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shinynewboots · 4 months

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Staring at the Sun / Adam x Lute Chapter 9

Summary: After the battle, Lute attempts to flee with Adam. They find themselves unable to return to Heaven and must adjust to life in Hell.

AN: Lol buckle up. Spoilers and real AN at the bottom.

Warnings: 18+, Violence, gore, smut eventually, Adam-typical misogyny, alcohol use, slight sexual themes, religious imagery

Chapter 8

Chapter 10

“Ch-Charlie, I think you need to check the news,” Angel stuttered as he scrolled his Sinstagram app. Almost every story and post showed Adam flying over Pentagram City. He showed the feed to Charlie, who scrolled through and frowned.

OMG IS THE EXTERMINATION HAPPENING RN??? #imtoohottodie

WTF is that an angel? #amihigh

Hey why is that angel actually kinda hot tho #idtapthat

“Are you fucking kidding me,” She groaned and ran to the television set and turned it on. The screen showed Breaking News on the 666 channel. The footage showed Adam flying swiftly towards the center of the city, Lute cradled in his arms.

“This is Katie Killjoy with Breaking News. The Exorcist leader, Adam, who was presumed dead after the humiliating defeat by a one-eyed housemaid has been spotted heading toward the center of the city and presumably to our imminent doom. And I have to be stuck with Tom over as a companion for this impromptu Extermination Day.”

“Fuck you, Katie.”

“In your dreams, Tom. Now, back to the weather.”

“Fuck!” Charlie groaned. “When did they even leave?”

“Oh, about an hour or so ago,” Alastor said, stepping out from the shadows. Vaggie looked over with narrowed eyes.

“And how would you know?”

“Oh, silly me. I had my shadow follow them to keep tabs on them,” Alastor said, picking at his claws.

“You knew they had been gone for a fucking hour and didn’t say anything?” Vaggie growled, pointing her finger at Alastor.

Alastor smiled at her, his mouth twitching. He gently pushed her finger down out of his face. “You never asked. They did a nasty job on my shadow too.”

The room darkened around Alastor as he grew in size, his antlers doubling. Neon green light emitted from around him and the rest of the hotel guests looked in unease at the Radio Demon. “Someone will have to pay for that.”

“Not now, Alastor! Angel can you find the Egg Bois and see if they know anything,” Charlie said, her eyes growing red. Charlie felt her phone vibrate in her hand and she looked down to check the caller ID: Dad.

“Hey Dad, you haven’t happened to see the news, have you?”

___

Adam continued to fly over Pentagram City, his wings stretching out in a way that they had not been able to in months. This was the first time he had truly felt free during his time in Hell; more like his old self. Lute wriggled in his arms as she came out of the fog that she had been under thanks to the shadow.

The next time he saw the fucking Radio Demon, that fucker would die an even more gruesome second death.

They were gaining fast on the Embassy, its golden light shining like a beacon to its unworthy citizens. On the streets, Adam could hear the screams and cries of the sinners who looked upon him with fear and awe (as they fucking should). A buzzing flew up near Adam and he looked over his shoulder to see a drone flying rapidly towards them, a camera attached to it.

“Adam, Channel 666 news here! Care to give a statement?” A voice said from the drone, another camera popping out and coming closer to his face. Adam growled and shifted Lute in his arms, determined to blow the camera into next week but was too late. A gunshot fired out and the drone and camera began hurdling back down to the ground.

“What the fuck,” He exclaimed and looked down at Lute, who held a smoking pistol in her hands and had a weak smirk on her face. “Nice shot, bitch.”

God, she was so fucking small in his arms. Fuck that Radio Demon. This had to all mean something. He had to get them back to Heaven. He had to get Her back to Heaven. Fuck, she didn’t belong here. And if it hadn't been for him, she would never have had to suffer here. She never would have lost a piece of herself (even if the metal arm was badass). She was meant to live out her days of eternity in Heaven, training with her sisters and soaking in paradise.

