I wrote a radioapple fic. It's rated G and technically for Valentine's Day. Charlie has everyone do a Valentine's Day activity together.
The human holiday of Valentine’s Day had been around for over a century in the Pride ring, and of course with the Vee’s controlling many pockets of sinner and hellborn alike throughout all of hell, the holiday had only become more of an overexuberant affair.
The concept itself wasn’t enticing to begin with to him, but he didn’t hate the sentiment. Growing up, he and his ma had exchanged cards. As soon as he was able to read, she would include a riddle in every card she gave him, no matter the holiday. The Valentine’s day cards riddle would always have an answer related to the concept of love. Which he had felt, for his Ma and a handful of precious others.
Though he had never felt it like, that. The way most of the hell liked to celebrate it. Which brought Alastor back from his thoughts and to the unfortunate reality unfolding in front of him.
Angel Dust had walked into the room after getting off a shift, letting out a string of profanity as he did. It was actually surprising to see him have the evening off work, given what day it was. He vaguely remembers Charlie’s monologue earlier referencing that the spider demon had been there since the 13th. There had been a midnight countdown show on the noise box, celebrating what the Vee’s had also dubbed as that moth’s birthday.
Husk hands Angel a drink on his way to Alastor, handing him one as well as he sitting on Alastor’s. Alastor didn’t drink often but felt like he was going to need it for this bonding experiment. Charlie walked in then, arm looped with her father, the pathetic excuse of a king. It looked as if she was practically dragging him along. Which did cause Alastor’s normal, serene smile to twitch a bit more towards entertained. A flutter of excitement courses through him.
“I am so, so, so glad to see you all here!” The princess of hell beamed, clapping her hands together. Lucifer reluctantly and awkwardly sitting on the couch next to Alastor, the only seat not taken in the circle they’d been instructed to sit in. As that had been the one instruction written on the chalkboard board when they convened here. Vaggie appeared from somewhere, placing paper, glitter, scissors, and other various crafting supplies in the middle of the circle.
The realization of what they were doing hit Alastor before Charlie started talking.
“We.” She began, pausing for dramatic effect, “Are.” Another pause, “Making-Valentine’s-Day-cards!” The last burst of words coming out in a collective flurry. Alastor appreciated the pauses, but if on a broadcast, the delivery of the last bit would be unacceptable.
“For each other?” Angel asks, glancing around the table.
“Yes!” Charlie says. “Just to the person on your right, though. Oh! Unless you want to make more!” She tacks onto the end.
Glances are shared around the table. Given their circular arrangement, it looks like Niffty is writing for Angel Dust, Angel Dust to Husk, Husk to Alastor, Alastor to Lucifer, Lucifer to Vaggie, Vaggie to Charlie, Charlie to Niffty.
Alastor doesn’t say anything, but his ears bend backwards as Charlie continues, “I thought we could maybe share them after? Or keep them private. As long as there isn’t anything mean.”
She shoots both Alastor and Lucifer with a pointed look. A short reel playing in Alastor’s head of a flour-covered kitchen, a piano shaped hole in the lobby ceiling, and other events that happened when the two crossed paths.
With a resigned “hmmm,” Alastor reaches for a piece of paper. The others follow suit, normally returning as casual conversation and banter begin alongside the crafting. Alastor doesn’t want to make a card for the small being next to him. So he doesn’t, he makes one like he would have made to give to his Ma. Though the riddle he adds is most certainly a punch of the emotional variety.
What feels like an eternity after he’d finished, but had probably only been a few minutes, it seems like everyone was done. “Alright,” Vaggie begins, voice filled her normal authority. “Pass your cards to the right.”
Without looking, Alastor holds the card he made out to the king. He can feel the annoyed stare directed at him, and even if he couldn’t, the way their fingers gracelessly bump against each other as the blond took the card would be proof enough.
Instead, Alastor looks to Husk. Husker gives him a quick glance before looking away. Turning to meet Angel Dust’s seductive eyebrow wiggle.
Once their each hold the card made for them, they all look to Charlie. Seeming startled by everyone’s attention, she ushers with her hands for them to read their card. “Go on, let’s see what we were given and then, um, share if you feel comfortable.”
