Stronger together than apart

indie canon multimuse role play mature content may be present, read rules before proceeding Harry Potter, Supernatural, Lucifer & Marvel

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   Amenadiel would eye Lucifer like he had to be kidding. Surely his brother remembered his twin right? Shaking his head, he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Lucifer the more I think about how we were meant to be, none of our orders came from father. We acted on our own accord of what we thought he wanted,” He gestured around. “Fact is the last time I spoke with father is when I was sent to bless Chloe’s parents…” He rolled his eyes.

   “Wait -   “ Chloe’s eyes squinted. “Bless my…?” She looked over Amenadiel for a moment before looking up at Lucifer. “What are you talking about?” She looked back to Amenadiel stepping over towards the elder angel. God had a hand in her being alive? How is that possible?

   Linda realized at that moment Lucifer had never told Chloe. She quickly moved to grip Amenadiel’s arm for a moment. “Your mother never told you?”

   Chloe shook her head. “Told me what, Linda?” Her head shook the longer her question went unanswered. She finally looked back up at Lucifer. No one had told her anything about this little revelation since Lucifer left. It didn’t seem it was apparent for her to know.

“Well, of course they did! Dad was always manipulating us, trying to get us on the path he wanted for us like we were his playthings.” And, he supposed, they were. He’d made them, he’d created them, he’d created everything. In the end, what was this if not a giant playground for him? What was that human saying? God giveth, and God taketh away? Something along those lines. “Maybe Dad didn’t take your wings away, and maybe Dad didn’t give me my Devil face, and maybe... Maybe not everything that happened to me was his fault, but you can’t deny that he played his part, at least in the old days.”

But right at that moment, that didn’t matter, for they had another crisis to deal with, didn’t they? Chloe didn’t know. Chloe didn’t know about her parents, about Amenadiel blessing them. He’d tried to tell her, but... Well, he hadn’t done a very good job of it, and now it’d come out in what - well, no, it could have been a lot worse.

He reached out to take her hands into his, figuring that she might need something to keep her grounded given what she was about to learn. “Chloe, my father is the reason that you exist. He... He put you on this Earth, he made your birth possible.” Lucifer explained. “Your parents couldn’t conceive, and... He sent Amenadiel to bless them, to... Make them able to bear one child. You.”

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   Chloe would step into Lucifer a little more the moment he started to grown concern that she might have faced a demon. She smiled nodding her head. The only mark she had grown is from where the man had gripped her arm, under the sleeve of her jacket the print was bruising. “I’m fine Lucifer. I handled it,” She soothed him before listening to why he never would want to go back. 

   “Lucifer -    “ She started.

   “Michael has the key, Lucifer,” Amenadiel spoke up shaking his head, having to interrupt the detective. He couldn’t hold back that knowledge anymore. “Michael has the key and that is Gabriel’s message. Michael is missing.”

   Chloe lined her lips and looked to Amenadiel. She held her breath for a moment as she turned back towards Lucifer. She knew who Michael was now, the real Michael. Although she had seen enough old art and depictions of what happened (that Michael had been the one to wound Lucifer enough so he fell to Hell), she knew it wasn’t the whole story. No one knew the truth of that day other than Lucifer and Michael. 

   “Because that’s your family Lucifer,” Chloe whispered. “I know it’s not something you want to go back to anymore, but you might need to now,” She frowned putting her gun away and would take his hand again in hers. “Are you sure they don’t want you up there? You haven’t seen barely any of them since that day and from those, I’ve met, they seem very confused on it themselves…”

   Maze sighed. “Each angel that came for Amenadiel or you, was surprised you returned to Hell. No one knows what is going on. It’s like Heaven hasn’t been allowed to leave,” She gestured upward. “You know, back when you all were allowed to fly around as you pleased?”  

No.

No, that wasn’t possible. Michael... He couldn’t be missing, could he? That wasn’t possible, he couldn’t have just opened the gates of Heaven and disappeared, that wasn’t like him, and he couldn’t have left and been taken by something - or someone. The title of their father’s greatest warrior was Amenadiel’s, but Michael wasn’t too far behind. There was certainly no human on Earth that could have taken him, and he doubted that even the strongest demons would have been able to take him down.

“Are you sure he’s not just... Getting a drink before going back home?” Lucifer offered, though the tone in his voice betrayed his worry. “The Silver City is quite boring, after all.”

But months... No, the Michael he knew would never leave Heaven for months, not unless he was acting on their father’s orders. Although the detective had a point, he hadn’t seen many of his siblings since that fateful day. Maybe the Michael he’d known wasn’t Michael anymore.

“I led a rebellion against dear old Dad, of course they don’t want me in the Silver City.” That just had to be true, right? He’d accepted that as the truth for eons, he’d never even questioned it. He couldn’t have been wrong for all those years, right? “It’s not like any of them ever came to visit.”

And then Maze’s words sunk in.

“Are you saying that... Dad grounded all of the angels?” He glanced at Amenadiel for confirmation - after all, he was the one who’d been to the Silver City the most recently.

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   “Lucifer,” Amenadiel whispered. “They’ve…been open for months now. I thought you would have known by the light,” His eyes widened looking at his shaking had. He rubbed his lips for a moment down to his chin. “All of our family has been coming here, looking for something. It’s gotten so bad that now Gabriel is here.”

   It wouldn’t be long before the rest of the higher angels started to make appearances following. Chloe listened and would do her best to stay looking strong. She had heard this story once already it seemed. “Well, that’s where I come in Lucifer. I may have found a few followers of that agent,” She whispered. “It’s why I’ve been -   “ She finally showed him her custom Glock, pulling it from the holster and laying it flat in her hand.

   “Nice design huh?” Maze grinned at Lucifer when Chloe showed him. “Though if things get hairy again she’d need more than a steel post to knock down a few demons.”

   Chloe took a deep breath and snickered at Maze’s comment. She looked back up at Lucifer. “Lucifer…have you thought maybe you could? Have you ever tried to now?” She furrowed her brows wondering if it had been something going on in Heaven that is causing them to hunt down something, someone.

