"Well now, you can't just say that and expect me not to see for myself," Alastor hummed, lifting his head and reaching for a wing. He knows to be gentle, at least, feeling and scritching at the soft down. "Yes, reminds me quite a bit of holding one of the chickens in my neighbor's yard. Or perhaps a goose."
The wing twitched with the touch, and the soft chuckle noted the sheer sensitivity of the appendages.
"I'll take goose! I'll also accept duck of course, or even the elegant swan." He lifted his nose proudly.
"Angels pride themselves on their wings. There were once old rituals involving a dance that revealed your wings to another for a closer look-see. That's where the courtship dances for birds comes from. Can't claim credit for it, though... but I did help approve the concept. It was too romantic to pass up!"
"All's fair in love and war, Al! Knowing you've got a bunch of bucks fighting over you's got to get the does' juices flowing, right?" He snickered.
"But I bet you've never found another buck that measures, let alone enough to clash! I can't recall a time before where any demon, Sinner or otherwise, took the resemblance of a deer do-ooown here--"
Oh, the wing was very sensitive, but the King clamped his mouth shut briefly, then made a show of a yawn. That's
"I do so love venison," Alastor chuckled. There were other deer Sinners out and about, just no one of note - he left them be because they weren't reprehensible vermin. Only those that irked him became meat.
He's not oblivious to the suspicious squint that sound gets from Husk, or the way Vaggie is still gawking - it confirms to Alastor that he's certainly triggering something, isn't he? Never something he's aimed to do, but watching Lucifer try to hide it was rather fun.
"I've never much cared for the showboating or obnoxious jealousy. Such a headache. No class whatsoever, especially towards the fairer sex," Alastor gossiped as he continued smoothly stroking feathers. "Men and women ought to court their suitors properly."
"M-mhm...! Of- of course... can't half-ass courtship, no sirree!"
Though his head swam, he felt the goosebumps rise up along his back and arms. He hadn't had his wings touched- not like this- in a number of years. Yet no part of him wanted to protest, remind Alastor that uh hey, touching any angel's wings like that was akin to... akin to...!
Pardon the King minutely squirming. He could endure. It was fine. Best not make things awkward.
"How- how would you suppose it best be done, in your opinion...?"
None the wiser, Alastor kept gently raking his claws through the down, gently scratching at any that felt loose but otherwise just smoooothly combing them all comfortably in place.
"All the proper steps, of course. A stated interest, gifts and outings, special time set aside, meeting the family, sharing romantic private dinners... that all seems appropriate, don't you suppose?"
Alastor moved to the next wing below the one he'd just combed, brushing through the next.
"Have you ever been presented a bouquet before a date, Lucifer?"
"Oh, well, of course." He nodded quickly, all too quickly. To speak of such things so casually, all while claws moved down to the next wing had his heart skipping all over his ribs.
"Me? Nooo-no-no. It's usually me doing the pre-...presenting, I- ... it'd be nice, I suppose? I don't have a favorite flower, really... a-anything's good..."
Alastor, people are watching. He was quietly tucking away the other wings, lest he suffer a touch to all six; he'd need to find a way to excuse himself through a portal to take a very, very cold shower while battling a level of anemia at this rate.
"Huh... it always did bother me a little- I'd love a bouquet, but it was always my responsibility to be the one to present it...!"
"Oh, I understand exactly! The injustice, that the fairer sex are so discouraged from returning such poetic gestures. Perhaps a John of your fancy will grant you one, in time," Alastor chuckled, noticing the wings getting tucked away - ticklish, perhaps? Annoying, is he overstepping his boundaries? Hilarious, honestly.
"Best find an honest fella that can appreciate polka and wretched rubber toys. If he's a poor suitor, Rosie or I will eat him to get him out of your hair. Hah hah!"
"Details, details... some smoking and curing, the right spices, even a mudfish can carry some sort of flavor. Not to worry, I'll be sure to offer you the first bite," Alastor chuckled, finally releasing the wing and otherwise occupying his hands with straightening out Lucifer's lapels. Touchy, touchy.
"A theoretical John has quite the standard to meet. Let alone being any use to you - they'd have to pass Charlotte's approval."
"Any who'd mess with me would already be missing a sizeable piece, don't you worry."
He breathed a quiet sigh of relief. The lapel was fine. It was a manageable touch. Still sent a little tingle, a small ache, but it wasn't stroking his feathers in the least! Saves him an awkward explanation on angel anatomy!
Lucifer's eyes widened. Charlie. "O-oh! Yes, of course they'd have to! I may be single, but I'm still a father! No bouquets, no coffee, no outings if this proverbial John had any ill will toward my daughter!"
Serious now, he rubbed his chin. "...I'd want to see how they'd meet her first. Professional chat. I can suss them out from afar, maybe."
