CHAPTER THREE

LIKE CANDY CRUSH SAGA

" I hope to arrive at my death, late, in love, and a little drunk "

- atticus

Dreadful silence.

There was something that scared Josephine about the eerily silence— a certain dread that she felt as if she wasn't ready to face. She experienced fear overcome her very being, a rare feeling of the holy paradise she lived in— as if she stood unsteadily beside Michael himself. Her humble duties were less now, willingly giving her more time to indeed feel the delicious freshness of the fragrant air.

There were not many who resided in Heaven— God and Goddess preferred to willingly stay in their cheerless rooms. Josephine harked back to a better time when her creators had been more involved, more alive than they were now. Goddess had realistically been lovely— the perfect woman... the graceful, clever woman Josephine wanted to grow up to become. Jophiel merely thought it was an odd bunch of nauseating bullshit though— the terrible way they had changed to ironically become strangers that lived miserably in the same home. For all you know, maybe that was how Samael found his way to her, desperately looking for a burning love that may be real. Josephine lived merely to serve.

From where she sat next to the beautiful tree, Josephine could undoubtedly hear Ariel— another one of Jophiel's servants delightfully giggle in a high tone, only adding more to her fear. She shifted her head to consider at the other angel only for strong, masculine hands to conceal her brown eyes— she already recognized who it was.

"Samael," She smiled gently— one hand over her beating heart, instantly relaxing into the rhythm of it, "You startled me."

He withdrew his hands from her kind eyes, allowing his beautiful white wings into her vision and grinning delightedly at her. There was an innocence in his eyes then, one Josephine was constantly afraid that he would lose.

"I am sorry, my dear," the archangel caressed her rosy cheek before settling on the grass right next to her, "But not seeing you the entire day had been making me quite restless."

"I missed you too, my love," Josephine said before kissing him once again lightly, "But we need to be more careful— I have no idea what will happen if your father finds out."

Samael just laughed before carefully shaking his head, "No he wouldn't find out because he is extremely busy with his— um, humanity project. I doubt he scarcely cares, and I don't think Ariel will say anything— will you Ariel?"

Ariel immediately shook her head too, knowing better than to argue with the light-bringer.

"I might," Another voice interrupted them— a musical voice just like Samael's but one that inevitably caused Josephine to naturally feel trapped and afraid. Because that was what Michael did— he brought out everyone's most dreadful fears.

"Michael..." she whispered fearfully, her face turning pink with the terrible humiliation of being caught with an Archangel. This had never happened before, and Josephine started to fear the worst— perhaps God will instantly smite her out of dull existence in front of every person there, "It— It's not what you think—"

"Oh really, Josephine— the angel created to serve my other brother Jophiel?" Michael mused a sickening smile on his familiar face which constantly helped the young angel gratefully remember that this could never be her Samael.

"I am sorry," she said, her eyes darting to the ground and from where she stood in front of Samael, she could feel his entire body light up with anger towards his brother- something unspoken as 'I hate you,' so clear as he said, "It's best if you leave, brother."

If there really was one tragic thing that Josephine wasn't sure about, it was how she got roped into this.

The babysitting, yes, she was absolutely straightforward on. After the detective had to leave the house for an urgent case— one she was extremely skeptical about, saying something about the murder of a celebrity named Delilah, the angel was typically left to deal with a rebellious kid who had just kicked a girl in the 'no-no' zone. Sure, bullies deserved that but Chloe had a strict rule against violence— one Josephine never did quite understand.

Apparently, little Trixie had eagerly volunteered Josephine for the demanding job herself. "Josie is my friend," she'd accurately said as if this should sufficiently clear the whole matter up.

Dan had vouched for her trustworthiness in a rush just to sway them out the door, and before she grasped it, presto: six-year-old girl.

Sorry, six-and-a-half.

What she was less clear on was how she had merely gone from enjoying a small child in her own apartment to being in Chloe's room with six complementary Gauguinesque colors gobbed on her nails.

