"Al..." Lucifer whispered gently, continuing to hold his sweet demon in his arms.
The redhead only moved slightly, burying his face deeper into the nest the blond had created with his arms and chest.
"Darling, we have to get up... I know you're tired. You didn’t sleep much." He placed soft kisses on Alastor's head, hoping to wake him up gently.
He was still a demon, and Lucifer didn’t want to find out what it meant to make him angry. He certainly didn’t expect demons to sleep, but the previous night, after hours of desperate and endless crying, Alastor had slowly fallen asleep in his embrace. Lucifer's heart was filled with tenderness for him, and though the incubus was often a jerk, not to mention excessively provocative, he also had a sweet and innocent side.
That crying was unmistakable to the baker, who had all night to reflect on it. Alastor didn’t want to admit it, but by now it was clear to Lucifer that he loved the being he held in his arms. However, he wasn’t sure if Alastor felt the same way, but those tears definitely indicated that he missed the Lucifer he once knew. He had probably broken his heart when he didn’t recognize him the day before, upon returning home and practically yelling in his face. He didn’t know how he behaved in the world of dreams, but he would try his best to act as naturally as possible and show the incubus that he was still the same person, just without memories.
Lucifer rolled his eyes. As much as it hurt him to see him cry, he regretted no longer having that sweet, wounded puppy by his side.
"Al, I can’t be quiet. I’d really love to let you sleep, but we have to go have breakfast, get ready, and go to the supplier for the bakery. Halloween is just around the corner..."
Alastor turned his head slightly, allowing the blond to see one of his eyes in the sunlight. He was sleepy, and his gaze was distant, showing that half of his brain was still asleep.
"For the duck-shaped cream puffs?" He mumbled.
Lucifer started, his eyes wide open.
"How... how do you know?"
The blond silently answered himself, recalling the word "carnelian" that had popped into his mind for no reason. Perhaps it had been a suggestion from Alastor, indicating that he had asked him for advice. And, objectively, only a demon unfamiliar with the human digestive system could suggest using powdered stone to season a cream.
Meanwhile, Alastor remembered that conversation. It was the first time they had one. Lucifer always tried to talk to him, and that time he had convinced him, particularly insisting. Since then, it became normal for them to chat before and after their encounters. Alastor felt that unpleasant sensation in his chest again. It was really annoying, and it always seemed to be caused by thoughts of Lucifer, as well as the waves of pleasant warmth he experienced. His vision became misty again, so he turned away, hiding his face in Lucifer's pajamas.
The blond wasn’t blind, nor was he stupid. He noticed that Alastor had remembered something, probably the conversation about the creams, and that he was moved by the thought. It was blindingly obvious that he missed him. And seeing how inexperienced he was in everything except sex, Lucifer wondered if he understood what he was feeling.
Lucifer held him closer, trying to move one of his arms to gently caress the back of his neck.
"Listen... you... you don’t know what you’re feeling, do you?"
"No. Demons don’t feel anything, Lucifer. Or at least, they feel much less than you humans."
"I figured. But now you have a practically human body, right?"
Lucifer blinked several times but decided not to investigate for the moment. He didn’t want to change the subject.
"I don’t know... what these things are."
"I figured as much." He whispered, continuing to caress him.
"Can I tell you what you’re feeling? After all, I’ve been human for a few years now."
"You promised, Lucifer." He grumbled, almost offended.
"You’re right, I did. I just want to explain it, and then I’ll forget everything."
Alastor remained silent for a while. Lucifer feared he had fallen back asleep and tried to look at his face, slightly tilting his head. His eyes were half-closed, and more tears had fallen. He was pondering whether to accept or reject the blond’s proposal.
"Okay." He finally said, causing a tender smile to appear on the baker’s face.
"When we leave this room, I’ll forget everything, okay? Last night and this conversation. But I want to see you happy, and knowing you’re confused because of your feelings due to your semi-human body would make me feel bad."
"That’s the first thing I wanted to tell you, Al... I realized I fell in love with you when I was in the dream."
Alastor slowly pulled away from Lucifer's embrace, sitting up with his legs drawn close to him, next to him. He kept his gaze low.
