Right... Right. Forgot about that... [He snaps his fingers, and... bam! He's a shark. Then bam! Back to normal! ... And the latter means Vox can see the new scars on his hand and his face.] Was practicing my transformation magic. I asked the Council to make it a little stronger. Was hoping practicing that would be a good enough distraction. Was wanting to hide...
[He gestures at his face, then at the thumb Adam nearly bit off. And... you know what? He doesn't care if Vox knows, because part of him is feeling spiteful, and part of him would enjoy seeing Vox spin this to his advantage at some point. Something he'll probably regret later, but that's a future Lucifer problem.]
Because it's already bad enough Adam tried to fucking kill me, [He's starting to angrily pace.] yet I am being just as punished as him for it.
[That very bitter grin returns as he grinds the second half of that out. He growls the next words out, unsteady hands tangling in his hair. (Which might be a clue as to why his hair is such a damn mess, already.)]
[That is a lot of information to process. Vox knows Adam is around and has been trying to keep a side eye on that whole situation, but he'd also assumed that with so many other angels here- seraphim included- the first man would be kept under control. Apparently not. He's going to have to keep closer watch now, because if Adam decides to go after Alastor again, he can't afford to miss it.
-Right. Lucifer.]
Yeah, okay, that's pretty fucking weird. I never heard a peep from the Council about that fight you and me had. [Oh shit, is Vox a Council favorite??? Awesome!] Anyway, just gimme a second and we can get down to business.
[This story is making Vox even more sure he wants to cover his own ass by having Lucifer sign for what's about to go down. He's more than happy to dish out pain, but he's not willing to take any kind of heat for it. So he scribbles down the briefest of terms and he swears to god if this somehow gets turned around to some wild claim about him using hypnosis or a love potion or whatever, he will burn this whole fucking place to the ground, because at that point he really will be done.]
[He looks to the side, some of the frustrating emotions sliding to the side as he awkwardly clears his throat.]
... That's... because I made it clear it was all me. [He shrugs.] Since it was.
[It would have been easy to spell out Vox's part in the fight, but at the time... it had just felt good getting in all those hits. Lucifer folds his arms over his chest, and watches the TV Demon work. He doesn't assume it's just gonna be a piece of paper, given... TV Demon.]
[Vox is hard at work writing. He has more than enough experience with contracts and other legal forms to make something ironclad here. Still...]
Might as well. So everyone can see you're of sound mind and body. There's so much shit going on outta nowhere about crimes against consent, or whatever. Talk about culture shock after so many years in Hell, am I right? But I'm nothing if not flexible, as you've already found out.
[If Val ends up in one of the local prisons within a day, Vox won't even be surprised. He'll let the man stew in there for a while if it happens, just to let the lesson sink in.
Once he's put the final touches on the form, he beckons Lucifer over and holds out the pen.]
[He lifts his eyebrows at the part about Vox's flexibility. There's a twitch of his lips - indeed, they both are aware of how flexible the other is. That aside, he makes his way over, taking the pen as he lifts the paper. As suggested, he does read it out loud.
Once done, he makes a quiet noise of consideration. Frankly, reading it aloud did help him process it all. So, with that, he signs it and holds the pen out. With a deep breath, closes his eyes for a moment. It's taking everything he has just to maintain something resembling a civil conversation.
[With the formalities out of the way, and safely secured in Vox's possession, the mood can turn lighter. More playful. He walks right up to Lucifer until their bodies are just inches apart.]
Up to you. If you wanna change it, now's the chance. Same for limits like 'no zapping'. [He holds up a hand, electricity jumping and twirling along between his fingers. He makes sure it can't jump to Lucifer's body, but doesn't that look alluring?]
[Since it's already memorized as that; he doesn't trust himself to remember a new one. The playful edge gets a soft huff, but it's carrying no actual annoyance or anything. Just... relief, actually. It's easier to deal with Vox, in general, when he's like this.
The hand with electricity, however, gets a kneejerk look of wariness. He... genuinely hates that just seeing that gives him some form of anxiety. But he takes a breath, holds a blink, and then reaches out. He's aiming to feel how strong it is...]
[Oh brother, "cheese cloth" it is. Vox really dug his own grave with this one.
