"Never a dull moment with any of us, is there?" Samael chuckled as Ayin glanced at him, gently nodding her head as she made her way to the door. She felt a strong sense of relief after finally learning the truth, but at the same time, it was paired with this overwhelming pain in her chest she had never experienced before. Just before she could reach out for the door handle, it suddenly slid open, and Isis, Lucifer, and Dimitri stood before her in surprise.
"Whoa," Isis took a step back as Ayin pushed between them absentmindedly "Wh-where are you going?" she asked worriedly, and Ayin stopped for a second and gently rested her hand on Isis's shoulder.
"I just want to clear my head, I'm sorry," she said reassuringly, passing them by as she headed down the hall "If anyone needs me, I'll be with Cordelia and Stephanie,"
"Alright," Dimitri nodded respectfully, seeing that she was clearly having conflicting thoughts and just wanted some space. As he and Isis came in, Satanael studied them both curiously, and Isis suddenly felt a lump in her throat as though she was unable to speak.
"Um," Lilith muttered as she glanced between them awkwardly, recognizing the starstruck expressions on their faces. But Dimitri, being the diplomat, quickly shook it off.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, sir, I've heard good things," Dimitri said respectfully as he held out his hand, and Satanael smiled pleasantly as he reached out, firmly shaking it "Thank you for making the trip to save our leader,"
"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Morozov," Satanael said happily as he let go, and Lucifer made his way around to Lilith's side, casually leaning against the bed.
"What happened with Ayin?" Lucifer asked curiously, and Lilith shrugged as she took a deep breath, gazing at the open door to the hall.
"She finally confronted him about what happened back then," Lilith sighed as she glanced longingly at her father, "I think it honestly brought her some closure on the whole situation now that she knows he purposefully spared her life, but I don't think she knows how to feel about it considering she still doesn't think she knows 'how to feel',"
"I hate to say it, but this might be exactly what she needed to finally begin to figure that out for herself," Satanael stated hopefully "She started as merely an extension of my energy, but she's always had the potential to become more than just that. First, she gave herself a body, now she's truly forming a soul."
"Is this helping?" Cordelia asked softly as she rubbed Stephanie's back, carefully pressing her fingers into the base of her wings as Stephanie gently moaned into her pillow.
"You aren't going to hear me telling you to stop if that's what you're asking," Stephanie mumbled sarcastically, her voice muffled as she pressed her forehead into her arms. Cordelia smiled as she kept going, loosening the lower set of strings on the gown so she could work on her lower back.
"Alright, baby-doll, just relax," Cordelia said sweetly as she continued, feeling Stephanie's body gently shiver as she began to press near the base of her tail "I'm sorry, did that hurt?"
"No," Stephanie said awkwardly, her head sinking further into her arms as Cordelia looked at her curiously for a moment, then back at her tail as she gently slid her hand near it, suddenly applying more pressure as Stephanie began to tremble.
"Oh... my god," Cordelia said excitedly as she let go, sitting up straight on the side of the bed as Stephanie glanced at her over her shoulder in utter embaressment.
"It's not funny," Stephanie muttered, her cheeks turning as pink as the tips of her washed-out hair.
"Who said it was funny?" Cordelia asked as she gently pulled the back of the gown closed, carefully retying it "All this time, I just didn't know that succubi had sensitive-" she paused, looking around the room defensively.
"What's wrong?" Stephanie asked worriedly as she carefully rolled onto her back, resting on her elbows in a feeble attempt to sit up.
"I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like we're being watched," Cordelia stated nervously as she glanced at the closed door "I don't know why-"
"I am so sorry," Ayin sighed as she slowly manifested herself curled up on the floor against the wall "I didn't mean to scare you, and I didn't want to just interrupt, but I-" The two looked at her in shock as she began to cry "I didn't have anywhere else to go,"
"Ayin?" Stephanie asked worriedly "What the hell happened? You seemed completely distracted when you left, but... who did you talk to that got to you like this?"
"Whoever it is, I'll fight them," Cordelia stated bluntly.
"I-" Ayin stuttered as she tried to stop crying, but the tears were overwhelming her "My- the man who created me is here,"
"Who?" Stephanie asked in confusion, and Cordelia shook her head as she climbed off the bed, looking down on her with sympathy.
"Honey, come on, you have no business being down there at a time like this," Cordelia sighed as she held her hand out to her, and Ayin nodded her head as she gently took it. She carefully helped her up off of the floor, leading her to the other bed "Start from the beginning, what happened?" she asked worriedly as she wrapped one of the blankets over her shoulders, and Ayin shook her head disappointedly as she sat down.
"It will all take too long to explain, and you don't need to hear my whole life's story," Ayin sighed as she looked across the room at Stephanie, whose fair skin was still covered in burns "You guys have been through so much already, you don't need me to pile my grief on top of your own,"
"It's not like we have anything better to do right now," Stephanie stated jokingly as she slumped back, rolling onto her side as her tail whipped out playfully "Plus, think of it as our way of thanking you for shutting down those goddamn sprinklers," she smiled warmly, and Ayin felt herself starting to smile back through the tears.
"Thank you both," Ayin cried happily, and Cordelia gently put her arm around her side.
"After we hear yours, you can hear about both of our tragic lives if you want," Cordelia suggested jokingly as she leaned on her shoulder, and Ayin quickly nodded her head as she looked between the two of them. All at once, the three began to giggle at the thought.
"Sounds like fun," Ayin said as she took a deep breath "So, did either of you actually know anything about what I am before today?"
"What are you smiling about?" Adam asked, looking at Satanael curiously as a warm grin crossed his lips.
"There's nothing to worry about with Ayin, she's in good hands now," he nodded, and Lucifer raised his eyebrows at him for a moment as he climbed onto the bed beside Lilith.
"Is she actually talking to Dee and Steph about what she's going through right now?" Lucifer asked in astonishment, and Satanael gave him the side eye.
"Like I said, she's in good hands and that should be enough to ease everyone's minds," Satanael explained calmly, and everyone seemed to nod in agreement.
"Fair enough," Lilith said as Lucifer wrapped his arm around her "So, what did I miss while I was busy dying?" she asked bluntly, and Samael and Adam looked down in guilt.
"Can we please not make jokes about the fact we almost lost you again?" Samael asked defeatedly, and she sighed as she realized how on edge everyone still seemed to be.
