopped his shaking. “Oh, sorry! Did I get you?”

Alastor scowled, hair dripping, water running down his face and neck. “What do you think.” He deadpanned.

“…I’ll take that as a yes. It was an accident, I swear!”

“Sure it was, Luci.”

“Really! It was! I was just trying to shake off the excess water, not get you wet. That wasn’t on purpose. This, however, this is on purpose.” Before Alastor could ask what the fallen angel meant, a wave of water smacked into his side, absolutely drenching him.

Lucifer had just splashed him.

“You- you little shit! Take this!!” Alastor surged forward, splashing water back at Lucifer. The devil shrieked in delight, splashing him back once more. Water was spilling over the edge of the tub, flying through the air, getting the both of them thoroughly soaked. Despite how childish this was, Alastor found himself having a lot of fun. Especially with how Lucifer was giggling and grinning so brightly, splashing around in the little kiddie pool without a care in the world.

“Okay - enough, enough! I think we’ve spilled half the pool’s water by now.” Alastor panted, finally calling their impromptu water fight to an end. Lucifer gave him one last splash, earning himself a glare from Alastor, before the fallen angel scooted closer to the brunet, settling down.

“Well, that was fun.” Lucifer grinned, bumping Alastor’s shoulder playfully. Alastor just hummed in agreement, content to just bask in the cool water and the shade and Lucifer’s company.

After a moment, Lucifer spoke up again. “I like your spots.”

“My what?” Alastor turned to stare up at Lucifer, uncomprehending.

“Your spots. Obviously I’ve noticed the ones on your face before, but I didn’t realize you had them elsewhere.” Lucifer gently reached out a claw to trace along Alastor’s shoulder.

“Oh, you mean my freckles? Um, thank you.” Alastor felt his face heat up slightly. Lucifer wasn’t always great at compliments, but he tried. Alastor understood that as a fallen angel, the way he saw humans was wholly different from how Alastor saw others, or how his fellow man saw him. Honestly, Lucifer’s unique perspective was sort of refreshing. And a reminder of how decidedly not human he was.

“You’re welcome.” Lucifer gave a satisfied rumble. He leaned against Alastor companionably, wet fur against his skin not feeling as unpleasant as the brunet expected. “Hey, can we talk?”

Alastor glanced up at Lucifer, meeting those deep red eyes. “Yeah, of course. What do you wanna talk about?”

“About our conversation the other day. I’ve been thinking about it. About how sometimes you need me to push at your boundaries and break down your walls, and sometimes you need me to respect them and leave them intact. But, I’m not sure how I’m supposed to know when to push and when to let be?” Lucifer sighed ruefully, giving a little shrug.

“Actually… I might have an answer for that.” Alastor rolled around the thought in his head for a moment, biting his bottom lip. He knew they were going to have to talk about this eventually, but that didn’t stop anxiety from bubbling up in his stomach over the topic at hand. “So, while doing my… research the other day, I came across a lot of, uh, kinky things. And well, people who engage in kink need to be able to check in with their partners to make sure things are okay and they aren’t going too far or hurting them, you know?”

“Yeah, makes sense.” Lucifer nodded, following along.

“So, um, they have a system for that. It’s, color based, called the traffic light system. Because red means stop, yellow means slow down or proceed with caution, and green means go.” Alastor absentmindedly moved his hand through the water of the pool, his nervous energy needing some sort of outlet.

“Ah, I see. That’s a pretty good system, actually. So, I could ask you what color you’re feeling when I hit a boundary, and if you say green, it means you want me to go ahead anyway?” The fallen angel tilted his head to the side, questioningly.

“Yes, that’s it.” Alastor swallowed thickly, bringing his hands into his lap to stop their fidgeting through the water.

“Cool, cool. Makes sense. Well, that works for me then! Thank you.”

“What are you thanking me for? I should be thanking you, for always trying to make sure I’m alright and comfortable with you and with everything we do.” Alastor wheezed out a small laugh.

A wet muzzle pressed into the side of his face. “Thank you for giving me the tools for me to make sure you’re alright and comfortable with me and everything we do.” Lucifer murmured, nuzzling against Alastor’s cheek.

“You’re welcome I suppose, you big wet dog.” The brunet shoved Lucifer away from him with an amused huff.

“Hey! I thought we were having a moment!” Lucifer complained as he fell back into the pool, water sloshing everywhere.

“We were. Moment’s over now.” Alastor grinned cheekily.

“Oh, it’s on!!” Lucifer launched himself at Alastor, the brunet laughing as he scrambled to get out of the way. They splashed and tousled in the pool, which was progressively holding less and less water as they roughhoused. Though, Lucifer was definitely holding back; Alastor could tell the devil was being gentle with him. He appreciated it, but he also hoped to one day witness the full extent of Lucifer’s strength.

Chapter Text

Two weeks went by, fall having officially started despite it still being quite warm out. At least the radio station had their air conditioning fixed.

Alastor was taking advantage of the continued warm weather, going out on hunting trips after work and on the weekends more often than not. Lucifer would join him the majority of the time; not to hunt, just to accompany him. The fallen angel would generally stay hidden in the nearby foliage, or up a tree, sometimes alerting Alastor to nearby prey but usually letting the brunet do his own thing. Regardless, it was nice to have Lucifer as a hunting buddy. Even if the devil wasn’t doing any hunting himself.

Rosie had gotten Alastor’s computer checked out by Sir Pentious - Penton, like she promised. He had done a full scan and cleaned out all foreign files, with Rosie’s supervision of course. Alastor had gone to pick up his computer after work one day when he stopped by the butcher shop to get some fresh meat, and was pleased to find the old contraption up and running the same as it had before. He would be staying far away from porn websites in the future.

It was still pretty hot out, so Alastor and Lucifer were taking advantage of the kiddie pool fairly often, at least every few days. Even if Alastor didn’t get in himself, he enjoyed sitting by the side of the foldable pool and reading while Lucifer frolicked in the water and cooled off. Though sometimes that came with the danger of being splashed by the devil.

Though the two of them had continued to be very handsy with each other (Lucifer more so than Alastor), they still hadn’t done much aside from heavy petting and sloppy make out sessions. Alastor would sometimes offer to give him a handjob when Lucifer got particularly excited, and sometimes Lucifer would take him up on his offer. Though, the fallen angel was still generally choosing to deal with his arousal on his own more often than not.

However, whenever the devil tried to return the favor after Alastor lent him a hand, he declined. Though he did want to eventually be more sexually adventurous with Lucifer, Alastor was just not ready for that yet. The fallen angel would ask every few days, and double check if this was a time Alastor wanted his boundaries pushed or not. He always respected Alastor’s answer, always reassuring the brunet that there was no pressure either way. Alastor was immensely relieved to hear that each time. He kept thinking that this time would be the time Lucifer got fed up with Alastor’s lack of interest or initiative when it came to sex, but that never happened. Lucifer was more than happy with whatever Alastor was willing to give, and willing to wait for the brunet to be comfortable and fully ready before going any further.

That morning Alastor’s truck had been making some concerning noises, but Alastor hadn’t had time to check on it, and it had started up alright anyway, so he had put it off until after work. Now Alastor was back home, in cargo shorts and a tank top, lying on his back on the dirt road leading up to the carport and underneath his truck with his toolbox open next to him. Lucifer had been napping on his dog bed when Alastor had gotten home from work, so he had tiptoed around and upstairs to put his bag down and get changed before heading back outside to work on his truck.

Lucifer had looked so peaceful, lying on his back with his head twisted to the side, legs curled into his chest. It was adorable, really, made Alastor almost able to forget that Lucifer was the devil. Lucifer might look serene and calm, but Alastor also knew he held impressive power and deep strength.

As Alastor worked on his truck, he reminisced on the other day when he and Lucifer had been out hunting after he got off work. Alastor had trekked quite far into the woods. He had lost track of time, concentrating on tracking a stag through the woods - but the deer kept eluding him, managing to escape his sights over and over. The brunet got so absorbed in the hunt that he didn’t notice that hours had passed, the sun beginning to set. Until the shadows got longer and a cool breeze had ruffled his hair.

Even though he hadn’t gotten his prey, Alastor knew he had to turn back and head home. It would take them a couple of hours to get back, and it would be dark by then, and then Alastor still had to make dinner. And it was a work night! So, the stag got away this time.

Alastor had let out a dejected sigh, putting the safety of his hunting rifle back on and slinging it over his back. As Alastor had turned to start heading home, Lucifer had appeared beside him. “No luck today?” The fallen angel had asked. Alastor had shaken his head in confirmation. And then Lucifer had followed it up with “Want a ride home?”

The brunet hadn’t been able to turn down an offer like that.

Lucifer had lowered himself down to the ground so that Alastor could swing his leg over his back, though he had hesitated at the sight of the scars on the fallen angel. Lucifer had insisted that they were completely healed and didn’t hurt, and for Alastor to just get on. So he did.

Feeling the wind rushing through his hair, Lucifer’s muscles rippling beneath him, fingers tightly curled into long blond fur, Alastor had closed his eyes tightly shut reflexively. It had been exhilarating, riding on Lucifer’s back; Alastor had had to hold on for dear life, thighs clenching into the fallen angel’s sides as he pressed his whole body into the being below him. Alastor’s heart had been pounding, and he had kept his eyes closed at first. But once he cracked them open, the brunet hadn’t been able to stop watching the world around him whip past at impossible speeds.

He hadn’t even realized they were moving so fast - Lucifer’s gait was smooth, flowing seamlessly through the trees and underbrush. Alastor was aware of the muscles contracting and shifting under him, the thumping of paws and hooves hitting the ground, the wind in his hair, but that didn’t give his body a sense of how fast they were really moving. Lucifer really was something alright, and getting to experience his immense strength and speed up close and personal had been thrilling to say the least.

Just thinking about it right then was making Alastor’s pulse quicken, his back still firmly pressed to the ground as he tinkered away under his truck. Alastor had enjoyed that ride immensely, and would very much like to get front row seats to Lucifer’s shows of strength and power again in the future. Seeing the true might Lucifer held, despite being cast out of Heaven and stripped of magic, had been awe inspiring. Alastor could scarcely imagine how powerful and mighty Lucifer had been back in Heaven, while he still had his wings and all his glorious magic.

A little shiver ran up Alastor’s spine at the thought. God, what he would give to see Lucifer in his prime, with all six wings and powers beyond the brunet’s mortal comprehension… Alastor bit his lip at the thought, clenching the wrench in his hand just a little tighter than necessary.

“Al? Where are…” a low, sleepy voice reached Alastor’s ears. Ah, it seemed the slumbering beast had awakened.

Before Alastor could open his mouth to respond, there was a panicked chattering sound, and suddenly Alastor found himself blinking in the blinding afternoon sun.

“Alastor? Are you alright? Are you hurt??” Lucifer leaned over him, brow creased with concern as he held Alastor’s truck aloft in one hand.

As if it weighed nothing.

Ignoring the rush that sent through him, Alastor sat up slowly, giving Lucifer a hard look. “I’m fine, everything’s fine. Though, you won’t be fine if any harm comes to my truck.”

The fallen angel paused, staring wide-eyed down at Alastor. He then gave a curt nod, delicately placing Alastor’s truck back down on the ground with both hands. Lucifer patted the hood apologetically, giving Alastor a sheepish little smile. “S-sorry about that, you just - I saw you under the truck, and thought you were stuck, or hurt? Ha…”

“Nope, I was just working on my truck.” Alastor abandoned his tools on the floor, standing up and brushing himself off. “You were asleep when I got back and I didn’t want to wake you, so I came out here to work on it while you slept.” Now that Alastor’s truck wasn’t in imminent danger, his brain was flooded with images of Lucifer picking up the vehicle as if it was light as a feather. All to try to protect him.

“Ah, I see. Sorry for overreacting then.” Lucifer scratched at his neck bashfully.

“It’s alright. It was rather… thrilling getting to see your strength like that.” Alastor sidled up next to Lucifer, running his fingertips softly over the devil’s bicep. “You’re so strong, it’s always a treat to get to see that.”

“Y-yeah?” Lucifer flushed a light gold, watching as Alastor ran his hands over the fallen angel’s muscles.

“Mhm. Flex for me, would you?” Alastor batted his eyelashes up at Lucifer. Lucifer gave a lopsided smile, bringing his arm up to bend at the elbow and curling his hand into a fist. The resulting bulge of muscle was definitely impressive.

Alastor eagerly ran his hands over the muscle, squeezing and finding it firm, delighted at Lucifer’s obvious strength.

“Having fun?” Lucifer asked, amused.

“Yes, I am. Do your other arm for me?”

Lucifer flexed his other arm as well, and Alastor’s heart skipped a beat. For some reason this majestic being’s raw strength and power really did something to him.

He ran both hands over Lucifer’s biceps, then down through the fallen angel’s chest fluff to feel up his pectorals. Lucifer was well built everywhere, which really wasn’t fair, considering the devil’s diet mostly consisted of sugar and carbs.

Almost reverently Alastor trailed his hands downward, to Lucifer’s abdomen. The muscles there spasmed slightly at Alastor’s touch, and he smirked at their contraction.

“Um - maybe, uh, you s-should probably stop?” Lucifer stuttered. Glancing back up at Lucifer’s face, Alastor found it bright gold, the being clearly flustered. Adorable.

“And why should I stop? Is this doing something for you?” Alastor teased lightly. He let his eyes travel back down Lucifer’s front, to below where his hands rested on the devil’s six pack. Lucifer’s sheath gave a little twitch, and a moment later the gold tip of the fallen angel’s dick was poking out.

“Y-yeah okay, that’s enough.” Lucifer grabbed Alastor’s hands, pulling them off of his body. Alastor pouted up at Lucifer, not wanting his little petting session to be over yet.

“Oh come on Luci, you’re enjoying my touches, I’m enjoying touching you, why stop?” The brunet wriggled around in Lucifer’s grip, unable to get his wrists free. Which, hot. Just another show of strength from the angelic being before him.

“I mean, yeah, but I interrupted your work. Didn’t mean to distract you from that!” Lucifer let go of Alastor’s wrists, backing up a bit to give Alastor some space. Alastor did not really want space right now.

“I can always finish that later.” Alastor followed Lucifer as he backed up, until the fallen angel had his back pressed against the side of Alastor’s house. It was funny, how even with all his power and towering height, Lucifer let Alastor push him around like this. The brunet decided to use that to his advantage today. “Can I suck your dick?”

Lucifer choked on nothing.

Alastor watched in amusement as the fallen angel spluttered, face flushed a bright gold. “Fuck, Al, you can’t just say things like that out of the blue?” He wheezed after managing to catch his breath a bit.

“Why not? I’m communicating, aren’t I? And I didn’t hear you say no.” Alastor brought his hands back up to Lucifer’s navel, above the devil’s sheath and the cute golden tip of his cock peeking out. The brunet kept his hands away from Lucifer’s member - for now - focusing on the smooth, bellybutton-less expanse of the fallen angel’s stomach, the lightly furred skin, the rippling and spasming of the muscles under Alastor’s fingertips.

“You… really don’t have to.” Lucifer gave a weak protest, hands flexing at his sides.

“I want to. Not sure I’ll be any good at this, but, still, I want this.” Alastor stated softly, giving Lucifer a reassuring smile that he hoped hid his nerves. Alastor did want to do this, ever since the devil had eaten him out he had wanted to get his mouth on Lucifer in return. He had chickened out every time they fooled around though, always opting to just use his hands when he helped Lucifer out with his arousal. But not this time. This time Alastor would get a taste of the fallen angel.

Lucifer’s cock slid a little further out of his sheath. “O-okay… if you’re sure then yes, yes you can, uh, suck my dick.” The devil somehow blushed an even darker shade of gold.

“Lovely.” Alastor practically purred, letting his hands dip lower. Lucifer’s cock head had fully emerged, along with an inch or two of his shaft, but Alastor knew there was a lot of length still hidden in that furry blond sheath. One hand explored lower, fondling Lucifer’s balls, while the other gently encircled what was available of the devil’s dick and began to gradually stroke him. Lucifer let out a shuddering sigh, leaning against the side of the house heavily.

Alastor smirked, pleased at how quickly Lucifer was falling apart. More of his dick slid out of his sheath, curving up and slightly in towards Lucifer’s stomach. Alastor could now see where the gold faded into pink, humming to himself. That meant about half of the fallen angel’s cock had emerged.

The scent of caramelized apples and cinnamon wafted around him, the smell of Lucifer’s arousal. Alastor wondered if he’d taste as sweet as he smelled, though part of him hoped not. The brunet still wasn’t the biggest fan of sweets, after all.

As more of Lucifer’s cock emerged into the air, Alastor realized their height differences would make this awkward. Alastor was tall, but Lucifer was much taller. If he knelt, he’d be too low to reach Lucifer’s dick properly. But, he couldn’t do this properly while standing, either.

Looking around the area, Alastor’s eyes landed on his tool box. That could work.

“One moment.” Alastor stepped away from Lucifer, the devil giving a pitiful little whine at the sudden loss of contact. Alastor moved as quickly as he could, shutting the toolbox and grabbing a few clean rags, placing the box in front of Lucifer, and arranging the rags over the hard metallic top of the toolbox.

Kneeling down on the box, Alastor was satisfied to find that he was at the perfect dick sucking height for Lucifer now. The gold and pink cock before him bobbed lightly in the air, a pearl of precum beading up at the tip. Alastor placed his left hand on Lucifer’s thigh to steady himself, carefully wrapping his other hand around the devil’s member, guiding it down and towards his face.

He gave an experimental sniff, noting the stronger scent of cinnamon and melted sugar and baked apple treats. Alastor glanced up at Lucifer, making eye contact with hooded crimson orbs. Lucifer was biting his lip, pupils dated, nostrils flaring. It gave Alastor such an ego boost to see Lucifer melt so easily at his touch, especially when Alastor had barely even started.

Keeping eye contact with Lucifer, Alastor brought the fallen angel’s cock head to his lips, planting a little kiss at the tip before tentatively licking it.

An explosion of sickly sweetness immediately hit Alastor like a truck. However, despite the overwhelming and cloying caramel and candy-like flavor, Alastor did not find it repulsive. Almost timidly Alastor swiped his tongue over Lucifer’s slit, picking up the precum gathering there. He swirled it around on his tongue, the sugary sweetness spreading across his tastebuds. Alastor sighed contentedly, eyes fluttering shut as he leaned in for another taste.

Alastor wasn’t a big fan of sweets, that was true, but he was a fan of Lucifer. He should have found Lucifer’s taste to be nauseatingly sweet, but he didn’t. Alastor liked it, found himself craving more already.

Carefully Alastor took Lucifer’s heart shaped cock head into his mouth, feeling the weight of it rest against the flat of his tongue. It dawned on Alastor that he really had no idea what he was doing at the moment, but he didn’t let that dissuade him. It was called sucking dick right? He gave Lucifer’s cock an experimental suck.

The reaction he got was most satisfying.

Eyes snapping open to gaze back up at Lucifer, Alastor witnessed the fallen angel gasp and shiver, hands twitching with the desire to touch the brunet in return.

Pulling off Lucifer’s cock with a wet pop, Alastor grinned up at the devil. “Enjoying yourself?”

“Fuck, you have no idea…” Lucifer groaned, taking deep breaths, chest rising and falling heavily.

“I might have an idea, actually.” Alastor gave Lucifer’s dick a couple firm strokes, spreading the precum leaking from the tip and his saliva around liberally. “You can touch me, just be gentle. Don’t hold me down, understand?”

“Yes, got it.” Lucifer nodded vigorously, forked tongue sticking out adorably.

With a hum Alastor got back to it. He opened his mouth, sticking his tongue out and guiding Lucifer’s cock back to his lips. Alastor swirled his tongue along the underside of that gold and pink cock, drawing it deeper into his mouth. Almost shyly Lucifer placed his left hand in Alastor’s hair, gently running his fingers through brown locks, claws scratching pleasantly at his scalp.

Alastor shivered, pulling back until only the tip of Lucifer’s cock remained in his mouth, before pushing forward. Lucifer’s member was big, and he was under no illusion that he’d be able to fit the whole thing in his mouth - even if he deep throated it. Alastor took as much as he could, until he felt the tapered tip of the devil’s dick hit the back of his throat, his lips stretched wide around the shaft. He wasn’t even halfway down. No matter - Alastor’s right hand picked up the slack easily enough, stroking over what didn’t fit in his mouth.

He thought about taking more of Lucifer, seeing how deep he could get the fallen angel, how much of his cock he could stuff down his throat… but considering this was his first time sucking dick, Alastor decided that was maybe something to explore another time. Instead, he started bobbing his head along the shaft, settling into a steady rhythm of hollowing out his cheeks, tongue swirling, and hand pumping along.

Above him, Lucifer let out little panting moans and bitten off curses, hand on Alastor’s head fisting his hair tighter. The brunet couldn’t help the corresponding moan that escaped him. The resulting vibrations up Lucifer’s dick caused the devil to throw his head back against the side of the house, his horns hitting wood with a loud clack.

Alastor was momentarily concerned that Lucifer might have hurt himself, but the fallen angel quickly put that worry to rest with a stuttered “D-don’t stop - shit - how are you s-so good at this?”

Emboldened at the praise, Alastor continued his ministrations with gusto. Incrementally Alastor picked up his pace, bobbing his head faster, in time with the movements of his hand. Lucifer’s knot was beginning to swell at the base of his shaft, precum leaking almost excessively from his tip and down Alastor’s throat. He took every drop, lapping it up eagerly.

This continued for a while, Alastor losing himself in the sensation of the heavy cock in his mouth, the drag of it along his tongue, the taste of the candy-like precum leaking from the tip. It was almost meditative, comforting; Lucifer’s weight and taste were addictive, and the moaning spilling from those angelic lips was better than any heavenly choir.

While Alastor was enjoying this immensely, and wished he could stay like this forever, his jaw was starting to get tired. Lucifer was big, and his lips could only stretch so wide to take his cock. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, but he refused to slow down or stop now; watching Lucifer in the midst of pleasure through half-lidded eyes was so very worth the slight discomfort to his jaw. Not to mention his knees - while he wasn’t directly on the cold hard metal of his toolbox, the rags only provided so much cushioning.

Thankfully the fallen angel seemed to be reaching his peak soon. His hips were jerking, wanting to chase the warm heat of Alastor’s mouth but being held back by whatever self-control Lucifer had left. The brunet redoubled his efforts, purposefully pressing against Lucifer’s knot with every downstroke of his hand, tongue dragging along the underside of the fallen angel’s dick as he hollowed out his cheeks with every suck along that thick cock.

Lucifer whined, his right hand flying to join the other in Alastor’s hair. “Ah fuck- wait- shit-“

The brunet’s pulse quickened, eager to see Lucifer fall apart thanks to him. No one else got to see Lucifer like this, no one else had the privilege of bringing the devil to the heights of pleasure, to find his release. Alastor couldn’t wait to taste his seed on his tongue, to have a piece of Lucifer inside him, to take part in this most holiest of communions. Alastor wasn’t a religious man, but Lucifer made him want to worship.

Before that could happen though, Lucifer was yanking Alastor off his length roughly, pulling at his hair hard enough to sting. Taken by surprise, Alastor’s head snapped off of the devil’s cock, his hand practically on autopilot continuing to stroke Lucifer’s shaft.

Barely a moment later Lucifer reached his climax.

With a garbled groan the fallen angel came, cock pulsing in Alastor’s hand as it shot ropes of pearly white cum high in the air. Alastor gasped as he felt the first spurt hit his face, instinctively closing his eyes as sugary sweet spend splattered across his cheeks and nose. He momentarily gave thanks that he was wearing contacts today and not his glasses.

