Reasons Why
Stitches stretched as the morning light came through the curtain. After a month of therapy, support, and getting into a routine, she was feeling stable again. When Lucifer found her in that tub, she believed it was over, and that everyone would give up on her. But instead, she was only loved and cared for, and everyone had been so amazing. She was feeling happier than she had in a long time, and the dark thoughts were barely a whisper anymore, easily ignored. It was freeing.
She rolled over and gave Goose one more squeeze before getting up. It was her turn to help make breakfast for the staff since Lucifer had hired some imps to help cater buffet-style meals for the guests. They had nearly 50 guests now, and it was just a lot to keep up on with the usual staff, so the extra help was amazing. They would have hired some maids to help with the cleaning, but the mention of it alone had sent Niffty into a meltdown, and she really was great at keeping up on everything.
After a shower and dressing in a black skort and a gray crop top, she wrapped her hair in a loose bun, slipped on her sneakers, and headed downstairs, taking the staff stairs to avoid guests. She would change into something less revealing later, for her own sense of security, but for now, the kitchen was going to be hot, and in Hell, that was saying something. So, the less layers the better until after breakfast.
Finally reaching the kitchen, she opened the door, expecting Charlie to be there to help cook. She had been looking forward to working with her sister, maybe make some pancakes to surprise their dad. But as she looked into the room, her stomach sank to the floor and she couldn’t stop the irritated groan from escaping.
Alastor was arranging ingredients on the counter, pretending to not have noticed her at all, but she had seen one of his ears twitch towards her as she walked in. Fucking asshole. She was tempted to just leave, but at the same time, regardless of how the red bastard had convinced Charlie to switch roles this morning, she was still obligated to cook today. But that didn’t mean she had to be happy about it.
“I thought Charlie was the one cooking breakfast with me this morning,” she seethed, walking to the counter to see what he was preparing. She wasn’t sure what all the ingredients were for, but she did recognize a few. “Wait, are we making beignets?” She couldn’t help getting a little excited. She had been to New Orleans once for Mardi Gras, and she could still taste the warm and sweet fried bread.
“Ah, look who finally arrived for her shift!” Alastor chuckled at her, his voice dripping with feigned malice. “So good of you to grace this kitchen with your presence.”
She rolled her eyes. “Cut the shit, Alastor. I know you are dating Dad, so keep being a fucking ass to me, or I’m telling him.”
“Oh, really?” Alastor narrowed his eyes at her. “I didn’t take you for the nepotistic type, running to Daddy, hiding behind his coattails. I always believed you were a woman who fought her own battles, little Vixen.”
Stitches glared at him. “Cocky bastard,” she mumbled, “I don’t know what the fuck he sees in you. To think I shipped you guys for years…”
Alastor tilted his head. “Hmm, so you always wanted your father and I to get together, even before you came here? My my, how wonderful! You should be ecstatic that your little fantasy came true. Though, I suppose that makes you, what, my step-child?”
Stitches barked out an incredulous laugh. “You aren’t fucking married! Why the fuck would I look at the guy who hates me like he is a parental figure?”
Alastor winced. Stitches blinked, confused. Alastor leaned back and turned back to the ingredients. “We are making beignets, red beans and rice, and coffee for breakfast. We only have a few hours, so we should get started.” The radio turned on, and after shifting rapidly through channels, “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” started playing.
🎵~ I’m forever blowing bubbles ~ Pretty bubbles in the air ~ They fly so high, nearly reach the sky ~ Then like my dreams they fade and die ~🎵
Stitches titled her head. The song was the same she had heard before, but the melody was slower, sadder. Did I really upset him? She coughed lightly. “I’ve… never heard this version before. It’s more… melancholy.”
Alastor’s ears twitched. “Perhaps it was different in your world.” He glanced at her over his shoulder as he prepared the beignet dough. “I am actually surprised you know this song at all. If your world and ours run on a similar timeline, this one would have been far before your time.”
