Lucifer's in his room, sitting at his desk instead of lying in bed - sleep didn't deign to grace him with its nightmare-filled presence tonight, and he doesn't really want to fall into the rabbit hold of taking Dreamless Sleep to get to sleep every night - Calli did that once, got addicted to the stuff, and she said getting off it was actually worse than the insomnia she was trying to manage.
One of the reasons he's stopped trying to get her to take something to sleep more than an hour or two at a time, he'll defer to her experience on the matter.
Besides, he managed to fall asleep yesterday after his panic-attack-induced exhaustion, so there's that. And, hey, it gives him the chance to catch up on paperwork - even with the way Hell's set up, there's still a certain amount of paperwork he has to complete…even with Calli volunteering to help with it.
A sudden burst of Angelic energy grabs his attention like a vice, but before he can so much as turn around he's already being tackled from behind. It's only the detail that whoever it is that's got him is ugly-crying like they've just been told their soulmate has mere minutes to live that keeps him from automatically blasting them away, and then a second weight crashes into them with just as much force as the first.
Trying to turn around just gets his face pressed into green fabric, arms wrapping around him even tighter, and it's a choked-out attempt at an apology that clues Lucifer in to who exactly is trying to strangle him through sheer grief. "Raphael?" A flash of blue out of the corner of his eye tells him just who the second weight is. "Gabriel? What's going on?"
Turning around fully just as them adjusting their grips on him, and Lucifer's fully convinced now they're either never letting him go again or are attempting to suffocate him under the weight of…whatever Calli showed them in the Pensieve. She didn't say what, exactly, she put in there - beyond their first meeting, anyway. The other two memories? Why she didn't believe for a single instant they were genuine in their attempts at getting close to her, and why she won't let them alone with him or Charlie.
Gods, he can take a good guess as to what the third memory was, then - as for the second, he hasn't got much more than an educated guess. There's plenty of things he can think of as to why Calli doesn't believe they actually want to get to know her this time around, plenty of instances where Gabriel would put up a pretense of taking a modicum of interest in her while Michael was a scowling sentry between her and any sight of Raphael checking him over.
He thinks it's Raphael that keeps murmuring 'You're okay now' into his ear, and Gabriel who keeps running his fingers through his hair, so Lucifer brings both of his hands up to grip at the arms around him - both to try and steady himself and to get a little breathing room, since he's got arms wrapped around his neck like it's a lifeline or something. "Alright," he says, trying not to panic as he pulls at the restraining limbs, "what's going on?" Also, where the here is Michael?!
The question seems to remind Raphael of something, because he gasps and suddenly says "Let me see your back, Lucifer!" There's a brief moment where time seems to freeze, and that's when Lucifer notices Michael in the room, looking like he's being eaten alive by guilt after Calli shoved a Bludgeoning Curse into his gut in lieu of sucker-punching him.
And then time restarts, and Lucifer finds himself pulled so he's facedown on his own bed - and then there's a tearing sound, fabric being ripped apart, and his back is suddenly exposed to open air. Lucifer freezes right then, feeling a hand running down his back, and tries not to spiral into another panic attack. Tears drip onto his back, he hears a voice breathe something out - Gabriel's, he thinks - and then a small hand settles over where his top left wing connects to his back when they're out and Lucifer's brain blanks from sheer panic. All six wings burst out of his back a moment later, flapping wildly in Raphael and Gabriel's faces as he struggles to force his lungs to work properly - he can't lose it now, not with them right there and nobody else in the room. Not with his wings now out in the open, even if they are flapping wildly in his distress.
But, fuck, is the oxygen slowly leaving the room? Or maybe Michael's kneeling on his back to keep him still and that's why he can't breathe?
"Cici, easy, can you hear me? I need you to breathe for me, alright? In and out, follow me, alright?" There's fingers in his feathers, carding through his hair - too many for just Raphael and Gabriel, the realization alone making his entire chest seize up. "No, no, you're safe, Cici. You're safe, in the hotel. Alright? Nobody's going to hurt you, I promise. You need to breathe for me, alright?"
