InsaneJournal

Henry had been released from his chair sometime in the night, and allowed to curl up beside Hermes. If he hadn't been so exhausted, he likely never would have slept for fear of what the next day held. But his body dragged him under regardless.

When he awoke, Lucifer was kneeling in front of the pair of them, and Hermes had elbowed him in the side. Henry squawked awkwardly and then he shrank back away from Lucifer in fear. The devil watched the pair of them for an uncomfortable few minutes, and then he heaved a heavy sigh. "What am I going to do with you, Henry?" Henry didn't answer, even though he wanted to say 'let me go please?'

"I have given you every opportunity to stop this. All you have to do is sign a contract that says you won't see your disgusting lover again. He already tossed you away like wet garbage, Henry. Nothing would be changing, it would just be in writing. He clearly doesn't care enough about you to stay with you. All you have to do is sign."

Henry knew Lucifer was lying, but god it was tempting. Not to never see Iestyn again. Of course not that. But to stop the pain. All he wanted to do was stop the pain. It was all he could see right now. Part of him couldn't actually imagine getting out of this at all. So was it so bad then, to sign and stop this? If he didn't think it would include a clause like 'if Henry fucks up Lucifer gets his soul' he might have done it. But Henry didn't want to go to Hell.

"I can't," he whispered, and he was sure he saw Hermes look at him, impressed. It wasn't strength, Henry wanted to yell. It was terror.

"I am very sorry to hear that," Lucifer said to Henry. "I can't be bothered with you any more, to be honest. You're a failed experiment. You're useless. Nothing."

Lucifer's hands shot out at Henry so fast, Henry didn't even have time to brace himself. Lucifer pulled Henry into a sitting position by his face and then Lucifer's visage started to change right in front of him. Henry could feel his brain start to splinter as it rebelled against the tinest fraction of Lucifer's true form, and his tingle was overwhelmed by NAUGHTY, DIRTY, RUN, DREADFUL, DISEASED, DISGUSTING-

Lucifer let just a little more of his mask slip, and Henry's mind noped right out. He lost consciousness and wouldn't regain it for some time. Then Hermes dropped the boy on the floor, and he landed there with a sickening crack.

Lucifer left, and Hermes crawled over to the boy, hissing swear words. "Henry! Fuck. Come on, kid, come on!" he said, turning Henry's head to the side so he didn't choke on his own saliva. He could tell Henry was alive, but he also didn't think the boy was just asleep either. No. They needed to be rescued, and soon, or the boy was going to die and there was nothing Hermes could do about it.