Just Lyu/Lu Shipping Content

Dividers by @/bronzewasp

" People from District 2 had a funerary tradition of sprinkling bread crumbs over the bodies of the fallen, so they'd have food on their journey "back where they came from". "

Lucifer's face had fallen after seeing what their partner had managed to grab in the bloodbath. It was no coincidence that the bread had been placed closest to the representatives of the masonry district. The only time the Gamemakers gave consideration to the District's various cultures was to torment the tributes. Small reminders of home, at best. Psychological warfare meant to break them completely at worst. To Lucifer, the small basket wasn't just a ration of food but a grim reminder that death was never far behind.

The sounds of cries could still be heard from the small cavern they'd taken refuge in. The sword Lucifer had managed to grab was tossed carelessly to the side as they attempted to blot up the obscene amount of blood Lyu had been covered in. Using torn pieces of her coat to clean her girlfriend the best she could. They would need to locate water soon. The scent of fresh blood would be a beacon to any beasts released against the tributes. The booming sound of an explosion catches their attention for a moment. They would need to wait out the chaos. Lucifer cursed as she craddled her partner's jaw between her palms.

Apart from a broken nose and a wounded ego, Lyubov was otherwise okay... For now. Lucifer couldn't seem to shake the intrusive thoughts.

She could feel lean into Lyu lean into her shaky grasp. A quiet comfort between the two. Ian had been very clear that they should hide their affection towards each other. Careers had a reputation as the bloodthirsty adversaries. A clear weakness, like their attachment to one another, could be a targetable weakness.

They shouldn't be here. Lucifer silently cursed, pulling Lyu closer to rest her forehead to theirs. Lucifer had given their life training for the honor of participating in these games. Competition among careers was intense, and Lucifer wouldn't have volunteered as a tribute unless they were certain they could win. Victory, not only an honor, but served as the only chance for her family to obtain both wealth and status within the district. She rose to claim her place at the reaping with pride.

In the time they'd been together, Lyubov never shared her interest in the games. Born to a small mountain village. Power, wealth and glory meant nothing to them. Laying in the woods late at night, Lucifer would map out the stars and Lyubov would share her dreams of a future for them. Alone, deep within the forested mountains of their district. A small home overlooking the clearly rocky mountain streams. They could make their money selling goat milk and tanning leather. A quiet life so unlike the role Lucifer was born to fufill. It was a beautiful dream, and Lucifer prayed to be able to one day give her that life once crowned a victor.

Another potential tribute had already been selected for the honor of voluntering alongside Lucifer. A boy she'd trained with. He lost his chance when Lyu stole that honor from beneath him. Career academies were technically against the rules, so there was nothing that could be done to challenge Lyu's claim as tribute.

Lyubov let the world paint them as a mindless killer. Eager to hunt down their fellow tributes on the battlefield. A perfect dog for the Capitol as their district was often painted to be. She kept her softness a sworn secret. It had been years since Lyu first made the promise to follow Lucifer anywhere. Lucifer could never understand the gravity of that promise until the day of the reaping.

Lucifer couldn’t be certain how many tributes survived the Blood Bath. Canon fall would be saved for the evening when the face of the dead would be visibly tallied. All Lucifer could be certain of was that their haul from the Blood Bath wouldn’t last them long. Between a few loaves of bread and a short sword, they would need to find more weapons and supplies for the hard days ahead.

A small clear running creek fed water towards the center cornucopia. The babbling of the waters settled her anxious thoughts. The water struck her as beautifully picturesque and almost unnaturally clear.

Lucifer noted the creeks location, glancing briefly at their partner hidden within the shadows of a large pine. Lyu's gaze flickered briefly to the creek and then back to her lover. Despite their growing thrist, there was a silent understanding between the two volunteers not to approach until they witnessed an animal or tribute approach and drink safely. The same streams that supported life could just as easily claim it. It wasn’t unheard of for Game Markers to poison the streams or draw the tributes wanting to stop for a drink into a sadistic trap. Instead, the two choose to stalk the perimeter, scouring the ground for tracks in the rich dark soil.

Lucifer was mindful of their distance. Keeping no less than 30 feet apart to minimize both their presences. Traveling too tightly in a pack would only draw unwanted attention. Instead, they hunted in unison, trusting in the others' judgment and skill. The couples movements were collected and slow, keen to trap their first victim in a silent ambush not unlike an unfortunate stag. Their hungry green eyes scanned the forest with practiced ease for any sign of life. Lucifer could feel Lyu's presence just out of sight as they pushed forward towards the killing field. 

A patter of footsteps, a flash of fabric. Her attention is drawn forward. Lucifer's grasp tightens around the hilt of her sword. Dropping to their knees in the brush, breath held. They could feel their partner widening their radius to the right. It was a simple strategy. Having no weapon of their own Lyubov only needed to startle the District 7 tribute into Lucifer's position where the career's could finish their hunt and the pair could claim their first victim. Fewer tributes meant fewer competitors and more resources.

