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Lucifer is going to heave a big ol’ sigh and have a nice glass of scotch. Spent the last hour or so smiling and nodding at everything Niffty had to say out of desperation for human(ish) interaction.

Social meter slightly more filled. Brain overwhelmed thoroughly by the horrors of Niffty’s revelations.

Better than alone at home at least!!!

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Ah.

Well.

Lucifer's big bouncy "go get 'em, sport!" energy sobered out, giving her more space both physically and in volume. "Of course. Who am I to tell you how to have a good time, eh?"

It's not always that easy, and at least she was going out at all. Better than he could say for his social life, which is little more than the incidental meetings of this or that person in the hotel lobby.

"Well, if you need anything else, I imagine you know where to find me." He won't make her work for it any more than she already has. You did it, level cleared.

Socializing was an ever growing pile of straw for her. She had to sidle up to this guy and ask a favor. She had to return a favor to get the favor. Then drag Val and Vox around into public. To another Ring. Get them onto a rink that was liable to have at least a dozen other people. And manage every bit of her ornery, anti-social, depressed, and paranoid traits for every step of the journey.

The only thing she REALLY got out of this was seeing two people she cared about having some fun.

And now, somewhere between favors and travel, she had to endure being needled at for being the fuck up at life that she was. He didn't care. He just didn't get it. Normal-ish people take others to places and do activities with them. She knew that. He knew that.

She wasn't fucking stupid. Not incapable of understanding what sane and well-adjusted people do.

A hand slowly came up and pressed over her eyes. "Can I just have this? Please?"

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"Sssoooo it's a fundamental part of your character now that you not have fun on the ice with your boys?" Come on, you have a storied career with skating apparently. Work AND fun. Clearly it's not too much of a performance.

"That's awfully limiting. I mean, I'm not going to rescind my blessing if you don't hit the ice yourself, though I totally could."

So tempting.

"But I really think you should consider it. Starting is the hardest part. If you really don't like it, you can stop anytime with no regrets."

She pulled herself back into a serious expression and let out some air.

"Yes, I've been skating. Used to be a thing used for working. For cutting and hauling lake ice around. Did it a few times for money. Few times for fun with the locals." She was like newtonian fluid, he had to be careful.

"I just...I don't know. Does it matter? Things happened. I changed. I am who I am now. Not then."

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"You are not living. And not because you're a ghost. Or dead."

Lucifer has become inexplicably invested now. People being afraid to do fun things in public is just one of those things! Everyone wants to be the one to get the shy one to dance!

"Alright, I'll give you dancing, for now. But skating? That's just walking with knives on your feet!" So reassuring. "Have you tried it, at least? Hit the ground a few too many times?"

"Yes." Was her wall-eye-light answer. Correct. Both.

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"You don't like dancing, or you're afraid to be SEEN dancing?" HMM?? Ice skating could be seen as a bit performative as well, so he supposed that might be the common thread.

"I...don't want to." And she was stubborn as a default. At least when she'd firmly decided something. Like the fact she didn't want to do the activity just--watch the activity. "It's like dancing. I don't like dancing." Bubbled up and out of her hard to scrutinize reasonings.

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"And why not??" Instantly hands on hips, giving her an affronted look. "Get on the ice, it's a delight!"

"Oh, hah, I don't plane to skate myself. Pff. But I'm sure my guys will." She was just...like that.

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Nice cartoon physics you've got there! Very impressive! He can do some of that himself!

Lucifer smiled and nodded. "Of course! Don't make me regret it!" Said jubilantly, not as much a veiled threat as a jokey joke.

"I hope you enjoy it. I haven't been ice skating in an age, sounds like a blast."

So very optimistic. But she seen Charlie from a safe distance before and, well, she supposed she got that from somewhere. Fake or not.

She took the pile and tucked them under her coat. Not into a pocket. Just under her coat. Came away with an empty hand. They were stored. Nothing to worry about.

