Lucifer furrowed his brow, a bit taken aback. And also concerned, even though he really was never concerned by much. Were all humans like that? Or was his wife just particularly damaged? He hadn't spent much time around humans to know. Was he to talk to her about it? Ask her why, even though he felt he knew the answer? Or was he supposed to act like he hadn't heard her? He certainly didn't feel comfortable continuing the banter.
Even if he had pretended not to hear her, Arianna knew that he had. "Whatever it is you have to say, spit it out. But it better not be a lecture, because I don't wanna hear it," she shook her head. She knew better than to assume he would dole out pity towards her, though she didn't want that either.
"No. No lecture from me. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," he said.
"Good. So we can get back to punching each other then, right?"
"About that..." he sighed. "I don't think sparring is a good idea right now. Not in light of that information. I hardly know you, but you worry me."
"Lucifer, I get it, you think that I want you to hurt me as a form of self harm. But I don't. I've been clean for three years now, and yes, sometimes I still struggle with those thoughts. Yes, I used to pick fights for the adrenaline rush and to feel pain. In this instance however, when I said you had a weak punch, I was just messing with you."
"I'm sure you, as you say, were just teasing me to get a rise out of me. I believe you. But you are my wife, and I take these things very seriously. I don't proclaim us to be friends, or anything of the sort. I understand we don't know each other well. However, Ari, you are still under my protection, even from yourself. We can spar later when you've settled in further and your mental state has improved, how about that?"
"My mental state is just fine!" she exclaimed, crossing her arms.
"Arianna, darling, I'm the father of lies. I can see right through you. The point of sparring in the first place was to distract you from the distress you were already experiencing, to help you release tension. Now, with what I know about your past, I feel this sparring match isn't currently in your best interests. Do not fight me on this."
She attempted to protest, but Lucifer just held up one hand to silence her. She was in no way silenced. "But it was just a joke, I promise you it was just a joke, you don't have to worry about me! You shouldn't even care, you're not supposed to care!"
"What do you mean, exactly, I'm not supposed to care?" he asked, frowning. He had half a mind to assume that he wasn't supposed to care because he was the devil, but one look at Arianna's face told him that was not the case. That wasn't what she meant.
Clearly that breakdown she had thought she had avoided was making its way to the surface. "You're just... not," was all she said in reply. She wasn't sure she was really ready to talk about all of this with someone. Least of all him, he was part of the problem, though mostly indirectly.
"Very well. I will not push for answers. I may have a temper, but I am not heartless or without morals. And above all, I can be patient. If you do not wish to, or are not ready to discuss this with me, then we don't have to. I get it. This situation is less than ideal, for the both of us, and we don't at this time particularly get along. But should you need someone to talk to, I will listen. Or I suppose I could get you a therapist," he said thoughtfully.
That got Arianna to crack a small smile. "Really? And just where are you going to get me therapist, hmm? I highly doubt a demon would be qualified or have any credentials. And I'm in Hell, not on earth, so I can't go to a human therapist. Not that I could fully open up to one anyways considering my abilities and these circumstances."
"There are many therapists who are highly qualified individuals who have... found themselves down here for one sin or another. I'm more than confident one would be happy to take you as a client in order to get out of their eternal punishment," Lucifer replied. Despite their current circumstances, and the fact that they have a less than stellar impression of each other at the moment, he did note that his unwilling wife had quite a lovely smile. Even if he hadn't seen much of it.
"Are you telling me you want me to have, like, a murderer or a rapist for a therapist?" Arianna asked, raising one eyebrow. She couldn't imagine what other sins could land someone down here, as supposedly God was all about forgiveness, right? Minor things shouldn't land a person in Hell unless they refused to repent for it, and who would refuse to repent for something so small like shoplifting or a white lie?
"Of course not, don't be ridiculous. Humans find themselves being punished for loads of reasons. Thievery, infidelity, bigotry, though unlike what many self proclaimed Christians will tell you, abortion isn't murder and gay people don't end up here just for being gay. Neither of those things will send someone down to me. I would never have you being emotionally vulnerable to someone capable of darker things like taking the life of another or spewing vile, hateful things. I want you to get better, not worse," he pointed out.
She nodded slightly, sighing. "I'll think about it. It's hard for me to open up to people who just, fundamentally, can't understand. But you can. You're not human, you've existed since like literally the beginning of time, you've seen everything. And you've been given a shit hand. If anybody could understand what I've been through and how it feels, it's probably you, right?"
