Chapter Text
She was having another flying dream; she usually had those kinds of dreams.
She used to soar above white, fluffy clouds, following after someone. In her waking mind, she could recognize the path as the morning warm-up lap around the Exorcist compound. But in the dream she was only ever following a shape in front of her, never quite sure of who. Lately, her dreams changed; she flew around Pentagram City on a memorized patrol path, cutting through the red sky, over buildings with their neon signs, distant shapes below her. She followed no one now, no shape, no figure- at least usually. This particular dream, she was following Vaggie, watching as she dipped and rose, thoroughly enjoying the flight. Lute felt that blissful sort of contentment that had only recently become known to her in the waking world; previously, she thought it was merely a function of dreams, a small gift given to the warrior angels who would know nothing for all their days but the horror of the slaughter and the preparation for it.
Then, a shadow passed over her and she looked up to see Charlie. She wasn’t flying with her wings, though- perhaps it was infernal sorcery or just a dream failing to make sense, but Lute didn’t particularly care. Not when they were both there, with her. Dreams like this were rare.
Then Vaggie rose, flying high over the city, and Lute began climbing too, Charlie gliding between them. They both were smiling, beckoning her closer, until she reached them.
They began to fall then, tucking wings in and letting gravity do its work, and it was one of the most exhilarating parts of flying. The world around her became a blur, except for Charlie and Vaggie as they reached out and held her and-
Wait.
She could feel the exhilaration being joined by arousal as four hands began touching her, gliding across her skin- she was suddenly naked, bared for them, only them, and the ground fell away as they remained falling through the red of Hell. Charlie’s heat along her thighs, Vaggie’s smaller, cooler hands on her chest, teasing her nipples; her breathing hitched in her throat as a moan bubbled up, coaxed out by her lovers as they teased her, toyed with her. A hot, wet tongue licked at her slit as a mouth closed on one nipple and her body jerked, trying to move into both touches at the same time. The pleasure arched up her spine, making her wings flutter, and that made Vaggie grab one, near the joint, the steady pressure delicious-
Lute blinked her eyes open, her vision filled with the familiar red pillowcase of the penthouse bed, her confusion regarding her dream skittering away from her conscious mind as Charlie’s tongue firmly circled around her clit and a moan fell from her lips. She quickly looked down; she’d been rolled partially on her side so Vaggie could lavish attention on her chest while keeping a firm hold of one wing as Charlie used her tail to keep Lute’s hips suspended above her face. They’d talked about wake-up sex before but, fuck, they hadn’t tried it yet.
Vaggie lightly bit her nipple, earning a hiss and a hand burying in her hair, before she drew back, a smirk on her lips as she licked at them. “Someone’s finally awake. Good morning, sleepyhead.”
Lute’s gaze darted to the alarm clock. “It- it’s- fuck , Charlie, keep doing that- it’s not even- fuck, baby.”
Any attempt at arguing died on her tongue as claws raked along the underside of her thighs and she tried grinding down but Charlie’s tail held her firmly, and she loved the denial as much as she would’ve enjoyed the pleasure.
Still disoriented from waking up, Lute tried to push herself to her elbows but Vaggie grabbed her by the halo and slipped under her, pulling her down into a messy kiss while her other hand maintained its firm grip on her wing. Between the strong, controlling grips on her halo, wing, and waist, and Charlie’s talented tongue slithering its way inside of her, Lute could feel herself reaching that plateau of pleasure that she craved, where time became meaningless as she lost herself to the sensations, allowing whimpers and moans to leave her mouth whenever it wasn’t occupied. No matter how many times they did this to her, reducing her to a wanton mess of desire and pleasure, Lute found herself intoxicated by it anew, submitting to it wholeheartedly.
Vaggie broke off their kiss to whisper gruffly in her ear. “How do you want it?”
She got to choose this time, sending a delicious thrill down her spine; she didn’t always get to choose, and sometimes she liked being used like that, but the lack of consistency made each choice special in its own way.
“T-tower,” she gasped, again trying to grind down onto Charlie’s face and being held back by the demon’s tail, the grip on her halo tightening and pulling another hiss from her lips. “W-with.”
“Tower with straps?”
“Yes.”
“Good girl,” Vaggie replied, using her grip on her halo to turn her head so she could kiss the corner of Lute’s jaw. “Tower with straps, Charlie.”
Charlie pressed a kiss to her clit and raked her claws along Lute’s backside- a promise and a warning. Keep her hips in place and she would get more ; misbehave, and a punishment would be waiting for her. Luckily- or unluckily, depending on the perspective- she was too keyed up to consider misbehaving at present, even as Vaggie and Charlie shuffled out from under her and into their new positions.
Which meant… they spent no time preparing. “You knew?”
“We know what our Bitch likes,” Vaggie replied, smirking, taking firm hold of her halo again and guiding her mouth to the strap. “Now, worship.”
It had taken a few tries before she’d worked past her initial aversion. It had seemed pointless, at first, to suck on a bit of rubber or silicone, considering no sensation transferred- though Charlie had assured that Asmodeus was working on ‘something special’ for them- but Vaggie explained that she enjoyed the visual, the motion, the submission, and that she thought both Lute and Charlie looked exceptionally pretty when their mouths were… occupied. By this point, as well as they knew her, she knew what they liked from her.
