The Low Hanging Fruit [for ontheair/thelittleapple]

[thisducks]

continuation from this bakerstreet meme

[ And Alastor lands on the thing that Lucifer has wanted to do, again and again. It feeds into his beliefs, the endless shadows and demons that speak whispers into his thoughts, the plague of Humanity's evils that his fellow angels had cursed him to always know.

But then his daughter had held out her hand, telling him her lofty dream, golden and bright, and asked him to believe in it. All he wants is to support her, to make the only thing he ever made that he could be proud of shine as brightly as she can. It just... doesn't stop the reality of his life. ]

Leaving would hurt her more. Being here brings my name to the hotel. [ For all that he's certain he doesn't quite live up to said name, he does as well as he can. More so, it's not really the truth.

He's scared they'll come for her. With Adam's attempt on Charlie's life, the Accord he set with Heaven is broken- the Hellborn are no longer safe.

Nothing, not even himself, will stop him from defending her. She is worth everything to him. More than anything. ]

Comments

[thelittleapple]

[She's almost pathetically relieved, feeling the tension drain out of her shoulders as he backs down. It's not that she doesn't appreciate being protected by him-- actually, if she were honest with herself, it's something she's missed. She's spent so long relying on mostly herself, that to have that safety net of a parent again is...

Well, even if it is nice, it's not the time or place for it. They don't need word to spread around that people are unsafe around her and her Dad, even if they're not yet behaving.]

Definitely! Continuing on is a great idea!

[Charlie's grin is too wide to overcompensate as she gestures onwards, and then starts walking again.]

[thisducks]

[ As Charlie and Lucifer walk away, seemingly with the King of Hell no longer interested in the lowly sinner who had said such foulness to his daughter, it probably comes as a relief to anyone who recognized or guessed who the shorty is. The asshole of a sinner himself doesn't seem to realize how close he came to his second death, a permanent one, and Lucifer can vaguely hear him acting like he'd 'won'.

As they go around the corner and out of sight of the man, he doesn't even need to look as he makes a pinching motion with two fingers. The sinner would get the singularly unique feeling as his junk painfully inverted itself into his body in a new and permanent outlook on his afterlife.

...The devil can be petty when he wishes. ]

I do hope these pancakes are as good as you claim them. [ Complete with an amused smirk, as if he's forgotten the nastiness of only a minute ago. What Charlie doesn't know won't hurt her. ]

[thelittleapple]

[There's an agonised yell from behind them as that Sinner becomes the unhappy recipient of some very unique genitals. Charlie half turns, but... shouting in Hell isn't uncommon and she's just got her Dad away from the situation, so she doesn't want to involve him any further.

She'd have gone back if she'd been on her own-- tried to help, mediate, and promote the hotel to anyone having issues who could use this low moment as a turning point for the future.]

Pancakes, right! They're super amazing, and they even have a choose your own topping station~!

[This can still be salvaged as a good trip out. No problem.]

Sooooo... Dad, did you sleep well last night? I know you went to bed super late because of that thing with Alastor.

[thisducks]

[ He still hates people. Sorry, sweetie, but sinners don't exactly do the best at promoting themselves to be anything but horrible people who deserved everything terrible they got.

Taking a deep breath, he pushes out the anger from his chest and glances up towards his daughter. ]

I... slept? [ That is about the most he can say on that. It might have only been for an hour, give or take, but it's more than he gets most nights! ] How about you? You were up late yourself.

[thelittleapple]

Oh, well, I didn't actually go to bed, but that's okay! I just had so many ideas for things you and Alastor could try, and I needed to put together the box of props, and write out all the notes, and then my sparkly pens ran out of ink and I had to go and buy some more because this book that I read said that colour coding can be so important for information retention.

[Her words are getting faster and faster with both sleepless anxious energy, and genuine enthusiasm for what could be her biggest success story yet. Her Dad and Alastor getting along... just imagine! They could become friends, and then maybe even Alastor would see how wonderful it was to improve one aspect of his life so he'd realise that improving in other ways could also be within his reach and then he'd be REDEEMED!]

[thisducks]

[ Like father, like daughter, ey? Lucifer can't help the fatherly frown at Charlie for her admitting she hadn't slept, even though he is hardly any better. ]

Charlie, you shouldn't be sacrificing sleep over something like this. We're not going anywhere in a hurry. There has to be a better way to handle, er, 'making friends' that doesn't involve having to write things out like this...

[ There is no way Alastor could be redeemed, and that Lucifer's certain about. In Heaven's exacting standards, or at least Judgment's, no matter the good the sinner could (and didn't) do, there's no way his ledger could be wiped clean. The others? He can see it. A path, even if a difficult one.

He hopes the asshole gets to spend some time today as a cute litle deer. ]

Let's... brainstorm over that while we have breakfast, mmm?

[thelittleapple]

[Charlie knows there's nobody too far gone that they can't be saved, and her Dad is clearly the key to proving that with Alastor. Somehow. Imagine what that would do for the hotel, to prove even an Overlord could find redemption?

She's definitely back on the Enthusiasm Train as she tugs her poor father down the street to Seven Rings Doughnuts and Pancakes.]

Definitely! Vaggie helps me brainstorm all the time, but new perspectives are key for finding solutions.

[She beams all over her face at the Sinner behind the counter, who just looks a bit dazed at the onslaught of PURE SUNSHINE. The staff are starting to stare at Lucifer, however, starting to recognise him.]

So, what do you want, Dad? It's on me! I really like their blueberry and suffering stack. But Vaggie swears by maple syrup scream.

[thisducks]

[ Sometimes, Lucifer wonders if he should sit down and have a talk with Charlie about the fact that some people might not like the idea of Heaven, never mind that Judgment likely would never send them through. However, given everything that's happened in recently months, he wants to believe that she might start to get the idea herself after having seen what Heaven's like.

He... wants to believe that.

He's starting to doubt it.

Damn it all, they're all staring at him.

Lucifer pulls his back straighter and the quiet, almost haughty mask to avoid letting his uncomfortableness show through. He raises a brow at Charlie at 'it's on me', given where her money comes from, but decides not to say anything and instead studies the menu. In one sense, Charlie is bang on the money as this place appeals to his endless sweet tooth. His fingertip taps on the top of his cane, ignoring the whispering and uncertainty of the staff. ]

Mmm... the chaos chocolate stack, I think. [ Chocolate pancakes with chocolate chips and whipped cream? His inner self is all but dancing at the idea. ] Why don't I find us a seat, dear?