Standing Together

Chapter 124

A/N Yes this is my second update in a matter of hours why do you ask? Is it bc I usually suck at updating? Bc usually Taylor Swift and Brendon Urie don't drop collabs at midnights on Thursdays :)

"Cat!"

Lucifer laughs. "Yeah, that is a cat! Do you want to go see him?"

Alex looks up at him for a moment, then walks into her father's room and towards the cat on the bed. Castiel leans against the wall, trying to stay out of her way. He wouldn't want to interrupt this important rite of passage — the meeting of a cat.

"This is Kelly's cat," Lucifer tells his daughter. "You remember Kelly, right?"

Alex nods.

"Well, she brought her cat," Lucifer says. "He's really friendly." Lucifer pauses, then glances back at Jack, standing in the doorway. "He is, right?"

Jack chuckles. "Yeah, but don't tell anyone. He has a bad reputation to uphold."

"No wonder he and Dean get along so well," Lucifer jokes, then turns his attention back to his daughter. "The cat's name is Tyrion. Do you want to pet him?"

Alex looks up at him, then nods slightly.

"All right, c'mere." Lucifer picks her up and puts her down on his bed. "Put your hand out and let him sniff it."

Alex does as she's told, and Lord Tyrion stands up, slowly walking over to her. He sniffs her hand and she giggles, not waiting another second before she starts petting him, pressing down on his head much too hard. The cat recoils, much to Alex's dismay.

"Dada?" Alex looks over at him, eyes filled with tears. "Why cat leave?"

"Try petting him more gently," Lucifer suggests.

Alex just looks at him, confused.

"Like this, okay?"

Lucifer kneels down next to his bed and holds a hand out. Lord Tyrion walks over to him and sniffs him, then nudges his hand with his head. Lucifer strokes the top of his head gently, and Lord Tyrion purrs softly, walking back and forth against his hand.

"See how I'm not pushing down on him?" Lucifer says. "Do you want to try?"

Alex holds out a hand, and Lord Tyrion sniffs it. He nuzzles her hand, and she pets him again, this time more softly. There's a brief pause, the two of them just enjoying their newfound friendship. Lord Tyrion lies down, his head against her leg.

"This is so pure," Lucifer whispers, glancing back at Jack and Castiel.

"I think Lord Tyrion is having more fun here than he does with me," Jack jokes.

"Everyone has more fun with Alex," Lucifer says. "It's a fact of life."

~~

Woof!

Alex looks up at her dad. "What?"

"That's Kelly's dog," Lucifer tells her.

"Dog?"

"Yeah, a dog," Lucifer says. "Do you know what a dog is?"

Alex just stares at him.

"He's like a cat, but he does more," Lucifer says. "Do you want to go see him?"

Alex looks at him for a moment, then walks to the door, waiting for Lucifer to lead her out. As Lucifer does just that, Jack asks, "Is there a reason you're calling Peanut and Tyrion my mom's pets and not mine?" quickly adding, "Which is completely fine, obviously, but why?"

"I think it'll be easier for her to associate them with one person instead of two," Lucifer says. "And your mom's been playing with her most of the day, so I picked her. You haven't earned your right to own your own pets yet."

Jack chuckles. "That started out so normal and then you added that last sentence."

"I can only be normal for so long."

Peanut is shut in Anna's old room, and is absolutely thrilled when Lucifer opens the door for him. He bounds out of the room, pouncing with joy. He jumps up on Jack's legs, then runs over to do the same to Lucifer. As soon as he nears Alex, she screams and tries to run away, which only ends with her falling flat on the floor and Peanut jumping on her back.

"Peanut, no!" Jack sprints over and picks his dog up, muttering about how bad he is as he puts him back in Anna's room.

Alex is still screaming, tears streaming down her face, and nothing Lucifer says or does will calm her down. It only takes a moment for Claire to find them, panic clear on her face. She kneels down next to her boyfriend, running a have through her daughter's sorry black hair.

"What happened?" Claire asks, and though it's not clear whether she's asking Lucifer or her daughter, but it's the former that answers.

"Peanut scared her and she fell," Lucifer says. "And then Peanut jumped on her and scared her more."

"Oh no!" Claire sits Alex up, putting the toddler on her lap. "Hey, sweetie, it's okay. You're okay."

Alex just screams louder.

"Where does it hurt?" Lucifer asks.

Alex doesn't answer.

"Do you want to see Lord Tyrion again?" Lucifer asks. "Will the cat make you feel better?"

Alex shakes her head. She wraps her arms around Claire's neck, burying her face in her chest. Claire rubs her back soothingly, muttering "It's okay, you're okay," under her breath.

"I'm gonna grab Mr. Fuzzles," Lucifer says quietly, quickly disappearing into his daughter's room.

"Mr. Fuzzles?" Castiel repeats.

"A stuffed frog Garth gave her for her birthday," Claire explains. "For some reason, she really likes him."

"Oh?" Who named a frog Mr. Fuzzles? Frogs aren't supposed to be fuzzy. Either Alex or Garth really has to reevaluate their naming skills.

Lucifer returns with the frog, sitting down next to his daughter. He puts the frog on her back, bouncing him up and down. "Ribbit!"

Alex stops crying, climbing off her mother's lap and reaching out for her toy. Lucifer rubs it against her face, almost as if it were snuggling with her, and then hands it to her. Alex just hugs it to her chest, not saying a word but seeming content now.

"Is she okay?" Jack asks, almost hesitantly.

"She's fine," Claire assures him. Ruffling her hair, she adds, "Aren't you, sweetie?"

"And I can sense that you're able to apologize, and you shouldn't," Lucifer adds. "'Twas not your fault."

"Well, he's my dog —"

"No, he's Kelly's dog, remember?" Lucifer says. "You haven't earned the right to own your own pets yet, so shushles."

A/N Go listen to Taylor Swift and Brendon Urie's new collab ME! It's such a cute song and the music video is freaking adorable and BRENDON URIE HANDS TAYLOR A KITTEN I LOVE IT and that makes a grand total of 3 cats in the video sdsajfkdlhsa my brand is thriving