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inuhalfdemon · 3 days

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Out by the Bayou

RadioApple Week 2024

Day 7 Prompt: Day Out

Word Count: 2,289 Words

Never knew how much that muddy water meant to me...

But I learned how to swim, and I learned who I was

A lot about livin' and a little 'bout love.

A lot about livin' and a little 'bout love."

- Alan Jackson

Lucifer groaned, “Why are you making me do stuff today…Charlie said we could have a few days off from our responsibilities with the hotel!”

“Yes, she did,” Alastor allowed; he opened the door to his hotel room and stepped inside, Lucifer following him. “But, that doesn’t mean we don’t have other things that we could be doing.”

“I want to go back to bed!” Lucifer was actually whining.

“We were in bed all day yesterday. You’re feeling better today so I’m not just going to let you mope around.”

“I wasn’t mopey!” Lucifer got defensive.

“You had a low day – we spent yesterday doing what we both needed and wanted to then. This is today. You have more energy; you look brighter. Time to be less…

“Lazy?” Lucifer frowned.

“…reluctant to do things.” Alastor finished; carefully.

Lucifer groaned again.

Ignoring his moodiness, Alastor walked over to the sofa he had set against the wall – Lucifer saw that there were things laid out across the cushions of it and the coffee table beside it.

Alastor sat down on one of the free cushions; reaching for a rucksack.

“So…what exactly are we going to be doing today?” Lucifer asked him.

“We’re spending a morning out in the bayou.” Alastor told him simply; digging into the rucksack and pulling out a pair of denim jeans. He tossed them to Lucifer.

“Uh…I don’t really look good in jeans, Al. They make me look too boyish and like I’ve got no butt.”

“Well, we are going for functional, not fashionable. Besides; I’m sure you’ll find those will fit you just fine...make this Louisiana boy’s heart go pitter-patter.” Alastor’s voice slid into a smooth, southern drawl and Lucifer’s ears burned hot at the tips.

Alastor began taking off his shoes; tossing them and his socks aside. He slipped into his own jeans – rolling up the cuffs so that they rested snug against his upper calves. Lucifer followed suit.

“I’ve got fresh coffee made,” Alastor nodded to the two thermos’s he had set out on the table: none of that tea business this morning. We’ll take it to go and – yes, before you ask – there’s an obscene amount of creamer in the one that is yours…just how you like it.” Alastor made a disgusted face.

Alastor came over to where Lucifer sat; kneeling down – he tightened the rolls to Lucifer’s jeans against his calves. He did the same with Lucifer’s shirt sleeves; rolling and bunching them firmly the man’s arms, just above the elbows. Then, he reached up and smoothly undid the bowtie from around Lucifer’s neck.

“I’d never say that bowties don’t have a place in the bayou…a fine bowtie belongs anywhere,” Alastor chuckled, “But, let’s spare ours from the muck of things today.” He tossed it aside; loosening Lucifer’s collar. His hands slid down; unclasping the first buttons to his shirt – exposing the skin around his neck and upper chest.

Lucifer’s heart started skipping.

“Down, boy.” Alastor told him, pulling Lucifer’s face in and kissing him warmly on the mouth. “I’m only helping you to look the part.” Alastor mussed up Lucifer’s hair and laughed as he stood back up.

Lucifer rolled his eyes; reaching back for his socks and his shoes.

“Nope. Those stay here.” Alastor told him; gathering up the rucksack and reaching for another that looked full, heavy and was soaked in dark stains at the bottom.

Alastor shot Lucifer a coy smile; throwing the rucksack heavily across his shoulder and turning for the bayou.

Lucifer very nearly gagged when his feet sank into the bog; smelling mud squelching and bubbling up between the toes of his hooves. He wasn’t used to this kind of getting down and dirty stuff but Alastor…Alastor was perfectly at home here.

Alastor led the way through the swamp - the heavy rucksack swinging against his shoulders – he whistled some jaunty southern tune that Lucifer had never heard before. His deer tail was poking out from the hole Alastor had made in the jeans and it wagged and twitched happily as they walked along. Lucifer swatted at bugs and stumbled over things as they went but Alastor moved easily through the bramble; perfectly content and at ease.