Lute opened her mouth wide, sticking out her tongue and waiting for Vaggie to move her hips forward. The moment she did, Lute began to work the tip of the toy with her mouth while looking up at Vaggie through her lashes. Hands gripped her halo, a comforting presence that silently encouraged her to set the pace- for the moment. That wouldn’t last long, of course, not when Charlie’s claws dug into her hips and she drug the head of her own strap through Lute’s sensitive, slick folds. Briefly, the demon leaned forward, licking a stripe up her spine, between her wings, then twisted her tongue around her halo. The warm wetness- her toes curled, quite nearly coming undone right then, but she managed to hold tight to the idea that she’d yet to satisfy them .
Then, Charlie slipped inside, and it should’ve scandalized her how common it had become for her to take one of their straps that the entry hardly registered. Then again, having Charlie’s tongue thoroughly working her over earlier had left her ready and wanting, and the feel of the demon’s hips flush against hers made her moan around Vaggie’s strap. Charlie’s tail returned to her waist, slithering until it coiled around her lower ribcage, too. Lute’s wings fluttered, briefly, before lowering to her sides as she allowed herself to be moved.
It meant losing the feeling of Charlie’s tongue on her halo as the demon reared back, allowing her tail to move the angel, and Lute surrendered to her girlfriends’ whims. She was moved forward, to choke on Vaggie’s strap, and then slammed back, pounded by Charlie’s hips. The pace started slow as Charlie leaned forward to kiss Vaggie, and Lute could do nothing but watch as the demon’s sharp teeth and forked tongue played at Vaggie’s gray skin, teasing kiss swollen lips as claws flexed against Lute’s hips. Vaggie hissed and tightened her grip on Lute’s halo, both gentle warnings for what would come next.
The tail stilled. Lute stabilized herself with her own legs and arms. A moment of quiet adjustment passed before Vaggie and Charlie began moving their hips, thrusting into her in sync. The first time they’d done this, she’d actually choked, involuntarily gasping at the worst possible moment; now, she let herself be pulled into the rhythm, hardly paying her breathing any mind as she lost herself to the onslaught of sensation. Charlie was the first to lose her rhythm, her tail unwinding to crack the air as she snarled, falling into mindless rutting; her claws alternated leaving marks along Lute’s sides and ass, not deep enough to draw blood but enough to sting, at least for a little while. Vaggie maintained for longer but slowed the movement of her hips, pushing deep and waiting a moment before she withdrew, acting as a perfect counterpoint to Charlie’s frantic motions.
She loved this. Any time she was trapped between them, being driven to the point of madness by pleasure, her entire world narrowed down to the space they occupied. No past, no future; no regrets, no fears; just this perfect moment giving to her girlfriends as they took what they needed. Even the conscious avoidance of touching her clit couldn’t keep her from reaching her peak- though it wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying an orgasm, it could tide her over for the short term. They never pushed her to that point without a plan to deliver her bliss, though, and she trusted they would take care of her just as she took care of them.
“You’re doing so well, baby,” Vaggie said, her voice low and slightly breathless. “Taking us so well. Our insatiable little Bitch.” As much as she liked to complain about how that nickname had stuck, Lute couldn’t help but moan at hearing it. “Now, come.”
The strap in her mouth disappeared in tandem with Charlie’s tail pressing firmly against her clit on a particularly harsh thrust and she fought tooth and nail to hang on long enough to chant their names before falling into something else entirely; praises, thanks, a mantra of ‘fucks’, what actually passed her lips as Charlie fucked her through her orgasm would remain a mystery she had no intention of solving, and this climax felt more intense- perhaps because she’d started in the realm of dreams before being pulled into the waking world already in the throes of passion.
Regardless, she remained dimly aware of her body, how her arms gave out on her as Charlie eventually stopped, pressed a kiss between her wings, and pulled out, laying her down for the moment. The demon hadn’t reached her own peak yet- neither had Vaggie- and it wasn’t long until Lute heard her girlfriends continue. She forced her eyes open, watching as Charlie roughly shoved Vaggie down, until she was in almost the same position as Lute, entering the other angel just as roughly, tail whipping as she growled low in her throat.
Oh, so it was one of those days, where Charlie woke up with Lust thundering in her veins and she wanted nothing more than to fuck her girlfriends however she could throughout the day until getting her own release in the evening. It meant she was rougher with them- which Lute loved- and wouldn’t be dissuaded until both of them were panting messes pinned beneath her. The demon would wear her usual smile for all others but, if she managed to get either Vaggie or Lute alone at any point during the day, that facade would fall as the feral beast took over and she wrung another orgasm from one of them.
“Fuck,” Vaggie gasped, hands fisting the sheets as Charlie set a brutal pace. “Lute.”
Shaking off the awe of watching her girlfriends, Lute scooted closer and leaned in, meeting Vaggie in a sloppy kiss that was mostly tongue and hot, panting breaths. Vaggie reached for her hand, grabbed it, interlaced their fingers and held on as their girlfriend growled- a pleased sound, a hint of Pride, and Lute felt Charlie’s tail wrap around her thigh and yank her closer so she could set a hand beside Lute’s head and lean over them both.
“Mine,” Charlie growled, hellfire dancing in her eyes as she leaned down and nipped at Vaggie’s shoulder, then at Lute’s. “Mine- to fuck, to please, to have, to share, mine mine mine.”
