"but i hate you, i really hate you. so much i think it must be true love"

p!nk — "true love"

LUCIFER.

As soon as Joyce's name comes out of Lilith's mouth, a feeling of something going terribly wrong troubles my chest.

I get up from the couch, ready to walk towards the door. Once there, Lilith's back is the first thing my eyes locate on. She's still, not moving a single muscle from her body. While Joyce, with her perfectly cut short hair, formal suit on, and Philip, the only one that manages to let out a smile in this situation, with his tall self, stands behind Joyce, both waiting for Lilith to say something.

"We want to talk to you." Is the first thing my ears hear from the outside. Joyce's form voice hasn't changed a bit, she still sounds like the most expensive woman that you could ever come across.

Lilith doesn't say anything and that worries me. Since she isn't facing my way, I can't see her expression or anything that could tell me what's she thinking, so, I take a step towards her when Celia arrives by the front door with surprise all over her face.

"Can we come in?" Philip insists. Still, silence from Lilith.

"Lilith?" Celia touches her daughter's shoulder to gain her attention. When there's no answer, I also go closer to her, touching the lower part of her back.

Soon, that gains everyone's eyes on me. I stare at Joyce since it's the reaction that I expect to be more shocked over me being here. "You're here." She says, lifting her chin up with no glimpse in her eyes of being surprise with my presence. What surprises me, is the fact that she isn't staring down at me like I'm the worst piece of shit and undeserving person that ever walked the earth. Maybe dramatic, but that's what it feels like.

"I am." I confidently say, getting my body closer to Lilith's.

Celia's eyes on me and the look in her face tells me she wants me to take Lilith to the living room, since there's no hint of her moving away from the door by herself.

I nod, placing both of my hands on her waist and leading her way to the inside of the house. This time, I'm able to finally see her face and her expression. It isn't telling me much, just a glimpse of her shifting away from her space to a head with a thousand of thoughts. I would be too if the person that caused me the most pain, is in front of me saying that they want to talk to me. I try my best to hold her hand tightly, maybe she won't notice, but in case she does, I want her to know I'm there for her no matter what.

"Can we come in?" I hear Philip say behind us.

"Ah..." Celia seems confused as well "yes, yeah, sure."

Following her words, steps start behind us getting inside the living room. As Lilith stands in the middle, I place myself by the corner without wanting to make my presence known, who knows why are Joyce and Philip here, why do they want to talk to Lilith, the intrigue kills me, but it is a family matter, and me being there may not make things easier. But, I don't remove myself from the room, Lilith and her worried and confused eyes make me stand there, in case anything happens, I want to be there and able to hold her once again if she needs me to.

Joyce walks first, with quick yet firm steps, she makes her way towards the couch and sits down on it. It's not like I've seen her thousand of times, but she doesn't seem like the type of person that would show her nerves or even any sort of insecurity. The few times that I've been in her presence, she's the most secure person in the room. That thought of her personality makes me worry even more, because right now, Joyce Avery has her breathing quicker than normal while her eyes are locked on Lilith, like her future words are troubling her mind and stomach, filling it with an anxious feeling.

Philip, on the other hand, walks over to the couch with slow steps, looking around the house with no hint of being nervous. It seems like he's only here to support his wife in whatever is gonna be said tonight. "This place hasn't changed a bit since the last time we were here, Celia, you do know how to keep a house beautiful."

Celia doesn't trust what's happening. She stands by the corner, only a couple of steps away from me while she crosses her arms around her chest, looking to her parents as if she's trying to read every detail she can in them and figure out what's the reason they're here. "I try my best."

"Where's Teddy?" Joyce asks when Philip stands behind the couch, right behind her. 

"I told him to do homework," Celia answers in the most passive aggressive tone "so, don't disturb him."

"Surely you can forgive him a couple of minutes to say hi to his grandparents."

"Surely you can visit your grandson another time that he isn't doing homework."