"I suppose. But I don't understand everything. And I don't think I ever can. I see the abilities you possess as a gift, you view them as a curse. I'm not sure we'll ever fully be able to see each other's point of view. And while I am not a cruel man, I am not exactly the person to rely on in an emotional crisis. I wouldn't know what to do or how to help."
"Well you could start by returning to the sparring match," she joked. She really didn't think he would, since he repeatedly and emphatically insisted he didn't think it was a good idea.
"Perhaps later tonight. I can see how eager you are to lose to me," he mused. Lucifer knew she could hold her own against most, and she would certainly not go down easy, but he did enjoy seeing the absolute frustration on her face when he seemingly underestimated her. She was far too stubborn for her own good, he knew that much very well. She wouldn't concede the fight even when it was unavoidable, or in her best interests. It will only get her very hurt someday. But it would also make her a formidable fighter.
Arianna glared at him, gritting her teeth. He knew just what to say to aggravate her, rile her up, get under skin. Even if he was maybe joking, maybe being playful, she knew he really thought that. Thought that she would lose. Sure, she probably would. Almost definitely would. Luci had millenia of fighting experience, and was almost literally a living weapon. If he had been truthful, so was she with the exception of being for the opposing side, but she was also very much human and not nearly as durable as him. The problem wasn't that she was going to lose, the problem was his lack of credit for just how hard she was going to make it for him. He thought, no, he was convinced it was going to be an easy win. It would not be.
"Cat got your tongue? No witty retort about how you're going to kick my ass?" he smirked.
She took a deep breath, and calmed herself. No, no witty retort. No frustration, either, because the more irritated she was the more sloppy and inaccurate she would be. The more reckless she would be. He wouldn't believe her words anyways, so she would just have to show him. But not with a punch to the face this time, he would likely be expecting it seeing as she had already done so twice now, and given him a bloody nose both times.
Lucifer could tell she was up to something. The question was, what? Sometimes she was readable, which was handy and he took advantage of it when she was. Sometimes, however, she was guarded and a blank slate. Now was one of those times. Sensing that she was likely gearing up to fight, he adjusted his stance, though imperceptibly, in order to prepare himself for whatever attack she was going to launch.
She noticed him shifting, readying himself, and she knew he knew what she was thinking. Therefore, she was going to play a little game with him, psych him out. Make him think that she was going to attempt to restart the sparring match, but in reality, had exactly zero plans on doing so. He wanted her to wait? Fine, then she would. Arianna would wait until he wanted to, and not a moment sooner. She continued to stand there for awhile, narrowing her eyes every now and then, shuffling her feet, making it appear as though she was looking for an opening, and the moment that he started to appear impatient she simply walked away and out of the gym.
Lucifer, to his great disappointment, was utterly baffled by everything that just happened. She didn’t give up, that much was clear, based on the look on her face as she walked off. Satisfied was the only word he could use to describe it, not frustration or resignation that she didn’t think she could get a move in. No, he was very much under the impression she knew exactly what she was doing.
“You were toying with me,” he stated, following after her.
“Took you long enough to figure it out,” she snorted, sounding very much amused.
“I hate to admit it but… I’m vaguely impressed. Vaguely.”
“Oh shut up, you never saw that coming and you know it. You’re just so convinced that I’ve been itching to fight you so badly I could never pass up an opportunity to do so. You’d be wrong. Messing with you is so much more satisfying.”
He sighed, shaking his head. It was a good strategy. It wasn’t one he would’ve predicted from her, and although he would never admit it to her, he was more than vaguely impressed. She would make a fine soldier, should she choose to help. “Mhm. You know I’ll have to get you back for this, yes?”
“You can try. I’m not sure you’ll succeed,” she teased.
Lucifer noted that her mood was in much better states than it had been previously to this. He was not fond of the fact that it had come at his expense, and he wasn’t sure if it was worth the bruise to his ego, but nonetheless her being in a better mood worked out in his favor.
“You know full well that I will. Now… the tour.”
Arianna followed after him as he pointed out various places in his home. His office, his room, the library, the war room where he would meet with his generals, the main hall where he would sometimes host galas or parties to celebrate a particularly well-deserved victory. Occasionally she would ask questions about certain areas, such as where his supposed traps were, what she had to do to disarm them, places she under no circumstances was allowed to be.