Lucifer’s cock gave a few more spurts of cum, some managing to land in Alastor’s hair. He shivered, tongue darting out to lick up some of the devil’s seed that was dripping down the side of his face. The overly sweet taste bloomed across Alastor’s tastebuds, somehow managing to be an even more concentrated sweetness than Lucifer’s precum. Everything about the fallen angel was sweet - and for once, Alastor found himself craving dessert.

The dick in his hands gave one last twitch, one last dribble of cum, and then went still, slowly softening and retreating into its sheath. Alastor risked cracking an eye open, removing his hands from Lucifer to be able to wipe at the jizz threatening to drip into his eyes.

“That sure was something.”

“S-sorry! I didn’t mean to uh, get you like that. I just, um, didn’t want to hurt you, and I was losing control there. Didn’t trust myself to not thrust into your mouth when I came…” Lucifer let go of Alastor’s hair, giving him a small sheepish smile.

“Yes, well. I don’t generally appreciate the mess, but I do appreciate you not wanting to hurt me. Though, it is sort of a pity… a bit of a waste.” Alastor lamented, sitting back on his thighs and bringing a hand up to swipe a finger through the sticky jizz coating his cheek. He brought his finger up to his eyes, rubbing the white viscous substance between his thumb and forefinger curiously.

“Oh, let me- I can help with that.” Lucifer squatted down, and before Alastor could say or do anything else a long wet appendage was caressing the side of his face. The brunet jerked back automatically, but Lucifer had brought one large hand up to his back, holding him in place as he lapped up his own cum from Alastor’s face. Alastor gave a grumble of protest, hands coming up to weakly push back against Lucifer’s chest. But the devil didn’t stop his tongue-bath, slightly raspy appendage continuing to lick over Alastor’s cheeks, the bridge of his nose, across his forehead, and into his bangs.

“I’m not sure this is getting me any cleaner - you’re just swapping out one slimy liquid for another.” Alastor complained, screwing his face up against the onslaught of wetness. Lucifer just hummed, finishing up his grooming of Alastor and swapping out his licks for peppering kisses across the brunet’s face. Alastor felt his cheeks heat up, getting flustered at all the softness and nuzzling going on at the moment.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough you.” Alastor huffed, pushing more firmly against Lucifer’s chest. This time the fallen angel obliged, lifting his head away from Alastor to give him a little space.

“Just wanted to show you some appreciation - you were great, Al. Though I’m not sure what came over you to start this to begin with.” Lucifer chuckled, standing up and stretching before offering Alastor a hand up. He took it gratefully, only wincing slightly as he got off his knees.

“What, a guy can’t want to make his partner feel good out of the blue sometimes? You’re just, so cute when you’re flustered or lost in pleasure. Even if it results in my hair getting cum in it.” Alastor teased, stepped closer to lean into Lucifer’s space.

Lucifer blushed lightly, much to Alastor’s delight. Rolling his eyes, the devil side-stepped around Alastor, managing to switch their positions and get the brunet pinned to the side of the house instead.

The fallen angel wasted no time in boxing Alastor in, caging him in against the wood, the brunet instinctively flattening his back to the wall. Craning his neck up, Alastor was greeted by vermilion pools and a smug smile. His breath hitched at the sudden change in their positions, heart rate quickening. Alastor was half aroused, even as part of him screamed that the being towering over him was a danger, a threat, and that he should run. But the slight tingle of fear only served to send a thrill through Alastor; he wasn’t truly scared of Lucifer. He knew the fallen angel would never do anything to hurt him.

“You know, most people when faced with a being as ancient and powerful as me would be scared. They wouldn’t try to push my buttons or rile me up; most people would realize that’s a bad idea. I am the devil, after all.” Lucifer rumbled, voice deep, breath fanning across Alastor’s face.

“Yeah, well, I’m not most people.” Alastor fired back, despite the shiver that wracked his frame at the change in Lucifer’s demeanor. As much as Alastor liked pushing Lucifer’s buttons and riling him up, as much as Alastor took advantage of the fallen angel’s softness towards him and gentle disposition, this side of Lucifer also did things to Alastor. This side of Lucifer was technically what had started this whole debacle to begin with; the otherworldly strength behind the devil, the power and assertiveness Lucifer could hold, the submission and respect he could command from those around him. Yes, Alastor liked being able to push Lucifer around - but fuck did he want to be pushed around by Lucifer. He knew he just needed to say the word and the fallen angel would give him anything he wanted… Alastor just needed to stop overthinking things.

The devil just blinked at him for a long moment, causing Alastor to momentarily panic - maybe he had said the wrong thing, or had offended Lucifer? But then Lucifer was throwing his head back and laughing, stepping away from Alastor as his body shook with mirth. “You definitely got that right, Al. You are not most people. Not at all! And you know what? I’m glad you’re not.”

Alastor let out a shaky laugh of his own, peeling himself off the wooden wall of his house and brushing himself off. He was filthy - not just from working on his truck earlier, but from the activities the two of them had been up to for the past… who knew how long.

“I think I need a bath” Alastor announced as Lucifer calmed down from his laughing fit. His own little bout of arousal had died down, replaced by distaste over how tacky Alastor was currently feeling - even after the generous tongue-bath curtesy of Lucifer.

“Oh? Really? Was my grooming not to your satisfaction?” Lucifer teased, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Cuz I can always give it another go!”

“No, thank you, that won’t be necessary. Much appreciated, but I think I’m looking for something a little less… saliva-ish.” Alastor began walking towards his truck, intending to pick up his tools from before and tidy up a little. He wasn’t going to be working on his truck anymore today, he was pretty sure of that.

Giggling, Lucifer stuck his tongue out playfully, flicking the forked tip up and down. “You suuurrre?” The fallen angel crept in Alastor’s direction slightly.

“Yup! I’m good! Put that thing away, you menace!” Alastor veered away from the truck, starting to back away towards his front door and abandoning his toolbox. He could come back out for that later.

“Hmm, well, that’s a shame… I think I missed a spot earlier!” Lucifer pounced with a cackle, arms extending to reach the floor as he bounded on all fours towards Alastor. With a shriek the brunet turned and ran to his door, yanking it open and slamming it shut behind him just in time.

“Aw, come on Al! You’re no fun.” Came Lucifer’s pleading whine from the other side.

“I think I am plenty fun! Or what would you call the little activity we were just up to for the past half an hour or so?” Alastor leaned against the back of his door, panting lightly. Lucifer and his playful, teasing streak. He never seemed to run out of energy, always up for a game or a romp of some sort. Alastor didn’t mind, not usually - but he did get tired a lot faster than the devil seemed to.

“…I guess that was fun, yeah. Thank you, by the way. You always take such good care of me when I, uh-“

“When you get turned on? You’re welcome.” Alastor puffed up his chest, proud of himself for bringing Lucifer his release.

“Yeah, that. Though I do wish I could return the favor sometimes, you know? I feel sort of bad always being the only one who gets to cum. Makes me feel like, like I’m being selfish…”

Opening the door a crack, Alastor peered out. Lucifer was sitting before the front of the house, head hanging low, hands shuffling around in the dirt. “Don’t feel bad, Luci. I enjoy touching you and being the source of your pleasure. You letting me do that for you is enough for me. You’re not selfish - if anything I’m the one being selfish here. I always enjoy seeing you come undone for me, I can never get enough of it.” Alastor opened the door wider, Lucifer lifting his head up to look over at him. It clicked for Alastor that the reason why Lucifer continued to deal with his arousal on his own more often than not, even when Alastor offered to lend a hand, was probably because the fallen angel knew there was a high chance that the brunet wouldn’t want him to return the favor - and that was making Lucifer feel like he was being selfish. “You know my libido is generally pretty low to non-existent. But, you do bring that side of me out more. And I do like the way you touch me, and I do want more of that, eventually… I suppose I would enjoy you returning the favor sometimes.”

Lucifer’s ears perked right up at his words. “You sure? Obviously I don’t want to coerce you into anything you don’t wanna do - I just - I want you to feel good, too.”

Walking back over to where Lucifer was sitting, Alastor gently cradled the being’s large head in his hands. “I know. I’ve been thinking about this a lot, trust me. But, maybe it’s time for me to think less, and feel more.” He placed a feather-light kiss to Lucifer’s snout, giving a little huff of amusement at the way the devil’s nose twitched at the touch.

“Y-yeah, okay. Whatever you want, whenever you want - just say the word, Al.” Lucifer breathed, tail thumping in the dirt behind him.

“I know.” Alastor smirked. “But right now I want a bath. So be a dear and clean up a bit out here for me?” He stepped back, gesturing at his abandoned toolbox and tools and the rags lying around.

“Of course! Enjoy your bath! I’ll get this cleaned up and then start dinner for us. How’s that sound?”

“Sounds lovely.” The brunet gave Lucifer a warm smile, then turned and walked back into his house. Having Lucifer around definitely kept things interesting, that was for sure. Never a dull moment with the literal devil around. Temptation incarnate indeed.

———

A couple days passed, it was now Saturday evening, and Alastor had gotten back from work roughly an hour ago. He and Lucifer had been chilling on the couch, chatting about this and that, when the fallen angel had asked Alastor if he wanted to have some fun. The brunet thought Lucifer was referring to a board game or something of the sort, but when the devil had crept over Alastor’s supine form and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively he realized what Lucifer was implying.

The fallen angel had a much, much higher libido than Alastor, it was sort of impressive. And Alastor had said he wanted to be more physically intimate with Lucifer - though he knew he couldn’t keep up with him. Still, this was something Alastor wanted, eventually. So why not now?

He wasn’t aroused at the moment, but Alastor thought he could be amenable to what Lucifer was suggesting, if the devil could get him there.

Which is how Alastor had found himself pressed into the couch with a large furry being caging him in, breathing the same air between wet sloppy kisses, large hands trailing over Alastor’s body, pushing his shirt up incrementally. Lucifer was taking his time, going nice and slow, letting Alastor get used to each sensation fully before moving on. Warmth began to spread throughout Alastor, a slight prickle of arousal trickling up his spine. The brunet tangled his hands in Lucifer’s fur, blond strands curled between his fingers. Yes, he was more than amenable to this.

Everything was going well, until a loud banging at the door startled the both of them, causing them to jump, jaws clacking against each other and limbs tangling. Alastor and Lucifer froze, staring at each other wide eyed. Alastor felt like his heart was going to explode out of his chest. He was glad all the window blinds were currently closed, but fuck, who was at his door?

That question was promptly answered.

“Alastor! Alastor Cerfcœur! If you’re in there you better open this door!” Rosie’s unmistakable (though muffled) voice filtered through the walls.

Alastor stared up at Lucifer in a panic. The fallen angel was still on top of him, fur disheveled and panting, and Alastor could only assume he was in a similar state. He pushed at Lucifer roughly, whispering “Go! Hide!”

The devil complied at once.

Smoothly he flowed off of Alastor and over the back of the couch, making his way to the closet under the stairs without a sound and slipping down into the basement. Quickly Alastor hopped to his feet, straightening his shirt and smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes as best he could.

“Alastor Cerfcœur! Do you hear me?!” The banging at his door continued.

Fuck. Shit. Fuck.

“One moment dear!” Alastor cast about wildly, panic making it hard to think. His living space was a mess, and so very clearly co-habilitated. He didn’t have time to clean that all up… but he could maybe hide the worst of it.

Frantically Alastor ran around, shoving the dog bed and the larger Lucifer-items into the closet, pushing books and board games under furniture and out of sight.

Rosie kept banging at his door insistently.

“I’ll be right there!!” Alastor called out, voice shrill. Why was she even here today, right now? Alastor didn’t know, but he knew he couldn’t ignore his friend when she was literally ready to break down his front door.

Stopping in the bathroom for a moment to make sure he looked decent, Alastor noted his flushed cheeks and messy hair, quickly running a hand through the brown locks to try to get them into some semblance of order. His clothes were fine though, and aside from looking flustered and agitated Alastor deemed himself decent enough to answer the door.

Cracking his front door open, Alastor smiled at the frowning woman standing there. “Hello-“

Rosie pushed the door wider, forcefully shoving her way though. “Really, Alastor, keeping a lady waiting outside like that? How rude.”

“I- uh- well, I wasn’t exactly expecting to have any guests over at the moment.” Alastor spluttered, thrown off by Rosie’s demeanor. “Is something the matter, old friend?”

“Is something the- is something the matter?” Rosie spun on her heel to face Alastor, brow furrowed. “You promised you’d call me. You said we’d have dinner together sometime soon. That was weeks ago, Alastor. Weeks! You’ve barely even come by the butcher shop, just stopped by for your computer and to buy meat. So I thought I’d give you a call since you never called me, but you weren’t picking up! What with the lack of seeing you and now not being able to reach you, I got worried - after all, I know the kinds of things you get up to in your spare time. I drove all the way out here to see if you’re alright, and turns out you were just ignoring me! So you tell me if ‘something is the matter’.”

Alastor stared wide eyed at his friend, leaning against the back of his door. Had it really been weeks since he last called or spent any meaningful amount of time with Rosie? And his phone - he had left that in his room upstairs, so he hadn’t heard Rosie trying to call him. Damn, he had really lost track of time, getting so caught up in Lucifer as of late.

Taking a deep breath to compose himself, Alastor straightened up, putting on a smile that he hoped would comfort and calm Rosie down. “Has it really been weeks? I do apologize, it was not my intention to leave you waiting. Time seems to have just gotten away from me lately.”

Rosie gave Alastor a hard stare. “Are you feeling alright? You do look a little flushed. And it’s not like you to stand me up like that.”

“I’m - I’m fine! Feeling just fine, my dear. I’ve just been… distracted as of late. Nothing for you to worry about though.” Alastor’s smile twitched, straining slightly. Rosie had always been much too observant for her own good.

She slowly gives Alastor’s living space a look over. “Since when do you read fairytales.” Rosie pointed to a few books on top of his bookshelf.

Ah, it seemed like he had missed some items in his mad dash to organize his space. “They’re for research. For work.” Alastor stated vaguely, stepping around Rosie and into his kitchen. “Where are my manners - would you like anything to drink, Rosie?”

Rosie narrowed her eyes at him, but followed Alastor into the kitchen nonetheless. She clearly wasn’t buying Alastor’s excuses, so the brunet would try to distract her with his impeccable skills as a host instead.

“Yes. I’ll have some wine.” Rosie said, tone not leaving any room to argue.

Alastor suppressed a sigh as he walked over to his cabinets to pull out a couple of wine glasses and a bottle of red. Rosie was clearly making a point by asking for wine; she wanted to stay for a while. “Would you like to stay for dinner?”

“Why, yes, what a lovely suggestion!” Rosie sat down at the dining table, not making any comment about the beanbag sitting to the side that Alastor hadn’t had time to hide. He brought over the glasses and bottle of wine, pouring them each a glass before sitting down next to his friend.

“I truly am sorry I didn’t reach out to you these last couple of weeks to properly plan something. I’ve been very scatterbrained as of late, it was not my intention to ignore you my dear.” Alastor tried to smooth things over with Rosie a bit more, hoping the wine and dinner invitation appeased her.

It helped a little, at least. Rosie had definitely relaxed a bit, sipping at her drink leisurely. To try to soothe her ruffled feathers further, Alastor asked Rosie about the latest episodes of her soap opera. That seemed to do the trick - Rosie launched into the plot and the drama going on with the characters. Alastor made sure to listen attentively to his friend, adding the appropriate little gasps and utterances of “No, did he really?” Here and then.

From there the conversation flowed more naturally, Rosie telling Alastor about how things at the butcher shop were going, what things her employees had been up to, the gossip she picked up from customers and others around town. Despite Rosie having shown up out of the blue and mad, talking with her was always a good time.

At some point Alastor got up to start preparing dinner, Rosie joining him to make preparations go faster. He lamented internally that Lucifer would have to wait in the basement a little longer and dinnerless for now. Rosie naturally asked about how Alastor was doing, and he told her about how work at the radio station had been and his hunting, leaving it at that. He broke out some of his human meat to share with Rosie, since they both had a proclivity for it. Together they made spaghetti bolognese - with the meat being human, of course. The sauce was rich with carrots, onion, garlic, and basil though; a meal Alastor hoped his friend would enjoy and take as a peace offering.

Unfortunately Alastor hadn’t accounted for all the baking ingredients and sweet things he now had stocked in his pantry. Rosie had gotten a good look at them when she was searching for herbs to add, raising her eyebrows at Alastor when she discovered all the cookies and pastry components. She didn’t say anything, but the both of them knew that Alastor wasn’t a sweets guy.

Once dinner was ready and the two friends were sitting at the table, however, Rosie pressed him further. “You seem like you’ve been awfully occupied for someone who doesn’t have all that much going on. Come on Alastor, where have you been, what have you been up to? And don’t give me that ‘research’ excuse again. We both know that’s bullshit.”

Alastor had been thinking as they talked and cooked, wracking his brains for a way to get Rosie to not dig or needle him further. She was usually so patient and understanding, not one to press when you didn’t want to talk. But Alastor had slighted her by not calling… she took that as a great offense, being ignored or stood up without good reason. Especially after Rosie had so graciously helped Alastor out with his computer troubles.

He definitely needed a better excuse than simply ‘research.’

The brunet took a bite of his food, chewing slowly. “Alright, I suppose you deserve a proper explanation. You must understand it was never my intention to make you feel forgotten about though! I just lost track of time these last few weeks… see, I’ve been most occupied with trying to find my exception from before.”

This clearly hadn’t been what Rosie was expecting. She paused, forkful of spaghetti halfway to her mouth as her eyes went wide as saucers. “Is that so?” Is all she managed to squeak out.

“Yes. So you see, it is rather personal, and sort of humiliating - being at the mercy of my emotions and the like. I didn’t want to talk about it, especially since nothing has come of it.” Alastor continued to casually eat, watching Rosie intently. She seemed to be buying it.

“Oh, Alastor. I know feelings can be hard for you. But I am so proud of you for doing this! I can see why you might have been distracted, can see where all your time and thoughts have been going then!” Rosie resumed eating, though her disposition had changed drastically; while before she was being civil while a little more cagey and suspicious, now Rosie was smiling brightly, all visible anger and annoyance practically vanishing in a puff of smoke.

“Mhm. It has been most time consuming.” Alastor laid it on thick, leaning into his lie. He hadn’t intended to lie to his best friend, but of course Alastor couldn’t tell her the truth. That is, that he had a monster for a boyfriend who lived in his house and was occupying practically all of Alastor’s brain space and time these days.

“Well, tell me more! How has the search been going? Have you been able to find anything out about them? Or better yet - maybe got in contact with them again?” Rosie leaned forward in her seat eagerly, eyes sparkling with excitement.

“I’m afraid I haven’t been able to find out much. I remember that he liked baked goods and fairytales, hence the ‘research’ I was doing. But aside from that, I haven’t been able to find him again. I don’t even know his name!” Alastor lamented falsely, secretly pleased to be able to weave the stupid books and baking ingredients in his pantry into his cover story.

“I see. That makes sense - you’ve been trying to get closer to this person through what you do know of him. It’s a man though, is it?” Rosie grinned before popping another forkful of pasta into her mouth.

Alastair took a sip of his wine to cover his momentary flash of annoyance at himself. He hadn’t meant to gender his mystery ‘exception’, but he had been thinking of Lucifer, and, well, that gendered pronoun slipped out. Oh well, it wasn’t the end of the world. Alastor hadn’t named the mystery person at least.

“Yes, it’s a man.” Alastor begrudgingly confirmed.

“Well, can you give me a short description of this man? I know you’re doing this your way and I don’t want to get in the way of your process, but if I know what he looks like I could potentially keep an eye out in case he comes through again.”

He mulled it over for a second as he concentrated on his meal. It would be weird if he didn’t give Rosie a physical description of the man who he supposedly met and made him feel things. He couldn’t claim not to remember, that would be suspicious. Not knowing his name was one thing, but not knowing what the man looked like? That would definitely be strange.

“He’s… blond, with pale skin.” That was easy enough, considering that the actual person who started all this was Lucifer, the blond and white furred beast. He hoped the fallen angel was doing alright in the basement on such short notice. “And, short.” Lucifer was not short, in fact he was much taller than Alastor. But Alastor himself was quite tall, and Lucifer’s height came from him not being human. “And he has piercing blue eyes.” Obviously the devil had piercing red eyes, but again, that was not really a human trait, so Alastor changed it. “That’s all I remember really.”

“Hmm. Blond, white, short, and with blue eyes? That’s pretty generic. Is there nothing else you can remember?” Rosie pressed, twirling her fork around in what remained of her pasta.

“We started talking at the grocery store. We were next to each other in line for checkout, and it was long and busy. He said he was just stopping by and asked some questions about the area. He was charming, and wore a white coat.” Alastor spun a tale, slipping into his radio host persona as he made up the story on the spot. “I ran into him again later in a little coffee shop, where I learned he had a major sweet tooth. I struck up a conversation with him again, since something about him just… intrigued me. We chatted about this and that, the types of things we like to read - nothing of consequence, really. But he just, drew me in so effortlessly. It wasn’t until later that I realized I hadn’t even gotten the man’s name. I never saw him again after that. But, I couldn’t stop thinking about him.”

Rosie listened attentively, finishing up the last bites of her dinner. “Wow, that sounds like quite the ‘meet cute’ story! You should have gotten his number or something.”

“I didn’t realize I’d end up feeling this way over a chance encounter.” Alastor shrugged, polishing off his own dinner.

“I suppose not… well, I’ll keep an eye out for any short blond blue eyed men who wear white jackets! You keep doing what you can to try to find him again. I hope you do.”

“Thanks. But enough about that! Did I tell you about my hunting trip last weekend? It was quite an adventure…” Alastor pivoted the conversation, pleased that Rosie had fully believed his story about this strange man that was apparently his ‘exception.’ The two friends withdrew to the living room to continue talking, though Alastor made a point of not having or giving Rosie anymore wine to drink - he did need her to head home eventually.

Aside from the hiccup of Rosie having arrived uninvited out of the blue, having his friend over was absolutely lovely. Alastor really needed to make more time for his friends; he had been neglecting his interpersonal relationships as of late, focusing more and more on just Lucifer. As much as the brunet only wanted to spend time with the fallen angel, it was good to spend time with his friends, too. His human friends.

After another hour or so of gossiping and chatting, Alastor got up and stretched. “Well my dear, it’s starting to get late, you should probably head home!”

“Oh, I was thinking I could spend the night? It’s been too long since we had a sleepover!” Rosie smiled brightly up at Alastor.

Usually Alastor would have agreed to letting Rosie spend the night. But, that was before having a monster for a boyfriend. Who was currently hiding out in the basement all alone on the cold hard pavement.

“Sorry, I don’t think I’m up for that tonight. I wasn’t expecting company to begin with, and have just been a bit all over the place. I promise we’ll have a sleepover another night though, okay?”

Rosie visibly deflated. “Aw, but I’m here now, and we’re having such a lovely time! We could continue to have a lovely fun time together…”

Alastor smiled apologetically at his friend. “Truly sorry, darling. I’m just not in the right place for a sleepover tonight. I’m pretty exhausted and just need some space.”

“…I guess I did show up uninvited, and you did still accommodate me for dinner. Alright, we can have a sleepover another night. But you better actually call me - don’t leave me hanging again, okay?”

“I promise to actually call you this time, my dear. I swear it was never my intention to ignore you! Time just slipped away from me.” Alastor helped Rosie up from the couch, walking her to the front door. The two friends said their farewells, and then Rosie was on her way.

