Eat the terror, Lick the spark

[shifting]

Who: Sam and Sylar (and later Lucifer)
When: 3/21, afternoon
Where: Sam & Edgeworth's apartment
Summary: Sylar stalks a shapeshifter
Warnings: Graphic violence and language.
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There was good weather today. Clear and bright, the first real sign that spring was on its way. Sam was grateful for it on the walk home from work. Wednesday nights were never that busy at Merlotte's, so he had an assistant manager holding down the fort. There was only paperwork to catch up on tonight, which could be done at home. ...Maybe even the park, if he could convince Edgeworth to go out with him after the lawyer got off. If he claimed it was for Gizmo's sake it shouldn't be that hard to do.

He whistled when he walked through the door, shutting and locking it carelessly behind him. Gizmo scampered out from the back room with an eager greeting, and he bent to a knee to give her an affectionate ruffle and a few good pets behind the ears. "How you doin', girl? Huh? You been good? Let's get you somethin' to munch on."

Comments

[shifting]

"Yeah, that's fine. Devil's gotta have a secret lair." He glanced around. ...As far as secret lairs (or bedrooms) went it wasn't really impressive. Not even a torture rack.

"Sure. With a pair of pants, if you've got 'em to spare? First impressions and all." His lips twitched like they wanted to smile, but he couldn't quite bring himself to do it. Maybe once he was sure he hadn't lost the use of his left hand there would be room for proper banter. For now it was little more than a way to cope with something he hadn't quite processed yet. His shoulders shook.

[thelightbringer]

"We don't...really keep clothes around." When they wanted to change their look (and they never did) they were able to do it through their powers. But that rarely happened. "He probably won't even notice."

Lucifer would have gone to scrub his hands clean if he'd been a little more considerate. But he wasn't, it didn't occur to him, and he rested his hand on Sam's shoulder. "I'll try to heal you. Just relax."

[shifting]

"Oh." Well, than answered that question. At least it wasn't like Sam wasn't use to being naked in front of people.

Cleanliness could wait until Sam could feel more than shooting pains from his hands again. Still, he stiffened under the touch, and his nod was curt. Still shaken.

[thelightbringer]

"It's just me."

He moved, just to be in Sam's line of sight. And then he closed his eyes and a second later had everything set to how it had been before Sam was attacked by a raging lunatic.

[shifting]

Relief. Peace washed over his muscles in a soothing wave. The pain was just suddenly gone. Sam stared down at fully-formed hands and flexed them. Both sets of fingers curled into his still-bloody palms.

If ever Sam needed proof of angels, this was his - to become so easily whole after being so broken.

Sam closes his eyes and leans in close, rests his forehead against Lucifer's arm. "Thank you."

[thelightbringer]

"Well, you didn't think I'd let Sylar leave a mark on you, did you?" Which was just Lucifer's way of saying 'you're welcome'.

He strokes the back of Sam's neck, fingers moving in slow circles. "I hope he's learned a lesson. But if he hasn't, I don't sleep. You can call for either me or my brother."

[shifting]

He'd likely never call on Michael's name - the angel was an enigma to him. Better to rely on someone he knew. Someone who cared about him. But Sam nodded all the same and made himself draw back and pull upright, leaving an unpleasant chill where the warmth of Lucifer's fingers had been. There was little more he wanted right now than to spend the whole rest of the night under Lucifer's hands, safe and cared for, but he had to get home. Edgeworth could be home any time. Sam would just have to be strong.

"I don't think he's got the sanity in him to learn lessons. ...But just like any dumb beast, he'll know to avoid what hurts him." Hopefully.

"...I'm gonna have to get back soon."

[thelightbringer]

Lucifer nodded slowly, but his gaze kept wandering slowly over Sam's naked body.

"If he keeps coming back, I know how to kill him. I don't want to have to do it, but if he's not worth the risk..." He made a slashing motion across his own throat.

"I can get you there in under half a second. You have some time to spare." Besides, he knew that Sam was worried about Edgeworth, and the childish part of Lucifer enjoyed having Sam here even more because of that.

"I think if there's some sign to other creatures they'll be more likely to leave you alone." A sign that Lucifer has a claim on Sam, he means.