   Amenadiel looked worried for a moment, looking at Chloe and then away. He sighed rubbing his eyes knowing something the others didn’t yet. It had nothing to do with the demon on the loose either. If they were looking for demons, Michael would be looking for them, wouldn’t he?     Chloe had always assumed Lucifer was best fitted for running the damned not because of his rebellion, but because of his temper. He wasn’t one to mess with and could handle those of the scariest nature. She couldn’t imagine what God’s side of this would be, but she had taken her side, ready and willing to find out with Lucifer why this is such a big deal…and what would follow.

“Well, maybe they just got tired of opening and closing those bloody gates every time they flew through.” Lucifer suggested, though there was something in the back of his mind that kept nagging at him, telling him that maybe he shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the idea the idea that the gates of Heaven might finally be open to him once again.

For the first time in eons, he had the chance to go back home. For the first time in eons, that was a real option for him. He was...

Oh, was that... Fear?

“Gabriel is on Earth? Is Father sending a message?” Lucifer frowned, now far more concerned. It was rare that angels would come to Earth in the first place, but sending Gabriel... That could hardly be good news.

Whatever this was, it was big. It was big, and Chloe was caught right in the middle of it. As much as he was glad she was learning more about his world, Lucifer couldn’t deny that he was worried about what her involvement with it all could mean for her. She was human, after all. She was a human being caught in a world of angels and demons. It was Maze’s words that truly worried him, though. “Again? Detective, what happened? Are you alright? Did that demon hurt you?" Oh, if the demon had hurt her, he’d track down the bastard and - oh, between himself and Maze, he was sure that they could make sure that this demon regretted ever stepping out of Hell.

“No, I’ve never tried to go back to Heaven, Detective. When you lead a rebellion against your father and you get cast out of Paradise, you’re not exactly in any hurry to return. Besides, those gates are impenetrable. Even Mother couldn’t get past them.” Nothing aside from his blade would be able to even cut through it, and quite honestly, he hadn’t had that much interest in returning. He knew they didn’t want him there, after all. Even now, knowing that the gates were open and he could go back, he wasn’t sure that he would.

But he might not have much of a choice in that matter.

He breathed out a sigh, then he turned to fully face Chloe. “Detective, those gates have been closed for eons. My father, most of my siblings - they don’t want me up there. I was cast out, I was thrown into Hell by my own father. Why would I ever want to go back?”

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   “Are you sure Lucifer? Heaven’s gates have -   “ Chloe started, but Amenadiel came back with three drinks in his hand. One for him, Chloe, and of course, Lucifer.

   “    - Have been open for about eleven months now,” He took a deep breath before looking at the two of them. “Thought you may need one,” He handed the two of them their drink.    Chloe smiled, though still ever close to Lucifer. She nodded taking the small tumbler before allowing herself a generous sip. “I’ve…only learned what I need to, but some questions they thought were better to ask when you came back,” She looked up at Lucifer. “You returning there…being one of them,” She furrowed her brows knowing that might be a conversation for another day. “That’s not, for now, I’m just happy you came home,” She smiled gently. “Even with all this going on.”

   “I have to admit, it hasn’t been the same without you gloating around,” Maze snickered as she came over with Linda, sitting on the couch. “Haven’t seen Decker smile this much since our little speed dating night out.”

   Chloe rolled her eyes. “You know I still don’t remember half of that night.”

   “That’s what made it perfect,” Maze laughed as well. “Though, thinking more on the demons,” She tapped her knife against her knee. “There are only a few old bastards down there that would be knowledgable enough to leave like this…” She stood up and walked over to Lucifer, wondering if he would know who she was thinking of. “Dromos only had to put the thought in their heads…”

   Belias, Oeillet, Carreau. Three of the second hierarchy and oldest demons next to a few others. Though they were not in the first, they were still wise enough to toy with ideas of flooding the Heavens and the Earth with every sin they had collected.

   Chloe would take a bigger sip of her drink, almost finishing it. While she didn’t know much about how Hell worked, she knew that look on Maze’s face. Chloe’s free hand would unknowingly grip Lucifer’s arm a bit tighter, a fearful gesture that she wasn’t a hundred percent. She knew they would have to talk later, by themselves, but for now, getting at least an idea where to start would help.

The drink was gone in a single gulp, eyes wide and hands shaking slightly as he tried to process what he’d just heard.

Heaven’s gates were open.

How could they be? He’d been banished, he and later his mother. Now that she was gone, though, the gates were closed specifically to keep him out. Not that he’d wanted to return, he’d always say, he’d started a rebellion against dear old Dad, Heaven wasn’t exactly his favorite place in the world. So why should it even matter if he was welcome again? He didn’t want to return, he’d never wanted to return.

But then why was the first thought that popped into his head ‘I can go back home’?

Earth was his home. Heaven hadn’t been in eons. But then again, his departure had been less than graceful, and certainly traumatizing. His last few memories of Heaven, of the place he’d called home since before the concept of time was invented, were painful enough that he avoided thinking about them whenever possible.

“No. No, you must be mistaken, brother.” Lucifer shook his head, even though he knew that it was rather unlikely that Amenadiel would be mistaken about something as straightforward as rather the gates were open or closed. “That’s not possible, I - our father banished me for all of eternity, he didn’t just... Put me in the time-out corner.”

He thought that she understood why he’d left. But maybe it wasn’t that simple, maybe she needed to hear it from him once again, under better circumstances. The last time... It’d been too painful for both of them. It was good, though, knowing that Maze was at least trying to keep her spirits up. He just wished that she didn’t have to, he just wished that he could stay.

Maze was right about the demons, too. There were thousands of them in Hell, but only a few that were old enough and knowledgeable enough to pull something like this off. His first thought was Belias, but there were a couple of others that could have done this, too. “Yes, Maze, but even then... They would need to have some sort of agent on Earth, someone to get the first mark in place. Someone must have slipped out first, or someone is helping them”

Feeling Chloe’s grip on his arm tighten, he moved to place his hand over hers, trying to offer her some comfort. For him, this was a crisis, but any fear came from the chaos that could break out soon enough. For her... Demons must be terrifying, even knowing Maze as well as she did.

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   Chloe watched his reaction fall and part of it broke her heart. She wanted nothing more than to forget all of this mess and move forward just enjoying him being home. Her hands on his arms squeezed a little harder, using his presences now to give her strength. She needed to make sure things were safe just as well as he did. 

   “Maze didn’t recognize it,” Chloe took a deep breath. “I did,” She smiled gently. “Maze taught me a thing or two while you were gone. Same with Amenadiel. I -   “ She hoped he wouldn’t be mad. “I wanted to be prepared if you ever needed my help, for what good one little human would do.”

