"I assume you want to do more of this in the future," he said knowingly.
"Yes, Daddy."
"I love taking care of you, baby girl."
She beamed, her cheeks glowing. "I love the way you take care of me, Daddy. Are you sure you've never done this with anyone else?"
His exhalation sounded like a chuff of amusement. "I don't think anyone else wants this side of me."
"Samael might," she said quietly. "Maybe not quite the way I do, but he likes to be taken care of."
"Yes, he does," Lucifer agreed. "But he doesn't want a daddy—he wants a mummy."
Hermione looked up at him. "Are you suggesting I should be his new mummy?"
He shrugged. "I don't know if Samael actually wants to play mummy with you the way you just played daddy with me, but he wants you to love and care for him the way a mother would."
For some reason, hearing Lucifer state his own copy's needs so bluntly made everything fall into place.
Even though Samael responded favorably to her domination—whether forceful or teasing—his underlying need was something much more instinctual.
More complex. It was painfully clear he'd been looking for someone to fill the affection-void Goddess had left, but Hermione had never considered tailoring her approach to meet that need so specifically.
They'd kind of drifted in that direction, but only because Hermione drew so much of what she did to him from what Lucifer did to her.
But she could easily take it further. Much further.
"So you want a little girl, and Samael wants a mummy," Hermione said, taking inventory. "What else? How do I be the princess you need?"
"I think you're already the princess I need. You don't have to do anything special. Just let me take care of you."
"So I should just let you buy me things and cover me in diamonds?"
"I think you already know why I do that."
She nodded. "You want to provide. It makes you feel useful. I think."
Both of Lucifer's black brows popped to his hairline. "Do you really have that idea?"
"You're pretty open and honest yourself in sleep."
He ran his fingers over her flushed face, tracing the corners of her mouth. "Maybe...."
Hermione pressed her hand to his chest as if she could keep him in her heart with physical force.
She didn't want this Lucifer to go anywhere. She didn't want to see him to retreat back into himself and shut everyone out.
She didn't want him to be alone. "Do you love Eve?"
He gave her a funny look, and hummed a noncommittal, "Hmmmmm."
"She loves you."
"Did she say that?"
"She said it's complicated, but I understood, and wish you two to finally break-up as fast as you can...."
The divot between Lucifer's brows deepened to a gully. "It's not that easy for us. Love can be dangerous."
She could see where Lucifer and Eve were coming from with that whole "love is a battlefield" mentality, but unfortunately, in the long run, the effort they put into protecting their scarred hearts was more damaging than the abandonment they so desperately sought to avoid.
"I don't think she would be able to move on from you if you keep being distant....I want us, just us, so you must do something...."
"It's . . ." He looked away, a pained scowl cinching his lips. "It's my past. It's Eve's past. We're both haunted by mistakes and . . . loss. Neither of us grew up in particularly pleasant environment, and to say openness was discouraged would be a crude understatement. That's just how it was back then. Eve and I are comfortable with the way we are. We understand each other."
Hermione turned her face to the side and rested her cheek on his heart. "That's really sad, Lucifer."
"Why?"
"Because even the most stoic warriors need to hear I love you now and then. Even if they already know it."
Lucifer trailed his fingers over the nape of her neck. "Perhaps."
"You're a very stubborn man," she murmured, placing a kiss to his nipple.
"So I've been told."
"But I love you anyway."
His fingers froze. "What did you say?"
She propped her chin on his chest and met his eye. "I said I love you anyway. And I know you already knew, so don't pretend you didn't see this coming. I love you, and even if you can't say it right now, that doesn't mean you don't need to hear it. I understand why you're holding back, and I'm okay with that. You'll say it when you're ready . . . or you'll just stay silent forever. Either way, I think you deserve to hear the truth. If it makes your life a little better, I want you to know."
Lucifer just stared at her for a minute, still and unblinking.
Finally, he swallowed loudly and whispered, "I can't say it back."
"I know. That's all right. I didn't expect you to. But I still love you. Are you okay with that?"
A look of confusion blinked over his face. "Yes."
"Good. So I can say it, and it won't upset you?"
"It . . . won't upset me."
"Then I'll say it every day."
"You're a sweet girl," he muttered, possibly to himself. "I think maybe I am more damaged than you realize."
No, she knew; she just wasn't going to let his reluctance stifle this amazing thing they had going.
"Maybe. But that doesn't change the way I feel."
The door to the hall creaked open, and Hermione and Lucifer both turned to see Samael peeking around the edge.
"Are you two busy?"
Lucifer waved him over. "We were just talking."
Samael glanced around the room as if worried he'd interrupted their play. "Is it time to take a bath? I'm cold . . . and a bit sticky."
Hermione grinned. "I'll get you warm." Looking up at Lucifer, she waggled her eyebrows. "Want to give me a bath, Daddy?"
His lips ticked up, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "Of course I will. When I'm done, perhaps you should give Samael a bath."
Hermione's grin curled to a lecherous leer. "That was the plan."
"All right," he chuckled, giving in to her levity. "I'll need a minute to clean up everything from earlier."
"'Kay." She wiggled higher and pecked his nose. "I love you, Daddy. Will you tuck me in tonight and kiss me so I have nice dreams?"
He seemed to be lost in thought, but he nodded, and when he leaned in to kiss her, his black eyes were solemn with promise. "Every night, baby . . . every single night."
xxxxxx
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