WHO: Allison & Lucifer WHAT: Visiting WHEN: Day 1 Evening WHERE: The hospital WARNINGS: Not much outside of feels and Lucifer missing an eye. STATUS: Complete.
So maybe Lucifer had forgotten to tell Allison he wasn't going to leave, after they had already said an emotional farewell. It wasn't as if he hadn't been distracted by some furious goat demons that had tried to destroy his face or anything. But he had changed his mind before the Krampus attacks, and so he felt slightly guilty for not having told her prior.
Whichever, that only made the surprise of him staying better, didn't it? Which is what he told her after arriving back in her room, this time finding it void of visitors. "Now, before you get upset with me, isn't it so much better that I'm here now when you thought I'd be gone?" he asked, cheerfully, not yet having taken off his sunglasses.
He wasn't sure if she was feeling up to responding, but he took a seat next to her bed anyway.
Allison had a lot of feelings. Most of them were ‘when will the pain not exist’, but she wasn’t focusing on it. She’d refused anything stronger than tylenol because, while she knew it would be more helpful, she wanted to have her reflexes and mind in her own control for now. She also didn’t want to sleep too much. She might take something stronger before bed, but until then, she’d be fine.
Things were quieter again without Klaus around, but she was also bored just sitting in the hospital alone. Also with having seen Lucifer so briefly earlier, she hadn’t really had a moment to handle anything or address her feelings on the matter. Now that he was back, she found herself glaring. She was happy he was here, but she was upset that he’d made her grieve him only to just casually show back up like it was supposed to be her happiest day?
She forced her expression to something a little more neutral and reached for the closest thing to her, which turned out to be a small plastic cup. She considered throwing it at his head before she put it back down and just turned away from him instead. Ignoring him seemed more of a slight than throwing a cup at his head...even if she wanted to.
"Right, you're upset," Lucifer nodded. "And I should have alerted you when I changed my mind but… I'm sorry." Frowning, he stood up from the chair. "I can come back later," he offered.
Allison stared at the wall, the expression on her face saying everything that she felt. She was upset and part of her wanted him to leave so she could sulk more. Sorry. Like it was something so easy to do. Just accept he was leaving and then accept he was going to stay. She assumed there was a reason, but she didn’t know what that reason was.
She sat up quicker than she meant to, hand coming to rest across her ribs as she winced. She was never going to forgive those stupid demon goats. At least they didn’t have guns. She was tired of being shot at. She turned to look at him after a moment, frowning slightly. Not for the first time she wished she could properly yell at someone. Right now, she just wanted to yell at Lucifer, but she wasn’t able.
Taking in a breath, she moved to swing her legs over the side of the bed. Her legs were fine, but she was glad no one but the doctors had gotten a good look at the bruised parts of herself. She stared at him for a moment before deciding to throw the cup anyway.
"Bloody hell, what are you doing?" he asked, reaching up and snagging the cup from the air. Hello, devilish reflexes. He could have used those last room. "You're going to hurt yourself worse," he said, protesting where she seemed inclined to risk injury just to prove a point.
But until that moment, he hadn't realized just how upset she was, it wasn't anywhere close to where he had guessed at. "I was asked to stay," he explained, knowing she couldn't easily voice such a question if she even wanted to ask it. He answered anyway. "So I did."
He was still wearing sunglasses, and knew he had to show her the reality behind them sooner or later, so he removed them, let her see where his right eye was now missing. "Even then, it was still tempting. But things happened in the time leading up to the grand finale and…"
He paused. "I am sorry. I put you through the ringer and apparently for naught."
Allison would have judo flipped him to prove a point, but she wasn’t sure her ribs were up to it. Still, she would have.
Asked to stay. She looked down. She wanted to ask who asked him to stay, who could change his mind if the rest of them couldn’t. But she didn’t. She just stared at her lap. When she did look up, her expression shifted to one of concern. She turned to grab her white board, forgetting herself and wincing again, but she grabbed hold of it anyway, turning back. She allowed herself a moment before writing If it wouldn’t mean I had to stay in the hospital for longer, I’d knock you on the ground.
But she set down the board before sliding off the bed to stand on the ground. Once she did it, she wasn’t sure she didn’t regret it. She’d have to get over it, get used to it. Pretend it was like when they were first training and learning to fight. It was just muscle pain. It would be better soon. All she needed was a little time. She steeled herself and reached up to touch his face, hesitating just before she did. She knew Lucifer wasn’t terribly physical with people, so she wanted to know if he was okay with it. She glanced over at him, a question in her eyes. It gave him the time to say yes or no.
"Allison," he said, moving closer to her as she slid off the bed. He hesitated as she reached her hand up, but then nodded.
She put her hand on his face, coming up close to where the eye was missing before letting her hand drop. She frowned before leaning in to hug him. What she was dealing with? It was nothing. She’d bounce back and she’d be okay. This wasn’t something so easily fixed or healed.
