morningstud | IC Inbox

[Wrapped up in a bright red and white box is a plate of bought snowflake cookies.

Attached is a note with a little rabbit doodle:]

Happy Holidays!
Love,
Usagi

[Oh... how sweet. He wasn't expecting anything at all.

Unfortunately, he's no cook or artist and can't send goods in return, but a few days later, Usagi will receive a thank you card, with a handwritten note offering to play a song of her choice on his piano.]

[ Things have been the eerie sort of quiet John's come to associate with nothing good over the years. Sure, most everyone else's lives go on as they are. The Trenchies likely couldn't be arsed one way or the other and anyone not involved simply isn't involved. Why should they waste any energy fussing?

He's been traveling by lamps exclusively for the past few days. Checking in with the girls especially and a handful of others. He still gets customers here and there but not near enough to take his mind off the possibility of what's coming. The bell goes and he's stood on top of a chair reaching to get something off a higher shelf. ]

Be with you in just a mo'.

[For Lucifer, it's just another day. The conversation he had with a certain someone long forgotten. It's not that he isn't worried exactly, more that people seem to do stupid things on the network to the point where it's not particularly noteworthy... well, unless something happens.

But he's not worried about that at the moment; it's time to annoy someone he hasn't spoken with in far too long.]

Oh, take your time. I'm in no hurry.

[ Wouldn't surprise John to know, really. There's a reason they call it a devil-may-care attitude and all. He's known Maul and others like him long enough to know it isn't an idle threat. He also knows, given past incidents, Maul's more likely to go after him.

Still, the voice comes to his ears and he stops once he has the jar in hand, head dropping as he huffs out an amused breath. ]

Well now, I was starting to wonder if you washed up with the rest of us or not. [ Climbing down. ] Did you stop in just to see little old me?

Perhaps I did.

It's been quite some time; two years passed when I left Deerington. I didn't actually plan on ever returning, but things changed.

You seem to be doing quite well for yourself considering our change in location.

You'll make me blush.

So you did take the option for home. [ A brief, somber gaze. ] Things tend to. Hopefully not anything too world-shattering or nigh apocalyptic?

It's not so bad. Got a couple of people trying to make me honest, it seems. Nevermind continued efforts from the kids I seem to have a habit of collecting.

[ He said what he said. ]

[Lucifer, for his part, shakes his head.]

No. Not in the manner you're thinking, I believe.

[But, all the same, he doesn't elaborate. Which is likely not good.]

Collecting children? I must admit, even after all my time in the human world, I can't relae.

[ His eyebrows raise in question still. ]

That still leaves a lot of room for imagination. [ And he's noted that Luci isn't particularly chatty about it. ] You all right?

[ In case he does feel like pressing on with what went on back home. ]

It isn't something I ever expected to happen. Sort of started back in the old town what with all the kids and teens around and no one to look out for them properly.

I was... forced to return to Hell due to certain demons running wild without my babysitting them. Kidnapped my nephew, possessing the bodies of the dead... it was a disgrace.

[The fact that he doesn't answer the question outright is as good a sign as any that no, he's not okay. He just can't lie about it, so he just opts not to answer.]

I have always wondered how the younger ones fair. Teenagers are one thing, young enough to think they know better than they do, old enough to take care of themselves... but there were many who struck me as quite young on their own.

Blimey. [ But wait, wait, wait. ] Nephew? Uncle Lucifer?

[ What strange lives they lead. Noting the skirting of the question, John doesn't push further on the nitty-gritty details. He knows Lucifer doesn't lie. At least not this one, at any rate. ]

It's some cosmic bloody joke that any of them wind up here if you ask me. They might be old enough to take care of themselves but it doesn't mean they should have to. Especially considering some of the lunatics roaming about.

[ Unless Lucifer stops him, John's going to get two cups of tea going. Normally he'd offer something stronger but with the potential for Maul creeping around, he isn't trying to risk it. ]

Yes. Amenadiel fathered a child with Dr. Linda. We're still not entirely certain how such a thing is possible, but the boy is very much family.

[He still doesn't have a clue how to handle children, but he would fight for his nephew without a second thought.]

You're telling me. Some among us are more dangerous than the bloody monsters roaming about.

[He will, of course, not stop John. He doesn't have any need for it, really.]

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Christmas Delivery

oh god I thought I'd replied to this already

a few days after a certain network post. action.

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