The electricity, as it is in that moment, isn't too strong. It's there to look pretty, not do powerful damage, so it's on that bare minimum of voltage where it's visible in its sustained form. It's the equivalent of touching an electric fence; an odd sort of 'snk' that startles the body, courses through it and leaves a light tingle behind. Not even necessarily a bad tingle, just a numb prickle.]
[Maybe next time - whatever that winds up looking like - Lucifer will show a crumb of mercy. A less ridiculous word, like... pumpernickel.
Lucifer can't help the wince, but he keeps his hand there long enough that he's able to relax a little after pulling away. Okay... that wasn't awful! It definitely doesn't fit with what they're going for right now, buuuuuut...]
Mm... Use it at that level next time we fuck. [He's learned he gets too distracted to fully process things like anxiety, so!] Maybe... a little stronger than that for this.
[His aim is roughly one part desensitization, another part stinging.]
[Oh, there is a lot for Vox to catch, there. 'Next time', huh? Lucifer's really developing a liking for this. Vox will have to keep some open slots in his schedule for these types of meet ups, then. But the next bit is even more interesting.]
A little stronger? Are yooou sure?~
[The electricity's gone from his fingers, back in its usual containment, so he can raise his hand to press it against the side of Lucifer's face, near the lower jaw. His thumb lands right beside the man's mouth.]
[He'll be as attractive as he wants, thank you very much! He put years into training his natural charisma so he's going to use it. Even now, his thumb is lightly stroking along near Lucifer's lower lip.]
Mmh, alright. You know the safe word.
[That's about all the warning Lucifer gets. His hand drops down quite abruptly to land on the man's shoulder. At the same time, his other hand shoots towards Lucifer's hip to grab a firm hold. The electricity is released right off the bat, strong enough to seize muscles. Vox's hold makes sure Lucifer can't fall, though whether that's a mercy or a way to make things worse is up for debate.
If Vox were willing to be the world's greatest dick, he'd keep it up for a good long while, because as long as the voltage is strong enough, it's not exactly possible to vocalize a safe word. One needs muscle control for that. But there's bridges he'd rather not burn, so he'll cut the flow off after about eight seconds, just to give Lucifer that chance to say... well. Anything. He won't be too picky about the safe word.]
[He is a little offended; how dare Vox make him blush just before the voluntary torture kicks off...
Lucifer can't help any sounds that slip out right at the start or right at the end of that wave. It's genuinely weird that some part of him likes it, considering his reasons for not wanting anything to do with it. Maybe his masochism is just that strong now.
(Or maybe his brain has simply found a new way to cope.)
With an unsteady breath, he gives a somewhat jerky nod.]
That was... fine.
[Bordering on unpleasant, but not so bad that he'll need the safe word too early on, or something.]
[Vox always likes when he gets to use these powers on someone else like this. The electricity is part of a circuit, a river that never stops flowing. Getting to extend that flow outward and making someone else a part of it, that brings a twisted feeling of companionship and ownership in a way others could never understand. Killing someone with these powers is easy and boring, keeping enough control to just paralyze? That takes skill.
He hears the sounds escaping Lucifer and takes them in, along with the agreement that follows once the man can speak again. Test successful, then. His eyes narrow lightly, smile tight-lipped. His hand releases Lucifer's hip and he backs away half a step.]
Here, on the bed.
[Sitting down for something like this is easier. It lets Lucifer hold onto him for support, and it gives Vox enough free reign to let his own hands wander. So he leads Lucifer towards the bed, where he can sit down on the edge of the mattress before pulling the King of Hell onto his lap.]
[Well, Lucifer had not expected to be sitting on Vox's lap for this, and that instantly has his mind wandering... He moves automatically, legs a bit tense, but still cooperative enough. He does have flight for if he needs to walk later, at least.
Once on Vox's lap, he settles in, sliding his arms to loosely hook against the back of the demon's neck. He takes a deep breath, thumb lightly brushing over the TV Man's skin.
Then he nods, indicating he's good to start back up.]
