Winter's Embrace (FrostedApple Nanny AU)

A Deal Is Struck

Lucifer Morningstar was in a state of panic, his usually suave demeanor replaced by frantic desperation as he ran through the park, calling out his daughter's name. "Charlie! Charlie, where are you?!"

Ever since his wife, Lilith, had left him, Lucifer had been struggling to balance his demanding career with the challenges of single parenthood. Charlie was his entire world, a bright ray of sunshine in his life, but her boundless energy and curious nature often led to moments like this - a brief lapse in supervision resulting in a missing child.

Lucifer had thought bringing Charlie to the park to burn off some steam would be a good idea. But exhaustion had gotten the best of him, and he had dozed off on a bench. When he awoke, Charlie was nowhere to be seen, and his heart plummeted to his designer shoes.

"Daddy!" a familiar voice rang out, snapping Lucifer out of his spiraling thoughts. He whirled around to see Charlie running towards him on her little legs, her blonde curls bouncing with each step.

Relief crashed over Lucifer like a tidal wave as he met his daughter halfway, scooping her up into a tight embrace. "Oh, Charlie, I'm so glad I found you!" he breathed, burying his face in her hair.

Charlie giggled, squirming in his arms. "Me too, Daddy! And look, I made a new friend!" She pointed excitedly behind her.

"Friend? Wha-" Lucifer's confusion was abruptly cut short as his gaze landed on the approaching figure. His jaw went slack and his eyes widened comically as he took in the vision before him.

A stunning woman was walking towards them, her porcelain skin contrasting beautifully with her long, dark hair. Her blue coat dress hugged her curves in all the right places, and the matching snow hat perched atop her head added an air of charming sophistication. As she drew closer, Lucifer realized she had a few inches on him, but he found himself not minding one bit.

"Uhhh..." Lucifer stammered eloquently, feeling his face grow warm and undoubtedly turning an embarrassing shade of pink.

The woman smiled warmly, a twinkle in her blue eyes. "Hello there! You must be this little one's father. I'm Gloria Forworth, pleasure to meet you." She extended a gloved hand in greeting.

"Gloria Forworth," Lucifer repeated dreamily, his brain short-circuiting as he grasped her hand. "What a lovely name for a lovely- I mean, yes, that's me! Lucifer. Morningstar. Charlie's dad." He internally cringed at his uncharacteristic awkwardness.

Charlie, oblivious to her father's plight, chimed in excitedly. "Daddy, Gloria and I had so much fun! We played in puddles and I took a bath at her friend's house and everything!" she explained happily.

Lucifer noticed a brief flicker of tension in Gloria's smile at the mention of the puddles, but it quickly smoothed over as Charlie neglected to specify the rather alarming color of said puddles.

Crouching down to Charlie's level, Lucifer affectionately tapped her nose. "Sounds like you had quite the adventure, my little demon," he chuckled.

Charlie nodded vigorously before turning her big, pleading eyes on Gloria. "We should play again sometime! Can we, Gloria? Pretty please?" she pleaded.

Gloria's expression softened, but there was a hint of reservation in her voice. "Oh, sweetie, I'm not sure... Your father hardly knows me, I wouldn't want to impose..."

"No!" Lucifer interjected, a bit too forcefully. He cleared his throat, attempting to regain some semblance of composure. "I mean, if it's not too much trouble, we would be delighted- honored, really- to have you spend more time with Charlie. She's clearly taken a shine to you."

'And so have I', he mentally added, feeling his heart do a giddy little flip in his chest.

Gloria looked taken aback by his enthusiasm. "But sir, we've only just met. Are you sure you're comfortable with a stranger watching your daughter?" Ever the voice of reason, even in the face of Lucifer's cartoonish infatuation.

Lucifer waved a hand dismissively, grinning like a fool. "Nonsense! Any friend of Charlie's is a friend of mine. And please, call me Lucifer. 'Sir' makes me feel positively ancient."

Gloria hesitated a moment longer before her face broke into a radiant smile that made Lucifer's knees go weak. "Well, if you insist... Lucifer. I'd be happy to spend more time with this little angel." She winked at Charlie, who giggled delightedly.

"Wonderful!" Lucifer clapped his hands together, barely restraining himself from doing a victorious jig right then and there. 

So Gloria and Lucifer sat on a nearby bench, watching as Charlie gleefully chased butterflies across the park's lush green grass. The little girl's laughter filled the air, a welcome respite from the earlier chaos of the day.

Lucifer cleared his throat, turning to face Gloria with a hopeful expression. "Gloria, I have a proposition for you. And please, hear me out before you say no."

Gloria raised an eyebrow, intrigued but wary. "I'm listening."

"I know we've only just met, but it's clear that Charlie adores you. And frankly, I could use all the help I can get." Lucifer ran a hand through his hair, looking uncharacteristically vulnerable. "Would you consider becoming Charlie's nanny? I'd compensate you handsomely, of course."

Gloria's eyes widened in surprise. "A nanny? Lucifer, I'm flattered, but I don't know if that's a good idea. My line of work is... unpredictable. I wouldn't want to put Charlie at risk." She thought of her assassin's lifestyle, the dangers that followed her like a shadow.

Lucifer's face fell, but he pressed on. "I understand your hesitation, but please, reconsider. Charlie needs a stable female influence in her life. Someone to look up to, to confide in." His voice took on a pleading note. "Her mother... well, let's just say she's not in the picture."

Gloria's brow furrowed. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened to Charlie's mother?" she asked gently.

Lucifer's expression darkened, and he looked away. "Lilith... she left. That's all there is to say on the matter." His tone made it clear that the subject was closed.

An awkward silence stretched between them, broken only by Charlie's distant giggles. Finally, Lucifer spoke again, his voice soft but earnest. "Gloria, I'm desperate. I can't do this alone. Name your price, and I'll make it happen. Please." he pleaded.

Gloria bit her lip, considering the offer. It was true that a more stable job would be a welcome change. And the thought of providing a better life for Eira, one where she could have a friend like Charlie, was tempting. She sighed, making up her mind.

"Alright, Lucifer. I'll do it. But on one condition - my daughter Eira comes with me. She and Charlie are close in age, and I think they'd be good for each other." she proposed.

Lucifer's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Your daughter? Of course, bring her along! The more the merrier!" He looked like he might burst with joy at any moment.

Gloria couldn't help but chuckle at his enthusiasm. "Well then, it seems we have a deal, Mr. Morningstar." She extended her hand, which Lucifer eagerly shook, holding on perhaps a bit longer than strictly necessary.

"You won't regret this, Gloria. I promise." Lucifer's smile was blinding, and Gloria felt a flutter in her chest that she promptly ignored.

As they called Charlie over to share the good news, Gloria couldn't shake the feeling that her life was about to take a turn for the chaotic. Between Lucifer's obvious infatuation, Charlie's boundless energy, and Eira's impending introduction to the mix, she had a sneaking suspicion that they were all going to need a lot more than just luck to navigate the coming storm.

But looking at Charlie's beaming face and feeling the warmth of Lucifer's gratitude, Gloria found herself oddly excited for the challenge. She had faced down bullets and baddies galore in her assassin days - surely she could handle one smitten single father and two rambunctious little girls.

Right?

Only time would tell. But one thing was certain - life in the Morningstar household was never going to be dull again. And maybe, just maybe, that was exactly what Gloria and Eira needed.