Lucifer tries to get some air in, he really does - even if only to tell Raphael he hasn't been safe around Heavenly angels other than Azrael and Leonardo in ten thousand years, or maybe say he hasn't heard that nickname in just as long - but all he manages is shaky, stuttering gasps muffled by the spread.
Suddenly another burst of Angelic energy hits, but this time it's much more familiar to Lucifer. As is the voice saying "You need to get off him now, guys. Luce, can you hear me? It's Azrael, Emily came and got me."
Trying to push himself up just reveals his arms are as strong as overcooked noodles right now, but then he feels Azrael's arms wrap around him and move him into a sitting position. Unfortunately, it doesn't make breathing any easier, but at least now he's not facedown with his wings ready to be ripped out of his back again. Squeezing his eyes shut to try and focus on getting more oxygen in, Lucifer distantly hears Azrael say something about…focusing? And panic, there was something about panicking.
Calm suddenly floods him, dampening the worst of his panic, and he sees bright red hair obscuring most of his vision - Calli?
Closing his eyes from sheer exhaustion, as well as to try and deal with the way his head is hurting, Lucifer hears a voice say "That's it, Cici, you're doing so great. Deep breaths, that's it…" A hand runs up and down his back, making his wings twitch and a bit of panic flare up, but it drains away just as fast.
Has Calli learned or made some new kind of spell?
Something that just gives her a calming aura, perhaps? It's almost as good as her Patronus Charm.
Azrael nearly drops his phone when Emily suddenly appears in his room, and quickly says "Leo, I'm gonna have to go. Call you back later- no, nobody's died yet. I think, I'll let you know on that front." Turning to Emily, he says "Something's happening."
Emily nods, and says "Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael came out of the Pensieve…I'd have asked Mo- Calli and Alastor, but…"
Azrael grins, ruffling her hair, and says "But I'm not setting foot in their room at this time of night unless my life literally depends on it either. Though, you could probably get away with it. Called them mom and pops yet?"
Emily frowns, saying "No, but…it's weird. I catch myself thinking of them that way, more and more, and…"
Azrael shrugs, saying "Probably a normal part of the Potion, actively encouraging a parent-child bond between the two parties. That's my best guess, anyway. Just be ready for a flood of tears from Calli when you actually call her that to her face, though…she won't say it, but I get the feeling she always wanted a family of her own. Not just being on the side of one, either. Ask Lucifer how Charlie got her name if you want to know more. Right now, though…" He quickly takes Emily's hand, and teleports straight into Lucifer's room - in any other circumstance, he'd knock.
Right now, he seriously doubts Lucifer's in any state to answer.
When he gets there, he sees Lucifer lying facedown on his bed, all six wings out, his back exposed as his nightshirt is basically destroyed…and Raphael's kneeling next to the bed, clearly trying to talk Lucifer through the panic attack he's in the middle of while Gabriel and Michael both run their fingers through his feathers - unintentionally making it worse, especially if Lucifer has any idea that Michael's got his hands anywhere near his wings.
Pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment, Azrael says "You need to get off him now, guys. Luce, can you hear me? It's Azrael, Emily came and got me." Lucifer tries to push himself up, but his arms are shaking too badly to get anywhere. "Alright, big guy," Azrael murmurs, leaning down and looping his arm around the blonde Archangel to get him sitting upright, "hold still for a moment. Emily, listen. I need you to try something, alright? Lucifer's panicking, everyone else here is upset, I'm calm. Focus on me, and try to pour that calm into Lucifer."
Emily nods, kneeling down in front of the Fallen Archangel and wrapping her arms around his shoulders - the physical contact makes Lucifer's absolute terror flood into her, but Azrael's hand on her back keeps her from getting swept away by it.
Once Lucifer's breathing has mostly evened out, Raphael and Gabriel moving to try and help, Azrael slowly takes his hand away and gestures for Michael to walk a good few feet away from the group of four. Checking to make sure Lucifer is either completely out of it or is still recovering, Azrael hisses "What were the three of you thinking?! Or did Sera order the three of you to try and drive him mad while you were here?"
Michael shakes his head at once, saying "That's not-"
"Not what, Michael? You've given him two panic attacks in three days, what would you call that?"