With a sigh Alastor closed the door. It was almost nine o’clock now, and though the brunet had eaten dinner, Lucifer had not.

Quickly Alastor made his way to the closet under the stairs, yanking it open to head down and retrieve the devil. What he didn’t expect was to find Lucifer standing right behind the door - causing Alastor to almost fall backwards in surprise.

Large white hands caught him before he could hit the floor.

“You alright?” Lucifer asked with an amused rumble.

“Yeah, I’m fine, you just surprised me is all.” Alastor straightened himself up, brushing his clothes off as Lucifer slipped through the doorway into the house proper.

“So, Rosie finally left?” The fallen angel stretched on all fours, long limbs extended and back arching like a cat.

“Yes, she did. Sorry about that - I didn’t expect her to show up out of the blue. My fault of course, I really should have made more of an effort to hang out with her after work, or at least called her!” Alastor padded back into the kitchen, taking out some cookies and baked goods for Lucifer’s dinner. In general the devil would still only eat sweet things, though his diet was starting to expand to contain some fruits and savory snacks as well. Lucifer still enjoyed fruit in overly sweet smoothies, but now would also eat them drizzled with honey or chocolate syrup. And the savory snacks he ate were still generally unhealthy things like potato chips and spicy Cheetos - though he still liked popcorn the most. But hey, at least he was trying new things - Alastor was just glad Lucifer was having a more varied diet.

Lucifer made his way over to the kitchen, taking the pastries Alastor offered for his dinner and sitting himself down in his beanbag at the dining table. “You have been spending a lot of time at home. With me. Which I of course enjoy immensely! But yeah, you can’t forget about your human friends, either. Especially that one guy you met and are trying to find out more about, he sounds important.” Lucifer shot Alastor a wink.

Alastor’s face heated up at that. “That - you heard that?” He said, sitting down across from Lucifer at the table.

“Yeah. I was bored down there, so I hung around the top of the stairs to see if I could listen in to your conversation, get some sort of entertainment at least. And it was very entertaining! Who’s this exception you were talking about with Rosie?” The fallen angel stuffed a croissant into his mouth.

“That’s - you! It’s you, but I can’t tell Rosie that, so I made up some guy. Didn’t want to give him a name cuz I was thinking of you and any other name would have felt wrong but ‘Lucifer’ is not a very common name.”

“For obvious reasons.” Lucifer added on with a smirk. “Oh, I know it’s me you were thinking about! Don’t worry, I’m not jealous or anything. I know there’s no mystery guy and you were just trying to come up with a good excuse for Rosie as to why you haven’t been around lately. I just think this is funny is all!” The devil gave a little chuckle as he continued to eat.

“Of course you’d find this funny.” Alastor rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair.

“What’s not funny about it? You describing me as short and blue eyed, Rosie coming over out of the blue and interrupting us making out - which granted was rather terrifying in the moment but is actually hilarious in retrospect - you having no time to prepare so there were still items of mine around and visible for Rosie to pick up on… the whole thing is pretty funny, you have to admit!”

“…Yeah, I guess it is sort of funny. But it’s still too recent for me to really laugh about it.” Alastor shook his head. He didn’t mind that Lucifer found it funny, but Lucifer hadn’t been the one who had to deal with a pissed off Rosie!

“Speaking of funny things - did I hear that right? Rosie called you ‘Alastor Cerfcœur’ - is Cerfcœur your surname?” Lucifer tilted his head inquisitively as he munched away.

Alastor shrugged. “Yeah? What of it? That’s my last name. I don’t see how that’s funny.”

“Cerfcœur… ‘cerf’ is French for deer, a male deer. And ‘cœur’ is French for heart. So, your surname is essentially ‘hart heart’.” Lucifer giggled, popping the last pastry into his mouth and swiping his long tongue over his lips to pick up any stray crumbs.

“I… suppose that is the translation of my last name. I guess I can see how that’s sort of funny.” Alastor begrudgingly admitted.

“Awww, you’re just a little deer! Deer heart, heart of a hart. That’s adorable. I think I’ll call you hart from now on.” The fallen angel grinned widely down at Alastor.

Despite himself, Alastor found himself blushing. “Shut up. How would you like it if I gave you a ridiculous nickname?”

“Ooo would you? That would be so fun!” Lucifer hopped off the beanbag, sidling over next to Alastor and practically pressing his face into the brunet’s so that they were literally eye to eye. Alastor reflexively leaned back, almost toppling out of his chair.

“…Well, do you have a ridiculous last name too?”

“Not the way humans do, but they called me the Morningstar back in Heaven!” Lucifer gave an excited little wiggle, staring at him expectantly.

“Hmm… Morningstar…” Alastor rolled the name around on his tongue. It was a very pretty last name, and quite fitting for the ethereal being. Lucifer shone brighter than any star, a glowing being of pure beauty. He was definitely Alastor’s North Star, his guiding light, his reason for being. Lucifer gave Alastor’s life meaning, purpose.

“What about… starlight?” Alastor tried. He had been supposed to come up with something that poked fun at Lucifer, but he found that he didn’t want to do that.

Lucifer blinked at the brunet slowly. “Starlight… that’s, unexpectedly sweet. I thought you wanted to give me a ridiculous nickname? Something that made fun of me?”

“Yeah, well. ‘Morningstar’ is a very distinguished surname. I couldn’t think of anything aside from starlight. Besides, you do shine like a star. To me at least. Sorry I couldn’t come up with anything better.” Alastor grumbled, to himself, turning away from the devil and feeling generally foolish.

A furry snout pressed into his cheek. “Don’t apologize. I think it’s very sweet, my hart. I love it.” Lucifer murmured softly, peppering featherlight kisses across Alastor’s face.

Alastor’s heart did an unexpected flip at the nickname; ‘hart’ sounded just like ‘heart’ - and Lucifer had called Alastor his. The brunet thought he could get used to that.

“Well then, I’m glad you like it.” Alastor turned into Lucifer’s nuzzled, gently cradling his muzzle and returning the kisses.

The devil pulled away slightly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Wanna pick up where we left off before Rosie interrupted us?”

Before he could finish asking, Alastor was fighting a huge yawn. “I’m sorry starlight, I don’t think I’m up for that anymore. I think it’s my bedtime.” A quick glance at the kitchen clock confirmed that it was a quarter to ten now, and after the unexpected coming and going of Rosie and the emotional rollercoaster that was, Alastor was more than ready to head to sleep.

“Aw, okay.” Lucifer pouted, ears drooping slightly.

“Don’t give me that look. We can always try again tomorrow - I don’t have work on Sunday you know.” Alastor ruffled Lucifer’s hair, flattening the strands that always stuck up at the front.

“Oh yeah! Right, of course. There’s no pressure though - I didn’t mean to like, guilt trip you or anything.” The fallen angel smiled sheepishly out from under Alastor’s hand.

“You didn’t, you’re fine. Come on Luci, let’s head to bed.” Alastor stood up, planting a kiss to Lucifer’s forehead before heading to the bathroom for his nightly routine.

The two of them curled up together in Alastor’s bed, succumbing to sleep in each other’s arms.

Chapter Text

After Rosie barged into his home unannounced and stayed for dinner, Alastor made a point to spend more time with his friends.

He called Rosie up, like he promised, and made plans to spend the night at her place sometime soon - that way Lucifer wouldn’t have to hide out in the basement while Alastor spent time with his best friend.

Alastor also made time for Nina. The little darling had been working a lot on her all original gory horror story, and Alastor was more than happy to hear her enthusiastic ramblings on it. He was also able to give her some insight on things, such as how blood splattered, what types of injuries were fatal, and the best kinds of knives for carving someone up. Nina was thrilled to have Alastor’s input! And she didn’t find his knowledge strange or out of place in the least - Alastor was a hunter, after all.

It was during one of these little outings with Nina that Victor decided to invite himself along.

“Heyyy Al, how’s my favorite future television broadcaster doing?” Victor sat down uninvited next to Alastor on the park bench he and Nina were sharing, jostling the brunet. Alastor grimaced, not deigning to look at the intruding man and gagging on the cloying, sickly cologne he always wore. If Victor wasn’t so overbearing and pushy, Alastor could potentially see them being friends. Too bad the television obsessed man didn’t know how to take ‘no’ for an answer.

“Oooo you’re Victor, right? I’ve seen you on TV!” Nina immediately leaned over Alastor to get a good look at the newcomer. Nina’s hair was purple and green this week, which Alastor personally thought was a garish color combination, but he wouldn’t say that to his friend’s face. Besides, she dyed her hair so often that this look would probably be gone in a few days!

Victor was taller than average, but still shorter than Alastor by a couple of inches, pale, and with black hair that he always wore slicked back. Today he seemed to be dressed fairly casually, with black slacks and a striped sweater vest over a white button up, sleeves rolled up. It was unfortunately very similar to Alastor’s current outfit, though his slacks were dark brown and he was wearing a maroon waistcoat, which was much classier thank you very much.

“That I am! And maybe one day you’ll see our good pal Alastor here on your TV screen too! Eh? Eh??” Victor elbowed Alastor, annoying him further.

“Ha! Not likely. Now, if you’ll run along, me and my dear friend here were sort of in the middle of a conversation.” Alastor gave Victor a tight-lipped smile, doing his darnedest to be polite but not wanting to deal with this smug asshole at the moment. He was so thankful they didn’t work together, but even so Victor somehow managed to find Alastor and pester him at least a couple of times a week, either about switching to work in television or trying to get Alastor to go out on a date with him. What a nuisance.

“Oh, I don’t mind Alastor! He can hang out with us.” Nina was staring up at Victor with wide eyes, clearly taken by this TV personality. Urgh.

“Well would you look at the time! I really should be heading out.” Alastor feigned looking at a watch on his wrist, moving to grab his bag and stand, but Nina putting her hand on his arm made him pause. The younger girl looked up at Alastor with big watery eyes, lower lip trembling as if she was about to cry.

“B-but, Alastor… I didn’t even get to tell you about what the serial killer did with those campers in the woods!” Alastor wavered, wanting to get away from Victor as soon as possible, but also keenly aware that he had agreed to listen to Nina’s plot and give her feedback on the story so far.

“I’m sorry, the what now?” Victor gave a strained smile, a look of concern flashing across his face.

Ah, maybe this could still work out in Alastor’s favor.

“Oh yes, I’m sorry Nina, it momentarily slipped my mind! Please do continue to tell me this gruesome and harrowing tale. In excruciating detail, of course.” The burnet settled back down on the bench, scooting closer to Nina and putting a little distance between himself and Victor.

Before Victor could say another word, Nina was launching back into her story with gusto. Alastor was satisfied to see the other man get more and more uncomfortable as Nina talked. He made sure to ask her for specifics on how characters died and which body parts were dismembered, giving his own two cents on things such as how long it would take a character to bleed out to death and which organs being removed would cause the human body to shut down the fastest. Victor continued to get uncomfortable with the conversation, once in a while trying to interject and change the topic but being promptly ignored by Alastor and Nina.

After a little while of this Victor finally excused himself, claiming he needed to get to a meeting. He was looking a little green though, Alastor noted with satisfaction as the man scurried off.

“Aw, our new friend left already? He’s missing the best part of the story! Our serial killer was about to eat that old man’s spleen…” Nina pouted, staring after Victor dolefully.

“Oh don’t be sad my dear, he isn’t a true horror fan like us anyway! I wouldn’t miss this serial killer character of yours eating someone’s spleen for the world.” Alastor gave the younger girl a bright smile, instantly cheering her up. He did not comment on all the ways he identified with this serial killer character of hers.

———

Though Alastor was making more time for his friends, that wasn’t to say he was neglecting Lucifer. No, far from it - Alastor made sure to spend every second he wasn’t at work (or with his human friends) with the devil.

They had progressed in their physical intimacy the last week; Lucifer ate Alastor out a few more times, with the brunet even letting Lucifer’s tongue inside himself. Anything other than Lucifer’s tongue had not been inside Alastor though. Not yet, at least.

In the meantime Alastor was of course happy to continue helping the fallen angel out whenever he was aroused. With his hands or mouth, more often than not with a combination of the two. Lucifer was becoming even more forward, coming to Alastor when he was feeling horny to ask for Alastor’s assistance. The brunet almost always agreed to help, though sometimes he wasn’t even in the mood to lend a hand - which Lucifer always respected. And even when Alastor was in the mood himself, he usually wasn’t up for returning the favor afterwards - spent and tired after the devil brought him to his peak - which would leave Lucifer to deal with his arousal on his own once more.

Regardless, Alastor found their sex lives to be fairly fulfilling. And Lucifer seemed to be in agreement. Though, Alastor did want more someday. He wanted to feel Lucifer inside of him, see how much of that thick cock he could take, be pumped full of the devil’s seed-

“Hey Al, whatcha thinking about?”

Alastor flushed brightly, abruptly jerked out of his fantasy. He had been sitting on the couch, supposedly reading, while Lucifer was lying on the floor and scribbling away in a journal. Except, Alastor had gotten distracted, lost in scandalous fantasies.

“N-nothing! Just, uh, reading.” He quickly hid his face behind the book as his heart rate spiked.

“Mmm, not sure I believe that, my hart.”

The brunet didn’t answer, pretending to concentrate very hard on his book. He flipped a page at random, eyes skimming over words without taking in their meaning. After a minute Alastor’s heart rate returned to a more normal speed, and he lowered the book from right before his face. Only to practically jump out of his skin as he did.

Lucifer was sitting directly in front of him, face as close as it could be with Alastor having had a book up before him, staring intently into his eyes.

“Jesus! You scared me, Luci.” Alastor clutched the book to his chest as he tried to get his breathing and heart back under control. Instinctively Alastor pressed himself as far back into the couch cushions as he could, leaning away from the fallen angel.

“Didn’t mean to scare you. But you didn’t answer me… so, I’m gonna ask you again. What were you thinking about just now?” Lucifer asked, deep crimson eyes searching his own.

Swallowing thickly, Alastor tried to counter the heart palpitations he was suffering from yet again. He took a deep breath, averting his gaze from the devil. Alastor wasn’t sure he wanted to answer the question. On the one hand, Alastor was trying to be more open and honest with Lucifer, communicating on his wants and needs. On the other hand, he didn’t want to admit what salacious fantasies he had just been indulging in. But how was the brunet to get what he wanted if he didn’t talk about these secret fantasies of his? Alastor wanted to go further with Lucifer, wanted to be penetrated by him, made love to, be claimed by the fallen angel. Why was that so hard for him to admit out loud? Being able to help Lucifer out with his arousal was one thing, but asking for what he wanted was a whole different story. Alastor wished he could get there with Lucifer without having to say any of what he wanted out loud.

After a beat of silence, Lucifer spoke up again, voice soft. “Can you give me a color?”

It clicked in Alastor’s mind that this was the perfect solution to his dilemma. Alastor could continue to be avoidant with his words, and could still get more of Lucifer’s attention and touch this way. He was so, so glad he had taught Lucifer the traffic light system.

“Green.” Whispered Alastor, eyes flickering back to the devil, a slight shiver running up his spine as Lucifer’s expression changed from serious to mischievous.

“My hart, you need to answer my question. I’m not a mind-reader you know, I can’t tell what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours.” Lucifer leaned in closer from where he was kneeling before Alastor, caging him in, pressed against the back of the couch.

The brunet averted his gaze again, stubbornly looking away, still clutching his book to his heart and drawing his legs up into his chest. “Why do you want to know what I was thinking so badly? It’s not like it was important.” Alastor sassed back, little tingles of electricity shooting up his nerves. He didn’t have to answer Lucifer, he could continue to be avoidant and Lucifer wouldn’t back off. Alastor didn’t want Lucifer to back off - at least, not right now. And if he changed his mind he knew the devil would respect it.

“Oh but I disagree hart, for you to avoid answering me so vehemently means you must have been thinking about something important. Important to me, at least.” Lucifer purred out, plucking the book out of Alastor’s hands and placing it on the coffee table to the side of the couch.

“Nuh-uh.” Alastor eloquently replied, still not looking at the fallen angel, crossing his arms over his chest to hide his nerves now that he didn’t have a book to hold onto.

“Mmm, I’ll get a real answer out of you yet…” Lucifer placed a light kiss to Alastor’s forehead, getting the brunet to let out a squeak. “What if I try to guess what you were thinking about? I bet it had something to do with me.”

Alastor’s eyes snapped back to Lucifer’s face, his breath hitching at the devilish smile gracing the being’s white-furred face.

A low chuckle left Lucifer’s lips. “Based on that reaction I’d say I was right? Come on my hart, don’t leave me in the dark here.” A large hand, claws retracted, traced up Alastor’s side gently. Alastor shivered at the touch, despite the layer of clothing separating Lucifer’s touch from his skin.

The fallen angel leaned further into Alastor’s space, until they were sharing the same air, the scent of apples and sweetness strong in the air and making Alastor almost dizzy. He swallowed thickly, doing his best to ignore the hand trailing up and down his side teasingly.

And then that hand slid under his shirt.

Alastor reflexively jerked at the touch, a leg kicking out. Lucifer was quick though, catching his kick easily. Unfortunately (fortunately) this was another point of contact between them.

“Your silence speaks volumes my deer, though I do wish you’d tell me what was on your mind. Did it involve me touching you?” Lucifer’s left hand lowered Alastor’s leg gently, beginning to rub little circles into his ankle before moving up his calf.

The teasing touches were driving Alastor mad, but still he stubbornly refused to acknowledge out loud what it was he had been thinking about, what it was he wanted. Lucifer’s right hand delved deeper under Alastor’s shirt, skirting over a nipple and causing the brunet to gasp. His left hand moved up and down Alastor’s leg, each time creeping closer to his inner thigh, to his core. Almost subconsciously Alastor’s legs fell open, inviting. His hands curled into fists at his sides.

Biting his lip, Alastor tried to keep himself still. A fire had been lit inside him though, and he could feel desire beginning to pool low in his gut; Alastor was most definitely aroused.

Leaning in close to his ear, Lucifer murmured in a low, gravely tone, “Tell me what you want, my hart. Why try to hide it? I can smell it on you.”

A strangled moan escaped Alastor at that, back arching slightly off the couch as Lucifer chose that moment to pinch a sensitive nipple. Alastor’s fingers dug harshly into the couch, but then Lucifer shifted slightly, licking a long slow stripe up the side of Alastor’s neck and face. The brunet’s hands flew into Lucifer’s fur at that, tangling into silky blond strands as he squirmed beneath the devil, willing Lucifer’s hands to touch him more, to explore further.

“Oh? You liked that, did you?” Lucifer’s voice had a teasing lilt to it. Alastor just whined in response, shifting closer to try to coax the fallen angel’s left hand further up his inner thigh.

“Hart, you still haven’t answered me. If you want me to touch you, you need to tell me what you want.” All at once the touches stopped, Lucifer pulling back. Alastor clung to the fur of Lucifer’s mane, desperately trying to pull him back. This just resulted in Lucifer grabbing him by the wrists and pulling Alastor’s hands off of him, however. The brunet pouted up at the devil.

Giving an amused huff, Lucifer just raised an eyebrow at him. “I think I’ve been very fair, my deer. Just tell me what you were thinking about, and we can continue this little game. Okay?”

For a moment Alastor struggled against himself, warring instincts fighting for dominance inside his mind. One part of him wanted to tell Lucifer everything, every dirty little thought and filthy lustful desire. Another part of him, however, wanted to resist, to keep those lascivious feelings and improper wants locked up tight and out of sight. But, Alastor had come this far with Lucifer… and he wanted to go so much further with him. He really, really wanted that.

“I was… I was thinking about you.” Alastor admitted through clenched teeth. An encouraging sound from Lucifer and a kiss against his wrists prompted him to continue. “I was… thinking about your cock.” The brunet felt his face burn brightly at the confession, turning his head away from Lucifer. “I want to feel you inside of me. But, uh, I’m also worried about being able to take your dick… you are, not small.” Alastor squirmed, still being held fast by the wrists.

“Understandable. You know, there are other ways for me to be inside of you. Want me to finger you?” Lucifer asked, straightforward and sincere.

Alastor spluttered, momentarily thrown by how easily Lucifer shared his sexual impulses. As if it was the most natural thing in the world. “You- aha- want to what?”

“I’m offering to finger you. As you know, I can retract my claws. I promise I won’t hurt you. I just want to touch you, make you feel good - if you want that too, that is. And it would be a great way to get your body used to larger things being inside of you.” Lucifer let go of Alastor’s wrists, scooting closer to the brunet on the couch and staring unblinkingly into his eyes. It was almost disconcerting, but Alastor knew Lucifer meant it as a reassuring, heartfelt gesture.

“I… I think I’d be amenable to that.” Alastor’s breath stuttered, heart beating erratically. Lucifer’s hands were bigger than Alastor’s - his fingers would still be a stretch. However, they weren’t as long or thick as the devil’s cock. Alastor could take Lucifer’s fingers. He wanted to take Lucifer’s fingers. Warmth blossomed low in Alastor’s abdomen, spreading outward. The brunet was keenly aware of his own arousal now, of his twitching cock and fluttering folds just aching to be touched.

Glancing down the fallen angel’s body to where his form disappeared below the edge of the couch, Alastor spied a golden tapered cock head poking out of soft blond fur. It looked like Lucifer was getting excited, too.

“It looks like you’re getting affected by this, too. You want some help there, big guy?” Alastor offered, mouth flooding with saliva at the enticing sight. It was so much easier for him to be direct when it came to Lucifer’s arousal and pleasure rather than his own.

“Nah, not right now. I’m more interested in making you feel good at the moment. My own arousal can be dealt with later.” Lucifer just waved him off.

Before Alastor could even think of protesting Lucifer’s dismissal of his own body’s needs, the devil was kissing him. Long forked tongue twined around Alastor’s, sliding wetly and suckling gently, pulling little moans from Alastor. The brunet brought his hands back up to the back of Lucifer’s head, threading through blond locks, pulling the fallen angel closer.

As they kissed, Lucifer’s hands busied themselves. Long fingers trailed down Alastor’s chest, reaching the edge of his t-shirt and purposefully rucking it up. Lucifer interrupted their kiss momentarily to tug Alastor’s shirt off of him, the brunet whining at the loss even though he understood it as a necessary action. Lucifer just smirked at him, tossing the t-shirt aside and diving back into kissing Alastor hungrily.

Long tongue stroked along Alastor’s teeth before exploring deeper into his mouth. Alastor eagerly sucked on the snaking appendage, groaning as it slid further back, teasing at the back of his palate. Lucifer's hands ran across Alastor’s chest lightly, exploring, teasing. Claws retracted, he gently pinched a nipple, making a delighted sound at the way Alastor’s body jerked at the touch. The fallen angel continued to pinch and rub at the pebbled nubs as his tongue delved further into Alastor’s mouth, breaching the back of his throat.

Alastor’s brain felt fuzzy, eyelids fluttering shut as his every sense was filled with Lucifer. He felt so warm, too warm, every inch of skin being touched by Lucifer alight with desire.

Much too soon Lucifer pulled away, retracting his serpentine tongue with a wet slurp. While the kiss was broken, Lucifer didn’t disengage completely; he kept his face pressed to the side of Alastor’s neck, snuffling and leaving little kitten-licks along the already sweat-drenched skin. Alastor grumbled at the kiss being broken anyway, fingers tightening in blond fur.

“Don’t worry hart, we’re not done yet.” Lucifer said in a low, gravely tone. Alastor shuddered, the devil’s voice sending pleasant vibrations against his skin.