"You always said things that... showed you cared about me. Before, during, and after sex. You were annoying."
Lucifer let out a small chuckle. It was clear he didn’t find it annoying at all. Moreover, the way he described the phrase Lucifer used was so sweet it made him feel a tender warmth.
"Listen, Al... what you’re feeling is called 'nostalgia.'"
The redhead, wearing pajamas far too tight for his size, looked up. His face was beautiful to Lucifer, who felt a wave of warmth at the sight. Sleepy, confused, with wet eyes and disheveled hair. He wanted to spend half the day making love to him and the other half holding him close. But he swallowed hard and tried to remain serious. The demon needed him.
"Don’t get mad; I’ll just tell you what I think you’re feeling. Before you interrupt, let me finish."
Alastor nodded. He wanted to understand, too.
"When... you care about someone. When you love or get attached to someone, unfortunately, it can happen that the person leaves." Lucifer paused, thinking about his ex-wife.
He now considered her a dear friend, but he remembered how difficult those early days after the separation were. He had a constant fear she would start seeing someone else. He would text her from morning to night or come up with silly reasons to call her at all hours of the day. He even called her a few times in the middle of the night. Lilith was patient. Really patient with him. One day, he found her at his doorstep, unannounced. They talked a lot, and Lucifer cried a lot too. But in that moment, he realized he had to let her go. That was the last time they made love.
"That person can leave for various reasons, Al..." He reached out to take the demon’s hand, even though he wished he could have him on his chest again.
"They can die, they can choose to be with someone else, or they can simply part ways because... because their lives don’t match." Lucifer looked up to meet his eyes.
Alastor remained silent, absorbing the information. But the emotion Lucifer was putting into his words, along with the gentle hand squeeze, made his vision blur again. The prickling in his nose startled him slightly; it was really annoying. He moved his free hand to wipe his eyes and looked back at the blond.
"Al, I don’t know if you shared the same feelings my old self had. But you miss him."
"The Lucifer you knew. I don’t know why you decided to come to the human world now or why we’re no longer meeting in your dimension. If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine."
He really didn’t want to tell him. He lowered his head, trying to convey the message, to which Lucifer silently nodded, squeezing his hand. He didn’t want him to know about his impending end, didn’t want him to know about his love for Alastor and their pact to spend his last days together in that annoying dimension.
"I... Lucifer, I don’t feel the same things you did. But you kept insisting on saying those things to me, and sometimes, during sex, you asked me to say them to you even though you knew they would be lies."
Lucifer’s eyes widened, his face turning red. That was definitely something he would do if he fell in love with someone who didn’t return the feeling.
"I didn’t say you were right," he replied, irritated.
Lucifer’s shoulders slumped slightly. He had hoped that at least in this bubble of unfiltered conversation, he would be more honest. The demon noticed his disappointed expression and sighed lightly.
"I think... I think I understand. More or less."
The blond jumped in excitement. Happiness lit up his face, and he leaned forward to hug Alastor again.
Alastor awkwardly returned the hug. His mind always slowed and became foggy when Lucifer hugged him, and he could feel the warmth of his body and the scent of his skin.
"Alastor, listen." The shorter man lowered his gaze to look him in the eyes.
The redhead slightly lifted his face to meet his prey’s eyes, not knowing what he intended to say.
“I’m sorry I’m not the same anymore, but it’s still me, okay? You haven’t lost me. I’m the one who’s forgotten what we had. But you can always tell me about it, if and when you want, my demon.” He smiled sweetly.
What had he said? Alastor’s eyes widened, and his mouth parted slightly. That name… he had only started calling him that way in their last days together, when his feelings had grown so strong that he had been compelled to tell him that he loved him from the beginning to the end of their encounters.
“How… how did you call me?” He whispered, without even planning those words.
Lucifer understood. He smiled and leaned in to kiss him on the lips. It wasn’t a kiss intended to excite him. He wanted to communicate his love for him. The love he had rediscovered in just under a day. He was certain, his old self, his very self, was in love with Alastor.
“Al…”
“Y-yes, Lucifer?”
“I love you, Alastor.”
