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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[thisducks]

[ For Lucifer, creation is like breathing. It simply is. It doesn't even occur to him that this power is still holy, the power of an angel, and that by wielding it in the barren wastes they had been exiled to, it is like a giant middle finger back up at Heaven, its court, and likely even their father.

Instead, as golden light fills him, crimson coiling up through it, Lucifer... laughs. Not one of spite or bitterness or even pride but joy. As he gathers the last of the image into his mind, he spins out from Michael and let's it all fly!

As bright as a firework, his magic starts to form what he's imagined in magnificent, golden, statue-esque shapes. A small home, a circle of grass and plants and a few trees, then a fence with little star shapes on top. In the same pattern, spreading out and up, they become solid and turn into reality. It's one of the largest things Lucifer has created in one go.

When his eyes open and he sees it there, all around them and real- he smiles as bright as the sun to his brother.

Then collapses. ]

[admonish]

[ even though all he can see is darkness, a light begin to fill that void, twisting around like a serpent as the light shifts between the colors of gold and red. at some intersections, the two colors even blur into one—finally becoming that brilliant crimson. it’s a dazzling display that has him stepping forward, tilting his face to follow the path his power takes through the air.

Lucifer. he may not be able to see him but he can see within him, to the power bubbling beneath the surface that he has known all of his life. he is about to share the news with him when, as the last of that power disappears, he can see him begin to teeter.

whatever miracle has happened around them goes completely unnoticed as he dives forward and, dropping his sword in the process, catches him before he can hit the ground. thankfully the flames coiling up the blade begin to die down once it leaves his hand, completely extinguishing by the time it hits the ground.

carefully, he shifts him in his grasp so he can cradle him to his chest. ]

Lucifer! You over exerted yourself, you are fortunate I was able to see your power. Are you all right?

[thisducks]

[ He did it! He did it! In Michael's arms, Lucifer lays there panting as if he had been running for endless miles, but the huge smile on his face suggests he's just fine. Better than fine. Reaching up, he adjusts the halos around his neck to be comfortable and gives a breathless laugh. ]

Sorry, Michael. I- I did it! ...a little home for us. There's a really big bath... h-hey, did you say you- ah ah- saw my power?

[ They'll be okay. They'll be safe. All around them, just beneath the surface, tiny little particles of Lucifer's power remain - giving life to the greenery he's brought into creation. He's made new life. ]

[admonish]

I never doubted you, you have nothing to apologize for. Stay still, please, my legs are still a little unsteady and I do not want to drop you.

[ without further ado, Michael picks up Lucifer and starts turning his head in various directions. it would be easier, maybe, to ask for directions to the bath rather than trusting his gut. sending them both tumbling to the floor wouldn’t help either one of them.

at least he seems to be moving in the right direction. if nothing else, the soak would help them both recover some of their strength and ease the ache still lingering in their limbs. he is more concerned with him right now, however. ]

It is difficult to explain, but yes. Sparks of light with trails like a falling star, they were gold and red. It was beautiful.

[thisducks]

...red? I never... had red in my magic before. [ It's a touch unsettling, but is it any different than seeing Michael's flames in orange? Everything in his gifts had been gold and blue and sometimes a lovely little touch of pink when he gets incredibly excited about something. Just another thing changed, then.

The home is somewhat simple in design, but clever enough to work. One very large, fairly open floor below that for now only has that very large, somewhat shallow tub built into a curved corner. A set of stairs follow the curve of the back wall up to a sort of loft, entirely taken up by a bed that sits right into the floor. Not a straight line to be seen in the whole damn place, but there are some candles burning with little golden flames strewn about in various places. ]

...little to the left. [ A quiet murmur to his brother as they start to come up to the door, which really is very simple with a bit of silvery cloth covering it. As they come up to it, Lucifer reaches out and pulls the cloth aside since Michael can't see it, letting them into the home. ]

The bath is not too far in front of you- it has a wide ledge around it you can put me on. I'll be alright - promise.

[admonish]

I could see the shapes your power was making briefly but not well enough to commit them to memory. Thank you.