Not saving a fucking Human soul that didn’t know when to keep its mouth shut.

The Embassy was only a few hundred feet away. Down below, Adam could see Sinners gathered in masses around the entrance, looking at him in awe. Some held phones and took footage of him, while others just stood and watched. Others still shot up at him with various guns, but the ammo (not angelic steel), whizzed past and died back to the ground.

Adam made the executive decision to land on the roof of the Embassy. His feet hit the ground much harder than he anticipated as felt the jarring difference between floating and walking. He looked down to Lute in his arms, who was looking much better and trying to wriggle free from his grip, likely frustrated that she felt helpless.

Adam was taken back to an earth movie he had seen decades ago, of a horrible monster scaling a tall, iconic building with a beautiful girl in its arms.

“Adam, I can walk. I’m good now,” Lute said. Adam nodded and released her, his arms missing the weight of her in them. He looked around the roof, trying to find an entrance.

“You’re telling me there’s no goddamn doors in this place?” He exclaimed, his speech rushed and on edge. Lute began to look as well, her movements slower than usual. She still felt weak from her brush with the shadow.

“I don’t see any,” She yelled over. Adam looked at her like a madman, desperate and rigid.

“Fuck,” He said, his breath quickening and sweat forming on his brow. “Wait, I’m a fucking angel.”

“Adam what—” Lute exclaimed before she was cut off by a shock of angelic light shooting from Adam’s hands aimed for the center of the roof. The light shot right through, leaving a gaping hole that led to the infamous board room where everything began to go wrong.

Adam laughed, a triumphant, if not mad, laugh, with his head cocked back and his eyes towards the sky, as if to mock Heaven.

___

Lucifer was not having a good day.

After receiving a call from his brother about a certain First Man making a spectacle and causing a commotion in Heaven and Hell, Lucifer knew he had to go and put on his big king pants and get to the bottom of the so-called commotion.

(Seriously, why did Charlie ask him to save that asshole again. Oh yeah, redemption. Bleh.)

So Lucifer called his daughter (“Hey Dad, you haven’t happened to see the news, have you?” A pause and a sigh. “No Charlie, rots the brain. But I did get a call from Heaven about an angel sanctuary project gone wrong.”) and began his flight to the Heaven’s Embassy.

Lucifer did not get out much. And he especially did not go towards the center of his Kingdom. So to see the chaos brewing in the streets, all chaos caused by Adam, Lucifer couldn’t help but feel nausea brewing in the pit of his stomach. Just perfect.

“Dad!”

Lucifer turned, his wings flapping in the air to hold himself steady, to see Charlie riding on Razzle. Her horns had grown in full force (oh Lilith, if only you could see her now) and her eyes were red with fire.

“Charlie! What are you doing here?”

“This is all my fault. I didn’t even think they would do something like this. I mean, I thought they were happy at the hotel and everything was going great. I didn’t think they were trying to make the 6 o’clock news!”

“You didn’t think they would try to escape?” Lucifer asked, exasperated.

“Well, I mean they weren’t exactly prisoners, Dad.”

“And you were okay with them doing this?” Lucifer replied, gesturing wildly around him with his hands.

“Well no,” Charlie said sheepishly. “But I trusted them. I mean, I still do. I think they just want to go home, Dad.”

Home. Well, Lucifer could understand that. So he sighed and gave Charlie a strained but encouraging smile. “Come on, let’s go clean up this mess.”

___

“SOMEONE BETTER FUCKING ANSWER ME! ITS FUCKING ADAM YOU CUNTS, YOU ABANDONED US DOWN HERE”

Lute wanted to rage and fight and scream with Adam, but for one of the first times in her eternal life, she knew she had to keep her cool. One of them had to. Dread clutched her heart as the reality of her deepest fear seemed close at hand: no one was coming for them.

“They have to answer us, Lute,” He said, his voice cracking. Sweat dripped down his face and his t-shirt was drenched. Light flew from his fingertips as he blasted holes around the room, for good measure.