   Chloe reached into her jacket, revealing the demon metal gun she had hidden away. She pulled out her phone with a series of pictures the man had taken as his mug shot as well as his tattoos. She would sigh, gauging his reaction when he would look over the pictures. “Lucifer, I’m sorry,” She whispered. “I know this isn’t what you wanted. Amenadiel was going to see if you knew, but if this is something bigger, we might have to go another direction to find out what is going on.”

   Heaven wasn’t his favorite place, but someone up there had to know what was going on. Even if it was talking to others he’d rather never see again. Maybe this would make Lucifer return to Hell, away from her again, just to track down what was happening. “…I have names of others, but no idea if they are in the same situation. If they are working under your radar, maybe they are Heaven’s as well…I just happened to stumble across it with some inside knowledge.”

   “Oh, did she?”

Chloe, learning about demons and Hell. He was proud of her and happy that she accepted him and Maze and all of his world enough that she wanted to learn more about it, but at the same time... She was human. Humans weren’t exactly made to get involved in this - she could get hurt, or worse. How many times hadn’t he pulled away from her because he realized the danger that his mere affection towards her could put her in? But then again, a well-informed detective was a safer detective.

And she had Maze and Amenadiel to teach her and to protect her. She was smart, and she was capable. She’d be fine, right? Right.

“Well, you’re in luck, she’s an excellent teacher. Perhaps not quite as good as yours truly, but what can you do?” He offered her a smirk, then glanced towards Maze and Amenadiel, wondering what it was exactly that they’d told her and taught her. It was strange, being so removed from her life, especially now. He’d always thought that if she ever came to truly know who he was, then he’d be the one there answering her questions. It hurt that it wasn’t.

He frowned a little at the sight of the engravings on her gun - that certainly wasn’t standard issue. Had Maze taken up Lilim whittling while he was gone? Because that certainly looked like Lilim.

As did the markings on those pictures.

He hadn’t seen anything like that in a very, very long time. He’d really never thought that he ever would see something like this again. Times had changed so much, both on Earth and in Hell...  But then again, he’d also never thought that he’d have to deal with demonic possession again, not in any way.

“Yes, Detective, I’m afraid that this certainly isn’t what I wanted. So much for a nice romantic weekend.” He wanted to just let it slide, at least for these two days. He wanted to ignore it, to file it under ‘Hell business to be dealt with after a well-deserved vacation’. But that wasn’t how things worked, was it? People were getting hurt, and Hell was quite probably slipping out of control. He couldn’t ignore it, not even for a weekend. “But it is serious. These demons have managed to slip out of Hell unnoticed, which means that I have no way of tracking them down or of making sure that it doesn’t happen again, not until I figure out exactly how they are doing this.”

Chloe’s suggestion sounded so absurd to him that it took a moment for him to understand it. “Heaven, Detective? I assure you, if angels knew about this, we’d have already had a feathery incursion. Father would never tolerate demons walking the Earth.” And no angel would ever dare disobey him, would they? Not like he had. “But if you want to talk to Heaven, then I’m afraid you’ll have to ask Amenadiel. I’m not welcome there anymore.”

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    “I know…”

    Her words a muffled whisper against the fabric of his jacket. It had just been close enough to his ear to hear. Opening her eyes a moment later, she loosened her hold only to fall back onto her own two feet flat. She kept him close and a tear had finally escaped. She looked up at him, her hand coming down and running across the collar of his Armani. Her eyes followed as she smoothed it out from her intense hug, but she didn’t bother to move out of the tight hold he had on her.

           “…But I think this is going to be more about business than you’d like,” She looked back up at him finally. The only fear in her eyes was losing him all over again. Perhaps that was the only reason her smile started to fade in thought. “My case landed on my lap about a body seen in a fountain…dead, yet when we got there, it had walked away right into the station,” She had to tell him, there was no use in delaying it more than they needed to. Not if time was against them. “H-he had engravings in his skin. Markings of the Lilim to allow them to be used while still alive,” She looked up at Lucifer’s eyes again knowingly. “That’s why I called them,” She nodded where the others were. “That’s why I thought you were here for other reasons…”

   She squinted up at him shaking her head slowly. “You didn’t know,” She whispered. “Did you?”

   Demons were working outside of the circles. Some of the oldest with Dromos he who had still yet to be found. Chloe happened across only one set that could be many, but perhaps that was only by chance. This city was touched by the Devil regardless of choice. It was the easiest rift for them to access and Chloe had once again stumbled across it.

   Somehow though, she didn’t seem afraid. Chloe stood there, body to body with the Devil himself talking of demons and them rising yet she stood tall, proudly with the man whom she loved dearly…and still did. Chloe knew more about his world now that she was going to admit and that showed in the holster. There laid a firearm custom engraved with markings of Hell that would allow special bullets to work against demons, Maze’s handy work, no doubt.

   They had a case, none the less, that provoked a little interest in both their worlds again. As happy as she was to have him back, she knew this would upset the real meaning of his return now.

No.

No, no, no, no.

This was bad, this was very bad. He’d forbidden demons from taking deceased vessels a long time ago, yes, but possessing humans that were still alive? He wasn’t even the one who’d forbidden it - rules regarding living humans were his father’s territory. These demons were risking something far greater than they probably even realized, and of course, as the king of Hell, he was sure that it’d all get blamed on him.

But at the moment, he had to admit that this wasn’t quite about him.

This magic... It was ancient. And markings of the Lilim - how had they even gotten that there? The only ones who even spoke that language were demons - and Lucifer himself, of course. Some demon must have remained on Earth, or left without his knowledge and taken a human body. There were thousands of them, he couldn’t possibly keep track of every single demon. It was entirely possible that someone had gone missing and it’d escaped his notice.

Either that or they were working with someone on Earth. He wished that he could say that was absurd, but humans... Sometimes humans were far worse than demons.

“No. No, I did not.” He answered, shaking his head. “Did Maze recognize the markings? Do you have a photo? Detective, this - this is ancient magic. It’s something my father forbade far before I even had the chance. Demons are not to interfere with a human’s free will. Neither Heaven nor Hell are allowed to meddle in that sense.”