[ he appreciates the help more than anything but can’t help but dwell on the fact that he is effectively incomplete here. the body can be trained to make up for a sense lost but it will take time and, in a place of unknown origin, time is something he isn’t sure they have. if something happens and Lucifer has to direct him, he could be hurt.

no, he can’t feel despondent right now, he has to be just as strong for him as he is trying to be for him. together, no matter their shortcomings, they can achieve anything. it’s in the middle of this thought that he looks down at him, smiling thoughtfully.

with a nod, he manages to clear any obstacles easily enough, stopping only when his leg bumps up against the side of the bathtub. just as carefully as he did before, he moves to help him take a seat on the tub’s edge. ]

I will preen your wings, I have done so with enough frequency that I do not need to see them to know them.

[thisducks]

[ If they want to survive in this prison they have been exiled to, they need each other, plain and simple. They will have to work together, support the other where they are weak, and be the shining beacon for their twin. Lucifer quite literally, with his magic the light in Michael's visual darkness, and Michael the light of hope in the darkness of emotional pain threatening to envelope Lucifer. ]

And I yours. I made sure it would be big enough for both of us.

[ So less bath and more pool. Just deep enough that they can soak without just completely waterlogging their wings. Birdbath.

Lucifer tucks his legs up onto the ledge, then after a moment of hesitation, carefully removes the two halos from his neck to put them aside with a metallic clink. ]

...I will make us new clothing after we are clean and dry. [ Looking down at what remains of his familiar robes, Lucifer sighs softly and removes them, careful of the little created pouch. The pieces clink and tinkle against one another as he lowers it to the floor, then looks to his brother in the nude. ]

[admonish]

[ he opens his mouth to tell him he doesn’t mind waiting until he is done but snaps it shut again knowing it is pointless to question it. the bathtub was created to be for two for a reason, he can’t deny the fact that knowing someone else is there is a comfort. carefully, he extends a hand to let it trickle down the length of the tub to check its depth.

when he straightens up against, despite hearing Lucifer shifting about, he doesn’t follow his lead. instead he is looking down at the floor, finally noticing the little specks of power dancing just beneath their feet like fireflies. life? he becomes lost in his thoughts, wondering how beautiful it must be, before the sound of the halos lulls him out of his thoughts.

even when Lucifer is fully undressed, Michael is still fully dressed when he offers him a hand to help him into the tub first. his other hand busies itself with removing the remnants of his own robes but he is far less gentle. they are beyond repair so, with a sharp tug and the tearing of the remaining fabric, they also come to pool at his feet. ]

Thank you, Lucifer. Shall we?

[thisducks]

[ Not entirely unconsciously, Lucifer is terrified at the idea of being alone right now. If he can keep Michael close, he will. Partly for himself, yes, but also Michael unable to see... he would be scared for his twin. They don't know what's out there. It all looks like nothing.

Why can't he shake off the feeling of being watched, then?

Lucifer jumps slightly at the sound, looking back at Michael with one leg in the water. ]

Michael... [ Then, startled, Lucifer nearly slips in the water, staring at his brother. ] Michael, you're bleeding! [ Reaching out, his fingertips touch the bright, wet, golden splotch of blood on his brother's chest-

-only to find it isn't blood at all. Confused, he moves his fingertips across it, his breath shaking in his throat. ]

[admonish]

I am not wounded.

[ except for his face, of course, he would remember taking a wound to the chest. his chest. was it the spear? using Lucifer’s arm as a guide, he lets those claws ghost along the length of his arm so he can rest a hand against his brother’s chest. ]

Look. Do you have a similar mark on your chest?

[ he waits for the answer and, once getting it, he nods and continues. ] Most likely, it is residual from the spear that crippled our wings. It is painless, do not worry. We can see if the water will wash it away, or if it is another stain on our bodies.

[ considering he has nearly slipped once, he turns to guide him back to the tub again, this time with both hands. ]

Into the water now, little bird, lest you slip and hurt yourself.

[thisducks]

[ Tucking his chin in and pitching his chest out, Lucifer's eyes widen again to see that they do in fact have matching marks on both of their chests. ]

I do. [ The idea of carrying a mark of that horrible moment forever really settles poorly in the pit of his stomach, but he knows saying anything about it will just upset Michael more.

So he lets Michael help him into the water, carefully bringing his wings in with him. The action has Lucifer biting his lip to keep from producing a sound even as the strain pulls at his chest and back. Do they have a matching mark on their backs? ]

The hooves. They do not have much grip in the water. [ Though he had felt sure on the walk here, comparatively. Normally, he washes with vigor and a lot of splish and splash... but with his wings as they are, he just sinks down a few feet from Michael and starts wriggling. The ash is everywhere by this point. ]

[admonish]

We can worry about it later, for now we should just attempt to focus on cleansing ourselves.