Stitches chuckled. “I mean, yeah, but it was still a good lullaby in my time. Actually, from what I have been listening to, our worlds actually share a lot of music, technology, and even fashion, in the living world, at least. There are some differences, of course, but nothing too jarring.” She thought for a moment, hesitant. The lyrics made her think maybe she had hurt him deeply, on a truly painful level, but she didn’t understand why. “Alastor, I am sorry if I went too far. I know you have been kinder to me since… you know. I know you found me that night, everyone told me how you brought me back to the Hotel. I just…” She took a deep breath. “I just don’t know how you really feel about me, because you are still constantly being antagonistic towards me.”
Alastor covered the dough and set it aside to rise before turning around. He crossed his arms as he leaned back against the counter, his eyes narrowing before taking a deep breath and softening his expression a little. “My dear, ask the question. You are as obvious as Lucifer when you are holding back.”
Stitches rolled her eyes, then looked down, picking at her arm. “Alastor, how do you really feel about me? No bullshit, just the truth. Please… Just be honest, so I can understand.” She had to know. He had been the scariest one in the hotel since day one, but he had also shown a softer, more nurturing side too. Lucifer obviously trusted him, and she could see the love between them growing, so she knew Alastor was capable of genuine kindness and care. But was he capable and willing to show it to her? Was he a true ally to her, or just using her to entertain himself, waiting for her to be stable enough to start picking at her yet again? These unanswered questions are what had made her become hostile towards him the last couple of weeks, his hot and cold attitude driving her insane.
A red clawed finger slipped under her chin, gently raising her head so she was looking into his eyes. His smile was softer and genuine, and his eyes held a warmth she hadn’t seen before, certainly not towards her. When he spoke, the filter was off too, his deeper tenor soothing. “My Vixen, I would never lie to you.” He leaned back against the counter, putting some distance between them, but maintained eye contact, as though trying to prove his honesty. “I will only utter this once, so pay attention:
“When we first met, I did see you as just another plaything, a form of entertainment. You were hiding so many secrets, still are, in the spirit of honesty, and at the time, I was curious and intrigued. I wished to push you into revealing the darkness within you, guide and control you and the power within you. But that began to shift when I went to attack you that first day, and you smiled.”
Stitches frowned. “But you didn’t seem to change all that much. You were still a jackass-”
“My dear, I do not change my mind on a whim. That was merely the start of the shift. You reminded me of her.” He watched her for a moment, but her confusion must have shown on her face, so he sighed and continued. “My mother smiled when she died. Her last words to me were telling me to never stop smiling. I took it quite to heart, and I have ensured that my smile never falters.”
Stitches stared at him, speechless. That day, when he had paused and stopped attacking, when he had put his hand on her shoulder before leaving… He had been remembering his mother. Had she really been so similar in that moment?
“However,” Alastor continued, “I will admit that it wasn’t until you started spiraling that I realized just how much my opinion of you was transforming. I kept feeling compelled to check on you, to ensure your safety. And when Lucifer and I discovered you had run away…” He paused and closed his eyes, his smile strained, ears pinned down to his head. “I had not felt such panic before. I was… desperate. I needed to locate you, and when my shadow minions came to me and revealed your location, I was…” He swallowed, radio static surrounding him. He took several breathes before looking at her, the anguish in his eyes profound. “When I found you, it was so much worse than I had prepared myself for. I feared I was too late. You looked like a martyr, your face so peaceful and smiling so serenly, while they… I wasn’t even sure if Lucifer could save you.”
“S-Sinners can’t die permanently, though, not without angelic weapons,” Stitches whispered. “So, you could have let me go, let me respawn…”
“We both know that your case is different.” Alastor hissed through static, eyes turning to radio dials, causing her to jump. His face softened, eyes going back to normal, and so did his voice, his filter-free tenor back. “You are not of this world. Who is to say that your death would not result in you being transported elsewhere? If you came here after dying, who is to say you would not go elsewhere?” He leaned toward her, anguish evident as he whispered, “You could be gone.”