For lack of something clever to say back to that she nodded.

"Thanks. For taking a chance, anyway."

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You-!

"¿Disculpe??"

I beg your FUCKING PARDOn, BITCH?

He was so incensed by the GALL of the man that he could only manage to shout something after him as he fled the scene.

"I know where you live!"

He doesn't, but he's pretty sure he can figure it out. That guy looked familiar. Definitely seen him somewhere before.

Not that he's legit going to go hunting him down to what, kick a sinner's ass for calling him names? Nahhh, that's playground shit. Probably should care that he was LURKING though...What's the LURKING about.

UGh. Weirdo.

Back to lysol.

Bowl and towel were pretty blindly snatched at until he could splash a lot of water onto his face. He did not care if it turned the upper parts of his shirt translucent. Why would he? That's your problem now.

Scrubbed at his face with the towel. "¡Vete a la mierda, perra!"

Soon as that was done he BURST into a cloud of pink smoke to try and rush his way out of the whole building. Fuck.

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Lucifer GASPED. You'd insult him here, in his daughter's hotel?? Without any pants????

He huffed and straightened himself out, setting the lysol down and manifesting a nice bowl of water and a towel instead atop a small pedestal table. "Alright, alright, wash your eyes. You're lucky I appreciate the rage-inducing nature of unexpected eye trauma."

That was way too many words to say what he was trying to say. Ahem. "I'll let it slide THIS time."

"AY! WHAT THE FUCK?" And other stream of consciousness spanglish in the span it took for him to get LYSOL OUT OF HIS EYES.

You can't tell him to read a sign! He's got lysol eyes! And no glasses!

"THEY'RE STUPID AND YOU'RE STUPID!" Forget manners, he's mad and his eyes hurt.

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"Holy shit you're a MAN!" Lucifer leapt back on one foot and immediately instinctively sprayed MORE lysol at this guy. Just for a moment before recovering from the surprise and taking his finger off the trigger. "What- what are you doing here! No- being smoke in the lobby! See? There's a sign!"

There isn't, there's just the no portals in the lobby sign. But fuck it, he's manifesting a new sign to put right next to it while the pajama mothman clears his eyes. See? It's clearly stated. No being smoke in the lobby. "We have rules for a reason!"

The moth squeaks of devastation were immediate. Sure did force him back to being a lanky mothman in the lobby! Caught out in jus this sleep shirt and rubbing lysol OUT OF HIS EYEBALLS.

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Yeah, well. If he sees smoke in the lobby, he's gonna LYSOL IT.

SO YOU BETTER FUCKIN WATCH OUT.

Listen, he is a determined little insect man and could sometimes turn into smoke. He could SNEAKY. Sort of. Sometimes.

YOU'RE THE WEIRDO.

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daddymothxxx replied to x

He's got questions, but, like, from FAAAR away. He only ever snuck his ass in and out of the hotel. NEver went in there planning to be caught. But what the fUCK is the Pato (duck [dog]) doin'???

bro you outside with some binoculars or some shit??? are you in here lurking and being sus? You're too tall to get away with that, you know.

And obviously, he's cleaning. Mr. Hotelier is sick evidently, and Pato is Petty and will make a show of yeeting any germs he may have left behind.

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Don't mind him, just gonna Lysol disinfectant spray the hotel lobby for no particular reason.

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Listen, he didn't say it was a REQUIREMENT, but a little schmoozing never hurts your positioning around here.

Lucifer grinned when she finally replied, and conjured up a handful more flyers for her, here, take a pile! "That's the spirit! Deliveries, huh? Not a bad past-time."

Regarding the overlords, he shrugged. "I'm trying on optimistic. I'll crack our local overlords one of these days, get us all on the same side. Redemption is just a little hope and swallowed-pride away!"

That might be a little too cheesy even for him, but he's in a fake it til you make it mindset with this. Get some real enthusiastic momentum to run on and keep this ball rolling.

