4287/Only Briefly Burned

Only Briefly Burned
Date of Scene:	03 December 2020
Location:	Lux
Synopsis:	Amanda asks Lucifer about his true nature.
Cast of Characters:	Lucifer, Amanda Sefton

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Lucifer has posed:
The text was the first contact since Lucifer and Amanda had shouted at each other from across a magical summoning circle. Lucifer had disappeared into the portal, and it had closed behind him. The text proves he did, at least, survive it.

<< How did the situation with the witch go? :) >>

From there, a meetup was agreed upon to chat about it (or something else; the topic was not exactly pinned down!). The place? Lux, of course.

Though when Amanda arrives, Lucifer is immediately visible at the exterior. He's leaning against the side of his car, parked in the VIP entrance area, lighting a cigarette with a cup of one hand against the whip of cold winter air. It's still early yet, though it is seasonally dark out. Lux is lit well enough to chase away any real darkness, though, including the area out front. Lucifer himself is stylishly warmly dressed, dark and sleek for a New York December.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Given the hour, and the fact she's coming to Lux, Amanda is also dressed stylishly. Black high-heeled boots, leather trousers, a tailored black leather car coat and black gloves with a red woolen scarf and a woollen wrap cape that drapes around her shoulders as proof against the wind. And if onlookers still think it's not quite heavy enough proof against the cold, well the mogul will doubtlessly sense the shimmer of a spell across that woolen mantle that is a simple heat spell to keep her warm.

She smiles as she approaches him, head canting lightly to one side. "I'm glad you're in one piece," she says lightly. "I did wonder." Most mages don't go *in* to Hell to close the gate. "SHIELD has the witch. Their WAND mages seemed capable enough and, frankly, I don't have the realestate to handle her."

Lucifer has posed:
"I do often remain in this piece," Lucifer chuckles, a flash of grin quick at the ready as she approaches, as well as a friendly greeting of warm handshake, on her approach. "No explanations are due to /me/, Sorceress, about handing off said witch to others to deal with. I'm a fan of delegating, where appropriate." Lucifer enjoys a deep draw of cigarette, and aims the release of breath away from her, an automatic politeness to it. It smells a little off, a little odd, as if it were some specific or unusual cigarette content to it.

Lucifer's aura is definitely intact as well: proximity to him gives a sense of it, a sense of /him/, as his presence at close range is always something rather tangible to the magically inclined.

"Care to walk with me briefly?" Lucifer encourages, already starting to move towards the street area, with a somewhat expectant but not demanding look towards her. "Our witch created a rather deep bond of soul with her demon of choice. He will eat much of her soul over the next month, I think. One of those examples of why demonic pacts are ...unhealthy."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda can't argue with that. She falls in step beside Lucifer. And when he senses her probing a little at his aura, perhaps he can forgive her. She's trying to be polite about it, neither trying to be sneaky nor trying to be loud. But... his recent antics have raised... Questions. She can't quite help herself. Curiosity and caution can sometimes work in tandem.

"I hope WAND is smart enough to recognize that," she says mildly. "I think Agent Carter was a little out of her depths. Competent enough, I dare say, but... no mage." It appears the sorceress has some respect for the SHIELD agent, even if she did butt heads with her.

The bane of stubborn women everywhere is almost always another stubborn woman.

Lucifer has posed:
"I am an excellent judge of character," Lucifer says, as if the statement were really funny to him, but he loves his personal jokes. Him amusing himself is one of his top things to do: necessary, really, with his odd life. "I liked her." As if that's enough.

If Lucifer senses her magical assessment, he doesn't get angry about it. He does tilt his head and look at her sideways, with slightly lidded eyes. The smile is nice, though. It's an 'I see you looking, and I like it' that would match with if he'd caught her staring at his butt.

"I feel like you have questions," Lucifer asks sweetly, but elusively. There's a flirt undertone, but it isn't direct. More just how Lucifer always IS. "I don't consider myself a mage, either. A /ritualist/, maybe. I feel like titles are confining, though."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda makes a small noise of assent at Lucifer's assessment of Agent Carter. "Truthfully?" she admits, "Under different circumstances, I expect we'd get along well." But she's also more flexible in her relationships than many others she knows. She can respect a woman who holds her ground, even in the face of the impossible. Or, perhaps, *especially* in the face of the impossible.

She tucks her hands into her pockets as she walks along beside him, catching his sidelong glance. She gives a wry smile and the subtlest rise and fall of her shoulders that basically says, 'there's no harm in looking'. While he does have a nice butt, she knows he's detected her magic. But she expected it too.

"Mm," she says aloud. "I expect you do..." Find titles confining, that is. "But I feel the need to ask, nonetheless. *What* are you, Lucifer? Who are you really? I haven't met anyone willing to step into Hell to close a greater summoning gate like you did. Not who can walk out unscathed after. You bear the name of the Power the Christians consider to be their Devil. I don't believe you're a Devil. But, then, I also don't much believe in the Christians' messiah, either. So..." She gives a mild shrug.