Josephine scarcely looked at them skeptically. "This is fun for you?"

As much as the angel loved the little girl, this was certainly not what came to her mind when someone said, baby-sitting.

Josephine sincerely regretted not asking for an outrageous fee.

Trixie directed a laser-focused gaze on where she was splashing mustard-golden on top of neon pink on Josephine's middle finger— ostensibly, to establish a sunset, "Mhm. This is what my grandma and I always do when she watches me."

"I am not your grandmother, Tree," Josephine nudged her. Probably not necessary— depending on your senses, the woman looked like a lot of things, but anyone's grandmother wasn't one of them.

Trixie didn't seem impressed with that argument, either.

"It's just fun," she said, looking genuinely puzzled at her, as though this was abundantly obvious, Josephine might as well be broken for not picking that up on her own.

The anxious Queen of Hell was sadly used to that look, though not usually on such cute or innocent faces. She typically cast a subtle, if longing, look in the general direction of Chloe's secret alcohol cabinet.

"Why?" Trixie inevitably asked. "What do you do for fun?"

Peaceful sleep leaped immediately to mind. Books. Writing. Justly punishing, and the many, many remarkable things she'd found to do to naïve humans in her time on Earth. Lucifer wasn't the only one who could grant wishes it seemed. But then, Josephine had the feeling that Chloe wouldn't be happy if she said that, though, and she wasn't at all confident these days that Dan would instantly take her side— especially not her somewhat 'I am on vacation' life.

"Games," she finally said. That sufficient answer seemed harmless enough.

Trixie's eager eyes lit up with sudden delight. "Like Candy crush saga?"

Josephine had never played Candy crush saga, but she was reasonably certain it didn't sound like anything she had any interest in. "No," she said bluntly. "More like crosswords."

Trixie's lovely face reluctantly turned to one of absolute horror— "Like the ones in the local newspaper? But they are for ancient people!"

Josephine shrugged with the slightest hints of a smile, "And maybe some adult games."

The no-longer-puzzled look Trixie executed her was sage-like and uncomfortably authoritative, as though she had investigated this specific topic. "Oh— So like Truth or Dare."

Josephine had never played that either, but she naturally supposed it was comparable enough to one of her actual favorite games, Let me decide what your hell-loop is actually going to look like.

"Sure. Like Truth or Dare."

"We could play that," Trixie wisely said. "If you don't like Beauty Shop."

The angel looked down at her fingernails, each of which was spattered with at least two neon vivid colors. "Yes please."

It was a satisfactory answer. Trixie desperately looked like she'd been efficiently transported to the pearly gates of Heaven on the back of a giant fairy. "Okay. You go first." She beamed hopefully. "Truth or dare?"

Josephine tried to naturally imagine the specific kind of dare a six-year-old would come up with and barely repressed a nervous shudder. "Truth."

Trixie's grin only grew wider. She offered her a sly look and asked, singsong, "Is that guy— the one who came for dinner too! Yes— Is Jophiel your boyfriend?"

She solemnly pronounced boyfriend as if it were two words and the chosen latter contained at least nine E's.

Josephine snorted contemptuously. "No."

"Did he use to be your boyfriend?" Trixie naturally asked.

"I think it's your turn, little missy."

"Just tell me," she said, rocking a little on the spot like there was nothing she could possibly be more excited to know than whether or not Josephine had ever hooked up with Jophiel.

The woman carefully rolled her eyes. "No. Jophiel was never my boyfriend."

"How come?"

"I don't like him like a potential boyfriend," the angel said nervously. "And besides he is like a big brother to me— overly protective and all that. Your turn, now so truth or dare, Trix?"

"Dare," the little girl smilingly replied.

Josephine's active mind went blank. What could a child do that would be at all fun or impressive?

"Hop on one foot," the angel said a little lamely when she had realized she did not have an answer.

