Daughter Dearest

thirty-six

News of the first redemption spread like wildfire amongst the rings of Hell. 

Before the inhabitants of the Hazbin Hotel knew it, they had a few new residents, which therefore meant actual work had to happen. 

Venus was stuck on paperwork and maintenance duty alongside Vaggie and Alastor, while Charlie showed potential residents around. Days filled with bonding and trust exercises became a thing once more — something Angel Dust hadn't hesitated to tell Venus he hated. 

Husk manned the bar as per the usual, but Lilith and Lucifer hadn't been around. 

Ever since Heaven confirmed the redemption of a sinner, Charlie's mother had been nowhere to be seen. . . Except the Vees Tower where Vox was compiling evidence of her little meet-ups with Valentino, just to send them to Venus. 

Nobody knew of this little fact, other than Vox and Venus. . . The TV overlord was proving to be more and more useful every day. 

So far, the Asgardian Princess had learned that Lilith ‘wanted to be a family again’ and found that both Charlie and Lucifer speaking highly of Venus was an issue and wanted her dead because of it. 

Valentino just wanted his soul back. Venus would have to die for it to be given back to him. 

That wasn't happening. 
At that point, she and Vox had a running bet that was nearing one hundred thousand dollars — nothing neither of them couldn't pay easily — on how Lilith and Valentino would attempt to kill her. 

Poisoned wine, a perfectly timed car accident, or even a hired assassin that couldn't be linked to either of them. Those were the highest possibilities they could come up with.

Even then, the whole situation was laughable.
Vox knew it was pointless. 
Venus knew it was pointless. 
The only ones who didn't were Lilith and Valentino. And the evidence was only piling up. 

Other than that. . . Things were mostly normal. 

Niffty was still reigning terror on everyone. Angel was around more and a little happier, but was making no real move towards redemption himself — he said it was because he had reasons to stay in Hell. 

Husk was still grumpy, but a little happier himself. Charlie had a renewed pep in her step and Vaggie was the same as usual, except now she walked around with her wings out in the early, early morning. 

Alastor was still Alastor. . . But a little more on edge. Venus was pretty neutral, all things considered. . . Though KeeKee and Fat Nuggets remained her favorite inhabitants — as seen on her Sinstagram where both creatures were seen in almost every picture she took and posted. 

It was with the increase in inhabitants that Venus was glad that she had sent her family home, not wanting them dragged into the middle of everything. 

She still hadn't turned on her other phone since she sent them back. She could already sense the tidal wave of notifications that would come through and decided to hold off on the inevitable. . . At least for the time being. 

“Venus!” Her name echoed off of the quiet walls of the lobby, Lucifer entered the hotel rather forcefully. 

The woman in question sighed and looked at Husk. “It's early and I'm too old for this shit.” She joked lightly, turning around on the barstool. “Yes, Lucifer?” 

“We need to talk. . . Privately.” He announced. 

Venus raised her eyebrows and took a long sip of her morning coffee, before setting the mug down and sighing once more. “What for?”

“Oh for —” he snapped his fingers and suddenly the two of them were up in the office that was attached to the bedroom he had designed for himself, just so he could be closer to Charlie and the workings of the hotel. 

“Smooth.” She said with a deadpan tone as the King of Hell paced around his office. 

“Listen. . . I know why she's back. . .” Lucifer sighed sadly, though there was an unknown undertone as he spoke once more — it could've been the brief fear of the unknown. 

“She was here to shut the hotel down, but the news of your friend being redeemed. . . I — Venus, I've never seen her that angry. Not in ten thousand years. There's something else to it, and I know it. . . She just won't tell me.” 

“That's what Vaggie was trying to tell me the other day before Charlie interrupted us. . . I said something about not wanting to crush Charlie's dreams of. . .'' Venus cleared her throat. “And Vaggie said ‘like her mother plans on doing?’. . . And about the other thing. . .” 

The Asgardian Princess chuckled and pulled out her phone. She now had a total of six hours of footage against Lilith and Valentino. “Your wife wants me dead. She thinks I'm the one thing preventing the three of you from being a family again.” 

“What?” He questioned dumbfounded, stopping in his tracks to look at her. “Why would she? I — what? There's more than one thing preventing it. . . Like the divorce being absolutely finalized as of five months ago. She left the papers and I signed them. . . So I'd appreciate it if you'd call her my ex wife. . .” 

“Apologies. . . Charlie wanted the two of you—”

“She didn't.” Lucifer cut her off mid sentence, stepping closer. At Venus's look of confusion, he continued. 
“She wanted me to make things right with you. . . You told me to get my family affairs in order, and I did. . . Now I'm making things right.”

“Lucifer. . .” Venus tried in a worn out tone, but he talked over her, stepping even closer. 

“I don't love Lilith. I lied when I said I wasn't sure when my love for her disappeared. It was when you spoke to me for the first time. . . I wanted to know everything about you right then, but it was too soon. . . And seeing you interact with Charlie, helping her with her dream that finally came true. . . It only made me want to know you more.” 

The room was silent. 
Venus stared at Lucifer, unable to form words for the lump in her throat. She had been stunned to silence by the King of Hell, the sin of pride. 

He was now directly in front of her with a look of determination plastered on his face as he stared up at her.

“What happened on the trip. . . I need you on a deeper level than that. . . I want to learn about your heart and soul the way I learned about your body. I need to. . . So, let me take you somewhere special. . . Let me learn you. . . And eventually, let me love you.” 

“This isn't a joke?” Venus questioned quietly, her thumb subconsciously running over the ancient engravings on the mystic arts ring once again. 

“I'd never joke about something like this. . . So, what do you say?” He questioned, watching for any indication of an answer. 

Venus mulled over her options. . . Her mind wanted her to stay focused. . . But her heart wanted her to let him in.
As his face began to fall from her lack of answer, she came to a conclusion. To Hell with it all. 

“Okay.” She finally said, with a sigh. “You can take me out. . . But whatever this is. . . Don't rush it more than we already have.” 

Lucifer grabbed her hands and brought one up to his lips, leaving a soft kiss on her palm before he just held them. “Anything you want. . . Set those boundaries — I'll respect them.”

Venus felt the urge to laugh or cry — she wasn't sure, but rather than finding out, she smiled and stood there with Lucifer, in the middle of his office. 

He was smiling like an idiot, and she was almost certain she looked the same.