Oh, she believes in gods and demons, angels and devils. But her understanding of them is significantly different than those of most organized religions. She just can't quite get behind the one-true-religion thing. Go figure.

"I do, however, wish to know what Power you really are. Dangerous though that knowledge may be."

Lucifer has posed:
"Ah /ha/, to the crux of it. That deeply human curiosity, that seed of wanting to know, even if the truth is pain. Ignorance is a blissful place, but those questions... that drive. I do so love it in you," Lucifer says, with an affectionate warmth in his tone. And some allowance of speaking like he's outside of the human condition.

"All of you; no need to take that personally." He isn't attacking or complimenting just her, but the whole situation. "As for Devil, hmmm. I don't consider that an /insult/. If you're calling a devil as someone that is evil, then no, I'm not one. If you're defining it as a /questioner/, someone that calls out supreme authority when it is at fault, I accept those qualities happily." Lucifer laughs softly, but then looks at her, a grin added. "If you're asking, more deeply - am I a leader of all apostate angels, ruler of hell, ageless power well outside of most mortal comprehension -- that's a lot of titles too. What do you think?"

"Would you /want/ proof of something like that, I wonder?" Lucifer's gaze softens in quality. He does not lie, but he also doesn't like the reaction mortals have when he does prove it. He's melted minds, driven them crazy. It isn't an effect he always wants.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda considers his words. She isn't someone who becomes easily offended when Powers beyond human refer to humanity as something beyond themselves. And she's suspected for some time that he's more than human. Beyond humanity. "I don't think you're evil," she agrees. "Though evil is insidious and very good at disguising itself -- sometimes for ages. But it still... *feels* off." At least, to her it does. And she has to chuckle softly. "And I've never minded people that call out authority and hold it accountable." Her eyes sparkle a little as she says it, mainly because it's true. It's in her nature to do the same thing. Then again... her parentage is a mystery, too. She's human... but... different.

What she knows for sure, though, is that she's not the Sorcerer Supreme. There are horrors out there she knows she cannot bear to see. "I think," she says slowly, "titles may be overrated, but that doesn't mean they're not conveniently descriptive." She gives him a wry smile as she says it. Apparently, she's being very rational about all this... in the way of a person who understands magic, rather than a human trying to justify something inherently impossible to truly justify. "Would I want proof of it?" She rolls her head somewhat in thought.

"I suppose," she says, slowing her steps and turning to look at him, "I want the *truth* of it." She regards him for a moment, studying his face. "You've done nothing to harm me or anyone I've considered friend or ally. You've aided me, answered questions, and healed me when no one else I knew could. I have no reason not to trust you. And I have no desire to break my sanity against a wall of impossibilty. But I need to satisfy my curiosity somehow. So, I will simply ask and rely on the fact you do not lie: *Are* you the leader of all apostate angels, ruler of hell, ageless power well outside of most mortal comprehension? Or are you something else, and simply amused by the assumptions people make when they speculate on that possibility?" She raises her head and smiles. "I suppose, Lucifer, I really just want to know who and what you are. Because whatever that is... is awesome."

And when she says 'awesome' she means it in its classical sense -- something capable of engendering true awe, whether good or ill.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer slows and stops, finishing his cigarette and dropping it to the cement, with a snuff of toe. Yes, Lucifer litters, and doesn't care. One of a numerous level of things he does that are slightly 'evil' depending on perspective. Or tiny flecks of disobediance for a greater awareness of society.

Lucifer listens to her attentively. He has a //way// of doing that: of looking at someone and conveying so fully that they have Lucifer's full, entire attention. That he can see what they mean, take in the depth of language and understand it on some other level. Lucifer is an ultimate listener.

"For the record, my 'proof' does not come with leveling a city. I am not tricking you into feeling responsible for some proof method of murdering everyone around us," Lucifer teases, cheeky. Yet also perhaps important to note.

"I am Lucifer. The first of that name. And everything that entails. I do get to own that - lucky me; all of the baggage of rumor, myth, or story. Much of that is not true. But some of it is: and does, yes, refer to me." Lucifer is calm, but watchful, observant of her. "Turn on your magical senses, if you like, again." Because he's going to do something.

And a little bit later, he does. He seems to lightly relax some part of him, like a tension held in the tendons of his neck. There's a subtle flow of something that isn't magic, but /is/ the fabric, the deeper nature, of things that 'are', and were, and will be. The presence permeates the vicinity, with something so similar to the stuff a hellmouth is made of, yet there's no gate.

But the sheep's clothing relaxed, and a wolf of something that is, but isn't, a god, is leaking divinity, and it's not subtle. Magical senses will 'feel' an angelic, invisible wing-form, even if the eyes can't pick up on it. Maybe feathers ... made of divine presence? Maybe something beyond feathers.

And then Lucifer 'tenses' the muscle again, and it all pulls away, like the tide going back out.

And he gives her a thoughtful look, as if prepared for a poor reaction, as 'usual'.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
As Lucifer answers her question, Amanda nods slowly. She's not really surprised by his answer, though it doesn't stop her from raising her brows in reaction. Slowly, at his prompting, she extends her magical senses and opens her inner eye to whatever it is he wants to show her.

