Chapter 48: Pure

It was warm against his skin and he felt his body relaxed. There was something covering him, and he wondered what that could be. Lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, a sliver of his golden eyes revealed. The first thing that entered his vision was the flames, red and orange dancing and flowing. Blinking, he moved his eyes away from the fire to see someone sitting before it in a thin robe. Brown hair, golden by the light of the flame, and emerald eyes facing the fire.

His profile… he knew who it was.

"You should leave."

He watched the green eyes turn to stare at him and the almost smile turn into a frown.

"Glad to see you're awake," the angel's voice was smooth with a hint of anger.

If Lucifer reached out his hand, he would be able to touch the angel's arm. If he were to smile and thank his brother, he knew the young angel would stay with him. If he conversated with him like before, go down memory lane, the brown-haired angel would lay beside him- care for him- once more.

"You should leave," he repeated.

The fallen angel couldn't do that to him again. Once was enough.

All those centuries ago, Lucifer was no idiot. He knew the longer his brother stayed, the more trouble the kind angel would receive. But he was selfish, he needed his kindness. So, he took it for as much as he could, until Gabriel could no longer stay beside him.

He couldn't do that again to him.

"Go."

"No."

"Gabriel-"

"I said no," the angel stared back at him with the look of a fortress, "I am staying."

"You idiot! Get the hell-"

Before Lucifer could finish, he began coughing and wheezing. Warm hands touched his skin and rubbed his back. He couldn't help leaning into the touch as his chest calmed down.

"He will punish you again," he whispered out as he tried to push himself up.

"Hm? Sounds like you care Lulu," Gabriel teased and Lucifer found himself letting out a short laugh.

"I always care Gabby, you child."

Sitting up with the help of the angel, he let out a sigh and stared at the flames.

'The fire seems different,' he thought as he watched the flame burn brightly.

"How am I alive?" He questioned aloud and he felt the tension beside him.

"I don't know," Gabriel looked at him, "I believe Eve had done something to bring you back."

'Eve,' he let out a smile.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know," the angel finally said after a moment of silence.

"I was with Adam at the waterfalls. We heard there had been a situation in Hell and that both you and Eve are there. So we waited for the both of you to show up. Only Eve did," a short pause as Gabriel took a deep breath, "She was badly wounded, so we took her to the chapel she built. I used my powers to heal her and told Adam to run with her. When I returned, I was locked in the atonement cell."

"You were locked up?" Lucifer couldn't help leaning against the angel's shoulder, "Who would have thought you'd be a rebel Gabby."

"I guess they were right," he let out a sigh and poked the man's head, "You are a bad influence on me."

The former King of Hell let out a laugh as he rolled his eyes.

"Eve showed up and brought me here. She told me to take care of you. I couldn't leave because she put a barrier of some sort," he felt his brother sit back and look at him, "She knew I would find you."

His daughter, Eve… how did she even find a way to revive him? How was she able to enter Heaven without God knowing? So many questions swam through his head as he thought about his kin.

"The war between Heaven and Hell," he looked at the angel for clarification, "What was the result?"

"I do not know."

Could his daughter be dead? He felt his stomach flipped with that thought and shook it away. No. His daughter was strong, fearless, and a bit crazy.

Looking over at the angel, he took in the baby face he still had and the deep greens of his eyes. As his eyes travelled lower, he noticed marks underneath his jawline, scars on his neck. Frowning, he reached out and tugged his chin up to see the damage more. Nail marks, how did he get that?

"Where did this come from?" Lucifer questioned with a frown, "Why didn't you heal it?"

"Don't worry about it," Gabriel waved it off and tried to remove the hold on his chin, but it tightened.

"Gabriel," the man known as Satan spoke sternly, "Tell me."

"It is nothing," the angel pursed his lips.

Honey eyes searched emerald ones and for a moment, the sound of the crackling fire was all that was heard. The lips on the demon slowly curled upward and the angel looked worried.

"Gabby… did someone try to touch your pure soul?" Lucifer grinned, but the grip on the chin was hard, "Maybe forcefully from the look of the marks."

"What?!" The kind angel's face flushed as he pushed the grip on his chin away successfully.

"I mean, why would you not heal it? You must enjoy it," the grin still in placed but his eyes narrowed into slits.

"It was not like that!" The angel rubbed his chin to relieve the pain on it, "Father took my powers away."

"What?" Lucifer found himself startled as he leaned back.

"When I was imprisoned, he took it away," the angel sighed before a glare was sent his way, "Stop thinking of inappropriate things."

'No more powers? Then that means… Gabriel is more human than angel…' the demon thought and his heart dropped, '… because of that stupidly kind heart of his.'

Maybe he was a bad influence.

"My pure innocent Gabby," he smiled and grabbed his hand, "I thank you brother."

The smile he received from the angel was dazzling as it should be, and it should stay that way. He would never want him to be sad again. He doesn't deserve it, but Lucifer was selfish, and selfishness made him want to keep his former brother with him forever.