“Yours,” Lute replied as the kiss broke, Vaggie barely able to keep up as her pleasure built- and neither of them could last long when Charlie was lost like this, when the Sins blended together, Pride and Gluttony and Greed and Lust, she was gorgeous and commanding and fuck.
Vaggie could only whine in agreement, clutching onto Lute’s hand, and Charlie’s tail drifted higher to brush against Lute’s clit as the demon leaned down and wrapped her tongue around Lute’s halo.
There was a time when a second orgasm so soon wouldn’t have been in the cards but Lute’s sexual stamina had slowly been improving. Having two sexy, talented, loving, attentive girlfriends helped a lot with that. She still came embarrassingly quickly with such firm and direct stimulation, though, shuddering with pleasure from just the friction against her clit, the hand clutching hers, and the hot, wet hold on her halo.
When she blinked the stars from her eyes, Charlie was laid against Vaggie’s back, being slowly worked down from her high by a hand on one diminishing horn.
“So. That’s one way to greet the day,” she said, grinning as she reached out with her free hand to rub at Charlie’s shoulder. “Woke up in a mood, babe?”
“We’ve been planning this since you agreed to take a day off,” Vaggie replied for their girlfriend, smothering a giggle as the demon gently whined. “It’s why she’s been so antsy.”
“Oh?” Lute raised a brow. “And what other plans await?”
“I’m gonna keep working her up and down throughout the day so tonight …” Her golden gaze twinkled, lips pulling into a smirk. “ You get to deal with the fallout. Doesn’t that sound fun?”
Oh, that sounded fantastic . “What did I do to earn a reward like this?”
“It’s called positive reinforcement ,” Charlie said, sighing happily as her demonic features faded away, wrapping an arm around both of them and pulling them together and towards her, until Lute was nestled against Vaggie’s chest and Vaggie against Charlie’s, both of them looking down at her. “We’re gonna make sure you have a good start and end to the day, so you’ll be encouraged to take more days off in the future!”
Lute frowned, brows furrowing. “Wait, are you trying to buy my compliance with mind numbing orgasms?”
“Yeah,” they replied in tandem, Vaggie going so far as to add a ‘duh’ to her response.
“Well, it’s fucking working.” She nuzzled closer, closing her eyes. “Almost makes waking up early worth it.”
“We were worried that if we waited until after the alarm usually went off, you’d wake up too easily.” Vaggie pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, then to her halo. “Go ahead and doze, baby. We’re going to get ready for the day but you’ve got all the time in the world.”
While some part of her objected to the idea of being left alone in the bed, she had to admit the idea of lounging with no particular time to start her day held a certain appeal now that she had the tingling of pleasure echoing through her body. That, and feeling the sheets being drawn over her, the silky softness dragging along her newly earned marks- oh.
“Huh. I didn’t get bitten this time,” she said absently, a small frown touching her lips as she rolled onto her stomach and spread her wings, settling into the plush comfort of the bed. It wasn’t a big deal- the fact she hadn’t noticed until just then spoke volumes to that- and the comment was more of an observation than a criticism.
The way both of her girlfriends immediately appeared, one on each side, gently pressing down on her wings, however- they’d certainly taken it as one.
Well…
… who was she to deny them?
Just to be safe, she’d stayed in bed until both Vaggie and Charlie were finished getting ready for the day, heading out with chaste kisses and well wishes for her first day off.
Lute mulled over the idea of staying in bed until lunch- she’d heard people did that, sometimes- but the very idea had her wings twitching in annoyance. Instead, she grabbed her hellphone and shot off a text, then went to grab a quick shower and change. Seeing as she wouldn’t be working, she had to opt for a different ensemble than her uniform.
It was… comfortable, if different from her usual style. A black sport top that hooked above and below her wings and had straps over her shoulders- part of the original wardrobe Charlie had offered upon her ‘imprisonment’ at the hotel, so she wouldn’t need to stay in her Exorcist uniform the whole while. Stubborn and resistant to help as she was at the time, she hadn’t worn it often, but she found a new interest in the garment now that she knew Charlie and Vaggie both had a thing for lingerie. She’d never seen the point in it before but, well, if she could silently tease her girlfriends by wearing something spicy under her uniform during the day, why not take the opportunity? Over top, she wore a faded jean jacket so she had somewhere to keep her hellphone, a solid strap of fabric across her shoulders while another buttoned underneath her wings, and she’d never thought about how difficult it had to be for Sinners with wings who didn’t have access to Heaven’s ever present Divine Intervention. If she lacked help in removing her uniform, a thought would dismiss the garment; there were no struggles in Heaven, except those they imposed upon themselves in the compound. Sinners didn’t have that luxury, which was probably why Husk didn’t even bother wearing a shirt most of the time. To complete her outfit, she wore long, loose gym shorts and runner’s shoes and Lute had to consciously work to associate it with being comfortable and lowkey and not… out of regulation.
“It’s a day off,” she told herself, putting her hands into the pockets of the jacket and sighing. “I can dress down on a day off. That’s fine. Charlie and Vaggie both said it was fine. I can handle having a fucking day off.”
Her hellphone buzzed- a message from Adam saying he’d arrived- so she went to the balcony. Before she could take to the sky, though, Ass landed beside her, arms crossed. “Hey, Chief.”
“Ass.” Lute raised a brow. “Is… something on your mind?”
“No,” she replied, a little too quickly, wings twitching as she cleared her throat. “Okay, yes.”
This didn’t technically count as work. “I’ve got some time.”