The longer they went though, Lucifer found that the mud between his toes felt…kind of nice. As they skirted the edge of the swamp; the weeds and branches of thick brush poked and dragged across exposed skin…but, it wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Frogs croaked; crickets sang and there was birdsong from all around. The air was hot and it was humid, but it was fresh and Lucifer was feeling better than he had felt for….a long time.

“Where are we going?” Lucifer asked him from behind.

“Just to this bend in the channel, up here,” Alastor told him; not looking back. “I’ve got some friends of mine that I’d like you to meet.”

“Some what now?” Lucifer asked and Alastor laughed.

Coming to the bend; the swamp opened up to a wide channel of muddy water that bent sharply to the right. Alastor pulled aside a clump of reeds; allowing Lucifer to step through easily so that they were standing at the edge of an embankment that sloped easily down and into the still water.

There was a loud splash; something moving heavily into the water from the further down the bank, but when Lucifer turned; he only saw the ripples along the water’s surface.

Still whistling, Alastor threw down his rucksack and began rummaging through it. His hands came out bloody and holding clumps of rotting meat; lifting them from the bag.

“Oh, yuck…” Lucifer spat out his tongue. “What is that!?”

“The less savory bits…” Alastor told him; stepping from the sack and toward the channel. Ripples and waves disturbed the water’s surface; two log-like heads poking out of the muddy water – simultaneously.

Gators.

One of the heads tilted up; long jaws opening – revealing rows of impressively large and white teeth; the gator hissing loudly. The other head didn’t move; staying very still beside it instead.

“These two lovelies are Mildred and Henrietta.” Alastor announced; tossing a chunk of the rotting meat easily into the gator’s open mouth. The jaws slammed shut and the gator disappeared beneath the swirling water. The other gator’s mouth slowly opened and Alastor repeated his throw. The gator caught the meat – throwing it’s head back, it gripped it’s meal and submerged itself slowly out of sight.

Lucifer starred at Alastor; watching him walking away from the bank and returning for the rucksack. Alastor reached back in to the bag; pulling out a huge, and fully intact heart now. Turning back, Alastor walked down the embankment – actually stepping into the muddy water now; wading up to his knees and waiting.

With eyes wide, Lucifer watched as the biggest alligator he believed anyone had ever seen drifted slowly up and to the surface. Its great snout broke through the muddy water and the huge reptile groaned and grunted in deep tones.

“And, this…” Alastor called back happily. “This is Petey!” Smiling, he lifted the heart. The gator’s mouth opened and Alastor dropped the organ into the huge reptile’s gullet. “A very picky eater this one. Only the hearts of my enemies, will do for him.” The gator lifted his head; throwing it back and swallowing his gift whole. The gator’s grunting turning into gurgling rumbles. “Who’s a big, bad bull gator? Petey is!” Alastor talked to the alligator like it was fucking chihuahua; his claws scratching underneath the bull gator’s chin and eliciting more rumbling from the giant.

This guy might just be…lonelier than I am. Lucifer thought, watching him with the gator.

Petey snapped his jaws; snorting loudly before twisting and diving back under the churning water. His tail swept roughly through the water; splashing a laughing Alastor before vanishing completely. Alastor washed the blood from his hands in the muddy water, wadding out and walking back up the embankment.

“Should you be fucking feeding those things!?” Lucifer asked him.

“Best that I do.” Alastor told him; gathering up the empty rucksack. “We’re going to be wading in this part of the channel over here and better that they’re not hungry when we do. Those things have a rather nasty bite when they decide to take a taste of you.”

“Fuck…” Lucifer breathed and Alastor laughed again.

The rest of the morning was spent with Alastor and Lucifer getting muddier and muddier.

Alastor first showed Lucifer the traps he had made and set for catching crawdads; a series of carefully woven willow branches that interlocked in such a way that the crayfish could work their way into the bundles for the bait but then ran into difficulty trying to get back out. They pulled up each one – emptying the crawdads into a rucksack and setting the traps aside to use for another time.