"Ah hah hah! And not only do they have to worry about meeting your approval for how they speak to Charlie - they'll undoubtedly have to deal with Charlie asserting herself to aggressively-kindly remind them not to harm her dear father."
There's a snort from Vaggie - it's a laugh she tries to hide behind a cough. "That... that sounds like Charlie, yeah," Vaggie agreed with restraint.
"Hah! Of course it does, she's a protective sort."
"Perfect! I feel protected!" He laughed. It was really encouraging to hear the affirmation, and Hell help anyone who decided to incite her ire! She was her mother's daughter, after all.
"Of course, if I were to court a friend, that saves a whole Hell of a lot of stress. That makes the bouquets and coffee far more fun, getting to see a whole new side of them."
There's a funny little spark of something in Alastor imagining someone else pulling Lucifer away. What in the world is that feeling? It felt bitter.
Especially if he thought back to the portraits he'd seen in the Hotel before... he'd only ever seen the Morningstar family and the infamous von Eldricht family. Ugh. Surely that fish man was too busy with his wife to make an appearance, right?
"Surely hundreds of thousands of years of friendships you could call on, even. I can only imagine your potential repertoire."
"Repertoire... yes, I suppose it isn't often that a King considers declaring himself 'on the market'. The trick is also finding someone who does not desire status, power, blaaah blah blah, complicated things that are beyond my capacity in my floppy state...!"
He was tired of complicated things, or complicated thoughts. Maybe simple things for now, until he'd recovered what blood he'd lost.
But there was an odd twinge to the air. A bruise of pride. The bitter taste. Someone in the Hotel was having a time.
Well, nothing for it. He brought his hands together.
"...At any rate," he sighed, eager to shelve the subject for now. Pride demanded repayments be made.
"I should try retiring in my office, open up this area to the guests. Can't be a total slug, hm?" With that, he carefully extracted himself and got back to his feet.
He manifested his cane, gave it a twirl, and the base struck the ground thrice. With it, a small zing.
"...Hopefully the rest of you will do the same when the old sandman hits, eh?"
He looked over them all, but when his gaze moved to Alastor, he paused.
Then he was away again, tucking his hair back. He was still a little gray and clammy, but he could at least manage his way to bed to rest. Perhaps he shouldn't have used power then, but...
"Got a busy day tomorrow! Pardon me for retiring a little early. Guess some days you really feel your age, huh? Eugh~"
What a day they'd had, hmm. Alastor peered intently at the pallid color, a little amused, a little... something. Another funny little feeling. There was a strange satisfaction knowing that he was the cause of that, and Lucifer seemed to play along just fine.
"Yes, yes. Go rest, lest Charlie find a reason to fret over you instead of doing her taxes."
"Well, well! A compliment! I'm better than taxes. I'll take that... to the bank."
Alastor, enjoy a brief finger-guns. But off he went, supported by the cane to bring himself back to his office. He needed to sit and sleep this off, maybe have a little juice. Ooh, and cookies.
But despite his departure and his absence for the remainder of the evening, he hadn't gone off completely quietly into the evening...
...Alastor would find himself treading into the solace of his beloved bit of the bayou, and finding it a little more red than usual.
Myriad crimson wildflowers had spontaneously sprung to life amid the grass, mixed with big red clover blossoms; massive hibiscus lie in wait amid the shrubs, swaying with every stray breeze. The fireflies had their new perches to watch their paramours blink and dance through the air.
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sugaronthecream) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
divinetree2024-04-01 08:17 am
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no subject
"I'll take goose! I'll also accept duck of course, or even the elegant swan." He lifted his nose proudly.
"Angels pride themselves on their wings. There were once old rituals involving a dance that revealed your wings to another for a closer look-see. That's where the courtship dances for birds comes from. Can't claim credit for it, though... but I did help approve the concept. It was too romantic to pass up!"
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Alastor strooookes the feathers, careful not to snag, gently catching a freed shed feather before it hit the floor.
"Was it Heaven or Hell that gave bucks a surly need to gore each other with their antlers?"
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"But I bet you've never found another buck that measures, let alone enough to clash! I can't recall a time before where any demon, Sinner or otherwise, took the resemblance of a deer do-ooown here--"
Oh, the wing was very sensitive, but the King clamped his mouth shut briefly, then made a show of a yawn. That's
That's what that was.
no subject
He's not oblivious to the suspicious squint that sound gets from Husk, or the way Vaggie is still gawking - it confirms to Alastor that he's certainly triggering something, isn't he? Never something he's aimed to do, but watching Lucifer try to hide it was rather fun.
"I've never much cared for the showboating or obnoxious jealousy. Such a headache. No class whatsoever, especially towards the fairer sex," Alastor gossiped as he continued smoothly stroking feathers. "Men and women ought to court their suitors properly."
no subject
Though his head swam, he felt the goosebumps rise up along his back and arms. He hadn't had his wings touched- not like this- in a number of years. Yet no part of him wanted to protest, remind Alastor that uh hey, touching any angel's wings like that was akin to... akin to...!
