Hey, Boss?

34 1 0

by whiskersandwebs

by whiskersandwebs

A few minutes later, the familiar sound of laughter and cheerful voices from Ava's favorite show filled the house, her mood brightening as she enjoyed her ice cream. Alastor and Lucifer stood in the kitchen, listening to her giggles from the living room. Alastor gave a small, relieved smile, glad to see Ava back to her usual self.

But the peaceful moment didn't last long. Husk, who had been lounging at the bar, casually walked over and tapped Alastor on the shoulder. "Hey, boss, can we talk?" he asked, his tone light but serious as he motioned toward the bar.

Alastor gave a slight nod, silently following Husk to the counter. He perched on a stool, folding his arms across his chest. Husk leaned against the bar, his usual laid-back demeanor now replaced with concern.

"I heard that bang from upstairs," Husk said, his voice low. "Is everything okay? You and Lucifer seemed... a bit off earlier."

Alastor sighed, his face briefly clouding with the memory of the emotional whirlwind. He ran a hand through his hair, staring at the polished surface of the bar. "It's... it's been a rough morning. Ava's been acting off, and when she finally opened up to us, it was... well, let's just say it wasn't something I expected. We're handling it, but it hit harder than I thought."

Husk nodded in understanding. "I get it. You two are her protectors. But... you gotta take care of yourselves too, y'know?" He paused, watching Alastor's expression carefully. "Look, how about this: Me and Angel will watch Ava tonight. You two can get out, do something for yourselves, without the kid for a little while. You deserve it."

Alastor's brow furrowed for a moment, his protective instincts kicking in. "I don't know, Husk... I mean, she's been through a lot, and I don't want to leave her alone—"

Husk raised a paw, cutting him off. "You're not leaving her alone. I'm not saying you should be gone for hours. Just a few hours to recharge. Ava's tough. She'll be fine, and Angel's not bad with kids, you know?"

Alastor hesitated, looking back toward the living room where Lucifer was, no doubt, still keeping a close eye on their daughter. The thought of taking a break, even just for a couple of hours, sounded nice—maybe even necessary.

He sighed, a tired smile creeping onto his face. "You're right... we both need a little time to breathe."

"That's the spirit," Husk said with a chuckle. "I'll make sure Ava's good. You two just get out for a bit. We've got this covered."

Alastor gave a grateful nod, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Thank you, Husk. Really. I just... I want to be the best I can for her."

"I know you do," Husk replied with a knowing smile. "Now go on, let's see you two take a breather. We'll handle things here."

With a sigh of relief, Alastor pushed off from the bar, his smile returning. He headed toward the living room to let Lucifer know about Husk's plan. Tonight, they'd get a moment of peace together, and for once, it felt like they deserved it.