The tension in the room could make anyone's blood boil, it's so thick not even with the sharpest of knives you can cut it.

"We want to talk to Lilith," the quick look Joyce gives me it's almost transparent "alone."

Celia shakes her head. "I won't let Lilith go into a room with you alone."

"Fine, then you can stay."

"Alright."

My eyes shift to Lilith. The fact that she's not saying any words worries me. Her eyes are glued to the ground while her jawline is a bit clenched likes she's trying to put her thoughts in order. Finally, she crosses her arms around her chest just like her mother and lifts his head, locking eyes with Joyce. Anger shines in them, annoyance and frustration, all a mix of those feelings that she manages to show on purpose.

Lilith's letting them know she doesn't like them being here. 

"No." She finally says, slowly. "Lucifer stays too."

Inevitably, all eyes lay on me, except Lilith's. "I don't want to disturb—"

"You won't." A quick Lilith cuts me. When she faces me, it's like a nod quickly tangles inside my chest hating the sadness that she allows me to see when she looks my way, breaking her tough walls that she holds in place around her heart. Her eyes shine, like she's holding back tears. "Please." That's all it takes, I'm staying. When I nod to her, she goes back to Joyce with the same eyes as before. "What is it that you want to talk about? And make it quick."

"I..." in all her glorious state and her confident stare, Joyce Avery stumbles with her words. She manages to keep her composure, and lifting her chin up, a long breath goes into her mouth before starting again. "I wanted to apologise." Her firm tone makes her be heard. "I took my time to think about what I've done and all the things I've said, it was all wrong, me trying to control your life, Celia's, judge you and your decisions. I'm sorry that I made you believe I was angry at you because your mother got pregnant. I'm not mad. Was I surprised and taken out of place when she came with the news? Yes. But that doesn't mean that I didn't accept it afterwards. I act the way I act because believe it or not, I want the best for you, Celia and Teddy. You're my family, the most important thing for me." Something in Lilith's eyes makes her stop and take a step back in the way she's saying these words. Relaxing her chin, she swallows before continuing. "Sometimes it does hurt," her voice is about to break "because it seems like you're "best" for you, isn't with us. And that is my fault. I recognise it. I built that relationship. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the pain that I've caused."

Lilith is locked in Joyce. She's controlling what emotions she's portraying with the same one as before, listening to every word and breathing normally, even then, I'm able to catch how her fingertips press against her skin with strength, like she's trying to hold on to her sadness inside by doing that.

The urge to grab her hand comes over me when Joyce sits down more on the edge of the couch to talk again. "I will try to be better, I want to be better, let go of control because I'm realising you got the Avery genes, you're smart and strong women. You'll make it without my help, that's for certain." She stops and doesn't stare away from Lilith, like she's hoping to get an answer. Celia turns to face her daughter as well, with intrigue on what could possible be said. But nothing comes. She doesn't even change her expression.

Joyce gives Philip a look, to which he nods, slowly. "Then..." Joyce continues, uncertain "Philip made a great business deal with an airline owner, helped him in ways no other man would've ever, so, he got us a gift." Opening her tiny bag with a click, she grabs something inside and then pulls a yellow envelope. Leaving it on the coffee table, all eyes land on it. "When we received it, we immediately thought of you, Lilith. Your mom once told us about your dream of going to Italy with your best friend. I know you won't receive it if it comes from us... from me, and that it seems easy work. But we don't lose anything on telling you about it. It's your choice. It's there. If you don't take it, nothing will change."

Lilith's eyes are glued on the envelope. For the first time since Joyce started talking, a kind of break through shows on her, the wall she has built the moment Joyce and Philip walked through the door, has just been knocked down.

"We don't expect you to take it or even..." Joyce continues, noticing that Lilith has no intention of speaking "accept my apology, I took my time to gain the strength to say it you can take your time to accept it."

Once again, all eyes lay on Lilith. She's still locked on the envelope with the plane tickets inside of it, lost on whatever is going in her mind. I try to read her emotions but there's nothing that comes to me to explain it, or even understand a glimpse.