His words felt like a backhand, with how much pain was he was in, and she flinched. He wasn’t wrong, she had also considered all of this, even in the moments she had let the cannibals tear into her. She was a Sinner, but the rules of Isekai were flimsy at best. Every story had it’s own take on it, and there were no guarantees of how it worked or what the limitations were. She could respawn, or she could end up in another world. It was a toss up, and while back then she had been ready for that chance, in the present, she was grateful she didn’t know. Dying that day could have kept her from the wonderful life she had built, and she wouldn’t trade anything for the happiness she had now.
“So, to answer your question, Vixen…” Alastor walked forward, slowly, giving her time to back away, but she didn’t. He pulled her into his arms, one hand on her upper back and the other burrowing into her hair. He held her tightly, curling around her, as though she would disappear. She hesitated, then wrapped her arms around his waist. He was bony and awkward, but also warm, radiating strength and power that felt, for the first time, like a safety net, instead of a threat. No words were needed. She understood now.
After a few moments, Alastor pulled away and turned back to the counter, not so slyly wiping a tear away. She repressed a chuckle as she wiped her own tears with both of her hands. “Now then,” he said cheerily, filter back in place. “Shall we get this breakfast finished? I would like to teach you the proper way to cook a true New Orleans breakfast!” His shadow appeared on the wall above him, waving happily at her, beckoning her toweads the counter. She giggled and waved back before going to stand next to Alastor. A shadow tentacle handed her her apron, which she quickly tied on.
“I look forward to learning.” She looked up at him and smiled. “Can we make grits too?”
Alastor laughed. “Ha ha! That’s my girl! Fetch the bag of hominy from the cupboard, and we’ll get started.”
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“Wowza!” Lucifer sighed happily, rubbing his stuffed belly. “I think that has to mark one of my favorite breakfasts!”
Stitches laughed happily, and seeing how carefree she was warmed his heart. When Alastor had asked Charlie to switch places with him for cooking this morning with Stitches, he had been hesitant. While Alastor had changed his feelings and plans when it came to the small woman, growing warmer and kinder, she had started to show real hostility and resentment towards the radio demon. He wasn’t sure if forcing Stitches to interact with him one-on-one was going to work. However, from the looks of things and the happy laughter coming from the kitchen as they finished cooking earlier, it appeared that it had.
Alastor also looked more relaxed, falling into a friendly banter with Stitches as they ate. Lucifer knew Alastor had been successful in opening up to Stitches when he offered halfway through the meal to teach her how to make his mother’s jambalaya. The sparkle in his little Duckling’s eyes said it all. Seeing his partner and both of his daughters getting along meant the world to him. If he could freeze this morning so it lasted all eternity, he would.
Charlie giggled as she started helping gather the dishes. “Dad, you always say that about breakfast.” He just grinned at her and snickered. She rollled her eyes affectionately, and headed to the kitchen. He chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. He wasn’t a huge fan of bitter things, but the way Alastor made it was just too good to pass up.
“So, Sis, Smiles officially your step-dad, or-?” Angel Dust called out from the other side of the dining room. Lucifer choked on the coffee and spilled it as he tried to regain his breath. He could hear Alastor’s annoyed static and Stitches giggling. Goddamnit, Angel!
“Nah, pretty sure there would have to be a wedding or something first.” Stitches looked at Lucifer coyly. He glared at her as he snapped the spilled coffee clean. Of course she would play into it, she could be such a brat sometimes. “They haven’t been together that long. These things take time. But, since they are dating, he’s… parent-adjacent, I guess?”
“Ha ha HA!” Alastor narrowed his eyes at Stitches. “Awfully cocky, aren’t we, Vixen? How would you know of anything happening between Lucifer and I?”