Next, Alastor took him to a spot in the channel where the current slowed and the bottom dipped to a deeper depth. He had poles set into the mud of the bank there and he showed Lucifer where they were placed and how to tell if they had been set off – with a catfish caught and held fast at the end.

A sharp and piercing chirp sounded overhead and a beautiful osprey glided into a low-hanging branch nearby. Lucifer appreciated the bird; smiling at the way it ruffled its feathers in agitation.

“Another one of my regular fee collectors.” Alastor told him. “That there is Matilda.”

“She’s pretty.” Lucifer complimented.

“Flattery won’t get you very far with her.” Alastor laughed, “Here, take this catfish. Do two, slow sweeping swings with it – let her see that you have it and what you’re doing; and toss it straight up.”

“Seriously?” Lucifer asked.

Alastor nodded. “She’s got mouths to feed so she’ll appreciate the break, I’m sure.”

Lucifer stared at him, just holding the catfish.

“Go on,” Alastor shoved him and smiling Lucifer did just what Alastor had told him.

On his last swing down; Matilda had knew what was coming and she bent her wings in preparation. Lucifer tossed the catfish straight up into the air and the female osprey jumped from the branch; tucked in her wings and dove nimbly down. Catching the catfish with curved talons; she hoisted it close – letting out a chorus of singing chirps before wheeling overhead and disappearing out of sight.

They were finishing up with their checking of the poles, when Alastor called Lucifer to a spot in the bank, wanting to show him something. Not giving the angel any reason to his actions; Alastor directed him to kneel with him into the water. Taking his hand – Alastor guided it down and forward. Alastor pressed himself closer, leaning against him and stretching his arm further out in front of them – doing something with his fingers. Lucifer felt the tips of his ears burning again just before something clamped uncomfortably and heavily around his arm.

Lucifer shrieked and Alastor cackled as the man was nearly drug straight underwater.

“Hold on…that’s a big’n.” Alastor laughed; pulling Lucifer by the waist. Lucifer was hauled back and when his arm broke the water an enormous catfish came with it; its mouth clamped firmly around his hand and refusing to let go.

Lucifer began screaming and Alastor nearly dropped him from the amount of laughter that he had at the whole ordeal.

Packing up all they had into the rucksacks, Alastor and Lucifer started out from the bayou.

Alastor told Lucifer about the plans he had for making a true, southern-style dinner for everyone at the hotel with all that they were bringing back with them. Lucifer watched Alastor happily talk to him about recipes and ingredients and just like manman used to do’s… He never got to see Alastor so raw and purely….himself before.

Lucifer’s heart was so full and happy in this moment…it felt like could very well burst.

Alastor suddenly stopped mid-sentence – one ear laying off to the side; turning.

Excitedly, he set his bag down – encouraging Lucifer to do the same, he took the angel by the hand and led him down a worn game trail; closer to the channel.

Carefully, Alastor moved them slowly to a place where there was small grouping of trees set against the bog. Alastor shifted; then moved Lucifer closer beside him – pointing out the hen wood duck that was paddling in the water – cheeping incessantly.

Lucifer watched the hen; wondering what her fuss was all about and why it had drew Alastor’s attention.

A quick movement caught his eye and he saw something fall from one of the trees. A small ball of fluff landed gently in a pile of old tree leaves; a wood duckling chic…bouncing from the fall it took from its bold jump from the nest, but clearly unharmed. Eyes shining, Lucifer watched as seven more ducklings took the same brave leap – gathering at the edge of the incredibly high burrow and throwing themselves out; driven only by the amazing trust they already had in their mother; and in their own instincts. Each chick bounced, then waddled away – no worse for wear; scooting into the water and following the hen out to a deeper part in the channel.

Alastor lifted his head; watching them go.

“She’s been on that nest for a while…I had hoped it would be today…” He tilted his head; “Great falls can lead to great things…wouldn’t you say?”

Lucifer’s heart clenched and he swallowed hard.

Alastor pulled him to him; sighing deeply.

“The low days will still happen for you, Luci….I can’t change that. But, I can give you days like this too….And, I’ll give you as many of them as I can…I promise.”

Taglist: @helluva-simper

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