[ he knows him too well, he doesn’t have to say anything about it for him to know the fear is at the forefront of his mind right now. if a stain on their chests is the worst of it, then he can handle that. if it was an eyesore, they could simply wear something that covers it entirely. ]

Hooves, I suppose that is why my balance is off. Thank you for telling me, I will be mindful of my steps—

[ but fate has another treat in store for him, he gets one hoof clear of the edge of the tub but the second one gets caught. Lucifer will be treated to a show of him flailing his arms like a bird learning to fly for the first time before he goes face down in the water with an impressive splash.

oh, how the mighty have fallen.

he emerges with a scowl, having a mild coughing fit before he sinks down into the water without a sound. interestingly (or creepily) enough, the fingers of the hands over his eyes flex a bit but never properly reveal what is underneath. as soon as he is settled, the fingers fall right back into their previous position.

don’t bring it up, Lucifer, he is already trying to forget it ever happened. how embarrassing to go from being the sword to nearly drowning in a bathtub due to his unfamiliarity with us newly acquired hooves. ]

[thisducks]

...Yes, Michael.

[ Clearly still worried about it, but he doesn't argue.

And then Michael the Glorious pitches face first into the water.

Lucifer shakes his head from the water of the mighty splash, then looks with parted lips to his brother emerging, hair everywhere around his face, and with that expression! His mind briefly realizes that there's something off with those hands on Michael's eyes but really, the situation is too funny for him not to burst out laughing.

Sorry, brother. It's the scowl. Lucifer falls back into the water, both hands covering his mouth but unable to even physically stop it. There's ash already rising to the surface around both of them, with even more of it coming off of Lucifer's moving wings that have collected a great deal of it, to the point that before getting into the bath and even still, they don't show white. ]

[admonish]

[ the sheer audacity of having his misfortune laughed at has him staring at him stone-faced for several moments, though it’s difficult to tell if he is merely exasperated or actually annoyed. well, at least until he sends a spray of water at his face from the other side of tub.

do you yield, brother? he has his hand poised to splash him with more water if an apology is not uttered in a timely manner—though he doesn’t really require one.

who laughs at their twin when they suffer misfortune? no, truth be told, he would be stifling a laugh if the roles were reversed. still, he may as well toy with him a little bit. ]

I could have struck my head and you are laughing. Hooves are strange appendages, perhaps I did not heed your warning with as much caution as I should have. At least now I am aware of how I should not enter the bath.

[ he will never admit to being clumsy. after running a hand through his hair to push it from his face with a huff, he gestures for him to turn around. ]

Let me see your wings, I will remove the debris before it stains.

[thisducks]

[ At the almost childish splash of water again, it sends Lucifer into a bigger giggle-fit. It's almost... normal, even if just for a few fleeting seconds. Even if Michael could not see the twinkle in his brother's eyes, the sparkle could be heard in that laughter. ]

Brother, you never would have done harm to yourself- even with these... hooves, you still caught yourself with speed! We both need to learn and I have no doubt you will find some reason to be amused at me as we do.

[ Of course, it is teasing without being teasing, but it is all done in love. Michael knows Lucifer would have been there in an instant if he thought Michael was in real danger. Even as he has been and is now, if he could protect his brother from something if he was in trouble? He would do anything. Even things unimaginable from the more delicate between them.

He follows the command and turns around in the water, presenting the wings where they lay upon one another. The lowest set have taken the most damage - from the dragging, from the fall, or a combination of both, it's difficult to say. Really, they both have considerable damage to their wings that will need time to recover along with the injured muscles to carry them. Snapped primaries, bent secondaries- on one of Michael's wings, it looks almost like something had tried to take a bite from the bone and missed to rip out a mouthful of the softest, smallest of the feathers. ]

Do you need anything to help?

[admonish]

The temptation to submerge you underwater is growing, I wonder how long I can resist the pull. How fortunate that I cannot see where you are currently.

[ but the laugh has him smiling the most genuine smile he has shown him since they arrived here. ]

Had I fallen slightly to the left, I would have impacted a giant pillow. Next time I will aim more precisely to further limit injury.