[The lap positioning is mostly practical in Vox's book. Mostly. It's impossible not to feel some sort of way about having someone's body this close to your own, convulsion and clutching and fuck knows what else. But Lucifer can collapse against Vox and try to curl in on himself if needed. That's the main goal here.
His left hand goes to the back of Lucifer's head, fingers raking through his hair in a firm downward motion, then lands on the back of his neck, right where the torso begins. His other hand settles on the small of his back.
This time, the surge isn't cut short after eight seconds. It keeps going indefinitely.]
[His back shifts, tensing and restless as those fingers rake through his hair.
Fuck.
Lucifer's entire body goes rigid, the sharp mixture of stab-like pain and the very intense kind of tingling. There's no way for him to protest how much longer this lasts, because he needs focus to use any of his powers in a nondestructive way. That thought should scare him. It should, at the very least, make him nervous.
But... in a weird way, volunteering for this removes a lot of reason to worry. Vox is getting to do something he enjoys, Lucifer is getting a slight break from those incredibly suffocating emotions... So...?
What's wrong with just sinking into it? Enjoying it? So what if he likes unhealthy levels of pain...
[The electricity courses along unhampered, and while it might be agony for Lucifer, it's the opposite for Vox. Ever since he died, he grew numb to it. It's a natural part of him now, whether he wants it to be or not. His eyes close as he feels out the currents, takes stock of all the paths they take through Lucifer's body and the damage that's left along the way. It's calming. It eases some sort of pain he refuses to acknowledge.
After a certain amount of time, he manages to rip himself away from that peace, because he knows when to stop. Still has enough discipline not to get lost in the pleasure. He brings the current to a screeching stop, so Lucifer has time to regain his breath.]
[Lucifer lets out a sound involuntarily, as his muscles gradually release. With a shudder running through him, he does wind up slumping against Vox, panting softly. Slowly, his eyes open as the haze in his mind clears a bit.]
What's... it feel like? [Having that kind of control over someone, sending that kind of deadly element through someone. Lucifer doesn't have that kind of connection with the one he used on Vox... Not anymore.] Does it at least... feel nice, for you?
[That storm of emotions did finally let up enough for him to be able to calmly talk. He almost sounds more tired than anything. Not that it'll last very long.]
[Lucifer slumps against him, and Vox lightly adjusts the position of his hands to match. It's not an embrace by any means; nothing comforting. It's a means of holding someone upright after their muscles got put through one hell of an ordeal. It's not the first time Vox has done something like this, and unless something extreme happens, it won't be the last.]
Yeah. I dunno if I can really explain it, but it's... Calming, you know? Like a hot shower.
[For the most part, Vox loves the feel and sight of electricity. The rare occasion he doesn't is during thunder storms, when lightning catches him off guard. That's something he can't control, the sudden flash of electromagnetic radiation overwhelming him. Besides, it stirs some nasty memories. Other than that, though... He's good.]
[An embrace would be too weird, so he's quietly grateful for this being the extent of it. It's going to be a bit before he can sit up on his own.]
I'm glad. [He means it - he prefers Vox getting something out of it during, rather than feeling like he's racking up some hefty fee, so to speak.] Still... I'd rather pay you back something more than a hot shower. What do you want, in return?
[Before his head gets too full again, he'd like an idea of what he's going to be paying back.]
[He doesn't need to think about it. Sure, making deals is 'kind of an Overlord's thing', but that doesn't mean everything needs that strict transactional two-way street. Sometimes, Vox wants to do something just for the sake of doing it, without having to come up with favors or tactical advantages.
He gets to electrocute the King of Hell. It's not even a challenge at this point. Lucifer just keeps on humiliating himself without Vox having to lift a finger. Where's the fun in exploiting that kind of weakness?]
[Vox can probably imagine, by now, the kind of expression he's wearing. Though it shifts from confusion to wariness. From wariness to acceptance. He takes a deep breath, flexing his hands a bit. They're still annoyingly weak. So... his weakness to electricity really is that bad, huh? It's like he really was just made into the most caricature version of himself possible when he ended up here.
Well... Vox's words wouldn't hurt so bad if they didn't carry what he felt was truth. But he was never meant to be a real King. The punishment, past all those initial layers, was to be mocked. To be disrespected, over and over. Seen as just a joke. And knowing all of that, as always, helps nothing!