Alastor glances down as his card, the outside had a decently shitty cat paw doodled on it, giving a thumbs up. Lazily, he opened it and read, “You’re paws-itively my boss.”
A small, albeit amused, sound escaped Alastor’s lips.
“What is this?” Lucifer asked, looking once again at him. This time, Alastor does look back.
“Does your eyesight suffer along with your height?” Alastor asks. “It’s a Valentine’s Day card.”
Alastor watches, unable to look away now that the king has his attention. A deeply irritating trait of his. Alastor has found that once his eyes land on Lucifer, they have a hard time leaving. The monarch’s face scrunches up some, eyes blinking away the normal cloudiness they hold, replaced with fury, and his cheeks flush a bit golden.
“This.” He states, voice laced with frustration, as he holds up the card and points to the words written inside.”
“They’re words.” Alastor drawls, taking in each little twitch on Lucifer’s face. His eyebrows furrowing.
“Is this some sort of cannibalism kink?” He asks, and that got everyone else’s attention.
A small blast of static comes from Alastor. Taken out of the trance he had been in purely due to the audacity of that question. It shouldn’t surprise him that it went over Lucifer’s head. Not a hard thing to do.
“You can swallow me, but I can consume you too.” Alastor recites the riddle; voice laced with annoyance. “It’s pride. I figured since I was making a valentine for the embodiment of pride, it’s the only thing he’d want.”
Disappointedly, the fiery response he was expecting from the king didn’t come. Instead, Lucifer seems to deflate. Charlie begins to say something, but it turns to back round noise as his thoughts louden instead.
Soon enough, the activity comes to an end. Charlie gives Vaggie a big hug, it seems she’s thrilled with how well it went. Vaggie’s cheeks flush slightly, the two sharing a quick kiss. Husker and Angel Dust are heading to the bar, but Alastor notices Husk’s arm draped on Angel’s hip.
Lucifer had begun walking toward the stairs, and Alastor found himself following, musing, “Could it be having pride is not the same as loving oneself?”
“Look, I’m not in the mood. If Charlie hadn’t prohibited us using our teleporting abilities in the hotel, unless, like, for emergencies, I would be in my room already.”
“Too bad for you then, since we are headed the same direction.” Alastor also wished to retire, their rooms both conveniently and inconveniently on the same floor. “I thought you would be pleased I even bothered to make you a card.”
“The outside of the card had a biological accurate human heart being stabbed through with an arrow.” Lucifer deadpans back.
“Is that not accurate? That is my understanding of what cupid does.” He responds. Eyes not leaving Lucifer’s face as he watches the king’s lips turn upward. For some reason, the sight stirs something in Alastor and he continues to speak. “The card wasn’t entirely meant for you, so no need to get so worked up. Such a short fuse.”
They’re in the elevator now. Silence between them for a moment. “Who else was it for then?”
The doors open and Alastor steps out, not looking to Lucifer as he admits, “my mother and I used to exchange cards, with a riddle written inside.”
“That’s… surprisingly sweet.” Lucifer says, stepping out as well standing to face Alastor, their backs toward their respective rooms. They stand now alone in the middle of the hallway. “I didn’t think you were capable of something so sentimental.”
“There is much going on within me that you will never understand.” Alastor says, because it’s simply the truth.
“Maybe you’re just a riddle to be solved.” Lucifer replies, a challenge in his voice. Alastor’s gaze snaps to meet Lucifer’s. The cloudiness wasn’t there, but neither was the fury he’d seen earlier. This, well, this looks more akin to passion. Not a bright, lively flame but a fire burning steadily.
Caught off guard, Alastor turns to hide his surprise, but he fears a bit too late and begins to walk towards his room. “A task I fear is far too big for the brain of someone your stature.”
“Challenge accepted.” Lucifer replies followed by the sound of him opening a portal and stepping through. Alastor turns around just in time to see the gold ring disappearing. Breaking the rules just to have the last word and one up him. Maybe Lucifer could figure him out. He shuddered at the thought but wasn’t sure if it was from disgust or something else. No matter, this was something that didn’t need an answer.