[ did he just call his brother a pillow? indeed, he did. he reaches around and raps a finger against his cheek before he proceeds to gingerly work his fingers through the wings. of course he means to clean them but he is also inspecting for damage, trying to estimate how long they will take to heal. ]

Nothing for now, a tool will only get in the way if I am to properly check their health. You can talk to me while I tend to them, the silence is rather unnerving here.

[ despite the fact that the claws could probably make short work of those beautiful wings, he navigates through the feathers with skill. true to his word, he knows these wings just as well as he knows his own but, if there is ever a noise of discomfort uttered, he murmurs an apology under his breath and moves on. he is starting with the lower wings first, carefully manipulating the feathers to coax more of the ash out of them.

when he finally gets enough of it on his fingers, he works the particles between his fingers before drawing them up to his nose. ]

Ashes? Clever. This appears to be our baptism by fire.

[thisducks]

[ Michael doesn't get to see the visual joy of his teasing for multiple, which is Lucifer's shocked face that turns into a faux-exasperated expression. ]

It would have been a very dusty pillow! And it might have complained! [ It would have sent Lucifer into the water and all too likely, turned into a wrestling match of sorts. ]

...It is far too silent. [ Lucifer agrees quietly, wondering if there is something he can do about it. ] I could make a fountain in the bath, so that we would have the sound of bubbling water as a background sound to this home. Oh! What if there were birds that could live off ashes?? Then they would have an endless source of food and we could have birdsong outside!

[ It helps distract from the occasionally painful removal of a snapped feather, Lucifer clenching his hands into fists against his thighs rather than make too many sounds of pain. ]

The whole time, since the moment we woke up to choosing to stop here, we walked in ashes. We are both covered in them. ...but what I do not understand is why there are nothing but ashes down here. What burned to make them?

[admonish]

Still, I would have taken your complaints into consideration after. A dusty, opinionated pillow is still preferable to this.

[ for emphasis, he taps the tips of his claws against the side of the tub. all is well that ends well, however, neither one of them got hurt because of his clumsiness—unless his pride counts. ]

Something I am certain you can remedy, I have always been able to hear your voice across vast distances. [ spoken with great affection, of course, he would never call his brother a loudmouth! even though he just politely did so. ah, his energetic twin, just as easily distracted as ever. it’s a charming trait. ]

Ambient noise? It could be helpful, especially when it comes to resting. The silence will take time to get accustomed to. If nothing else, we can soothe one another with our voices and proximity. Something to consume the ash would be helpful, it makes me wonder if there is an end to it. If not, we could be washing it off of our wings daily.

[ after being forced to pluck two feathers at once, he aims to soothe the area by blowing on it and gently massaging the spot around it with his fingers. ]

I could not say, either it is primordial in nature or something He created to house us, both are plausible. I felt no wind while we were exploring the area, I would be comfortable saying it has always been here, it was simply awaiting occupancy. Without the sun to urge growth or a kind hand to nurture it, the land may have perished slowly over time. Wood ash can be helpful when it comes to plants but, as we do not yet understand the source, I would hesitate to use it.

Tell me more of your ideas. Fountains, ash-eating birds.. what else do you envision for our new home? I would like to picture it for myself.

[thisducks]

[ Lucifer huffs at his brother's 'polite' insult about his voice, as if Michael couldn't also be heard across distances when he decides to be particularly vocal. When Michael pulls two at once, it finally gets a pained whimper to escape him, his arms squeezing in against his chest. His brother's gentle ministrations to try and ease the pain helps, as does the discussion. ]

Maybe there is no end to it... but we were walking on something solid out there. There must be something beneath all of that ash. I will know after some time if the ash is helping the plants outside, meaning my magic will be less needed, or if it is harming them and drawing on more of the magic I left behind.

[ Attempting to look over his shoulder, Lucifer can't help but ask: ]

Do you have any ideas? I want it to be a home for both of us.

[admonish]

Forgive me, pulling both at once was necessary. I believe that is the last one on this wing. [ likely not a huge comfort, but he is aiming to be as gentle as possible and even gives him breaks between wings. instead of plucking feathers now, he cups some water between both hands and lets it rain down on the connective tissues in the middle of his back—a gesture which he repeats a couple of times before answering. ]

No. Is it not enough for me to reside here with you? I need nothing else.