But, it doesn't mean he can't at least continue trying a little... right? He considers Stolas' words, Rosie's... Husk's.]
Okay. [There's more he feel compelled to say; that's how it always starts, though, with this guy. He just keeps it to:] Thank you, Vox.
The words are like a sudden attack. Something that springs out a dark hiding place to lunge at him, going straight for the throat. Thank you, Vox? What the fuck?! He can't even fully explain why a sentiment like that stirs such intense, raw and hurtful loathing. Why it feels like an insult- a blow beneath the belt. The best he can come up with is what his mind starts screaming at him. He's not doing this out of kindness. It's not a favor to be thanked for. This is for him, not Lucifer. Fuck Lucifer!
The only warning given is a crackle of electricity that sparks along his antenna. The next second, his hold on Lucifer tightens again, pulling the man right up his torso. The current overtakes the king's body again, its voltage higher than before. Fiercer. He's not calm at all, this time.]
He did notice that spark! And it felt like a warning, but he wasn't quite to the point of being able to move. He's literally willing himself to teleport just as the electricity slams through him. It's so much worse than when he was in that weapon, and not just because of the pain. That memory still sort of hung over him, already. Of the things he finds himself wanting to do, at times, whenever he's around this particular demon.
This feels like justification for how he viewed Sinners, and for just a moment, he's genuinely wishing he could will his powers back. To kill this man in cold blood, and to make it so much worse than that first encounter. Then there's fear. So, so much fear of both Vox and- well, of himself, actually.
Everyone's going black, immediately after—like he's being sucked down into some hazy abyss.]
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Right... Right. Forgot about that... [He snaps his fingers, and... bam! He's a shark. Then bam! Back to normal! ... And the latter means Vox can see the new scars on his hand and his face.] Was practicing my transformation magic. I asked the Council to make it a little stronger. Was hoping practicing that would be a good enough distraction. Was wanting to hide...
[He gestures at his face, then at the thumb Adam nearly bit off. And... you know what? He doesn't care if Vox knows, because part of him is feeling spiteful, and part of him would enjoy seeing Vox spin this to his advantage at some point. Something he'll probably regret later, but that's a future Lucifer problem.]
Because it's already bad enough Adam tried to fucking kill me, [He's starting to angrily pace.] yet I am being just as punished as him for it.
[That very bitter grin returns as he grinds the second half of that out. He growls the next words out, unsteady hands tangling in his hair. (Which might be a clue as to why his hair is such a damn mess, already.)]
Fuck. This place...
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-Right. Lucifer.]
Yeah, okay, that's pretty fucking weird. I never heard a peep from the Council about that fight you and me had. [Oh shit, is Vox a Council favorite??? Awesome!] Anyway, just gimme a second and we can get down to business.
[This story is making Vox even more sure he wants to cover his own ass by having Lucifer sign for what's about to go down. He's more than happy to dish out pain, but he's not willing to take any kind of heat for it. So he scribbles down the briefest of terms and he swears to god if this somehow gets turned around to some wild claim about him using hypnosis or a love potion or whatever, he will burn this whole fucking place to the ground, because at that point he really will be done.]
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... That's... because I made it clear it was all me. [He shrugs.] Since it was.
[It would have been easy to spell out Vox's part in the fight, but at the time... it had just felt good getting in all those hits. Lucifer folds his arms over his chest, and watches the TV Demon work. He doesn't assume it's just gonna be a piece of paper, given... TV Demon.]
Are you gonna... record me reading it, orrr...?
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Might as well. So everyone can see you're of sound mind and body. There's so much shit going on outta nowhere about crimes against consent, or whatever. Talk about culture shock after so many years in Hell, am I right? But I'm nothing if not flexible, as you've already found out.
[If Val ends up in one of the local prisons within a day, Vox won't even be surprised. He'll let the man stew in there for a while if it happens, just to let the lesson sink in.
Once he's put the final touches on the form, he beckons Lucifer over and holds out the pen.]
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Once done, he makes a quiet noise of consideration. Frankly, reading it aloud did help him process it all. So, with that, he signs it and holds the pen out. With a deep breath, closes his eyes for a moment. It's taking everything he has just to maintain something resembling a civil conversation.