She has everyone on lock, waiting for her words as no single muscle on her moves, not even a shift of her attention.

Finally, not expecting to hear an answer or even a comment from their granddaughter, Joyce gets up from the couch and followed by Philip, the both head towards the front door. Celia doesn't move from her place, with worried eyes looking at her daughter.

When I take a step towards Lilith to hold her, her eyes move upwards, locked on Joyce.

"How can I know that you mean it?" Her tone is filled with anger, even if her body doesn't show it. "How can I trust you?"

Joyce turns to face her with hopeful eyes, and from where I'm standing, a tiny smile can be seen on the corner of her lips. "I guess you're gonna have to give your grandmother a chance."

"Why?"

Celia touches Lilith's shoulder. "Lilith—"

"No— Why should I?" She repeats, even firmer than before. "Give me a reason."

Joyce doesn't say anything. She doesn't even look like she's confident, glorious, and expensive, someone who knows her ground, she's just... vulnerable. Something that doesn't come often from her. Joyce Avery doesn't know what to say. "I don't know, Lilith... I don't know."

Fake chuckling, Lilith shakes her head and walks out of the living room towards the kitchen, leaving all of us behind in quick steps. I don't hesitate and follow her, seeing last how Joyce wants to follow her, but Celia stops her and makes both of her parents lead their way to the front door. I don't hear anything coming from either, my focus immediately shifts to Lilith in the patio and her nervous walk to left and right, mumbling frustrated words over and over again.

"How is she just so... agh!" Is the first thing I hear when I walk through the door. Lilith doesn't locate her eyes on me, she keeps walking left and right letting all the anger flow out her words. "She knows how to make you feel bad for her, she knows how to choose the perfect words, doesn't she? Coming here and talking about how much she wants to change and loves us how dare she? After everything she has done! How am I supposed to believe her? And the plane tickets, oh, Lord," she points to the dark sky above her "did you tell her your most deepest secrets? Does she have you on hold?"

She goes back to her angry walk. "The perfect trick bringing my dream with Ada like I wouldn't fold the second she mentioned it. How am I supposed to pass this opportunity? Free plane tickets? That's the most expensive part! How am I supposed to look at Ada in the eyes and tell her that I said no? Fuck!"

"Maybe you don't have to." I find myself saying. In a quick shift, Lilith's attention goes to me standing by the door. With confused eyes, and fire inside her stare, I prepare to keep talking before she kills me. "Say no."

Calming her eyes with a long breath, the frustration takes over her anger as she slowly shakes her head. "I can't, Lucifer. This is what she does, she buys you, she makes sure to have something on you for later and manipulate her way over you."

"Maybe she really does want to change." I innocently say. Soon it feels like I could regret saying those words later on, waiting for Lilith's reaction, she may not take them very well, but all she does is look away to the sky above her and stare at the starts to calm herself down.

"She says that now." Her tone is now almost a whisper, full of sadness flowing through each word.

"What if she says that in the future as well?" I walk towards her, bringing our bodies together.

"People just don't change like that."

"We did."

Those dark eyes land on mine. Full of frustration and tiredness, Lilith stares at me thinking my words in a more deep way than I thought they would be received. Maybe I stroke a bubble in her, but her eyes don't stare away from mine. Soon enough, she slowly shakes her head. "We're different."

"How? We said that we hated each other, wanted to rip each other's head, then..." I hug her waist, bringing her against my body "we started to develop feelings for each other, to the point of where we can't live without the other. Change, love."

Lilith doesn't say anything after my words. She just rests her head on my chest after closing her eyes, relaxing under the touch of our bodies together and the almost transparent light from the patio.

"All I'm saying is that you don't have to take her apology or even the tickets if you don't want to, I believe that she isn't trying to buy your love, she said it herself, taking the tickets or not, it won't matter. Think of what you want, not the future, not what may happen, just... follow your gut. It's never wrong."