The room was a disaster, as Adam had thrown every piece of furniture not nailed down to the floor. The table was flipped over. The chairs were scattered across the room. Holes dotted the walls, letting the hellish red sun stream its light in. He had screamed and raged and destroyed all for just a minute of Heaven’s time.

“They will, Adam.” Lute said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked down at it and paused.

“You have to go back to Heaven. They have to let you back into Heaven,” He whispered. His shoulder was hot under her touch, as though he spiked a fever.

“We. We have to go back to Heaven,” She repeated, confused in her tone. Adam looked at her as though he were looking through her.

“Yeah, that's what I said.” His breathing was heavy and he looked as though he was thousands of miles away from her.

A flash of light engulfed the room and the pair came face to face with Sera, her stature intimidating and her mouth set in a grim line.

“Adam! Lute! What is the meaning of all this?”

Adam grew, his wings fully extended and his eyes ablaze. His canines were sharp and he looked as though he could kill. “No, what’s the fucking meaning of this, Sera? Leaving us down like fucking sinners.”

“We didn’t know the two of you were still alive. We didn’t think you survived the fall.” Sera said, her voice clipped as she kept her gaze on Adam. Lute watched in horror at the sight, feeling powerless to stop building tension.

“Bullshit.”

“Adam.”

“No Sera, you mean to tell me that the leader and lieutenant of the fucking Exorcists goes MIA, presumed missing and you didn’t send someone down here check. Or fucking call Lucifer.”

“Someone say my name?”

All three heads turned to see Lucifer flying in through the gaping hole in the roof, Charlie in his arms in a way reminiscent of Extermination Day. Lucifer landed and Charlie jumped to the ground.

“Speak of the Fucking Devil.” Adam scoffed, his eyes shooting daggers at Lucifer. Lucifer’s horns blazed with fire.

“Sera.”

“Lucifer.”

“What in the fuck are you two doing here?” Adam growled. His piercing gaze shot back and forth between the Morningstars and Sera.

“Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but you’ve riled up the entire city. Literally fucking mobs down there. I’m here to clean up your mess. It’s becoming a bit of a habit, don’t you think?” Lucifer said smugly, strutting towards Adam and Sera, his arms crossed. The Dragon Beast Charlie rode in on howled into the open sky on the roof.

Adam glared and opened his mouth but was interrupted by Sera. “Lucifer, your presence is not required.”

“No, Sera, as long as you’re in my territory, I’m staying right here.” Lucifer said, the horns growing from his head and eyes turning red. He turned to Charlie who gave him a stiff nod and enthusiastic thumbs-up.

“Lute,” A small voice whispered behind Lute. Lute turned to see Emily standing behind her, a large grin on her cherubic features. “Oh my goodness, we thought you were dead!”

Lute found herself wrapped in the arms of the smaller seraphim, who squeezed her tight in her arms. While Lute had never felt a particularly close bond to the Seraphim (who she just now realized reminded her very much of Princess Morningstar), she felt relieved at the sight of her.

“No, we’ve been here this whole time,” Lute whispered back, her mouth running dry and her palms becoming clammy. Emily frowned and opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted when Sera caught sight of her.

“Emily, I told you to stay back in Heaven. This matter will be resolved quickly.”

“Well, you didn’t exactly tell me why I needed to stay and I’ve never seen Hell, I figured this would be a good learning opportunity,” Emily replied, waving at the other occupants in the room and completely unaware of the building tension radiating off all parties involved. She looked around and caught eyes with Charlie.

“Charlie?!” Emily squealed and ran towards the Princess, pulling her into an enthusiastic hug, which Charlie reciprocated. “Oh my goodness, It’s so good to see you! Oh, I’ll have to tell Sir Pentious that I saw you today.”

“Wait, what?” Charlie asked, a stunned look on her face.

If Sera could have paled, Adam was positive she would have looked like she had seen a ghost. She stiffened as she watched the interaction between Charlie and Emily, her gaze never leaving the two.