Ass gnashed her teeth for a moment and groaned. “What the fuck is ‘strap game’?”
Lute blinked. “And you’re asking me because…?”
“Tits and Righty thought you would know.”
Okay, fair enough. “It means your skill using a strap on. Do you know what that is?”
“No?”
“How do you- nevermind, it’s a fake dick you can strap onto your hips. Almost every shop in the Lust ring has a pretty wide selection- and I guess there are different types? Like, not all of them actually strap onto you- but, yeah. It’s a wearable fake dick.” Lute then sighed. “Now, who was asking you about your strap game?”
“This imp I’ve been talking to- well, I guess he’s an incubus? There’s some nuance to the types of imps; I’m still trying to figure that out.” Ass shrugged, looking away. “Anyway, he asked me last night and I left him on read. The fuck am I supposed to tell him?”
A number of responses popped into her head but only one made it to her lips. “I thought you were dating a hellhound?”
Ass tilted her head and cocked one hip to the side. “‘Date’ is a little strong there, Chief. I’m… testing the waters. Sampling all that Hell has to offer. Racking up a body count. Ya know?”
Lute narrowed her eyes. “Are you… trying to be a slut?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. Well, I think you have to sleep with them to do that, not just talk to them, you know that, right?”
“Oh, shit, really?”
“I’m pretty sure? Or maybe just make out with them?” Lute shrugged. “Ask Angel, he’d definitely know.” Then, she gestured towards Ass. “And, while we’re on the topic, why? Is this one of your contrarian impulses?”
“Eh, maybe?” She shrugged. “I mean, Lefty and Tits are together now, and Junior’s got an incubus boyfriend, and you’re with Charlie and Vaggie. It just seems like everyone’s getting into relationships. So, I figured I’d do the opposite, see what that’s like.” She shrugged. “No complaints so far.”
“Well, as long as you’re being safe and it makes you happy.” Lute pressed her lips into a thin line. “You’re doing this because it makes you happy, right?”
“I mean, I’m getting a kick out of it. Is that the same thing?”
“Fuck if I know.” Lute shrugged. “Just don’t be heartless about it, okay? Tell them upfront that you’re not looking for anything serious.”
“Right, of course.”
“And get some tips from Angel. You’re only interested in dudes, right?”
“Eh. Maybe? There’s a couple succubi that caught my eye but…” A shrug. “That’s their whole deal , so, not sure if that has anything to do with me.”
“Well, if you find yourself wanting tips, ask Vaggie or Charlie. And don’t do anything too embarrassing, okay?”
“Whatever, Mom.” Then, she pressed her lips into a thin line. “By the way, how many people do I gotta… bang or make out with or whatever to actually be a slut?”
“Much less why but how would I know that?” Lute sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Fuck, I don’t know. Do you think I’m a slut?”
“Pffft, no.”
“Okay, well, alright, I’ll be your baseline. I started dating Vaggie, like… a hundred and something years ago? Officially? Fuck, I know it’s over a century and a decade.”
“Taking out the time we thought she was dead?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s just say a hundred and ten, then.”
“Yeah, fine, a hundred and ten. And I’ve been dating Charlie for a few months. So, two girlfriends, longest relationship is about a hundred and ten years, so I’m averaging about…” Lute felt fairly confident that most people didn’t have to do math on their days off. “Fifty-five years per relationship.”
Ass raised a brow. “Congratulations?”
“Oh, shut up. What I’m saying is: flip the numbers. If I’m not a slut with two girlfriends and an average of fifty-five, then make out with fifty-five people in two years. Boom, you’re a slut.”
A blink. “Actually, that makes so much sense.” Then, she smiled, reaching out to lightly punch Lute’s shoulder. “This is why we’d follow you to the end, Chief!”
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, whatever. Just be nice about it and be safe.”
“Yeah, yeah, got it,” Ass replied, spreading her wings wide. “By the way, Adam’s waiting by the gate. I threw a rock at him earlier- almost hit him, too.”
“I’m beginning to think you need therapy,” Lute said, watching Ass ignore her and take off. With a shrug- and a mental note to deal with it tomorrow- she turned and jumped onto the balcony railing, spotting Adam across the street and talking to Junior. Which… was probably a conversation she’d need to save one of them from, so she fell forward and glided down to them. “Why are you two over here?”
“Righty is less twitchy if I’m across the street,” Adam replied, lightly tossing a rock in one hand. “Plus, Ass has terrible aim at this distance.”
Junior chuckled. “And Charlie’s less likely to get mad if Adam throws a rock at a car if he’s not on her property.”
“They’ve almost splashed us six times!” His brows furrowed, grinding his fangs slightly. “I get it, it’s Hell, but have some fuckin’ courtesy!”
“And that’s why I fly everywhere,” Lute said, giving Junior a once over. Ever since his trip down to the Sloth ring, Junior had been far more confident and got approval from Vaggie to alter his uniform slightly to reflect himself a bit better. He had more white in his uniform than anyone aside from Angel but he made it work surprisingly well. “Waiting for Sal?”
“Yeah, he’s about to go with Verosika on another trip to Earth, so we’re going to spend the day downtown, recruiting Sinners and doing some shopping.” Junior offered a casual shrug. “His idea. He really likes helping me out with work stuff.”
“If he wants to switch career tracks, I’m sure Charlie would hire him.”