[ he does have ideas, of course, but without the ability to see they would be useless to him. able to hear that he is facing him somewhat, he dips his hand into the water and flicks the droplets at him to get him to face forward again. partially because he doesn’t want him to see how pensive he is and partially because the wings are still in rough shape. he can see them when he finishes. ]

What about a room dedicated to your creations? To house them, even. Surely you will bore of my company eventually and need an escape of your own.

[thisducks]

[ Lucifer gives a little squeak at the flick of water at him, but he properly faces forward and resettles. However, at the suggestion he'll grow bored of Michael, he tenses up and shakes his head. ]

I won't grow bored of you! Bored of our situation... maybe? But I would love to create all sorts of new creatures. Bring... life to this dark space. ...Will you help me? To make something very big, I will need more energy than I have, and I want to make a nice big space of green where they can live. And- a sun! Or something like a sun... so the green stays alive!

[ His wings start to flutter in his excitement, his mind filled with images and thoughts and birthing new things into the world purely by his imagination. He is possibility. ]

Or maybe huge plants that can live in darkness!

[admonish]

How can you be certain?

[ now it’s more than obvious he is teasing him, he knows he is about as likely to get bored of him as he is to get bored of literature. it is not even in the realm of possibility.

when he starts rambling about his ideas, he sits back and listens with a dutiful ear and a smile. even something as bleak as Falling could not crush his spirit or dim his light, he really is in awe of him. mindful of the wings, he wraps his arms around his shoulders. ]

Of course I will. Whatever you need of me, simply ask and I will provide it.

[ he pulls away to begin working on his second and third wings, which don’t appear to have suffered as much damage as the first. still, he carefully fans one of them out and begin tracing the feathers to find the broken ones. ]

For now, we need to rest and regain our strength. We still do not know if we are the only ones here. I would rather not be caught unaware.

[thisducks]

[ At the hug around his shoulders, Lucifer reaches up and squeezes Michael's arms in as much of a hug as he can do without turning around. ]

Love you. [ Just a soft murmur, but meant with all of his heart. While all of their wings are covered in ash and likely will take several rounds of a bath to get clean, at least there's not nearly as much damage on the other wings. There's one feather completely twisted sideways that can be set and another that is broken, but other than looking a bit ragged, they have faired better. ]

Do you think there might be something we can do to give us advanced warning that something is coming? I could... perhaps create a dome that will enclose us and this green space? That way, something would need to penetrate it to get to anything within.

[admonish]

And I you, that will never change.

[ he Fell for him, that goes without saying, but a gentle verbal reminder never hurt anyone. ]

If we combine our power, we can even extend it beyond that so we have time to prepare a defense if the intruder is hostile. If we can help it, I would rather speak to them before taking up arms. Our blood has already soaked into the ash here, I will shed no more unless it is necessary. A peaceful resolution would be beneficial to everyone involved.

[ but he is no dreamer, he knows there may come a time when he will be forced to wield his blade against someone or something that may not back down. there is very little he won’t do to protect Lucifer, to make sure that bright, flickering flame never dies out. because if he ever loses hope, then the both of them will be doomed.

after removing the broken feather, he stretches an arm around to offer it to him before going back to cleaning his wings. ]

That should be the worst of it, you were fortunate, but I think it will take more time to preen them fully. The feathers are so delicate that the ash has soaked into them and set. While I do not believe it will stain, the texture will feel odd until we manage to flush it out entirely.

[ a pause, so he can work a feather between his fingers to test the consistency of the ash that remains. ] Perhaps three or four more soaks will do it.

[thisducks]

[ At Michael's suggestion about extending the dome, Lucifer hums in agreement as he debates ways that an intruder could be nullified as a danger without spilling more blood. ]

Perhaps something penetrating the dome could set off a magical trip, one that will ensnare it in rope so it would not be hurt, but also will not be able to come after us?

[ The offered feather gets taken, with Lucifer looking at the ash-colored feather where they had been so very white and sighing to himself. It will come out. They will heal. ...They have to. The thought of useless, broken wings dragged around forever? It terrifies him, but not as much as the gruesome idea of having to cut them off.

He plans to give them plenty of time before he goes that route; he just has to make sure Michael doesn't do anything foolish as well. ]

Are you finished, then? I am going to get rid of this water and refill so I can work on yours. ...I also want to see what damage the spear did.

[ What would be true on Michael is likely mirrored on him, so at least he'll have a better idea of where to focus his own self-healing. ]