He frowned, glancing in the direction that Linda had left. Granted, it was entirely possible that demons were leaving Hell simply because they wanted to have some fun on Earth, but after what had happened with Charlie, he couldn’t help but worry that they might be coming back for him.

And all of this was happening right under his nose. It wasn’t even that the demons continued to defy him even after a decade spent back on the throne - they were sneaking out behind his back, they were using ancient magic to leave Hell and he never noticed it.

The situation was certainly serious.

“What I don’t understand is how they’ve managed this. Was that man the only one you’ve found? Some demon must have come here before or - “ He shook his head. He wasn’t entirely familiar with this kind of magic, if he were to be honest. Was it possible that they were doing this all fully from Hell?

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   Chloe’s lips parted as she took a bite to her own cheek. Hearing how long it had been…and his fumbling of words thereafter only made it clearer for her. Her eyes looked over him, the anger bubbling in her softened. “ -   Ten years?” She remembered Maze said things ran faster down there, but she wasn’t aware it was that fast. “You really came back just to see me…?” Her lips wanted to curl into a smile, but the nagging sensation in the back of her mind kept wanting to blurt out everything.

   His step forward, her actual name from his lips only followed by the way he spoke her title made her smile a little more. ”Plans do change,” She’d take the last step to be within arms reach of him and her hands came up, softly laying on the bend of his arms. She let out a breathy laugh as if she thought he wasn’t real before her. “Maybe more often than we like, but that’s never stopped us before.”

   She suddenly couldn’t hold herself back and just allowed her arms to wrap around him as desperately as she had before the day she had been poisoned. It was strong, well overdue, and very warm. Her eyes closed as she buried her head into the nap of his neck, not caring if she had to be on her tiptoes to do it. “…Maze and Amenadiel helped me understand,” She whispered. The only other two otherworldly beings in her circle helped her understand why Lucifer left, why he had to return. While yes, he could have visited any time, demons were not like Angels. They had no rules other than their own and needed to be governed accordingly. She couldn’t have imagined what it had been like for him, but right now she was happy to see him…

          Home.

    “I think I might gag,” Maze grumbled looking from the breakfast nook at the two of them.

   “Hush Maze,” Linda grumbled before pushing her aside and shaking her head, letting them have a private moment.

“Well, to see all of you, but especially you.” Lucifer clarified, offering her a soft smile. He’d built a life for himself on Earth that he loved beyond measure. Linda, Amenadiel, Maze, Ella, Charlie, even Detective Douche - he’d missed all of them. But Chloe... That was who he’d wanted to see the most. It was the thought of her that kept pushing him to come to Earth even when the situation with the demons of Hell still wasn’t as stable as it probably should be.

He always wondered what she was doing back on Earth. What cases she was working, whether she had a new partner now that he was gone. Of course, nothing would beat their partnership. Nothing could beat quintessential Deckerstar.

His smile turned a little brighter at her touch, and yet a little more when she said that plans changing had never stopped them before. They didn’t have very long, he shouldn’t stay on Earth beyond perhaps a couple of days - it was already nearly three weeks in Hell - but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t spend some time together, right? They could finish that dinner they never got to have, they could make these two days be worth all that they could. “Right. Of course it never has.”

And then she was in his arms and suddenly, it felt like he was relaxing for the first time in years. He hugged her back just as tightly, though he was careful to be gentle, all too aware of the fact that his strength was far too much for a human body to handle. His eyes fell closed for a moment as he tried to just enjoy those few seconds of utter bliss - he could hardly remember the last time he’d felt like that.

Oh, he’d missed her so much.

“I hope you know that I didn’t want to leave, Detective.” He whispered back to her, eyes opening once again. He really hadn’t wanted to leave, not for a second. He’d spent eight years away from Hell, and after he met Chloe... He hadn’t had the faintest intention of ever sitting on the throne once again. She gave him a reason to stay. But he’d had to. He’d never have gone back unless he absolutely had to.

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   Maze groaned for a moment, watching the two of them basically eye fuck one another in the mushiest of ways. She tilted her head back and slowly stood up putting her knives away. “We are going to need drinks, but I get the largest one…” She grumbled before going up to Linda’s liquor cabinet. 

   The doctor was about to protest before taking a deep breath. “…I think I might help you with that,” She sighed, turning to join Maze and getting down some glasses.    “Sounds like a shit job,” Chloe snickered after Lucifer’s words. Her own eyes brimming, but almost afraid of letting them go. She had cried enough the day he left, as understanding as she wanted to be, she couldn’t shake the feeling he would simply leave again. “But someone has to do it,” She grinned again and shook her head. “Just like me.“ 

   “Chloe,” Amenadiel spoke up before he would reach out to put his hand on Lucifer’s shoulder. “No one expected -   “

   “No -   No I get it,” She smiled over Amenadiel, knowing he already knew, most likely from Maze. Her smile almost seemed a little forced. “No one expected him to show up randomly. Like you told me, he can do that just about any time. Everyone can, but demons,” She gestured around and shrugged. “Surprise, right?” 

   Chloe would look up at Lucifer. With a shuttering breath, her eyes ran circles over the Devil. Something had been eating away at her and it was hard to tell if it had really been her mad at him, or something else. One would assume the first, given the situation, but no one knew her like Lucifer did.

   Amenadiel, more than others, understood that tone now living with Linda and raising their child. He smiled sadly for a moment and would pat Lucifer’s Shoulder. “I’ll give you two a moment…” With that, he went to join the girls on the other side of the house, but clearly still in earshot.

   Chloe sighed and watched Amenadiel go. She let her eyes close for a moment, another deep breath is taken. She brought her arms crossed for a moment, hand coming up to rub the bridge of her nose. “…How long has it been for you?” She looked back up at him, attempting to still control herself a little. “Maze tried to explain it to me, but I still get the time shift a little confused.”    As well as Chloe Decker held things together, with Lucifer it had never been easy. The redness in her eyes showed her happiness and pain all rolled up under sadness and regret. Eyelashes balanced tears and held them from falling. She couldn’t help the smile that came to her lips, a small tremble. “ -    Need my help with something maybe?”

   Him returning, the cults and demons she had come across. That couldn’t have been coincidences, could it? He returned to get his demon back and he would leave. Her rush of emotion had already decided that. He hadn’t returned for her…If he did, why wait this long? What held him back if he could come and go? Even Maze didn’t know what the hold up was.