Junior coughed into his hand and scratched at his jaw, which was beginning to sport patchy, barely-there stubble, much like his upper lip. “I, uh… don’t think we’d get much done if we worked together.” He shrugged. “Not sure how you do it, Chief.” Down the street, a cab screeched into view, taking the turn way too fast, and Adam stopped throwing his rock to raise his arm, making the car slam on the brakes and approach at a more sedate pace. It stopped on the street beside them, the rear door opening to reveal Sal within- a tall, slim, handsome imp with pure black horns and a perpetual smirk. “Oh, hey Sal!”
“Hey, babe! Hop in!”
“You two have fun and good luck,” Lute said, waving goodbye.
“Yeah, and remember what Zestial said, Junior. Confidence is a mental game!” Adam shot him a fingergun and a wink. “And chicks love scars!”
Junior paused, confusion playing across his expression briefly before he nodded slowly. “Uh, yeah, got it. Bye!”
Lute sighed as the car door closed. “Adam, Junior’s gay. That was Sal. His boyfriend.”
“His- aw shit!” As the car drove off, he shouted out. “Dudes dig scars, too!” Adam winced. “Shit. And I thought I was doing well with this. Why the fuck is talking to them so much harder now?”
“Because you never really talked to anyone aside from me,” Lute replied, crossing her arms over her chest as he pulled out his hellphone. “You talked at them. That was your dynamic with them.”
“Well, fuck me. How should I talk to them?”
“Get to know them, first. For instance: Junior is gay and has a boyfriend. Lefty and Tits are dating now, so they’re lesbians- or they at least like ladies, I honestly think Tits is probably bi or pan.”
“What about Righty?”
“Straight as my sword.”
“And Ass?”
“Same- maybe. She seems to think so, anyway.”
“You doubt that?”
“I dunno. I think she’s so used to being contrarian that she forgets how to determine what she actually likes.” Lute shrugged. “Ready to head out?”
“Almost. Zest said he wanted to know when it was just us so he could-” The crackle of infernal energy made them both jolt before Adam sighed. “Do fuckin’ this.” Behind him, Zestial materialized, green smoke pouring off him as he towered over them both. “Alright, what was so important that you had to magic your ass over here?”
“Thou hast forgotten the most important part of any day,” he replied, his long black cloak parting as he held out… a little brown bag. “I packed thee a breakfast.”
“Whoa, fuck, really?” Adam made a grab for the bag only to have it pulled out of his reach. “Hey!”
“Thou hast proven quite… unreliable in protecting fragile items.”
“I fuckin’ apologized, like, seven times!” Adam sagged where he stood, exaggerating his reaction. “How was I supposed to know that thing was over five hundred years old? That’s not even that long ago! I’ve got toenail clippings older than that!”
“Okay, first, gross. Second, fuck, Adam, it’s just a bag, you don’t need to throw a tantrum.” Lute shook her head and held out her hand. “Thanks, Zestial.”
“Think nothing of it. I packed a muffin, a banana, and a bottle of orange juice for each of thee- no alcohol included. Thy energy must be filled to enjoy the day to its fullest.”
Adam pouted for a moment longer before something occurred to him and excitement sparked in his eyes. “Wait, can we have breakfast at the top of the clocktower? The view’s gotta be killer.” She gave him a flat look until he realized why. “Oh, shit, uh, thanks for the breakfast, Zestial.”
The Overlord nodded and smiled. “Enjoy thy day.”
As he disappeared in a puff of green smoke, Lute and Adam took to the sky and started towards the clocktower.
Because Adam was right: the view was pretty wicked.
“So, what’s the plan for today?”
“I’ve got a couple things in mind,” she replied, tossing her banana peel into the now empty paper bag and opening the orange juice. “There’s a place down in the Lust ring I want to show you.”
Adam sat up, having already finished his meal and flashing her a wicked grin. “Strip club?”
“Maybe next time.” Lute couldn’t help but shake her head fondly. “I’m going to have a half feral demon princess on my hands when I get back, so I don’t need to get keyed up any more than I already am.”
“Damn, sounds hot.”
“You still can’t watch.”
Adam threw his hands up and rolled his eyes. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, it was a fucking joke!”
Lute smirked, took a swig of her orange juice, and opted against telling him how that ‘joke’ had prompted a rather enlightening conversation about kinks, specifically voyeurism and exhibitionism. With Charlie and Vaggie, of course. Despite his jokes, he’d actually become a little uncomfortable if she started talking about sex in explicit terms. In Heaven, he sometimes joked about the Exorcists' sex lives and talked about his own openly but thinking about any of the Exorcists actually having sex weirded him out since their reunion. Probably a result of all Zestial’s ‘grandchildren’ talk.
“Anyway,” she said. “After that, I figure we could swing by the Wrath ring. Blitzø keeps talking about these things called ‘horses’ and I wanna see what all the fuss is about.”
“Horses sound dope. I always thought I’d look good with a cowboy hat.” He scratched at his chin. “What else?”
“Stop by Envy- apparently, fishing is a pretty popular day off thing.”
“Oh, fuck yeah! I haven’t gone fishing in decades!”
“Wait, you know how to fish?”
“Hell yeah, Danger Tits, I’m the original angler!” He puffed up his chest a bit. “Had to figure out how to live off the land after losing Eden. I didn’t even realize there was water in Hell- ya know, like, an ocean or a lake or something, not to mention fish.”