Soft paw-pads glided down Alastor’s front, squeezing at his hips and causing the brunet’s muscles to contract and spasm. Lucifer chuckled softly at his physical reaction, switching to the other side of Alastor’s neck to leave kisses and lick up the salt on his skin.

White-furred fingers paused over Alastor’s groin, hovering over the button of his pants. Alastor made an annoyed sound at Lucifer’s hesitation, grabbing his hands in a sudden burst of boldness and pressing it to his crotch. “I’m green. You can touch. Please, touch me.”

Lucifer sucked in a breath, pulling back slightly to gaze into Alastor’s eyes. Crimson orbs were almost completely overshadowed by deep black pools, horizontal pupils so dilated they practically took over Lucifer’s entire eye.

The fallen angel gave a short nod before pressing more confidently into Alastor’s mons, rubbing against his clothed dick. Alastor couldn’t help but press himself into Lucifer in return. He kept his right hand wrapped around Lucifer’s wrist, unsure where else to put it and needing something to hold onto.

Spreading his legs further apart, Alastor tugged at long strands of blond fur still tangled in his left hand, pulling Lucifer even closer. The devil was practically on top of him, fully caging Alastor in against the couch, blocking any avenue of escape with his bulk. Which was fine by him - Alastor had no intention of escaping. He was perfectly happy with where he was at the moment.

The hand not teasing over the little clothed bulge in Alastor’s pants and over his steadily moistening folds began to tease along the waistline of the brunet’s pants. Alastor’s heart was racing, breath already coming fast. He whined, canting his hips up to try to get more pressure where he needed it, and to signify that his pants really needed to come off.

A low chuckle was his only response.

Leisurely Lucifer moved his hand over to the button of Alastor’s pants, Alastor pulling at his wrist insistently to try to get the fallen angel to move faster. A warm muzzle rubbing against the side of his head with a puff of breath and a low, “Easy there, my hart. Patience,” stilled Alastor’s restlessness. He let his hand fall away, curling into a fist beside him on the couch cushion, surrendering to Lucifer’s pace.

Little by little Lucifer peeled Alastor’s pants off, pulling the fabric inch by inch down his thighs. Lucifer reverently trailed his fingers over every bit of revealed flesh, golden paw-pads gently pressing into supple mocha skin.

Finally Alastor’s pants were fully off, leaving him in dark red boxers and trembling in anticipation and desire. The front of his underwear was slick, his dick clearly discernible due to its hardness and the wet fabric clinging to the little length.

“You are delightful.” Lucifer rumbled appreciatively against Alastor’s neck, his hands rubbing up and down the brunet’s sides and over his thighs. Alastor moaned softly, tilting his head back and to the side, giving Lucifer better access. The devil took the invitation, licking and nibbling along the side of Alastor’s neck as his thumbs dipped into the waistband of his boxers. Alastor’s breath hitched as the sharp points of the fallen angel’s teeth scraped along the sensitive line of his throat, warm breath and a wet tongue teasing over his pulse point.

Without hurry Lucifer pulled the slick-drenched fabric of Alastor’s boxers off of him, letting out an appreciative groan as the unobstructed scent of Alastor’s arousal hit his nose.

The brunet felt like he was being driven mad by Lucifer’s slow pace, his inner walls fluttering around nothing, core aching to be filled, cock twitching with the need for touch. “P-please, Lucifer…” he croaked out, chest heaving.

“Yes, lovely?” Lucifer responded softly.

“…Hurry the fuck up and finger me already.” Alastor groused.

A snort of laughter against the side of his neck caused Alastor to flinch and squeak, instinctively trying to wriggle away, but Lucifer‘s hands on his hips kept Alastor in place. “Alright, alright, I’ll get on with it.” The devil said, voice light with mirth.

Without wasting another minute Lucifer let his left hand snake across Alastor’s thighs, delving between his legs. Alastor gasped as Lucifer’s fingers finally made contact with his folds. The devil gently petted over Alastor’s pussy lips, feeling the wetness gathered there, stroking up his hard cock and thumbing over its sensitive head.

With a whine Alastor tried to shift his hips up, wanting Lucifer to just get on with it already. Lucifer’s other hand pressed against Alastor’s hip, keeping him firmly in place against the couch. The fallen angel gave a particularly hard nip at Alastor’s impatient squirming, and the brunet bit his lip hard to keep the whorish moan that threatened to escape him at that, right hand flying up to join his left in Lucifer’s mane.

Much to Alastor’s dismay, Lucifer pulled his hand away at that. The brunet’s heart plummeted at the sudden retreat, feeling overwhelmingly bereft and like he had messed up somehow.

Before the feeling could overflow and bubble out in the form of tears or blubbering apologies though, Alastor watched as Lucifer brought his fingers up to his mouth. He took a long, slow inhale, nostrils flaring as he breathed in the scent of Alastor’s slick on his digits, before his forked tongue flickered out to lick up the glistening substance. Any complaints or feelings of disappointment vanished in a puff of smoke at the sight.

Lucifer let out a moan as he licked up the slick from his fingers, popping the digits fully into his mouth and swirling his tongue around them appreciatively, eyes fluttering shut. Alastor whimpered as a fresh wave of slick gushed from his core at the lewd display.

A moment later Lucifer was pressing a saliva-soaked finger to Alastor’s folds once more, claws still safely retracted as promised. The devil returned his face to the crook of Alastor’s neck as one finger gently prodded at his entrance entreatingly.

Gripping Lucifer’s blond mane harder, Alastor let out a sigh, feeling immensely relieved at the prospect of imminently having Lucifer where he needed him most. “Please…” he whispered, trembling slightly as Lucifer’s long finger slowly breached him.

The fallen angel’s digit pressed in a little further, only up to his first knuckle. Alastor felt the slight stretch of it, but it didn’t hurt, no, it didn’t hurt at all. In fact, it felt… divine. Lucifer’s fingers were thicker than Alastor’s, but not so big as to be uncomfortable. The brunet could practically feel the velvety paw-pad sliding against his inner walls. Lucifer crooked his finger just right inside of him, hitting that sensitive spongy spot inside of Alastor, causing him to cry out, nails biting into Lucifer’s skin at the sudden spike of pleasure.

The devil paused at this reaction, which almost made Alastor whimper pathetically, but he bit his tongue to keep the needy sound to himself.

“You alright?” Lucifer asked, voice low and rough.

“Y-yes, I’m fine, please don’t stop.” Alastor gasped out, turning his head to gaze earnestly into Lucifer’s eyes. The fallen angel’s pupils were blown wide, staring back with such intensity it made Alastor feel like he was being burned alive.

Lucifer gave Alastor a quick kiss on the lips, before beginning to finger the brunet in earnest.

One finger slid in and out of Alastor at a steady pace, the wet schlk sound of Lucifer carefully finger-fucking him filling the air, accompanied by heavy breathing from both and broken, bitten off moans from Alastor.

“I want to hear you my hart, don’t hide your precious noises from me.” Lucifer rumbled, pulling his finger fully out of Alastor. Alastor whined at the loss, but it quickly turned into a whorish moan as the digit returned to his entrance, accompanied by a second.

Two fingers were a bigger stretch for Alastor. There was a moment of discomfort, a hiss at the slight pain of it, and then he adjusted to the intrusion. Alastor relaxed back into the couch, a warm tingly feeling spreading out across his limbs from his core.

The fallen angel purred in approval, scissoring his fingers intently inside of Alastor, stretching him wider. The burn of it was delicious, and Alastor couldn’t help the litany of moans and gasping breaths that escaped him, not even caring to try to hide them anymore. Lucifer dragged his teeth down Alastor’s neck, teasing over his jugular. The brunet shivered at the sensation, panting lightly, feeling almost lightheaded.

The low vibration of Lucifer laughing softly into his neck sent a fullbody tremor through Alastor. Lucifer began to pick up his pace, fingers pumping in and out of Alastor at a quicker, steady rate.

It felt- unfairly good. Alastor had never really seen the appeal of sex before, never cared for anything or anyone to penetrate him or touch him in such a way. Touching himself did not compare in the slightest it turned out. And right now, with Lucifer hunched over him on the couch, fingers fucking into his cunt and filling him more than he had ever been able to do with just his own hand, Alastor could see the appeal.

As long as it was Lucifer touching him in this way, that was.

Lucifer kept pumping his fingers into Alastor, purposefully, expertly, unfaltering. It was almost overwhelming, overloading Alastor’s senses with pleasure and warmth, sweat slicking down his bangs and dripping across his back. Alastor was torn between wanting more, and wanting a break. He squirmed, oversensitive and wired, mewling. But he was kept firmly in place thanks to Lucifer’s other hand still firmly holding onto his hip.

And then Lucifer started giving him praise.

“You’re being so good my hart, so good for me. You’re so responsive to my touch, look at you - you take my fingers so well. My lovely little hart.” The devil’s voice was rough and gravely, sending more vibrations up the side of Alastor’s neck. Alastor couldn’t help but moan in response, body responding to the praise, pressing himself closer to Lucifer, inner walls fluttering around the thick fingers pumping in and out of him.

Heat was pooling thickly in his gut, pleasure mounting, eyes crossing slightly at all the sensations and all encompassing being that was Lucifer. He couldn’t get any physically closer to the fallen angel, but Alastor tried, pulling Lucifer as close to him as he could, needing as much of his skin to be in contact with Lucifer’s as possible.

In response Lucifer thrust his fingers into Alastor even faster, curling them perfectly to hit the spot that made Alastor see stars with every thrust. The brunet couldn’t stop the stream of moans and whines even if he tried at this point, the sounds of Alastor’s pleasure accompanying the wet sounds of the devil’s fingers sliding in and out of his channel, of skin against skin, of heavy breathing against flesh.

His peak was fast approaching now, and Alastor could not find the words to let Lucifer know. But he needn’t have worried; the fallen angel seemed to know that Alastor was close.

“You’re close, aren’t you darling? Cum for me my hart, let me feel your pleasure.” Lucifer panted into the crook of Alastor’s neck, teeth scraping across his collar bone. And then the fallen angel bit him.

It was a fairly gentle bite, not enough to draw blood, but harder than the previous little nibbles and suggestions of teeth that Lucifer had given. The slight pain of it shot through Alastor like lightning, mingling delightfully with the pleasure he was feeling. The brunet’s fingers clawed across Lucifer’s shoulder blades, his body arching off the couch as his orgasm crashed into him.

Alastor’s vision whited out momentarily as he came, clinging to Lucifer for dear life as he cried out in pleasure. His walls clamped down on Lucifer’s fingers, fluttering and squeezing around the thick digits that continued to thrust in and out of Alastor, working him through his climax. Lucifer was murmuring something, but the brunet could not discern the meaning behind the words at the moment. Waves of pleasure washed over Alastor as he came, cock pulsing, pussy clenching around the devil’s digits.

Taking a heaving breath, Alastor started to come back down from his high. He felt boneless, spent, warm, tingly. Lucifer was still pumping his fingers in and out of Alastor, albeit slower now, though it was starting to border on too much.

Squirming in Lucifer’s grasp, Alastor made a sound of protest, trying to wriggle away from the suddenly overbearing touch. The fallen angel got the hint, pulling his large form away from Alastor to give him some breathing room, and removing his fingers from the brunet’s entrance.

Lucifer was still murmuring soft words, and now that Alastor had returned to himself slightly he was able to decipher them. Whispered praise and soothing encouragement, laced through with a deep, low purr. Lucifer was looking at Alastor softly, with such obvious tenderness and pride, it was making Alastor’s heart hurt.

Overcome with affection for the being before him, Alastor grabbed the sides of Lucifer’s face, surging forward as he tugged the devil down. A surprised bleat escaped Lucifer before their lips connected, Alastor trying to imbue this kiss with everything he couldn’t say; all the care and fondness and warmth he felt towards Lucifer, all the feelings of comfort and desire and acceptance the devil inspired in him.

The kiss was short, but no less sweet for its length. Lucifer returned the kiss eagerly, humming happily, tail thumping on the ground behind him. Alastor pulled away with a soft smile, flopping back onto the couch once more, boneless and exhausted.

The fallen angel’s ears were flickering softly, a happy tic of his. He smiled warmly down at Alastor, settling back on the floor before bringing his left hand up to his face to lick clean.

Alastor blushed at the sight, breaking eye contact - which led his eyes further down, to the sight of Lucifer’s very prominent, fully out and leaking obscenely, raging boner.

That only served to heat Alastor’s face up further.

Through the slurping of licking his digits clean and the loud purring that had yet to abate, Lucifer asked, “How you doing Al? Feeling alright?”

The brunet found himself momentarily at a loss for words.

By the time he had gotten his jaw to cooperate and voice box back online, Lucifer was done with the lewd cleaning display, leaning down to rest his cheek against Alastor’s inner thigh. Warm breath tickled across his skin as crimson eyes gazed up at Alastor adoringly.

“You alright, Alastor?” Lucifer asked again at the lack of response from him, voice taking on an uncertain waver. “Was that… was that good for you?” His purring faltered momentarily.

A bark of disbelieving laughter escaped Alastor at the second question. “Was that- yes, Lucifer, that was more than good for me. That was, amazing honestly. You are amazing.” Alastor brought a hand up to pet through the slightly sweat-dampened hair of Lucifer’s head, soothing whatever doubts had cropped up for the being. Lucifer’s purring deepened, vibrating up through Alastor from where the devil was resting against him.

“Glad to hear it. You were wonderful, my hart. You make such a pretty picture when you fall apart in pleasure.” Lucifer winked up at him.

Alastor snorted in amusement, blushing once more despite himself. He still felt so weary and spent, - in a good way though. Tired, but content.

“What about you though, starlight? You didn’t get to cum. And… I don’t think I’m up for helping you out at the moment.” Alastor regretfully admitted, struggling to sit up for a moment before slumping back into the couch in defeat.

“Don’t worry about it hart. This was delightful just as it was. You already did everything you needed to do, and it gave me great pleasure.”

“…Finding my own release and not doing anything for you in return gave you pleasure?” Alastor asked, slightly disbelieving.

“Well, yes. You enjoy taking care of me without getting anything in return, surely you understand. And I’m proud of you, my hart - you communicated, and let me take care of you. You had my fingers inside of you! I was inside of you, Al. And it was perfect.” Lucifer grinned up at Alastor, bright and sincere.

Somehow Alastor’s face burned even brighter.

“O-okay, you flatterer. You still didn’t get your own release, and I feel bad that more often than not when we do this sort of thing after I cum I’m too out of it and spent to help you in return. Why do you put up with that? Surely it’s annoying - I’m basically blue balling you half the time we engage in sexual activities.” Alastor grimaced, feeling tired but also despising that he wasn’t up for lending Lucifer a helping hand at the moment.

Lucifer huffed out a laugh, rubbing his cheek against Alastor’s thigh affectionately. “Isn’t it obvious, my hart? I’m obsessed with you. All of you. You don’t need to do anything else for me - just getting the privilege to touch you and make you feel good is enough for me.”

For the second time that evening Alastor found himself speechless.

His mouth opened and closed a few times, no words coming out, as Lucifer continued to gaze up at Alastor adoringly.

“You, aha… that was so sappy, starlight.” Alastor groaned, covering his face with a hand and trying to hide the large smile that was threatening to overtake his face.

“Well, it’s the truth! Sappy or not.” Lucifer rumbled, still purring strongly.

A slight shiver passed through Alastor; the sweat on his skin was cooling, and the tacky feeling between his thighs was getting worse. “I think I need a bath. Not sure I can move yet though.” Alastor attempted to sit up once more, this time managing to straighten up, though he swayed a bit once he was more upright.

Lucifer immediately hopped up. “I can run you a bath if you like! You just stay there while I prepare that for you, alright?”

Before Alastor could respond, the devil had scurried off to the bathroom to draw him a bath. So Alastor let himself slump back against the couch once more, sighing softly, a contented smile playing over his lips.

This had been a very good experience. One that the two of them would hopefully indulge in again sometime… and maybe one day they could work up to Alastor taking Lucifer’s cock. Maybe.

Chapter Text

It was late September, creeping towards October, but the weather hadn’t gotten the memo yet.

The days were still decently long and hot despite it officially being fall now, and Alastor was still generally taking advantage of the weather and sunshine to hunt. Though he was beginning to slow down; his walk-in freezer was getting full, fairly well stocked already. Sure, Alastor was still eating a good amount of fresh meat weekly, but he wasn’t only carnivorous. Alastor had a balanced diet. Unlike some beings.

Though Lucifer was doing pretty well in terms of eating a more balanced diet! Fruit smoothies and salted chips were now a staple in his meals, and the fallen angel was slowly warming up to other kinds of foods, too.

For example - cheese. Lucifer had never tried cheese before, and was doubtful he would like it, but had given it a try with some coaxing from Alastor. And now the devil couldn’t get enough of cheese. His favorite was cheddar - Lucifer liked eating shredded cheddar right out of the bag. Like a barbarian.

Today Alastor had plans. He was going to spend the night at Rosie’s! The brunet had come home after work that Saturday to drop things off and pick up a bag with a change of clothes and toiletries, and to set Lucifer up for his time away.

He was procrastinating though, fussing with blankets and pillows for Lucifer to be comfy on his own, and prepping all kinds of food items for the fallen angel. This was the first time Alastor would be spending the night away from Lucifer since, well, ever. Alastor hadn’t spent a night away from home ever since Lucifer came into his life. And he was sort of anxious to leave the devil on his own.

“Alastooooor. I’ll be fine. Really. You used to leave me alone all the time when you thought I was just a dumb animal, remember?” Lucifer huffed, rolling his eyes from where he was sitting on his dog bed. Alastor, meanwhile, had decided to go back through all the books and activities he had placed near the couch for Lucifer’s entertainment for the time he would be gone.

“Yes, but I never left you overnight back then. I’ve never left you overnight. You sure you’ll be alright? I could always call Rosie up and ask to reschedule - I could tell her I’m not feeling well or something came up last minute.”

“Al. Really. I’m not helpless on my own, you know this. Spending the night with Rosie has been a long time coming, anyway! You both have been planning this for like, a week now. Besides, you don’t need to make your whole life revolve around me. Go out and have fun with your human friends! Sleep over at a friend’s house!” Lucifer gently pressed his muzzle into Alastor’s side, both as a gesture of comfort and a subtle push towards the front door.

Alastor let himself be pushed towards the door, though he still felt a little agitated over the idea of leaving Lucifer all on his lonesome.

“Okay, yeah, you’re right. But what if you need me while I’m away? Maybe I should get you a phone. Would it be weird for me to have two phones? Would you even be able to use a phone with your big meaty hands?” Alastor wondered aloud as he was herded outside to his truck.

“Hart, I’ll be fine. I don’t need a phone. It’s one night, and this is your home, you’ll be back tomorrow night. It’ll be as if no time has passed! Now, go have fun!” Lucifer stood up, handing Alastor his overnight bag and leaning in to steal a kiss. Alastor momentarily forgot his worries as his lips connected with Lucifer’s, anxiety melting away at the tender press of lips.

“Alright. I guess I’ll be going then.” Alastor shot Lucifer a lopsided smile, putting his bag in the passenger seat and clambering into his truck. Lucifer waved as he drove past, and Alastor watched him duck back inside the house from his rear view mirror as he made his way down the dirt road towards town.

———

The sleepover with Rosie was going really quite well.

She had ordered Chinese takeout for them, baked brownies for dessert, and put out drinks (both alcoholic and not) for the two of them to enjoy. She had also selected some music and different movies they could watch - if Alastor decided he wanted to watch something on a screen.

He didn’t, not this time; Alastor felt he was watching much too much television these days, thanks to Lucifer. And besides, he was here to spend time with Rosie! Not stare dead-eyed at a picture box.

The two friends chatted and munched and drank, gossiping and catching up, swapping news and funny stories from the past week or so. Rosie asked how Alastor’s search for his ‘exception’ was going, and he just shrugged and said he hadn’t had any luck yet, before moving the conversation along.

Rosie broke out her self-care items after dinner; face-masks, tea, nail polish, snacks - including the brownies she had baked. Alastor wasn’t sure why Rosie had made brownies for them, considering he generally wasn’t a fan of sweets.

“You wanna do drugs?” Rosie wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, holding up the small pan of brownies.

Alastor frowned from where he was sitting on her couch, sipping his tea. “What do brownies have to do with drugs, my dear?”

“They’re not just brownies - they’re weed brownies!” Rosie giggled. “I had fun when we got high together before, thought we could do that again! If you want to, of course.” She placed the tray down on the coffee table before the couch before sitting next to Alastor.

“Ah.” Alastor stared at the pan of brownies. Last time he had gotten high with Rosie had been Alastor’s first experience with marijuana. And while it hadn’t been all that bad, it really hadn’t been his favorite experience. He had not liked how his thoughts had gotten all fuzzy, how his mental and physical attributes had slowed down, how he had felt like he was moving through molasses. It hadn’t been unpleasant, not really, but Alastor would rather keep his wits about him and control over his body.

“I think I’ll pass this time, Rosie. You enjoy if you want though! Don’t let me stop you!” Alastor leaned across the coffee table, looking over the selection of other snacks Rosie had to offer before settling on rice cakes to go with his tea.

“Aw, really? I thought we had fun last time. We couldn’t stop laughing at that stupid ad Victor had done, remember?” Rosie let out a giggle at the memory.

“That was pretty funny, I’ll admit. But really, I don’t think I’m up for that right now. Not today.” Alastor crunched into his rice cake. Truthfully he just didn’t want to have any lingering effects that might keep him feeling hazy into the next day; Alastor wanted to be fully present when he got back to Lucifer.

“Okay, well I’m going to have some!” Rosie had half a brownie, and within the hour was even more giggly than usual.

She offered to paint Alastor’s nails, and he accepted, though he almost instantly regretted it. He could tell his friend was trying very hard to keep a steady hand, moving painstakingly slowly to apply a coat of dark purple polish to his nails, but she kept slipping up and getting some on the skin around instead. Each time she’d utter an ‘oops!’ Before leaning in closer and squinting to try to keep herself from messing up again.

The brunet ended up with very messily painted nails. He didn’t actually mind though - he was having fun with Rosie, regardless of their different levels of inebriation. Turns out being sober (mostly - he did have a beer with dinner), while Rosie was high as a kite was most amusing. Alastor painted her nails in return, a striking red color that reminded him of Lucifer’s eyes. Conversation became very non-sequitur, with Rosie jumping from topic to topic seemingly at random.

After doing their nails (Rosie was very pleased with how hers had turned out, apologizing profusely for how messy Alastor’s had gotten), they decided to do face masks. Alastor was perfectly content to sit back and relax, letting Rosie ramble about whatever her weed-laced mind had going on in there.

At some point they both ended up in a laughing fit, Alastor not even sure what he had said that Rosie found so funny. But her laughter was infectious, and he hadn’t been able to keep himself from laughing along with his friend.

Soon enough Rosie was nodding off though, and Alastor made the executive decision that it was time for bed. She protested this, saying they were having too much fun to sleep just yet, but Alastor insisted. Besides, they could continue spending time together the next day. That was the beauty of a sleepover after all; the hanging out didn’t have to end just because they went to sleep.

Alastor got into Rosie’s large king sized bed with her. The mattress had plenty of space for the both of them, he didn’t mind sleeping next to his best friend. Once under the covers, Rosie turned to stare at him in the darkness, barely visible in the faint light wafting in around the curtains from the street outside. Her eyes were half-closed, and she smiled sleepily at Alastor. “Thanks for coming over and spending the night. I missed this.” She whispered.

“Of course. This has been a lot of fun. And… I missed this, too.” Alastor whispered back. He really had missed this, he realized; sure, Lucifer was practically his world at this point, but there was something nice about just spending time with an old friend, someone who had been there for him through thick and thin over the years. Rosie was very important to Alastor. He never wanted to lose her friendship.

