The Choices Made [for Daily / admonish]

[thisducks]

[ He didn't understand.

He didn't understand why they were all so mad at him. Everyone was so mad. Being shoved into a silent, dark room and told to stay there in a tone that brook no argument... it felt like hours ago. Deep inside, he was afraid for Lilith. He had no idea where she was, how mad they were at her. All of it felt so incredibly confusing and seeing the people he loved look that angry, that... scared? It left him shook to his core.

So Lucifer sat in silence, his wings wrapped around him like a tight cocoon, with his knees drawn up and his arms wrapped around his knees. He thought of Sera scolding him for saying he loved the humans with all his heart when she finally caught him sneaking down to the Garden. He thought of Lilith crying, telling him the words Adam had spoken to her that made her angry until she cried in his arms, and how he eased her tears and found ways to make her smile again. How he'd wanted her to be free when she said she felt like she was in a cage.

It'd all made sense in his head, before. What difference would her knowing more make to the other angels? Then he'd feared Eve would be trapped in the same way, what if Adam would do the same..?

He'd just wanted them to be happy.

So why was everyone so angry at him? ]

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[admonish]

[ Lucifer will soon have something else to fear, because the second that horrible scream is released is the moment the wicked creature his brother has become meets his end. unable to open his eyes, he is momentarily lost between the waking and dream worlds and the smell of fresh blood in the air does not help matters.

Lucifer is hurt.

the scream hasn’t even reached its conclusion before Michael rolls off of the bed, takes his sword in hand and points it at the offender. all of the rage from his dream carriers over into into life, so the flames that appear roar to life angrily, nipping at the air around them and giving off an uncomfortable heat. nothing could have gotten through the barrier, he had been assured of that, but it will take more time for his mind to catch up. in the meantime, his sword is pointed over Lucifer’s head.

should he turn around, he will look upon a face not only twisted with rage but also see that the hands once covering his eyes have moved—it would be less startling if they had stayed put. the hollow sockets of Michael’s eyes seem to look right through his other half. his shoulders flex repeatedly in an attempt to flare out his wings in a warning. he ignores the pain and bellows out in a deep voice that seems to reverberate off the walls. ]

Get out!

[ but to whom is he speaking? no one is there but the two of them but he seems adamant that someone else is there. ]

Even a wounded hound will bite. If you hurt him, I will.. [ all at once, a fire begins to burn behind those empty sockets and he sneers. ] I will destroy you so thoroughly that there will be nothing left to bury. Nothing for your family to mourn. This is the only warning you will receive.

[ hurt him.. Lucifer is alive, the scream tells him that much. and the only thing his eyes “see” is that beautiful golden glow his brother possesses. the only thing he hears are the frantic breaths of his twin. no one is here, he needs to calm down but the smell of blood in the air is pulling at him. he squeezes his eyes shut. ]

Lucifer.. ?

[thisducks]

[ whimper.

A single sound of terror so powerful that nothing else can come out, for the movement of his brother had immediately made him believe he is falling backwards - backwards into the void - that he turns and tries to lift his wings to catch himself but they don't respond, he is falling he is FALLING-

But it makes him turn and he sees Michael like a twisted version of his nightmare. The eyes that had condemned him have becoming nothing but hollow pits until fire burns within them. It is absolutely terrifying, and Lucifer can't help but scream as he tries to scramble away. The attempt ends with him falling off the bed due to the dragging weight of his wings and ends with him pressing his back against a stone wall. His hands come up, covering himself, hiding, as his heart races in his chest and his chest and back hurt.

He keens in the back of his throat, pitifully curled up and waiting for more pain to come. ]

[admonish]

[ the sword hits the ground with a clatter and fizzles out as he crouches down and moves to reach for him. that’s when the sickening realization hits him, what Lucifer fears is right in front of him—him. thinking quickly, he pulls the top sheet off of the bed and moves to drape it over the quivering form.

instead of speaking up immediately, he lays on the floor beside him and jerks his wings forward with a hand to cover him. they may not work at the moment but the warmth they provide has not changed and will thus be familiar even if they are damp. it is only when he makes sure he is bundled up in the blanket, he even covers his face, that he finds his words. maybe if he does not have to look upon him, he will not be so scared. he needs a moment to calm down, to will himself to creep away from the edge. ]

There was— [ no, he doesn’t need to hear about his dream right now. it will hinder his progress and scare him further. instead, one of his hands find the top of his head and rest there but there is little he can do to keep it from trembling from the adrenaline. ]

I did not mean to scare you, something startled me. I could not open my eyes and all I could smell was blood. I would never harm you, Lucifer, not ever. Until you find your strength again, I will not move.

[ even if it takes days, he will not budge. he promised to protect him and he has already failed in that. those hollow black eyes linger on the trembling form under the sheet as if they can actually see him in detail and his brows furrow. ]

Dry your eyes, my brother, you will never have anything to fear from me.

[thisducks]

[ In Michael's wings, as that ancient comfort hits Lucifer, all he can do is sob. They're heart breaking sounds, like an animal wounded, with the erratic breathing of someone crying as hard as they can. Reality and nightmare blend and it leaves Lucifer unable to parse out the truth - hollow, black pits with fire or eyes full of icy hatred, damaged wings and claw wounds or a coldfire blade rammed through his chest and out his back, his loving brother comforting him in their fallen state or one showing fake care in order to damn him?