[shifting]

He'd noticed. He assumed Lucifer was inspecting his handiwork.

"Plus there's always the chance the Core would just keep yankin' him back. Like some brain-stealin' yo-yo." ...Okay, even Sam had to second-guess his wording there. But he moved on. "Will you know when he gets home? 'Cause I don't."

He snorted. "Sorta like a 'No Soliciters' sign? Hang somethin' on the front door that says 'Guarded by the Devil'? I can't see Edgeworth goin' for it."

[thelightbringer]

Lucifer gave him a wry smile for that. But rather than harp on it he closed his eyes and focused, then opened them a few seconds later. "He hasn't even started heading home yet."

He sat on the bed by Sam's feet. "First of all, Miles knows I've had a day pass to your body already anyway. Second, I think he'd prefer my autograph on you to having your head cracked open, or some demon possessing you."

[shifting]

Hard to argue with someone who can telepathically pinpoint people. Sam nodded reluctantly.

"I hope you didn't actually say 'day pass' to him." But he blinks with a start, realizing what Lucifer is getting at - which is not, as he'd thought, a sign on their front door. He's talking about an actual mark. "You want to tattoo me?"

[thelightbringer]

"For your protection. It's up to you, of course, but if Sylar had seen that you were off-limits to begin with he might have thought twice." Might have. Sylar is the sort of man who gets off on pushing boundaries.

[shifting]

Sam rubs his knees, not looking at Lucifer. Thinking.

"...What would it mean, exactly? What'd you have in mind?"

[thelightbringer]

"Just my sigil, somewhere on your body. Either they would see it and know, or they would see it and continue and then be burned by it. You won't be, obviously."

[shifting]

So it would be more than just some sign of alliance; it would actually protect him. Magically. That was different.

"But it wouldn't burn anyone who touched me, right? Where would it be? What does it look like?"

[thelightbringer]

"No, just those who are trying to hurt you."

He reached over for a pen and drew his sigil on his own hand.

"See? Simple."

[shifting]

Very simple. But also... very obvious.

"Does it have to be on my hand?" No offense, it's not like he's embarrassed to be associated with you, but uh...

[thelightbringer]

"No. I was thinking your hip. Or your chest."

He smiles slowly.

"Maybe your forehead if you squirm."

[shifting]

Sam poked his chest. "Don't even play like that. I'll bite you."

[thelightbringer]

Lucifer smirks and leans forward mischievously.

"All right. You tell me where you want it."

[shifting]

"Hip. Hip is good." He'd thought for a moment about the small of his back - easy to hide - but then thought about what it would mean to have the sign of devil as a tramp stamp.

Sam leaned back, getting comfortable for... whatever was going to happen. "Is it gonna hurt?"

[thelightbringer]

"Not terribly. Especially not compared to what you just went through." Lucifer ran his fingers over Sam's hip, finding just the right place. It needed to be over bone, because he'd be branding skin and bone. Just in case he ever got cut to the point Lucifer's name was illegible.

"Tell me a story, Sam."

[shifting]

"A story." So it was going to hurt. He was trying to distract him. ...Which wasn't going to work if Sam kept thinking about this, okay, here we go, story. "I was someone's pet for a short while. - Real short while, mind you, two or three days, but I was. It was when I was about... sixteen. I'd only been on my own for a year. Was still figurin' out how I was gonna get by..."

[thelightbringer]

Lucifer watched him, fingers just lightly trailing over his hip over and over, soothing him. He didn't want him to cry out; Magneto would hear. Otherwise, Lucifer would have gone ahead and done it and had it overwith already.

"What was that like?" Lucifer had pets--he thought of Sam as one of them, really--but had never considered what life would be like on the other end of the leash.

[shifting]

"Actually? Pretty relaxin'. At the time, it was what I needed." Sort of like these soothing strokes. "I was runnin' around as a stray Beagle, and this little girl got a leash around me, took me home. I could've run away, but... it was nice for a while, havin' someone take care of me. It wouldn't have lasted of course - hell, her parents were plannin' on takin' me by the shelter once they opened up again that Monday - but for a day or so... it felt good. I felt safe. Loved."