Slowly the two friends drifted off to sleep, warm and comfortable under the covers in each other’s company.

———

The next day was indeed a continuation of their hanging out.

It was Sunday, and the two friends slept in a bit before getting out of bed. Alastor had woken up first, but he just quietly reached for his bag at the side of the bed and pulled out the book he had brought with him to silently read while Rosie slumbered on.

When Rosie slowly awoke, she grumbled about it being too bright out, making Alastor chuckle. They decided to go out for brunch, since it was past midmorning now.

Out at brunch they almost ran into Victor. Almost. But thankfully Rosie had spotted the television man before he spotted them, and had quickly dragged Alastor down a side alley. They watched Victor stroll past, chatting with a tall man in a long reddish-pink trench coat (which Alastor thought was an absolutely atrocious garment).

“Oh my, was that Valentino that Victor was with?” Rosie gasped in shock.

“Who?” Alastor looked at his friend quizzically.

“Valentino! You know, the owner of that sex shop, and the new nightclub? The one that’s such an eyesore downtown?”

Alastor couldn’t say he did know. “How would I know? I don’t frequent places like that!” Though he tucked away the piece of information that there was a sex shop downtown. Could be useful for later.

Rosie rolled her eyes in disbelief. “I know you don’t frequent places like that, but your clients are the kind to do so sometimes, I would have thought you’d at least know of Valentino? I believe he runs the sex club as well. I can’t prove anything about him, none of my informants have concrete evidence on the man… but there are a lot of unsavory rumors surrounding him. Wonder what Victor is doing with a man like that.”

The brunet shrugged. “Who knows. And who cares! Come on, weren’t we on our way to brunch?”

———

By the time Alastor was driving back home it was approaching dinner time. The two friends had enjoyed a lovely brunch, then walked around downtown, window shopping a bit (Rosie did actually stop and buy some things though). Then they returned to Rosie’s place and made some tentative plans for next year’s hunt, going through whatever information Rosie’s network had on the kind of dirt and filth that might be making its way to town for a little get away in the near future.

Rosie had tried to get Alastor to stay for dinner again, but since the next day was Monday Alastor had maintained that he needed to get home to prepare for the workday. He of course didn’t mention that he was also anxious to get back to Lucifer.

It had now been 24 hours since he had last seen the fallen angel.

Before he left though Rosie had insisted he take some of the weed brownies home with him; they were too many for her to finish on her own after all. Alastor begrudgingly accepted, especially since he knew his best friend had made them herself for the two of them. Maybe he’d have a little bit here and there to relax after work instead of having a drink on the nights where he otherwise would indulge in such a thing.

If Alastor was speeding slightly to get home faster, would anyone blame him? Alastor hoped no police were out patrolling on the stretch of road that led towards his place in the woods - would be hard to explain that he was rushing home to get back to his monster boyfriend after leaving him alone overnight for the first time since said monster boyfriend came into his life.

Pulling into his car port, Alastor almost forgot to turn the engine off before hopping out of his truck, so anxious and eager to be back with Lucifer. Bag slung over his shoulder, he speed walked over to his front door, fumbling with the keys for a moment.

The door was wrenched open and suddenly Alastor found himself enveloped in a warm soft blanket, unable to breathe.

“Alastor! Welcome back hart! How was your sleepover?” A loud swishing noise filled the air, probably Lucifer’s tail wagging aggressively behind him as he squeezed Alastor in his arms.

“H- can’t, breathe.” Alastor wheezed out, arms stuck at his sides and face pressed into blond chest fur.

“Oh shi- sorry!” Immediately Alastor was released, Lucifer stepping back.

The brunet took a heaving breath, heart jumping for joy to be back with the devil despite almost having his lungs crushed by the devil in question. Now that his view wasn’t blocked by a broad chest of fur, Alastor gazed up at Lucifer with a bright smile. Lucifer gave him a sheepish one in return, clearly a little embarrassed at his over-eager greeting.

“I take it you missed me?”

“Whaaaat? Noooo. Well, maybe a little.“

Alastor huffed out a small laugh. “Well, I missed you too starlight. Will you step aside to let me in now? I should get dinner going.”

“Oh! Yeah, of course!” Lucifer stepped aside, letting Alastor through the door before ducking in after him. “Here - I’ll take your bag for you while you start preparing dinner!”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” Alastor handed over his overnight bag before waking over to the kitchen to wash his hands and see what he had available to eat. “How was your time here on your own? Not too boring I hope?”

“Not too boring at all! Much less boring than when I used to be confined to just the cell in your basement.” Lucifer began talking about his Alastor-less day, unpacking the overnight bag as he did. He put the toiletries away in the bathroom, the book back on the bookshelf, dirty clothes in the laundry, all while describing the puzzle he finished, the nighttime walk he took, and the animated movie he indulged in. “I didn’t expect that movie to bring me to tears, since you know, it’s supposed to be for kids, but it hit unexpectedly hard! Especially the- oooo you brought me dinner!”

Frowning in confusion, Alastor turned from where he had been chopping some vegetables for his own dinner. “What are you-“

Lucifer was holding up a Tupperware of brownies, the container already open in his hands. Before Alastor could say anything else the fallen angel tipped it back into his mouth, all four brownies disappeared down his gullet.

The brunet froze, eyes bulging out of his head in horror. He had completely forgotten about the weed brownies, and now Lucifer had eaten them. All of them. In one go. Alastor had no idea how this would affect the devil.

“Oh, those were good! Had a slight hint of something in them I’m not used to, but still delicious!” Lucifer licked his lips with a happy little hum. Alastor remained frozen in place as the fallen angel walked past him to deposit the dirty Tupperware into the sink.

“Uh, Al? You alright?” A note of concern was present in Lucifer’s voice. He waved his hand in front of Alastor’s face, uncertain and confused about this reaction. “Helloooo?”

“That was… you just had drugs.” Alastor managed to croak out, leaning back heavily against the counter.

“I - what?”

“Those were marijuana brownies. Rosie baked them for us. I, forgot she packed some for me to take home. Shit, I should have mentioned them to you! And now you’ve gone and swallowed like, a week’s worth of weed in one go?” Alastor ran a hand through his hair, thoughts in a jumble. Lucifer wasn’t human, and his metabolism was different from Alastor’s… but even so, that had been a shit load of marijuana the fallen angel had just ingested.

“Oh.” Was all Lucifer said for a moment. Which he soon followed up with a, “What does that mean, exactly?”

“For you? No idea. And honestly, I’m not an expert on this substance. Rosie seems to have gotten pretty into it though. I’ve only tried it once. But, uh, yeah, it’s a drug that humans use for medical purposes, or just for fun. It should take roughly an hour for the high to hit you? Maybe? Except you had a shitload of it. So maybe it will hit sooner? And uh, harder? But you’re not human, and you’re much bigger than me, so maybe it won’t affect you that strongly even though you had like. A lot.” Alastor pushed his glasses up, rubbing at his face.

“I, see. Damn, I didn’t realize humans laced their foods with substances like this sometimes. Definitely wish I had known, but I should be alright. Angelic metabolism and all that. But just in case, what’s the worst that could happen?”

“I think the worst that could happen is you have a really bad trip and your system gets overloaded and you just, puke it all out? Which wouldn’t be fun or pleasant, but it would get the weed out of your system. Have you never really partaken in smoking or anything before? A nickname for marijuana is ‘the devil’s lettuce’, you know.”

“Nope. Recreational drug use isn’t really a thing in Heaven. Not sure where that name for it came from, I never used this stuff before - when would I have? Though, maybe if I had been banished along with Lilith I would have?” Lucifer tilted his head in thought. “Well, anyway, I think I can handle this. So, what do we do now?”

“We proceed as normal I guess. We should get some regular food and water into your system, that should help.” Alastor abandoned his meal prepping to whip something up for Lucifer. He went with a quick and easy option of frozen waffles with whipped cream and maple syrup, topped with all sorts of berries.

Lucifer happily gobbled it up, despite the half a pan of brownies he had just eaten.

“Well, meanwhile the weeds or whatever do their thing in my system, why don’t you tell me about your time with Rosie?” Lucifer sat in his beanbag at the table, sipping some apple juice Alastor had gotten for him. The brunet returned to making his own dinner, making a beef stir fry. Due to the nature of the dish, he cooked the meat.

As he cooked Alastor told Lucifer about his overnight with Rosie; the stuff they talked about, the things they did. He showed the devil his painted nails, which he had fixed up a bit in the bathroom that morning. Lucifer was delighted with the purple color of Alastor’s nails, tracing them carefully with his pink claws. He commented on how they both had colorful keratin now, tail giving a few happy thumps behind him.

Once his food was cooked and plaited, Alastor sat at the table to eat and continue telling Lucifer about his time with Rosie. He proceeded to tell him about brunch, not mentioning Victor at all - he had been an inconsequential part of the day after all.

Halfway through his meal and towards the end of the recounting of his time with Rosie, Alastor noticed that Lucifer’s eyes were looking very droopy, crimson pools hazy but no less pretty with their golden markings framing them. Not to mention the fallen angel was leaning heavily on the kitchen table.

“You alright there, starlight?”

“Mhm.” Was Lucifer’s only response, blinking slowly at Alastor.

“Gonna need a little more than that, darling. How are you feeling?” Alastor gently prodded.

“I feel fine. Very interested in your story about your time with Rosie. Please do continue.” Lucifer lifted his head off of his arms, giving Alastor a warm smile.

It seemed like the marijuana was starting to do its thing to Lucifer. Though, the devil didn’t seem aware of it. Alastor decided not to bring attention to this, but would continue to keep an eye on Lucifer.

He finished up his dinner and talking about his time with his friend, standing up to take the dishes to the sink and wash up. As Alastor was washing, he suddenly felt warmth breath ruffling his hair, and long strong arms draped themselves over his shoulders.

“You smell really good, my hart.” Lucifer rumbled into the crown of his head.

“Yeah?” Alastor chuckled, finishing rinsing off the last piece of cutlery before leaning over to set it in the drying rack. Lucifer’s arms tightened around him at that, pulling him back against the fallen angel’s chest and almost making Alastor miss the drying rack completely. Fortunately the fork made it safely in with the other pieces of cutlery with a loud clatter.

“Careful starlight, I was still cleaning up! Could have dropped something.” Alastor tilted his head back and up to look at Lucifer. Lucifer smiled crookedly down at him.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to make you almost drop something. But you didn't, so it's all okay!” Lucifer proceeded to bring his hands up to the sides of Alastor’s face, keeping him with his neck craned back. He brought his face very close to Alastor’s, staring intently into the brunet’s eyes. Alastor’s heart kicked up its pace as he stared into half-lidded dark red pools.

“You have very pretty eyes. Deep brown. Like… earth.”

Alastor raised his eyebrows at Lucifer. “Are you comparing my eye color to dirt? Wow, how romantic.” He deadpanned.

Lucifer snorted in laughter, head flying back as his shoulders shook with mirth. “Ha! No, I meant your eyes are like warm, rich, fertile soil… I’m not making this any better am I.”

The devil released Alastor from his hold as he giggled uncontrollably, doubling over as laughter wracked his body. Alastor smirked, amused at Lucifer’s laugh attack. Oh, the fallen angel was for sure high now.

This was confirmed to him when Lucifer tipped forward, ending up completely sprawled out on the floor, rolling around as he cackled, tears streaming down his face. Alastor couldn’t stop the laughter that bubbled out of him as well, Lucifer’s mirth and ridiculousness getting to him too.

He wasn’t sure how long they couldn’t stop laughing for. Every time Alastor got his hilarity back under control, all he had to do was look at Lucifer, see his ridiculous face as he puffed out his cheeks trying to hold his laughter in, and they’d both burst into laughter again. Eventually Alastor ended up on the floor as well, sitting down with his back against the kitchen cabinets.

Finally the laughter subsided, though Lucifer still let out a stray giggle here and there. Alastor wiped at his eyes, shaking his head fondly as Lucifer began to wriggle across the floor like an ungainly snake, attempting to get closer to him.

“You’re high, Luci.” Alastor informed him as Lucifer managed to wriggle his head into Alastor’s lap. He was sitting cross legged while Lucifer was lying on his front, head now resting on Alastor’s legs.

“Whaaat. No, I feel completely normal.” Lucifer insisted, smiling dopily up at Alastor.

Chuckling lightly, the brunet scratched along the side of Lucifer’s face, petting over the pink circle on his cheek and up the velvety softness of his nose. The devil melted into the touch, eyes fluttering shut with a contented sigh.

“You’re most definitely high. Come on, how would you explain that laughing fit?”

“That was a completely normal laughing fit. Nothing weedy about it.” Lucifer mumbled.

“Uh-huh. You called my eye color ‘dirt’.”

A wheeze of laughter escaped Lucifer. “I did not! I said your eyes are earthy. I like them, okay? Earthy is good. Hehe, earthy is a funny word. Earth-eeeeee.” Lucifer proceeded to start giggling again.

“…And you say you’re not high.” Alastor huffed out a small laugh, continuing to pet the giggly being resting his head in his lap.

“Okay, okay, maybe I’m a little high. Just a little though. And only like, the left side of my face. My right side is perfectly not high.” Lucifer insisted.

A real snort of laughter escaped Alastor at that. “Sure, starlight, sure. Do you mind scooting? I do need to take a shower and get ready for bed. I have work tomorrow.”

“Nooooo.” Lucifer wrapped his arms around Alastor’s waist, holding on tight.

“Come on Luci, it will only take me a second. And then we can cuddle in bed, okay?”

“…Promy?” Lucifer mumbled, cracking an eye open to look up at Alastor.

“Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.” The brunet leaned in closer.

“Do you promy we’ll cuddle?” Lucifer said, a little louder.

“Did you just say ‘promy?”

“Yeah. Do you promy?”

“Ha, sure, I ‘promy.’” Alastor rolled his eyes, but used the ridiculous bastardized word for ‘promise’ that Lucifer had used anyway.

Speed running his bedtime routine, Alastor managed to get himself to bed in record time. He found Lucifer already on the mattress, curled up and hugging Charlie, his beloved lamb plush, to his chest. As soon as Alastor entered the room though, Lucifer lifted his head, pushing the toy to the side and scooting to make room for Alastor.

He crawled into bed, immediately drawn into a warm embrace by Lucifer. The fallen angel snuffled happily into his still slightly damp hair, Alastor nestling against his chest comfortably. He looped an arm over Lucifer’s side, the devil’s own arm wrapped around Alastor and resting comfortably against his back, keeping him close.

A deep purring started up in Lucifer, his tail curling around them both, snaking between Alastor’s legs. He snuggled closer to Lucifer, smiling contentedly to himself.

The brunet drifted off to sleep, feeling warm, comfortable, and surrounded by the softest fluff, satisfied in the knowledge that said warm fluff would do everything he could to protect and keep Alastor happy and safe.

———

The chase was in Alastor’s blood.

This weekend he and Lucifer had traipsed out into the woods, Alastor to hunt, Lucifer to accompany him. And Alastor swore that he had come across the same stag that had escaped him weeks ago, now back to taunt him. This time Alastor was determined to kill it.

He had managed to shoot it - in the leg. Alastor had been too eager, not wanting the buck to escape again and so not getting the deer properly in his sights before firing his rifle. And now he was chasing the stag down through the woods, blood bumping, wind in his hair, the faint tang of iron on the breeze.

The stag still had a lot of life left in him apparently, taking Alastor on a winding tour of the woods. But he didn’t mind; he knew these woods, and the deer wouldn’t be able to run forever.

Meanwhile, Alastor enjoyed the chase. He relished in stalking his prey, and the flashes of blond and white near and around him told the brunet that Lucifer was never far. It made Alastor puff up his chest a bit, to know his boyfriend got to see him in his element and partake in the thrill of the hunt - even if as more of a spectator.

The stag finally tired, taking a break in a thicket of brush. Alastor lined up a second shot, aiming directly for the deer’s heart. Adrenaline made him feel like he could keep running forever, full of energy and blood practically singing for the impending kill.

The bullet hit its target, and the deer fell. Alastor immediately jumped up and pushed through the undergrowth to reach the stag, finding the deer somehow still alive. He gave a grunt of pain, staring up at Alastor with wide eyes. Drawing his hunting knife, Alastor quickly slit the buck’s throat, watching the light finally leave the deer’s eyes for good.

Blood coated his hands, running down his knife, and pooled below the stag. Alastor wiped his knife off on the stag’s pelt before sheathing it, quickly dragging the deer out of the thicket, intending to ask Lucifer for help carrying it home. Back out of the brush, Alastor paused, looking down at his bloodied hands. He couldn’t help but bring them to his face, licking up the fresh blood with a moan.

Lucifer appeared at his side then, a proud smile on his face. “You did so well, my little hunter. I take it you’ll want help carrying this back?” He immediately moved to pick up the stag, not minding the blood at all, red seeping into white and blond fur as he picked up the body of the deer effortlessly.

The iron on his tongue, the chase still pumping in his veins, the blood roaring in his ears, and now Lucifer with blood on himself as well was all doing something to Alastor.

“Wait.” He tugged on Lucifer’s arm, causing the fallen angel to pause and look at him questioningly.

“What’s up? Don’t you need to get your game back home?” Lucifer asked. The devil looked… unfairly good right now. The red of the blood really complimented his fur, and the stag slung over his shoulders made Lucifer appear like the predator Alastor knew he could be. If Lucifer ever wanted to be a hunter, he had all the right tools - the speed for chasing, the strength for wrestling, the teeth for tearing, the claws for catching. Even though this was Alastor’s hunt, his mind was very helpfully picturing Lucifer as the hunter in this scenario.

And it was making Alastor’s own blood flow south in response.

“We have some time. Why don’t you put the stag down, starlight?” Alastor smiled warmly up at Lucifer. He was very aware of the blossoming arousal in his gut, the way his cock was filling out, the slickness gathering at his folds. Alastor knew it would probably be best to wait to deal with this once they got home, but he did not want to wait.

“Okay? What’s up?” Lucifer slowly put the deer back down, straightening back up and shaking himself off slightly once he did.

Immediately Alastor pressed himself to Lucifer’s front, needing physical contact, needing to be as close to the devil as he could. He gasped as the full body contact brought his crotch to Lucifer’s thigh, reflexively grinding into it. His fingers, sticky with blood, curled into blond fur, holding tight.

“Please.” He whispered softly, breath coming hot and fast. “I need you.”

“O-oh, oh shit.” Lucifer gently grabbed Alastor’s shoulders, practically peeling the brunet off of him. Alastor whined, wriggling in Lucifer’s grasp at the loss of pressure against his front. “Are you, did your hunt, did the chase turn you on?” Lucifer’s forked tongue flickered out, nostrils flaring as he picked up the smell of Alastor’s arousal underneath the stench of blood.

“Y-yeah.” Alastor admitted, face heating up at his own lascivious behavior. But he couldn’t stop, not now, not with the metallic taste of blood on his tongue and Lucifer’s scent all around him and the fallen angel’s strength holding him back so easily and the softness of that fur that should be enveloping him.

Alastor’s wriggling increased, but this time it wasn’t directed at trying to get back into physical contact with Lucifer. This time Alastor was trying to unclip his hunting equipment and shed his clothes, twisting and turning, tugging at zippers and buttons, clawing at the constricting fabric that suddenly felt too hot.

“Ah, f-fuck, really? Right now? Out here in the woods?” Lucifer released Alastor, taking a step back.

Not being held back by Lucifer meant that it was much easier for Alastor to undress. He made quick work of it, setting down his gun and utility belt, then his garments, stripping until he was fully nude. Alastor stood before Lucifer, chest heaving, craving nothing more than to be touched and filled by the devil.

“Yes, right now, in the woods. Please? I need you.” He took a tentative step towards Lucifer, skin feeling like it was on fire, need making Alastor feel almost delirious. He didn’t want to force Lucifer to do anything he didn’t want to of course, but he wanted this so badly, right now.

A quick glance down Lucifer’s body told Alastor that the fallen angel was probably up for this, though; the golden head of his tapered cock head was peeking out of his sheath.

“You, you sure?” Lucifer made no move away from Alastor, letting him approach. He didn’t push the brunet’s hands away when they came up to tangle in Lucifer’s neck fluff.

“I’m sure.” Alastor breathed, lips, ghosting over Lucifer’s.

A broken off groan was the only warning he got before those lips were crashing into his, Lucifer’s arms coming up to wrap around Alastor, large hands against his back.

Alastor melted into the embrace, bloody fingers carding through blond locks and staining them red as his tongue danced with Lucifer’s. He moaned as Lucifer’s serpentine tongue wrapped around his own, sucking on it. Hips stuttering into Lucifer, Alastor rubbed himself against the devil’s thigh, the friction against his cock delightful. One of Lucifer’s hands trailed lower, over the curve of Alastor’s ass, groping the firm globe and pulling Alastor even closer to him.

The brunet gasped, breaking the kiss as he felt Lucifer’s cock unsheathe further, rubbing against his stomach. He glanced down between their bodies, whimpering at the sight of the golden-flushed dick smooshed against his skin. Alastor instinctively pressed himself closer, shifting off of Lucifer’s thigh to be able to feel more of Lucifer’s member against him and was rewarded by a breathy moan from Lucifer. He watched the fallen angel’s cock slip even further out of its sheath, extending up along his chest. If he leaned down a bit, he could gently take the tip into his mouth…

“F-fuck, what do you need my hart?” Lucifer panted out, fingers flexing against Alastor’s skin, claws already retracted.

“You. Need you. Inside.” Alastor panted, burying his face into blond chest fur and inhaling the sweet scent of the angelic being coupled with the sickly scent of blood. The combination was almost intoxicating to Alastor.

“Aha, you sure? We’ve, uh, never done that. Yet.” Lucifer let out a nervous laugh, though his cock twitched in interest where it was, pressed between the both of them.

“Yes, I’m sure. I’m green. I can take it. I need it.” Alastor insisted, bucking against Lucifer slightly, enjoying the hiss this elicited as the devil’s dick was squeezed further between the two of them.

“Alright, alright, be patient though, I’m prepping you first, okay?” Lucifer placed a soft kiss to the top of Alastor’s head, before guiding the brunet down to the forest floor. Alastor went willingly, uncaring about the dirt and leaves and grass beneath them at the moment.

“F-fine.” Alastor conceded, lying back on the ground when Lucifer placed a hand to his chest and gently pushed him backwards.

Lucifer knelt before Alastor, proceeding to leave a trail of hot, wet kisses down his chest and abdomen as his left hand teased over Alastor’s mons and carding through dark brown pubic hair. The brunet shuddered at the light touches, cock twitching with desire.

“Mmm, you’re so wet for me already, my hart. Lovely.” Lucifer rumbled, nimble fingers dipping lower to part his folds and trace through the generous slick gathering there. Alastor’s breath was coming fast, sweat dampening his brow. He craned his neck to look down at Lucifer, smirking.

“You’re one to talk.” He panted out, nodding at Lucifer’s leaking member.

“Yeah, well. We’ll get to that soon enough.” Lucifer chuckled, stroking Alastor’s cock and causing the brunet’s head to fall back into the dirt, back arching slightly with a sharp intake of breath.

He felt like a live wire, electricity shooting up every nerve ending. Alastor whined, needing Lucifer to just fill him already, hands digging into the dirt below him.

The fallen angel seemed to understand Alastor’s urgency, not dragging this out the way he usually seemed to enjoy doing. Quickly Lucifer pressed one finger into Alastor, pumping it in and out a few times before inserting a second. Alastor bit his lip hard, breath hitching as Lucifer started scissoring his fingers within the brunet, stretching him out with intent.