He finds himself trembling, shaking as if he's chilled to the bone and he can't make it stop. Even the black length of tail has unconsciously wound itself around his waist in a new form of self-comfort. An aching chest manages to suck in a hard breath, one that hurts to his core but he needs to breathe even if it results in another gut-wrenching sob.

Thankfully, not even someone as traumatized as Lucifer can keep up that kind of crying for too long. His already exhausted body finally dumps out the last of its fear-induced adrenaline, the sounds lose their volume until they vanish entirely, with the shaking the last element to go. It leaves him bundled up tight in his brother's arms with his chest, back, and eyes sore. ]

[admonish]

[ only when the sobs begin to die down does he pluck at the fabric of the blanket to reveal his face again. by this time, the hands have covered his eyes again and any rage he felt before has been leashed in favor of making sure he is okay. ]

Shh, shhh.. I am here, nothing will bring you any harm. I promised.

[ gone is the rough voice, he speaks quietly and with hesitation. like he is carefully choosing what words to say so he doesn’t upset him further. a clawed hand finds his hair, itching at his scalp as it did before. he seemed to enjoy the attention, so he is hopeful it will do something for him now.

when he feels him slump a bit, he holds him even closer. other than the gesture he doesn’t make a move to touch him again, opting instead to let him come to him when he is ready. if he wants to tell him what happened he will, but far be it from him to try and pry it from him now. to push now would only cause him to retreat further into himself.

instead, he begins to hum a song, one he often used to calm him down when he was feeling particularly anxious. he can recall the words but believes the melody itself will be enough when accompanied by him smoothing his hair back. ]

[thisducks]

[ It takes time. It takes those soothing gestures, the familiar hum, to finally break through Lucifer's boiling emotions to let logic finally get its grip back in the driver's seat. Once it does, his head slowly lifts to look up at his brother - what will he see? Pits, hatred? Neither. Those strange hands again, hiding his brother's eyes. Maybe, he decides, it's for the better right now. ]

Michael. [ Just a soft whisper, but it's spoken in relief. His fingers reach out and slowly touch flesh anywhere they can find, then pull his brother in closer. The racing heart pounding in his chest has finally slowed to a normal beat, letting him curl up in closer to Michael with his head on his brother's shoulder. ]

...I love you. [ Another whisper, but at its end, he found himself holding his breath, waiting for the reply. It even feels like his heart stops as it waits for Michael's response. He needs to set it against the nightmare, to wield it like a shield against the blade the nightmare had pierced through him. ]

[admonish]

[ since he has finally calmed down, he winds an arm around his shoulders and uses the other hand to wipe any leftover tears away. he might not be able to see his expression but the fact that his trembling is starting to pass tells him all he needs to know, while also giving him even more questions.

for the present time, the only thing he is aware of is his own need to hold him and never let go. the nightmare is still vivid in his mind, having a physical reminder that he is actually here is the only thing keeping him from losing it again.

at the declaration, he turns his face and kisses the top of his head. he can feel that Lucifer is not the creature from the dream but a part of him is waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under him. ]

I love you too. When you want to talk about it, know that I am here—and I always will be. You landed awkwardly, are you hurt?

[thisducks]

[ The very idea of telling Michael the truth of that vivid nightmare is nearly as terrifying as the nightmare itself. He knows Michael would take it horribly, maybe even make his brother question if he secretly believed Michael would do such a thing. Telling him feels out of the question, at least until they're far away from this mental state they're both in. ]

I- [ Saying "I am fine" is a lie, given that he is anything but fine, and lying to Michael is what got them both into this situation. ] My chest and back hurt. [ He admits it so softly, still holding onto Michael with a desperate strength. ] I think I was trying to use my wings. [ Their weight is heavy on his back, but he has to believe that they will fix themselves with time because the idea of them being broken for the rest of eternity is an impossibility he cannot comprehend and unlike his brother, the other idea of cutting them off is just as impossible. Angels were born to fly, even before they could walk.

But, maybe, there is another choice. He can change his shape, after all. Maybe he could just, for a little while-

Michael will see the golden burst of magic, feel as Lucifer suddenly becomes smaller in his hands, because Lucifer's wings disappear entirely. ]

[admonish]

It will take time for us to adjust to being without them and mistakes will be made. Fortunately, thanks to someone, I have a salve I can apply to your chest as well.

[ behind the hands, he attempts to squint out of habit against the light. even before the wings disappear, he finds himself reaching out as if to catch the light. instead, his hand dips over one of Lucifer’s shoulders to check for the wings.

it surprises him of course, but it also gives him an opportunity. he hooks one arm beneath his twin’s knees, lets the hand of the other find his back and pushes off of the ground with his hooves to move them off of the floor. it might appear to be a seamless move but it comes with a dull ache that he ignores. very carefully, he turns to deposit him on the bed before taking the spot beside him. without the wings, he has a much easier time pulling him to his chest. he hopes the proximity might soothe his anxiety some more. ]

Even if you do not feel like sleeping, rest your eyes. [ the claws of his dominant hand have already started raking through his hair again, carefully tucking it behind an ear. his voice is a whisper at best. ] If I guard you, no one can harm you. If fear tries to find you again, I’ll simply have to turn it away.

There is no safer place for you than here with me.