Emily's Fall 2: Rising Above

Ch. 25: Playful Siblings

Lucifer was in heaven, working hard, to the point he lost track of time.

Even if all the work his father had done was now divided between him and his 6 siblings, it was still a heavy work load to handle. Plus, he barely took his job seriously in Hell, so Lucifer needed to give 200% now.

'Uh, my hand is cramping.' He thought, stopping his paperwork and shaking his hand.

He then heard a knock on his office door.

"I'm busy." Lucifer said before his door was opened.

"You're gonna work yourself to death if you don't take more breaks." Jophiel said, walking in with a tray of food. "Must I keep reminding you, brother?"

"Father always worked." Lucifer said.

"Yes... and I believe that's the reason for all the chaos that has happened." Jophiel said, "Perhaps spending more time with the other archangels could've prevented your rebellion and falling."

"You make it sound like I was an antsy teenager." Lucifer said as Jophiel placed the food on a free space on his desk.

"I know but you have to admit, your ideas were out there. Even if they did catch my interest." She admitted with a grin.

"I just wanted people to experience free will... I guess I should've thought it through a bit more." Lucifer said, before the irony hit him. "... Oh father, I really was an angsty teenager!"

Lucifer groaned as he slammed is head into his desk, making Jopheil giggle as she pulled his head up.

"Yeah you kind of did but look at you now." she said.

"Yeah, back home and trying to live up to dad's legacy. Almost sounds like a pipe dream." Lucifer said before reaching for the tray of food, pausing for a moment as a new thought came to mind. "Jophiel, can I be honest with you?"

"Of course, Sammy. you can always be honest with me." Jophiel said, calling Lucifer by his old nickname.

"Do you think Father hated me?" Lucifer asked.

Jophiel gasped loudly at this.

"NEVER!" She said to him. "Even when you fell, Father always love you. You should know this."

Lucifer just looked at the desk. It was hard for him to accept that. The last time he ever saw his father he held a face of pure disappointment and anger.

"If he did, why did he look at me that way before casting me out?" Lucifer asked, sadly and slowly eating.

"I don't know, but maybe it was because he thought he failed you instead of you failing him." Jophiel said, gazing at the floor. "Maybe he was thinking if he was a better father and listened to you, you could've stayed with us all that millennia ago."

"That what I like to think but that. Look....even after dad's death and apology, it still haunts me at night." Lucifer said, sighing sadly. "It's tormented me for thousands of years."

"But now you know the truth. You can finally let go." Jophiel said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not that easy. Hell AND Heaven, I'm still not over my divorce and that was just a grain of salt compared to this." Lucifer said, shaking his head. "I'm so lost."

Jophiel moved closer and hugged Lucifer, making him pause from his food and just enjoy the embrace.

The two stayed like that for a minute.

"... Sometimes I wonder how I'm the older one." Lucifer said, now feeling better.

"Really? I don't because I wouldn't trade a wonderful big brother like you for the universe." Jophiel said.

"I know." Lucifer said with a smile.

Jophiel moved out of the hug and watched Lucifer as he ate, only for him to pause and gaze at her.

"Are you going to watch me eat this whole meal?" He asked.

"Just to make sure you eat and rest first your break instead going right back to work after I leave." Jophiel said with a small smile.

"....Are you a helicopter parent?" Lucifer asked.

"No, though I wouldn't mind becoming a mother one day." Jophiel said.

"And I dread for the man that falls in love with you." Lucifer teased.

"Hey!" Jophiel said, playfully offended.

"Hey, I'm just saying. An archangel looking for a date woth a normal Joe? Plus she has six brothers that will play the "overprotective" act to see if he runs or stay? Iwould shit myself if that was me." Lucifer said with a small grin.

"Well thankfully, it won't be you." Jophiel said before booping his nose.

'I hope he doesn't spread this to the others.' Jophiel thought.

"Well, since you've eaten, I guess I'll head out." Jophiel said.

"And I'm finished." Lucifer said before taking his final bite of food and final gulps of drink. "Mmm. Just as good as I remembered." He said.

"Well I am the best cook in heaven." Jophiel said with a proud smile.

"Oh? Is that pride I hear? How sinful." Lucifer said with a grin.

"It's not pride, it's just a fact." Jophiel said with a grin, picking up the tray.

'That's what they all say.' Lucifer thought, leaning back in his chair as Jophiel took her leave. 'But she's right, it is a fact her cooking is the best. Even better than...'

Lucifer stopped thinking before slowly closing his eyes, relaxing for a moment from his work.