“You’re doing so well for me, hart, you’re doing so good.” Lucifer praised, right hand brushing over his nipples, playing with the sensitive nubs. A shudder went through Alastor at the praise and attention to his nipples, his inner walls fluttering around Lucifer’s fingers.

“P-please, need your cock…” Alastor whimpered, pressing back into Lucifer’s digits, drawing them deeper inside.

“Patience my hart, my cock is quite a bit bigger than my fingers… don’t want to hurt you.” Lucifer continued to finger fuck Alastor, purposefully driving them in deep and spreading them wide, stretching Alastor out carefully and methodically before carefully inserting his third finger. The larger stretch caused Alastor’s body to jerk, before he relaxed into the sensation, letting out a shuddering sigh.

Heat was bubbling under Alastor’s skin, molten lava in his belly. He felt like he was already so close, and he hadn’t even had Lucifer’s cock inside himself yet.

“L-Luci- I’m ready, just, fuck me already.” Alastor gasped out, grabbing Lucifer’s wrist to try to wrench it free.

Slowly Lucifer pulled his fingers out, the wet squelch of them leaving his cunt obscene. The devil’s pupils were blown wide, forked tongue flickering in and out of his mouth. Alastor was certain Lucifer was sampling his arousal, tasting his need on the air.

Spreading his legs wide in invitation, pussy aching to be filled, Alastor did his best to flutter his eyelashes up at Lucifer seductively. “Come on, starlight. Don’t you want to fill me up?”

There was a beat of silence, and then a strangled moan - followed by Lucifer shuffling forward on his knees. He spread his thighs wide, spitting into his palm before taking himself in hand and giving his leaking dick a few pumps, then grabbed Alastor’s hip and tilted his pelvis up slightly. Alastor’s heart was beating so loudly in his chest, he was almost afraid it would burst out of his rib cage.

It was happening. It was finally happening.

He was going to be filled by Lucifer, his flesh made one with the fallen angel. Their coupling would be the greatest form of worship, bringing them even closer, and to higher realms of pleasure than ever before.

Slowly Lucifer rubbed his member over Alastor’s folds, little panting moans falling from his lips, his tail swishing through the grass and dirt behind him in anticipation.

Carefully the devil pressed the tapered tip of his cock to Alastor’s cunt, gently pushing in. At first everything was fine, but as the heart shaped cock head pushed further in there was a slight sting, a stretch greater than Alastor had expected. His body tensed up at the intrusion, pain spiking at the large cock trying to bully its way through.

“Shhh, it’s okay my hart, just relax for me.” Lucifer’s right hand stroked up and down Alastor’s side soothingly, coaxing his body back into a state of relaxation. Once that was achieved, the fallen angel resumed pushing his dick into Alastor’s pussy.

He winced slightly at the stretch, though it didn’t hurt too badly now that he was more relaxed. In fact, the stretch felt good, a painful kind of pleasure, mixing perfectly with the mounting heat and electricity in his gut. Alastor moaned as Lucifer breached him, panting hard.

“It’s… it’s in. Just, uh, just the tip really, but. Yeah.” Lucifer’s voice came out horse, a little strained. He was trembling slightly from the exertion of holding himself back, fur matting with sweat, blood staining his shoulders and chest from where he had slung the stag over his back and where Alastor had run his fingers through his fur. Lucifer had never looked so erotic.

“Ha… that’s just the tip? Shit.” Alastor wheezed out, already feeling very stretched out and full. “Give, give me a minute.”

“Of course.” Lucifer grunted, shifting to try to make himself comfortable.

The movement caused Lucifer’s cock to press into the soft spongy spot inside of Alastor, and his body jerked, a sharp cry leaving his lips.

“Shit! Sorry, did I hurt you?”

“N-no. Not hurt.” Alastor heaved for breath, momentarily stunned. He needed more of that. “Can you, can you do that again?”

“I- what?” Lucifer blinked rapidly down at Alastor.

“Felt good. I know only like, an inch or two of you are inside of me, but… that seemed to hit my sweet spot. Can you maybe, just. Fuck me shallowly? Just, until I adjust fully to the feeling of you inside me?” Alastor blushed hard, his little cock throbbing and pussy pulsing with desire.

“Yeah, yeah I can do that.” Lucifer nodded eagerly, shifting again to loom over Alastor’s form. He was so much bigger than Alastor - and the brunet relished in that.

Gently Lucifer pulled out almost all the way, before pushing back in the scant inch or so he had pressed into Alastor to begin with. The tip of his heart-shaped cock head bumped into that spot inside of Alastor again, making him gasp, fingers flexing into the dirt at his sides.

“Like that?” Lucifer checked in with him softly.

“Yes, j-just like that. Keep going.” Alastor groaned, eyes fluttering shut. Lucifer readily complied.

The fallen angel rocked into Alastor over and over, shallowly, never letting more than a couple of inches of his cock spear the brunet. Alastor moaned freely at every hit to his sweet spot, rocking back to meet Lucifer’s thrusts. Lucifer was half-whispering praise and little utterances of ”shit, so tight, you feel so good”, his thrusts picking up speed, but never going deeper than the scant few inches Alastor had requested.

It felt so, so good.

Deliriously good.

In barely any time Alastor realized he was approaching his peak, limbs tingly, dick twitching, inner walls fluttering around the wet glide of Lucifer’s member. Lucifer pulled out all the way then, leaving Alastor empty - but only for a moment. He thrust back into Alastor’s waiting cunt, striking the soft little patch inside of him perfectly - and before Alastor knew it he was coming.

With a shout he came, back arching sharply off the ground, fingers clawing up dirt and chunks of grass, toes curling. His cunt squeezed the few inches of Lucifer’s shaft inside him as his orgasm ripped through him, shuddering as waves of pleasure broke over him.

Lucifer made a sound of surprise, stilling inside of Alastor.

“Did you… did you just cum?”

As he came back down, little spasms still wracking his body, it dawned on Alastor that he had cum ridiculously fast; he had had Lucifer inside of him for maybe a minute or two or most, and hadn’t even taken more than the tip of his dick.

How embarrassing.

With a whine of shame Alastor threw his arms over his face, cheeks heating up exponentially even as the aftermath of his orgasm still gently wafting over him.

“H-hey! That’s not a bad thing! I’m glad that made you feel so good. I’m just surprised is all!” Lucifer quickly tried to explain, leaning in closer to gently tug Alastor’s arms away from his face.

Unfortunately this caused Lucifer’s still very hard cock to slip a little further into Alastor. Which right then wasn’t what the brunet needed.

He jerked back, feeling oversensitive, slight pain shooting up his spine at the movement.

“Too much! Pull out!” He gasped out, trying to wriggle away from Lucifer.

Immediately Lucifer withdrew his hands, a sound of alarm escaping him as he quickly pulled out of Alastor. His cock bobbed in front of his abdomen, head leaking obscene amounts of precum, angry veins on clear display on the two-toned flesh.

“Sorry! Didn’t mean to overwhelm you.” Lucifer sat back on his heels, ignoring his twitching dick. “You alright?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. I, uh, sorry I came so fast. I, did not expect that. My release crept up on me there, I really did not see that coming.” Alastor sat up slowly, giving Lucifer a sheepish smile. Now that he had climaxed, Alastor felt much calmer and levelheaded. The unusually high bout of arousal he had experienced had now died down, leaving Alastor feeling spent, but happy.

Regrettably, Lucifer had not found his release. Again. And now Alastor was oversensitive, so he wouldn’t be able to be filled by Lucifer anymore. At least not today. Drat.

“It’s fine Al. I’m glad that made you feel so good. Sure, we could have continued to have fun, but the fact that I made you cum so fast? Yeah, I’ll take that as a compliment.” Lucifer puffed up his chest, clearly very proud of himself right now.

“Ha, ha. Don’t let it get to your head, big guy. But, uh, I feel bad that you once again didn’t get to cum.” Alastor gestured towards Lucifer’s still very hard and very flushed member, bobbing gently between his legs.

“Eh, again, don’t worry about it. That was still so freaking hot. I’ll be remembering how you felt for a long time, hart.” He groaned, dick twitching at the very recent memory he was recalling.

“…But I want you to be able to cum, too. Even if I’m too sensitive to take you inside right now, and too spent to focus on jerking you off… hmm, maybe you could, use my body to get off?” Alastor tentatively suggested.

The devil tilted his head to the side curiously. “Not sure I follow. What exactly are you suggesting here?”

“I’m suggesting… that maybe you could, use my thighs? To get off?” Alastor’s cheeks darkened, the brunet covering his mouth and nose with one hand bashfully and averting his gaze.

“Oh? Can’t say I’ve ever done anything like that before, but I’m definitely listening.” Lucifer scooted closer again, kneeling before Alastor.

It seemed like Alastor’s ill-fated expedition onto that porn site had yielded some good results at least; thigh-fucking was something he had come across on there. He hadn’t really understood it at the time (that had to feel much better for one of the party than the other, right?) but at the moment it seemed like a pretty good solution. Alastor could still help Lucifer get off, with minimal effort from himself, and without getting overstimulated.

“I mean, there’s not much to explain. Your dick between my thighs. That’s it, really.” Alastor shrugged, staring up at Lucifer’s deep red eyes.

“Alright, sounds simple enough. I’m game if you are?”

“I literally suggested this.”

“Yeah, but still. Never hurts to double check?”

Alastor shook his head fondly, stretching upwards to kiss Lucifer’s snout. The fallen angel snorted softly, nose twitching at the gentle press of lips to the soft fur there. “Yes, I’m game. You’ll have to do the majority of the work here I think, I’m pretty spent. Not only did I just cum embarrassingly fast from your cock, I tracked down and killed a stag before that, and all that physical excursion is catching up with me.” The brunet gave a dry chuckle.

“That’s true! Don’t worry, I don’t mind doing the majority of the heavy lifting. I’m just very, really honored to get to do this with you.”

“You’re, honored to get to fuck my thighs?” Alastor raised an eyebrow skeptically.

“I- okay that did sound funny. What I mean is, I’m happy being with you. In every way. I treasure every moment spent together, and I really appreciate the way you’re always trying to look after me and make sure I feel good and get what I need. You’re so good to me, and it means a lot to me.”

Alastor felt all warm and gooey inside, a warm, pulsing ball of light growing outward from his chest. The soft moment was only slightly spoiled by the fact that Lucifer was still hard as rock, pink and gold cock hanging heavy, with precum dribbling down its side.

“As much as I enjoy hearing you wax poetic about me, I’m not sure right now is really the time.” Alastor nodded towards Lucifer’s leaking member, delighted in the bright golden blush that leapt to the devil’s cheeks.

“Aha, I guess you’re right. Shall I…?” Lucifer gestured towards Alastor’s lower body.

“By all means, do your thing.” The brunet shifted closer, bending his legs so that his knees bracketed Lucifer’s cock. The fallen angel got the hint, taking the lead from there.

Carefully Lucifer laid Alastor back down against the ground, the dirt and grass below flattened and disturbed from their previous activities. Lifting Alastor’s legs up, Lucifer shuffled forward until his leaking cock was framed between them, before gently pressing them together. Alastor was propped up on his elbows, watching with interest as the heated skin of that two-toned shaft was enveloped by his darker flesh. The sight was obscene, and beautiful.

Because of their high difference, Lucifer took both of Alastor’s legs in one hand, fingers wrapped around his ankles firmly. The fallen angel kept Alastor’s legs up, held against his chest, and with his other hand he grabbed Alastor by the hip and pulled his lower body up to rest on his thighs. The brunet’s arms gave out from under him at that, and he lay back, gazing up at the forest canopy above, softly dappled afternoon sunlight streaming through the leaves.

He squeezed his thighs experimentally, rewarded by a grunt from Lucifer. Tilting his head back down towards the devil, Alastor noted Lucifer’s heavy breathing, his dick sandwiched between Alastor’s thighs, the precum already smeared across his skin.

Experimentally Lucifer gave a thrust. The movement jostled Alastor a bit, and Lucifer adjusted his grip on the brunet’s hip and ankles.

Then he really started to move.

The drag of that thick cock against his inner thighs wasn’t all that unpleasant, Alastor found. The stickiness being spread, the wet sounds of flesh against flesh, the groaning and moaning spilling from Lucifer… yes, this wasn’t all that unpleasant at all.

Alastor closed his eyes, relishing in the sounds of pleasure escaping from Lucifer, and in the knowledge that it was his flesh bringing the fallen angel such bliss - even if all he was doing was laying there and letting Lucifer chase his pleasure. He shivered as fat droplets of precum landed on his stomach, cracking an eye open to take in the sight.

And what a sight it was.

Lucifer’s face was one of pure ecstasy, tongue lolled out of his mouth, eyes half-closed, ears droopy from pleasure. His hair was a disheveled mess, delightfully tousled, light gold dusting his cheeks. Dark red blood was drying in his fur, making clumps stick together.

The brunet had just cum not too long ago, and yet a curl of heat found its way through Alastor at the sight. He squeezed his thighs tighter reflexively, a broken moan falling from Lucifer’s lips.

“Fffuck, yes, just like that hart. Do that again.” Lucifer panted out, picking up his pace, hands gripping Alastor tighter.

He obliged, squeezing his thighs together tightly, watching the heart-shaped head of Lucifer’s cock almost disappear completely, just the tip visible between tan thighs, before thrusting back through fully. The generous amount of precum made the glide smooth, slick sounds filling the air. Alastor could feel the swell of Lucifer’s knot pressing against the back of his thighs, hot and heavy with the promise of debauchery.

As Lucifer pumped in and out of the space between Alastor’s thighs faster, with more force, the brunet also became aware of the devil’s balls slapping against the back of his skin, the obscene smack of those large furry globes against his flesh sending a little shiver up his spine.

A hiccuped moan escaped Alastor, his hands coming up to tangle in his hair. Fuck, he hadn’t expected this to be so, so sensual. Not for him at least, lying on the ground while the space between his thighs was rutted into.

It made Alastor feel like a, like a- like a glorified sex toy.

Instead of that thought disgusting him though, Alastor found it… kind of hot. Really, really hot actually, if he was honest. But only because it was Lucifer using him as such.

To be the fallen angel’s personal sex toy, used to bring such an ethereal being to the greatest heights of euphoria… what an honor that was. One that was reserved just for him, just for Alastor. He alone reserved the right of seeing Lucifer in the throes of passion, of getting to touch and be touched in return by such a glorious creature. He alone had the privilege of being used by Lucifer, the most beautiful of Heaven’s angels, in such a way. Alastor, with his mortal flesh, was the only one who could bring Lucifer higher, higher even than the pearly gates, bring him to rapture.

He would happily let Lucifer use his body to bring himself such pleasure, if only to bask in the warmth of the devil’s divine euphoric glow.

“Sh-shit, you feel so good my hart. You’re perfect, so so perfect.” Lucifer’s thrusts were getting erratic, rhythm stuttering as he panted harshly, leaning over Alastor and practically bending him in half.

“A-all for you. Only for you.” Alastor whispered reverently out, chest heaving as he tugged at his own hair, transfixed by the glorious sight before him. He squeezed his thighs as close together as he could, feeling the weight of that heavy dick push through the tight channel, knot threatening to pop through as well.

“Ah- coming!” A deep, animalistic moan ripped from Lucifer’s throat. His hips jerked, slamming against the back of Alastor’s thighs harshly and jolting the brunet. Alastor gasped as ropes of pearly cum shot from Lucifer’s cock, arching prettily through the air before splattering messily across his chest and up his neck, a few adventurous drops even making it to his chin. Lucifer continued to grind into Alastor as he came, knot pressed into the space between the brunet’s thighs, dick pulsing as he shot load after load, until he was spent.

Stillness settled over the two of them, the only sound between them that of their panting as they both endeavored to catch their breath.

After a moment Lucifer lowered Alastor’s legs back to the earth, extracting his softening member from sticky flesh. He loomed over Alastor, shadow blocking out the sunlight.

“You okay there, my hart?”

Alastor gazed dazedly up at the sky, arms splayed out around his head, until Lucifer’s face blocked his view. It took him a second to focus on deep crimson eyes, looking down at him with slight concern.

“More than okay.” Alastor answered, a lazy smile spreading across his face. “That was, a lot more fun than I expected it to be.”

“I bet it was more fun for me than it was for you.” Lucifer chuckled, concern vanishing in an instant, replaced by fondness and playfulness. A mixture Alastor was pretty used to at this point.

“Mmm, don’t count on it.” The brunet huffed out a small laugh, reaching up to caress the side of Lucifer’s face. The fallen angel leaned into the touch easily, rumbling happily, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.

And maybe it was, for Alastor and Lucifer.

After a moment of just existing together in each other’s warmth and afterglow, Lucifer flashed Alastor a playful smile. Before Alastor could question it, a long red tongue had escaped the confines of Lucifer’s maw and swiped across the mess on the brunet’s chest. Alastor shrieked at the sudden wet touch, scrambling backwards away from the offending appendage.

But Lucifer was faster, pouncing on Alastor and pinning him down to the dirt. Alastor instinctively kicked out, trying to get away, but the devil sat on his legs to keep them still. Immediately Lucifer began giving Alastor a tongue bath, cleaning up the spend coating his belly and chest eagerly.

“Unhand me, you- you really don’t have to do that.” Alastor wriggled beneath Lucifer, legs trapped under the weight of the being, arms held fast in large hands. Alastor couldn’t help the way his muscles spasmed and twitched under the touch of the slick muscle running over them, lapping up the obscene offering that had been painted across his skin.

“Just cleaning you up a bit, Al. We’re a ways away from the house, and I’m sure you’d rather not have to put your clothes on over the tacky drying mess I made over you.” Lucifer said matter-of-factly, continuing administering his tongue bath.

“I- I… I suppose I can’t argue with that.” Alastor begrudgingly admitted, going limp beneath Lucifer and letting the fallen angel clean him with his tongue.

It wasn’t unpleasant, really - once Alastor got over the wetness of it sliding against his flesh. Lucifer’s tongue was dexterous, scooping up all the devil’s seed easily, drawing it into his mouth and swallowing it. Lucifer seemed to have no qualms over eating his own spend, but the lewd sight still made Alastor blush darkly. He laid there, Lucifer working over his stomach and chest and up his neck, thoroughly cleaning the brunet. It still came as a slight surprise to Alastor that the feeling of Lucifer’s tongue against his skin wasn’t bad. It wasn’t as slimy as a human tongue, though there was a faint roughness to it. Sort of like a cat’s tongue. It felt nice, actually, and did a pretty good job of cleaning him up.

Regardless, Alastor was going to need an actual bath once they got home. And so was Lucifer.

Finally satisfied that Alastor was clean enough, Lucifer released him, standing up to his full height and stretching. His dick had long retreated back into its sheath, the only evidence of what they had been up to the disheveled state of Lucifer’s fur, the dirt clinging to his legs, and the blood decorating his chest and shoulders.

Brushing himself off quickly, the fallen angel then bent in half, offering Alastor a hand up. He took it gratefully, stifling the squeak of surprise at how easily Lucifer lifted him to his feet.

Alastor clung onto Lucifer’s arm, feeling a little unsteady on his legs at the moment. Lucifer smirked down at him, but a glare from Alastor kept the being from opening his big mouth and saying anything stupid.

Lucifer helped brush the brunet off, and redressed himself a bit. Alastor hated putting his clothes on over the cooling saliva on his body, but it wasn’t as bad as putting on clothes over drying cum.

“I bet I can carry both you and the deer back. If you’d like, that is.” Lucifer offered.

Picking up his hunting equipment once more, Alastor considered the offer. They were a good ways from home, and the sun was starting to set. His legs weren’t feeling all that steady, and he still had a stag to prep and a bath to take. Not to mention he had to make dinner.

“Sure, I’ll take you up on that.” Alastor agreed.

With a pleased chirp Lucifer dropped to all fours, slinging the dead deer over his shoulders before lowering himself for Alastor. “Hop on then!”

Seated on Lucifer’s back, swaying gently along with the magnificent being’s quick strides through the trees, Alastor let out a happy sigh.

Today had been a very, very good day.

Chapter Text

For the past week Alastor had been taking a detour on his way home.

It was now early October, nature finally catching on to the fact that it was autumn. Leaves were turning shades of orange, red, and brown, the sun was setting earlier, and a crisp cool breeze would blow through town in the afternoon, urging people to don their sweaters and hats and scarves.

And Alastor kept driving downtown, passing the sex shop he had so recently learnt about, but not having the nerve to stop or go in.

See, the impromptu sexy-times he and Lucifer had gotten up to in the woods had really cemented for Alastor that he should invest in some sex toys and the like.

More specifically, invest in lubricant.

He was sure some extra slickness would help him take Lucifer’s cock that much easier.

Unfortunately, to get his hands on some lube meant that Alastor actually had to go into the sex shop to buy it.

That Thursday after work found Alastor parked across the street from ‘Sweet and Spicy’ - the sex shop - where he proceeded to sit in his truck for the next hour or so, internally arguing with himself over whether or not he should go in.

It was pretty dead in this part of town at least. Alastor realized he hadn’t seen anyone go in or out of the shop the whole time he had been parked there, and the street itself was pretty empty. Aside from the sex shop and the new night club right next door, this street was mostly bars and antique shops, neither of which were exactly hopping with activity at this time on a weekday.

He supposed it was as good a time as any to head into ‘Sweet and Spicy.’

Cautiously Alastor stepped out of his truck, glancing up and down the street suspiciously before scurrying over to the shop. He was wearing his usual type of work clothes - nice but not overly formal. Black slacks, dark purple button up shirt tucked into his pants, a red pinstriped coat that he was currently wearing unbuttoned since it was still pretty warm out. Usually he felt very at home in such clothes, but right now they were making Alastor feel as if he was sticking out like a sore thumb.

The brunet yanked the door open, cringing as a little bell announces his arrival. He slipped inside before he could second guess himself, going rigidly still once the door closed behind him.

Eyes wide as saucers, Alastor took in the sex shop.

It was… packed full of scandalous items of all sorts, some of which Alastor could not even begin to guess the use of. His face heating up, Alastor’s gaze swept through the space.

There was a section for women, and a section for men. Though there seemed to be a lot of overlap if you asked Alastor - but he wasn’t looking too closely. There were scantily clad mannequins with ridiculous accessories that looked more like Halloween costume props (cat ears? Really?), there were shelves of erotic novels and guides for improving one’s sex life, there were whips and chains and ropes on the walls, and of course so, so many dildos. Of all shapes and sizes and colors, some not even human looking, some clearly meant to be insertable but squatter and - oh those were butt plugs.

Taking a deep breath, Alastor was about to start perusing for what he came in for when a voice made him nearly jump out of his skin.

“Welcome ta ‘Sweet and Spicy’, where we help all your wildest fantasies come ta life. What can I do for ya today?”

Alastor whirled around, having completely missed the cashier register near the display window. Behind the register was a tall effeminate man (maybe as tall as Alastor?) with platinum blond hair, long bangs swept to the side messily. The man had one blue eye and one brown eye, a very striking look which Alastor wasn’t sure were his real eye colors. His name-tag read ‘Angel Dust’ - which Alastor was definitely sure wasn’t his real name.

The two just looked at each other for a minute. This ‘Angel Dust’ seemed rather bored, leaning against the display case beside him. He raised an eyebrow at Alastor when the brunet didn’t do anything but stare at him, Alastor’s usual smile automatically frozen on his face.

“Uh, hello? Can I help ya find anything in particular today?” Angel Dust tilted his head to the side questioningly.

