This is sort of a Helluverse Oneshot but anyway. Set about 15 years ago, since Charlie is ~30 and 15 in this story.
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It was a quiet afternoon, the kind where the sun lazily filtered through the curtains and Lucifer, as usual, was in the middle of some task or another, utterly unbothered by anything that might happen in the world outside his domain. He had his favorite chair, a glass of wine in hand, and he was enjoying a brief moment of peace.
Until there was a knock at the door.
Lucifer frowned, setting down his glass, unsure of who could be bothering him at this hour. He wasn't expecting anyone, and frankly, he didn't have the patience for interruptions. But his curiosity got the better of him, and he stood up and walked to the door.
When he opened it, he was met with something that no one could have possibly expected—a little girl, no more than three years old, standing on his doorstep.
She was wearing a bright, faded pink dress and had a little bow in her hair, her small hands clutching onto the edge of a stuffed bear that was nearly as big as she was. The little girl didn't seem bothered in the slightest by where she was, her wide eyes gleaming as she looked up at Lucifer.
Lucifer blinked, unsure of what to do with this sudden, unexpected visitor. She wasn't supposed to be here, and yet, she was smiling up at him with no care in the world. She giggled softly, a little hand waving at him, before taking a few steps inside, as though this were the most normal thing in the world.
Lucifer stood in the doorway, caught completely off guard. "Well... um, hello there. Can I help you?" he asked, his voice still confused as the little girl just wandered past him into the house.
She continued to babble incoherently, her words little more than cute gibberish. "Bada bada!" she exclaimed, laughing to herself as she walked further inside, clearly not paying any mind to Lucifer's presence.
Lucifer scratched his head, looking down at her. "Uh, what's your name, little one?" he asked, though he doubted he'd get a response that made any sense.
The girl simply giggled again, skipping along the floor, her chubby little legs taking her toward the stairs. Lucifer watched her go, a bit unsure of how to proceed. It was one thing for a random person to knock on his door, but a toddler? In the middle of nowhere?
Before he could contemplate further, Charlie, who had been busy doing something upstairs, appeared from behind the corner and looked at him, clearly confused by the scene unfolding before her.
"Dad?" Charlie asked, raising an eyebrow. "What's going on?"
Lucifer sighed, standing a little straighter and trying to regain some semblance of composure. "I have no idea, sweetheart," he said, rubbing his temples. "This little one just waltzed right in, like she owned the place."
Charlie stared at the girl, who was now making her way deeper into the house, oblivious to their presence. "She's not... one of your... clients, is she?" Charlie asked, half-joking but mostly concerned.
Lucifer shook his head, still baffled. "No, no, she's not. I don't think anyone would be sending a child my way. This is... very odd."
Just as they were trying to figure out what to do, a loud voice suddenly cut through the air from outside.
"Octavia! OCTAVIA!!"
Lucifer froze, his attention snapping toward the window. The voice was frantic, high-pitched with panic. He could hear the sound of someone running, and it didn't take much to realize the voice belonged to none other than Stolas, the Goetian prince. Lucifer's expression shifted slightly, recognition flickering in his eyes.
Charlie, her curiosity piqued, rushed over to the window, peering out. "Is that... Stolas?"
Lucifer narrowed his gaze, hearing the desperation in Stolas's voice. "It is." He looked back at the little girl, who was now standing near the base of the stairs, completely unaware of the shouting outside.
Then, it hit him.
He looked down at the little girl again, his heart skipping a beat as realization swept over him. He laughed softly to himself, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Well, I'll be damned," Lucifer muttered. "I knew I recognized her."
Charlie turned to him, confused. "What do you mean?"
Lucifer straightened up, his usual cool demeanor returning. "It's her. That's Octavia."
Charlie blinked. "Octavia? You mean... Stolas's daughter?"
Lucifer nodded, a smirk creeping onto his face. "Yes. Stolas's little girl. I didn't recognize her at first, but now I can see it. She must've wandered off from him."
At that moment, there was another frantic shout from outside. "Octavia! Please, where are you?! Your mother will have my head!"
Lucifer chuckled, shaking his head. "Looks like Stolas is having a bit of a panic attack. I'll help him out."
He didn't waste another second. With a swift motion, he bent down, gently scooping the girl into his arms. She let out a surprised giggle, delighted by the sudden change in perspective. Lucifer moved toward the door, his eyes already scanning the horizon for Stolas.
Charlie, who had been following behind, quickly rushed to catch up.
Lucifer grinned, opening the door with a flourish.
He stepped outside, holding the little girl in his arms as he walked toward the front gate. Stolas, now a flurry of frantic movement, was pacing around, looking everywhere for his daughter. When he saw Lucifer approaching, he immediately froze, his eyes wide with shock and confusion.
"Lucifer?!" Stolas exclaimed, his voice sharp with concern. "Have you seen... Octavia?!"
Lucifer smirked, stepping forward and holding out the little girl. "Well, well. Look who's lost their daughter."
Stolas's face immediately softened, and his eyes filled with relief as he quickly rushed forward. "Octavia! There you are! Oh, thank the stars!"
The little girl giggled, reaching out for Stolas with chubby arms, and he scooped her up in an instant, kissing her forehead as she giggled and wriggled in his grasp.
"You had me worried sick!" Stolas scolded gently, holding her close.
Lucifer leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching the scene with a knowing smirk. "You know, Stolas, you might want to keep a better eye on her. You never know when she'll just wander off and end up on my doorstep."
Stolas gave him a sheepish grin, still holding Octavia tightly. "I'll make sure it doesn't happen again, Lucifer. Thank you for bringing her back."
Charlie, who had followed her dad outside, smiled warmly at the scene. "You know, I never thought I'd see the day Lucifer had to babysit."
Lucifer shot her a look, one eyebrow raised. "Oh, please, darling. I've babysat my fair share of mischief. It's just not often they knock on my door."
Stolas laughed softly, still holding Octavia in his arms. "I truly appreciate it, Lucifer. And I'll be sure to make sure Octavia's adventures stay closer to home from now on."
As Stolas and his daughter made their way back, Lucifer watched them go, his smirk still intact. This, he thought, had been an unexpectedly interesting day.
