Chapter Text
There was something to be said about a man who drank an entire bottle of rye in one sitting, yet Alastor couldn't find the word for it as he sat on the muddy bank of the Bayou.
Holding it by the neck as he tipped the amber-coloured liquid back into his mouth, gulping it down, hissing at the familiar burn in his throat and chest.
Alastor closed his eyes and groaned as his head began to throb, not like he could wrap his head around the fact that he had fucked Lucifer for the last three weeks and just pushed him out the door.
He needed insight, advice that wasn't Angel. He got up and stumbled for a moment, grumbling as he looked at his crushed staff. Hissing when the magic fizzled to life, a dim glow in the eye made him purr.
He used what little magic he could and summoned a portal, walking directly into Rosie's sitting room. She was sipping her tea,
"Oh my, look what the cat dragged in, and reeking of Rye no less!" She said with a smirk.
Alastor stumbled slightly and sat down across from her,
"Forgive me for the sudden intrusion, but I need your advice; you know more about me than most."
"Correction, dear, I know it all, every detail," she smiled,
"Now fess up, what's wrong? You don't just drink like this normally."
"I spent my rut with someone, I feel as though I've done something wrong,"
"Did you court them beforehand?"
"No, it was a sudden entanglement, I suppose is the word,"
"Alright, now, what is wrong with that? Did they force you?"
"It feels wrong, I suppose, not to provide the common decency of a date. Nothing was forced; it was a mutual decision," he said, running his hands over his face,
"I know how you are set in your ways, sleeping around these days is considered normal if that is what turns your crank, so to speak, dear."
"I don't sleep around Rosie, I never have... the last person I slept with was when I was alive was someone I thought I loved, till she humiliated me for being incompatible in bed."
Alastor sighed,
"I'm afraid I'm going to turn into some kind of deviant if I don't count this person properly and have a bond with them; perhaps I'm fighting a losing battle."
"Alastor, look at me," Rosie said, becoming serious as she clasped her hands together in her lap.
Rosie looked into the red eyes that met hers. She moved to hold his hands,
"You won't be a sexual deviant for acting on your whims, now, listen to me, I was a young woman once, I snuck around and had experience by the time I married Fredrick, it's perfectly normal. If it isn't your cup of tea, that's alright too, don't drink yourself into a new century because you feel as though hurting yourself will make you feel better."
Alastor sighed softly,
"Now do you like this person that you lie with?" She asked softly,
"I don't enjoy their actions; their personality is sweet in some regards."
"If you didn't sleep with them, if you had the chance, would you court them and perhaps form a bond with them? " Rosie said, squeezing his hands,
"Eventually, if we found common ground and all of hell wouldn't broadcast my business, perhaps, yes."
The dame smiled more, and Alastor's ears flickered,
"Then you've found your answer, dear," she said softly,
"Thank you, Rosie," the buck sinner squeezed his hands before he stood. Rosie stood with him and went to the back, grabbing a flower for his lapel, a fake one. She primped and preened him, fixing his bow tie,
"And Alastor,"
"Mhm?"
"You'll never be your father, ever, I don't want you to even think you could be as horrible as he was, have you got that?"
Rosie was the one who found Alastor's father in hell, not long after the great radio demon was taken under her and Fredrick's wing; they slaughtered him together and ate every piece of him, his antlers still lay on a mantle above the deer sinner's fireplace.
"Thank you, Rosie," Alastor smiled and kissed both of her cheeks,
"You're welcome, now go sober up, you smell like a bar," she chuckled softly.
Lucifer stood in the mirror, staring back at himself as he slowly took his middle right wing, getting used to the feeling of touching them by himself. It was another step toward moving on from Lilith.
Lucifer let out a soft breath he didn't know he was holding as he began to slowly preen his wing, tugging out loose and broken feathers, straightening others; his mating colours were gone, and he was back to his plain white and red.
The preening wasn't hard till he got to the very back, where his wings met his spine. No matter what way the angel stretched, he couldn't reach it. He groaned in distaste when he heard a knock at his door.
"Angel, I promise you I'm alr-" Lucifer was cut off as he stared up at Alastor, the angel puffed his wings slightly, a pregnant pause between them as they stared at one another,
"Can we have a chat?" The radio demon asked, tilting his head slightly,
"Why do we need to talk, as you said, our deal is finished."
Lucifer didn't feel like even looking at Alastor after getting put out of his room the other morning, before he could so much as have his tea,
"It is. That is explicitly clear. There are other matters I wish to talk to you about privately," Alastor said, looking down at him.
"Whatever you have to say, say it at the door. I'm busy here," Lucifer had feathers all over his room, they were hard to clean up after all,
"Preening?"
