Jared Whitlock; Daughter of Jasper Hale

Chapter 73: Father And....Son?

Aro's eyes widen when Lucifer waltzes in through the doors. They haven't see each other since Lucifer came for permission to go on hormones to help him go through changes to alter his appearance. That was almost a year ago. By now, Lucifer wears boys clothes everyday, he's taller and his voice has deepened considerably.

No one would ever know he had once been Lily. Aro gasps, and makes several fumbling gestures with his hands as if he doesn't know what to do. Will he hug him or slap him?
Lucifer stays put and looks nervously between Aro and I, as if he hopes I have an idea of what will happen, but I don't.

Aro looks at me hopelessly, wondering what to say. "Lucifer, Papa. Papa, Lucifer." I introduce them and Lucifer grins. "I recognise him of course." He looks at Aro. "But I guess I look a little different, Dad." He shrugs softly. "I'm used to the changes now." He explains.

Aro just stands there, gobsmacked at the sound of Lucifer's voice. "It's so much deeper." He whispers to himself. Lucifer grins again, amused. "Aren't you going to say anything else, Dad?" He prompts softly.

"Your face." Aro points. "Where's your soft, round face?" His hands reach for Lucifer but then he decides against it and lets them dither at his sides. "The hormones gave my face a more angular look. I have an actual jawline now." He jokes.

Then Aro's face goes hard and the shock disappears.
"Why are you here?" His voice is cold. Lucifer sighs softly as if he knew this was coming and just accepts it. "No hug?" He jokes, making me smile but Aro stays like stone.

"I asked you a question." Aro glares at him. "I've come for money." He states. Aro looks annoyed and makes an agitated face. "You don't deserve my money." He spits.
"It's for my top surgery." Lucifer tries again.

"You see, Viktor would happily pay the entire sum, but Mom thought it was only fair if you paid too. You know, because you're my father." He snarks sarcastically.
Aro gives a mocking smirk. "I suppose you think Viktor is your father now then?" He scoffs.

Lucifer looks him hard in the face. "At least he accepts me."
Aro's eyes blaze with anger. "What is this 'top surgery' anyway?"
Lucifer shuffles his feet. "The removal of the...breasts." He states quietly.

"Why do you want to remove them?" Aro glares. "Because it pains me to have them. They stop me feeling male." He sighs. "You're not male." Aro points out aggressively and Lucifer cringes.
I glare at Aro. "Yes he is!" I exclaim. "Reeve, stay out of this." Aro waves me away with a hand.

I rush to Lucifer's side and grab his hand. "Lucifer experiences body dysphoria. It's discomfort you feel because your body doesn't match your brain. Lucifer has the wrong body and he wants to fix it." I state calmly and Aro looks at Lucifer. "Does it upset you? Having a female body?" He asks straight to the point.

Lucifer looks pained. "Yes. How would you feel if your body was female? Would you like it? I doubt it." He snaps angrily. "Just give me the cheque so I can sign it. The sooner I sign, the sooner you can leave." Aro holds out his hand for the slip of paper.

Lucifer sighs in relief and passes it to him. Aro, to my horror, gingerly takes the cheque so Lucifer's hand doesn't touch his. He signs it quickly and shoves it in Lucifer's face. "There. Take it before I rip it to shreds." He turns his back on him. Lucifer snatches it from him and turns to me.

"Come on Reeve, let's go out together." Lucifer grabs my hand and waltzes out with me calmly, but there are tears in his eyes.

As soon as the doors close, I throw myself on him, wrapping my arms far around him, embracing him for the first time in months. "Lucie!" I squeal. "I missed you!" I pull back to see his face. "How's Mom, Viktor, LeeRoy?" I ask quickly amd he smiles. "They're all good. LeeRoy's currently enjoying the Playstation he got for his birthday." He states.

"His thirteenth birthday." I sigh. "He'll grow older than me in less than a year. What about you? Are you going to become a vampire?" I check.
He smiles and pulls a quick thoughtful face. "Wait until I've had surgery. I don't want to have female anatomy for all eternity." He grabs my hand and walks outside into the city.

"It's not too sunny today. You should be ok." He assures, pulling the hood away from my face. I grimace but keep it down anyway. We perch on the edge of a water fountain, and suddenly Lucifer sits up straighter and starts laughing. I blink at him. "What are you doing, fool?" I whisper, as passers by start giving him funny looks.

"Oh, Reeve, I agree. That must have been amazing day!" He laughs, addressing me. "What are you talking about? I didn't say anything!" I smack his arm gently and he leans in to whisper in my ear. "I want to show Aro that his cruel words haven't affected me and that I'm still upbeat." He explains.

"How's Aro going to know whether you're upset or not?" I check and he gives a subtle point to the castle behind me. "He's watching us from the window." He hisses so only I hear him. I turn my neck to find Aro in the castle some distance away from the fountain but still very visible and clear, standing at the open window watching us. 

I turn back to Lucifer. "I'm pretty certain he can hear me when I speak at a normal volume, so play along and pretend we're having a jolly conversation, okay? For me?" He asks. I stare at him mesmerized. "You're cleverer than you look." I whisper, then I raise my voice back to normal level.

"I'm sure Aro would love a visit from LeeRoy." I shout loudly so Aro can hear. Lucifer smiles proudly at me for playing the same game. "Yes. He's been talking about visiting in a while, now. He can thank him for his Playstation." He shouts to me.

"Aro gave him a Playstation? I didn't think he knew those existed." I hiss quietly to him only. "Yeah. He gave LeeRoy money for his birthday and told him to spend it any way he wanted to." Lucifer shrugs. "It's my eighteenth soon. I wonder if I'll get money." He says quietly to himself. I grab his hand gently.

"It's ok. Mom and Viktor will get you something. I promise. We should throw a big party. Eighteen is a special time."

Suddenly my phone rings and the caller ID flashes as 'Marcus'. Lucifer blinks at it. "Marcus has a phone?"
"Telephone." I shrug and I answer it. "Hey Marcus, what's up?"

"Get back here right now, I want to speak to you about Lily's birthday." The voice hisses. "Aro?" I groan. I turn to the window where he no longer stands. "It's Lucifer. That's his name." I correct. "It's Aro?" Lucifer cuts in. I nod. "Papa, were you listening to our conversations?" I question.

"Yes." He answers shortly. I sigh. "Why are you using Marcus's telephone?" I ask. "Mine is broken. You ask too many unnessecary questions." His voice trails off.

"Come back here now and bring....bring..your brother with you." He hangs up.

I gasp. Lucifer's eyes widen, staring at me in alarm. "What is it? What's wrong?" He groans.

I look up at his face and smile. "Aro just called you my brother!"