She rolled her eyes. “Because when I mentioned it in the kitchen earlier, you didn’t deny it, duh.” Lucifer and Alastor looked at each other, and Lucifer saw that it was true, his partner’s face giving a ‘fuck, yeah, I slipped up’ kind of look. Ha! And he thought I was going to be the one to fuck up! I totally won that bet! He would wait and cash in his prize later. Stitches laughed and looked hungrily at the plate of beignets on the table. “Hey, if I guess when you started dating, can I have the last beignets?”
“Tempting…” Alastor considered it and Lucifer could see the gears turning as he thought about it. What could Alastor be thinking? They had kept it hidden for so long, why was he okay revealing it all now, of all times? Ugh, I need to talk to Charlie about this later, before she finds out from Angel. “How about a wager, then? You guess precisely when, and you get the beignets. However, if you are wrong, you owe me a favor. Deal?”
Stitches laughed. “No deals-” that’s my girl! “-but I will accept the wager.” She sat in thought for a moment. Angel kept throwing out possibilities, not even coming close, either before or after they started dating. Stitches picked up her glass of orange juice and took a sip before leaning back. “You both talked about it soon after I came back, I am going to guess around the time I sang with everyone. BUT, you didn’t actually start dating until… hmm… I would say roughly a week later.”
Lucifer’s jaw dropped. She had been so close, incredibly so. He still remembered when Alastor had told him he would consider starting a relationship, the day Stitches reconnected with everyone else. The next three days had been torture, until Alastor had shown up in his room late the night of the third day and agreed, asking if he would join him in his room to read together. It was the best night he had had in centuries, full of conversation, comfortably reading next to each other, and they had ended it with a waltz before parting for bed. Honestly, if he was the one wagering with Stitches, he would have given her the win, based on how close she was.
But Alastor was the one going against her, and he was a stickler for being precise.
“Close, my dear, very close, but you are incorrect.” Alastor got up and patted her on the head, handing the plate of beignets to Lucifer. “For you, Ducky. Enjoy them however you please. I have an Overlord meeting to attend, and shall return in a few hours.” He looked over his shoulder at the pouting Stitches. “I look forward to cashing in that favor, Vixen. Ta-ta!” Alastor laughed maniacly and disappeared into the shadows. Lucifer snickered. Seven Hells, I love that crazy bastard!
“Daaaaaaad!” Stitches whined, giving him puppy eyes.
“To be fair, he told me to enjoy them however I please, so it would bring me enjoyment to share them with you.” He grabbed a few for himself before sliding the plate over to her. Her eyes lit up and she greedily shoved one into her mouth. “Besides, you weren’t that far off. It was only 3 days later that he agreed to date.” She looked at him with mischief. “How did you know, though? Your guess was scary close!”
Stitches swallowed and wiped the powder sugar off her mouth with the back of her hand. “Because that was around the time you started blushing whenever he walked in. Alastor also stopped being hostile when you would argue, even conceding the argument when it got too heated. You know, just little things. You guys may be older, but Dad, your face is way too expressive to hide anything, and Alastor has his little tells.” She shrugged. “Hate to tell you this, but basically everyone in the hotel already knows or suspects something. Charlie - yeah, she knows, and is super supportive - has been secretly going around and making all the guests sign NDAs over it, though she disguised it as more of a general ‘what happens at the hotel stays within the hotel’ kind of thing. Basically, your relationship is the best kept open secret in all of Hell.”
Lucifer smiled sheepishly at his daughter. He had believed that they had done fairly well at being discreet, but apparently, they had been found out early on, and all everyone was waiting for was confirmation. He would have to go thank Charlie for doing damage control later, and let Alastor know this turn of events. Honestly, it would kinda fun to see the look on the deer’s face when he told him how bad BOTH their acting had been.
“So, who tops?” Angel cut into his thoughts, wagging his brows suggestively. Lucifer sputtered and felt his cheeks flush, even though they hadn’t even kissed on the lips yet, but Stitches reacted first, punching her brother in the arm.
