al_truism | (Old) IC Contact Post

[Al is quiet for several seconds, seriously thinking it over. It would be the smartest idea to have Luca as far away from demons in general as possible, especially at this point in his life, but realistically, Break would fillet Lucifer if he even looked wrong at the boy.

Not to mention what Al would do.]

That would depend on what your plans are. Luca will obviously know you and talk to you, if he's friends with Jesse- how would you be planning to handle that?

I'd talk to him. [He sounds like Al has asked him how he plans to explain the sun coming up.] I'm going to talk to him whether or not he and Jesse are friends. You should probably know that, too.

And what are you going to talk to him about, Lucifer?

[He asks it quietly, because he knows exactly how Lucifer is. And Lucifer has to know how vulnerable Luca is right now.]

Whatever he needs to get off his chest. You know how much weight he carries around on those little shoulders, don't you, Al? I can relate to him for the same reasons you can.

[Al's fingers slowly work into fists. It's one thing for Al and Break to make the conscious decision of speaking to and including Lucifer in their lives -- Luca legitimately does not know better, and certainly not even to know to keep Lucifer at arm's length.]

Why do you have an interest?

Because we're all in this together~ [he sing-songs a little at the end, no longer looking at Al but up at the leaves.]

If you have plans for him, tell me.

[Because if he's worried over nothing and Lucifer is teasing him -- he just needs to know. He has to. He asks out of the limited but existing respect he has for Lucifer.]

There is nothing he can do for me that I can't do for myself, Al.

[But Lucifer is very much alone here, and he knows it--especially since Castiel is no longer even an ally. He'll take kids with demon contracts over nothing at all.]

That doesn't answer my question, Lucifer.

I'm not going to hurt him. And if you leave, I might even protect him. And in the meantime, I plan to be an ear for him. I can explain things about demons that you don't understand.

You can't be everything for him, Al.

And if you decide to hurt or kill someone on the network again, what am I supposed to tell him about his "friend"?

You could let him ask me himself, since any answer you or anyone else gives would be biased. Let him hear both sides.

He's a child and he can't grow up thinking that it's okay to hurt someone when you're not defending yourself.

What did I just say about bias?

You have no idea why I do any of the things I do, Al, and neither does anyone else. And I know, I get it, you don't care, I'm the bad guy here...and blah, blah, blah.

The point is you all rush in half-cocked and then wonder when things don't go your way. Children are better judges because they listen.

You're definitely not the good guy.

[Al bristles.]

That boy's seen enough pain and horror for a whole lifetime. He doesn't need you adding to it by setting an example that it's fine to commit it himself.

[Lucifer, at this point, is just running with Al's assumption that Lucifer will hurt someone on the network.]

Sometimes it is, Al. Sometimes, the only way to get something done is by doing something you don't want to do.

[Though he leaves unspoken the part about how he does enjoy violence. He'll let Al bring that up, if he likes.]

[Al takes a deep breath. He thinks of the aftermath of his mother's death. He thinks of the gun in his hand, he thinks of Yuca collapsed on the floor of that old, dark warehouse, sobbing.

Begging him, voice breaking. Begging Al to kill him.]

[... and how he hadn't.]

The time will come, someday, when Luca will have to make a choice like that. But not right now. Not even a few years from now.

He needs time to be innocent. To be able to develop a strong heart that will carry him through the times when he'll have to make those choices for himself.

I know it won't be forever, and it might not be possible, but-

I want to give that to him.

Then give it to him.

[Lucifer doesn't even bother looking at him now. Al is, after all, just like the rest.

He tosses the tissue-paper-wrapped package up at him.]

Give him that, too. But you're crippling him if you honestly think a strong heart is what will keep him going when things really fall apart.

[Al catches it out of surprise.]

... what does he need, then?

More than the ability to patiently hope for the best and whistle while he works.

[Lucifer is rubbing his sinuses. He's trying to care if he pisses Al off, but it's just not there. Nothing is, but a dull sense of hopelessness and rage.]

The ability to know when and how to act, for starters. If more of you knew that your lives might actually mean something.

That's different from cruelty, Lucifer.

[He says it quietly. He can almost sense it -- the feeling that Lucifer is thinking something more. It's what makes him listen when he speaks. He honestly believes that they have things to teach each other.]

[Lucifer doesn't even answer that. Not because it's struck home, not because he feels guilt for his cruelty. It just doesn't matter right now to argue over whether or not he is cruel, or justified in it.

Al's mind is made up, and in the long run it doesn't matter if Lucifer can change that. He already has one person who claims to love him, and would slit his throat anyway. Actually, he has two of those. He sincerely does not want a third.

He exhales hard, ending the debate there.]

Just give him the package, would you?

... what is it?

[Softly. He doesn't sound suspicious, he just... has to ask. He doesn't want to have to take something away from him.]

I think it's an oak.

[Motioning up at the leaves.]

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