“N-no, I’m fine thank you very much. Just, just browsing.” Alastor faffed with his coat, straightening it out and smoothing out wrinkles to try to calm his nerves.

Of course there would be someone in the store. Of course this place had employees. At least the only person who would see Alastor in here was this effeminate fellow. Hopefully he’d never see the man again after this.

“‘Aight, have fun! If ya need anythin’ just let me know.” Angel Dust slouched against the counter, pulling out his phone and tapping away at it.

Stiffly Alastor walked over to the side of the room labeled FOR MEN. Looking at all the contraptions and sex toys made him feel much too hot under the collar, especially considering that he had no idea what over half these things were even for. Not that it mattered to him - Alastor came here for one very specific item, that’s all. He just had to find it.

Of course Alastor could ask Angel Dust for help locating said item, but he was loath to engage in conversation with the fellow any more than he had to. So Alastor painstakingly looked through all the dildos and butt plugs and leather cuffs and harnesses and paddles and whips and oh lord there was a lot of debauchery here.

Not having any luck on the FOR MEN side of the store, Alastor hesitantly made his way over to the FOR WOMEN side. He hated that things were put in such a binary, especially in a place like this, but oh well. He glanced surreptitiously out of the corner of his eye at Angel Dust, for some reason worried that the sex store worker would be watching and judging him for going over to the ‘women’ side of the store. But Angel Dust was engrossed with his phone, apparently oblivious to the customer - at least for the moment.

Which was just fine by Alastor.

This side of the store actually had more of the types of things Alastor would maybe consider getting - considering the body he had been born with and the equipment he sported below the belt. There were more dildos, and vibrators, and combinations of the two, and contractions to grind against, and candles - things that he generally didn’t care for but seemed very interesting and perhaps even useful. He had been lamenting his lack of sex toys - but that was before he and Lucifer had gotten together. Regardless, the brunet was getting distracted in his quest, spending time actually picking up and looking at some of the other sex toys, reading their packaging and seeing what they were made of.

“Oh that’s a good one!” Angel Dust appeared at Alastor’s size, causing him to squeak at the sudden invasion of his space. Alastor instinctively clutched the little vibrator he had been curiously looking at to his chest, staring wide-eyed at the effeminate man who was now standing far too close for comfort.

“Tha’s a bullet vibrator, love those lil guys. Small and discrete, but they pack a punch!” Angel Dust continued, oblivious to the discomfort he was causing.

Alastor shuffled back a bit, just blinking at the employee. It seemed like he knew what he was talking about - though that made sense, considering where the man worked.

After a moment of awkward silence, in which Alastor kept a strained smile on his face and Angel Dust just looked at him as if he expected Alastor to respond, the platinum blond sighed.

“Not much of a talker, are ya. That’s fine! You’re tha first customer I’ve had all afternoon, and I’m pretty bored is all. Ya know, we offer other services here besides just toys…” Angel Dust wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, taking a step towards Alastor.

“I’m not looking for other services, thank you!” Alastor managed to get out, voice rather shrill. He took a step back to match the one Angel Dust took, still clutching the vibrator to his chest. Though if he gripped the box any tighter he was liable to crush the cardboard.

“Aw, tha’s too bad. You’re pretty cute. An’ I haven’t seen ya around this side of town before. Ya sure ya aren’t interested in other services? A new experience, or a private show?” Angel Dust fluttered his eyelashes at Alastor, leaning in close.

Grinding his teeth, Alastor narrowed his eyes at the effeminate man. “No, thank you. I think I’ve made it perfectly clear that I am not interested.”

“You’re no fun.” Angel Dust pouted, but straightened back up anyway. He was about as tall as Alastor, which really was something, considering how tall the brunet was. “Well then, are ya finding everythin’ okay?”

Realizing that he didn’t want to spend any more time in this shop with this overly flirty individual than he had to, Alastor decided to bite the bullet. “Actually, I am looking for lubricant. Could you help me find some?”

“Oh, yeah, no prob. This way!” Angel Dust nodded, turning and leading Alastor further into the store towards the back.

There weren’t many options, but honestly Alastor wasn’t super sure what exactly he was looking for. He absentmindedly tucked the vibrator’s box under his arm and grabbed the biggest bottle of lube he saw.

“You gonna get anythin’ else?” Angel Dust asked.

It dawned on Alastor that if he got lube but no insertable toys that might be seen as weird. He had no idea what was expected in a place like this, but Angel Dust’s question made Alastor feel like he was expected to buy a dildo or some other sex toy to go with the lube.

So he grabbed something off the shelves at random, not paying more attention to it besides noting that it was a dildo.

“That’s all!” Alastor carried his items to the cash register, where Angel Dust rang him up.

“Uh, you gonna pay for that as well?” The platinum blond pointed to the vibrator Alastor was still unconsciously carrying around tucked into the crook of his arm. The cardboard box was a bit bent now, packaging looking worse for wear. He supposed he should pay for it.

“Yes.” Alastor said confidently, as if he had meant for this little contraption to be part of his shopping trip the whole time.

Once he had paid for his items and had them safely tucked away in a nondescript plastic bag, Alastor made his escape. Angel Dust cheerfully wished him a good day and to be back soon as the brunet ducked out the door. He certainly hoped he would not be back soon.

Back in the relative safety of his truck, Alastor peered into the plastic bag, surveying his purchases. He had ended up getting more things than he had meant to get. Oh well, maybe they’d come in handy sometime? Regardless, Alastor had at least acquired the one thing he had really been looking for: lubricant.

———

Alastor got home that evening a little before dinner time. What with the sex shop stakeout and then the actually going in and getting distracted browsing and then the long drive home, Alastor had gotten back later than he would have liked. Not too late, but still - this was time he could have used to hang out with Rosie or Nina, or better yet, with Lucifer.

“Hey Al! Did you stop by Rosie’s today?” Lucifer called out as soon as Alastor stepped through the door. The fallen angel was sprawled out on the floor on his back, tail and legs kicked up over the couch. He was holding a book up above his head, apparently reading in this goofy position.

“No, actually I had. Some shopping to do.” Alastor toed his shoes off, then turned and held up the plastic bag he was carrying triumphantly. He was feeling very proud of himself for managing to go into that store and buy what he needed, all on his own!

“Oh? What did you buy? I can’t imagine you got many groceries considering the size of that bag.” Lucifer craned his head back and to the side to get a look at the plastic bag, lowering the book he had been reading to his chest.

“I’m about to go unpack it, how about I show you?” Alastor wiggled the bag back and forth in the air; despite there only being one item he had truly meant to purchase, new toys were still new toys, and he was excited to get his purchases out of their boxes and check them out.

“Ooo, a show and tell? Alright, I’m game!” Lucifer twisted around on the floor to be on his front, his book falling off his chest with a soft thump, forgotten in favor of the mysterious things Alastor had in his bag. The brunet quickly made his way across the floor to the stairs leading to his room, pausing to check that Lucifer was following. Lucifer was right behind him, almost colliding with Alastor when he paused.

Giggling as the devil gave a snort at the close crash, Alastor raced up the stairs, dropping the plastic bag on his bed and his messenger bag at his desk, shedding his coat and leaving it draped over the chair.

Lucifer came to stand by the bed, remaining on all fours so as not to bump his head on the ceiling. “What did you get? The curiosity is killing me!”

Alastor jumped onto his bed, sitting with his legs folded under him. He patted the space next to him, inviting Lucifer up. The fallen angel quickly joined him, sitting upright and cross legged, tail wrapped around him to keep it out of the way and minimize the amount of space he occupied.

Without any ceremony Alastor upturned the plastic bag, letting the items inside spill out onto the maroon comforter.

The devil made a curious sound, head tilting this way and that as he looked over the items inquisitively. “What, exactly are these things?”

“They’re sex toys! I, uh, didn’t actually intend to purchase these two.” Alastor scooted the dildo and vibrator to the side. “But this one! This one is what I was looking for.” Alastor held up the bottle of lube proudly. He felt very self-confident right now, incredibly pleased with his initiative to go and get this thing himself. This would show Lucifer how serious he was about wanting to be physically intimate with him!

“Cool!” Lucifer grinned at Alastor, before squinting at the bottle and falteringly asking, “…what is it?”

“It’s lubricant. Since, you know, you’re so big, I thought some extra slickness could help us. When. When we, do the, the that.” Alastor’s confidence wavered, face heating up as he vaguely gestured between himself and Lucifer.

“Oh. Oh!” Realization suddenly dawned on Lucifer, his ears jolting to completely upright. “That’s, a really good idea actually. I’m sure that will help!” If the devil thought Alastor didn’t notice the way he subtly started gripping his tail in his lap harder, he was wrong. Though Alastor didn’t comment on it.

“What about the other two things you bought?” Lucifer asked, nodding towards the items Alastor had pushed aside.

“Not sure if we’d ever use these, but this one is a vibrator.” Alastor grabbed the smaller box, cardboard slightly bent and crumpled. He opened it up, holding up the little dark purple plastic contraption for Lucifer to see. It was barely longer than Alastor’s finger, and not much thicker either. It could almost pass for a tube of lipstick. Angel Dust hadn’t been kidding when he said this was something small and discrete!

“What does it do?” Lucifer leaned in closer, giving the item an experimental sniff.

“It vibrates.” Alastor pressed the little button on the side, the toy buzzing to life in his palm. Lucifer jerked back at that, a small bleat of surprise escaping him.

“Interesting! Very interesting. And the other thing?”

Alastor turned off the vibe, butting it aside to pick up the larger package. He had barely glanced at it when he grabbed it off the shelf, so this was technically the first time the brunet was getting a good look at it. Alastor was glad to see it wasn’t a massive, hyper-realistic dildo at least.

Though he had apparently grabbed a rainbow-striped one. Which, was horrid in its own way. Alastor pulled the plastic sex toy out of its box, realizing that it really didn’t resemble a human cock much - aside from its phallic appearance. It was long and a bit wavy, smooth, with a suction cup bottom, no balls, and a slightly bulbous rounded top. It looked frankly ridiculous.

“This is, uh, a dildo?” Alastor held it up for Lucifer to see as well, blushing slightly. He was more embarrassed at this purchase than his other two - even the vibe was sort of classy, in a sensual way.

Lucifer gazed at it curiously, lifting a hand to poke curiously at the firm silicone. “And what’s this one do?”

“On its own? Nothing. It’s, um, an insertable sex toy.”

“Ah, I see. Is it supposed to resemble a human dick? I don’t remember them being supposed to look like that, but I haven’t actually seen one in person so I could be wrong.” Lucifer squinted at the rainbow toy.

Spluttering momentarily, Alastor hacked out something between a cough and a laugh. “N-no, human dicks don’t look like this. This is, uh, pretty stylized.”

“Cool, cool.” Lucifer continued to look over the item, gently running a paw-pad over the smooth surface of it. Alastor stared, transfixed at the sight. This dildo was what, six and a half inches maybe? Alastor was sure it was barely over half the length of Lucifer’s member. And much thinner, too. He swallowed thickly at the thought, wanting to compare the toy to Lucifer’s actual cock to confirm this.

“…Can we try them out?” Lucifer’s voice brought Alastor out of his thoughts.

“I- what?” Alastor blinked up at Lucifer, heart rate spiking.

“Can we try them out. The sex toys you bought, that is. I’m curious about them!” Lucifer asked again, a light gold rising to his cheeks.

“We- I mean- right now?” Alastor stuttered out, his own cheeks darkening in response. It was soon to be dinner time, he hadn’t meant for them to try things out right now - Alastor had just wanted to show off his purchases!

“Yeah, why not right now? Besides-“ Lucifer removes his left hand from where it had been gripping his tail across his lap, long appendage falling away and exposing his crotch area. Alastor’s eyes zeroed in on the golden tip of the devil’s dick poking out of its sheath.

“…Really? You got aroused. From what, this little show and tell? I swear, a good stiff breeze could get you going.” Alastor tore his gaze away from between Lucifer’s legs, tone a mix of incredulous and wondrous.

Lucifer laughed, bright and full, leaning back on one arm and smacking his other hand over his eyes. “You’re not wrong! I get turned on easily. Maybe too easily. But, a stiff breeze couldn’t get me going like this. It’s you. Just you, my hart.” The fallen angel snuck a glance at Alastor from between his fingers, smiling bashfully.

Alastor’s heart did a flip. His resolve around this being a quick little show and tell before dinner was beginning to crumble, despite him not being aroused at the moment. If Lucifer wanted to play with the new toys, maybe he could help out even if he himself wasn’t horny.

Then Lucifer continued talking. “You’ve clearly been thinking about us copulating if you went out and bought lubricant to help facilitate that. I find that very sweet. You aren’t the only one who’s been thinking about this though.”

The devil let his hand fall away from his face, leaning in closer to Alastor. The brunet’s breath caught in his throat at the smoldering look in Lucifer’s eyes, instinctively leaning closer as well.

“What have you been thinking, starlight?” Alastor whispered out, gaze flicking from crimson eyes to lips curled in an alluring smile.

“I’ve also been thinking of ways to help facilitate our copulation. You are small, and I am big, and I don’t want to hurt you. I do, however, have blood with healing properties. So I was thinking, maybe if you drank some of my blood before we have sex, its effects could help you not get hurt - and to heal faster, if you do. What do you say, wanna give that a try?”

A jolt of arousal shot through Alastor, causing him to almost tip forward. Luckily Lucifer brought his hands to Alastor’s shoulders at that moment, steadying the brunet.

This… this was more than Alastor could have asked for. He had wanted to sample Lucifer’s blood ever since he had learned of the healing properties the fallen angel held in his veins, but had resigned himself to never getting a taste. Alastor cared for Lucifer too much to ask him to harm himself for the brunet’s sake; he’d rather the ethereal being’s blood remained in his body, where it belonged.

But, if Lucifer was offering, who was he to reject such an offer? Whatever resolve he had left evaporated at once, heat beginning to curl at the base of his spine. Dinner could wait.

“I’d be lying if I said that didn’t sound enticing.” Alastor shivered as Lucifer’s hands moved, one enveloping the back of his neck, the other caressing over his cheek. He licked his lips, eyes darting back down Lucifer’s body to where his cock had unsheathed another inch, pretty and gold.

“Is that a yes, then? We can try my blood idea and also test out the toys you bought?” Lucifer grinned excitedly at Alastor, his tail swishing over the fabric of the comforter in a happy, anticipatory wag.

“Yes, that’s a yes.” Alastor leaned the scant few inches left between their faces, pressing his lips to Lucifer’s, hands balled into fists in his lap. The devil’s grip tightened on Alastor incrementally, the feeling of claws suddenly retreating as Lucifer retracted them. Alastor lamented the loss of the sharp pinpricks for a moment, but was soon swept up in the kiss as Lucifer’s tongue sought entrance into his mouth, and he eagerly parted his lips to welcome it in.

Soft presses of lips turned into hungry, wet kisses, Alastor moaning as Lucifer’s forked tongue slid against his own and dragged against the roof of his mouth.

The kiss broke before it could get too heated, a string of saliva connecting their lips for a moment before it snapped. “You ready to try this then?” Lucifer murmured into their shared air.

“Very.” Alastor straightened up momentarily, away from the heat of the devil’s body and those sinful lips. He didn’t want to draw himself away, but he was still much too dressed for this, and needed to remedy that. Quickly Alastor shoved the cardboard and plastic the sex toys came in off the side of the bed to be dealt with later, moving the toys themselves out of the way before focusing on the buttons of his shirt. Nimbly he undid his button up, untucking it from his pants and shrugging it off to be tossed aside for later. He got distracted by Lucifer’s cock sliding further free of its sheath, pink gradient becoming visible as more than half of his member became exposed to the air.

Lucifer smirked, a knowing look on his face as he brought his left hand to his cock, lazily stroking it, coaxing more of it out of its sheath. “See something you like, hart?”

“You know the answer to that.” Alastor rolled his eyes, then promptly let out an undignified yelp as Lucifer’s free hand shot out and grabbed him, dragging the brunet closer and practically into his lap. Alastor bit his lip as he looked down, Lucifer’s dick just a few inches away from his core, fingers almost brushing against Alastor as he continued to leisurely stroke himself.

“Wa-wait, I need to get my pants off too.” Alastor awkwardly scrambled to get his slacks off, his cock twitching in response to the constricting fabric rubbing against it, dampness spreading at the seam.

The fallen angel chuckled, leaning back as he watched Alastor wriggle about until he was finally free of his pants and underwear. His fist pumped his cock to full size as he watched Alastor divest himself of his remaining garments, eyes roving over the brunet’s form appreciatively. Alastor settled back down more carefully in Lucifer’s lap, long legs loosely draped over white-furred thighs.

The devil released his dick, letting it bob gently at his navel, standing proudly to attention. Alastor gulped as he stared down at it, noting how the tip reached up to his top surgery scars. His own cock was so very small in comparison, but the little length was just as hard as Lucifer’s monstrous member. A tingle of fear raced up Alastor’s spine as he eyed that thick dick, but the fear was accompanied by a tingle of anticipatory hunger.

“Let’s start with my blood, shall we?” Lucifer brought his right wrist up to chest, not waiting for Alastor to respond before bringing his left hand to join his right. He extended one finger, sharp claw digging into lightly furred skin and deftly slicing into his own flesh. Lucifer didn’t make a sound, didn’t even flinch as he cut himself, the skin and fur parting as golden blood immediately bubbled forth. The fallen angel kept the cut shallow and short, blood streaming down his wrist as he brought his bloodied finger up to his mouth to lick clean.

The sight of it was beautiful. It was ethereal.

The cloying scent of sickly sweet apple blossoms and cotton candy filled the air. Usually that might make Alastor gag, but right now the smell was making his mouth flood with saliva.

“Your turn.” Lucifer offered his bleeding wrist out to Alastor, golden ichor continuing to spill. Alastor grasped Lucifer’s arm, guiding it closer to his mouth. He was breathing heavily, a mixture of reverence and desire coursing through his veins. And yet he hesitated. Alastor wanted this, he wanted this so badly. But this felt big. Lucifer was offering a part of himself to the brunet. He was giving himself over, completely trusting, vulnerable, open. Alastor watched as a trickle of gold dripped down Lucifer’s arm, slowly making its way down towards his elbow.

“Go on, my hart. We both want this. And I’m already healing.” Lucifer was right. The edges of his cut were already beginning to close up, the flow of blood slowing to a sluggish crawl.

Stealing himself, Alastor leaned in. His eyes fluttered shut as his mouth closed over the cut that was voluntarily given for him. The offered ambrosia hit Alastor’s taste buds like a bolt of lightning, a gasping moan reverberating out of him as he gently suckled on the wound.

Lucifer’s blood was sweet, but also savory… like salted caramel, or chocolate covered pretzels. But, more complex than either of those things. There was the strong taste of apples, and something light and airy that Alastor couldn’t quite place. His blood was a mix of flavors, rich and saccharine, with layers of sweetness and salt, as well as earthy and grounding, and through it all deeply pleasing. Alastor swallowed the little mouthfuls of the delectable ichor eagerly, feeling it make its way down his throat and spread throughout his body, burning lightly as if he was drinking a good strong whisky.

A warm tingling spread through him with each gulp of golden blood, growing outwards and washing over him in gradual waves. Alastor felt light, and safe, and so, so close to Lucifer. He had never felt closer to the otherworldly being before him. And yet, Alastor wasn’t close enough.

With a shuddering exhale Alastor pulled his mouth off of Lucifer’s wrist, tongue dragging along the fine fur to lick up all that had dripped down from the incision the devil had made on himself. Alastor didn’t want to waste a single drop.

As soon his lips weren’t suctioned around the cut on Lucifer’s wrist anymore, the wound continued to heal itself rapidly. The blood stopped flowing, the skin pulling itself shut, cells sewing themselves back together as fur regrew and realigned itself, until Lucifer’s wrist looked as if it had never been cut at all.

A pity - Alastor had quite enjoyed the golden nectar spilling from Lucifer’s veins, but right now he was concerned with other things.

Scooting closed in Lucifer’s lap, Alastor whined as the fallen angel’s thick cock bumped against his own, gently slapping against the skin of his stomach as it was jostled. Lucifer moaned softly, hands coming up to lightly caress along Alastor’s back. The brunet wrapped his legs around Lucifer’s waist, arms looping over his shoulders. He pressed himself against the devil, feeling his warmth seep into his skin, the way Lucifer’s muscles rippled underneath his fur, the wet smear of precum being spread below Alastor’s chest where his cock bobbed.

Alastor buried his face in blond chest fur as he jerkily ground his hips into Lucifer. The friction of Lucifer’s dick against his own was nice, and his folds were rapidly collecting slickness. The warm tingling sensation spreading throughout Alastor from Lucifer’s blood was heightening, too.

Every drag of Lucifer’s cock against Alastor’s folds, every bump against his dick, every groan and panted breath against the top of his head was sending Alastor into overdrive. He felt feverish, almost too hot, awash with desire, with need. Alastor moaned as Lucifer rocked into him, matching the sloppy grinding Alastor had been doing. The brunet realized that he felt delirious, almost like he was… high, or something. Except, unlike the times he indulged in marijuana or drinking, Alastor felt very present and in control of himself - just, incredibly aroused and motivated mainly by desire. Alastor felt like everything was sharper now, more intense and clear; he was more aware than ever of his own body, of the heat rolling off of him, of his own heartbeat and ragged breathing. Alastor was keenly aware of Lucifer pressed against him, the soft feeling of fur over heated flesh, the way his cock twitched and leaked against Alastor’s skin as they moved together.

The brunet shuddered, a deep ache settling at his core, crying out to be filled - and only Lucifer could soothe that ache. “Please.” He gasped out, sweat gathering at his temples, “I need you inside. Now.”

“Ah, getting right to it then are we?” Lucifer gave an amused rumble, pulling back slightly.

A high pitched whimper escaped Alastor as the fallen angel pulled away, fingernails instinctually biting into pale skin.

“Hey, I got you, don’t worry. I’m just grabbing that bottle of thing you got, okay? This whole thing started cuz we wanted to try out the toys you bought, might as well actually try at least the slickening one out.”

Alastor relaxed slightly, letting Lucifer pull away and lean to the side to grab said bottle. Carefully the devil popped the cap open, bringing it up to his nose to give it a curious sniff.

While Lucifer’s exploration of the lube was rather adorable, it was also going much too slowly for Alastor’s taste at the moment. He reached down between their bodies to circle a hand around Lucifer’s cock, the devil jolting and almost dropping the bottle in his shock.

“Ha- shit, Al. Give me a warning before grabbing my dick like that next time?” Lucifer half moaned, half laughed as Alastor began to unceremoniously jerk him off.

“You’re taking too long.” Alastor pouted up at Lucifer. He felt like his veins were on fire, heat curling up into his brain, burning away every thought until nothing was left except Lucifer.

“I’m going, hart. I was just curious about the lube thingy! Give me a min.” Lucifer grabbed Alastor’s wrist with his free hand, pausing his ministrations on his cock and pulling Alastor’s hand off of him. Alastor whined at the interruption, fingers twitching with the desire to keep touching, his own cock throbbing with need, inner walls fluttering around nothing.

Oblivious to the fire burning below Alastor’s skin, Lucifer slowly poured a generous dose of lube onto his cock, making a little sound of surprise as the slightly viscous liquid made contact with his flesh. “Oh! Cold!”

A huff of amusement left Alastor, lips twitching up into a smile. Lucifer snapped the bottle cap closed once more and tossed it aside, gingerly wrapping his fingers around his dick to begin spreading the lubricant along his shaft.