Far from being sorely disappointed, Trixie looked thrilled to be engaging in a game she could so easily win at. She wiggled until she was standing at ease and started jumping up and down on her left leg. "How long do I have to keep jumping?"

"Until it gets boring," Josephine said, which it quite already was.

"That's good because it's easy," Trixie said. "I really like you, Josie."

"Thanks," Josephine said. She was surprised by how much she actually meant it.

Trixie presented her an expectant look, standing still. "And you like me, too, right?"

She was awed. The kid possessed a raw talent for widening her eyes and carefully looking at you a little too earnestly, in a way that made it harder not to answer exactly the way she wanted.

"You behave that way on purpose, don't you?" Josephine asked.

"What?" Trixie answered carefully.

"Look like a cartoon character, so you can't say no."

Trixie shrugged again. "I guess a little."

Hm. "You ever did it to your mum and dad?"

Trixie actually blushed. "Maybe a little bit more than sometimes." She looked sheepish.

"Yeah, Trix. I really really like you."

Trixie flung her skinny arms around Josephine's neck with a delighted squeal.

The smiling woman patted briefly at her back. "Hey, who said you could stop jumping?"

"Oops. Sorry." Trixie backed away and started jumping again, on her right foot this time.

"Umm, Josie?" undeniably the familiar sound of Chloe Decker, echoed throughout the house as she seemed to hushing someone else, "You here?"

Josephine sat up on the bed at once, carefully looking at the young girl sleeping soundly beside her. The girls had ordered themselves delicious pizza before comfortably falling asleep on Trixie's bed.

"A minute!" she answered in a drowsy voice. This happened naturally every time Josephine babysat for Chloe— she and Trixie would always fall asleep and then the woman would undoubtedly have to drag herself home despite Chloe's offers to sleep on the couch.

"We had so much fun today, Chlo," Josephine smiled gently to herself as she cleaned up Trixie's room a bit and picked up her phone, "She painted my nails, then we played truth or dare, and then we ordered pizzas. There is some left for you too."

Sure, Josephine pretended to hate the baby-sitting gig she undoubtedly had going on with Trixie but secretly she genuinely cherished it. Never blessed to be able to bear a child had once seemed like a divine blessing but as the loneliness that came with Lucifer pulling away from her started to drown the angel, she yearned for something that could keep them together— someone even she could love.

"I am over here in the kitchen!" Chloe yelled back and somehow, Josephine knew she sounded nervous. There was another familiar voice with her speaking loudly but the lovely angel paid no proper attention to it— it could be Dan for all she knew.

"Wanna drink some choice wine?" Josephine asked walking towards the gleaming kitchen, her sweater hugging her body, "We can probably get Dan to watch Trix and host a mini party at my apartment. It's been so long since we— "

The angel forcibly stopped in her tracks.

There stood Chloe in front of the dishes, an apologetic smile on her anxious face as the man beside her watched Josephine with a face full of different emotions.

Horror. Pain. Regret. Longing.

"Josephine?" Lucifer asked the same dark-haired man that hopelessly broke her sensitive heart too many times to count. At that critical moment, Josephine merely wondered if Chloe would kill her if she asked politely— burning hell felt a better place to be in than here... with her husband.

"Do you two know each other?" Chloe questioned, clearly confused.

"I asked you to stay away from him— You promised me," Josephine whispered, taking a step back. "You should have stayed away from him—"

"Jo—" Lucifer tried once more but when he spoke, all that Josephine could hear was 'You don't have a choice.'

"I—I am sorry," the angel merely shook her head, "But I should probably get home."

She walked away.

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QOTD

FAVOURITE LUCIFER SEASON?

MINE HAS TO BE SEASON 5 (AND HOPEFULLY I MANAGE TO WRITE THIS BOOK TILL THERE BECAUSE THE PLANS I HAVE FOR SEASON 5 ARE JUST PAIN💅)