#tmitde

CherriBang is here!!! Wooo!

And here, chapter one of my contribution with lovely art from @forbiddentaako <3

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The rain poured down in sheets, hard enough even the streetlights seemed reluctant to reach beyond their glass. The darkness seemed to consume all. Passing cars dwindled to none; nobody wanted to be out in the deluge.

Well, almost nobody.

Rosie found nights like this the best sort of night to do her shopping. She hummed quietly to herself, the pounding rain washing out the sound just as it washed away the blood oozing onto the cobblestone. Her own raincoat was cinched tight and the butcher was far enough from home to excuse any inescapable moisture when she got home - not that she expected Franklin to notice.

She carefully carved away another steak and wrapped it in the waxy cloth she’d brought before tucking it into her already bulging bag. She would have to work on cleaning up soon - after she took the liver. Franklin had asked her for liver and onions this week.

“I do hope you’re not planning to waste that.”

Rosie whipped around and flung her knife at the voice, who twisted to the side. The knife clattered harmlessly to the ground behind him.

She bristled as she stared at the man now standing at the mouth of the alley. How long had he been there? She relied on the element of surprise in her work, and clearly this interloper had some skill if he was able to dodge her attack.

A dark cloth obscured most of his face and the darkness the rest, but Rosie saw something move and thought he must have raised a brow. “Good aim,” he said, turning and picking up the knife. Rosie tensed as he approached, prepared to fight for her life, but he merely offered her the weapon handle first. “My question still stands.”

“What are you doing?”

Charlie jumped and whirled around, hand flying to the small knife she always carried in her pocket. Rosie had sewn them into all of her dresses, hidden in the seams, just for this purpose. There was no need to draw it, however.

“Don’t do that, I could have hurt you!” she said, scowling.

Angel snorted and folded his arms, leaning one shoulder against the brick wall. “Whatever you say, toots. You really shouldn’t be lurking back here this time of night all by yourself. There are unsavory sorts about.”

“Like you?” Charlie asked with a wry smile. “I can take care of myself.” She returned to peeking around the corner.

“You know it, toots,” Angel purred.

There was a beat of silence.

“How else was I supposed to keep her from finding you?”

“You- you knew? This whole time you knew who my dad was?”

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"No. I think you owe me some answers of your own."

"I don't owe you anything. You broke our deal."

"That's not what happened! I- hold on. No. You're trying to manipulate me into giving you what you want. Not this time. I will answer your questions if you answer mine."

Alastor watched Charlie dance around the kitchen, humming along to the radio as she cleaned up after breakfast, bemused.

“You’re in a good mood,” Rosie said, breezing back into the room with her finances folders.

“For someone who’s grounded,” Alastor added.

Charlie flashed him a sour look. “I’m still allowed to be happy,” she said snidely, “unless I’m grounded from that too?”

Rosie and Alastor shared a look, brows raised.

“Of course you’re allowed to be happy, my dear,” Alastor said amiably, “and I am glad to see you have not let it get you down, so long as you remember that you are grounded.” She had slipped out under the excuse of ‘forgetting’ in the past.

Lucifer fell into step beside him.

“Where have you been?” Alastor asked after a moment, hands tucked behind his back.

Lucifer glanced up at him from the corner of his eye, a wry smile pulling at his mouth. “Did you miss me?”

Alastor’s eye twitched but his own smile didn’t drop. “Of course not.”

“Hmph,” Lucifer snorted. “If you say so. I was out of town on business; we bought a factory and I prefer to oversee these transitions in person.”

“Is that so.”

“It is.” Lucifer glanced up at him again and stopped, forcing Alastor to stop as well. “Why did you follow me?”

“Why did you wait for me?”

“Where’s Charlie?” Lucifer asked instead.

“Looking for her friend.”

He sighed. “I didn’t expect to run into you today.”

“I assumed as much,” Alastor said, leaning forward on his cane. “I didn’t expect you to be able to leave when you saw Charlie.”

“...I said I would.”

Alastor shrugged. “People lie, plans change.”

“I keep my word. Besides, I like my liver where it is, thank you.” He was smiling with good-natured humor. Alastor hated the flutter it sparked in his stomach.

Here ya go