"None of your business, Alastor,"
"I'm trying to be civil!"
They started to bicker till Angel came upstairs with Al's clean, folded bedsheets,
"Fuck sake, you two argue like an old married couple," he put the basket in front of the radio demon's door.
The bickering stopped as Alastor and Lucifer turned to look at Angel, no doubt with the same looks on their faces,
"What the fuck are you two arguing about anyway?"
"Absolutely none of your business," Al snapped.
Angel crossed his arms,
"I guess I'll leave, but try not to kill each other, or Charlie will get real pissy," he said as he left. Alastor snorted and went back to the task at hand,
"Fine, get in here," Lucifer said, letting him in and shutting the door tightly.
Alastor looked at all of the feathers on the floor before he turned back to Lucifer, who was standing by the door with his wings out,
"I'm giving you two minutes to explain; after that, you can get the hell out of my room."
"How nice of you."
Lucifer glared at him with his arms crossed. Alastor could clearly see the patches of unkept feathers at the base of his wings. He cleared his throat,
"Though our deal is finished... I have found myself dwelling on our entanglement. The act of casual relations has never settled well with me."
The angel dropped his crossed arms and swallowed,
"Alastor, what are you saying?"
"That I shouldn't have pushed you out of my room this morning with such haste."
Lucifer ran his hands over his face,
"Is that all you wanted to talk about?"
"No, it would take less time to explain if you'd quit interrupting," Al hissed,
"I have trouble wrapping my head around doing as we did without some kind of relationship; it isn't in my upbringing from my sweet Manman to have relations with someone and leave them."
Alastor ran his hands over his ears as he poured his emotions out in front of the angel, who was slowly closing in on himself,
"What are you saying, Alastor?"
"I'm trying to say I wish to get to know you and court you properly. If you don't want that, I understand," he was bracing himself for rejection.
The angel ran his hands over his face and through his hair with a soft sigh,
"I accept your courtship,"
"I understa- you what?"
"You heard me, I accept," he said quietly,
"Might I ask why?"
"Because I need to move on from Lillith, this might just get me out of that slump."
They both shared a look. Perhaps they both needed this, or maybe it was just Lucifer imagining it; the blonde ran his hands through his wings,
"I suppose it would be a start. What is your idea of a date?" Alastor questioned, only to get a shrug in response.
Lucifer looked away. "I've never really been on a formal date before, Lillith and I really didn't date, we just spent time together, fell to hell together, had a kid, and that was that," he said honestly,
"Well, I suppose it would be a start to spend more time with you, in your tacky room, of course."
"It isn't tacky! And if you're gonna be in here, you're not allowed to insult me or the decor," he crossed his arms.
Alastor hummed,
"If that is your request, fine," he said softly,
"Alright, what does courtship look like to you? Because I haven't been to Earth in decades and I'm sure customs change," Lucifer said, letting his wings relax and stretch out,
"Well, I can assure you the twenties were much freer than previous decades, dinner, speakeasies, petting parties, dancing,"
"What the fuck is a petting party, Alastor? Because I'm imagining something way worse than it probably is."
The sinner raised an eyebrow,
"Petting parties were just as it is, touching one another tenderly or perhaps in a more sexual manner with one another, in the company of other couples,"
"Ok, so it's like foreplay kinda, minus the whole sex thing,"
"I suppose if you'd like to explain it like that, yes," Alastor said as he looked away for a moment,
"I'm alright with the stuff you've listed, I do like dancing and food, of course."
Alastor gave a nod and looked back at him,
"Would it be right to have you accompany me to dinner?"
"Providing it isn't a public place where both of us will be pestered by paparazzi, yes, I'd like that," Lucifer said softly,
"Of course not, I enjoy privacy in my relationships. I will come to grab you at five o'clock sharp."
"Sounds good."
Lucifer watched Al turn and put his hand on the doorknob,
"Lucifer?"
"Hm? Yeah?"
"Thank you." With that, he left to go back to his room.
The angel smiled a little more as the door shut. He waited till it was fully closed to continue his preening, happy with himself and Alastor that he could move forward more in his life.
He just didn't know how to tell Charlie that it was the host of her hotel.
Maybe she would understand, of course, if enough love was involved, after all, she did forgive Vaggie for not telling her she was a fallen angel for literal years.
Lucifer hummed as he struggled with the base of his wings, still unable to reach the very back, but he preened what he could, biting at the most stubborn pin feathers that would not break open before he shifted them, giving them a few test flaps.
He stood in the warm spray of the shower, letting the water wash away the dirt in his wings as he shook them, ruffling and shifting his feathers quickly to work any dust out. He carded his fingers through with soap to scrub at the skin beneath.
