AU Sinner Adam Celebrates A Boy Who Was Robbed Of His Life
[In the shimmering, golden halls of Heaven, the forever fourteen-year-old Emmett Till was surrounded by a party so big it could be heard across the clouds. Gifts were piled high, and family who had made it to Paradise crowded around the long banquet table. At the center of it all was his Mama, Mamie.]
Mamie Till: Happy Birthday, Bobo. (She leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.)
Emmett (smiling bright, his eyes crinkling): Thank you, Mama.
[Even though over seventy years had passed since his life was brutally stolen by hatredโhe would have been eighty-five had he livedโbeing in Heaven had slowly washed away the terror of his final hours on Earth. Here, he had met other kids who knew the weight of earthly tragedy: George Stinney Jr., the girls from the 16th Street Baptist Church, Virgal Ware, Joe Persons, Clarence Lowman, James Lewis Jr., Charles Trudell, the boys from the Arkansas Industrial School fire, and so many more. They were his best friends now. The pain of their pasts had transformed into an unbreakable bond, relieving the tragedy of their short lives.
Emmett loved that Heaven was nothing like the segregated Sundays he remembered in Chicago or Mississippi. He sat at a table blooming with every culture, race, and era. But among all his friends, Emmett had a special soft spot for one very specific, very loud guest: Adam.
The brash, rock-and-roll-loving Father of Humanity had taken Emmett under his wing the moment the boy arrived. Adam felt a deep, fierce connection to Emmettโhe knew the soul-crushing agony of losing a child to senseless cruelty, having lost Abel to Cain at the dawn of time. He became a chaotic, fiercely protective father figure Emmett adored, affectionately calling him "Papa Adam." When Mamie finally reunited with her son in Heaven years later, Papa Adam was right there, sniffling as Emmett crashed into her arms. Adam had always encouraged Emmettโs love for harmless pranks, laughing hysterically whenever the kid pulled one off.
Now that Adam had fallen to Hell as a sinner, Emmett missed his surrogate dad dearlyโespecially today.]
Emmett (sighing, tracing the rim of his plate): I really wish Papa Adam was here today, Mama.
Mamie Till (smiling tenderly, running a hand through his hair): I miss him too, baby. He always brought the noise.
[Right on cue, a sudden flash of bright pink light and a flurry of white feathers burst into the room. Emily, the Seraphim of Joy, practically skidded to a halt in front of their table, panting with excitement.]
Emily: Emmett! Mamie! Oh my gosh, I have the biggest news!
Emmett (sitting up straight, eyes wide): What is it, Emily?!
Emily: I just got off the holy commsโAdam is doing a live performance for you, broadcast straight from Hell!
Emmett and Mamie Till (in unison, stunned): Really?!
Emily (nodding rapidly, her halo spinning): Yes! Just like he did for Father's Day! We're setting up the divine feed right now. Get ready!
[The entire room erupted in chatter as the angelic crew patched into the broadcast. Emmett gripped the edges of his chair, grinning so wide his cheeks hurt. Emily gave a thumbs-up from the side of a massive golden screen hovering over the hall.]
Emily: Alright, Emmett... feed's live in three, two, one!
[The screen flickered to life, revealing the lobby of the Hazbin Hotel. Standing front and center was Adamโnow sporting dark, jagged horns, a sinnerโs sinister grin, and holding a corrupted, dark-gilded V-factor electric guitar. Behind him, looking unexpectedly polished, were Angel Dust, Cherri Bomb, Rooster, and a very reluctant Husk holding a bass.]
Adam (throwing double rock horns at the camera, leaning in close): WHAT IS UP, HEAVEN?! We are broadcasting live from the absolute pit to give one of my favorite little dudes in the universe a freakin' righteous birthday!
[The Heavenly banquet hall shook with cheers. The childrenโs section went absolute wild.]
Heavenly Children (chanting in total chaos): PAPA ADAM! BIG PAPA ADAM! DADDY ADAM!
Emmett (jumping out of his seat, waving furiously): PAPA ADAM!
Adam (shooting a sharp wink and a finger-gun right at the screen): Happy eighty-fifth, birthday boy! I decided to spruce up a classic for ya. With all due respect to Mr. Stevie Wonder, who I know respects the hustle. Hit it, boys!
[Adam slammed his pick across the strings, riffing an electric, soulful melody as the Hazbin chorus kicked in.]
"Happy Birthday (Dedicated to Emmett Till)"
You know it doesn't make much sense
To only see a shadow tense,
And overlook the innocence
Of a boy whose laughter filled the room with brightness!
'Cause we all know in our minds
That there oughta be a time
Where we leave the grief behind
To celebrate the joy you brought us!