Michael's expression crumbles, and he says "The second worst thing I've ever been responsible for in my entire existence, that's what."
Azrael blinks, then pinches the bridge of his nose and mutters "Can't believe I'm doing this…" What's even harder to believe is that he actually believes Michael's genuine in his guilt. he certainly looks and sounds like he feels like the biggest piece of shit in all of Heaven for what he's done to Lucifer.
Michael asks "Doing…what?"
Keeping triple Arch-Angelic Homicide from happening, that's what. "Just keep quiet, alright?" He pulls out his phone and hits the speed dial before Michael can say anything, calling Calli's phone and praying she's still even slightly awake.
Alastor turns his head to glare at Calli's phone as it suddenly buzzes on her nightstand - they were relaxing, preening her wings before going to sleep. Currently, Calli's facedown on the bed, near-comatose since he's about halfway through with the last wing - another five minutes or so, and they'd both be out cold!
So, this had better be good.
Reaching over to pick up the phone, Alastor scowls when he sees the caller ID - Azrael. Oh, it'd better be life-or-death… Dragging his claws through Calli's feathers slowly, and getting a slightly-strangled sound out of her in response, he presses the button and asks "What is it?" Calli shifts, moving like she's about to turn over, but Alastor starts rubbing circles into the base of one of her wings and she melts back into the mattress.
"You're my new favorite mortal soul created in this world, Hartfelt. You know that? I get the distinct feeling you just won me two-thousand dollars."
Alastor gets a flat look on his face, just imagining the shit-eating grin on the taller angel's face, and asks "I won you a bet?"
Calli lets out a muffled 'mmph?' so Alastor quickly shoves the phone between his head and his shoulder and starts massaging the spots where her wings emerge from her back. A little underhanded, true, but this is the first time in days they've had more than a few minutes to themselves without Calli crashing from scouring as much of whichever Ring she's in for Eve. If called jealous, selfish, or possessive for wanting to capitalize on the opportunity, he will agree with an ear-to-ear smile before tying the offending soul up and leaving them in his Radio Tower for his next broadcast.
"Oh, big time. Is Calli still awake?"
"This had better actually be important, or I'm hanging up."
"No, it is, really. I need her to send over a Patronus."
Alastor blinks, trying to think of what that might be…then reluctantly says "It's for you, Calli. Something about a Patronus?" This sounds like it's about Lucifer, and that's the one area he's not about to interfere with.
Calli picks her head up, sleepily taking the phone from Alastor, and murmurs "Where're you, Az?"
"In Lucifer's room with him and Emily, she came and got me. He had another panic attack. I'd ask you to come over, but you sound like you'll drop off at any moment."
Calli nods, nearly dropping the phone as she does, and mumbles the Incantation. "It'll be there soon…Luci alright?"
Alastor watches in no small amount of awe as the silvery doe bounds away, going straight through the wall like a ghost and presumably heading to the other side of the hotel. That was worth the aggravation of Azrael's call, that spell right there.
"Yeah, Emily's still with him. But, I figure he's gonna have a rough night by himself. Patronus just got here, thanks, Songbird."
Calli yawns, saying "'nytime, Reaper…"
Alastor's plucking the phone from her hand almost before it disconnects, dragging her up to him. She gives him a sleepy grin, asking "What, jealous?" Given the detail that Alastor's smile is a thin line of his lips, she's pretty sure it's a yes. "Don't be."
Alastor tilts his head, and mutters "You might've left to go check on him." And he rather likes the time he can get alone with Calli - without any interruptions.
Calli starts rubbing at one of Alastor's ears, massaging the base like he was doing with her wings earlier, and murmurs "And I'd have come back after making sure he'd be alright."
Alastor nods, holding back any noises that try to escape from him even as he tilts his head into her hand…until Calli presses down in just the right spot, anyway.
Calli's grin turns to a fond smile, and she murmurs "You're adorable…"
Alastor opens his mouth to protest, say he's an extremely powerful Overlord who's reputation leave Sinners soiling themselves at the mere thought of meeting him-
Calli's mouth on his promptly silences any such thoughts, swallowing up anything he might've said. When they pull apart, Alastor murmurs "Perhaps being adorable has its uses…"
Calli grins, saying "Brains, magical might, excellent personality, and good looks? I'm a lucky woman, you know. Having you in my life like this."