   …She missed him deeply and it showed.

Lucifer hardly even noticed Maze and Linda leaving, his attention fully focused on Chloe. It was almost like the whole world just fell away now that she was there - he could hardly even remember what he’d been concerned about before she arrived. There’d been something, something that Linda had been hinting at, but... Oh, it didn’t matter.

Whatever it was, it could wait.

“Oh, I seem to remember you quite liked your job.” He pointed out, offering her a bit of a smile. He’d come to really enjoy it, too. He missed it, even if what he missed the most was working by her side.

He’d thought she’d be happy to see him, but something... Something was bugging her, wasn’t it? Was she upset that he’d left? He imagined that she wasn’t happy about it, but she understood, didn’t she? If there was anyone who’d understand, he thought that it’d be her. But then what was it that was bothering her?

There was something about her words, about the fact that Amenadiel, of all people, seemed to be trying to support him...

He wasn’t sure what it was, but there was something there.

The question of how long it’s been gave his heart another twinge. It’d been so long. Too long. “A few years. About ten or so.” For every minute that passed by on Earth, roughly ten minutes passed in Hell. The difference might not seem like much, when it certainly added up. He was almost grateful for it, though. It meant that at least it hadn’t been so long for her.

It was her next question that got him, though, and he frowned. Why would she think that he needed her help with something? Why would her mind immediately go there? He’d been ruling Hell for the past decade, and he’d certainly never ask her for help on anything related to that realm. He’d rather keep her as far away as possible from that side of his life.

“What? No, why would I - Detective... Chloe. I came here to see you. A visit. Purely pleasure, no business, I promise. I thought that would be quite obvious.” The frown was still on his face, analyzing her own expression carefully as he tried to determine what was going through her mind. “Well, perhaps not quite as obvious as I had planned, but plans change, don’t they? I’m sure we can still have a wonderful time."

He took a step closer to her, concern now showing on his face. “Detective, what is going on?”

[detectivecdeckerarchive]

Keeping Your Memory With Me

[thanapart]

detectivecdecker‌:

   Maze would only grin and slowly shake her head looking over the Devil. “Well Lucifer, all I can say is,” Her grin couldn’t get any bigger. “There is no Hell like a woman’s scorn,” She popped her tongue against the roof of her mouth picking her nails with her knife.

   “Maze…” Amenadiel sighed and shook his head. “Chloe has been…protective in our lives still, but I do believe she holds some resentment for being taken away from her,” He rubbed his eyes knowing it wasn’t his place but Lucifer might have to be prepared for it. “And by the sounds of it, she had a right to be. Brother, she called just a view moments ago to tell us that -   “

   “Maze?!” Chloe’s voice rang out after she knocked on the door, finding it easily pushed in. Her hair was braided back as boring as it could be still. Her jacket and jeans, boots that always seemed to be clean enough for her to run after people in.

   “Penny in the air...” Maze whispered sitting up and licking her lips, interested in watching this unfold.

   “Amenadiel? I think I might…” Her breath left her when she saw Lucifer’s backside next to his brother. The suit and hair were unmistakable. “Know…where two more are…” She came down the steps almost as slowly as her breath. Her eyebrows furrowed and she seemed as worried as she had when she came in. Only to confirm her suspicions from before. 

                    “Lυcιғer?”

   “  -   Penny dropped,” Linda finished coming back into the room and would stand by Chloe first. “Chloe, easy,” She whispered to her knowing what shock looked like on a person’s face. “He doesn’t know…”

   Chloe would blink a few times before glancing at Linda as she spoke. Her eyes moved back to Lucifer. “…Then I guess it’s a good thing the King Of Hell has returned,” She gave a small smirk to the Devil showing she was happy, but now might not be the reunion he was hoping for. 

   Linda relaxed when Chloe didn’t faint. 

There is no Hell like a woman’s scorn?

Clearly, Maze had to be talking about the detective - or Eve, he supposed, but things with Eve had ended in a rather final note, and somehow he really didn’t think that it was Eve that she was talking about. No, it was Chloe. It had to be Chloe.

But how had he scorned her? Amenadiel’s explanation provided him little clarity in that sense. He’d left because he’d had to leave, he’d left because if he didn’t, demons would begin to terrorize the Earth. Someone had to put them in line, and the only one who could do was him. Surely the detective couldn’t hold that against him? He hadn’t wanted to leave any more than she’d wanted him to leave, she had to know that.

Leaving, especially at that moment, had been one of the most painful things that he’d ever had to do. And staying away had been no easier.

But he knew Maze, and he knew that look. She was eagerly expecting a show.

He barely had time to prepare for seeing Chloe again before her voice filled his ears, and he felt a twinge in his heart. He’d missed her, he’d missed her terribly, and it’s been so much longer than a year for him. This moment, this reunion, he’d been thinking about it for so long, living and reliving it in his mind as he told himself that he needed to stay in Hell. His original plan involved surprising Chloe with the dinner they’d never quite gotten to have, this time served at her place, but - well, he was happy just to get to see her again.

But as his eyes fell on her, he just didn’t know how to react. He could hardly even remember how to breathe.

Chloe. After all this time, there she was. It hardly seemed real.

He wanted to say something, but his voice caught in his throat, and he let out a small chuckle at his own reaction before deciding to say something else, something that might actually stand a chance at coming out his throat. “The King of Hell? Please tell me this isn’t going to turn into a business trip, I’ve been sitting at that throne for far too many years, and I’m afraid the vacation days for my job stack up very slowly.”

It was easier to make a joke than it was to deal with the fact that finally, after all these years, he was back on Earth with her. There were tears brimming at his eyes, but he was ignoring them.

Nothing else really seemed to matter at that moment. Nothing but Chloe.

[detectivecdeckerarchive]

Keeping Your Memory With Me

[thanapart]

detectivecdecker‌:

   What Lucifer would be met with stepping into Amenadiel and Linda’s home was a screaming naked toddler running throughout the house holding his diaper in hand. He was all smiles and very bright eyes of Amen. When Lucifer made his presence known, the toddler would look up at him, giggle again and run back the way he came. 