“Dude, don’t ask that! Alastor is AroAce! They probably haven’t even kissed yet, and may never. Besides, I don’t need to know about my Dad’s sex life!” Lucifer looked at his daughter gratefully, but only because he missed the mischievous grin she threw at him. “But if they did do it, we all know they would be Switches.”
“OKAY, that is enough!” Lucifer knew his face was golden at this point, and he grabbed his hat as he excused himself from the room. He would just have to talk to Charlie later, when he wasn’t so flustered. Angel and Stitches were howling with laughter at his reaction, and he heard Charlie coming back from the kitchen, asking what was going on, but he opened a portal to his room in the palace before he could hear anymore. He plopped into his desk chair and groaned. “Damnit!” But he couldn’t help but chuckle soon after. Embarrassing as it was, they would no longer have to hide their relationship, and if he was being honest, that had it’s own kind of allure. Wait until I tell Al!
Until then, he would work on the royal duty paperwork that had piled up, before going back to the hotel.
____________________________________________________________________________
Lute crept down the hall of the hotel, sticking to the shadows. Lilith had kept her word, finally, and helped her sneak into the tacky building so she could get her revenge. Everything so far was going according to plan: the Radio Demon was away for a meeting, Lucifer was holed up in his palace for the majority of the day attending to royal duties, and the princess and the traitor (Vaggie) were busy out in the city on some sort of field trip with the guests or whatever. The four biggest threats were gone for at least a couple of hours, and she was now free to stalk her prey: a little one-eyed freak.
Lilith had given her 3 rules before allowing her to come here: Lucifer and Charlie were not to be harmed, the building and project were not to be touched, and Lute was not allowed to harm any Sinners in Charlie’s “redemption” scheme. It limited her options, but still left enough room to work with. All she needed was to find that little bitch who killed Adam, and then she could get her revenge.
Unfortunately, the hotel was larger than she had expected. She had already been there for two hours, and she still hadn’t seen the little monster. She was tired, strung out from stress and adrenaline, and just needed to take a break and regroup. Unfortunately, she didn’t feel safe doing so, not being in enemy territory…
🎵 ~ How can I say this without breaking ~ How can I say this without taking over ~ How can I put it down into words when it’s almost too much for my soul alone ~ 🎵
Lute felt drawn to the haunting voice down the hall. It was feminine and full of true anguish, a pain that she herself had felt since losing Adam. She couldn’t stop herself from following it to a large room with a plaque on the door that announced it as “Art Room”. She held her breath, wondering if she dared even look inside.
🎵 ~ I loved and I loved and I lost you ~ I loved and I loved and I lost you ~ I loved and I loved and I lost you ~ And it hurts like hell ~ Yeah it hurts like hell ~ 🎵
The slow melancholic song reeled her in like a siren song. Taking a deep breath, she peeked into the cracked open door, and the sight made her stop breathing altogether. A short, doll-looking woman was painting on a canvas. She was standing in front of her easel, swaying slightly as she sang, her profile highlighted by the bright red let pouring from the window. Her violet, yarn-like hair was braided behind her back, a few stray hairs gently framing her face. Sad, amethyst eyes were half-lidded as she focused on the work in front of her, ruby lips forming each word like a prayer.
🎵 ~ I don’t want them to know the secrets ~ I don’t want them to know the way I loved you ~ I don’t think they’d understand it, no ~ I don’t think they would accept me, no ~ 🎵
Tears slid silently down the stitched woman’s face as she repeated the chorus, yet her voice only shook slightly as she repeated the words again and again. Who had she loved, and how had she lost them? Was it anything like how Lute had lost Adam? The anguish in the rounder woman was suffocating. She wished she could run in and take her into her arms, comfort her, be comforted by her… But then the small woman shakingly set down her paints and backed up, she fell to her knees, belting out the next part, holding herself while she shook with sobs.