Alastor hums as she curls up next to him, burying her face in his nightshirt, and eventually says "As am I. I think exactly that at least twice a day."
Azrael snickers at Michael's look, and says "The entire office has been placing bets on when Calli and Alastor would get together after she called up with a big ask concerning him. I said that, if she was that attached, then they were probably already together or about to get together. Everyone else said they'd take forever since Calli doesn't trust easily."
Michael runs a hand through his hair, asking "The guy in red?"
"The guy in red."
Great... "And…that? What is that?"
Azrael glances at the Doe Patronus, currently wrapped around Lucifer - with Raphael and Gabriel cuddling up extra close, just what memories did she put in the Pensieve?! - and says "It's a corporeal manifestation of joy and happiness - it was originally a defensive spell to drive off soul-sucking monsters in Calli's old world. But, as it happens, it's great for depression…other peoples' depression, that is." The hard part about conjuring the thing is that, if Calli was the one that needed it, she'd be screwed - drowning in her own grief and loss makes conjuring up a happy memory pretty much impossible.
"So…why's it a doe?"
Azrael shrugs, saying "Not a damn clue. It used to be a Lioness. Maybe it depends on what memory she's using." Glancing at the three Archangels, he sighs and asks "There's no possible way I'm getting you three back to your own rooms tonight, is there?"
Gabriel glances up from where he's sitting next to Lucifer, and shakes his head quickly - Raphael doesn't even do that much, too focused on Lucifer and making sure he's alright after his panic attack. Lucifer, meanwhile, is completely out of it, actually leaning against the slightly-older Archangel in his sleep or near-sleep.
Running a hand through his hair, Azrael grimaces and says "Let's maybe not bring this up in front of Calli…I'll be back in a few. C'mon, squirt, your mom will have my head if I leave you like this. And, if Calli doesn't, we both know Alastor will." And he's here to keep these three from getting themselves killed, something that'll be much harder if Calli learns they ambushed Lucifer and drove him to another panic attack.
Emily stirs slightly as Azrael picks her up, and says "M'tired, Az…"
"Yeah," Azrael says, instantly deciding it'd be better to just carry her, "I'm sure. That's the rough part of coming down from a panic attack, they tend to leave you exhausted. Downsides of being an Empath…you get everything. The good and the bad…and I bet emotional whiplash thanks to both Luce's panic and Calli's Patronus didn't help matters."
Michael waits until Azrael's gone through a portal before slowly walking towards the bed - Calli's Patronus should hopefully stave off anymore panic attacks, but he wants to be sure regardless. Once he sits down, Lucifer slowly blinks his eyes open to give him a dazed stare - now or never, then, before Heaven's 'greatest' warrior loses his nerve and chickens out. Putting one hand to Lucifer's cheek, Michael breathes out "I'm sorry, Lucifer. I'm so sorry. I'll never be able to say it enough times, much less be able to make things right between us, but I at least want you to know just how much you mean to me, just how much I've regretted following Sera's orders since…gods, since that damned portal closed. It was the worst mistake of my entire existence, and if I could go back in time I'd tell her to take her orders and eat them, but…" But he can't. There's no power he knows of that can reverse time, much less ten thousand years.
Michael's ripped straight out of his thoughts when a hand squeezes his wrist, and he sees Lucifer staring at him with a dazed expression. "S'alright," the smaller blonde slurs out, eyes drooping closed, "forg've you…" That's when he loses consciousness altogether, leaving Michael about to burst into tears and his other two brothers not far behind.
When Azrael gets back, he finds Michael sitting behind his younger siblings, wings wrapped around them like a blanket or cocoon, with Raphael and Gabriel on either side of Lucifer while Calli's Patronus is lying down in front of all four of them. Shaking his head in disbelief, Azrael goes and gets the blanket from his own bed as well as some pillows and makes himself comfortable on the carpeted floor after draping the blanket over Michael's body - at least Lucifer's sound asleep?
And nobody's injured, so he can get some rest without worrying about waking up to Lucifer's dead body like the last time he did this.