And I'm sure you would agree
What could fit more perfectly
Than to honor all the warmth you gave before you had to leave?
[Chorus - Adam & Hazbin Crew]
I just want the world to see
The boy who lived so playfully,
Whose smile lit up Chicago's streets
With a spirit full of jokes and light and wonder!
Because it should never be
That the world forgets your glee,
Or the love you gave so free,
Lost beneath the tragedy and thunder!
For the kid who loved to jest,
Who put his family to the test
With a heart so full and blestโ
We remember you, young Emmett Till!
[Chorus - Adam & Hazbin Crew]
[Bridge - Adam] (shredding on guitar)
Why should we only know your name
Through a lens of grief and pain?
When your boyhood was a spark of light,
A life that shone so bright!
For the world to look at you
And see the happy child who knew
How to bring a smile to everyone around him!
It should be a great event,
And the whole day should be spent
Celebrating how you lived,
And every piece of love you had to give!
Let the joy of your life in,
We know the heart of who you were is living on,
Not just the boy whose life was taken far too soon,
But the son, the cousin, the friend who brought the sun into the room!
We choose to honor your light,
We choose to remember your joy,
And celebrate the beautiful life of a fourteen-year-old boy!
I know we will, 'cause our hearts tell us so!
[Adam finished on a soaring, high-octane guitar solo, sliding onto his knees on the hotel rug. Down in Hell, the Hazbin crewโAngel, Cherri, Rooster, and Huskโactually looked proud. Even though Husk had taken some convincing, the moment he realized who the song was for, he hadn't hesitated; he remembered the tragedy from his own living years. Angel and Rooster, who died before Emmettโs time, were deeply moved to help honor a stolen youth. And Cherri, despite being Australian, knew a monster when she heard of one, agreeing that the scum who hurt Emmett deserved every bit of eternal punishment they got.
Up in Heaven, the room exploded into thunderous applause. Mamie Till wiped a fierce, proud tear from her eye, pulling Emmett close as he laughed, his heart soaring. Emily beamed, thrilled to see the raw, protective love Adam still held for the innocent souls heโd sworn to protect as the First Father.]
Adam (looking up at the camera, wiping a stray tear off his cheek and quickly covering it up with a cocky smirk): Emmett, little buddy... for all the years I've known ya, don't ever forget: the world is a whole lot brighter when it remembers the joy of kids like you. Keep rockin' Heaven, kiddo.
[The broadcast cut to black, but the warmth in Heaven remained buzzing like a live wire.]
Emmett (looking at his mother, beaming): He remembered the joke about the whistle, Mama! He re-wrote Stevie Wonder's song for me!
Mamie Till (smiling fiercely, kissing the top of his head): He sure did, Bobo. He sure did. Even down there, they know your light.
Down in Hell: The Hazbin Hotel Lobby
The heavy silence following the broadcast was broken by the sharp clack of Husk setting his bass down against the bar.
Adam lowered his dark guitar, letting the strap slip off his shoulder. For a guy who usually strutted around bragging about being the "Dickmaster" and the "Original Badass," he was strikingly quiet, staring down at his dark, gilded frets. He raised a hand and casually swiped at the corner of his eye, aggressively brushing away invisible dust.
"Not a word, cat," Adam muttered, pointing a sharp finger at Husk without looking up. "Not one freakin' word."
Husk rolled his eyes, though a rare, respectful nod betrayed his soft spot. "I ain't sayin' shit, boss. But... that was a good thing you did. Kid deserved a real anthem."
"Damn right, mate," Cherri Bomb said, leaning casually against her bomb bag with an unusually soft look. "Iโve seen some real scum down here, but hearing what those backwoods bastards did to that boy? Makes me wish I could've dropped a nuke on 'em myself."
"Adam," Angel Dust stepped forward, tossing a pink feather boa over his shoulder, his voice dropping its usual playful bravado. "I mean it. That was actually really sweet. Didn't think you had it in ya to clean up your mouth and do something so... genuine."
Adam sniffed, swinging his guitar onto his back and flaring his dark wings out. He threw his hands on his hips and let out a boisterous, classic Adam laugh to cover up the lingering lump in his throat.
"Pfft! Of course I had it in me! I'm the original freakin' dad, baby! I invented fatherhood!" Adam boasted, though his voice lacked its usual cruel edge, replaced by something warm and protective. He looked up toward the hazy red ceiling of Hell, as if he could look straight through the pentagram all the way up to the Golden Gates.
"Besides," Adam added softly under his breath, a real smile cracking through his rough exterior, "little guy's got a top-tier prank game. Had to show my boy that his Papa Adam still knows how to throw down."