"Once my gut told me to go out on a Tuesday night before an exam and I failed it the next day, had to re took the whole class."

I chuckle. Only Lilith can find the joke even if the whole world feels like is crumbling down. "Well not all the time. You're a tough girl, baby, I know that if you decide to take the tickets and then build a relationship with your grandmother, and you see something off, you won't take bullshit. You're Lilith Avery, my girl, you don't take it, ever. But then, if things does change and Joyce was right, I'm sure that relationship is gonna be worth the try."

A long breath is let out by Lilith.

"You love getting people chances, don't you?"

"I just believe things can change, love, you won't know until you try it."

Finally, Lilith looks at me with a tiny smile on the corner of her lips. Trying to ignoring the nod after the realisation of her going to Italy for God knows how long, and not seeing that beautiful smile of hers for that time hits me on the chest, I give her the same smile.

"Do you want to try the chicken costume again?" Lilith asks, and soon, the cheekiest of smiles grows in her lips.

I arch an eyebrow. "Is that kinky for you? You like the chicken costume?"

Lilith slowly shrugs her shoulders, trying to look innocent. "When it's on you..."

This woman is unbelievable. Anything she does, she has me on the palm of her hand, making me wait for any word coming from her and my body following them. Like a witch casting a spell on me, and growing the love I already have for her ten times bigger, if that's even possible. "Lilith Avery..." I tilt my head back, hearing her laugh be the music that my ears desire.

"Movie night!" Teddy yells in the living room, unaware of anything that happened minutes ago. He sounds like the most excited kid ever. And he probably is. "Movie night! Movie night!"

I stare back at Lilith, who's hasn't looked away. "I guess it's movie night?"

She shakes her head, giving me another smile. "Noooo, I don't think so."

My left hand grabs her cheek to pull us in and unite our lips together. No words can describe this feeling, kissing under the moonlight as our bodies touch each other... I finally have her by my side, Lilith Avery is kissing me right now with no shame, no hate, nothing stopping us, just us. Call me dramatic, but this, it feels like it's everything I wanted all my fucking life.

Her.

LILITH.

The sound of kids screaming in excitement, running around and touching every little thing with their sticky things isn't something that I like to see every day. But I don't say the same thing when it comes from the fairs in Forwell.

People dressed as chickens walk around with kids following them, grown ups contribute to the games, the best of chefs from the town sell their food and the night is perfect, full of starts and a slight wind that makes the heat even. Music plays while mom and I make sure the baseball stand is the best one this year.

I look at her, with her black long hair and the red bandana on her head, she has the biggest smile plastered on her lips. I haven't seen her like this in a long time, and the fact that something exciting is about to happen to her, makes me smile to myself at the idea of my mom finally having that movie love she always wanted.

There's no point on lying here, even if I tried my best to focus on the little kids trying to score and get the balls inside the baskets, my brain always manages to find a way to Joyce and her tickets to Italy. Yes, there's no change if I take them or not, my decision on giving my grandmother a chance is far away from me saying yes to taking the tickets. But, still, a part of me troubles with the little to no trust I have on her. She has done it a thousand of times, making us mad, then sliding her way into our lives like a snake without even apologising. Even if she did this time, there's no way of me knowing she isn't gonna be the same if I take the tickets.

Free tickets, that's what I'm passing here. Tickets to the trip I've always dreamed on doing and then imagining with my best friend, who happens to have the same dream. Am I being crazy for not grabbing them right away? Insane? High?

Probably all of those.

"Here comes our favourite chicken!" Mom's excited yell snaps me from my thoughts to the chicken walking towards us.

His walk allows me to recognise Lucifer immediately. When I find myself smiling again at the sight of him around me, my teeth bite on my lower lip; this isn't a movie scene, c'mon.

"Hi, love." He says inside the chicken head. I smile again.

Fuck— alright maybe it is a movie scene.