   “Charlie!” Linda shouted coming out of the kitchen for her son before being met with the sight of the Devil. “Oh…oh Hell,” She shook her head realizing what she said, closing her eyes for a moment. “You’re back? Is everything okay? Does this mean she was right after all?!” Linda had a million questions before feeling her son grip onto her leg and bounce around laughing still.    The doctor’s attention was drawn to her naked child and picked him up, sighing. “And you, that needs to stay on your little butt mister,” She would take him over to the changing table and start to put him in a fresh one and in a onesie. 

   “Linda, Maze and I need to have a -   “ He would come through the door only to collide with the man in the suit. His arms reached out to steady the man as well as himself and blinked a few times. “Luci!?” He smiled brightly before bringing him in for a hug. “I was just about to come find you! What are you doing here?”    “So that means he doesn’t know,” Linda whispered to herself before blinking. She set her child on to her hip and around turn to face the two angels. “Okay, okay, I need to put Charlie down for his nap and then we can…conveen once she gets here.”    “…Which will be any moment now,” Came Maze from the other side of the house. She had her classic knives in hand as if ready for something more drastic. She had heard Lucifer before all of them and was glaring him down for a moment, obviously a little flustered by him just randomly coming back. Unless she figured he knew. She sat down on the couch by jumping over the back of it and stretched out, still glaring. “How’s down under?” She grinned biting her tongue. “Bet they all still tremble at your feet huh?”

Oh, so the little miscreant was already up on two legs now? Great, even more work for his brother and Linda. Really, he’d never understand the human urge to procreate. Lucifer had never been a big fan of children, but he had to admit that he had some fondness for his nephew - as well as for the detective’s offspring, even if he’d never said that in so many words.

He was rather relieved when Linda swooped in and picked up her son, but his attention was quickly drawn to her words. Did that mean that who was right? He’d only come back for a very short vacation, but Linda’s words and, frankly, her concern rather than excitement at seeing him again after so long, suggested that maybe he’d come back just in time for something.

What? He had no idea. But he doubted it was good news.

And then there was Amenadiel. His brother seemed a little happier to see him, but if he’d been just about to fly down to hell... Whatever this was, it was pretty serious.

Lucifer returned the hug somewhat awkwardly, still not quite used to this closer relationship between himself and his brother. “Well, I came here for a short visit, but it seems like I may have extend my stay." Not that he’d be too broken up about that. It was more the fact that it seemed like something big had popped up that concerned him. What could possibly have happened that Heaven’s greatest warrior and an excellent detective couldn’t handle?

He turned his attention to Linda. “Who was right about what?” He asked her, frowning a little in concern.

And then there was Maze. Seeing her again quickly wiped the worried look from his face and brought a smile to his lips. Hell just wasn’t the same without her - he’d really missed her. “Well, of course. I can think of few incentives for a demon better than self-preservation.” He offered Maze a bit of a smirk. “Plus, I do think that my new full-body devilish look was quite the nice reminder of who’s in charge.”

The smirk lingered on his lips for a few more moments before he turned his attention back to Linda once again. “Wait, who’s coming over? Oh, is it the detective? I was planning on dropping by her house later today, but this is as good a time as any, I suppose. How do I look? Devilishly handsome?” 

[detectivecdeckerarchive]

Keeping Your Memory With Me

@thanapart || Post Season 4 Starter “ɢυɴ'ѕ вlαzιɴɢ”

   Chloe looked over the man as he tried to think. Her eyes squinted and looking down at his shirt as he kept scratching his left side of his chest. He had been presumed dead in her latest case and it bared a striking resemblance to old cases from over a year ago…before he left. Chloe had kept her head in the game, continued her work, but she also had Maze, Amenadiel, Charlie, to remind her everything she had with Lucifer was real. Even still, it didn’t hurt to ask them for advice, learn more about their world and how it all worked.

   Maybe that way she’d be ready if he ever came home.

   "I — I miss my mother,” He admitted frowning harder looking back at the Detective, tears in his eyes. “I wouldn’t have gone to drugs if she didn’t die in that car accident…” He whimpered before looking down at the imagines in front of him, of the fountain. “James Rick, and Crystal Barnes,” He whispered their names his lip quivering.

   This man before her was a mess. Although her team of medics had cleaned him up, he refused the hospital. From what Chloe had gathered, he was tossed into a water fountain in the middle of a park to die…but walked away. 

   “I would still be with my wife — “ His eyes widened looking back at her. “I had to leave, or they would have killed her. They said they would, so many times over and over again in my head — “ He pointed to his temple. “If I didn’t do what they wanted.”

   Chloe would nod slowly, putting the names to her memory. “I understand — “ She whispered putting her hand out slowly to him. “We will protect you from them, don’t worry,” Voices in the man’s head? It didn’t have the same M.O. but something about it all wasn’t settling with her right. Maze didn’t think she would ever need the knowledge of demons and how they worked, not with Lucifer ruling back in Hell, keeping them contained.

   “No! No — you can’t!” He stood up and slammed his hands down on the table. It made Chloe jump back and stand with one hand out, the other on her hip if she needed her gun. “No one can help me! Do you even know what they are?! The voices!? The whispers!” He pleads with her. “They showed me what would happen to me and this is my only way of staying alive…” He reached over to his shirt and pulled it down showing the engraved, scared pentagram with other demonic language written around it. It was bleeding and suddenly healed over like a tattoo.

   Chloe’s eyes looked at the image before her head would tilt to the side. “Alright — alright listen, I know what they are and we can help you. You are obviously under some control of yourself right now. I know someone who can help take this off,” She nodded her head, eyes bugged out for a moment looking over her shoulder. “I think — and get protection.”

   The man smiled sinisterly for a moment through tearful eyes. His lip quivered after the smile. “Doubtful,” He spoke without a breathy stutter before he would look to the mirror. Suddenly he stopped shaking and let out a sigh, the smoke left his lips. “They are so much fun to ride. Much easier than jumping into the dead,” He cracked a smile, licking his teeth as if checking himself in the mirror.

   The then inhumanly leaped across the table for Chloe gripping her arm with incredible strength. Chloe let out a small cry feeling her skin tighten and with her hand on her hip, she pulled her gun. With her hand on it, anyone, either storming into the room or continuous watching from the viewing room, the gun she had was not a standard issue anymore. It had engraved, custom made to reflect the same demonic language expressed on the tattoo to the man’s chest.