“There’s a bunch down in Leviathan’s domain. But, uh, that’s as far as I got when it came to figuring out things to do.” Lute shrugged. “Charlie said I should leave the Pride ring for the day, so I wouldn’t be tempted to check up on the hotel. I’m just not sure what there is to do in the other rings.”
“Are you kidding? I could spend all day fishing; we’ve got plenty to do.” Kicking his legs forward, Adam spread his wings and lifted up, hovering in front of her. “And ditching this place for a bit is a good idea. Don’t get me wrong, the Pride ring’s cool and the view is killer, but I haven’t gotten a chance to see the rest of Hell yet.”
Finishing off the orange juice and collecting up their trash, she flashed him a smile. “Well, then let’s get started. But, first, we need to find a trash can.”
Adam rolled his eyes. “Lute, it’s Hell, just fucking litter.”
“Charlie would frown at me if I littered.”
“Not if she doesn’t know about it!”
“And Vaggie would circumcise you if she found out you were telling me to litter.”
He narrowed his eyes, then sighed. “Yeah, fuck, fine, let’s find a trash can.”
With a chuckle, Lute pushed off the top of the clocktower in search of a trash can or a dumpster. It was Hell; finding somewhere to put trash wouldn’t be hard.
Lute waited. She knew it was coming. It had to be coming. So, she waited.
“Okay… what the fuck?”
There it was. “I swear, this is the best place to find good gear in Hell.”
“Lute, I wasn’t born yesterday; that’s a fuckin’ sex shop.”
“It’s a kink shop.”
“Same fuckin’ difference, bitch!” Adam turned to glare at her. “What the fuck do you mean they’ve got the best gear?”
“It’s a kink shop specifically for people who want to bang Exorcists, Adam; this place prides itself on authenticity.” She gestured towards the door. “I’ve been here before, alright? It’s where I got my hotel uniform. Everything’s made with wings in mind and they’ve got masks.”
“Wait, seriously?” He looked back at the building. “Do they have one like mine?”
“Maybe. I didn’t look too hard- wasn’t a priority at the time- but they have a pretty big array.” She shrugged. “You might find one you like even more.”
Adam scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “As if. I had the best mask out of everyone, you know that.”
“Right.” Lute put her hands in her pockets and started for the door. “Well, I’ve been meaning to come back to this place anyway, so I’m going shopping. You can wait out here if you’re gonna be a bitch about this.”
“Hey, fuck you, Danger Tits! It’s totally normal to be weirded out about a kink shop!”
“You are seriously the most basic man in creation, sometimes,” she replied, opening the door and stepping inside.
Of course, one small detail she’d forgotten was that Charlie had specifically called ahead last time to ensure the shop would be empty. That wasn’t the case today, as there were a few imps and hellhounds milling about, examining the wares. Some glanced at the door when it opened and did a double take, openly staring at her- specifically, at her halo, because even the best of the displays still had obvious wires or glowing infernal sorcery to keep the halo suspended. Not so with hers.
And she saw the exact moment that clicked with each of the other patrons.
“Geez. You think this is what a cow feels like when it walks into a butcher’s shop?” Adam grumbled, having followed her inside, and spotting the disgruntled Sinner a step behind her must’ve dissuaded the stares because almost everyone suddenly appeared engrossed in their purchasing decisions.
“It’s… fine,” she said, turning and heading towards a part of the shop devoid of other customers. “I should’ve seen it coming, really.”
“C’mon, Lute, it’s at least a little weird. The way they- oh shit, that’s fuckin’ sweet!”
Lute turned to watch as Adam bee-lined for a helmet on display with wide set horns, cast in black and red. “I told you they had good gear.”
“You didn’t say anything about the colors though!” His gaze scanned the wall of helmets until his eyes lit up. “Aw, fuck yeah! Look! They’ve even got mine!”
Her gaze lifted to the top row, where a mask sat with huge horns- wait. “Adam?”
“Yeah?”
“Did you specifically make your mask’s horns that way so they’d look like Lilith’s?” She’d, of course, never seen a depiction of Lilith with her horns. She hadn’t gotten a proper look at them when Lilith was escorted to her holding area in Heaven. Only when the Demon Queen was brought back to Hell had she had the opportunity to parse her features, drawing similarities and differences between her and Charlie. Her girlfriend’s horns stabbed up, with very little curve, like Lucifer’s. Lilith’s were much larger, arching back gracefully. “Were you… having a dick measuring contest with your ex-wife… via horns?”
“Lute, I’ve already died twice, you don’t need to fuckin’ murder me a third time in a damn kink shop, fuck.” Lute pressed her lips into a thin line and tried to focus on her breathing. “Don’t.” She closed her eyes and tried counting backwards from ten. “Just… fucking… just fucking get it over with-” She immediately doubled over, trying her hardest to keep her laughter down with her hands over her mouth, as she promptly lost her fucking shit. While absolutely absurd, Adam was also the exact type of person to do that, to wear a mask with manufactured horns in some vain attempt to flip off his ex. “Are you fucking done yet?”
“No!” She laughed, getting back to her feet and trying to catch her breath. “What- what did- fuck- what was the logic there?” She lifted her hands to mimic horns and deepened her voice a bit. “I’ll fly down to Hell with my big ass horns and she’ll want me back! I’ll just never take off my mask! She won’t know the difference!”