After opening his eyes again,]
... Same safe word?
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Up to you. If you wanna change it, now's the chance. Same for limits like 'no zapping'. [He holds up a hand, electricity jumping and twirling along between his fingers. He makes sure it can't jump to Lucifer's body, but doesn't that look alluring?]
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[Since it's already memorized as that; he doesn't trust himself to remember a new one. The playful edge gets a soft huff, but it's carrying no actual annoyance or anything. Just... relief, actually. It's easier to deal with Vox, in general, when he's like this.
The hand with electricity, however, gets a kneejerk look of wariness. He... genuinely hates that just seeing that gives him some form of anxiety. But he takes a breath, holds a blink, and then reaches out. He's aiming to feel how strong it is...]
CW: very light electrocution
The electricity, as it is in that moment, isn't too strong. It's there to look pretty, not do powerful damage, so it's on that bare minimum of voltage where it's visible in its sustained form. It's the equivalent of touching an electric fence; an odd sort of 'snk' that startles the body, courses through it and leaves a light tingle behind. Not even necessarily a bad tingle, just a numb prickle.]
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Lucifer can't help the wince, but he keeps his hand there long enough that he's able to relax a little after pulling away. Okay... that wasn't awful! It definitely doesn't fit with what they're going for right now, buuuuuut...]
Mm... Use it at that level next time we fuck. [He's learned he gets too distracted to fully process things like anxiety, so!] Maybe... a little stronger than that for this.
[His aim is roughly one part desensitization, another part stinging.]
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A little stronger? Are yooou sure?~
[The electricity's gone from his fingers, back in its usual containment, so he can raise his hand to press it against the side of Lucifer's face, near the lower jaw. His thumb lands right beside the man's mouth.]
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I'm sure.
[He's anxious; it shows in his eyes. But he isn't lying. Even with anxiety, the most prominent is his desperation.]
CW: Electrocution for a good long while probably, blanket warning is a go
Mmh, alright. You know the safe word.
[That's about all the warning Lucifer gets. His hand drops down quite abruptly to land on the man's shoulder. At the same time, his other hand shoots towards Lucifer's hip to grab a firm hold. The electricity is released right off the bat, strong enough to seize muscles. Vox's hold makes sure Lucifer can't fall, though whether that's a mercy or a way to make things worse is up for debate.
If Vox were willing to be the world's greatest dick, he'd keep it up for a good long while, because as long as the voltage is strong enough, it's not exactly possible to vocalize a safe word. One needs muscle control for that. But there's bridges he'd rather not burn, so he'll cut the flow off after about eight seconds, just to give Lucifer that chance to say... well. Anything. He won't be too picky about the safe word.]
Yep, electrocution for a whiiiiile
Lucifer can't help any sounds that slip out right at the start or right at the end of that wave. It's genuinely weird that some part of him likes it, considering his reasons for not wanting anything to do with it. Maybe his masochism is just that strong now.
(Or maybe his brain has simply found a new way to cope.)
With an unsteady breath, he gives a somewhat jerky nod.]
That was... fine.
[Bordering on unpleasant, but not so bad that he'll need the safe word too early on, or something.]
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He hears the sounds escaping Lucifer and takes them in, along with the agreement that follows once the man can speak again. Test successful, then. His eyes narrow lightly, smile tight-lipped. His hand releases Lucifer's hip and he backs away half a step.]
Here, on the bed.
[Sitting down for something like this is easier. It lets Lucifer hold onto him for support, and it gives Vox enough free reign to let his own hands wander. So he leads Lucifer towards the bed, where he can sit down on the edge of the mattress before pulling the King of Hell onto his lap.]
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Once on Vox's lap, he settles in, sliding his arms to loosely hook against the back of the demon's neck. He takes a deep breath, thumb lightly brushing over the TV Man's skin.
Then he nods, indicating he's good to start back up.]
Ready.
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His left hand goes to the back of Lucifer's head, fingers raking through his hair in a firm downward motion, then lands on the back of his neck, right where the torso begins. His other hand settles on the small of his back.