Lucifer finished washing up and turned on a fan in the bathroom, flapping his wings in the warm air, ruffling and shifting the feathers to get them and himself fully dry. He softly whistled a song as he turned around, letting the air hit his back.
Primping and preening for the prospect of being courted was a different feeling, one that he was entirely unused to, but he enjoyed the process nonetheless as he walked naked, rifling through a wardrobe in a pocket dimension.
Alastor, on the other hand, was prepping things for supper; he'd already gone to the market and picked up several cuts of non-sinner meat, vegetables, and various stolen goods from the human world.
He dropped the needle on a record and let it play as he chopped vegetables, tossing them in a pot with butter. Beauregard was stirring them as he wiggled to the music.
Dinner was prepped with slow and loving intent; fond memories of Alastor's dear Manman making this recipe floated in his head, her soft singing floating through the house with the scent of gumbo simmering in a pot on the stove.
When Alastor finished up his prep, he flicked on the stove and left Beauregard to tend to the pot. He took a shower, washing his hair, mindful of the stitches that were still holding his skin together.
He scrubbed the scent of rye from himself and replaced it with his normal bar soap, which was somewhat musky with a hint of vanilla. He washed his body, soaping up his tail and ears carefully with a washcloth.
Alastor rinsed off under the warm spray of water, wagging his tail as he scrubbed his face carefully.
He turned off the water and grabbed a towel, patting himself dry as he walked to his wardrobe. His hooves tapping on the worn stone path, he flicked the water from his ears and tail before he carefully towel-dried his hair.
He stood naked as the day he was born, standing in front of a long mirror as he snorted through his wardrobe, humming softly as he flicked outfits from one side to the other. He didn't want to wear his normal attire; perhaps it was time for a change, at least to look presentable.
He settled on a simple pair of slacks, a pressed crimson shirt, his regular bowtie and a set of suspenders, forgoing his jacket; he slipped on a dark waistcoat instead, fiddling with the small adjuster on the back, tightening it to fit his post-rut body.
Alastor smoothed down the waistcoat in the mirror and looked at himself, turning and wiggling his tail,
"I suppose that will have to do," he said softly to himself.
He slipped on his normal shoes and adjusted his monocle, glancing at the time from an old pocket watch he kept,
"Hm, it's nearly time," he said softly as he grabbed his somewhat mended staff, holding it by the slender, dented pole as he waved it slowly.
The bayou shifted slowly, the typography changing slightly as it did. A perfectly set dining table was in the center, where the moonlight could be seen, nestled amongst the Cyprus trees, fireflies lazily flying through the air to provide a beautiful scene.
Alastor couldn't touch flowers otherwise; they would die, so this gesture would have to do as a replacement. He gave himself one more once over before he walked out into the hall. He knocked on Lucifer's door.
"You really are always on time-oh shit," Lucifer said with a swallow as he looked over his date for the night. There was no denying the angel was attracted to the sinner.
Broad-shouldered, lithe-bodied, tall, handsome, spare for the somewhat creepy smile and the whole cannibalism thing,
"Cat got your tongue?"
"No, no, I'm alright, you put a lot of effort into looking nice tonight," Lucifer said softly,
"It makes the most sense, one is to look presentable for such an occasion, especially for that of a date," he said softly as he looked over the angel.
He was somewhat of a mirror image to Alastor, fitted slacks, his normal high boots, a pressed shirt with red accents and a tight waistcoat that fitted the angel's body like a glove. The sinner wanted to hold that waist and see just how small it was between his hands.
"That's why I picked something different from my usual clothes," Lucifer smiled; he had his wings tucked into his back.
Alastor offered his arm to the angel, who took it gently,
"I enjoy your attire, you look rather dashing," he watched the angel's face flash gold as he took Alastor's arm,
"Flattery will probably get you everywhere," Lucifer chuckled softly as they walked to the radio demon's room.
Lucifer raised his eyebrow as the door was opened, wondering for a moment just what Alastor had planned. He could smell the gumbo simmering on the stove,
"Whatever you're cooking smells delicious."
"I do hope you like Louisiana Creole food,"
"If it smells that good, I'll eat anything."
The sinner walked him carefully along the path to the dining table. He pulled out his chair and waited for the man to sit down before he gently pushed him in.
Lucifer looked around, awestruck at just how the environment had changed. The fireflies, all of it was beautiful, including the large alligator-type creature that lay on the bank with its mouth open, another bellowed deeply in the distance,
"Is this what it was actually like when you were alive?"
"Mhm in the nights, yes, I'd sit in the Bayou after I'd snuck out as a preteen, listen to the gators bellow, Manman used to give me trouble because I'd get mud all over my pyjamas."
