Dead Man Walking

It's the kind of evening where you could just about hear the crickets wallowing in tandem with crying frogs. The kind of evening where yellows and oranges speckled against blues as the world dimmed, where silhouettes were fine-lined in black- and warmth was drained from the landscape. The kind of evening where the subway train would be devoid of passengers, as if it’d be just about the last ride for the night. 

Seats lonely, and double doors closed, the subway was already on its merry way, how the landscape around the train itself blurred, light green blinkers of the digitalized text from overhead running from side to side, cheering the name of the landing destination. Hawthorne, just a ways away from the capital city of Brambly, it was a neighboring district to a sister tourist town, Lucifer would know- he’s still technically on leave. Ogling at the sights of the world, it was a lonely thing- seeing how much the planet had changed. Beautiful landmarks were defaced with civilization- valleys and mountains; vandalized with buildings and industries that puffed smoke, mechanical monsters littering the land and junk filling the seas- but then again, all that could be forgiven with a slice of strawberry shortcake, for now.

Sitting alone on the subway was an alien occurrence, he didn’t usually do this- he liked to get mixed in the crowd. Yes, he sticks out like a sore thumb, but it's better if he were to get a chance to make a break for it there was ever the given chance that some demon or angel sought him out for whatever reason. It wouldn’t be a problem, considering that he’s been relieved of duty for… some ten years now, but then there was a nuisance that often followed him.

As you know, in the city subways, there were rats that plagued the tunnels and hid in the crevices. This certain pest would be known to be Ozias Walterscheid- in all his snow-kissed glory.

Almost as if he’d be wanting to build suspense, to build a kind of anticipation for the sitting duck- he didn’t make his presence known until later than usual. Lucifer had pretty much melted in his seat already at this point, enjoying the atmosphere, gandering out at the window behind him, he thought he’d be left alone as a whole- he thought the coast was clear, after all his stop was up soon…

As soon as Lucifer turned himself back around, his soul just about nearly jumped out of his body once the mad scientist was found sitting besides him- of all seats it had to be the one right next to him. “Hello.” He crowed with that wide smile. His elbow had been perched against the headrest, pressing against the window. The sight of the wide-eyed ram had the “angel” delighted to bits, yellow eyes that were ringed with exhaustion, agape and starring finely at the taller male. Those frayed feathers of his hastily affixed headwings almost fluttered, they slinked in motion in a tiresome manner. 

“Did you have a nice time? D’aww, you’re all prettied up too, I haven’t seen you in that scarf in eons.” The scientist reached his hand in to grasp ahold of Lucifer’s cravat but he stood up and swatted the hand away, his box of baked goods that he’d picked up along the way were abandoned idly in his seat- knocked aside but not open. “Don’t be difficult.” He snapped at the devil who’d tried making a break for it. The way how he froze in place and made all those sudden movements was like a deer in the headlights, he was helpless- hell, felt helpless. 

Standing up suddenly and taking only one step forward, Lucifer almost cried out when the taller male grabbed him by his wrist. Due to the height advantage of the false angel, and due to the weakened state of the demon- Ozias had the upper hand, literally. The white-haired manhandled the satyr like a rag doll, pulling Lucifer every which way and soon enough towards himself. 

“Whats the matter, pinkie, did you miss me? Cats got your tongue.” With one pale hand pulling the amber-eyed demon so close to a point of there being no space between the two infernals, he could feel the devil squirming snd struggling to break away. Ozias didn’t care if Lucifer was thrashing or using his other hand to punch and jab lightly at Ozias just to get some space- the scientist used his free hand to grasp the ram by his face. Index finger and thumb pressed against each cheek, it was just as if he were grasping a looking glass to look through, he forcibly made the trembling male look up.

“Let go of me.”

“That's no good, sheep.” 

“Please.”

It was a faint cry, a break in that voice, it didn’t deter the scientist. He only looked down coldly, grinning madly.

“Not until we make a contract.”