Splitting at the Seams (RadioApple)

Part 15 (2/2)

Lucifer took a spell to rest after his, well, spell. Magic that superficial didn't exhaust him, but it was still nice to take a breather and let Charlie do the rest, watching her excitedly stand on an elevated platform and speak to the room, tugging Vaggie along to help her run through a list of objectives as quickly as they could to not bore the attendees. The king watched as ever more filtered in, and lit up sheepishly at the familiar sight of Husk making his way through the growing crowd, the cat's remarkably sized ears and ornamental hat noticeable despite his small stature. Having spotted him at about the same time, Husk gave the other a lazy salute before trudging over to the small cocktail bar. '%5 only!' Charlie had insisted. 'And kick anyone out who looks too drunk!' She'd been a little discouraged when Husk told her he was absolutely not going to expend that much effort, though the cat had the decency to pat her arm and tell her he'd not serve anyone being ratty. At least that was something.

As the minutes ticked past Lucifer's foot tapped anxiously, transparently waiting for one person in particular. He knew it was a little shallow of him, but really, he couldn't wait. Alastor- he didn't think Alastor felt the same way, but... well actually, he didn't know that for sure. After all, Alastor seemed to have really warmed up on him. Had thanked him. Had complimented him. They'd shared space, had meaningful conversations, sat together, danced together. Alastor had dipped him during their first rehearsal, and Lucifer wanted desperately to believe that spark he thought he'd seen in the other's gaze was real.

'Please, let it be real. Let Alastor feel even a fraction of my own affection.'

Lost in his own head as he was, it took the king a good minute to register that much of the surrounding noise had faltered, even the musicians skipping a chord, a hush pulling over the hall before Charlie leapt in to announce something that pulled them out of it. Still, the air was tense, uneasy, a contrast to the ball of joy that ignited in Lucifer's chest when he sighted the cause of all the commotion.

Alastor was dressed much in the same fashion as usual, nowhere as jarring as Lucifer's complete wardrobe shift, though he was a little toned down than normal, rocking a more maroon tinted shirt with pufted sleeves that pulled in at the wrist, jacketless save for a simple black waist band and elegant black dress pants similar to Lucifer's own. His tie situation was an inverted-cross bolo, gleaming a brillian ruby colour on a deep black thread. Hair tied up with far more care and fancy than usual, pronouncing his waves in a way he clearly ordinarily straightened out - he looked like an absolute dream. Lucifer could feel more of his common sense fleeing him by the moment. Who needs alcohol?

"Nice of you to join us!" Lucifer exclaimed, fighting to keep the nervousness out of his voice and overcompensating by projecting it, watching as those nearest to them flinched away. Alastor was unpeterbed, an ear flicking the only sign that he was alarmed. Swiftly lowering his volume, Lucifer continued- "I like how you've, ah, done your hair, it looks great on you. Well, not because it's you- because the style is great, it's-" Lucifer coughed, clearing his throat. "It's great. Looks all fancy and braided a bit there... how long'd that take? I like the ribbon." and now he was just blathering. Nevermind, he prayed for a glass of wine to bury his face into.

Chuckling softly, Alastor brushed his fingers against the meticulously pulled back up-do, as if to assure himself it was still in place. "It isn't my handiwork, I fear. Angel Dust caught me as I was coming down and insisted on giving me something more purposeful. He told me it was so that I could compensate with my 'lethal face card', whatever that means, for the fact he cannot himself attend after all. It only took him a minute."

"Oh. That's... a real shame, actually. They called him in to shoot now of all days? What crap luck."

Alastor pursed his lips, clearly disturbed. "I thought the same. I hope he can at least return in time to talk Husk's ear off at the end of this."