"That said, I don't expect you to take on the burden of miracle worker. That's my job." Ahahah....hah. Smile got a touch strained.

Tiiiiiny side-eye. Sir.

Turning her into a flyer distributor. Rude. But, well, he was doing something for her. So not so rude. Just...silly. And... She didn't wanna get too entrenched in people's lives here. Or anywhere. The moment she ever did that was the moment she started getting into Trouble. Rounded out ears at either side of her head gave an anxious flick. Eye-lights similarly eyeing the ground for a second. Had to quickly tamp down a whole depressive complex in a hurry.

Handing out flyers was a quick way to become that person that hands out flyers and you know I seen them doing weird shit over down thataways with a box and they sit at th ebar on third's and laramy every tuesday afternoon and--things start sticking to a face that way. Hers wasn't a good face for people to start sticking things to.

"Yeah, alright." Forced out of herself after that half-second of doubt and paranoia. "I'll hand out the flyers. I get around when I'm making deliveries."

About Overlords being helpful; "That's a bit optimistic. I can't make 'em do much on that front unless it benefits them directly. Lot of 'em have committed a lot of time and resources into surviving the Pentagram and don't like the idea of giving that up." Her reasonable assessment of most of the ones she'd seen directly or in passing. She knew at least one of them (Val) was deeply committed. Even on a new leaf the man gave the impression he hadn't had it nearly as good alive as he did down here. Little to no motivation to escape.

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Ooc

Boss lady asked me to come in early tomorrow so I gotta go to sleep RIGHT NOW lol. Hopefully replies after work!

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"...uh...huh." Well, he asked, and now he knows. Sort of. Not to be rude, but....what? No, no, it's fine. She's some kind of ghost or whatever. It's fine. Weirder things have happened.

"Wellll, I'm glad you've been able to find something to like about home sweet hell!" Lucifer grinned, though a touch strained. Yes, beautiful hell, so full of wonder. Love it here, nothing is going wrong.

"You know- " Lucifer paused in thought, and leaned a little closer, lowering his voice. "If you want to keep blind eyes blind for a few more activities, you could do my daughter and I a favor and try to....well, curry favor for the Hazbin Hotel. Drop a few flyers, tell people about the open bar..."

He shrugged, manifesting a flyer to put in her hands. "You could ask your overlord friends to pitch in. Help make the Pride ring a better place!" Going out on a limb to think an outsider might be particularly open to the idea of redemption rather than sinners who have largely lost hope or given in to inhibitions. "And consider yourself invited to the hotel for a drink or a bite anytime either way, providing nothing disastrous happens with overlords galivanting in the other rings."

Again, he felt compelled to make guests to his hell feel welcome. Hasn't gone wrong yet.

"Not sure where I fall on the mortal to not-mortal spectrum anymore." Please. It is so dumb and fucking cheesy to explain herself. Hi, I'm a ghost! It doesn't work that well outside of a joke. She did have disguises. Finagled appearances to her manifestations. Tended to look more white tigery-humanoid when wandering around outside of V-Tower. "I'm, mmm...some kind of spirit." Offered that much.

"Wasn't always. Died too many times." Cringe.

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You better behave! If you misbehave he might not notice!! Thus the random warnings, just in case.

"Oh? Are you not a...standard...mortal...?" Has to be an easier way to ask that question, but he done asked it, good enough. Couldn't judge necessarily from looking at her, considering she has access to disguises by her own account.

Yes, he is one of the cool kids, thank you for noticing!

"Careful, I know firsthand what can happen to noses around here!" He touched his finger to his noseless nose region, grinning, and he accepted the handshake. There we are, guess you're getting off the no-intro shit list. AND!

"Ahh, Devang! You're one of our Mirror Universe guests. No wonder you think the rules don't apply to you!" Joking, but also tiny tiny taste of a warning there. Just don't push it too hard. "How're you liking it here? Any outsider notes?"