Alastor had a fond smile on his features, and Lucifer noticed it,
"It's like a fairy tale, the one about the princess who was kissing frogs to find her prince,"
"I suppose, though, instead of kissing frogs I brought home and an alligator just once, I was allowed to keep it surprisingly."
The angel giggled softly as Alastor sat down,
"You were? I let Charlie bring home a hell horse one time, once, and it was pretty terrible to have in the house,"
"You had it in the house? Manman made me keep Roux outside in the back, though he grew quite large. I can't imagine a horse inside."
Lucifer had a stupid look on his face. "Yeah, I mean it was only a few weeks, then it lived out in the back garden... Lily was uh, less than impressed, I can't imagine your mother being too impressed either," he said with a chuckle,
"Oh, she was not. Roux must have been almost 17 feet by the time I hit 30; he had plenty to eat."
Beau brought over bowls of gumbo and slices of buttered bread, pouring both of them a wine to go with dinner.
"I thought you were a cannibal when you were alive."
"Oh heavens no, that was an acquired taste from Rosie, I was a butcher of the bayou, and most of the meat was fed to Roux and a few of my other pets," he smiled a little more,
"This meat isn't sinner, is it?"
Alastor let out a soft chuckle,
"No, I assure you, it is nothing more than wrath-raised hell pig and chicken. I do not trick those into eating sinner, though they have a specific taste," he said softly as he laid a napkin on his lap. Lucifer sipped his wine before he did the same,
"I can imagine, I don't think Charlie would be too thrilled to know we were eating potential hotel guests for a date night."
They chuckled about it together before they began to eat,
"I do hope it isn't too spicy for your taste, my heat tolerance is fairly high," Alastor said as he ate slowly. Lucifer smiled,
"No, I like it, it has flavour, most of the stuff down here doesn't have a lot of spices, this is divine," he said softly.
It was peaceful as they ate, and Lucifer listened to the sounds of the swamp as he and Alastor shared sorties. When the food was finished and the wine was drunk, dessert came, a plate piled high with a slice of bread pudding with cinnamon, coated in a cream sauce of whisky.
Lucifer took a bite and moaned softly,
"You can cook for me anytime," he said, happy, not realizing his wings were out and slowly shivering and opening. Alastor watched them for a moment before he smiled,
"I'm glad you enjoy my cooking, I'm sure I can do it again for you, if it's wanted, of course."
Alastor watched Lucifer smile more,
"Of course, I'd love that," he said softly. They ate slowly to savour their dessert, before Beauregard cleared the dishes, washing them as his master stood.
A red-clawed hand was outstretched as a record clicked to life on the far side of the bayou,
"May I?"
"You may."
Lucifer took Alastor's outstretched hand as he was led down the path to a small dance floor. Their heels clicked on the floor as the sinner gently placed his hand on the angel's hip, the other still knitted together with the blondes.
The Angel slid his arm around Alastor's waist as they began to sway, a slow dance to the sound of a trumpet that played from the record. As ‘West End Blues’ by Louis Armstrong played, it was comforting to the sinner, a song that reminded him so much of his Manman, his life as a radio host.
Alastor swayed with Lucifer, their bodies pressed together, the angel's wings relaxed as he did, slowly laying his head on the radio demon's chest, his eyes shut as he focused on the music, the feeling of proper happiness for the first time in ages.
"Alastor?"
"Yes, Lucifer?"
"Thank you… For all of this," he said quietly, he didn't feel the tears sliding down his cheeks. Alastor didn't notice them as he gently placed his chin on the top of Lucifer's head.
Songs warbled into the bayou as they danced slowly, embracing one another.
Alastor normally didn't like being touched, but this time it felt right.
It felt like home.
They stood outside of Lucifer's door, and Alastor insisted on walking him back to his room, as one would on a typical date night.
Lucifer fidgeted as he stood in front of his gold-gilded door,
"Thank you for the nice night," he said softly. He didn't know why he felt this way, butterflies in his stomach, a shy smile on his face.
Alastor smiled,
"I do hope you will allow me to continue to court you,"
"Of course, I don't think I could say no after all you've shown me tonight," the angel said softly. He stood on the tips of his toes, a gentle hand on the radio demon's cheek.
Lucifer slowly pressed his lips to Alastor's cheek before he pulled away,
"Goodnight, Alastor,"
"Goodnight, Lucifer," the radio demon grinned as he watched his date go into his room. He padded back to his bayou.
Alastor slipped into the room and put his back up to the door as he closed it, a sigh of relief as he couldn't stop the happy little bleat that bubbled up in his throat.
He felt alive for the first time in years, so happy that he grabbed his shadow and twirled him,
"The little king of hell likes us, Beauregard!"
The shadow gave a grin and purred as he was twirled out into the bayou.
Happiness felt like home.