   Through her pain, Chloe had grown thick skin even if she was doing all she could to hold it together. “Oh, I think I understand very well,” She hissed at him as the symbols would glow. She pulled the trigger and a flash sparked, the bullet flying into the man’s leg. A cry was released, the demon losing all control over the host as he clutched his leg. Uniforms ran in and she was able to breathe again. She brought her arm he had into her chest. “Shit!” She hissed putting her gun lose on her hostler again.

   Dan rushed in soon after, his first priority was Chloe. He quickly moved to her side as the uniforms dealt with her suspect. “What happened?! Are you okay?” He saw her nursing her arm and looked worried.

   “I’m fine Dan, he leaped at me,” She shook her head panting for a moment as her eyes fell on the man they lifted up. She took notice that the man didn’t look sinister anymore. Confusion settled in and the tears started once more.

   “What’s going on?!” He shouted whimpering from the pain in his leg. AS he doubled forward, a long blade fell from his jacket and onto the ground. The steel was black, the only other person Chloe knew who had that kind of steel was Maze.

   Dan narrowed his eyes at the sight of the weapon. “Who checked him?!” He shouted. “Don’t worry Chloe, I’ll handle this,” He assured her and all she could do was nod her head as he left the room.

   Chloe denied any treatment, all she had now was a bruise in the shape of a hand on her arm. Once everything had settled, she walked out of the station, paperwork filed on the shot and quickly called Maze. A few deep breaths before the demon picked up gave her enough time to stop shaking.

   “Maze? We got a problem…I need you and Amenadiel to meet me at your house in 30 minutes,” She spoke quickly, not giving the demon enough time to answer.

   Over the year since she had taken any information she could collect from Maze, Amenadiel, just as seriously as anything else. Lucifer wasn’t the only celestial they had to deal with in that time, many other angels came to see the Nephilim allowed to stay on Earth. Maze had her gun custom built for just in case moments like this one. Chloe normally kept it locked away, but lately…things seemed to shift. Whatever gut feeling filled her that day at the crime scene (a pool of blood, gushing from a water fountain) had rocked her. She had cases with missing bodies before, but this just seemed off.

             And she had been right.

   Somehow, demon’s were slipping through the cracks and perhaps it was right under Lucifer’s nose. Someone or something was letting them loose and if that was the case, she had to wonder…Did Lucifer know?

[thanapart]

He shouldn’t leave Hell so soon after returning, he knew that.

Stability and order would come with time, yes, and he should stay there to see it through, he should be absolutely certain that things had gone back to normal before he dared to step foot out of Hell, but... Oh, he missed Earth. He missed Earth, and he missed her.

Chloe.

Of course she’d tell him she loves him right when he needed to leave. Of course he’d learn that she accepts him for who he is in those last few minutes on Earth. Of course.

He had a responsibility to stay and maintain the order, to be the king that the demons had been looking for. If he didn’t, then chaos would reach the Earth sooner or later, it was just a matter of time. The process had already begun, and if he’d still stayed away, then... There was no telling whether he’d be able to squash it once he finally did return. But still, staying there, being away from the life he’d built for himself on Earth, the life that he’d grown to love, the life that he’d actually chosen, from Chloe and Amenadiel, from Linda and his cousin, from Maze and Ella -  it hurt.

Hell was a cold, lonely place, and he was sitting by himself at the throne.

Sometimes he liked to imagine that the detective was there with him, but that just ended up feeling wrong. He hoped that she never had see this place.

As the days passed and turned into years, time in Hell dragging by far more slowly than time on Earth, he grew restless. He wanted to leave, he wanted a vacation, he wanted to see the detective again, to see everyone again. Even if it was just for a couple of days, he’d earned it, hadn’t he?

He stayed for as long as he could bear to be there, but after about one Earth year, he simply couldn’t do it anymore.

And goodness, how he’d missed the fresh air.

This must be a design thing, something that he’d never even quite noticed about Hell - oh, it was personalized for everyone, of course, but the air was never quite fresh, was it? Truly, it was awful, even if you never really noticed it.

He considered dropping by LUX, but he wasn’t quite sure that he wanted to see what had become of his club - he quite liked the place, and he couldn’t shake the fear that it might have been turned into a denim store or something along those lines. No, he’d ask Maze, she could break it to him... Well, not gently, that wasn’t Maze’s style. But she’d tell him the truth, he knew that much.

So his first stop, he decided, would be to visit his brother, Maze, Linda and the little celestial. He’d go to the detective afterwards, he’d rather have a moment to think about this, about how he’d handle it. After all, it wasn’t like he was staying. This was just a visit, a short visit. A couple of days on Earth was easily a week in Hell, and he’d rather not have any demons know that he was popping back to Earth, even just for a few days.

“Maze? Linda? Brother?” He called as he made his way inside. “Never fear, your favorite devil is here. It seems I just can’t stay away.”

[thanapart]

I’m kind of considering rebooting this blog...

[knightwayne]

tony stark » color palette | texas sunset

requested by anonymous

[thanapart]

jienkora‌:

   Ziencora’s eyes lifted at the realization that he had been the one Albus referred to. With an embarrassed chuckle, she put her hands behind her back and bowed her head. “Ahh, well, I’ll just have to make you your own batch than, won’t I Sirius.”    She could feel everyone around her relax as he did. It had been a start. She couldn’t imagine what every story of her had turned to be, let alone to discover she wasn’t simply a story. “If I may have a word. I should fill you in on the reason I’ve offered my services and how I met them in the first place. Best to stay with trusted ears.”

   She stepped forward again this time up a few steps. She slowly accessed to him as her Patronus slowly faded in the small breeze she created in her movement. She gave him a small smile, understanding it he had a few he wished to bring with him that he trusted as well. It wasn’t her place to say who, but only her place to say why. Hopefully, their aligned interests kept them open minded for the moment.

Sirius laughed good-naturedly as she said that she’d have to make him his own batch. Honestly, he wouldn’t mind that at all. Still, he raised his hands as if in surrender, laughter still shining in his eyes. “I promise I’ll leave some for everyone else.”

When she said that she wanted to have a word, Sirius nodded. He wasn’t really in command there, at least not officially, but she seemed to want to talk to him, and considering the fact that he’d handled the situation so far, he figured that made sense. He gestured for James and Remus to follow him - Peter was away on a mission of his own - and he started to lead them somewhere more private.