"Having fun?" I ask him since mom is the one taking care of the costumers.

Taking off his chicken head, his sweaty hairs sticking to his forehead make him look even more attractive. He's a bit tired, with his quick breathing, probably from playing around with kids. His green eyes, somehow, shine under the hundreds of lights above us, yet, his dark stare folds me in half like a taco... I want him so fucking bad right now.

"Look..." his eyes shift down to his chest "I got five starts already!" He sounds excited, like a little kid showing his mom the A+ he got in a exam.

I love him.

My heart skips a beat.

"Five?!" Mom makes me jump since my attention was lost in him. "It's only been half an hour! You're gonna do great!"

"What can I say?" He smiles, cheekily. "Kids love me." Putting on his head again, he soon removes his left chicken hand. "Teddy made this for me." He shows me a multiple shades of green bracelet.

He can't get more perfect, can he?

"He has talent."

"Got it from me!" Mom yells while watching a kid throwing a ball.

"Lilith?" Lucifer manages to make my brain think of something to say.

"I.." Well, yeah, that's... a word. "...want to see you lift that award."

Removing his head again, just a bit for his face to be uncovered, his wink and cheeky smirk makes my heart jump a beat at the thought of the three most famous words flowing around in my head.

"I'll dedicate it to you, love, count on it." Stealing a quick kiss from my lips, he places his head on again and turns around to go back with the kids.

My eyes follow him get far and far the more he walks, just as my brain shifts away with the reminder of me having the opportunity to go to Italy for a complete month.

I checked the tickets when no one was watching. And don't know if me seeing them made things better or worse.

What could possibly change if I do decide to take the tickets? Me and Ada, make the trip of our lives and travel for the first time out of the country. At the same time, leaving our lives behind for four weeks. All the people, all the responsibilities of the future... fuck that, the people we're leaving for a month it's was concerns me. Especially one.

As my attention is glued on Lucifer playing with a group of kids, another smile escapes my lips. I wonder what does he truly think of this, he did encourage me to take the tickets and go, but, does he truly want me to leave? Leave him? The thought of him not having trouble supporting my decision makes me grow the warm feeling I have for him even bigger inside my chest. Even then, there's still the intrigue on his real thought on me going to Italy and leaving him behind.

Mom stepping in between me and Lucifer shifts my attention to her. "Are you alright, baby?"

I nod, listening how a couple of new kids approach the stand. It seems like this isn't the perfect time to talk about it. "Yeah..."

But mom knows it, and arches an eyebrow. "And you're lying to me because...?"

I point at the kids waiting in line to throw a basketball. "We got work to do."

Not giving me a reply, mom turns around without hesitation and places both of her hands around her mouth, really to yell: "Hey kids! That chicken over there just told me he's gonna give you all free back rides!" while pointing at Lucifer with her head.

When she turns again towards me, I can't help but ask: "Did Lucifer and you talked about back rides?"

Mom unworried, shakes her head. "He's gonna be fine. C'mon, talk."

I look at her hoping to find a way to escape this, but her determined stare to get me to talk is on her face, enabling to find anything that could prevent me from worrying me even more with my own words. So, a long sigh escapes me, defeated against my mother. "I can't stop thinking about the tickets." I start. "I mean, what if take them and Joyce is the same as before? Manipulating her way into our lives. But then, if I don't, I'm passing out from a huge opportunity. How can you say no to free plane tickets? To Italy! It's like saying no to free cereal all my life." Mom chuckles while another frustrated sigh comes out of my mouth. "Am I crazy for even considering not taking them?" What am I supposed to do?"

"Be honest with me. What's truly stoping you?" Mom has that tiny smile on the corner of her lips that says 'I know something's bothering you, and I'm gonna let you figure out what it is on your own...' "Because the Lilith I know, wouldn't even hesitate on taking those tickets if she knew there were no consequences."

True. The moment those tickets landed on my hand a part of me would've started packing my shit right there.