-
After about another hour of crying, Lucifer managed to get Alastor out of the room to go have breakfast. At first glance, during their initial meeting, Lucifer would never have guessed that the demon was such a sensitive being, prone to tears. From the surprise he showed every time he cried, he could tell that it was the same for Alastor as well.
When the redhead left the room, after getting ready and dressed, he joined Lucifer, who was waiting for him in the hotel corridor. Although he displayed his usual expression, his eyes were still slightly puffy and red.
“Sorry, Lucifer. These clothes are rather-”
“Did you sleep well, Al?” Lucifer interrupted him.
“Huh?” Alastor flinched at the question.
He tilted his head and remained silent, staring at him. Lucifer gave him a knowing smile. They had spent the whole night and the early morning hours together. Had he again forg-
Oh.
Alastor nodded, returning the smile.
“Yes, Prince.”
-
“This will never happen.”
“C’moooon, Al! Just try them!”
Lucifer had literally filled the breakfast table with various types of pancakes. Even though the pastry chef usually only made éclairs, he confessed to Alastor that his favorite dessert was… those strange, dense clouds.
“Lucifer, I feed on energy. I don’t eat like you humans.” The demon rested his forearms on the table, leaning his torso towards the blond.
His expression of total annoyance almost made the little one give up, but Lucifer’s mission was to make him experience the joys of life, including sweets.
“Okay, it’s not nourishment, but since you have a human body, you have… I don’t know, taste buds, a digestive system, and… everything else, right?”
“Yes. Thank you for thinking about my body’s proper functionality.”
Lucifer took a piece of pancake with the fork and offered it to the demon.
“If you taste it, I’ll do it twice. I promise I won’t faint.” He said determinedly.
Alastor straightened his back, looking at him with a shocked expression.
“I don’t… think you can choose whether or not to faint…”
“Well, if I eat all these blessings on the table, I’ll have the necessary energy. Come on, Al!”
Alastor rolled his eyes dramatically and with quite a bit of annoyance. He leaned forward to take a bite of the generous piece of pancake stuck on the fork.
Silently and slowly, he straightened his back again, chewing and savoring. These actions felt so strange. He noticed that more saliva was being produced in his mouth, probably to help swallow the food.
Lucifer watched him hopefully, partially convinced that he would win that bet. His suspicion was confirmed when he saw a peculiar light pass through the demon’s eyes, who slightly raised his eyebrows.
“How is it?” He pretended hesitation, though he was certain of the answer.
“It’s not bad.” He said, resuming his scanning of everything around him.
Lucifer grinned broadly, satisfied with his victory.
“Which one do you want? I got them with caramel topping, cherry jam, banana slices and blueberries, chocol-”
“Lucifer. I have no idea what you’re talking about. And anyway, I don’t want any.”
The blond showed his best pleading puppy expression, staring at Alastor, who deliberately avoided looking at him. The pastry chef made a high-pitched sound, which in his ears was supposed to be cute. For Alastor, it was as annoying as nails on a chalkboard. He sighed loudly, extending an arm and grabbing the edge of a random plate of pancakes, dragging it towards him. He took the fork and knife next to him and tried to imitate Lucifer’s gestures to eat. The pastry chef was almost moved by this outcome.
“Passion fruit? I never would have guessed, Al.” He said with sarcasm.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Shut up.”
-
“Is it an emporium?”
“It’s called a store.”
Lucifer and Alastor stood before the large wholesale shop, open to both the public and professionals. In cases of limited-edition desserts, the pastry chef often had to visit there. His trusted supplier in the village had quality ingredients, but they were simple and basic. After having a hearty breakfast, the two loaded their bags into the car, checked out of the hotel, and headed to their destination. As soon as they found the precious taro, they could return home.
“What do you need to get here?” Alastor was growing quite hungry and sincerely wanted to return to Lucifer’s lair as soon as possible.
He didn’t want to feed in the midst of so many dangers. Moreover, he knew that humans preferred to engage in sex privately. However, he couldn’t resist touching Lucifer and began to flirt with the blond. Lucifer noticed the sudden change in the redhead, who started to caress him, whispering in his ear instead of speaking normally, and the distance between their bodies grew ever smaller. The pastry chef said nothing but took note that Alastor was expressing his hunger and needed to feed about once a day.