“If you’re honest about helping us, then there’s no one here you can’t trust.” He assured her - it wasn’t entirely true, he’d heard from Dumbledore that they might have a spy in their midst, but she didn’t need to know that. He just wanted to make sure that she understood that he trusted pretty much everyone there, and pretty much everyone there trusted not only him, but each other. They were a tight-knit group. “But these are Remus and James. I’d trust them with my life any day.”

No last names, though. Not until he knew she could really be trusted.

[thanapart]

jienkora‌:

   Ziencora smiled at the mention of Albus telling her something for them. “He only mentioned that I will be allowed to your kitchen. Apparently, the sweet cakes I make is something he wishes I make more of before he returns here. He also said not to let Sirius eat them all, whatever they may mean.”

   She heard a series of chuckles and it made her relax visibly a little more. She glanced around her and then up to the man who was instructing the questioning of her. She stepped forward towards the stairs where he was. “I can remain detained until my story checks out once he returns if that is what you wish,” She offered. “But he may be upset the cakes aren’t ready as well.” 

Only someone who’d actually met Dumbledore would’ve known to say something like this - it certainly wouldn’t have occurred to most people. And him asking her to make sure that Sirius didn’t eat them all... Well, it certainly seemed like something Dumbledore would say, and it wasn’t something that she could possibly have predicted.

A small smile formed on his face, and he lowered his wand. He wouldn’t say that he trusted her just yet, but he believed that Dumbledore had sent her there, at least.

“That sounds like Dumbledore, I’ll give you that.” Sirius nodded slightly. “I’m Sirius, by the way.”

[thanapart]

jienkora‌:

   She smiled a bit more humbly at the mention of how she got through. She nodded slowly and would lower her hands once again. “I would…have hoped to speak with you in private for that matter, but I can tell that will not happen,” She cleared her throat. “I’ve been…separated from my kind, living among you as human. However, while I stay in the background of your affairs I realize this just isn’t your lives on the line.”

   She held out her hand and her Patronus was cast out. It was very small, a dragonfly cradled on her shoulder. “I am not simply named after the Dragon,” she informed them. “Unfortunately the core of that story is quite true.”

   She still smiled through what she could, but the age was in her eyes. She had lived a long life despite her curse to be human. Small features started to make more sense when they all knew what she was. She looked young, beautiful yet pale and oddly so. Her eyes had a glow that only reflected in the darkness. Her nails as sharp as they looked. If they wanted further proof, it wasn’t for the faint of heart.    “I’ve lived through countless wars, both human and wizard alike,” She sighed frowning finally. as she recalled. “I’ve seen more than I’ve been on the sidelines for, but this?” She shook her head. “It will have effects not only on these passing days but the future beyond it too. I’ve chosen my side and seek your establishment out carefully, my magic runs deep in my blood,” She put her hands out and let her basket in a small amount of residue of her energy. She flicked it away from her fingertips. “Your protection spells go untouched, I promise you how I found you were through natural means of your order. The last one I spoke to, Albus sent me here in wait of his return.”

She cast a Patronus without a wand.

Casting a Patronus - especially a corporeal one - was no small feat. There were plenty of people who struggled with it, and many of those who tried never succeeded. Wandless magic was even harder, and even those who were highly skilled often could only manage simple spells. To cast a corporeal Patronus without a wand? He wasn’t sure that even Dumbledore could do that.

If she was who she claimed to be, though... That would explain a lot. Dragons were inherently magical and powerful beings, far more so than even the most talented of wizardkind.

Her magic certainly seemed to support her story.

When she claimed that Dumbledore had sent her, Sirius could feel the tension in the air relax a little, but he still didn’t lower his wand. Its usefulness against her was somewhat doubtful, but at this point he supposed it was mostly symbolic of how welcome she was at that moment. It was, of course, entirely possible that she truly had been sent by Dumbledore - it wouldn’t be first time that he failed to inform them of something that they probably should have known about - but telling them that was also the most obvious way of getting them to lower their guard.

“You met Dumbledore, then.” Sirius started, hoping against hope that he was on the right path with this. “Did he tell you to tell us anything?”

[thanapart]

mindthevoices‌:

Sirius listened to all of Remus’ questions and couldn’t help but a quirk a faint smile at the unintended pun. “Actively? No. No, it sort of comes—naturally, with age. If there’s one thing I know about how all this works, is that children don’t do any work. It doesn’t really fully hit until you’re—seventeen? Eighteen usually. I think.”

He let out a sigh, reaching a hand up to rub and scratch lightly at the stubble on his jaw. “Sometimes I’m just sort of drawn to places and don’t realize why, but I’m usually more aware of it than that.” The last question caught him off guard, and for a moment, his gaze drops to the floor.

“I know. I know none of you would. But they probably already know I’ve told you. I don’t know what actually happens if you break this law of secrecy. I’ve been told hellhounds come after you and drag you through the veil, but I don’t know if that’s true, or just a story to scare little Gwyllgi kids. But then he looked back up at Remus and offered a faint, but hopeful smile. “It was the perfect excuse to let you see my Gwyllgi form, though. The whole—animagus thing.”

The former Gryffindor took a deep, shaky breath, then asked, “forgive me? For not telling you sooner?”

That made more sense, though really, Remus was hesitant to say that any of this made sense. He’d read up on the lore, try to see if he could make heads or tails out of any of this - he’d like to understand it better, just like his friends had read up on werewolves to understand what he went through better.

“What’s it like? I mean, if you don’t mind talking about it.” He wasn’t sure that he’d like to, if he was a purveyor of Death. But then again, he didn’t mind talking about his transformations with his friends, so maybe Sirius wouldn’t mind telling him a little more about his omen side. Those two things were far from the same, but the bond that they shared, at least, was.

The thought of hellhounds - he wasn’t sure what they would look like, but his imagination didn’t fail in conjuring a blood-chilling image - coming to drag Sirius through the veil was terrifying, especially considering how real it seemed like it could be considering all that he’d learned in the past few minutes. After a moment, though, fear turned into resolve, and he moved to give Sirius’ hand a small, reassuring squeeze. “No hellhounds are going to drag you anywhere if I’ve got anything to say about that.” He assured him, offering him a small smile. “There were... Extenuating circumstances, right? Telling me - it wasn’t really your fault.”

At Sirius’ question, Remus smiled and nodded. “Of course.”