"Yes, they come from your grandmother," mom continues, while I just can't erase the annoying feeling of worry inside my chest "but they also come from your grandpa, he's a proud and stubborn man, but hasn't he proved in the last months that he has truly changed? Way before he was as controlling as grandma, wasn't he?"

Mom always knows how to talk about great points. She doesn't give the straight answer, she helps you get it on your own with the perfect leads.

"Are your grandparents the ones stopping you..." she asks, more slowly "or Lucifer?"

Listening to his name bursts a bubble that I have inside of my chest. Somehow, my mom asking the right question flies words out of my mouth, like the bubble contained the truth of my worries. "It's only for couple of weeks, but, we're just starting this and I'm finally getting comfortable with the feelings I have for him. What if in those weeks that I'm away, I go back to one? What if, I don't even can get back to where I am now? What if what we built isn't enough and when we're away things change? And we're not... this anymore."

When the excited yells of a couple of kids surrounds us, it shifts our attention back to where Lucifer is. They're now clapping all in one rhythm as Lucifer plays around with a kid on his back. The huge smiles on the kid's faces warms my heart and sends one to my own face, but it's soon erased by the nod in my chest becoming tighter, thinking of my words and the fact that they could turn real.

Mom's elbow touches mine. "For a man that dresses as a chicken when "you're just starting..." it is enough. It will be if you go back to leven one, leven 0, even when you don't seem like you can't keep going, it will."

When the kids follow their parents, away to where the food is, Lucifer doesn't waste a second and lifts another three stairs. I have to bite my lower lip to prevent a laugh from coming out, since this is the goofiest I've ever seen him. "I got another star!"

"Go." Mom whispers next to me. "Talk to him."

"About what?" I ask, defeated.

"You know, baby, you already know."

Fuck. I do.

Lucifer approaches me as my mom disappears into the basketball stand. Removing his chicken head, my heart flutter at the sight of Lucifer's happy smile. "I feel like a kid when the teacher used to give stars if you behaved." I chuckle. Managing to remove his chicken hands in a quick motion, he lifts all the stars he earned.

"Eight, love. We're winning this." His confident tone is stronger than the nod in my chest. I can't help but stare at Lucifer as he does the same to me, messy hairs and the moonlight above him, he looks as pretty as ever, but not because he is pretty, because he seems happy, having a good time doing something for me and my town. The shine in his eyes can't be compared to anything, excited and full of joy, they bring yet another smile to my lips.

"You look gorgeous tonight." I hear Lucifer say bringing the noise of the festival around us back to my ears. I don't find an answer in my brain, it's too focused with letting the moment in. "No comeback?" Lucifer arches an eyebrow. "Wow. Are you alright?" I love his little laugh and joking words.

"Can I ask you something?" I ask, gaining a simple shrug from his part.

"Anything."

"Do you want me to go to Italy? Be away for a whole month?" The words fly out of my mouth without my brain having to think them, I did the thinking minutes ago, making a mess of it all, now it's time for asking.

"Do I want you to go? I mean, spending a whole month away from you seems like a nightmare, but, it's your dream. I'm gonna support you no matter what you do." His stare is sweet, meaning every words he's saying. "I'll be there holding a sign that says "good trip!" while you and Ada walk through the airport doors." I chuckle at the image of it inside my head. Liking it with extreme, my body feels the need to take a picture of it already.

"I'm pretty sure Colin and Griffin will receive you two while wearing suits and Bobby driving a limo. Then Paul carrying your bags like famous people. Ryker and I will have the "boyfriend who follows his famous and successful girlfriend around all the time" nailed down." The way he talks holds me down mesmerised, in such a deep tone, that a part of me doesn't understand a word he's saying.

"And I will always have my phone on me if you need a translation on something. And to recommend you foods, mom has made me a fanatic of Italian food— Mom! She can give you all the places she loves to go, she'll love that. What do you think?"