Alastor watched with hungry eyes, mouth watering. His hips making little aborted thrusts into the air, fingers still twitching, wanting to touch - but Lucifer said to give him a minute, and so he would. The brunet drank in the sight of the fallen angel stroking his cock, shiny and slick, the wet slck sounds of it filling the air.

“Needy today, aren’t we? Poor thing, you’re practically drooling!” Lucifer said, amusement coloring his voice. Alastor’s eyes snapped up to meet the devil’s, immediately drowning in deep red pools almost completely eclipsed by dark disks of desire.

Embarrassingly, Alastor realized that he was, in fact, actually drooling. He licked his lips, trying to hide the evidence, but it was too late for that. He whined, high and demanding, the hand not currently being held back by Lucifer shooting forward to join the fallen angel’s right hand, wrapping around his cock.

“F-fuck, you really want this now, huh? Alright, let me prep you and then we can move on to the main course, sound good?” Lucifer released Alastor’s wrist, peeling the brunet’s other hand off his cock as well before gently guiding Alastor to lie backwards onto the bed. Alastor grumbled slightly, but let himself be pushed down onto his back, his legs still firmly locked at the ankle behind Lucifer’s waist. The devil followed suit, kept close by the legs wrapped around him, leaning down over Alastor as his back hit the maroon comforter below him.

“You better hurry up and fuck me, Luci.” Alastor unhooked his legs from around Lucifer, spreading his thighs wide to give the fallen angel ample room and a good view. He was dripping wet, the ache between his legs a steady pulse of desire, his cock painfully hard.

A guttural moan escaped Lucifer as his gaze raked over Alastor, his cock jumping at his navel, fat drops of precum dribbling down its shaft.

“You have… no idea, what you do to me.” Lucifer panted out, leaning down to lick along the side of Alastor’s neck. He welcomed it, tilting his head to the side to give the devil easier access, shivering at the press of the moist muscle against his sweat-dampened skin. He could feel Lucifer’s dick graze along his thigh, smearing precum and lube along his flesh.

“Then show me.” Alastor gasped out, fingers tangling in the long blond mane of the being hovering above him.

A very slick finger, with claws retracted, trailed down the middle of Alastor’s stomach, causing the muscles to spasm beneath the touch. Lucifer chuckled lightly at the reaction, pressing his lube-slick finger harder into Alastor as he dragged it further down, through the dark curls at his mons until it connected with the hard little shaft between Alastor’s legs.

Almost on instinct Alastor bucked up into Lucifer’s hand, moaning as Lucifer rubbed along his folds and stroked his cock. Every touch sent a ripple of electricity through Alastor, sharp and intense, and so, so good.

“Please, inside. Now. Please.” Alastor tightened his grip on Lucifer’s mane, tugging on the silky locks.

“Let me prep you first, my hart.” Alastor could feel Lucifer smile against the side of his neck, hot breath puffing across hotter skin. Alastor just wanted Lucifer’s cock already, but when the fallen angel slipped a finger into him his mind went blank.

The digit slid in easily, slicked up as it was. Not to mention how wet Alastor was. It was not enough, far from it, but having a part of Lucifer inside of himself soothed some of the heat dancing up Alastor’s veins. He whined, pushing his hips up into Lucifer to encourage more, and faster.

“So eager…” Lucifer added a second finger, scissoring them and working the brunet open. It went fast, Alastor’s body opening readily for Lucifer, inner walls sucking the devils fingers in easily. “You’re taking my fingers so well, my hart.” In no time he was adding his third finger, stretching Alastor out quickly and methodically.

“I could take your cock, too, if you decided to ever actually put that to use.” Alastor grumbled, the complaint losing some of its heat as Lucifer chose that moment to curl his fingers inside of Alastor just right, causing the brunet to moan loudly.

Lucifer sat up (though he couldn’t go far with Alastor’s arms wrapped around his neck), removing his fingers from Alastor’s entrance, an amused expression on his face. “Okay, okay, I’ll give you what you want. Remember that we’re trying new things out here though - the point is to make this as easy and painless as possible for you, which means fingering you is a necessary step in the process.”

“I’m ready, you prepared me well.” Alastor insisted, shifting his hips to press up against Lucifer’s cock. The devil moaned, grinding down into him reflexively. The pressure against Alastor’s dick was delightful, friction sending sparks of pleasure shooting up his limbs.

“F-fine, yes, alright.” Lucifer gasped, taking himself in hand and grabbing Alastor’s hip with the other. Alastor bit his lip, watching through hooded eyes as Lucifer lined himself up, and carefully began to push in.

The fallen angel groaned as he pressed in, the generous amount of lube helping substantially. His cock head breached Alastor’s entrance, the stretch feeling delicious and sublime. Lucifer’s hair was disheveled, cheeks tinted gold, forked tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrated. Alastor groaned at the sight, and the feeling of more and more of Lucifer’s length slipping into him.

“Fu-fuck, you feel amazing hart.” Lucifer’s voice sounded ragged, and a little strained. He was clearly doing his best to go slowly, to let Alastor’s body adjust to his considerable size and girth. The only other time they had tried this Alastor hadn’t been able to take more than a couple inches of Lucifer - though that had been an impromptu session. This time, this time they had thought ahead and had things to help.

Alastor felt euphoric, joyful and light and so connected to Lucifer. He felt like he was exactly where he needed to be, as if he had finally found where he belonged. Pleasure danced up along Alastor’s nerves, awareness fully overtaken by Lucifer. Thoughts of Lucifer, the smell of Lucifer, Lucifer’s touch, the feeling of Lucifer inside him. Alastor was floating, elated beyond belief, and finally, finally in perfect communion with the ethereal being before him.

And still Lucifer pushed into him. Alastor could feel that thick cock going deeper, but it didn’t hurt. It felt right, like this was where it belonged all along. Lucifer, inside of Alastor, their flesh pressed so close together they were made one.

The devil bottomed out. Alastor lay back, a contented sigh leaving his lips. Lucifer was hunched over him, one arm at Alastor’s hip, the other supporting his weight near the brunet’s head. Lucifer was trembling slightly and breathing harshly through his nose, though he was trying to stay still.

“Starlight, you can move.” Alastor whispered, fingers carding through silky blond strands tenderly. Glancing down at where they were connected was deeply satisfying; Lucifer’s hips flush against the back of Alastor’s thighs, his cock disappearing into the brunet’s entrance, distended bulge of his abdomen from where the fallen angel’s dick was pressing up inside of him.

“Hrrr… give me a m-min.” Lucifer’s voice came out sounding absolutely wrecked. The sound of it was profoundly pleasing, and Alastor subconsciously pressed himself further onto Lucifer.

Lucifer gave a strangled moan at that, his grip on Alastor’s hip tightening. “Sh-shit, you took me all the way… your walls are squeezing me like crazy, my hart, fuck, you sucked me in so easily, so eagerly… mmph, you’re so perfect for me.”

A warm sense of pride bubbled up through Alastor at the praise. Yes, he was perfect for Lucifer. He knew he could take the devil’s cock, knew their union would be the holiest of ceremonies. Their copulation would be consecrated at last, and he would be anointed with the holiness of Lucifer’s seed. A ritual that would be performed over and over into the future, a reaffirming of their faith in one another for all time.

Alastor let out a shaky breath, relaxing below Lucifer. If the fallen angel needed a moment, he could give Lucifer a moment. Alastor continued to gently pet through Lucifer’s mane, tenderly threading his fingers through soft fur, scratching lightly at the base of his skull.

The brunet felt utterly at peace. He felt warm, and tingly, and full. Oh, Alastor felt so very full. There was no pain accompanying the feeling, but he was very aware of how big Lucifer’s member was, and how it was stretching him out. Instead, the sensation was most pleasant. He could feel every inch of that thick cock rubbing against his inner walls, every shift and twitch, the heart shaped cock head bumping up against his cervix. But none of it hurt.

No, it didn’t hurt at all. In fact, Alastor craved more. He wanted to feel that cock pound into him, feel it throb with need, feel it spurt and fill his channel with the precious offering of the devil’s warm seed.

Slowly Lucifer began to move. Alastor tightened his grip on Lucifer’s mane as he did, more than ready for this. The fallen angel started slowly, movements calculated, careful, clearly afraid he would overwhelm or hurt Alastor.

“You don’t have to be so gentle with me. I’m fine. More than fine - you’re making me feel so good, starlight.” Alastor rolled his hips back into Lucifer, meeting his slow, steady thrusts.

“You s-sure?” Lucifer asked, hips stuttering to a stop.

“Yes, I’m sure. Fuck me like you mean it, Luci.” Alastor flashed a bright smile up at Lucifer, hoping it got across how completely and utterly whole he felt, how much he was enjoying this, how right this was.

Lucifer gave a guttural moan. He started moving again, this time more confidently, pulling out almost all the way from Alastor’s cunt before slamming back in. The moan this punched out of Alastor would have been embarrassing, if Alastor cared about such things at the moment. Which he did not.

The devil set an even rhythm, each thrust a precisely measured movement. He was still being careful, though not treating Alastor as if he was made of glass anymore.

A few more pumps in which Alastor continued to move with Lucifer and moan loudly seemed to confirm for the fallen angel that he wasn’t hurting Alastor, and he began to pick up speed. As he did, Alastor began to feel the swell of Lucifer’s knot; it began to grow, bumping against Alastor’s entrance, teasing him with the promise of being filled to the brim and made fully one with Lucifer. The most holiest form of worship, the most devout kind of communion.

Thrusts got faster, less gentle, sloppier; Lucifer’s voice came out sounding broken, animalistic sounds of pleasure coupled with the slick sounds of Lucifer’s cock pumping in and out of Alastor, and the steady slap of skin on skin. Alastor felt like he was in outer space, floating on a cloud. He never imagined this could feel so good. The brunet felt as if he was being bathed in a bright golden light, cleansed of all his sins, absolved of all his troubles.

Flames of pleasure were curling thickly in Alastor’s gut, spiraling together into a bright pool of want and desire. Each pump of Lucifer’s cock filled him up so completely, pushed so deep into him, making Alastor gasp and moan uncontrollably. He could feel the heat from Lucifer’s cock coming off it in waves, could feel the veins rubbing along his inner walls, causing his pussy to flutter and squeeze the shaft spearing him open. Every squeeze of his walls around Lucifer’s dick made the fallen angel grunt, and his dick pulse. It was a perfect, mounting spiral of feedback feeding pleasure. He couldn’t wait to be even fuller, stuffed with Lucifer’s knot and seed.

Lucifer grabbed Alastor’s left leg, hiking it up higher over his hips. The stream of panting moans and whines that left Alastor as the devil thrust in at this new angle boarded on pornographic. Somehow Lucifer managed to thrust in even deeper now, this angle also rubbing perfectly against the extra sensitive spot inside of Alastor. And still his knot threatened and teased at his entrance, not yet pushing in.

The cries of pleasure ripped from Alastor’s throat grew in volume as Lucifer pumped into him faster, harder, hitting his sweet spot with deadly accuracy. The heat low in his gut was coiling impossibly tight now, and Alastor knew he was close. His back arched slightly off the bed, drool trickling from the corner of his lips as he was unable to close his mouth anymore at this point.

The guttural, almost snarling of Lucifer’s pleasure was so much more lusciously seductive than Alastor could have imagined. In any other context the sounds the devil was making would be considered scary, maybe even hostile, but right now Alastor found them delightful, and they only added to the bliss he was experiencing.

Alastor still had his hands wrapped around Lucifer’s shoulders, nails biting into flesh and dragging down his back. Lucifer was curled over Alastor, left hand with a bruising grip on his thigh, right arm supporting his weight near the brunet’s head. Alastor’s eyes fluttered shut with every thrust, every bounce along that thick cock within him, but he kept forcing his eyes open to gaze up at Lucifer.

The fallen angel’s hair a mess, strands sticking up every which way and clumping together with sweat, his eyes half-closed and glazed over with lust. His face had a permanent golden flush, and his forked tongue would flicker in and out of his mouth every once in a while. Every time he did, Lucifer would give a particularly gravely moan, eyes rolling back slightly in pleasure as he tasted their shared sex and desire permeating the air.

“C-close.” Alastor gasped, the familiar feeling of his impending orgasm hot in his belly. Lucifer gave a grunt of acknowledgment, picking up his pace to fuck into Alastor even faster. His balls slapped against the curve of Alastor’s ass, knot hitting his labia harshly with each thrust, swollen with the sacred intent of filling him with Lucifer’s seed. Alastor wanted to hold out, to be knotted, anointed with his seed before cumming - but Lucifer seemed keen on getting Alastor off first, and he was powerless to resist.

A few more thrusts, each dragging along his inner walls perfectly, striking his sweet spot over and over with every pump of those strong hips, and Alastor was cumming. His body locked up, fingernails biting into Lucifer’s shoulder blades, toes curling, back arching sharply, pressing himself as much into Lucifer as he could. With a cry Alastor’s orgasm ripped through him violently, cunt clamping down on the thick cock inside of him, feeling the way it pulsed within - but didn’t spill, and was not pushed in further to knot him.

Lucifer stilled within Alastor as the brunet came, only grinding into him in slow circles. His left hand rubbed up and down along Alastor’s side as his body trembled, waves of pleasure crashing over him as his orgasm moved through him.

As Alastor began to come back down, Lucifer pulled out. Alastor whimpered at the sudden loss, feeling empty and unfulfilled despite the glorious orgasm he had just experienced. Without a word Lucifer took himself in hand, biting his lip as he set a punishing pace. Alastor went boneless, sucking in harsh breaths as he just watched the devil jack off over his supine form, still hunched over the brunet and supporting himself with his other arm.

It didn’t take long before Lucifer found his own release. With a wrecked sounding moan, Lucifer came, cock jumping in his hand as it spurted out load after load of cum. The pearly ropes sprayed over Alastor’s body, painting his belly and chest messily. Alastor whimpered, shivering as he watched the fallen angel fuck into his fist, working himself through his orgasm, milking himself of all the sticky white jizz he could give.

One last pulse of that thick cock, one last load of cum splattering over Alastor’s navel, and Lucifer went still. The only sounds in the room now were those of ragged breathing, coming from both parties.

With a groan Lucifer collapsed down beside Alastor, jostling him on the bed slightly. Alastor grumbled at this, but was quickly appeased when the devil pulled him into his side to cuddle, tucking Alastor’s head under his chin.

They were both an absolute mess, sweaty and sticky, but at the moment Alastor didn’t care. He was happy to be right here, right now, basking in his and Lucifer’s afterglow. There was a lingering feeling of disappointment at having not been knotted or filled with the gift of Lucifer’s seed, but it was dwindling. Sure, Alastor would have liked that, but he was not complaining about how things had turned out. He had still been able to take all of the fallen angel’s cock, as well as been marked, anointed in a different way, still indisputably claimed as Lucifer’s. That wasn’t to say Alastor didn’t want to be filled by Lucifer’s holy light from the inside, too, but he supposed that would be for another day.

The devil had started purring. He nuzzled into the top of Alastor’s hair, snuffling happily and making an even bigger mess out of his already messy hair. Alastor let him. He was content to just let them both rest and catch their breaths for now, happy in Lucifer’s arms. The effects of Lucifer’s blood seemed to be wearing off, and Alastor was finding that he felt rather sore. No pain though, which was good, but still, while before all he had felt was bliss and heat and pleasure, now a dull ache was settling in between his legs. And he hadn’t even been knotted this time! Why hadn’t Lucifer knotted him?

After a moment Alastor had to ask the question that was circling in his mind. “Why didn’t you knot me?”

He turned to look at Lucifer, craning his neck up as the larger being spoke. “I didn’t want to risk impregnating you. Not before we at least talk about that, and we haven’t talked about that. Even if I don’t have that intention, I’m not sure my built-in contraception would work given that you don’t have that, being human and all.” Lucifer said simply, keeping his eyes closed where he lay beside Alastor.

“…Have I not mentioned that I can’t get pregnant?” Alastor blinked incredulously at the fallen angel.

One bright red eye shot open at this. “What? How? Are you sure?”

Alastor nodded seriously. “Yup. I don’t ever want to get pregnant or deal with that shit. So I took matters into my own hands and got my tubes tied. I sterilized myself, and I am very happy with that decision.”

Lifting his head up slightly, Lucifer gazed down at Alastor with an unreadable expression. For a moment Alastor wondered (ridiculous as it was) if this would be a deal breaker for the devil; shit, did Lucifer want to have kids one day? But then a slow smile spread across Lucifer’s face.

“Well, isn’t that just marvelous. It never ceases to amaze me how humans can customize themselves even without magic! You were able to create yourself just the way you wanted, and I think there’s something so powerful about that. And of course, that’s good to know for next time!” Lucifer pressed a wet kiss to Alastor’s cheek, and the brunet giggled.

“Yes, good to know for next time.” Alastor repeated, stomach doing a flip at the idea of next time. Speaking of things that were good to know though - “You should have told me that your blood had a drug-like effect, by the way. It definitely helped me not feel pain, but it would have been good for me to know about that side effect beforehand as well.”

Lucifer furrowed his brows at Alastor, confused. “Huh? What do you mean?”

Rolling his eyes, Astor waved a hand around vaguely. “You know. The feeling of intense heat, the overwhelming need to be touched by you, everything getting sharper, feeling like I was floating? That stuff.”

The expression of confusion on Lucifer’s face was slowly morphing into one of surprise, accompanied by a lovely deep golden blush. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out, leaving Lucifer just opening and closing his mouth like a large, very toothy fish.

“What?” Alastor prompted, after a minute of Lucifer looking dazed and flustered and no sounds coming out of his mouth.

“I- aha- I had no idea you would experience that. It, um, it’s a super rare phenomena. In fact, it’s so rare that it’s, sort of a myth? A rumor of sorts? Haha.” Lucifer scratched at the back of his neck awkwardly.

Raising his eyebrows at Lucifer, Alastor asked, “So? What is it? Out with it now.”

“Okay so, there’s this belief that angelic blood can act as, like, an aphrodisiac. But only to a pair of bonded angels. Angels let each other drink their blood as a symbol of, uh, love and commitment. But I don’t think anyone who has ever done that has actually experienced this secondary effect. It’s more, a symbolic thing at this point.” Lucifer’s blush somehow deepened.

Alastor nodded slowly, taking in what the fallen angel was saying. He decided to ignore for now the part about this being a symbol of love and commitment - this had been about Alastor not feeling any pain when they engaged in sexual intercourse, not a, an, an angelic proposal. Obviously it wasn’t that.

Still, the fact that Lucifer’s blood had affected him in such a way… a feeling of satisfaction wormed its way into Alastor, smug and pleased beyond belief. Of course this had happened; he was perfect for Lucifer, and Lucifer for him. This just proved it.

“Oh.” Alastor said, realizing he had been quiet for too long. “That’s, that’s cool.” He cleared his throat awkwardly, not sure how to express just how much he was reveling in this information.

“Yeah. Cool.” Lucifer gave a sheepish grin, ducking his head down almost bashfully. “So, seems like this was a pretty successful experiment then, huh? Both my blood and the lube you bought worked very well.”

“Quite.” Alastor sat up slowly, wincing at the ache between his legs. “Don’t think I’m up for testing out the other things I purchased, though.”

“We definitely don’t have to do that right now. Are you okay? Any pain or discomfort?” Lucifer sat up in a flash, looking over Alastor with concern.

“I’m fine, starlight. A little sore, but that’s to be expected. Again, you’re… not small.” Alastor waved the devil off, giving him a reassuring smile.

“I know, I know. And you took me so well - all of me.” Lucifer’s voice took on a note of wonder. Alastor felt his face heat.

“Yes, somehow I did. Not your knot though.” Alastor ran a finger through the tacky mess drying on his belly. “We should get cleaned up. And make food. We’re late for dinner.“

“Yes, of course!” Lucifer hopped off the bed, helping Alastor up as well. The fallen angel hesitated for a moment once Alastor was on his feet, and the brunet nudged him with a little questioning hum.

“Uh, um, I know you bought these things with me in mind… you got lubricant and such so that I wouldn’t hurt you when we copulate. I know you’re asexual, Al. You don’t have to do all this for me - you don’t have to push yourself or go so out of your way for my needs. Really.” Lucifer gazed off at the space above Alastor’s head as he spoke, eye contact seemingly a little difficult for him at the moment.

Sighing deeply, Alastor sagged against Lucifer’s side, face planted in blond chest fluff. He knew the devil was coming from a place of care and concern for Alastor’s well being, but it was misplaced concern and frankly sort of annoying. “Luci, darling. Yes I got lube with you in mind - but that doesn’t mean I did this just for you. I got this for us. Honestly, you should know by now that I don’t do things unless I really want to. And having you inside me? I really want that. It, it feels like worship, like devotion.” Alastor shyly shot a look up at Lucifer’s face, finding him looking right back at Alastor with wide eyes and gold-tinted cheeks.

Lucifer licked his lips, nodding slowly. “Yeah, yeah. It, it does feel like that, to me too. Okay, then - I’d be happy to fill you with my devotion any time you want.” The fallen angel gave a cheeky wink with his last words.

Snorting in amusement, Alastor shook his head fondly. “Is that what we’re calling it now? How absurd. I shouldn’t have used those words to describe us having sex.”

“Too late, no take-backsies, sex is now called worship and my dick can be called devotion.” Lucifer cackled with laughter, holding Alastor against his chest. The brunet was now trying to break free from the embrace, the sweet moment having passed and turned into whatever the fuck was going on now. Not that he truly minded, but Alastor was still quite tacky and sticky and really wanted to get cleaned up.

“Okay, you have officially ruined the moment. Now unhand me so I can go take a shower!”

Still giggling, Lucifer scooped Alastor up into his arms. Alastor squealed, arms flailing as he suddenly found himself in the air. He managed to wrap his arms around Lucifer’s neck, glaring up at him.

“I’m helping!” Lucifer declared, making his way over to the door and beginning to descend the stairs.

“Would have been more helpful if you gave me a warning first!” Alastor grumbled, but nestled against Lucifer’s chest anyway, enjoying being held by those strong arms, soft fur brushing against his skin.

“But it’s more fun this way! This way I got to hear that adorable squeaky sound you made.” Lucifer brushed his muzzle against Alastor’s cheek, bringing him over to the bathroom and gently setting him back on his feet.

“…You’re lucky you’re cute. The least you could do is make it up to me with a kiss.” Alastor half-heartedly complained, not actually irritated with Lucifer but not wanting the fallen angel to think he was off the hook so easily.

“Of course, my hart.” Lucifer bent down, cupping Alastor’s face in his hands. Alastor’s heart fluttered happily as he tilted his head up to meet Lucifer for a kiss.

The kiss was soft, and gentle. There was no sense of urgency behind this press of lips. Just tenderness and fondness and warmth. With a contented sigh Alastor pulled away, petting over the pink circle of Lucifer’s cheek.

“Thank you. Now, get out of here while I shower!” Alastor gently shoved Lucifer in the chest.

With a chuckle Lucifer retreated out of the bathroom. “Alright, I’m going, I’m going! And I’ll get dinner started for us while you get cleaned up, too!”

“Good idea.” Alastor closed the bathroom door, turning on the shower to step in and clean himself off.

That afternoon had been a very successful experiment. Alastor hummed to himself cheerfully, thinking about all the fun that he and Lucifer could get up to in the future with the combination of lube and the fallen angel’s blood. A bubble of satisfaction rose up in Alastor as he scrubbed Lucifer’s devotion off of his skin.

Their meeting was feeling more and more like divine intervention; like Alastor was always meant to meet Lucifer, the devil, and have him in his life.

Their fates were entwined, and Alastor wouldn’t have it any other way.