“Taro. It’s a purple root vegetable. For the orange cream, I think I’ll use pumpkins. It seems like the best solution, and even though it’s a classic, using quality ingredients and the right sweeteners, the result can be quite good.”
“Obviously, you don’t remember, but I suggested some ingredients that—”
“Forgive me, Al... but they wouldn’t be edible for humans. Also, they’re not easy to find.”
Alastor jolted at that remark. How did he know even before he listed them?
“How do you know what ingredients I was talking about?”
“In the past few days, I kept thinking about the word ‘carnelian.’ As events unfolded, I figured it was you who mentioned it.”
The demon’s eyes widened. If he remembered carnelian, maybe there was a small chance he could remember other things.
“What’s going through that little head of yours?” Lucifer playfully nudged him to bring him back to reality.
“I-I... was thinking that maybe...”
“I could remember something else?”
Alastor nodded timidly. Now Lucifer was much like the one he had known, but he had to admit he wished he remembered everything about the past month they had spent together.
“I don’t know how to do that, Al. But once we get home, I could ask Se—”
“NO!” Alastor screamed, backing away from Lucifer in terror, right in the middle of the sidewalk.
The blond was startled by his reaction. He approached him as if he were a frightened animal cornered by predators. He opened his arms slightly and hugged him, gently stroking the back of his head.
“What’s wrong, darling?” he whispered, both to reassure him and to avoid being overheard by passersby.
Alastor trembled and seemed to have turned cold. Lucifer hadn’t even finished his sentence.
“The... the witch, no, I beg you, Lucifer,” he said in a high-pitched voice.
“The witch?! Sera? She’s very tall, but calling her that seems a bit—”
“How do you think she traps demons inside stones?” Now Alastor returned the hug, clutching Lucifer’s shirt so tightly it nearly tore.
“Al... did she hurt you?” Now the blond felt a surge of anger and a strong sense of protectiveness.
He hugged Alastor even tighter, as if to shield him from the world. Some passersby noticed the two and began to turn around, trying to figure out what was happening. A tall man who looked on the verge of tears sought refuge in the arms of a much shorter man, who shielded him with a fiercely protective expression.
“You can’t fight her, Lucifer... She’s powerful and... sells curses and demons to those who need them.”
“Sells... curses and... but, why?!”
“There’s so much talk about demons, Lucifer. But the truth is, humans... or at least, many of them, can be among the most wicked creatures in existence.”
Lucifer slightly turned his head to look at him in disbelief. He was starting to understand what he meant, but he hadn’t thought it was possible. He remained silent, waiting for the rest of the explanation.
“People wish harm upon members of their own species. By sending curses or demons to harm them, they hope to get rid of them for their own gain or to sad*stically cause pain.”
“Al... that’s horrible.”
“Sera is one of the most powerful witches out there. She’s been hunting demons for centuries. Even before I was born...”
“C-CENTURIES?!”
Alastor nodded.
“She’s a witch, Lucifer. She’s not human.”
“But... she seemed like such a kind woman...”
“Maybe she’s kind to humans, but not to those like me.”
Lucifer sighed heavily, resting his beloved’s head in the space between his neck and shoulder.
“I love you, Alastor... I won’t let anything happen to you, okay?”
The demon felt a deep sense of guilt within him. It was an unpleasant feeling. One of many he had been experiencing since being in that semi-human body, for which he had no name. By feeding, he would kill Lucifer. The man was willing to die for him, but he wasn’t sure if this new version of him would agree. Besides... the thought of Lucifer dying was starting to worry Alastor.
-
“Please! Tell me you have taro here!!” Lucifer shouted, almost in tears, speaking to the supplier behind the counter. He practically sprawled across the hard surface, his legs bouncing behind him.
“What a pitiful sight...” Alastor muttered, keeping his distance from Lucifer, while inspecting various spices on a shelf.
