Lucifer watched his Baby Girl eagerly flip through her notebook like she hadn't seen it in years, and the genuine smile on her face made him smile.
"Thank you!" She smiled, looking up at him, "Let's go."
"Yes, let's. We have some ground to cover." He said as she looked up and closed the notebook but held it tightly.
She followed eagerly behind him while her curiosity floated on the breeze, but remnants of her grief remained. As they walked through the woods, he pointed out a few different plants, to which she sketched them out and wrote down what he told her about them. As the morning faded, so did the rest of her pain; she was in a bubbly mood by midday.
"Okay, time for my question." She hummed as she stood up, snapping her notebook closed.
Lucifer had just shown her the Baba plant, a silly name but very useful. Its root is used to help with stomach pain, its leaves are delicious to cook with, and the flower is a crucial ingredient in many poison antidotes.
"Go for it." He replied as they began walking again.
"What was growing up like for you?" She asked.
"Growing up?" He repeated.
"Yeah, I mean, you're one of a kind. Half demon, half angel, and I'm curious." She explained.
"Alright, well uhh," He paused and scratched his head. The question admittedly threw him off, "I was born similar to how you were and grew at the same rate. Infant to toddler, toddler to child, child to teen, and so on, but age is a little different here; we grow slower. Not mentally or maturity, but physically. You see, demons have extremely long lives compared to most mortals, so even half-demons can live for hundreds of years. Me, however, I believe I'm immortal. Once I hit adulthood, I stopped aging, even though the years passed. I got older and older, but my body didn't change unless I made it, and here we are. I, Lucifer, the eternal adult." He said, and she chuckled, confusing him.
"That's not what I meant. Though I did learn something, I didn't realize I was curious about. I meant, what was your childhood like? Were you a happy child? Did you play a lot, did you have friends, or was it traumatic? Were you deprived of love and tortured by demons to mold you into the future king of Hell?"
It was his turn to laugh, and he did. It was an unexpected and pure laugh, "My childhood was that of a Prince's." He finally said as he slowed his pace, so they walked right next to each other, "I grew up with the best education and never wanted for anything. Yes, I had friends, mainly Milril and Orad. I was a spoiled little shit. Anything I wanted, I got. My father gave me everything, but I suppose that was to make up for his lack of presence and what he did to my mother." He explained and caught her tense up, "But you know all about it, don't you, Baby Girl?"
She stopped, and so did he, swallowing hard. She met his gaze with a guilty look, "You know?"
"I suspected." He smirked, "I had seen you two talking the other night and knowing my father. What did he tell you exactly?"
"Nothing, he showed me." She mumbled, averting her eyes.
"Of course he did," Lucifer growled.
"I'm sorry,"
"Don't be. It's fine. Besides, you would have found out eventually anyway." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair, "But yes to all your questions, including the trauma. However, I was never tortured by demons, though I have tortured my fair share of them." There was an awkward silence as they started walking again, "You know it's common ground, both of us having absentee parents and all."
"True." She chuckled morbidly, "What's worse, the Young Prince whose mother tried to kill him or the future queen whose father murdered many?"
"Allegedly murdered, you said he always claimed his innocence." Lucifer pointed out.
"Right." She rolled her eyes and sighed, "He did it, didn't he? Killed all those people?"
"Do you truly want the answer to that, Baby Girl?" He asked with a serious look.
"I think that answer's my question." She mumbled, kicking the dirt with the tip of her foot.
"There is a difference between thinking you know something is true and knowing it's true." He explained, "You know the answer in your heart, and I know the answer in my mind. All me verifying it will do is cause more pain, but if that is what you want, say the word."
"Tell me, yes, it will hurt a bit to hear it, but it's also something I need to know for a fact so I can get some closure and move on." She replied, straightening her shoulders and meeting his eyes with her bright green ones.
"Yes, your father was guilty of all the crimes against him and a few more," Lucifer replied. "His soul is suffering for all eternity in my torture chambers because of his heinous acts of murder." There was the bitter pain he expected to erupt into the air, but to his surprise, it faded rather quickly to just a hint as his Baby Girl wiped away one lone tear and replaced the smile on her face.
"Okay, let's go. Are we getting close to this spot? I'm getting hungry." She asked.
"Yes, just a bit further," Lucifer reassured.
The two walked in silence for another minute until a massive wall of rock stopped them. His Baby Girl looked around, a bit confused, which was no surprise since the only way to keep walking was to go back the way they just came.
"Is this the place?" She asked, concluding that this could be the only answer.
"No," He smirked, and his eyes moved up the rocky surface, "Up there is."
"Ha! You may be able to climb that, but there is no way I can." She explained.
"I know," He replied as he took the bag off his back and crouched down, "Take the bag and climb on." He directed.
"No, nope, not gonna happen." She said, taking a step back instead of forwards.
"Oh, come on, Baby Girl. I promise you won't fall." He reassured, his teeth shining through his smirk.
"Not today, Satan." She glared.
"That's Crowned Prince Satan the second, and please? Don't you trust me? I am your husband, after all." He coaxed, and he could see her struggling.
"If I fall, Luce,"
"You won't, Kathrine Ann. Just trust me, okay?" He answered confidently, "Or we could just turn back if you are that scared." He added with a sigh and moved to stand up, but instead, she moved forward and picked up the bag.
"Let's get this over with." She groaned, adjusting the bag to her back before climbing on his.
"Now, wrap your legs tight around my waist and your arms around my neck." She did as he said, but then he stood up. The quick movement caused her to squeeze even tighter, "Not that tight, Baby Girl!" He choked.
"Sorry!" She quickly apologized and loosened her hold on his neck.
"It's alright. Feel free to squeeze as tight as you like with your legs, though." He teased, and he could swear he felt the warmth of her embarrassment. "Alright, are you ready?" he asked as he moved to face the wall.
"I think so, I feel like I should say a prayer, but that seems a bit silly since I'm clinging to the back of the Devil." She replied with a deep breath to prepare herself.
"I'll protect you better than he would." He smirked as he began to climb.
He took it slow as he moved up the familiar wall, she clung to him tightly, and he could feel her head buried in his back.
"Doing alright, Baby Girl?" He asked, holding back his amusement as he quickly climbed the rock.
"I don't want to fall." She mumbled weakly.
"I told you I won't let you fall,"
"I know. And I trust you, but it's just if I do fall,"
"If you do somehow happen to fall, I will be on the ground to catch you before you hit it." He interrupted, "I'll keep you safe. You're mine now, after all." He reminded.
"Okay, Luce." She replied, "I trust you."
"Another minute, maybe two, and we'll be there." He informed, continuing to climb.
"Oh, God!" She gasped, and Lucifer suddenly sensed her panic strong in the air.
"What's wrong?" He asked. They were almost to the top when her arms started to slip, "Baby Girl, Hold on. We're almost there." He said but received no response. Her grip weakened more, "Kathrine Ann!" He snapped but got nothing. She was going to fall.