“Okay, first off, fuck you. Secondly, fuck you again. Finally,I didn’t want her to take me back; I just wanted her to acknowledge she let a prime fuckin’ catch slip away!” He shoved at her shoulder. “And aren’t you supposed to be about peace and love and rainbows and all that shit now? You’re fucking two chicks and I’m cool with it!”
“Yeah, but I didn’t launch an annual murder spree to flip off my ex-wife!”
“Okay, but you did try to kill your ex because she got a hot new horny girlfriend.”
“True, and you’re more than welcome to give me shit for it!” She dropped her arms to her sides and nudged him with her elbow. “You’re a loser, Adam, just like all of us. Lighten up, laugh at your own mistakes and dumb fuckin’ decisions. Like…”
“Like getting into a dick measuring contest with my ex-wife?” He rolled his eyes and sighed. “Yeah, I guess when you put it that way, it does sound pretty fuckin’ lame. Made sense at the time, though. I just… I dunno.” Then, he glanced her way and shrugged. “I mean, thing about being First Man, I was also the first person in all of creation to get rejected. Like, Lilith straight up ran away from me. Still kinda stings, even after ten thousand fuckin’ years.” Then, he shook head and flashed her a smirk. “I know now that I’ve been an asshole through most of my existence but… you go ten thousand years feelin’ like the victim of circumstance, it can be kinda hard to shake the ‘woe is me’ mentality, ya know?”
“I spent a few weeks chained to a wall because I refused to unpack my own emotional baggage so, yeah, I get it.” Lute crossed her arms and shrugged. “And it’s a fucking slog dragging yourself through it all but, hey, at least you’ve got me.”
“Yeah.” He chuckled. “Yeah, you got that right.” He pointed at the mask again. “How much you think that costs?”
“Probably-”
“Uh, excuse me?” Lute turned her head to find a tall, thin imp standing just over arm’s length away, holding up a hellphone and offering a nervous smile. “Could… could I get a picture?”
“Hey, buddy, fuck off-”
“Adam, chill, it’s fine,” she said over her shoulder. They were in the Lust ring and Asmodeus was vocal about his stance regarding stuff like this, so she refocused on the imp. “I’m in a committed relationship so, no funny business, got it?”
“No no, of course not!” He gestured behind him towards another imp, who gave her a shy smile and a wave. “My girlfriend and I just- well, we never thought we’d get to see a real Exorcist in person! We’re a little excited, sorry.”
Only through sheer force of will did she manage to keep her voice level, though her cheeks were becoming warmer as a blush crawled up her neck. Hopefully, imps would be unfamiliar with what a blush looked like on an angel. “So… you’re into… Spare the Sinner play?” They both nodded- surprisingly, the guy was more sheepish about it than the gal. “Should I put on a uniform first?”
“Lute, are you seriously going to do this?”
“Adam, we’re literally in Hell, this is not the weirdest this place could get- and, honestly? Shouldn’t we be the ones to dictate how our job is fetishized?” She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “I swear, have you seen some of the ‘Spare the Sinner’ pornos out there? They play us as either emotionless machines or poor little angels in need of one good spanking and then we’re subservient lapdogs- it’s fuckin’ ridiculous!”
“I mean, yeah, they are pretty bad about the realism, it’s embarrassing, but- hey, wait, why the fuck are you watching shit like that?” Adam gestured towards himself. “I’m lonely and bored, the fuck is your excuse?”
“Morbid curiosity.” After Charlie’s comment about the ‘penitent angel slaying the ruler of Hell’, she’d offhandedly asked Angel about it and he produced five different takes on the premise. None of them were particularly good but they were fascinating to watch, purely for the inaccuracies. Her gaze shifted back to the imps. “And just to clear this shit up: our ‘X’s don’t change places; an orgasm doesn’t make our ‘X’ switch sides.”
“Yeah, about that, is it only a function of the mask? The ‘X’?” The imp asked while his girlfriend pulled out a pen and paper from her jacket to start scribbling down notes.
“It appears whenever our eyes are covered- or if one is lost, I guess.” She winced and shrugged one shoulder. “Mine’s a little different from most, though.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s the highest ranking Exorcist,” Adam said, slinging an arm around Lute’s shoulders. “They might not have the job anymore but they still look up to her!”
“No way, really?” His brows rose. “Wait, so there’s a rank structure?”
“There is.”
“And you were at the top?”
“Second in command,” she replied, nodding towards Adam. “Before he became a Sinner, Adam was our Commander.”
The questions continued, with the other imp chipping in occasionally and Lute answering as Adam offered his perspective when appropriate. The conversation attracted the attention of other patrons who gradually gathered closer, whispering to ask for a copy of the notes or to discuss other questions already asked. Eventually, the older imp who seemed to own the shop hobbled over and offered to help them with their selections.
Lute modeled some of the uniforms on display, pointing out inaccuracies and highlighting impracticalities. She refused to model the more risque uniforms, of course, though she did try on a few privately for her own reasons. Adam looked so uncomfortable she couldn’t help but laugh.
And, to be fair, the looks she got were a little weird. Vaggie and Charlie could look at her like that and she would appreciate it; from anyone else, it felt… strange. However, knowing she was improving Hell’s general understanding of the Exorcists mollified her annoyance. Or at the very least, the Lust ring’s understanding.
Plus… the questions gave her some… ideas.
“Ya know, Danger Tits, if you’d told me we’d be sitting through a sex ed talk in a kink shop that you’d be giving, I probably would’ve passed on bonding time.”