This time, the surge isn't cut short after eight seconds. It keeps going indefinitely.]
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Fuck.
Lucifer's entire body goes rigid, the sharp mixture of stab-like pain and the very intense kind of tingling. There's no way for him to protest how much longer this lasts, because he needs focus to use any of his powers in a nondestructive way. That thought should scare him. It should, at the very least, make him nervous.
But... in a weird way, volunteering for this removes a lot of reason to worry. Vox is getting to do something he enjoys, Lucifer is getting a slight break from those incredibly suffocating emotions... So...?
What's wrong with just sinking into it? Enjoying it? So what if he likes unhealthy levels of pain...
Could be worse... right?]
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After a certain amount of time, he manages to rip himself away from that peace, because he knows when to stop. Still has enough discipline not to get lost in the pleasure. He brings the current to a screeching stop, so Lucifer has time to regain his breath.]
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What's... it feel like? [Having that kind of control over someone, sending that kind of deadly element through someone. Lucifer doesn't have that kind of connection with the one he used on Vox... Not anymore.] Does it at least... feel nice, for you?
[That storm of emotions did finally let up enough for him to be able to calmly talk. He almost sounds more tired than anything. Not that it'll last very long.]
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Yeah. I dunno if I can really explain it, but it's... Calming, you know? Like a hot shower.
[For the most part, Vox loves the feel and sight of electricity. The rare occasion he doesn't is during thunder storms, when lightning catches him off guard. That's something he can't control, the sudden flash of electromagnetic radiation overwhelming him. Besides, it stirs some nasty memories. Other than that, though... He's good.]
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I'm glad. [He means it - he prefers Vox getting something out of it during, rather than feeling like he's racking up some hefty fee, so to speak.] Still... I'd rather pay you back something more than a hot shower. What do you want, in return?
[Before his head gets too full again, he'd like an idea of what he's going to be paying back.]
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[He doesn't need to think about it. Sure, making deals is 'kind of an Overlord's thing', but that doesn't mean everything needs that strict transactional two-way street. Sometimes, Vox wants to do something just for the sake of doing it, without having to come up with favors or tactical advantages.
He gets to electrocute the King of Hell. It's not even a challenge at this point. Lucifer just keeps on humiliating himself without Vox having to lift a finger. Where's the fun in exploiting that kind of weakness?]
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Well... Vox's words wouldn't hurt so bad if they didn't carry what he felt was truth. But he was never meant to be a real King. The punishment, past all those initial layers, was to be mocked. To be disrespected, over and over. Seen as just a joke. And knowing all of that, as always, helps nothing!
But, it doesn't mean he can't at least continue trying a little... right? He considers Stolas' words, Rosie's... Husk's.]
Okay. [There's more he feel compelled to say; that's how it always starts, though, with this guy. He just keeps it to:] Thank you, Vox.
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The words are like a sudden attack. Something that springs out a dark hiding place to lunge at him, going straight for the throat. Thank you, Vox? What the fuck?! He can't even fully explain why a sentiment like that stirs such intense, raw and hurtful loathing. Why it feels like an insult- a blow beneath the belt. The best he can come up with is what his mind starts screaming at him. He's not doing this out of kindness. It's not a favor to be thanked for. This is for him, not Lucifer. Fuck Lucifer!
The only warning given is a crackle of electricity that sparks along his antenna. The next second, his hold on Lucifer tightens again, pulling the man right up his torso. The current overtakes the king's body again, its voltage higher than before. Fiercer. He's not calm at all, this time.]
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He did notice that spark! And it felt like a warning, but he wasn't quite to the point of being able to move. He's literally willing himself to teleport just as the electricity slams through him. It's so much worse than when he was in that weapon, and not just because of the pain. That memory still sort of hung over him, already. Of the things he finds himself wanting to do, at times, whenever he's around this particular demon.
This feels like justification for how he viewed Sinners, and for just a moment, he's genuinely wishing he could will his powers back. To kill this man in cold blood, and to make it so much worse than that first encounter. Then there's fear. So, so much fear of both Vox and- well, of himself, actually.
Everyone's going black, immediately after—like he's being sucked down into some hazy abyss.]
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Action! Shortly after the bad tickle...
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