“Pentious. Your friend? The one who got redeemed.”

No one said anything for a few breathless moments. Charlie stared at Emily in bewilderment. Emily stared at Charlie confused, and turned to Sera for clarification. Sera’s face, however, was made of stone and offered no secrets or explanations.

“Sir Pentious got redeemed? Oh my god, that’s so amazing. That means…the hotel works! Dad, the hotel works!” Charlie exclaimed, joy and rainbows and butterflies and all that ooey gooey stuff radiating off of her. She smiled at Lucifer, though her smile faltered when she saw the grave look on his face.

“It’s been months since Sir Peanut died in the battle,” Lucifer said, giving Sera a pointed look. Sera raised her head as if to stick her nose up at the insinuation.

“We are not here to discuss that. Emily, go home, we will talk about this further.” Sera’s voice was cold, colder than Adam had ever heard her use with Emily (Emily the golden child, Emily the new seraphim, Emily the baby blah blah blah). “The matter at hand is Adam and Lute having Fallen.”

Lute sucked in a gasp. Her heart shattered in her chest.

“FUCKING FALLEN!” Adam raged, hurtling towards Sera with blind fury, his wings making large gusts of wind behind him. “You fucking cunt, after every fucking thing I’ve done for you, for fucking Heaven. After everything Lute has done to serve as an Exorcist.”

“Adam, this shouldn’t come as a shock,” Sera replied, her voice even.

“Adam, this shouldn’t come as a shock,” He mimicked back, his voice high-pitched and mocking.“Well, it fucking does. I mean I had my fucking suspicions. Why did it take me so fucking long to heal from some goddamn stab wounds? Why didn’t Lute’s arm regenerate? I thought ‘shit, maybe it's because we’re in fucking hell of course things would be a little different’. But fucking fallen, Sera. Are you fucking kidding me?”

Lute felt as though all the air had been sucked from her lungs. She could only stare at the trainwreck in front of her, unable to get out of the way and hoping the train would crush her instead. Fallen. Broken. Dirty. Weak.

“Adam, please, calm down.”

“Calm down? Calm down! You fucking cunt I have given both my lives to heaven, human and eternal and you shut me out just like that? Like fucking sinner scum?”

“Adam, no one shut you out. You were unworthy to ascend back to Heaven. That’s all there is to it. You fell and you are the only one to blame.”

“Yeah, and what the fuck did Lute do to deserve this fate?” He snarled, like a rabid dog with its corned prey.

“She followed her leader. A wrong choice, apparently.”

Adam paused and began to sway unsteadily on his feet. He swayed backward a few steps. Lute rushed forward to catch that fall that did not happen. Instead, Adam began to steady himself. He shook with pure rage, hate and fire emitting off of him that Lute had never known. Sera backed up a few paces, shielding Emily behind her.

Adam let out the most heart-wrenching scream Lute had ever heard. It was so deafening that she could not bear to listen longer and so she clapped her hand over her ears but the sound was still overwhelming.

An aura of blinding white light began to engulf Adam, beginning at his core and spreading across his skin like the roots of a tree until his entire body was encased in the light. There was no way to tell where the light stopped and Adam started; they were one and the same. Power radiated around Adam, the likes of which shook the Embassy and the grounds of Hell below.

He was furious. He was hate. He was sin.

“Adam!” Lute began to scream, though he seemed farther away than she could ever hope to reach.

___

Time stopped for Adam. All the events taking place around him moved in slow motion. He saw Lute paused in mid-scream, his name just on the edge of her lips. He saw Lucifer, trying to usher Charlie away from the scene. He saw Sera and Emily and their holographic images flicker, trying to dissipate into the open air.

And then there was nothing.

And then there was everything.

Adam was suddenly blinded by an awe-inspiring light. He blinked, but his vision was blurred and spotted. The sound of chaos no longer flooded his ears. No. It was the sound of…water? He honed in on it and could hear the unmistakable sound of a babbling brook. The water sounded to be flowing lazily as if the worst thing that had ever happened to Adam was of no care to the water.