🎵 ~ Dreams fight with machines ~ Inside my head like adversaries ~ Come wrestle me free ~ Clean from the war ~ Your heart fits like a key ~ Into the lock on the wall ~ I turn it over, I turn it over ~ But I can’t escape ~ I turn it over, I turn it over ~🎵
The woman’s voice had begun cracking more and more as she sang. Lute had tears of her own falling, watching this heartbreaking performance, the soul-crushing sorrow matching her inner turmoil. Who was this woman? How did someone like her end up down here? The woman’s voice fell to a soft whisper.
🎵 ~ I loved and I loved and I lost you ~ I loved and I loved and I lost you ~ I loved and I loved and I lost you ~ And it hurts like hell ~🎵
As the woman collapsed into sobs, Lute put her hand on the door, ready to risk everything to reach her-
“OOH, IT’S THE BAD GIRL!”
Lute spun and found herself face to face with the cyclops. All thoughts of the woman in the room were forgotten. Her target had found her, and now, it was time to get her revenge. She pulled the angelic blade from it’s sheath.
“There you are, you fucking cockroach!”
____________________________________________________________________________
Stitches froze when she heard Niffty’s voice, quickly trying to wipe away her tears. She hadn’t meant to start sobbing, she had just been singing “Hurts Like Hell” while painting, because she had been thinking about her spouse again. But she really didn’t want to talk about it, and she didn’t want to worry the little maid, who would surely tell Alastor who would tell Lucifer…
But then, she heard a voice growl out at the maid and her blood ran cold. Lute. Of fucking course! The excorcist with a grudge would have to attack on the day when their main protectors were all out of the building. Panic filled her. She could hear Niffty laughing maniacally as the two fought in the hall. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, sending a message to the staff group chat.
Stitch_In_Time: Lute is here, Niffty in danger, Art Room (11:38 am)
She felt the phone buzzing as the chat blew up. But she didn’t have time to look. She could hear Niffty and Lute’s fight growing further away. Niffty wouldn’t be able to fight Lute off on her own for long. Stitches slipped her phone in her pocket and ran out the door, running toward the sound of shouting and fighting. Her heart was pounding in her ears, but the thought of the funny little maid being hurt, or worse, drove her to intercede. As she grew closer, she saw Lute knock Niffty into the far wall.
“NO! NIFFTY!” Stitches screamed, drawing Lute’s attention and making the exorcist spin toward her. The gray angel’s face cycled through anger, shock, then determination. She shifted her knife into a defensive position, the feathers of her wings puffing in agitation.
“Stay back, Sinner!” she spat out. “I am only here for this monster, so go hide and I’ll let you live.”
Stitches growled. “No! I am not going to let you kill her!”
“Ha! You don’t even have a weapon!” Lute waved her off. “How the fuck is a weakling like you going to stop me?”
“Because…” Stitches tried hard to think of a reason. Lute scoffed and turned away, stalking towards the unconscious maid. She just needed to buy time until the others arrived. Please, what can I do!?
“YOU WANT TO MAKE EVERYONE PAY, RIGHT!?!” Stitches screamed.
Lute spun around. “Duh, but I am under specific orders. I am only allowed to attack the maid. I can’t touch the Morninstars, guests, or the hotel. So, this insect who stabbed Adam is the most I can take.”
Stitches swallowed, hands up in surrender. “Okay, fair, but what if I could give you someone that EVERYONE that fought that day cares about? Someone that would crush all of them to lose? Niffty may be a friend or companion to most of the people here, but if you want to really make them hurt, I know someone whose death would make all of them crumble. Someone who isn’t a Morningstar and who isn’t here as a guest… Someone who won’t make you go against your orders.”
Lute raised an eyebrow. “And who might that be?”