There is no angel she has ever seen -- heavenly or fallen -- has ever been entirely benign... or, more accurately, human in nature. In her mind, the difference between heavenly and infernal is a tendency to Order vs Chaos, more than Good vs Evil. But that doesn't make them any less overwhelming, awe inspiring, or terrifying when seen in full glory.

She realizes she is fortunate he is in fact still filtering his presence. She senses the wings, the sense of the metaphorical wolf hiding among the sheep, that taste of divinity. It... is frightening, yes.

That fear expresses itself as a tensing of her muscles and a sharp inhalation of breath. But her own inner nature asserts itself. She does not run from things that frighten her. Not usually. Usually, she faces and fights them.

In this case, though, she chooses not to fight, because she chooses not to let the fear dictate her actions. Especially not against a person who has treated fairly with her at every turn before now. He's earned the right to her trust.

Her eyes flash briefly with her own spirit of defiance -- an automatic response of her own -- but then she closes off her senses and turns her head away slightly, closing her eyes at the same time. She takes a moment to breath, to gather herself, and push her body's automatic reactions away. When she finally opens her eyes again, she meets his directly. "Thank you," she says, even offering a smile. "That's what I needed to know."

He hasn't broken her trust, even if he is so much more than she imagined. Don't let her ability to control herself fool you. What she saw has shaken her, as it would any human. She's simply made the choice not let it rule her.

That's why she's the type of Sorceress she is -- a Guardian of the Way.

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer gives her a little time, though he's earnestly watching her. His expression now? Akin to a man that just proposed, or told a woman he loves her. Worried and hopeful about a reaction, yes -- because he /does/ in fact care about the reception. He's fond of the sorceress. He gives that time, while she takes it in, and when she meets his gaze, he's very watchful....

And then clearly perks up, with a warmth and pleasure that is overwhelmingly apparent. He leaks it -- though not in a divine way. But he's pleased, so far: and was, of course, seemingly /monitoring/ her reactions.

"What I /hope/ you take from much of this, is that my job does not, in fact, define me. Yes, obviously I run an afterlife of torment for the deserving --" ....Hell. "But I have a number of hobbies that do include having a wonderfully good time, and don't /like/ to bring my work into my leisure. I'd rather close those doors." Such as the hellmouth he assisted in closing.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
The sad fact is, Amanda knows, some people really do deserve an eternity of torment. It's an unfortunate reality. The best she can hope is that, karmicly, her own sins will be outweighed by the good she does in this life, when the end finally comes.

"I can't say I blame you," she says to the Devil, such as he is. "And I'm glad of it, really. We really don't need demon lords of that sort running amok on the mortal plane." She flashes a grin, now. "I mean, I'm good... but I know when I'm beat." She's not the strongest there is, and she knows it. Even among human mages. "We needed the help. I don't think the others realize just how much."

Lucifer has posed:
"Some demons I don't mind. I like to encourage thinking beyond one's /role/ or station... within reasonable levels, of course," Lucifer says, relaxing some into this conversation. His tone has changed a little from previous interaction: there's a sense of relief to him. Opening up this door is a pleasure to him - to not be hiding in a Hell-colored closet of evaded truth?

"I don't like to directly meddle. Just reinforces some stereotypes," Lucifer jokes with a laugh. "'The Devil Made me Do it' is always a lie. My least favorite one, even. Rather be called evil." He clicks his tongue, but shrugs both shoulders, starting to steer to lead them to head back towards Lux.

"I'm an /opportunity/. Which shall not be abused, or I will become cross," Lucifer winks at her. He's kidding, but there's the lightweight line to not pass over. "I won't pretend tales of my prior rage were overstated. But truly, I would rather remain friends." He gives her a perky smile, but doesn't offer a hand to her, or touch her at all. He's learned over the years that those that accept what he is still freak out if he actually touches them before they're ready. Some aren't ready for the level of realness.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda recognizes the subtle warning he gives. She gives a faint nod of acknowledgement, just as happy not to abuse his generosity. His is Power only to be invoked in direst straits.

When he offers friendship, however, she smiles and extends a hand. "I would, too," she agrees. "I... will need some time to process all this. But I do appreciate your candor, Lucifer. It is something of a relief, truthfully." It makes him a 'known' quantity, despite how much she can't possibly know about him.

Lucifer has posed:
The hand extended surprises him, and Lucifer doesn't hide that fact. He's probably bizarrely honest, and Amanda might particularly now begin to see exactly how open he really is. All of the comments aren't just jokes, with the real context of him.

So Lucifer does accept her hand, and grant a cheeky smile, though there's no flirt there. He's toned that back just a little, to not push his luck overall. The man can, and does, finesse a situation.

"Naturally, take your time, by all means. And if you /do/ become cursed again, please feel that my door is as open as before. I enjoy a puzzle, and being of aid to a friend. Without strings." As proven before, when he did not force her into a contract to help her. He's consistent, and resolute in his word.

"Unless strings are wanted. A bit of rope can make an experience rather more exciting." Very consistent.