He picked up each bottle, opened it, and sniffed. Some he found quite pleasant, like chili, curry, and cinnamon. Others made him wrinkle his nose, such as rosemary, thyme, and parsley. The redhead began to wander through the aisles, observing the various items and foods humans used for sustenance. They weren’t ready-to-eat foods, but he understood they were ingredients for preparing meals. They were so complicated that they almost gave him a headache when he tried to figure them out. Then he saw some manuals on a shelf, which looked more like a library. The demon picked one up and opened it. He flipped through the pages, but apart from the images, he couldn’t understand the writing. The incubus glanced around. Maybe if he found a book to decipher those symbols, he could study the manual and help Lucifer with the mission that seemed to concern him so much.
He recognized a woman nearby who worked in that sort of emporium. All those belonging to that specific guild wore red and yellow uniforms. He approached her slowly, unsure if she would try to flee or attack him.
“Excuse me...”
The woman was bent over the shelves, arranging products to present them as neatly as possible. She turned to him, her gaze freezing for a couple of seconds. Alastor noticed her cheeks flush, and she seemed to be around Lucifer’s age. She had blond, almost white hair, styled in an elegant chignon. She looked like a woman from another era, and Alastor, without even intending to, noted her erogenous zones—specifically, her inner thighs and ankles.
Alastor was so hungry that when he saw the woman’s willingness, his primal instincts kicked in. He began breathing rapidly, and his expression changed to communicate his desire for sex. Within seconds, he forgot everything around him.
“Yes?” The woman stood up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
That gesture, along with the smile she gave him, was an unmistakable invitation.
“I was wondering... what’s a lady like you doing in a guild of apothecaries?”
The woman raised an eyebrow, not quite understanding the compliment. However, Alastor was a handsome man, and the hormones he began to emit quickly had the desired effect. The shop assistant grabbed the incubus’s wrist and led him to a corner of the store that was mostly ignored by others. Clearly, her reason had vanished. She pressed her back against the wall and grabbed Alastor’s hips to pull him closer.
“So hungry, darling... Don’t worry, I’ll make you feel pleasure like no one ever has,” he whispered, caressing her hips.
He bent slightly, gently grabbing one of her ankles and lifting it. With a sinuous touch of his fingers, he explored the area, stroking it with care and sensuality. The shop assistant tilted her head back, gasping a bit too loudly not to be heard. But neither she nor Alastor cared. With his free hand, he caressed her warm inner thigh, which felt incredibly soft to the touch even through the annoying fabric.
Usually, incubus demons possessed only one victim at a time. Feeding on the energy of another human would have a rather bitter taste, but at least he wouldn’t suffer from hunger anymore. He leaned in to kiss the woman and—
“Alastor, what the hell are you doing?!” Lucifer shouted, his face turning purple for multiple reasons at once.
The two seemed to snap out of a spell. The demon released his hold on the silky leg and withdrew his hand from her inner thigh. The woman stared at him in total disbelief. She let out a scream and pushed him away.
“Rosie, where did you go?” The store manager had come to that ignored area of the shop to find his assistant.
When the man saw the two tucked away in a corner, he shouted at his assistant, who quickly ran to him. Alastor and Lucifer were left alone.
"Lucifer..." He didn’t understand why he seemed so angry.
The blond dropped the dozens of bags he had been carrying and approached him, visibly furious.
"You were—you were about to f*ck that woman?!"
"I… yes. I was hungry."
"Alastor, for heaven's sake! I just confessed that I—"
Lucifer turned around to check if anyone was nearby. Seeing no one, he looked back at him, this time with tearful eyes.
"Damn it, I told you I love you just a few hours ago and again twenty minutes before we came in here."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Alastor tilted his head slightly, trying to understand.
"Al..." How could he be upset when Alastor didn’t even see the issue?
He grabbed his hand and began dragging him out of the store, picking up all the bags he had dropped along the way.
"Let's go home. I need to explain a few things to you about how these things work..."
"Okay, Lucifer," he said, unbothered.
Lucifer opened the car and threw the bags inside. Alastor got in with little enthusiasm, and when the blond joined him inside the vehicle, he grabbed his chin and kissed him. The kiss quickly turning deep and passionate. After a few minutes, Lucifer looked into the redhead's eyes, his brows furrowed and a particularly pronounced pout on his lips.
"Will this be enough to get us home without you screwing someone else besides me?"
"I think… yes."
"Good."