Pardon the King minutely squirming. He could endure. It was fine. Best not make things awkward.
"How- how would you suppose it best be done, in your opinion...?"
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"All the proper steps, of course. A stated interest, gifts and outings, special time set aside, meeting the family, sharing romantic private dinners... that all seems appropriate, don't you suppose?"
Alastor moved to the next wing below the one he'd just combed, brushing through the next.
"Have you ever been presented a bouquet before a date, Lucifer?"
no subject
"Me? Nooo-no-no. It's usually me doing the pre-...presenting, I- ... it'd be nice, I suppose? I don't have a favorite flower, really... a-anything's good..."
Alastor, people are watching. He was quietly tucking away the other wings, lest he suffer a touch to all six; he'd need to find a way to excuse himself through a portal to take a very, very cold shower while battling a level of anemia at this rate.
"Huh... it always did bother me a little- I'd love a bouquet, but it was always my responsibility to be the one to present it...!"
no subject
"Best find an honest fella that can appreciate polka and wretched rubber toys. If he's a poor suitor, Rosie or I will eat him to get him out of your hair. Hah hah!"
no subject
Still, his expression faltered briefly. He cleared his throat, ignoring the uncomfortable clench in his chest.
Did- did he have to think about getting back into the dating scene? He wasn't sure if he wanted to bother with that any more. Who would even want-
"You sure, though? Wouldn't a scumbag who perhaps wanted me for my wealth and status taste... I dunno, awful? Like pond muck!"
no subject
"A theoretical John has quite the standard to meet. Let alone being any use to you - they'd have to pass Charlotte's approval."
no subject
He breathed a quiet sigh of relief. The lapel was fine. It was a manageable touch. Still sent a little tingle, a small ache, but it wasn't stroking his feathers in the least! Saves him an awkward explanation on angel anatomy!
Lucifer's eyes widened. Charlie. "O-oh! Yes, of course they'd have to! I may be single, but I'm still a father! No bouquets, no coffee, no outings if this proverbial John had any ill will toward my daughter!"
Serious now, he rubbed his chin. "...I'd want to see how they'd meet her first. Professional chat. I can suss them out from afar, maybe."
no subject
There's a snort from Vaggie - it's a laugh she tries to hide behind a cough. "That... that sounds like Charlie, yeah," Vaggie agreed with restraint.
"Hah! Of course it does, she's a protective sort."
no subject
"Of course, if I were to court a friend, that saves a whole Hell of a lot of stress. That makes the bouquets and coffee far more fun, getting to see a whole new side of them."
no subject
Especially if he thought back to the portraits he'd seen in the Hotel before... he'd only ever seen the Morningstar family and the infamous von Eldricht family. Ugh. Surely that fish man was too busy with his wife to make an appearance, right?
"Surely hundreds of thousands of years of friendships you could call on, even. I can only imagine your potential repertoire."
no subject
He was tired of complicated things, or complicated thoughts. Maybe simple things for now, until he'd recovered what blood he'd lost.
But there was an odd twinge to the air. A bruise of pride. The bitter taste. Someone in the Hotel was having a time.
Well, nothing for it. He brought his hands together.
"...At any rate," he sighed, eager to shelve the subject for now. Pride demanded repayments be made.
"I should try retiring in my office, open up this area to the guests. Can't be a total slug, hm?" With that, he carefully extracted himself and got back to his feet.
He manifested his cane, gave it a twirl, and the base struck the ground thrice. With it, a small zing.
"...Hopefully the rest of you will do the same when the old sandman hits, eh?"
He looked over them all, but when his gaze moved to Alastor, he paused.
Then he was away again, tucking his hair back. He was still a little gray and clammy, but he could at least manage his way to bed to rest. Perhaps he shouldn't have used power then, but...
"Got a busy day tomorrow! Pardon me for retiring a little early. Guess some days you really feel your age, huh? Eugh~"
no subject
"Yes, yes. Go rest, lest Charlie find a reason to fret over you instead of doing her taxes."
no subject
Alastor, enjoy a brief finger-guns. But off he went, supported by the cane to bring himself back to his office. He needed to sit and sleep this off, maybe have a little juice. Ooh, and cookies.
But despite his departure and his absence for the remainder of the evening, he hadn't gone off completely quietly into the evening...
...Alastor would find himself treading into the solace of his beloved bit of the bayou, and finding it a little more red than usual.
Myriad crimson wildflowers had spontaneously sprung to life amid the grass, mixed with big red clover blossoms; massive hibiscus lie in wait amid the shrubs, swaying with every stray breeze. The fireflies had their new perches to watch their paramours blink and dance through the air.