“Oh, fuck off, I didn’t plan that!” Lute walked up to the counter with a bundle of fabric tucked under her arm. “I just thought you’d like to have a new mask.”
“That’s literally the only redeeming part of this trip,” he replied, holding up the red and black replica of his mask. “This thing is pretty bitchin’ though.”
“Did you even try it on?”
“Not yet.”
“You probably should.”
“It’ll be fine.”
“If you don’t do it now, you won’t be able to check out your reflection in the mirror.”
“... shit, you’re right.”
“You’re more than welcome to try it on, Sir,” the elderly imp said. “A good fit is important when you’re-”
“I don’t fuck with my mask on!” Adam quickly snapped, his ears turning red. “I mean… not usually, anyway. I’ve only done it a couple times.”
The imp gave him a flat look. “... flying, Sir. When you’re flying. You’ve made it fairly clear you find the kink part of this weird, so you’re obviously getting the helmet for its practical uses- much like the Angel regularly orders new uniforms for not-sex related work.”
Lute tilted her head. “Technically, Charlie orders them for me- for all of us, really, something about uniforms being provided by the employer- but he’s also not wrong.” She coughed into her hand. “Um, my name’s Lute, by the way. You don’t- you don’t have to call me ‘the Angel’, though thanks for remembering. And… sorry about last time.”
“Folks call me Mr. Titille nowadays,” he replied with a little chuckle, pulling out a box and motioning for Lute to deposit her purchases within it. “And you’re very difficult to forget.”
Lute groaned while Adam snorted. “The fuck did you do the last time you were here?”
“He called me Fallen and I got a little… upset.”
“Oof, yeah, that’ll do it.” He gave Mr. Titille a sympathetic look. “Totally understandable mistake, though. Angels don’t usually just hang out in Hell.”
Lute cringed. “Yeah, in hindsight, probably shouldn’t have gotten so… aggressive about it.”
“Well, you didn’t kill me- and, from everything I’ve heard about Exorcists, that should’ve probably been the first reaction, nevermind you were with Her Highness.” At Lute’s raised brow, he put his hands up. “I know she’s not fond of the titles but… she is the reigning ruler. It’s only polite. I don’t use it in front of her but, when she’s not around to correct me, it’s only good and proper.”
“I’m glad someone has sense.” She crossed her arms over her chest as Adam tried on his helmet and Mr. Titille put her purchases in a little box. “She really should use her title more often.”
“I think it’s charming that she doesn’t.” The imp chuckled. “Certainly sets her apart from her parents.” He closed up the box and patted the top. “Should I have this charged and delivered as normal?”
“Actually, uh, I’m- I’m paying for it. And if you could deliver it with a note?” Mr. Titille fished out a bit of cardstock and slid it towards her alongside a pen. While she hadn’t thought out what she wanted to say, Lute decided to just be straight and to the point.
She wasn’t expecting for Adam to read it over her shoulder. “If you open it, I won’t wear it- the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“Fuck, Adam, do I have to spell this out for you?” She scowled at him. “We’re at a kink shop, I’m sending this to the hotel, where my girlfriends are-”
“Okay, shit, message received.” He put his hands up in surrender. “Wouldn’t you want them to know you got something kinky, though?”
“Anticipation is part of the fun, Adam.” She sighed, massaging her temple. “This is why you got your dick stuck in the vacuum cleaner once a decade.”
“Hey! How was I supposed to know it wouldn’t work every time!”
“Just pay for your stupid helmet so we can bounce out of here,” she said, handing over the card stock after signing her name- which was dumb, who else would be sending something back to the hotel, but Adam had her flustered now and she’d back out if she thought about it much more- and shoving her hands in the pockets of her jacket. “Unless you want me to talk about how Exorcists-”
“Shove it, Danger Tits,” he quickly said, lightly pushing her aside. “I don’t even want to know what else you could possibly have to share about Exorcist specific sex activities.” Lute smirked, considering the battle won for now. “By the way, uh… can I borrow, like, five hundred bucks?”
“... Adam, what the fuck.”
“It’s a kickass mask!”
“No- what else are you spending your money on- and don’t you say-”
“Chicken wings.” Her eyes narrowed until he offered her a nervous smile, and while it was weird seeing his expression lit up in red, it wasn’t a bad look given his current ensemble. “And, ya know, renting those porn flicks ain’t cheap. Plus, I bought a car.”
“You have wings!”
“Yeah, but it was a kickass car! They didn’t have those when I was alive!”
“And- let me take a wild fucking guess here- you crashed it within twenty minutes, right?” She used her fingers to mimic his horns again. “Because, hey, guess what else they didn’t have when I was alive?”
Although he didn’t look particularly amused, Adam couldn’t help but smile a bit. “Made a pretty wicked fireball, though.”
Sighing, she prepared to pay. “I’ll cover the mask if you agree to attend Charlie’s financial aid class.”
“It’s not-”
“It’s not your fault money didn’t exist when you were alive, yeah, whatever, but you’re in Hell now, dude, you gotta learn how to manage a budget!”
“Fine, whatever, now pay for my mask and I’ll buy you lunch next time you’re allowed out in the Pride ring.”
That prompted a lighthearted argument on whether or not Lute was ‘whipped’- which she asserted she absolutely wasn’t and Adam swore up and down she was- while Mr. Titille did his best to smother his amusement.