I want to speak, my mouth begs me to speak something that could make any sort of sense, but my attention is in him, not in his words, in the fact that seems excited about me having this trip, supporting my idea no matter what, no matter if it means spending time apart. If it makes me happy, Lucifer will be there by my side making it all better. Strange as it if that I feel this way about someone, it doesn't freak me out, it doesn't make my anxiety fly to the roof.

"Did I say all of that for nothing because your attention can shift away from this chicken costume?" Lucifer asks me. "I have to admit, it may feel ridiculous, but the kids are having the time of their lives—"

"Lucifer." I let my mouth speak for itself.

"Yes, love?"

"I love you."

I hear myself say.

"You love the chicken costume?" He looks down innocently. I don't respond, leading to his eyes to lock on me again.

My heart starts to speed like a racing car, feeling like it's gonna jump out of my chest.

Suddenly, since I don't give him another word, in his eyes it looks like he's replaying my words inside his head. Slowly, he realises. "Wait...what did you say?" His voice breaks on him for a moment. "You— hold on, what?"

My throat closes since tears fight to drip down. But they're not from sadness or even frustration, just happing overflowing my body for saying those words for the first time.

It all becomes real. I do. I do love him. I've never been more sure about a feeling in my entire life.

Seeing a tear drop down Lucifer's cheek and a huge smile form on his lips, mine don't waste a second on following him, and join in the moment.

"Oh, fuck, love..." Lucifer manages to say. Holding my cheeks with both his hands, he unites our lips in a deep kiss. My heart doesn't slow down, still, his touch allows me to enjoy it. Putting his forehead against mine, us both fill the noise around us with happy laughs just as the rest of it from the outside world fades away. "This is the happiest moment of my life, Lilith. You love me... fuck, man." He tilts his head back, not being able to process it. "You fucking love me. Lilith Avery, the most amazing woman in the world, loves me, fucking loves me, man." He goes back to me, showing me the shine in his green eyes. "I'm the happiest man alive."

"I'm sorry." I manage to say with tears still dripping down and a smile that hurts my cheek from being so strong. "For throwing this at you just like that."

"What? No, no, this is the best words that you could give me right now. I'm gonna win so many more stars, you have no idea."

Holding me tight in a hug, all we can hear is the sounds of our happy cries and laughs that jump out now and then, joined by the joy of the moment and our bodies embracing the other. In this second, it truly feels like it's just us.

"The only thing I could change right now," he says, still hugging me "is me not wearing this chicken costume."

"No." I face him. "The chicken costume gave me the strength to say it." He tilts his head to the side as my eyes catch a smirk growing on the corner of his lips. "Not like that, you idiot! It's the fact that you're dressing as a ridiculous chicken just to make me happy. The fact that you're wearing a bracelet Teddy made for you, or even supporting my idea of going to Italy and spending time apart... just because is something that I want to do."

Lucifer caresses my skin with his thumb on my cheek. Slowly shaking his head, our noses brush against the other, just like his breathing does with my skin. "No matter how far you are, no matter how long you go, my love for you won't change, Lilith, never."

I want to hold Lucifer for as long as I can. For as long as my arms allow me. The sound of someone walking pass us and a kid yelling, brusquely brings me down to where we are, and the people around us. My hands on his waist bring him closer, to whisper: "Can we go?" Into his mouth.

"I have to win more stars for you, Avery, I will give you that award."

"You better, then."

Taking a step back to stare at my face completely, the smile on the corner of Lucifer's lips holds my attention for a moment. It's cheeky and flirty, letting me know somewhat of a comment it's coming.

"Remember "hour and a half long Lucifer?"

The fact that he can last hour and a half giving pleasure to someone...? Tell me, how the fuck could I forget.

I chuckle. "Yes, what about it?"

I wait for his answer when he winks at me and turns around without a word before. I stand there with the intrigue on why he brought it up killing me inside.

Suddenly, my heart skips a beat.

"Lucifer?"

...