#ian deserves a break. instead he gets the devil. eh- close enough!

[plutomused]

❝ ...okay. Once you're done reciting church doctrine, allow me to make a correction. Or two. ❞ Ian speaks with a remarkable amount of calm irony given their caution; tone far more cheeky than was probably wise. ❝ ...though yes, I do tend to observe my friends. ❞

Even if they've been spending time with Lucifer long enough now that their overthinking, anxious tendency has mostly memorised what some of the Fallen's expressions roughly meant mood-wise (or so they think), they are VERY aware that he was still an incredibly dangerous being. Even if he... seemingly enjoyed their company.

❝ I never said you weren't the 'Father of Sin', or 'degeneracy incarnate'- ❞ that finger trailing their jaw nearly short-circuits their thin bravado, and they have to clear their throat- pulling back with a playfully chastising pinch of brows. ❝ H-hey- What I said, was you being cast into a role you didn't CHOOSE doesn't make you unworthy of care. I still don't even know what it is you DID. No one does- yet they blindly listen to bias etched deep into stone without questioning any of it. ❞

After all, if the Almighty cast down His favored son for eternity for one act of defiance- what would He do to them?

~ @plutomused || "...you're not as untouchable as you act." | from ian <3 they're determined to be compassionate to him even if he doesn't want it. ~

The words elicit a grunt of annoyance from Lucifer, brow furrowing into a playful glare as he looks over at them. "Yes, I am - I'm horrendous and disgraceful and a dreadful sinner." Ian is unlike anyone he usually spends time with. They're nice. And unwilling to judge Satan by the mask he faces out towards the world.

Although, sometimes he wonders if it's even a mask anymore. Hard to remember who you are when you spend so much time pretending.

"It's part of my charm - I lure you in -" He leans closer to them. A finger lifts, nail tracing along their jaw. "And then coax you to sin so that you spend an eternity strung up in my halls." It's a weak deflection, but it's all he's got. "Do you always analyse everyone you meet?"