A pleasant, warm breeze brushed past Adam’s shoulder and ruffled his hair, his skin, his —. Oh. He was naked.

Adam tried to open his eyes once more to adjust to the warm glow of the light. This time he was met with a sight that brought tears to his eyes.

The garden was lush, just as he had remembered. The wind rustled the leaves in the trees. The brook babbled along, playing a song for all of the garden to hear. The soil was cool beneath his bare feet and he began to dig his toes into the soft carpet. Birds of various types flew around the garden and Adam was immediately able to remember them all by name. Dove. Owl. Eagle. Finch. Rook.

Adam touched his face and realized he was crying. Fat, salty tears streamed down his cheeks and he felt like a child who had run happily into the warm embrace of a mother.

He was home. He was in Eden.

“Adam.”

Adam turned and was met with a formation of light in the shape of a human man. The light began to take shape until it revealed a male angel standing at the same height as Adam himself.

The angel had six brilliant blue wings. His hair was long and shone a golden brown in the sun. He wore the robes and armor in the style of a Byzantine warrior (Adam knew that this was not always his preferred style of dress, but he had adopted it after the various depictions of him in mortal art). Adam had almost forgotten how similar Lucifer looked to his brothers until now.

“Michael?”

“I was wondering when you would join me.” The archangel replied, a smile on his face.

“Am I dead? Again?”

Michael shook his head. “No, no more dead than you already were.”

“Are we in Eden?”

Micheal shrugged. “Of sorts. More of an in-between place, really. I come here when I crave solitude." He paused. "Walk with me.”

Michael guided them to flowing water and Adam looked down and took in his appearance. His facial hair was gone, as were the dark circles under his eyes. His skin was youthful and tanned, almost glowing. His wings were gone, though in his shock he hadn’t noticed. The most jarring difference was the color of his eyes. Instead of the Heavenly golden hue, they were the same color as the warm, dark earth beneath his feet.

He looked just as he had the day he was cast from Eden.

“Why are we here?” Adam asked, looking at Michael.

“I needed to speak with you, uninterrupted.”

Adam scoffed, though he immediately felt shame for the action. “About how you and the rest of Heaven abandoned me to die?”

Michael’s eyes darkened. “Don’t mistake me when I say this Adam, you are special. But, you are nothing more than a human soul. A special human soul, but a human soul nonetheless. A human soul who made a choice.”

“I didn’t choose to stay in Hell.”

“No, but you did choose to indulge in the Exterminations in excess. There was no justification for conducting the Exterminations more than once a year. You chose to engage with Lucifer’s daughter in battle, in spite of the other areas of the Pride Ring you and the Exorcists could have performed the Extermination. That sinner might have attempted to kill you, but your actions are the reason you have fallen.”

Adam wept. He was nothing more than a little boy, hiding behind his mother’s skirts after he knew he had done something wrong.

In his tear-clouded thoughts, he thought of his sons. His first sons.

Oh Cain, my sweet boy who offered up everything to Heaven, only for Heaven to ignore your offerings. To ignore your plea for mercy and forgiveness.

“Oh Adam,” Michael said, his eyes sad. He placed a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “You were the first and for that, you had a tremendous burden on your shoulders, a burden that, in hindsight was unfair.”

“So that’s it?” Adam asked, his mouth dry and full of ash. He pulled away from Michael.“Your regret and my damnation?”

“You have fallen,” Michael said, his tone even. “A fallen human soul. Unprecedented, as the rest of the fallen are heaven-born, but of course you always were a trailblazer.”

Adam glared at Michael, his mind reeling at the information.

“What about Lute?”

“She made her choice the minute she tried to save you and she damned herself to that fate. She is in Hell because she chose to follow you, Adam. She has fallen as well.”

“She didn’t deserve that,” Adam whispered, his voice small as he looked back towards his reflection.

