Breaking Rules ( Radioapple )

Revelations - Part 16

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Lucifer sat on the floor, his head buried in his hands, as the weight of betrayal pressed heavily on his heart. He wanted so desperately to believe Alastor's words, to trust that the love they shared was real. But the image of that kiss was burned into his mind, a painful reminder of what he had seen.

A soft knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Daddy?" Charlie's small voice called out, filled with concern.

"Fuck," Lucifer muttered under his breath, quickly wiping away his tears. He took a moment to steady his breathing before standing up. Composing himself, he opened the door to find Charlie standing there, her face a mixture of worry and curiosity.

Lucifer bent down to her level, brushing a piece of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" he asked gently, trying to mask his own turmoil.

Charlie looked up at him with wide eyes. "Daddy, I can't find my favorite toy," she said, her voice trembling. "It's under my bed, but I'm scared of the monsters. Can you help me?"

Lucifer's heart softened at her request. He forced a small smile, not wanting to burden her with his pain. "Of course, darling," he said softly. "Let's go find it together."

Charlie beamed, taking his hand and leading him towards her room. "Thank you, Daddy," she said, her earlier fear replaced with relief.

As they entered her room, Lucifer knelt down beside her bed, peering into the darkness beneath it. "There's no monsters here, sweetheart. Just your toy," he reassured her, reaching under the bed and pulling out the toy.

Charlie hugged the toy tightly, her face lighting up with joy. "Thank you, Daddy!"

--

Alastor arrived at his dorm, the familiar surroundings bringing an instant wave of relief. Lucifer didn't know anything, he reassured himself. He was safe, for now. As he stepped inside, he was greeted by the lively chatter of his roommates—Angel, Husk, and Niffty.

"Hey, Al! Finally decided to grace us with your presence?" Angel teased, a playful smirk on his face.

"Yeah, we've been wondering if you were planning to move out without telling us," Husk added, his gruff voice softened by a hint of humor.

Alastor chuckled, trying to shake off the lingering tension from earlier. "No chance of that. Just been... busy."

Niffty, ever energetic, bounced over to him. "Busy with what? You haven't told us anything! Spill the beans!"

Alastor forced a smile. "Just Collage stuff, you know how it is. Let's just relax tonight, okay?"

They settled into their usual routines—Angel gossiping about the latest campus drama, Husk grumbling good-naturedly about his classes, and Niffty flitting around, tidying up and chatting incessantly. Alastor joined in, trying to focus on the moment and forget the turmoil that had been haunting him.

As the night wore on, Alastor excused himself to go to bed. "I'm turning in early, guys. Got a long day tomorrow."

"Night, Al," they chorused, watching as he disappeared into his room.

Once the door closed behind him, the atmosphere in the common area shifted. Angel glanced at Husk and Niffty, a concerned frown replacing his usual playful expression. "Is it just me, or has Al been acting differently lately?"

Husk nodded, his brow furrowing. "He's definitely been off. More distracted, and he's not hanging out with us as much."

Niffty twirled a strand of her hair, looking thoughtful. "You think something happened?"