“Me.” Stitches frowned when Lute scoffed. “Don’t believe me? All the staff either see me as a family member or a dear friend. I am so close to the Morningstars, I have basically been adopted by the King as a daughter, and by the Princess as a sister. The Radio Demon, who owns Niffty over there, he sees me as his ward, and has expressed his desire to personally take me on as his protegie. Trust me. Kill Niffty? They’ll cry. Kill me? They may never recover.”
Lute narrowed her eyes, stalking towards her. “You would sacrifice yourself, just to save that freak? Why?” She stepped up to Stitches, pressing the tip of the blade into her chest. “Why do this?”
Stitches smiled, watching Lute flinch at the reaction. “Because I am fucking depressed, and have a death wish. Not my first time using a cop to end the pain, Little Bird.” It wasn’t entirely true, because right now, in this moment, she didn’t want to die. She was just trying to buy time. She wanted to live, she wanted to keep living this life she had found herself in. Please, Dad, Alastor, someone! Help us! She kept her eyes on Lute, but heard Niffty groan as she came back to consciousness. She had to distract Lute. “So, what’s it going to be, Lute?”
Lute frowned and leaned in. “I didn’t tell you my name… How-”
What happened next happened so fast, she couldn’t react. A gold rimmed portal opened next to Niffty. Before anyone could step through, Lute spun around Stitches, grabbing her and pressing the blade to her throat. Lucifer, Charlie, and Vaggie ran out of the portal, ready for a fight. Angel Dust and Husker yelled from behind Lute and Stitches, having just ran up from the other end of the hall, weapons in hand. Lute dragged Stitches around so Lute’s back was against the door to a vacant room, keeping Stitches hostage so everyone could see.
“Everyone stay the FUCK back, or I cut this bitch’s throat!” Lute hissed. Everyone froze, taking in the situation. Charlie stepped forward, her demon form out, concern for her sister on her face, but that only made Lute press the blade into Stitches’ skin, blood trickling down as it broke the skin. Stitches hissed in pain, the angelic steel burning like it was coated in citric acid, causing Charlie to retreat. “I said to stay BACK!”
Lucifer growled. “Let her go, right now! If you hurt her, I will take it as a declaration of war from Heaven! How dare you attack MY people!”
Lute scoffed. “I know she means more than that to you. I can tell just by looking at you. Let me walk out of here unharmed, with that damn maid who killed Adam, and maybe I won’t slice this Sinner open.” She readjusted her grip, her nails digging into Stitches’ arm, making her whimper. “I only came for the cyclops anyway. No one else needs to get hurt. But if you don’t let me take to the little bug, I will kill this one instead.”
“NO!” Angel shouted, his voice in anguish, Husk muttering for him to stay put. Stitches couldn’t see his face, but she knew he was freaking out. She had been trying to buy time, but now she was a liability. She squeezed her eyes shut. This was feeling familiar, and it was triggering flashbacks. The last time this happened, someone had died. She felt the panic heighten as Lute and her family continued to argue, neither side willing to listen. Stop stop stop stop stop,,,
“Stop!” Stitches screamed, startling Lute, the knife slicing her slightly more, the blood dripping steadily now down her throat. Stitches gasped at the biting pain, but tried to breath through it. “Dad, I was the one that fucked up. I tried to buy time, and I let her get too close. I was trying to protect Niffty, but I just made it worse. Lute is scared-” Lute spat out denials “-and she isn’t going to be open to negotiate while she feels threatened. Let her take me into the room behind us, and no one try to come in. You can communicate through the door, so she feels safer, okay?” She motioned for both grips to stay back. “Lute, the door is unlocked, let me open it, since you only have one real arm.”
“Stitches, I am not leaving you-”
“Dad, it is okay.” She turned to look at Lucifer as she opened the door behind her. “I’ll be okay. Just…” She smiled softly as Lute dragged her backward in the room. “Tell Alastor I saved Niffty, so I made good on the favor I owe him, okay?”
And then she was in the dark room, door closed, and her panic attack took off as the past and present collided.