"Don't hurt yourself," he repeated, though he brought his arms up to hug her gingerly in return. He let the moment sit for a few seconds before adding, "Well if all I needed to do to earn your forgiveness was lose an eye…"
She reached up enough to smack him upside his head after the last part. He deserved it, so she didn’t feel bad even if he was hurt. On his back she wrote Not that. To explain it wasn’t the eye that got him a hug. Not forgiven yet. Just so he knew she was still upset, but she was also happy he was there. Stupid. She didn’t think she needed to explain that she was telling him in that moment that he was stupid...even if she didn’t move.
After a moment, she stepped back and looked up at his face again. She moved more carefully this time to grab her white board. Maybe next time don’t be a dick. I’m sorry about your eye.
"Hey!" he protested, but she didn't pull away, and so he stayed put too, realizing after a moment that she was drawing out letters on his back. Having missed the first few he was trying to work out what she was saying.
A-T-N-O-I-T-O … that didn't make any sense. She paused for a moment, and he was about to tell her that he had no idea what she was trying to tell him, when she started again.
S-T-U-P… he didn't even need her to finish, trying not to laugh as she pulled away and got the white board. "Right, well. I'll do my best," he offered. "Now why don't we get you back into bed?"
She smiled widely at him before carefully climbing back into bed. She didn’t like it, but she wasn’t going to argue. Her ribs hurt. She was told they weren’t broken, but likely they were bruised and that would take time to heal as well. She didn’t like the sound of it. I could still kick your ass like this. It might not be strictly true, but she would find a way to at least get through it even if it hurt.
She sighed. She’d kill for an actual shower in a room where she could feel like she wasn’t gross afterwards. I don’t think I’ll stay much longer. Maybe just check in. I’m already tired of being here.
"Actually, you couldn't," Lucifer replied. "Back to being invincible, I'm afraid. Just a little too late." He'd have been far worse shape without the powers that be restoring his own powers, healing being one of them. "What was your damage, anyway?"
He'd not seen her in that bloody attack, having found enough trouble on his own. "Probably enough that you shouldn't be jumping in and out of bed just yet."
She shrugged. Even that made her ribs protest. Kicked by demon goats. Bruised ribs, lots of internal bleeding. She breathed out evenly and adjusted herself in the bed. She shrugged again. Just another Tuesday...or whatever day it was. She looked at him for a moment. I’ll be fine. You didn’t see any of us when we first started hand to hand combat training. Probably the only one that didn’t end up with an impressive array of bruises was Luther. But she wasn’t worried too much.
Nothing I won’t bounce back from in a few days.
"Good," he replied. "Because since I'm here, I'm going to demand your time. And there's plenty of ways to spend it, if you heal up quickly enough. Plus there's alcohol that actually tastes good and won't get me drunk." He certainly had a newfound appreciation for that.
She shook her head. Alcohol will always make me drunk. She wasn’t worried about it, but she was looking forward to wine. She hoped there was wine. She had a feeling Klaus was going to be drunk all or most of the time, too. She didn’t want to think too hard about it now, but maybe he’d eventually figure out dialing it back. I think the plan once I get out of here is a bath and wine. And hoping no one bothers me.
"I did just say I was going to bother you," Lucifer pointed out. "Maybe in not as many words…"
It better not be while I’m in the bath or I’m going to be forced to throw wine at you and that would be a sad waste of wine. She was doing her best not to laugh...more because it would hurt than anything else, but it was difficult.
"Well, I did mean after and in general, unless that's an invitation…" Lucifer replied with a grin. How it possibly could be construed as an invitation was difficult to say. "Kidding, but do make sure you don't drown. Can't survive demon goats then drown in a bathtub. That would be terribly anti-climatic."
She snorted at that. You wish. His next sentence made he roll her eyes, but she smiled all the same. I promise not to drown in the bathtub. I’ll make my death as dramatic and fulfilling as I can. She waited a moment, erasing the last message before saying. I mean, if I can’t prevent my death.
"Good," he answered. "Wouldn't want anything ordinary."
Leaning back into the chair, Lucifer asked, "Mind if I stick around for a while?" He couldn't hide his smirk afterward, seeing as he was there since he'd already decided to stick around for a while.
She shook her head at his question. She didn’t mind him sticking around. Want to watch anything on TV or are we just going to sit here and stare at one another?
"Staring contest," he answered easily. "Do I have an advantage if I only have to keep one eye open?"
Allison rolled her eyes. Of course he’d choose staring contest. No. She sighed, writing, Well, you’re the one that’s going to have to count down to when we start.
Lucifer flashed Allison a smile and counted them down, figuring they would find ways to entertain themselves for a while. And as long as they avoided the topic of how long he was actually going to stay, they'd be fine.