“I request that you stay out of my personal chambers, as I will stay out of yours. Other than that, I would say there’s no real area within the confines of the palace you are strictly forbidden from. Though you may not wish to be in a meeting without me. I don’t recommend it,” he replied, and carried on the tour to the outside, heading into the gardens.
They didn’t look like any gardens one would find on earth, she noticed. Different plants grew, mostly oddly colored succulents, flowers that looked carnivorous, things that looked poisonous. They were still beautiful, however different looking they were.
“Do these all grow here in Hell naturally, or did you create them? Did Hell exist before your fall, or was it created for you? I could just read the bible but I’m pretty sure the answer it would give me isn’t the truth.”
“Technically speaking, Hell as a concept existed prior to my fall. The realm existed, in a sense, long before I ever arrived here. But my occupance of the realm certainly changed it, it was tailored to me and my duties, my responsibilities here. And it, like any other realm, evolved on its own without my influence. You’ll see what I mean when I take you to different circles. This circle is the highest level, the closest to earth, and within it is my home, and the capital city. It doesn’t have a name. It’s just The City.”
“And… what’s in the city? Where all the demons and fallen angels live?”
“Precisely. Other than that, this circle contains forests full of animals native to the realm, a couple rivers, even a small ocean. It’s a small country in its own right,” he nodded.
“Okay so what about your plants? You never really answered that. Were they native to the realm, or did you create them?”
“A mix of both. Most are native to Hell, though there are some planted in the gardens that are of my own design. Those are the ones most similar to plants on earth. Things that I created before the fall that were… denied being placed in your realm. So, I brought them here.”
“Well I guess that’s an upside to my being here, right? A human being able to see and enjoy what you crafted? What about animals, did you create any of those here?” Ari asked.
“I did,” he nodded. “And they are here for the same reason as the plants are. Now… for the important part of the tour. The other circles. I will not be showing you where souls are punished, however. You don’t need to see that.”
She was pretty grateful Lucifer was avoiding showing her those things. She wasn’t sure it was something she could handle. “So… how exactly are we getting to this circle you’re taking me to?”
“The same way we got here of course. By flying,” he said, raising one eyebrow, as if it should’ve been obvious.
“We flew here? I thought it was just some kind of teleportation. I mean I basically blinked and we were here. And I never saw your wings. I just kind of assumed that…”
“That I no longer had my wings?”
“No. I just kind of assumed that it would be more obvious what we did was flying,” she shook her head. “Why couldn’t I see your wings?”
“Why you couldn’t see them is a very simple answer. I chose not to make them visible to you. Now, as for the flying… that is a lot more complex. When flying between circles, or between realms, it’s not the traditional flying that might come to mind. And it happens far too quickly for you to comprehend what is happening.”
“Okay, so, explain how it works then. Because it really seemed a lot like teleportation.”
“In a sense, yes. But also no. You know how wormholes work, yes?”
“Theoretically? I mean they’ve never really been scientifically proven to exist, much less prove how they actually work,” Arianna frowned. “Just a lot of hypotheses.”
“Okay, well, flying between planes of existence works similarly. Wormholes act as gates between two places, travelling between them instantaneously, correct? I, along with any other angel, fallen or otherwise, am able to use my grace to shift between planes using my wings to, well, fly from one to the next. If it were slow enough for you to process, it would seem more like the flying you already know. But it would be very frightening to you. Travelling between planes is not fun. You could fall, and end up dead, or found by things that lurk in the in between.”
“Yeah, I think I would like to stick to the whole teleportation-like flying, thanks,” she said simply.
“I figured you would. However… speaking of things that lurk in the in-between… we’re going to the very last circle. And you will see things that are very unpleasant. It is important that you see this, as you will understand what we are fighting against. Then, you may make an informed choice as to whether or not you wish to stand by my side and assist in this fight.”
Arianna nodded. She and Lucifer barely got along, and if regardless of that he was willing to admit he needed or even desired her help, she would at least hear him out, though she wasn’t sure how much help she’d actually be. It just depended on what she was up against. But if it was bad enough that he couldn’t do it on his own, what hope did she have?
When he held out his hand again, like he did in her bedroom, she didn’t hesitate this time before taking it. Unlike last time though, he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her back before leaping upwards with his wings spread wide. She couldn’t see them even if he let her though, as her eyes were squeezed very tightly. She wasn’t expecting that in the slightest. In only a few moments, she felt her feet on the ground.