“You more than anyone know that existing is not about getting what we deserve, Adam. It’s about following the path.” Michael said, offering Adam a small smile. “I am truly sorry Adam. There’s nothing I can do for you now. Your path has been set and you are setting course to a place where I and other divine beings cannot follow.”

Adam shook his head. “Just fucking send me back.”

Michael nodded and placed his hand on Adam’s head. Adam felt as though he was being ripped in two; his heart, his soul, his being felt as though they were being expunged from his chest. He was pushed off a precipice and plunged into the frigid waters of eternity.

And once again, Adam was cast out of the Garden of Eden.

___

Lute felt as though she were moving in slow motion. Her hair whipped around her as the heat radiating from Adam hit her full force. Her feet were unsteady beneath her, the sheer force of the power coming off of him almost knocking her to the ground. She watched as Sera and Emily disappeared. She watched as Lucifer tried to usher Charlie out of the building.

The building. The Embassy was swaying dangerously as though there was an earthquake beneath the ground. The building groaned and creaked, unable to hold the weight of the sheer power it was containing.

Her ears rang and she could not keep her eyes off of Adam. She had to stay. She had to help him. She had to do something. She had to—

“Lute!” Charlie said, gripping Lute’s shoulders and trying to pull her away from Adam. Charlie had broken free from her father’s grasp. “We have to go!”

“Adam,” Lute whispered, looking through Charlie like a ghost. The light flowing off of Adam was growing larger, brighter. The heat is more intense by the second.

Lute’s cheek began to sting. She looked at Charlie and realized the Hell Princess had slapped her square across the cheek.

“We have to go, Lute. We can’t help him.” Charlie repeated, her tone firm but kind. Her red eyes had faded and her horns retracted. Lute looked between Adam and Charlie before nodding. Charlie grabbed Lute’s hand and began to pull her towards Lucifer.

“Charlie, sweetie, I don’t mean to rush you and your little friend, but WE NEED TO GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE,” Lucifer yelled, holding his arms out to take both women. Charlie grabbed on to Lucifer and Lute kept her firm grip on Charlie’s hand.

Lucifer began to fly through the hole that Adam had made in the roof and threw Charlie and Lute onto Razzle.

“Let’s go!” Charlie yelled out to the dragon, who let out a powerful roar. The dragon flew high into the sky, with Lucifer close behind.

It was quiet for a moment.

Until.

A bomb went off.

Hell was suddenly engulfed in the brightest and most brilliant light it had ever seen. The light stretched beyond the confines of the Pride ring and touched every circle of Hell. The Embassy began to collapse, fire and brimstone and light exploded from its walls.

The Pride ring began to crack, with the Embassy as its epicenter and expanding to all corners of the ring, leaving deep gullies in its wake.

The three watched in horror as the building began to collapse into a pile of ash and rubble, crushing all the Sinners who had gathered outside of the Embassy.

The brilliant light began to fade until all that was left of the Embassy and its lone occupant was dust and ash.

Lute began to weep.

AN:

So...that happened. I know you all buckled in fro a fun little Adam and Lute story (as did I, I promise) but somewhere along the way, this story decided to take a life of its own and I for one am here for the ride. This chapter definitely had big season finale vibes if I do say so myself.

Also, any religious anything that's not 100% canon or correct...I am simply making it up as I go and using my suppressed Methodist upbringing as a reference. I truly had no intention of adding any archangels to this story and then I had the image of Adam in Eden and I simply could not help myself.

Do. Not. Worry. Lute and Adam will be together again at some point and I promise when they do it will be a very satisfying reunion. Please bear with me. We are strapping into my longest fic yet (that seems to be getting longer by the chapter lol)

I want to thank everyone for their kind comments, support, and just kindness. Everyone I have met in the process of writing this story has just been so amazing. I love hearing your thoughts, theories, everything! Do bear with me, I want our two favorite idiots to get together as much as anyone so I promise I am also on the edge of my seat for what happens next.

Until later, my sweet friends. I will gladly take your pitchforks and eggs.

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