Back at Cain's house, they arrived after the long drive. Cain turned off the car's engine, got out, and walked around to open the passenger door for Lucifer, still holding the paper takeout bag. Lucifer stepped out and thanked him with a small, formal nod.
They entered the quiet house. Lucifer went straight for the couch and picked up the television remote, turning the screen back on. Cain headed for the kitchen, unpacking the food. He arranged the contents of one container on a plate and placed it in the center of the dining table. He smiled when he saw the two plates already waiting, each with a neat portion of the scrambled eggs she had made earlier.
"Dinner's ready," he called out.
Before the words had fully left his mouth, Lucifer was standing in front of him at the table. They both pulled out chairs and sat down. As he picked up his fork, a thought struck Cain.
"You know," he began, "it's weird how fast I got used to you."
Lucifer looked up from her plate.
"I mean it," Cain continued. "Logically, I should be having a panic attack every other hour. A normal person would be in a straitjacket by now. But I just… adapt. It's like my brain just accepts the next impossible thing you do. That can't be right, can it?"
Lucifer's gaze immediately darted away from his, focusing intently on a spot on the wall behind him. Cain noticed the shift instantly. He smirked.
"Hey, can you turn the TV off for now? We can put it back on after we eat."
In the span of a millisecond, the living room went silent and dark.
As he divided the takeout food between their two plates, he kept his tone light. "Did you… do something to me? To make me this calm about all of this?" He met her evasive eyes and smiled. "I promise I won't be angry. I just want to know."
Lucifer nodded once, a quick, guilty dip of her chin. She confirmed his suspicion.
Cain's smile didn't fade. He started eating. "Okay. So what did you tweak? What did you take away so I don't completely lose my mind?"
"On the first night, I reduced your ability to feel terror in the face of mortal danger," Lucifer said, the words tumbling out in a rush. She finally took a bite of her food, still refusing to look at him. "It was to prevent you from taking irrational actions, like when you lied directly to Zephon."
Cain chuckled, shaking his head. "Was that all? Just the impending doom setting?"
Lucifer shook her head, her cheeks faintly pink. "No. I also… browsed the catalog of your knowledge. I learned how to operate the television remote."
Cain's fork froze halfway to his mouth. "Wait. You browsed my knowledge? My memories?"
"No," she clarified quickly. "Only the specific data pertaining to the operation of the remote control device, the selection of cinematic entertainment, and the interpretation of written human language."
Cain set his spoon down on his plate with a soft clink. Lucifer immediately put her own utensils down, her body tensing, expecting his discomfort to finally manifest.
Instead, Cain burst out laughing. It was a loud, genuine, belly-deep laugh that filled the small kitchen. He laughed so hard he had to wipe tears from the corners of his eyes.
Lucifer just stared, completely bewildered. Slowly, a hesitant, confused smile touched her lips, and she began to laugh along with him, a soft, melodic sound.
"Why stop there?" Cain managed between laughs, gasping for air. "Why not just download my whole brain? Then you'd know what everything is! No more questions!"
"Because," Lucifer said, her cheeks now decidedly red. She began tapping her index fingers together in a rare display of shyness. "It is more enjoyable to learn things incrementally. To experience the discovery. Knowing everything at once would be… hollow."
Cain's laughter subsided. Her words settled over him, warm and profound. For a moment, his heart felt like it was being gently squeezed. Once again, he saw Amelia in her—the same wonder, the same appreciation for the slow, sweet unfolding of the world. He smiled, a real, peaceful smile. A light he had been searching for in the darkness for months was now burning brightly right in front of him, casting its glow on everything around him, making the colors of his world vibrant again.
"Thanks, Lucy," he said softly.
Lucifer's head tilted. "What did you just call me?"
Cain waved his hands, suddenly flustered. "Oh! It's just… if you're going to stay here longer, you might need a more… human-sounding name. People will ask questions. This is a very religious country. 'Lucifer' tends to raise eyebrows. 'Lucy' is nice. It's a real name."
"Lucy," she repeated, tasting the word. A slow, brilliant smile spread across her face. "Lucy is a pleasant name. I like it."
Her eyes met his warm gaze. In that moment, for the first time in her eternal existence, Lucifer felt her heart give a distinct, unfamiliar flutter. The room around her seemed to grow brighter, the colors more saturated. She beamed at him. "Thank you. For stopping your vehicle that night. For letting me into your home."
They held each other's gaze for a long, comfortable moment before turning back to their meals. They ate in companionable silence for a bit, then Cain began to talk. He told her about his life before she arrived—the perpetually full sink, the dusty, lifeless feel of the house, the quiet despair. He told her how much he genuinely appreciated her company.
They talked and laughed together through the rest of dinner.
After they finished, Lucifer gathered the plates and took them to the sink. Cain went to the cabinet for a mug to make coffee. As he poured hot water over the grounds and stirred, a memory from their earlier conversation surfaced.
"What happened to that angel we met yesterday?" he asked, turning to lean against the counter beside the sink where she was washing up. "You mentioned him earlier."
"Ah. About that." Lucifer scrubbed a plate slowly with the sponge. "Do you recall when you awoke at the kitchen table yesterday?"
Cain took a sip of his coffee. "Yeah. I thought I saw—"
"I brought his bisected remains to the table," Lucifer interjected bluntly, rinsing the soap away. "I neglected to dispose of the evidence before you regained consciousness. When you woke and noticed, that is when I remembered my oversight."
Cain nodded, following along. "Right. And then I woke up again and it was all gone."
"I reset your physical timeline and sanitized the area before your second awakening," she confirmed, placing the clean plate on the drying rack.
As she began washing the next one, her voice grew quieter, more thoughtful. "I acted out of necessity. And I would do so again. I wished to protect you. You are my only human friend."
Cain felt a surge of gratitude, complicated but real. "Thank you. I do appreciate that you want to protect me." He paused, choosing his next words carefully. "But I want to ask you something. I know I can't force you, and I know that I don't belong in that conflict you have with the other angels. But for me… could you try not to kill? If you can help it? I'd be much happier knowing you just won, that you defended yourself or protected me without taking a life."
Lucifer stopped scrubbing and looked at him. The earnestness in his face was undeniable. She gave him a small, determined smile.
"I will attempt to adhere to that principle," she said.
"That's all I can ask," Cain replied, smiling back at her.
He sipped his coffee, leaning against the counter, watching as she finished washing the dishes. The domestic sound of running water and the soft clink of porcelain filled the quiet kitchen.