Just beyond her line of sight a sharp, sickening snap broke the stillness of the woods.  The scream that followed painfully familiar. Without another thought, they pushed themself forward, sword drawn and recklessly darting past Rowan. 

Lyubov's body lay still beneath the canopy. Warm blood seeped back into the hungry soil, staining ruby streams along her pale skin from the wound at her chest. Lucifer's scream was a howling whail, her hands soaks as they tried desperately to apply pressure to the wounds of the dead. 

Their icy blue eyes faded quickly to a glassy silver. Her gaze still fixed on Lucifer's last postition as if she’d been searching for them before death sunk his claws into her. It was another layer to her pain that they'd been too late.

It shouldn't have been her. 

In her delirium, Lucifer is unsure what was said was left to the sanctity of her mind, and whether or not her screams could be heard from the heavens. Lucifer had been too prideful. They'd underestimated how cruel this game could be. As much as they boasted about how easily they could win, the moment she'd seen her partner walk across that cursed stage to stand beside her that dream had been crushed. She was arrogant enough to except that her District would have a winner but she no longer desired that honor. They had every intention of seeing Lyubov until the end, ensuring they'd escape and return to the mountains they once loved.

Lucifer's dreams left meaningless as she pressed her forehead to her lover's one last time.  

By some miracle, her screams were left unanswered by the remaining tributes. Survival no longer held any meaning. When Lyubov died, she took Luci's last motivation with her. To win the games and return home to an empty bed was a pain unlike anything Lucifer had ever been subjected to. The pain coiled itself like a serpent, tightening around her pounding heart as she reevaluated her goals.

That fucking bread.

Lucifer felt sick as her fingers dug deep into the stale loaf. Crumbs quickly engorged with her lover's blood. Their hands still warm as Lucifer wrapped their fingers around the loaf. An old tradition for a final comfort for their journey into the next life. The other loaf tucked into the pocket of Lucifer's own coat, their grief whispering promises that their own journey wouldn't be far off.

Clinging to her lover's chest until the drones could physically pry her body away from Lucifer. Blood soaking through her coat, diluted only by her tears.

⟡ Cold - Alfie Castley

Yeah, you're a demon, I feel it deep in my bones ⟡ But when you love me, you know you make hell seem cold It's so easy for me to latch onto songs with devil references and claim it's LyuLu, but this one truly checks all my boxes between the tone, theme and lyrics. At this point in her life, Lyubov is trying to process themes of generational and religious trauma as well as substance abuse. 'You see me at my worst ⟡ Save me from who I used to be'. Emotionally connecting with a person called Lucifer was more of a challenge in her healing journey than she'd initially predicted. Being with Lucifer is an active choice that she regularly makes. There were a few occasions early on where she'd pull away and fall completely back into old habits. 'If you're the devil then I will sell you my soul'

⟡ Bernadette - IAMX

Life and death will always lead you into love and regret Self-aware enough to know that by pursuing Lucifer, she's trading a handful of maladaptive coping mechanisms for a new kind of obsession. Self-destructive enough not to care. Lyu places so much weight on attempting to protect what she views as the person who brings her emotional salvation that she refuses to address the holes in the relationship needed to build a stronger connection. This is one of the many factors that contributed to the breakdown of their relationship the first time around.

⟡ Figure You Out - VOILÀ

And I hate that ⟡ I could love you with my eyes closed ⟡ Kiss you with a blindfold ⟡ Figure you out ⟡ I might hold you with my hands tied ⟡ Show you I'm the right guy ⟡ To figure you out  More angst right after the break up. There's a fine line Lyu walks between respecting Lucifer's desire for separation and keeping an eye on them from a distance. To herself she justifies her actions in wanting to make sure her ex is safe but her true motivation lies closer to jealousy, envy and regret. Seeing Lucifer attempt to move on is frustrating and I only feel relief when this new person somehow fails in her perspective.

⟡ How I'd Kill - Cowboy Malfoy

Oh, how I'd kill ⟡ To see you again ⟡ Love's a game, I played the fool I was wasted on your perfume ⟡ Yeah, you turned me into a mess ⟡ But I must confess ⟡ Oh, that I've never felt so alive I really love this number because it addresses several phases of mourning and heartbreak. This one is also right after the break up. Addressing both an unhealthy obsession to the first person she'd opened herself up to emotionally and the pain of trying to move forward.

⟡ Laplace’s Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!)

So if you wash your hands of where you've been until you flood the second floor ⟡ Neatly fold your skeletons, but still can't shut the closet door ⟡ The only ones in need of love are those who don't receive enough ⟡ So evil ones should get a little more Lyu understands that by any definition, she is the villain. Apart from the murders, she is entirely self-serving, cruel, and, with very few exceptions, emotionally detached from other humans. She knows she's not a good person. The problem is that she is also is at peace in believing that's the only way she could have survived. Every choice she's made, morally right or wrong, was a choice she had to make to keep herself safe. The lives she's destroyed are a necessary and ultimately small price to be paid. She is unable to see any other perspective and believes anyone would have made the same choices given the same options.